42 Enter the Mine

As we near the mine, I break out into a nervous sweat.

/Why am I here?/

I live trapped between two worlds that both feel too real to be false.

/What if this kills me?/ I briefly consider bailing. But I quickly smack that thought down. Since meeting Daric and the other orphan children, I can feel the spark of change they triggered. They've made me remember though the world is unfeeling and cruel, there are people worth giving my trust. I've spent so much time focusing on the bad that it was all I saw.

/Who knew all it took was to lose my mind before I could see the light?/

Now, here's an opportunity to help in a way I could never have when I watched as an unseen ghost. I feel my spirit burn with a desire I suppressed and buried under indifference for years. When a small part of me tries to tell me this is all a hallucination, I brutally strangled it. As long as I live according to my heart's desire, what is there to regret?

When I consider all the people trapped, scared, and alone. My spirit grows even hotter. I know isolation, the desperate need for help that never comes. The sinking feeling of crying out into a heartless void that neither cares nor responds. I know I'm just projecting my ideas onto others, but it brings the fire started in my spirit to a blaze.

/Since no one was there for me, I'll be there for them./

As we enter the belly of the beast, we place illumination gems wherever they're needed. Thankfully, many of them remain undamaged, so we don't have to replace them often. As we near the fifth Section, we take detours into branching tunnels to get around collapses without wasting unnecessary time. It becomes apparent when we reached Section 5 because the pungent stench of blood hits me hard. The smell grows stronger as we get closer.

Soon we saw a pair of legs in the distance, and we pick up our pace. Hoping, whoever they are managed to cling to life long enough for us to reach them; as we got closer the words of Elder Ozora rings in my ear. 'Fourteen bodies found, two still alive.' My heart sinks. When we're close enough to see the rest of him, I take a deep stuttering breath. It turns out the pair of legs we saw are the only thing left of him. The rest lays crushed under a large boulder with blood splattered everywhere, already congealed and darkened with time. The smell of death and blood chokes me. The reaction from the others is worse.

Garon growls deep and dangerous, raising the hairs on my arms. Ede and Lex curse fluently. While Alistar's fists glow a vibrant red, he's tensed and on the verge of exploding. I stare at him warily, this is the worst time and place for him to lose his anger. Lark, not so subtly, stands between Alistar and me. Alistar ignores Lark as his anger switches to aching sadness.

"Ribus," Alistar grieves.

"What!" Lex suddenly speaks up and rushes to Alistar, "How can you tell?" he demands. "How do you know it's him? You bastard, you can't know it's him!" Lex grabs Alistars shirt and shakes him as silent tears fall from Lex's eyes.

Alistar doesn't stop him, instead looks at him with sympathy. "Who else would be wearing that stupid thing on his ankle?"

I look over to the dead man, sure enough peaking from the bottom of his pant leg is a thin white bracelet.

"Ribus!" Lex cries. He wails as he falls to his knees looking like a lost child. Watching the adorably awkward Lex lose himself to grief breaks my heart. Without truly considering what I'm doing, I run to Lex and hug him. He's startled for half a second before wrapping his arms around my waist and burying his face into my neck, accepting the comfort. I gently rub his head like he truly is a child, causing him to cry harder.

Helpless, I look to Alistar to do something. Fighting back his grief, he comes over and puts a hand on Lex's shoulder. "I know it hurts, but this isn't the time to grieve. There are others still alive waiting for us. We can't let them down."

I look at the other people who came with us to work the next relay point. They're standing a respectable distance away trying to give him space. But, from the way they're fidgeting, are eager to move on. Time is of the essence.

Lex nods once and quickly stands, bringing me up with him. He fiercely wipes away his tears and looks at me with red eyes, "Thank you," he says with a hoarse voice.

"Anytime," I reply with a small smile.

Everyone is in low spirits, but with firm resolve, we press on.

The horrific sight of brutal deaths greets us at every turn. Body after body, all of whom died from fallen rocks or bleeding out; with most of the people crushed to death, leaving them unable to be identified by their faces. Some had jewelry or tattoos to use for identification, but most didn't. With red eyes, Ede gathers whatever she can to give to their loved ones outside. Finally, after trekking past so many we can't help, there's a glimmer of hope when we come across someone stubbornly clinging to life. The right side of his body is crushed and pinned under a caved-in section of the ceiling. His breath is shallow, and his eyes are bleary.

Alistar is the first to reach his side, Alistar grabs his hand yelling, "Thipan! Thipan!"

While the man's eyes are unfocused, they still react to the sound of Alistar's voice.