The Fallen Empath - Welcome to the Villain's World

Chapter Fourteen: To the Dwarfs' Mine

 "So this is the Dwarfs' Mine." Deuce thinks. "Long ago, this mine was flush with magestones."

Grim shivers. "Urgh... Who knows what lurks in there now."

"Look, I can see a house. Let's see what the people there have to say." Ace points to a small house not too far from us.

"Are you sure anyone even lives there? It looks abandoned." I tilt my head.

It's nowhere near as bad as Ramshackle, it still looks sturdy enough, even with the moss on the roof and chipping paint off the walls. It's small and quaint with the white walls and red roof. With enough cleaning up, I would love to live in a cottage like this.

"It wouldn't hurt to check." Deuce says as we walk up to the building and knock on the, admittedly, small door.

Actually, now that we are closer, I realize just how small this house is. It could be a rich kids' playhouse with two stories.

"Hellooo? Is anyone home...?" Deuce calls, but no one answers. "Must be empty." He opens the door.

"Deuce, it's rude to just walk into someone's home when they aren't here." I reprimand him.

Deuce rubs the back of his head. "Well, like you said before Yuna, It looks like it's abandoned."

Well, I guess he's right, cobwebs hang everywhere and the furniture is positioned like they were leaving in a hurry. A pick axe is wedged into the table and as we walk in, we leave footprints in the dust.

"Bwah! I got a spider web on my face!" Grim yelps as he tries to get it off.

I bend down to help him.

"Look how tiny these desks and chairs are. Did children live here?" Ace squats next to the table. "One, two... Seven! It's like a clown car in here." Ace stands back up, the table only reaching his knees.

"When the mine was flourishing, this house must have been a lively place." Deuce says as he looks around.

"Well, this isn't getting us anywhere. If we're gonna find a magestone, it'll be inside the mine. Let's head in and take a look." Ace says and starts to walk out.

"Wait!" I grab three candles and hand two of them to Ace and Deuce. "It's already getting dark outside. Grim, can you light them please?"

Grim smirks. "Well, seeing as you asked so nicely..." Grim lights the candles, putting a little extra oomph into Ace's.

"Hey!" Ace flinches.

Grim chuckles and we head out to the mine.

~ ~ ~

"You wanna go inside THERE? It's pitch black!" Grim shutters.

"What, are you scared of the dark?" Ace taunts.

"Myah?! I'm not scared of anything! I'm taking the lead. You all follow me!" Grim walks into the mine with us following.

~ ~ ~

"Huh? Hold up!" Deuce calls.

"What now?" Ace asks annoyed.

"What's the matter Deuce?" I tilt my head.

"There's something there!" Deuce squints his eyes, then jerks back.

Ace, Grim, and I look ahead to see two ghosts ahead of us.

"Hee hee hee hee! Visitors! The first in ten years!" One laughs.

"Do make yourselves at home... You can stay forever!" The other smiles creepily.

Grim shakes. "MYAH! Gh-gh-ghosts!" He tries to run away, but we're in his way.

"Give it a rest, scaredy cat!" Ace glairs.

"Ghosts are about the last thing we need right now..." Deuce thinks for a moment. "Let's give those ghosts the slip and run for it! Follow my lead!"

We follow Deuce and quickly run past the ghosts. Deuce and Ace shoot spells behind them, occasionally Grim too. I take the lead to guide them so they can focus on fighting. We keep running, but the ghosts don't give up and are still following us.

Grim huffs. "They're still hot on our tails!"

One of the ghosts is panting too...somehow. "What's the...hurry! Ease... Ease up a bit, would you?

"And just how's a ghost short of breath?!" Grim asks the question we were all wondering.

"Maybe ghosts have lungs?" Deuce thinks.

Ace brings us back. "We don't have time for this! Let's MOVE!"

Deuce tsks as we all start running again.

I guide them through the tunnels as they use their magic on the ghosts. Through all the twists and turns—and low ghost stamina I guess— we manage to lose them. We slow down and look back the way we came to make sure.

"Hah... Phew! I think we lost 'em!" Grim says out of breath.

"We're not out of the woods just yet. Let's keep going!" Deuce urges us to continue.

I hear a noise from behind us and it seems I'm not the only one.

"Myah! Did you hear a noise just now!?" Grim jumps.

"We didn't lose them after all?" Deuce turns around.

"Shh! Something's over there!" Ace whisper-shouts as he turns as well.

Two other ghosts float in our path, facing away from us.