The rest of the passengers on the lift seemed to give the Chosen a wide berth after Erin’s display, and the dwarven guards simply laughed until they cried and several clapped Erin on the back or shook her hand. All considered, their behavior was typical of the four’s experience with dwarves. It probably helped that the thug continued yelling after he regained consciousness a few minutes later.

Once the lift was about halfway up, Maggie spent the rest of the ride giving an impromptu geography lesson about the local region.

“See there, Moryven would be there, off ta the right, and Split Watch where we came from, just over there. Yeh can see the road on the grade there, they used ta call it Wyverntail Switchback. Past it, yeh can just see the Astara, near the horizon. The Hollow is basic’lly everythin’ west o’ the river ‘tween the two ranges. If’n yeh take the road east, yeh come ta Twin Watch, then out ta the Dry Vault,” she explained.

“What’s the Dry Vault?” Layla perked up.

“It’s a dungeon,” she used the English word. "Stone element. The Heart’s a funny shape though, an instead o’ a big sphere, the font is shaped like a drill, small end down, with the Heart an’ the Guardian at the bottom. The Caer sends miners an’ engineers ta help the humans extract resources, like magical metals, stones, an’ gems, in exchange fer a cut. The humans train their warriors near the top, since once yeh get inta the inner mantle, it can get a bit dicey.”

Jack turned away from the horizon.

“How so?” he raised an eyebrow.

“Well, the outer mantle is in the third, wit’ a few big beasties in the fourth. It’s a good place ta break through the first wall. Yeh bring a party in the second, an yeh pick an’ choose yer battles, only fightin’ one beastie at a time. Closer ta the inner mantle, yeh get mobs o’ critters in the third, an’ scary stuff in the upper fourth an’ even the lower fifth. When yeh cross o’er inta the inner, yeh get packs o’ critters in the fifth, an’ occasionally bad stuff in the sixth. But if’n yeh get too far down... Well, groups o’ hunters in the fifth, tryin’ ta break through ta the sixth, have gone missin’ down there without a trace,” she sighed.

“So… you’re saying, this one dungeon, goes all the way from tier three to, what, tier seven, maybe?” Layla was making ‘that face’.

“Aye, tha’s what ah’m sayin,” Maggie squinted at the succubus.

“We’re… we’re absolutely going to abuse this, right? Some mysterious dungeon that could take us all the way to tier seven?” Layla looked at Rory, then at Jack.

“I dunno, El. Feels a little close to Moryven, don’t you think?” Rory hedged.

“We’ll see. Nothing’s off the table, but our priority is the shrine,” Jack responded.

“That’s not an answer, Jackson,” she scowled.

“But it’s the one you’re getting right now,” he replied with a blithe smile.

Over the last few minutes, the platform had steadily grown dimmer, but now a strange orange glow began to suffuse the air.

“Are those… high pressure sodium lamps?” Jack looked up.

Within the massive dwarven head, into which the platform had slowly risen, dozens of orange lights studded the interior of the titanic edifice, lighting the platform as it rose.

“The giant magical dwarven head elevator has street lights,” Layla shook her head.

“Dinnae what all that means, but aye, the receiving station has lights,” Maggie quirked an eyebrow.

“It’s just… Earth stuff. Don’t worry about it,” Jack shrugged, then glanced at the others.

The lift clanked to a stop, the thunderous grind of metal on metal echoing back from the mountainside as the great gearhouses came to a stop and some mechanism in the spires locked the platform in place.

“C’mon, you four. Let’s get yeh somethin’ ta eat, then we’ll start the hike,” Maggie headed toward the edge of the platform.

“Hike? I thought we were going to the dwarven city,” Layla groaned.

“Remember what me name was afore Brandon gave me a new one, lass?” Maggie didn’t turn around.

“Magryn… Cast-out? I think,” Layla answered.

“Aye,” Maggie said nothing else.

“Oh,” Layla replied.

“Aye,” the dwarf grunted.

“So, food, then a hike?” Layla chirped.

“Aye,” the dwarf finally turned and smiled at the succubus.

The town of Olvayn’s Lift was home to roughly eight hundred permanent residents, but had lodging space for almost twice that number of hunters, traveling merchants, and visitors. The back of the giant dwarven head was visible from anywhere in the town not directly obscured by a building, and was commonly used as a directional reference by anyone who stayed there longer than a day or two. The entire plaza surrounding the receiving station was restaurants, inns, brothels, and shops selling tourist kitsch.

They opted to sit down at an outdoor cafe and ate light on Maggie’s insistence.

“So, where is this place?” Erin asked, between bites.

“We hoof it east up the slope, about thirty-five leagues, then head north along the mountainside, another fifty-three or so. Somewhere about there is me access tunnel, which we’ll take down inta the caverns. The tunnel is another fifty leagues, but it’s more or less a downward grade ta the section o’ the Underneath where we’ll find the shrine,” she replied.

“A hundred… thirty… eight leagues…,” Layla’s face furrowed in concentration. “Ugh. That’s almost eighty miles.”

“If’n it makes yeh feel better, almost half o’ it is just walkin’ steady down a long tunnel,” Maggie smiled.

“It does not,” she groaned.

“How do our provisions look, Rory?” Jack asked.

The salesman looked off down the road as he mentally went over the contents of his inventory.

“We should buy bread, salt, more butter, and probably some more of that spice you like that tastes a bit like parsley. We’re good for meat, though a lot of what we eat will be fish-gator if we don’t buy anything else. Maybe some kind of magical cook pot like Toben had on his boat? We should get a keg or something to fill with water, though not too big. I think I’m close to my current weight limit. Anything you can think of?” he answered.

The nightbringer paused a moment, then his expression darkened.

“Yeah, light,” Jack grimaced. “Maggie, what do dwarves do for lighting?”

“In our cities? Olden times, it were glowin’ fungus. Now, Day or Flame mana elements same as ever’one. Down in the caves, nothin, laddie. Adult dwarves can see stone in total darkness,” she grinned.

“How does that work?” Layla cut in.

“A bit like most other magical sight abilities. Stone an’ earth are made o’ Stone mana, an’ almost ev’ry dwarf develops the ability ta see Stone mana. It’s a plus that dwarves have a bit o’ Stone mana in their makeup, so’s we can see each other as well. The ones what dinnae are called ‘stoneblind’ an’ are given make-work jobs in the city,” she explained.

“How do you see monsters?” she asked.

“Wit Stonesight? Yeh dinnae, but tha’s tha trick. Yeh get real good, real quick, at noticing big empty blots movin’ ‘round in yer vision. Then yeh spark up a light and do what needs be done,” she grinned.

Jack finished his drink, then stood up.

“I’m gonna go grab the stuff we need. Finish your food, then let’s head out. I’ll feel better camping on the trail,” he stole a glance around the city.

“You not gonna eat, mate?” Rory eyed him.

“Don’t have to, remember,” he smiled.

“Fair,” the salesman shrugged, but watched Jack as he walked away.

“Leave it, Rory,” Erin put her hand on his.

The salesman looked down at her hand, larger than his, then up to her face. He saw concern, resignation, but also love, and the soft acceptance of friendship. The complicated mix of emotions shone in Erin’s green eyes, in the tight press around her eyes, in the gentle smile that seemed somehow sad.

“Alright, legs. I won’t push it,” he replied.

“I will. What’s going on with Jack?” Layla waved a roll at the two.

“El, please. He’ll tell you when he’s ready,” she turned toward the succubus.

Layla bit a chunk off the biscuit and made to argue around the bite, but Erin’s face silenced her. The succubus opened her mouth, shut it, then shrugged.

“Okay, legs,” she said.

“What, really?” Rory glanced at her.

“Shut up. I can exhibit personal growth,” she scowled at him.

“I genuinely did not think that was the case,” he smiled at her.

“I said shut up. And don’t tell Jackson I had a moment of maturity. I have to keep up my facade of being young, dumb, and full of-”

Erin’s hand clamped over Layla’s mouth.

“Don’t you dare,” she scowled at the succubus.