Sol's POV

Nearly a day had passed, and most of the debris had been removed from the tunnel to retrieve the body - the miners who worked were exhausted. People gathered around to witness the disaster that had taken more lives. As everyone had thought, but no one had dared to express, the corpses of the men who had died in the cave-in were unrecognizable. Several people were not used to seeing such deformed dead bodies and collapsed in fear. Others retched up the little food they had to eat. It was uncomfortable and a deafening silence ruled over us to mourn for the loss of more innocent people. I stood there, still trying to accept the reality that had been presented before me, but I could not stop myself from hoping that this was all a horrifying nightmare. This was obviously not possible because I could still feel the pain from all the injuries, but I continued to foolishly hope.

I had been taken care of by Rosa for several hours after Nor left to go to the site of the cave-in. Now that I had actually come here, I felt selfish for trying to rest while everyone else had continued to help for hours without sleep. I had spotted Nor earlier along with a few others coming out from the cave that had collapsed and watched as he lay down the five corpses next to each other. They looked nothing like they once were, but I still knew that they were the ones that had died trying to run out - exactly as I had. 

This was the first time I began to think of higher existences that could save them - perhaps a god. It was a thought that I had due to the reality that had been unfolding in front of me. But then, I wondered if such a cruel god could even exist in this world where everything was going wrong. Maybe, it was just me that was unlucky, but then would a god exist, take away everything… EVERYTHING I ever had and still call himself a god? No, to me, that is just the devil acting as a god. I would have to grow to be stronger, enough to overpower the people who had put me in this hellish situation. Foolishly, I had thought that life in the mines could be worth living around those I cared about, but that was not going to work now. Whether it is me coping or accepting reality, I have chosen to make this world a place where no one would ever be harmed and could just live the lives they wished to live - this was the idealistic world I had thought of. 

* * *

The time for mourning did not last long because we were still being watched by the guards daily. Reports still had to be given and quotas still had to be met; this was just the world we had lived in for the past year. I entered the cave that had collapsed a day earlier and went deep inside only to be reminded of the moments leading up to my own escape. Walking all the way to the end, my thoughts began to swell inside my head and I did not know if I would be able to think rationally for very long. I reached the spot where I had heard the rotten, wooden pole collapse and where chaos had ensued shortly after. 

*whisper* “It was the guards' fault… it was the guards' fault for providing rotten poles!” *louder* “If they hadn’t been so fucking lazy, my group wouldn’t have died… hahaha… AHAHAA HA HA ha”

I felt broken inside and let the tears fall once again, only this time, no one was there to comfort me and provide warmth. It was cold as I fell, knees to the ground. They bled, but what did I care, the others had their entire body deformed with no way of making them remotely like people. As I dejectedly got up to return to everyone else, I noticed some strange markings on the wall - they were letters from the Bakeno Kingdom’s language. Rosa had been teaching me from time to time, although I was still in the beginning stages, I had learned some characters and words. Touching the wall, I felt out what was written.

“Li… ve yo… u… r li… f… e So… l”

At first, I could not understand what was written on the wall but as I repeated it over to myself, a realization dawned on me and for the third time that day, I broke down crying. However, these were not tears of grief, mourning, or happiness - they were tears of realization and relief. That first push, that I had believed was to kill me, had been Sho trying to help me get out of there first. I could not understand what had led him to do such a thing, but he did it anyway and had managed to save me. Not only had he saved me, but he had also managed to leave a note behind for me as he was dying. It was a huge relief to me mentally, but it still did not change the feeling of guilt from shooting a shot of fire at the others who were also trying to run out as fast as they could. The thoughts of ‘what if’ and ‘maybe’ continued to weigh on me, but Sho’s words provided me some comfort and release from irrational thoughts. 

I engraved those words in me as I slowly walked back the way I came from - to those that I still loved and cared for.

Sho’s POV

I had been asked by Nor and Rosa from early on to take care of Sol because he was still young and fragile. I overlooked a duel between Nor and Sol, but the outcome was clear from the beginning. Even then, this child who had to be no older than ten was either brave or idiotic enough to challenge someone who was a full-grown adult well-versed in fighting. I had met Nor and Rosa a few times outside the mines and we had become acquaintances over the many years, even celebrating the birth of their first child. 

For the most part, I was just like any other dwarf who enjoyed working with the metals we would find in the Forest of the Great Spirits. Most of the races outside of beastmen and humans lived in these woods and had grown large over time. I had carelessly been caught by human slave traders on the northern front of the Forest of Great Spirits. I had only heard about them and never actually had explored those parts because I was rather a quiet child who didn’t go out of my way to interact with others. After getting captured, I was constantly moved around until eventually being bought off by the mining group I currently am enslaved by. And here, I met a fascinating child and a satisfying end. 

We dwarves are prideful, and I was no different. When I was captured by these human slave traders, resentment naturally grew over time. I had thought that working in the mines wouldn’t have been so bad considering the number of stones and metals I would be working with, but not only did they force us to hand it all over, they worked us to the limit with little to feed us. I was angered that my life and dream had been shattered in a matter of months when it took years to build. However, I wanted to do something, accomplish something, or at the very least, leave something behind that would show that I had indeed once walked this very world. To me that was Sol. 

At first, I just saw Sol as a simple child who needed help growing like any other child of any race. But I was wrong - very wrong. As I watched him over the past year, I realized that he had the potential to work hard and accomplish the things he wanted. He was quick on his feet and he had the unique blood to use supernatural essence. Unfortunately, I did not know enough to teach him these powers, but I could instill within him a sense of morals that would guide him through his life - after all, what can man do without guidance. Dwarves were guided by their pride in craftsmanship from a young age and I was no different, and so I decided to teach Sol about the importance of persistence and ambition. 

I taught him, not by telling him what he needed to do, but by my own actions. Throughout the following several months, I led our group through with the same qualities I wanted Sol to learn and I saw that Sol slowly adapted to my actions. He began to lead the group through any obstacle that came in front of him and his ambition to survive grew stronger. The one thing I regret is that Sol is too confident against those he has convinced himself stronger than. Over time, I had become grateful for the opportunity I had, regardless of the situation I had been caught in. Sol had grown greatly in the time I had been with him, but I expect he will still face many hardships and conflicts throughout his life.

Today, a day that was no different from any other, was when tragedy finally struck. We had gone mining and the poles had been rotten. We noticed too late and I decided my time had finally come - whether by fate or by god's hand. Right before the ceiling of the cave crashed on top of me, I quickly pushed Sol forward and gave him a chance to survive. I would have also tried to save the others, but Sol was of utmost priority to me. There was no time to save the others.

*whisper* “O god, if you truly exist, please save that young boy… he does not deserve to perish now”

For the first time, I prayed to a god I did not even believe in and wished the boy his safety. Immediately afterward, I covered my head with my hand on the off chance I could survive this brutal disaster that was about to fall on me. I braced for impact and the pain was excruciating. I felt that this was the repercussions from god for not saving all those who were from my group. But what did I care, I was a prideful dwarf and I would not bow down to the gods who did nothing to save those who were enslaved in this mine. Perhaps it was a blessing to die now rather than later. 

The rocks continued to fall from above and I made one last-ditch effort to leave a message for Sol. Although Sol had grown, he was still a child in the mind and would blame himself for being the only one able to survive. I frantically scribbled something into the wall with all my remaining strength with a sharp rock. 

“Onward Sol!”

I yelled as loud as I could for the first and last time as the falling rocks quickly masked it up. As I lay there exhausted, I heard the cluttering of rocks that fell on me and endured the pain.

* * *

Sol’s POV

I had gone out during the time I was supposed to sleep and tiptoed towards the stone floor where Rosa and Nor were. Nor wasn’t there and I assumed that he was continuing his training cycle. 

“How are you feeling?”

I saw that Rosa had not been sleeping. She got up and came over to me as I walked over to her. Her expression was engulfed with worry, but I assured her that I was doing better than before. She looked like she did not believe me, but did not force me to talk about it anymore.

“Are you going to go to bed now?”

I was glad that she had asked because I was tired both physically and emotionally. I laid down on the cold rocks that night and even though it was far from it, I felt home. 

* * *

That night, I entered the ethereal dream that I had been in twice before. I was still confused about what this place was, but it felt like a place between dream and reality. 

*echo and whisper* “Help me…”

However, this time I heard the sound of a girl speaking to me loud and clear. I turned around and there she was. The girl who had been next to me during the time we had learned about the devil’s power. She was covered by the colors of this world and all I could see were her eyes. Those blood-curling, deep, crimson red eyes stared back at me.

P.S. Alas the female lead is introduced! I plan to flesh her out in the coming chapter so look out for that! Is anyone else going to watch the new SAO Progressive Movie? I'm going Friday with some friends so I hope it turns out to be better than the show. Anyways I hope you enjoyed the chapter and continue to support me! Pray for the weekend to come sooner