The alchemical laboratory basked in the strong sunlight pouring through the open window, illuminating the entire space. Crouching down by the stove, Bruno lit up a candle, which he then brought to a table partially cleared of alchemical equipment. There was only a quill, a bottle of ink, and an empty piece of paper occupying that space.

He grabbed the sheet and then slowly began moving it over the burning candle wick, sufficiently far away to avoid burning it, but also close enough to catch plenty of heat. Very quickly, words began blooming on the paper, forming a sentence: "Will this work?" Bruno clicked his tongue. 'This won’t do. It’s too good,' he deemed, putting the sheet away, only to blow at the candle, extinguishing the flame. 'How do I fix this?' He asked himself, scanning around the laboratory. 'Oil?'

As the idea popped into his mind, he heard a noise, enough to distract him. The entrance door moaned. When he looked toward it, he saw Viki, who was already moving closer.

"Are you busy?" she asked quietly.

"Not enough to not afford to give you a moment of my time," he responded only slightly louder than she did.

"I saw people working on the field for you, so I thought you could be preoccupied with that," she smiled slightly. "I have... I have bad news," she sighed before her whole expression changed into a much more serious one.

"I’m listening..."

"The bartender... I tried to work with him and get closer. To find out anything, but he keeps his mouth shut. There is no way he will let us contact the others. Instead, he demanded that I tell him what our plans are," she said while crossing her arms on her chest, then bit her lower lip, which only underlined her consternation.

"Have you told him anything?" Bruno raised a single eyebrow.

"Of course not!" She slightly raised her voice, but it was still a whisper.

"Good. We can’t show our cards until they reveal theirs. We have to be absolutely sure we know with whom we are working before we can tell them anything," he said, taking a step forward, but that was all. He didn’t get any closer, keeping the remaining distance. Then he went silent for a while, gathering his thoughts. "But we can show them what they can earn by working with us, and that, perhaps, will be enough to loosen their tongues. I bet they could use some weapons and armor. Ask if they are interested in that, as a gesture of goodwill on our side, and bring me the answer. If they agree, I’ll contact the pirates and organize a delivery for them. Then we will insist on contacting their leader, to strike possible better deals."

She kept nodding to his words. "I’ll take care of this," she assured. "The bartender is hard to work with, so I’m not sure if they will agree, but I’ll try."

"Do it, and be careful. Keep your eyes open," he warned, a note of worry in his voice.

She nodded, then left. Bruno watched her, before she disappeared behind the door, then allowed himself to sigh heavily. Although everything was going forward, it was moving slowly.

The stench of sweat and piss hung in the cold, stale air like an axe above their heads, but that wasn't anything Javohir wasn't accustomed to. He walked with confidence through the tunnel, holding an olive lantern in his hand and carefully watching his step on the uneven terrain carved straight into the stone.

His journey was accompanied by distant sounds of pickaxes hitting the rock, echoing throughout the whole mine.

Every few steps, he passed by wooden beams supporting the ceiling, until he reached a natural cavern beneath the mountain. The entire space was bathed in the dim light of torches and lamps hanging on the walls. In the middle, an underground lake reflected a black mirror. It was small, but still a lake.

People were scattered around, taking a rest after hours of swinging heavy pickaxes. Occasionally, a few workers would emerge, pushing wagons filled with stone and ore, panting heavily and groaning from the exertion.

He walked past them all, choosing a tunnel he had visited once before. It was a long one, winding deeper into the mountain, with various crossroads branching out in different directions.

He followed the path that eventually led him to a man-made cave, carved in stone by five workers. They were now sitting on the ground, eating stale bread and drinking water, illuminated by a few torches bolted to the walls. Their pickaxes rested, leaning against a wagon filled with rocks.

The group consisted of three men who appeared to be in their sixties and two younger ones. They weren't talking, too tired to focus on anything other than eating. When Javohir arrived, they all stared at him, as if expecting him to say something, but the Exalonian remained silent. Instead, he glanced around the walls, scratching his chin, and then looked at the wagon.

To his surprise, one of the older men decided to approach him. Deep wrinkles adorned his tired face, glistening with sweat. His lips were downturned in a constant grimace, showing his unhappiness.

"Are you gonna stare at the walls again?" he asked.

"Leave him alone, Buch," one of the younger miners said, capturing the attention of both Javohir and the old man, who turned to look over his shoulder.

"Why? We don't need outsiders here, observing our work. This guy probably never worked a day in his life, and he comes here, looking around like he owns the place. But unfortunately for him, this time he doesn't have a guard with him," the old man said, redirecting his attention back to the youngster.

"You have no idea about me," Javohir retorted.

"He's right," the younger miner declared. "You have no idea about this guy, Buch. He might look like the others sent here by the king to criticize us for not digging enough ore, but he's not like them."

After saying that, the young miner caught the attention of everyone else in the confined space. He stood up and approached the outsider, stopping right beside the older miner.

"The rumors have spread. The pirates sent him and others like him for a reason. I know about what you are doing in Zor. I heard one of you can grow plants in days. Did you come here to help with the mines, just like others are helping with the food?" the younger man asked.

Javohir nodded slowly in response.

"The food is a priority, and it's not resolved yet, but it will be soon, and then we will focus on the mines," he confirmed. "I'm just here to be the eyes for the one among us who is the mind."

"Well... The rumors spread fast. If they are true, then you made a miracle happen, and people all over the kingdom will know soon. Look as much as you want. We won't bother you," the man said, his voice carrying a sense of awe and respect. He placed a hand on his older friend's shoulder before he left back to where he was sitting.

Javohir used this moment to reach into his pocket and retrieve a small bottle of booze. With a fluid motion, he uncorked it in front of the old worker who was still looking at him. Taking a deep swig from the bottle, he then passed it forward.

The gesture surprised the old man. He hesitated but ended up taking the bottle. He sniffed it, recognized the familiar scent, and took a sip. Soon a warm smile bloomed on his lips. He turned to his comrades and brought them the bottle to share.

Javohir seized the opportunity and moved forward as well, joining the others who were still engrossed in their meal and now passing the booze as well. As he settled among them, their weary faces turned toward him, eager to hear his words.

"You might not believe me, but I once was a slave," he began, his voice carrying the weight of his past. "I fought in an underground arena, enduring pain, blood, sweat, and even broken bones. All of this,” he looked around, „is not new to me. But now, I'm here because I trusted a man who is... special. You will find out the same thing I did very soon. This is the man who is taking care of your food. Soon he will be taking care of the mines as well."

While he spoke, the young man extended his hand with the bottle, ready to return it. However, Javohir signaled for him to pass it to pass it to his fellow miners once again. "Drink," he urged, his voice filled with empathy. "I know it's not much, but it will ease your struggles, if only for a moment. This is all I can do for now, but do not be mistaken. I will come back one day, and I will bring changes."

The bottle of alcohol made its way from hand to hand, each miner accepting the second offering. Their fatigue momentarily lifted as they savored the liquid, finding solace and camaraderie in the shared experience.