"They're here," a voice said, distant but more present than Kael had heard recently.
Who was here?
As if to answer his question, the voice continued. "The officials are right outside, Elysia."
Kael sat straight up, gasping for breath. Had he heard them right. For the first time in what seemed like forever, he opened his eyes.
The cavern was as dim and dusty as always, and for once, Kael felt a sense of home here. Mining had become his life. The workers, Ryker, Lucian, Tuck, Elysia. All of them had become his friends.
His chest ached, and each shallow inhale only made his head spin more. Blood had dried into his shirt, staining the fabric a deep crimson.
"Kael," Lucian's voice said.
He looked up, finding the healer and Elysia standing a few feet away.
Elysia was barely standing, her breath shallow, her face ashen. Her hand gripped the jagged stone wall, knuckles white, but her eyes were locked forward, staring into the distance where the sound of marching boots echoed in the gloom.
"So this is it," she said. "How far behind are we on the quota?"
Lucian sighed. "Far enough. We won't make it in time, Elysia."
The last time the officials came, it had been like a storm—a sudden, unrelenting force that swept through the workers, leaving nothing but fear in its wake. But this time, it felt different. The weight of their presence, the sound of their boots, it pressed down harder.
Each step felt like the countdown to their last seconds of life.
A shiver ran down Kael's spine, and for a moment, he wanted to run. But where would he go?
Then he remembered.
The promise he had made to himself—the vow that had kept him going through the haze of pain—was still there, burning brighter now than ever before. Freedom. It echoed in his thoughts like a prayer, like a mantra that refused to let him go.
If I wake up, I'll be free. I'll escape this. I won't stay a slave to the Royals, to this endless cycle of suffering and servitude.
He was awake now. The only thing that remained was action.
The gem throbbed in his pocket, almost like a warning. He could feel the warmth of its glow spreading throughout his chest, almost as if it were healing him.
Kael didn't question it, but he knew it wouldn't be enough. Pain still attacked his body from every angle, and his legs shook as he tried to stand.
"Woah woah," Lucian said, stepping forward. "Take it easy, newborn. You're not healed yet."
"Does it matter?" Kael asked, glancing at Elysia. "Neither is she. But if they really are here, we don't have much of a choice."
"He's right," Elysia muttered. "We don't have a choice."
Lucian gave her a long look but didn't argue. "Fine. But you're not walking out there unassisted."
"Help me forward then, Lucian. I want them to see me."
The workers poured from the tunnel, wheeling in carts of the obsidian they'd mined so far. It was much more than last week, but not double the amount.
Ryker came with them, and his eyes brightened when he saw Kael sitting up.
"You're alive, huh?"
Kael nodded. "For now. They're here."
Ryker looked down at the stone ground. "I know. We tried our best, but it wasn't enough. We'll be punished for this."
"They…they won't kill us, will they?"
His friend sighed. "I don't know. They need us, but we're also easily replaceable. I just hope we can be given a second chance."
"They're not really the forgiving type though," Kael said.
"Unfortunately. Come on," Ryker said, wrapping an arm around Kael's shoulders. "Let's get lined up for them."
He and Kael stumbled toward the entrance, following the rest of the workers toward their unknown fates.
*******
Elysia and Lucian stopped in front of the line of officials, who stood with guns already in hand. Almost as if they were prepared for an attack.
The leader stepped forward, his monotone voice ringing clear in the cavern. "Where is the required obsidian, Elysia?"
Elysia's shoulders tensed, but she didn't flinch. She took a deep breath and stepped forward, leaving Lucian behind.
Her eyes locked on the official. "We won't meet the quota," she said flatly.
It was better to be straightforward with them, she'd learned over the years. Lies didn't get you anywhere.
The official didn't even blink. His mask was impassive, his voice devoid of emotion. "Failure to meet the Royal demands is punishable. You will answer for this."
If he was going to be emotionless, so would she. "So kill us. Kill every single one of us here and replace us with more Soulless newborns."
The official seemed slightly shocked.
"Then you'll have a team of wandering buffoons who barely understand orders. Don't you understand? Talkers are what get you your obsidian every week. I have led these people to mine hundreds of your shipments without failure."
"Until now."
"We ran into a complication," she said. "A cavern beast that killed ten of our Soulless. You never warned us of such a threat down here."
She glanced behind her, where the rest of the workers were lining up. They had done everything in their power to mine the obsidian in time. Now she would do everything in her power to save their lives.
"We were aware of such things," the official stated. "But they are so uncommon that we didn't think it important."
Elysia smiled then. The officials were at fault for this. "So I believe we should be given leniency for this week. That attack devastated our numbers. It made your already impossible task even more so."
"I'm afraid we can't do that."
Fear struck Elysia through the heart. After everything they'd gone through, why were the officials so unrelenting? "W-why?"
"If we do not do our jobs, we too will be punished by the royals. You have served us well over the years, Elysia. But I'm afraid your time is up."