A/N: Sorry this took so long, things have been pretty busy recently with the holidays coming up. I'm aware I haven't updated my other fic in even longer, but I will as soon as I can get over my massive writer's block for that story. But this story is, well, another story. I hope you're ready for the longest chapter yet, because this is the longest chapter yet. I've decided to start putting lines in between individual journal entries, to better divide them up and make them easier to read. Let me know if it's working out for you.

Day 5, Hour 12

So, turns out we're supposed to go investigate the Nashkel Mines. We talked to Berrun Ghastkill, and he gave us the lowdown on the situation. There's been tainted iron what's been coming up from its depths, and that's why metal stuff in these parts has been crumbling and breaking recently. Got everyone on edge, it does. And it's our job to get to the bottom of what's going on. We've come all the way out here, but that jerk of a foreman won't let us in to investigate. Says it's too dangerous down there. Apparently the last guy what went down there to investigate a couple months ago never came back, and on top of that, for the last few weeks the miners have been going on about demon sightings. Sounds scary down there, Mr. Journal. It's really got me thinking. If it's too dangerous in the mines for adventurers and sellswords and the like, then why in the Hells are they still making the miners go down there and risk themselves just to pull up more bad iron!? Doesn't make a lick of sense, if you ask me.

Anyways, Jaheira's talking to the foreman right now, trying to negotiate. Hopefully she'll get somewhere. In the meantime, I'm just gonna sit here and keep writing. Not much else to do in this pit.

Oh! We stopped to have a conversation with a really nice friendly guy who had a lot to say while we were on our way out of Nashkel. He was very excited to hear about our adventures and things. For some reason, though, everyone else looked annoyed. Can't for the life of me imagine why. Things got weird after that though, when the guy got all nervous and started asking if we were gonna throw rocks at him. Over and over. I wonder what made him think that.

Oh, also, also, we stopped at the store to stock up on provisions and whatnot, and I got me a real weapon! No more glorified stick! It's a warhammer, and I can't wait to learn to use it good!

Once we left town, we got held up by a group of bandits on our way to the mines. They already had archers trained on us and everything! I was almost sure we were dead meat there, Mr. Journal, but then we were saved by the timely arrival of . . . the same guy what thought I was a serving wench at the Friendly Arm Inn! I'm for sure it was him! Turns out he's out for revenge, and for some reason he's heard of me and thinks it might be helpful for us to work together. But we were all busy and on the way to the mines, so I told him some other time maybe. We ain't got time to be going chasing after some stranger's revenge fantasies. He says he'll be at the Friendly Arm if we change our minds. Fat chance I'm ever gonna help him, though, Mr. Journal. He still rubs me the wrong way. Call me a serving wench. Pah!

Looks like Jaheira's convinced the foreman to let us in the mines. Gotta go for now. I'll write you later, Mr. Journal!

Day 5, Hour 16

We've lost Xzar. If only we'd been more prepared-! The damn mine is full of stinkin' kobolds. I can only hope the rest of us make it out alive.

Gods. This is all my fault, isn't it. If I'd gone and made Immy give Xzar that ring, then maybe he'd . . . No. No, I can't go down that road now. For now I've gotta concentrate on helping the other, or else we'll all end up the same way. Why's everything got to be so damn dark, Mr. Journal? It's not supposed to be this way. It's not. I won't believe it.

We can't go no further today. I'm hurt real bad and need to rest, and Jaheira's all out of spells. She says she'll heal me as soon as she has them prepared again.

So many damn kobolds down here...

...This sucks.

Day 6, Hour 8?

I'm feeling a lot better now that I've been healed and all. Man, am I glad Jaheira's with us, if she weren't we'd all be done for by now. I still feel like there's a weight in my chest though. I keep seeing Xzar die over and over when I close my eyes. I've been trying to block it out, but it's hard, Mr. Journal. I. I want to make sure this never happens again. But, I'm not quite sure how to go about that. I mean, I know a little about how to fight, and I do what I can to help Khalid and Jaheira and all, but when it comes to protecting others, I don't know. I just feel so damn helpless. Maybe I'm not cut out for this.

But it's not like I've got much of a choice. What else am I gonna do? Stay behind in town and wait patiently for more of them assassins to find me? Cut out for it or not, this is my life now. Can only keep pushing on.

Anyways, this morning at breakfast, or at least I think it's morning, kind of hard to tell what with us being underground and all. But, this morning, Rasaad noticed that I was a little bothered by recent events and all. Okay, well, a lot bothered. We spent some time talking, and it really helped. A lot. Probably the only reason I only complained to you for a few sentences instead of for a few pages, Mr. Journal. He ended up telling me about how he became a monk, and what he was doing all the way up here in the North. It sounds like he's had a tough time of it. Almost enough to make me feel ashamed of all the whining I've been doing, Mr. Journal. I'm not the only one who's got it bad, after all.

We should probably get going. We've gotta get to the bottom of what's going on in these mines, so we can get the Hells out of here already!

Day 6, Hour 9?

It's only been an hour but we have to stop again already! Jaheira's used all her healing spells again, and the kobolds put several arrows through Immy! Oh, are we ever getting out of here!?

Day 7, Hour ?

We're finally ready to get on the move again. Took even longer than it should have since more kobolds found us while we were resting, and we had to take them out all while protecting Immy, who was still hurt from the last fight. Thank Tymora she's all right.

At least there've been no more deaths since Xzar's. I don't think I could stand anyone else dying. It's just too much. You know, Mr. Journal, I don't even know what time it is right now. Day, night, it all gets all jumbled up and smooshed together when there's no sun to help you keep track.

Still Day 7.

Between kobolds and giant spiders with nasty poison, we're out of resources again. We're down to our last potion, Jaheira's used up all her spells, and she and Khalid are in awful shape. It's like we spend more time hiding away and trying to heal ourselves than we do actually moving forward. It's starting to feel awful repetitive.

It's enough to make a girl's morale just sink down into the mud.

Day 7? 8? Probably 8 by now, we've been stopped a long time.

Khalid and Jaheira are as good as new now, Finally, we can keep moving. I feel as if I've been sitting around on the nasty damp floor forever. At least I made some more progress trying to figure out these darn scrolls, so I'm that much closer to maybe learning magic! Tiny silver linings, Mr. Journal, tiny silver linings.

Day 8?

Damn kobolds and their stupid flaming arrows stupid kobolds suck stupid stupid kobolds I hate them and they need to stop having flaming arrows stupid damn kobolds stupid stupid stupid-

I just bumped into Khalid 'cause I wasn't watching where I was going. I'm sorry, Mr. Journal. I can't write in you while I'm walking no more.

Yeah I'm pretty sure it's Day 8 now.

Whew! It's over, Mr. Journal! We finally found the guy responsible for all of this! Some half-orc cleric of Cyric called Mulahey, hiding out on this cave on an island in the middle of an underground lake. Hell of a secret base, huh? Who'd have thunk something like this would even be down here? It's wild!

Anyway, we made him pay for what he'd done to the iron in the mines, and for making us go through all that grief to find him. I mean, of course we tried to talk to him first, do this the peaceful way, but he was having none of that. And then, when we nearly had him beat, he changed his tune and said we could stop fighting and talk like civilized people. But it was a trick! He used it to distract us and call more of his goons to surround us! Messed us up but good! Now it may be wrong of me, Mr. Journal, but I took real pleasure introducing him to my warhammer after that bullshit, let me tell you. My warhammer is boss. It hammers the boss. It's a bosshammer.

We found some letters and from looking at them it's clear Mulahey was just a lackey of some guy with a bigger plan. I guess I'll ask Jaheira what that all means for us sometime after we get back to Nashkel and all. Right now, though, our main concern should be getting out of here. Just gonna stop in long enough for Jaheira to cast some healing spells and then it's back to Nashkel. Nothing keeping us in this dung heap anymore.

We found lots of loot in Mulahey's lair, though. Some cool boots, and a magic shortsword, which is good, since Immy's broke in the battle. There's another sword in there too, real pretty and all, but we can't pick it up. Immy tried and it straight up wouldn't budge. Best to just leave it there. Found some potions and a lot of scrolls too. They'll come in handy.

Huh?

...Hold on, Mr. Journal. Noises. In the other room. Gonna go check it out. If I'm not back in ten minutes, avenge my death. I know you can. Just. Give them papercuts or something, okay?

A/N: And thus ends the trek through the Nashkel Mines. Next time, our heroes make a new friend or five! Okay. Well. Definitely less than five. Probably just one. Maybe two, depending on the length of the next chapter. And remember, if you like this, please fave, subscribe, and/or review! And if you hate this, then send flames! I will remain unbothered. Until next time, ladies and germs, until next time.