The further landslide that closed over the entrance scared Elrodan. The sudden noise then darkness that came with it sent a chill to his very core. The grim news Heian wouldn't be able to shift the debris concerned him further. What could they do, no way out. He doubted much in the way of rations. They would die here! 'Ok brain, time to calm, this man is coming to, he'll be able to help'. "Welcome back... Is there another way out of the mine? Please say there is. Oh and do you know where the others will be? I'm guessing you weren't working this place around right?" Elrodan could feel he was coming across flustered. He wasn't used to life and death situations like this, more specifically when it was his life or death being one of those on question.

The man was still coming around and the battering of questions from a little fairy were not needed. He looked down at his legs and wiggled his feet. Running a hand down each leg he then sat back up and gave his face a pinch and a slap. "I'm alive. And my legs! What happened? Wait, who are you?" he grimaced s he tried to get back to standing. "Oh! The others? Have you found them? Are they ok?"

Elrodan didn't reply straight away, he was still waiting for his answers, his chest heaving. |It is not so bad as that Elrodan. Please, remain calm. It will help them to remain calm too.| the gentle voice in his head as ever brought a sense of calm that spread its way through him. 

While Elrodan panicked, Heian checked on the wall of debris, blocking their way. With some tools and spare time he could make a hole big enough for his fairy companion. But the wall won't run away. Would be nice if it did.
Miners had priority.
-So you don't know where they are - a statement, not a question - do you have some routes you usually go? Some emergency spots? Any clue for us?
The miner hesitated, still not sure of the situation. 
-We have nothing like dat, the mine is basically freshly opened...
He looked at Heian and shivered. In the dark the sight must have been terrifying. 
His voice turned warm and calm.
-We are hier to help, not to steal your souls or whatever my appearance suggests. Give yourself a moment and tell us everything that could lead us
Elrodan, his next target, sat by the sealed entrance, most likely trying to calm down.
-We still got options to choose from. Buried alive is not the fate I've planned for myself

Heian sit beneath a wall, waiting for the two to get their minds together, and started to whistle. His sight soon adapting to darkness, he could check on the gear left around the entire cave. Some of that could be helpful, but what they really need was a source of light. Hier there still was a little but of sunlight, but deeper in they would meet a total darkness, which in such place made breaking one's spine a lot easier.
-You got some sort of storage or is everything just lying around?
-Y-yes there's one nearby. Left hallway, second left corridor
-Well, the break is over princesses. Let's go get some light

As Elrodan regained a sense of duty the voice once again spoke to him "Elrodan, pick up a stone." to which Elrodan dutifully did so from the many lasting around after a little bit of scrabbling about. "Good, now I want you to focus on it. Imagine it was able to glow and bring magic into it as you do so." Elrodan again tried to do this, after a few moments a light grew within the stone.

As the light grew, Elrodan let out a laugh "Haha! I did it! I actually did it! Wow! Here... Take this, let me try again with another."

Elrodan all but the the rock able to see the next one from its light. The second was quick to come to light, and takes it with him. "Right, sorry, Norman service will now resume. Just not used to being trapped, in the dark. And don't worry fella, he may look a bit funky but his actions are good. I healed you earlier and I don't want to have to do it again so he's not allowed to hurt you. Oh did you want a glow Rock too? I think I should be able to do a couple more. They feel easy to do, though I don't know how long they will last." with that he flew to another stone before the man and imparted light into it.

Elrodan just solved the lighting problem, but checking the storage out could grant them more than just light.

-What is your name anyway, miner?

-F-Falco, sir

-Call me Heian. Do you know now where to start searching?

-I think so

-Great. Let's go raid the storage first. Are there any stretches hard to pass?

-N-no, the main danger is losing track of the corridors. It's a labyrinth

-You didn't mine them?

Falco hesitated. Significantly.

-No. We've mined our way to some cave system, b-but it's unstable. Our routes are realatively safe, the rest can collapse after t-touching a single stone

-Hear that Elrodan? Watch out which stones you pick

They Got moving, first to the storage room. Those were two small, connected caves, with makeshift shelves, with over half of them standing empty. From the remaining ones, Heian took a long coil of rope, a fine looking pickaxe, in case his sword would turn out to be too long for tight corridors, and a crowbar. Then he headed out, letting other two inside.

Once they all were ready they came back to the entrance and into the second tunnel, with Falco going first. Heian managed to keep up with 8 turns, then he lost the count and orientation. Falco became essential for them.

Elrodan entered the storage room too, now being rather careful to avoid the walls and and stone that may look even remotely structural, even eying some of those on the floor with suspicion. Falco seemed still to be rather shook, well we couldn't be having the guide in a state of utter panic. "Falco, that's a lovely name. I once knew a halfling with that name. Funny chap. Do you know any jokes? I'm terrible at jokes."

Picking up a little hammer with one end being slightly pick shaped. He wondered why a mine would have a small tool such as this when surely they needed bigger tools to clear through everywhere. "Falco, what's this for? Do you have tiny workers down here too digging for you? They must be very small, as even I feel like this wouldn't be big enough for me to use!"
"Well, that's a hammer for splitting open smaller rocks to look inside them." Falco replied. Elrodan nodded slowly, he wanted to try it out on a rock but after the warning, decided to just put it back and avoid the temptation.

Following the others still lost in thought he returned his attention to the thought of the other miners and their route. He started paying attention to where they were going but then realised he hadn't seen how they arrived at the point he had started paying attention from, so decided to cease efforts and instead listen to the mine and the hope of the other miners.

-So, what do you mine hier for?

The silence soon became unbearable, and combined with the darkness around two small light stones created an ominous atmosphere. Heian knew he could face most dangers eye to eye, but the fear of unknown was deeply rooted in human brain. So, while it was irrational, Heian was scared.

-Some weird, green stones. We were told that they have a great power and we're not allowed to touch them

-Someone ever did?

-Don't think so

Falco still seemed worried about something and Heian could understand him now. Descending hier day after day...

Soon he stopped before a crossing like many others they passed before.

-I-I don't remember this crossing. Let's get back to see if I missed a turn

They did so, but Falco only grew in concern, speaking to himself.

-We're lost

Arbor.

-What did you say before? One wrong move and a tunnell collapses?

-Yes

All three remained silent, standing still and avoiding sudden movement.

-Could others get lost too?

-Not with Geary. He knows this place better than Ginma himself. But he is...

-Insane?

-You said that not me

-Ok, change of priorities. We search for that Geary and I'll talk with him like insane with insane

-He has his own cavern he sleeps in. We passed it, so if we find the route again, we should find it easily

-Great - he pulled out two red-black dices from his box - we don't really have a chance to find it rationally, so we will gamble

He threw them on the ground. Two evens.

-We go right

The dice was as good as choice as any. He was about to suggest shouting but as he heard even the simple rattle of the dice echoing around, the thought of having shouted was lucky not to have been acted upon. The echo could come from anywhere and then they're was that risk of further cave ins. Elrodan gave a shudder at the thought. 

"What kind of insane are we talking? Just nonsensical ramblings and no one can understand them but ask him the way to the deepest point of this minne and he'll guide you blindfolded? Or a crazy where he'll randomly do anything they want?" there was a definite hope of the first choice, but why would they be down here if the were the second.

"Heian, why did you have a pair of dice with you? Do you have anything else stored away that's as random as that? Do you have a small pouch of trinket like that for just in case? It's a good idea, but how did you go about starting it? Did you just put things together in there all at once or start with one or two things and build on it as you found them?" Elrodan said as he looked down at his few possessions. A pouch like that would be handy. 

After his rambling questions, he tried peering into the dark in the direction they were going. It was rather pointless, he couldn't see anything until they suddenly went around a corner and he understood that he was never going to have seen anything through solid rock. 

As they talked Heian was throwing the dices. They succesfully passed six crossings before Falco recognized the tunnell

-If I wanted to I had plenty of time to collect stuff, but no. I just like to play a game from time to time
-And lose your clothes in the process
-Oh would you shut up about that already! - Heian for once seemed actually triggered - it was a one time event and I had proven it to be a dirty game!

The echo went far and was resonating for over half a minute. He continued, instinctively lowering his voice.
-I can see your curiosity but this is not a story I'd like to share. Other than the dices I got a couple cups - one such cup, transparent dark green, with a white tree on the side appeared in his hand and went back to the chest - a bowl, spoon and the rest of similar stuff, often a bottle of something stronger... - he stopped and pulled out a decently sized glass jar, with a wooden dome as an opening and something like a white sapling inside. 
Both eyes of Heian and Wood dropped a couple tears, then the jar dissapeared in the box without a word.
-Let's pass that topic too

For the next couple dice throws the only sounds were their footsteps and dice throws themselves. Until Falco smiled.
-I know where we're at. Now just a couple tunnells to Geary's cave

"Ok, I'll look forward to them another time. I don't mean to upset you. That's a nice cup you have there. I'd love one like that. It's so pretty. Where did you get that from?" Elrodan says though watching in some confusion at the collection of tears.

"Good Falco, lead on quickly. Let us not waste any time here." he says, giving an encouraging push to Falco to spur him on his way. When the final few passages are taken to Geary, Elrodan quite forgets the being quiet and at the doorway is quick to poke his head around and announce his presence. "Helllooooo Geary!"

The sight before him was not just of Geary, but others besides. "Oh! Sorry! Is one of you Geary? I'm guessing so. Rather than you've not all come into this room looking for him too, and the one who's meant to know where is where and which way to go is the right way to go is the one who's not here, and instead lost? Wait, that's not what's happened is it? Did he hit his head in one of those tremors? I can help with that. C'mon, answer already. Don't tell me you have all lost your voices down here!" Elrodan splurges out in a quick fire of conversation that leaves little time for any to have interjected.

They let themselves open again. Good thing Elrodan seemed unwilling to use his feelings.

-I once had a kingdom of our own, with the tree being its symbol. It didn't work out

The question raised even more nostalgic feelings, which however dissapeared right as Elrodan spoke to miners. Heian couldn't help but laugh.

-Your enthusiasm is priceless, fairy

Then he focused on confused miners. None of them seemed different from each other in any way. Similar dirty faces, same helmets and clothes, same concern in their eyes, that changed into confusion with fairy's arrival.

-Let's start again, shall we? - Heian smiled - You can call me Heian and this vibrant Fairy is Elrodan. The entrance we used is currently buried, so we hoped Geary could help us find another

-Geary is on surface, he went even more insane than usual. The first one that entered his cave got bitten to death, the second stabbed with a pickaxe. Then he escaped the mines and we sent Falco to check if he comes back

-So there is only this one entrance?

-As far as we know

Those were some bad news. But now they had a squad of miners to mine.

-So we will have to go with that. I need you all to clear the entrance. Elrodan and I will keep Geary away. What is your name? - Heian asked the speaking miner. At the second glance he turned out to be an elf, the only one in group.

-Desjani, sir

-Alright you are in charge. Let's go catch some fresh air now

Elrodan smiled as Desjani starts forward with the others following behind. As Desjani passes the threshold, Elrodan fell in besides and followed along. The stone lights now supported by the normal torches the miners carried, and following a common path back to the exit. The progress to the caved in entrance was quick enough, well, certainly quicker than their arrival to Geary's as far as Elrodan could tell. The path they took was certainly different, the edges smoother, and a few more support beams were in place.

It was a worry though, that some of these beams were not as solid looking as others. As they passed these, which Elrodan at first eyed with little caution, however, when the miners started eyeing them with concern, Elrodan eventually picked up on this too but looked at each support with suspicion. These worries mingled with the fact of some kind of crazed killed potentially waiting for them on the outside, oddly didn't phase him quite as much as he expected. A vague notion of the internal calmness from earlier brings a gentle smile to his face.

At last thoughts pop into his mind, "Did you find anything interesting down here? Had Geary found anything or gone off working on his own at all?"

Desjani was a puzzle. Elves were usually too slender for mines, this one in particular. The pick hilt seemed thicker than his biceps. He probably was the one who inspected these said to be dangerous stones, but it didn't matter. They could soon be free.

When Heian with the elf and the fairy on both sides entered the exit room, a couple of miners were already working, with more joining from the storage tunnel. Desjani went forward to coordinate the job, and once he was sure every thing is going right, joined the comrades.

Heian and Elrodan watched, as the wall, minute by minute, succumbs under pickaxes and shovels. After just about an hour the hole was big enough for Elrodan, who flew out to check on the outside. After another hour the rest could leave the mine too. But the fairy was nowhere to be found. While he could just lose focus for the for some funny looking tree, or whatever, his abscense was not a good sign.

The miners, still scared of their insane friend, gathered in a group by the cave. Heian had three options, escort them to the village, leave alone, or go hunting for Geary. At last he diceded to postpone the choice, giving Elrodan another 15 minutes.

Elrodan was happy to reach the exit, happier still to see miners already at work, and then the path out of there big enough for him to leave was the best of all. "Let me go check there's no lose material on top waiting to fill in your digging." he said to the one making the final section of escape hole. It was very much an excuse to exit the confines, but none the less a valid one of need. As he exited, a quick look about confirmed they wouldn't have too much work or unstable material continuing to fall if they made a wider hole. "It's all good, keep going." he called back before standing and stepping aside.

The freshness of the air, the sight of trees and no lack of light from the now very sunny conditions, had him step back as he stretched. Then the sun reminded him, as if now suddenly personified, that he had Sparky. He reached down, put his hand on the stone box, but then all went black. The small stone box, rolled down the hill to besides the exit hole, the lid just coming open by a small crack. 

As all of the miners exited the bigger tunnel that had now been dug, they gathered in a group, looking back up the hill and congratulating one another on escaping with their lives. Heian though had other thoughts and concerns. Where had the fairy gone? He looked around in the local area but nothing. Moving back to the sight of the hole, he spots a small grey box, made of stone. Reaching down, he picks it up, noticing how light it is and marked with various runes, at last opens it. From within jumped out a small fire mote, it fizzed at Heian before it's black eyes enlarged and moved away up the hill. After a few yards it turned to Heian who had remained in place, firing off a single small flame towards Heian, it turned up hill and fired off several, gave another turn to Heian, its mouth moving quietly before heading on back up the hill, hoping Heian would follow.

The weird spirit from the box wanted to be followed. The message was clear. It was the circumstances behind that worried Heian. Dissapearing Elrodan and sudden box conveniently lying right by the cave? Seemed like an obvious trap.
Miner Geary was only getting more interesting with each event. What if he just played mad, to get to these stones whatever they were more easily? Was he manipulated by someone to do so?
Whatever the case was, the ghost had to be followed. Leaving the fairy alone on its own didn't seem right, and Heian also had rules he swore to follow.
He took the box with him and followed the small thing.

Soon the ghost stopped on a hill. Heian kneeled nearby and started spying on Geary. The miner had unconcious Elrodan on his shoulder and was heading towards a big, glowing stone in the center of a small camp. The stone was almost perfectly eliptic, looking almost like a green egg. Soon he put the small fairy on a stone, almost as big as the body on it.
Heian immediately went down the hill. If he got the situation right, Geary got insane due to that stone of his and now he tried to pull Elrodan into madness too.
Geary turned back like he knew Heian was there. The smile on his face was more terrifying than the worst of Wood's ones.
-Hello, traveler. Come join me in the jade

Sparky was far less cautious and had continued to get back to the unconscious Elrodan. Hovering its way to the ear of the fairy, then crackling as loud as possible trying to rouse him. Geary paid little attention to the mote, instead he took a sinusoidal Dagger from his belt and dragging it around the stone. The sound as of it grinding along was predictable, however, his next action was not. Geary took the dagger and pushed it into the stone, drawing it back out with a vibrant green liquid covering it. Holding up the blade before his face, he licked the fluid off, his eyes rolling back in his skull leaving only white on show. "The jade... I can feel you even more. More will join."

His eyes returned back and locked onto Heian. Stabbing the dagger once again onto the stone, he looked briefly at Elrodan and with his other hand gently pulled open his mouth. Sparky gave up on waking Elrodan and came up, releasing tiny blobs of fire at the hand causing Geary to recoil back with a grimace. Then he spots Heian and what he's up to. "The fairy will wait... You shall join first" he says, drawing out the blade, once again covered by the green fluid and approaches, his face in a contorted smile on mania.