Minoc’s forge wind always carries the same bite this time of year—sharp, smelling of cold iron and damp stone. I’d been at the mine all morning, pickaxe in hand, chipping away at that stubborn blue vein in the northern tunnel near the old scaffolding. My arms burned like bellows after twelve straight swings, and the rock barely gave. But then—crack—a clean break, and out tumbled nearly fifty ingots, heavy enough my pack groaned when I hoisted it. I remember the feel of the pick’s wooden haft, slick in my palms, the way my knuckles ached when the metal bit deep. That moment, when the seam finally opened? Felt like prying a secret from the earth itself.
I lugged the lot back through the tunnel’s echo, past the flicker of torches, past the old miner’s lantern still hanging crooked on the wall—probably Gerrick’s, though he’s been gone these five winters. By the time I reached the surface, the sky was that pale, washed-out gray that comes just before noon. I stopped at the forge behind the blacksmith’s shop, the one with the warped anvil and the chimney that smokes more than it drafts. Tried to sell a stack to the vendor inside, but the fool was facing the wrong way again—stuck in his corner, muttering about “inventory full” when I could’ve sworn he took iron just yesterday. Felt the gold weight in my pockets—nothing but dust and a bent nail. Frustration boiled up, hot as the coals. I kicked a loose stone into the gutter.
Sat on the curb near the provisioner’s, watching folks pass. A tinker bought a hammer from Yale’s stall, laughing about some joke I didn’t catch. That warmth from the forge still clung to my back, but my hands were cold now, stiff from hauling. I thought about Gerrick—how he used to say, “The mine don’t owe you a thing, boy. You earn every flake.” He’d have spat at my mood. So I stood, adjusted the straps on my pack, and turned toward the bank. Maybe tomorrow I’ll try the deep shaft near the sulfur pocket. Or maybe I’ll just sit by the fire and let the metal rest. But not yet. Not while the pick still feels right in my grip.
No replies yet.