The Digpit- Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Theron followed Siegbert hurriedly deeper into the mines. Water seeped through the walls and washed down the floor, giving the impression that the whole place was sinking. They had reached a flaw in the plan—they had expected the orcs to cut the slaves’ chains and recapture them at the surface, but the leaders had simply fled, leaving the slaves to their fate.

Siegbert cleaved through another metal ring, leaving the captives free to escape, although still locked together. The crazed prisoners thanked them hurriedly while tripping over each other to reach the surface. There wasn’t enough time to separate them—the lower passages were already underwater, though hopefully there hadn’t been anybody working in them at the time.

All of a sudden, they reached the water level. It seemed to jut eerily sideways out of the floor, making Siegbert realise how steep the shaft was. Beneath the surface, he could see a pick sticking out of the wall, where it had been hurriedly left as the flood approached. They rested there for a while, before starting back up to the surface. Siegbert took one look back, but paused. Something was strange about the scene. The pick was no longer underwater—somehow the mines were being drained! Now that he looked closely, he could see the water retreating in regular bursts. Theron seemed to realise what Siegbert was looking at. “Oh no…” he murmured, and scrambled back up the passage.

**

Amok, and the rest of the slaves in the new chamber, was plunged into darkness as the lamp flickered out and died. It had lasted just long enough to reveal the gargoyle-lined corridor leading away from them. Away from the rubble and water, the floor was perfectly smooth—leading upwards slightly. Everyone was very grateful for this, as the water was rising dramatically. “Keep heading up!” shouted Amok, over the sound of the current now swilling around their ankles, “There might be a way out further ahead.” Nobody believed it—they had been underground for so long it seemed impossible that there would be an end to the cavern.

After a long time walking, the slaves stopped, and slid to the ground, well aware of the water still rising towards them. Only Amok remained standing, though soon realised that nobody could go further right now. With a sigh, he slumped against the wall. A deep, throbbing rumble echoed down the passageway, and the scene became lit by an eerie green glow. Amok backed away from it—suddenly afraid—he would rather take his chances with the rising flood than with this unknown magic. As soon as the feeling came, it went away again. It would be foolish not to investigate—the glow might even be sunlight! Though already he knew it was not.

**

Cerberus was enraged—everybody had fled his mine! It would have been flooded already, if it hadn’t been for his efforts alone. Each of the pumping stations rose and fell in time with his actions. Single handedly he had kept the tide at bay, and was making progress.

Theron silently climbed up the pumping room wall to a space where some age-old stone had fallen away, leaving a small, level alcove high up in the rock. With silent determination, he loaded the siege rifle—not with a normal bullet, but one of the deadly shells Arash had warned him to use in only the direst of circumstances. He aimed downwards at a bare patch on the warlord’s neck, and pulled the trigger. There was a gentle fizz as the fuse ignited, but the projectile remained lodged in the barrel. It exploded, and the room faded from view.