In the back of a forgoten mine the miners worked hard to clear long abandoned mines. In the hope of finding jewels or metal ore to sell to the smiths. The miners foremen studied the caves tunnels hoping to find a new vain of ore. Walking alittle ahead of the mining party his eyes scanned the tunnels surface closely looking for something shiny to reflect from his torch’s flame.
Stopping a few times he picked up a rock or two and stared at the grains in the rock. Hitting the rock once with his hand pick, it split open. With a deep sigh he tossed them back down. Turning back to the others he yelled," Come on you lazy dogs bring me another touch before i go ahead." As the miner’s boss lit the touch he seen what looked like a part of the tunnel turned to a collapsed chamber.
Holding the torch low the foremen walked closer to the collapsed area. Leaning down to one knee, he studied the rocks then again he cracked one open. The men behind him waited to hear the deep sigh. One miner yelled down the tunnel,"Did you find something boss?" Yelling back at his men the foremen said,"Hurry I think i found a vain of valorite it looks like, bring the timbers we have to clear the tunnel’s entrance first.
The men worked two long days cleaning the entrance, finally with the last rocks moved and the entrance braced the foremen walked in first. The caved in area’s walls shined brightly with valorite as the foreman’s torch light the room. Looking back at the others he smiled and waved them in to start working.
For a week the men took shifts working the walls of the cave. Standing over the men watching them swinging their picks. The foreman leaned down and dusted off the ground and with surprised his hands touched smooth tile. With a puzzled look he told the men to stop digging and starts clearing the floor of rocks and boulder.
The men did as the boss told them to. After a few hours the men had cleared the tiled floor. All except a huge pile of boulders in the middle of the chamber." Come on men stop staring at the boulders and start breaking them up and get them out of here."their foremen ordered firmly.
The first pick axe hit the boulder’s surface and started oozing a dark thick liquid. Stopping the miner yelled for the boss to come and see. The foreman walked over and touched the liquid and smelled it. Taking the pick out of the boulder the foremen looked at the pick’s bent end. Turning the pick axe to the good side now the foreman raise it high and brought in down hard on the same spot.
The pick stuck into the boulder this time, but it didn’t sound right. With his hand still on the axes handle, his hand shook every few secends and was increasing. The pile of boulders started to shake as well. All the workers backed away from the center of the chamber waiting to see what was happening.
Standing back in terror the men watched as the boulders moved to reveal a huge dark grey dragon uncoiling infront of them. Seeing this the men started running out of the tunnels. Only the foremen and a few other couldn’t move out of fear. Their feet looked to be rooted in place as the air thicked around them. Watching they seen the grey dragon had someone in his claws.
Tenderly the dragon held what looked like a elf with snow white skin and tattered clothing. Slowly the dragon uncoiled from around the elf. Softly the dragon placed the elf down on the ground. Then turned it’s attention to what had pierced it’s tail’s scales. It’s massive claw pulled the tiny pick free then with a twitck it sent it’s tail out side to side to crush all in the chamber. All but one died out right, the last one the dragon picked up and softly squeezed till the man passed out.
Dropping the foremen to the ground the dragon lightly pushed the elf with it’s nose. Seeing the elf not moving the dragon picked up the foremen again ruffly this time. It layed the man across the elf’s chest. The grey one poked at the foreman’s neck with his one claw. trying not to rip the man’s head off. Laying his head down to the floor the dragon watched as the elf’s nostrils started flaring.
The elf’s red eyes shot open and hissing as his fangs pierced the foreman’s salt neck. Sitting up the foreman’s body fell to the side. Looking around slowly the elf’s eyes came to meet the dragon’s gazing back at him. " I remember you being smaller or have i shrank?" he said to the dragon. Raiseing his head now the dragon left out a deafling laugh," No my master you are the same size." Standing now the elf turned to the dragon," I told you once before you can can me, hmm what was my name?"thinking along moment" Oh yes thats it Ariakus was my name right?" The dragon noded to his master."Ok then lets see if you can still get out of here." Picking his master up tenderly, he held him close to his chest as he rammed his way out of the cave. To the dragon the elf said loudly," I wish to see what has changed since being traped down there!"
