“I’ve kept our side of the bargain,” Todd stated.

“Yes, you have. Last week when I went to restock I figured I would go pick up what you’ve asked for. I hope that 20 charges is a good start,” said the shopkeeper as he handed Todd the explosives.

“Yeah, that’ll do,” said Todd who wasn’t sure if that would be enough.

“Additional charges will cost you .1 iron each. I’ll be able to restock my supply every week,” noted the old man.

Todd slowly made his way out of the shop. He was bruised and covered in blood. He sullenly made his way to the place where he and Gale usually mined. Todd chucked a blue orb at the wall. A wave of bright blue light filled the room, blinding Todd who had been looking directly at the explosion. The crumbling of rock could be heard and a few pebbles pelted Todd’s legs.

Now began the work of sifting through the rubble, looking for iron left in the wake of the explosion. Todd was able to scrape together a sizable amount but he wouldn’t know how much he had made until the end of the day when the inspectors weighed the ore.

Over the next 19 blasts Todd had refined his method, making sure to look away and cover his ears during each explosion. He would turn his back away from the explosion and cover his head to prevent any accidental injury.

It didn’t take long for Todd to sift through the rocky remains. He stood hunched over the rocks like a goblin picking berries from a bush, only Todd’s bush had no berries. It had iron ore in it. It was his ticket out of his miserable existence.

It was clear from picking through the fragments on the ground that this method was a success. It had only taken Todd roughly an hour to sift through the rubble and he had gathered a substantial amount of metal.

He made his way to the inspector. A audible thunk could be heard when Todd heaved the heavy bag of metal onto the scale. It read 13 pounds, a number far greater than any day Todd had spent mining by hand. It was certainly enough to live off of for a week.

Todd finally enough time to look for Sasha and eventually Gnar and Gubba. He headed back to the camp, walking around the kitchens to hear about any rumors about his missing companion, figuring she was placed in food duty. He had assumed she was fine, being an experienced adventurer.

Lines of cauldrons filled the building designated for feeding the hungry miners. Normally the miners didn’t have time to interact with the people cooking the food. Bowls of gruel were used brought to a table centered between the tents. The other buildings that used to make up this small community were for the most part deserted. Occasionally you would see an administrator walk out of a home they had claimed for themselves.

Cooks gossiped as they through various ingredients into the bottomless dark green gupe, occasionally stirring so the solids wouldn’t burn on the bottom of the cauldron. Todd walked down rows of people, glancing around to see if he could spot Sasha. He had no such luck.

“Do you need help with anything,” an old woman asked accusingly.

“Yeah, I’m looking for a friend of mine. I thought she would be down here. Her names Sasha. She has blonde hair and is this tall,” Todd said, holding his hand up to indicate her height.

“Hmmm, I think I know who your talking about. The count in-charge of running the village took a liking to her. She works in his keep. You can’t miss it, it’s the biggest building around for miles.”

“Thanks for the info,” Todd said as he frowned.

He made his way to the large intricate building away from all the run-down huts Todd saw on a daily basis. Its large stained glass windows and ornamental stone decor stood out in the village so it was clear this was the building Todd was looking for.

Peaking through the windows, Todd could see workers cleaning the house, lounging on furniture. It was obvious the people who worked for this guy got preferential treatment over those working in the mines. His worries for Sasha’s well-being quickly dissipated, replaced with small tinge of jealousy.

Todd walked around the building to see if he could find a discreet entrance. He slowly and methodically scanned the building looking for any openings. Two barred windows slightly ajar and a smaller cellar were the only other ways in that Todd found. The windows were shut tightly and wouldn’t budge as Todd pushed on the them.

Todd pulled on the cellar door, finding it loose. He wiggled the door back and forth until he was able to pry it open. A dim glow came from the basement and Todd was curious what was down there. He knew it was risky to enter, but he would have to face his captors eventually.