Chapter 64
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Chapter 64
The moment hed had a chance to get away from the mining business and had another way to support his wife Oskar Tanzer had taken it. It was rough work, especially when people didnt care for your survival. Ironically as a slave Oskar almost felt more valued than he had working as a miner in Graotan. But he also felt more likely to die. It was only through hard work, some luck, and watching the backs of the others that hed made it so far.
The mines werent for iron or coal or anything of the sort. Not exactly gems, either, though the magic rocks they dug up had a certain sparkle to them. Energy stones, they said. The mines were well braced and solid. They even had a decent flow of air down below. Explosive dust didnt seem to be a problem. But the thing that might kill them was the very thing they were looking for.
Oskar felt it, when he first set foot in the mine. An itching on his skin he couldnt ignore. When he breathed it into his lungs it burned like tobacco. Unpleasant but somewhat addictive. Deeper into the mine, the feeling was stronger. It started pressing down like a heavy weight of water. Oskar knew it existed, but he didnt really know what it was until he put his hands on the first stone. It burned with energy, like picking up a hot coal. But it was the same sort of thing that filled the air.
This was something for cultivators. Though it burned in his hand, Oskar immediately coveted the stone. It had value. More than him, almost. Except for one thing. He was part of a new group. Two dozen new workers all at once. In the first week, half of them had broken, including two others from Dungannon. Some of those who were broken died, but the others werent necessarily more lucky. They were sick and pale, faces twisted in silent agony. After a day they were taken away by the taskmasters to never return. Oskar wasnt sure if they survived and were made to do other work, or would just die.
He felt it himself. The crushing weight of the air, the way it burrowed into his skin and his lungs. It was a place with energy stones, and Oskar new cultivators used them. If they were the same, then the air was full of energy. But what could he do with it?
Oskar had known he was going to break. He was just a bit slower to collapse than the others. He could barely breathe now even when he was out of the mines, eating or sleeping. It was trying to find its way inside. Once it did, he would die.
So he let it. Better to die quickly than slowly, he thought. He was deep in the mines when he let it in. He pulled it in through his lungs and let it pierce through his skin into his body. Somebody would have to carry him out. He hadnt thought of that, and as pain shot into his limbs he mutely apologized to them.
When the others werent looking, Oskar dropped a stone in front of Ebbe. He was another from Dungannon, but they barely knew each other. Even so he couldnt just leave him. The man already had whip marks from the day before. How was he even supposed to work?
Oskar had been lucky so far. Hed managed to bring an energy stone of some size regularly. He could feel them, so he knew where to dig and he put in the work. But he didnt have a second one, and Ebbe had needed it. So he felt the sting of the taskmasters whips for the first time. It was painful, and he allowed himself to cry out in pain. They liked that, knowing it hurt. It was better not to let them know how much less it was than he thought it would be. His body resisted each blow, not fully but he could feel how it had changed.
The next day, Oskar worked next to Ebbe. Nobody would hear quiet words among the ringing of picks. Ebbe. Can you feel the energy? Itching. Burning. Pressing down on you?
Ebbe nodded. I can. I dont know how much longer I can resist.
Im going to tell you something crazy, Oskar said. Let it in.
Ebbe certainly looked at him like he was crazy. Oskar did his best to explain, including how he removed the leftover traces of energy. His back and shoulders burned as he continued to work, going at just the right pace to find what he needed without giving up too much. If he could have just one stone per day, he wouldnt get more. But if he stopped working at any point, he might get in trouble. Ebbe also worked next to him, though he slowed down as he let the energy in. That night, Ebbe walked out looking almost dead. He handed over a small energy stone and barely managed to eat before collapsing in his bed. But the next day, he felt better. Not quite rejuvenated, but the energy wasnt quite so oppressive
Oskar looked out for other opportunities. One came quite by accident, when there was a collapse. There hadnt been any major collapses so far, but Oskar had seen them before. He just happened to be looking over at the right time to fling himself over another worker he didnt know, pushing them both away from the collapsing rocks as much as he could. It wasnt a full collapse. They should be able to clear away the rubble, but that time wouldnt be spent mining. Unless they were lucky and found energy stones, Oskar knew what was coming. But that was okay. It let him talk to the man in secret. Bernhard, he found out. So it was that another joined their little group. Oskar wanted to do more than just make everyone self sufficient. They should work together. They might seem like they were competing for the energy stones, but that wasnt the case. There were enough for all of them to find especially if they knew how to look. Oskar wondered why the cultivators werent doing it, except for the difficulty. They should be stronger and faster than him. Then again, all they had to do was stand around all day and give them food while they received something of great value in return.
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Chapter 64
The moment hed had a chance to get away from the mining business and had another way to support his wife Oskar Tanzer had taken it. It was rough work, especially when people didnt care for your survival. Ironically as a slave Oskar almost felt more valued than he had working as a miner in Graotan. But he also felt more likely to die. It was only through hard work, some luck, and watching the backs of the others that hed made it so far.
The mines werent for iron or coal or anything of the sort. Not exactly gems, either, though the magic rocks they dug up had a certain sparkle to them. Energy stones, they said. The mines were well braced and solid. They even had a decent flow of air down below. Explosive dust didnt seem to be a problem. But the thing that might kill them was the very thing they were looking for.
Oskar felt it, when he first set foot in the mine. An itching on his skin he couldnt ignore. When he breathed it into his lungs it burned like tobacco. Unpleasant but somewhat addictive. Deeper into the mine, the feeling was stronger. It started pressing down like a heavy weight of water. Oskar knew it existed, but he didnt really know what it was until he put his hands on the first stone. It burned with energy, like picking up a hot coal. But it was the same sort of thing that filled the air.
This was something for cultivators. Though it burned in his hand, Oskar immediately coveted the stone. It had value. More than him, almost. Except for one thing. He was part of a new group. Two dozen new workers all at once. In the first week, half of them had broken, including two others from Dungannon. Some of those who were broken died, but the others werent necessarily more lucky. They were sick and pale, faces twisted in silent agony. After a day they were taken away by the taskmasters to never return. Oskar wasnt sure if they survived and were made to do other work, or would just die.
He felt it himself. The crushing weight of the air, the way it burrowed into his skin and his lungs. It was a place with energy stones, and Oskar new cultivators used them. If they were the same, then the air was full of energy. But what could he do with it?
Oskar had known he was going to break. He was just a bit slower to collapse than the others. He could barely breathe now even when he was out of the mines, eating or sleeping. It was trying to find its way inside. Once it did, he would die.
So he let it. Better to die quickly than slowly, he thought. He was deep in the mines when he let it in. He pulled it in through his lungs and let it pierce through his skin into his body. Somebody would have to carry him out. He hadnt thought of that, and as pain shot into his limbs he mutely apologized to them.
When the others werent looking, Oskar dropped a stone in front of Ebbe. He was another from Dungannon, but they barely knew each other. Even so he couldnt just leave him. The man already had whip marks from the day before. How was he even supposed to work?
Oskar had been lucky so far. Hed managed to bring an energy stone of some size regularly. He could feel them, so he knew where to dig and he put in the work. But he didnt have a second one, and Ebbe had needed it. So he felt the sting of the taskmasters whips for the first time. It was painful, and he allowed himself to cry out in pain. They liked that, knowing it hurt. It was better not to let them know how much less it was than he thought it would be. His body resisted each blow, not fully but he could feel how it had changed.
The next day, Oskar worked next to Ebbe. Nobody would hear quiet words among the ringing of picks. Ebbe. Can you feel the energy? Itching. Burning. Pressing down on you?
Ebbe nodded. I can. I dont know how much longer I can resist.
Im going to tell you something crazy, Oskar said. Let it in.
Ebbe certainly looked at him like he was crazy. Oskar did his best to explain, including how he removed the leftover traces of energy. His back and shoulders burned as he continued to work, going at just the right pace to find what he needed without giving up too much. If he could have just one stone per day, he wouldnt get more. But if he stopped working at any point, he might get in trouble. Ebbe also worked next to him, though he slowed down as he let the energy in. That night, Ebbe walked out looking almost dead. He handed over a small energy stone and barely managed to eat before collapsing in his bed. But the next day, he felt better. Not quite rejuvenated, but the energy wasnt quite so oppressive
Oskar looked out for other opportunities. One came quite by accident, when there was a collapse. There hadnt been any major collapses so far, but Oskar had seen them before. He just happened to be looking over at the right time to fling himself over another worker he didnt know, pushing them both away from the collapsing rocks as much as he could. It wasnt a full collapse. They should be able to clear away the rubble, but that time wouldnt be spent mining. Unless they were lucky and found energy stones, Oskar knew what was coming. But that was okay. It let him talk to the man in secret. Bernhard, he found out. So it was that another joined their little group. Oskar wanted to do more than just make everyone self sufficient. They should work together. They might seem like they were competing for the energy stones, but that wasnt the case. There were enough for all of them to find especially if they knew how to look. Oskar wondered why the cultivators werent doing it, except for the difficulty. They should be stronger and faster than him. Then again, all they had to do was stand around all day and give them food while they received something of great value in return.
Chapter 64The moment hed had a chance to get away from the mining business and had another way to support his wife Oskar Tanzer had taken it. It was rough work, especially when people didnt care for your survival. Ironically as a slave Oskar almost felt more valued than he had working as a miner in Graotan. But he also felt more likely to die. It was only through hard work, some luck, and watching the backs of the others that hed made it so far.The mines werent for iron or coal or anything of the sort. Not exactly gems, either, though the magic rocks they dug up had a certain sparkle to them. Energy stones, they said. The mines were well braced and solid. They even had a decent flow of air down below. Explosive dust didnt seem to be a problem. But the thing that might kill them was the very thing they were looking for. Oskar felt it, when he first set foot in the mine. An itching on his skin he couldnt ignore. When he breathed it into his lungs it burned like tobacco. Unpleasant but somewhat addictive. Deeper into the mine, the feeling was stronger. It started pressing down like a heavy weight of water. Oskar knew it existed, but he didnt really know what it was until he put his hands on the first stone. It burned with energy, like picking up a hot coal. But it was the same sort of thing that filled the air.This was something for cultivators. Though it burned in his hand, Oskar immediately coveted the stone. It had value. More than him, almost. Except for one thing. He was part of a new group. Two dozen new workers all at once. In the first week, half of them had broken, including two others from Dungannon. Some of those who were broken died, but the others werent necessarily more lucky. They were sick and pale, faces twisted in silent agony. After a day they were taken away by the taskmasters to never return. Oskar wasnt sure if they survived and were made to do other work, or would just die. He felt it himself. The crushing weight of the air, the way it burrowed into his skin and his lungs. It was a place with energy stones, and Oskar new cultivators used them. If they were the same, then the air was full of energy. But what could he do with it?Oskar had known he was going to break. He was just a bit slower to collapse than the others. He could barely breathe now even when he was out of the mines, eating or sleeping. It was trying to find its way inside. Once it did, he would die.So he let it. Better to die quickly than slowly, he thought. He was deep in the mines when he let it in. He pulled it in through his lungs and let it pierce through his skin into his body. Somebody would have to carry him out. He hadnt thought of that, and as pain shot into his limbs he mutely apologized to them. When the others werent looking, Oskar dropped a stone in front of Ebbe. He was another from Dungannon, but they barely knew each other. Even so he couldnt just leave him. The man already had whip marks from the day before. How was he even supposed to work?Oskar had been lucky so far. Hed managed to bring an energy stone of some size regularly. He could feel them, so he knew where to dig and he put in the work. But he didnt have a second one, and Ebbe had needed it. So he felt the sting of the taskmasters whips for the first time. It was painful, and he allowed himself to cry out in pain. They liked that, knowing it hurt. It was better not to let them know how much less it was than he thought it would be. His body resisted each blow, not fully but he could feel how it had changed.The next day, Oskar worked next to Ebbe. Nobody would hear quiet words among the ringing of picks. Ebbe. Can you feel the energy? Itching. Burning. Pressing down on you?Ebbe nodded. I can. I dont know how much longer I can resist.Im going to tell you something crazy, Oskar said. Let it in.Ebbe certainly looked at him like he was crazy. Oskar did his best to explain, including how he removed the leftover traces of energy. His back and shoulders burned as he continued to work, going at just the right pace to find what he needed without giving up too much. If he could have just one stone per day, he wouldnt get more. But if he stopped working at any point, he might get in trouble. Ebbe also worked next to him, though he slowed down as he let the energy in. That night, Ebbe walked out looking almost dead. He handed over a small energy stone and barely managed to eat before collapsing in his bed. But the next day, he felt better. Not quite rejuvenated, but the energy wasnt quite so oppressiveOskar looked out for other opportunities. One came quite by accident, when there was a collapse. There hadnt been any major collapses so far, but Oskar had seen them before. He just happened to be looking over at the right time to fling himself over another worker he didnt know, pushing them both away from the collapsing rocks as much as he could. It wasnt a full collapse. They should be able to clear away the rubble, but that time wouldnt be spent mining. Unless they were lucky and found energy stones, Oskar knew what was coming. But that was okay. It let him talk to the man in secret. Bernhard, he found out. So it was that another joined their little group. Oskar wanted to do more than just make everyone self sufficient. They should work together. They might seem like they were competing for the energy stones, but that wasnt the case. There were enough for all of them to find especially if they knew how to look. Oskar wondered why the cultivators werent doing it, except for the difficulty. They should be stronger and faster than him. Then again, all they had to do was stand around all day and give them food while they received something of great value in return.
