14: Zen Was Right, Damn It!

Eventually, the tunnels opened into a new dank and semi-dark subterranean system. What they found had Lyra hissing a curse and pretending not to see Zen's reactions.

The vast and open cavern system was set up to be a mining transport system. They were at the start of the operation. Iron tracks connected and diverged into various parts of the tunnel systems: some places disappearing into darkness. From their platform, many wooden carts were lined up. Most were empty but some held unrefined dark silver, jagged looking rock. Lagnea.

Lyra and Sam slammed their hands over their ears, trying to fend off the insistent thrumming drone and throbbing to their temples.

Vo unsheathed Shane and moved the blade in a motion to cast a sound type spell. A ringing countered the thrumming drone, like it was tuning frequencies. A short while later the sound stopped and a soothing quiet lingered in the air.

"It won't last, but should give us some time to find a less contaminated path." Vo added. As he turned to end down a path, past carts, he saw an old pile under one of them.

"No! Kiara!" Sam hurried to the pile, recognizing his daughter beneath the cart.

She was dirty and her dress was torn at the hem due to being snagged on something sharp. No doubt, when she passed the cart's spoke wheels.

"My girl. Kiara!" Sam held her unresponsive body.

Vo checked on her condition, using his shared passive insight with Shane to confirm her vitals. "She's alive but I sense lagnea poison in her system." He pulled out a vial of healing potion and carefully tipped some into her opened mouth.

"Please..." Sam stammered, tears streaming his cheeks to soak his face wraps.

Vo checked her pulse and nodded when it was beating with a steady pattern. He then pulled out a scarf from his belt pouch and soaked some of it with the remaining healing potion: the scarf was tied around her face to cover her nose and mouth.

"The healing potion will slowly be absorbed as she breathes." Vo patted his shoulder. "It might be too dangerous if you continue further."

Sam shook his head. "We can't go back, remember? I have to push ahead with you."

"Then stay behind us and let us do all the fighting. Your priority is making sure Kiara stays safe." Vo aloofly gave his order.

Sam didn't feel the need to disobey. The more he was around the man, the more he felt confident of his survival odds. Vo was more of a leader than anyone he had served under. It made him wonder why he traveled as a roshi, and whether he was once a commander himself.

As they entered into a new subterrain tunnel network, they heard cursing and clashing steel, among telltale stench of sulfur and acrid-clay spirit and terra magic emitted when cast.