Fanning the Flames of Rebellion [A Lunar Chronicles Fanfic]

Chapter 37

A/N: Oh my! I completely forgot to give a shoutout to those who got the answer to the question I asked back in chapter 33!
Here they are:
Lunar_Squid

13thVictory

BookAddict510

Great job!

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Al took his handkerchief out from his blackened cargo pants and covered his mouth and nose. The smell was bearable, but he couldn't risk inhaling the toxic fumes that hung in the musty air of the mines. Many had lost their lives from just breathing the air-- Al wouldn't be one of them.

It wasn't the most glamorous job, but it payed... okay. The truth is, Al had no choice as to where he worked. He lived in Estella, an industrious sector of Luna, where you either worked in factories or mines--the others became street beggars.

Working in the mines, there was always the chance you'd strike it rich. Gold was quite scarce nowadays, but priceless gems still hid between the walls of rock.

But, all seven of them had yet to find any of them.

Hours and hours of tireless work took their mornings, afternoons, and nights. They barely saw their own home for most of the day.

The only upside to it, Al would think, is that he was able to do it with his friends. Saul, Melchang, Kane, Tye, Wen, and even Grant. It made the work feel less exhausting.

They crammed into a small elevator shaft that plummeted mile after mile underground, until they reached their assigned location.

As soon as he stepped out, Al set his timer for 18 hours.

Only 17:59:57 more hours until he can leave the underground prison.

Al pulled out his tools from his belt and moved to the section he had been working on the day before. The day he would unexpectedly come home to the Lunar princess passed out on his bed. He felt terrible for leaving her back there alone, risking her safety. Every second, she was out in danger. But they had to go--all of them--in order to get their full amount of pay, which kept a roof over their heads and food on their plates.

But somewhere deep inside him, he knew the princess would be just fine. After all, she did have her glamour.

A loud cough erupted from behind Al. It was Grant. Al was starting to get worried about him, he was constantly coughing down here--more than all of them combined. He kept thinking he'd gotten Asbestos--very fatal.

"You 'kay?" Kane asked, setting his tool down.

"Yeah, no, I'm fine. Just got a little dust in my--" Grant leaned to his side and coughed again, "In my chest. I'm good."

Kane turned back around reluctantly, so did Al and the rest. They resumed their work, ignoring the several coughing fits that followed.

Besides the coughing and metal-on-rock clangs, it was normally silent. But a new sound echoed in the air, footsteps.

Down the opposite tunnel they came in at, three figures were visible in the shadows. As they got closer, Al became more nervous.

Their uniforms were recognizable anywhere. The gold and silver lining the coat, the ever-present insignia on the back. The crescent moon that lay on it's back side, surrounded by weaving spirals. It was the Lunar insignia--they were thaumaturges.

Al's breath caught as they approached Wen. The two thaumaturges were accompanied by Al's boss. He couldn't quite catch their conversation, almost inaudible with the loud clangs of metal.

"Come with me, please." the thaumaturge with long, curled brown hair said.

Wen looked around him, worry in his eyes, pleading for help.

Al turned around and resumed his work, pushing back the urge to interfere.

Because if there's one thing he had learned from being in the mines, is that work always comes first.

And he didn't dare look back when Wen was pulled through the tunnel and into the hover that awaited around the corner.