John entered the mine the next day, keeping an eye on all his fellow miners. Every single person looked resigned to their fate. The sound of pickaxes echoed through the tunnels, like the drum beats of a dirge. Were they so sure that only death could set them free? Did life give them no hope at all? Giving in to despair was a far worse fate than anything John had seen before. As he made his way deeper into the mine he heard the sound of singing. It kept in time to the sound of his strikes. It was a cheerful song, shining like a rainbow after a storm. John found himself smiling. Finally, he had found someone with potential.

“Hello,” said John to the singing youth. The youth must have been around sixteen years old. He had a round, pleasant face with thin wisps of hair on his upper lip, groomed to shiny points.

“’Lo,” said the youth. “What are you doing so deep in? It’s dangerous you know. There are monsters. There’s more crystal here though. I guess it’s a tough choice to make. Death by monster, or death by whipping. Whichever way you look, there’s only death. Might as well sing while you still can.”

“Monsters?” asked John, “Don’t worry. I’m an expert at killing them.” John had grown up with monsters. They were like old friends. He was not sure how he’d deal with the human foes he would have to face.

“Expert eh?” the youth scoffed. “You look half my age. How can you be an expert?” This youth seemed very skeptical about everything. Convincing him to help might turn out to be a tough task.

“I’ve been killing monsters since I was three.”

“A teller of tall tales. The alliteration in that phrase flows sweetly.”

“I’m not lying. You’re a poet?”

“A traveling troubadour,” the youth side with pride. “My family trade. Or at least, it was,” the youth continued striking the rock once more.

“How did you come here?” This youth seemed to be an interesting person.

“Our song didn’t please the God King,” the youth sighed sadly. “My family escaped, but I was caught. It happened two weeks ago. Seeing as we’re in a mood to talk,” he laid aside his pickax, “I suppose introductions are in order. I’m Nem.”

“John,” John stretched out his hand to shake. Nem gave him a high five. His hands were bloodstained, full of blisters and cuts. How could he keep mining in his condition? “I can help you mine your quota if you’re in pain,” John offered.

“Hey kid, I can do mine my own quota,” Nem said angrily. “Mine your own quota first before deciding to help others.” This Nem was a tough nut to crack.

“All right,” John began to swing his pickax a little away from Nem’s spot. “You wouldn’t happen to know the layout of the palace and the city would you?” Nem didn’t seem like a snitch, so he decided to ask directly. He knew that it was risky involving someone he’d just met in their plan of escape, but John decided to trust his instincts.

“Why do you ask?” Nem looked at John suspiciously.

“The God King captured some of my crew.”

“And you want to rescue them?” Nem asked aghast. “Look at where you are! How are you going to manage that when you’re stuck in this horrible mine.”

“There might be a way out of here.”

“There isn’t,” said Nem. “Just sing for as long as you can until the silence takes you. That’s all you can do in this place.”

John would have to use something to bring Nem onto his side. Nem wouldn’t trust him as things stood now. John did not have the patience to slowly build trust and friendship between them. Nem said there were monsters here. Perhaps he could lure them here and ‘save’ Nem. Though John only had a tiny amount of aura he could manipulate, it was enough to create an ultrasonic sound that could attract monsters. He had used this method many times to hunt on his lonely planet. He let out a short pulse of sound. He didn’t want to attract too many monsters. He didn't like tricking Nem but he had no other choice. Karamen's plan depended on this. Hopefully, Nem had useful information and he wasn't doing all of this for nothing.

John raised his hand, silencing Nem. It was finally coming. The sound of scuttling feet became louder.

“What’s that?” Nem shrieked, backing away slowly. “Can you hear it?”

“Don’t panic,” John said, his calm tone doing much to ease Nem’s spirits. “Don’t run. Not yet. It’s much faster than you and it’s not a good idea to show it your back.”

For some strange reason Nem trusted him. He stopped shaking and stood firm as a giant fluorescent spider slowly made its way towards them. It must have been twelve feet tall. Its long blade like legs walked towards the two miners slowly and deliberately, moving three steps forward one step back, as though playing with its prey.

John held his pickax firmly in his hand. He couldn’t use aura in the mine but his brute strength was still considerable when compared to the average man. His swiftness and agility would ensure his safety. Running in the tunnels was filled with even more danger with a monster on their tails.

John ran forward with a battle cry. He slid under the first leg and madly hacked at the second. White goo rushed out the wound he had made. Before the spider could react John had already jumped away, ready for his next charge. He had to make this look good. The spider screeched and ran towards John, a little lopsided from the loss of one of its legs. John jumped onto the spider and hacked at its pedicel. He was wounding it but not enough. John rolled off. The spider scuttled towards the wall and began climbing. It would play the long game now.

“Should we run now?” asked Nem.

“No. As soon as we do it will chase us.”

The spider turned around, aiming its behind at John. It began to shoot out white globs of silk at him. John sidestepped, dodging the spider silk balls by inches. He didn’t want to find out what would happen if he got hit by one. He ran to the edge of the wall where the spider was unable to aim its rump. With a well aimed throw his pickax embedded itself into the spider’s spinneret. The spider screeched in agony.

“Throw me your ax,” he shouted to Nem.

“Anything you say,” Nem tossed his pickax to him.

John started climbing the cave’s wall. The spider moved further and further away from him, fearing what the human would do next. Despite the pain it was still unwilling to see its prey escape and so it waited. John moved faster than the spider, his hands and legs taking advantage of whatever leverage they could find. In no time at all he had driven the spider to a corner. The spider hissed and walked upside down on the ceiling. John leaped from the wall and drove his pickax into the spider’s cephalothorax. He pulled himself up, inch by inch and got onto the spider’s underbelly. The spider went crazy trying to dislodge him, hitting itself against the walls. John scaled his way to the spider’s eyes. He was an expert at poking monster’s eyes. Using the pickax with one hand he began his bloody work. Fluids spurted out the spider, falling onto the floor below with a pitter patter. John did not cease in his work. A few minutes later the spider fell lifeless to the floor, John with it.

“Are you okay?” Nem asked, helping John up.

“I’m fine,” said John.

“You aren’t even dirty from the fight,” admired Nem. “A real monster hunting expert.”

“You’re not so bad yourself. You were able to keep calm in the situation.”

“I’ve been through worse,” Nem shuddered.

“So, did you give any thought to what I said earlier?”

Nem nodded, “I know the layout of the city and the palace. I can help you. Just...when you escape, please take me with you.”

“Of course.”