"We'll try not to be gone for three months this time." Lily hugged Lulu one last time before walking over to the ship. She looked back, seeing Rosie and the others running up to the docks. "Take care of Lulu for us! We'll be back before you know it!"
Malroth helped Lily onto the ship, easily lifting her up with one arm this time. "Save some chicken eggs for us when we get back, Perry!"
The group laughed when Perry groaned, having ate majority of them in the last few days. Malroth and Lily waved to the group as Brownbeard set off, Hairy popped up at the edge of the dock, eyes sparkling. "There's plenty to see on Khrumbul-Dun! The legends tell of the rab-rab-rabbit-eared beauties, and the might-might-mighty miners with muscles on their muscles! Do bring back a few rabbit-eared beauties!"
Lily rolled her eyes, unable to stop her laugh. "We'll see!"
If the two friends thought that the Isle of Awakening had canyons, they were nothing compare to the island they ported at. Malroth looked around, clearly unimpressed by the golden sands. "So… this is the 'land of golden sands' that the Hairy Hermit told us about, eh?"
Lily started to get off the boat as well when she noticed a sleeping dracky hiding in the barrels off to the side. "Tiny? Have you been hiding on the ship this whole time?"
Tiny perked up, eyes lidded with sleep. "Hm? Perhapsss…"
Lily shook her head and plucked the tiny monster up, setting him on her shoulder. "You're an odd little thing, you know that."
"Ssso I've been told." Tiny hissed as he hid against her neck, not liking how the sun beat down on them.
Malroth looked back at the two before leading the way down the long docks. "This place looks abandoned to me. I doubt we'll find anyone to take back with us, let alone that metal we need, but I suppose it can't hurt to have a quick nose around."
The three hadn't made it very far when the ground shook, making Brownbeard shriek and run back onto his boat. "I-I'll wait here for ye… just… just let me know when ye are ready to go home."
Malroth grinned as he grabbed Lily's hand, yanking her along the dock and onto the hot sand. "Something tells me there's more to this place than meets the eye. Come on, Lily! Let's take a look around!" He let out a pant, wiping his brow as he looked to Lily. "I'm not sure which is worse – the sticky swamps of Furrowfield or the roasting heat of this deserted desert!" He turned; eyes wide as he took off towards some old tracks. "What are these?!"
Lily followed after him, hands on her hips. "These are train tracks, silly. You can zoom around them in a cart. Makes travel easier especially if you have a lot of metal."
"Sounds like a right laugh!" Malroth tossed his head back in laughter, stopping short when the ground rumbled again. "Whoa! Another one? These quakes just keep on co-"
The two let out screams as the ground gave out beneath their feet, Malroth lashed out, grabbing Lily and yanking her against him. He twisted as they fell so when they hit the bottom, she landed on him. He let out a groan as Lily slowly sat up. "M-Mal! I'm sorry!" She looked down, seeing Tiny had been pinned between them. "Oh, Tiny… are you okay?"
"Yesss, I'll… be fine…" The small dracky crawled up to Malroth's shoulder, hiding against his neck.
"That's alright… you're alright, yeah?" He rubbed his head, growling some as he looked up. "Just our luck. We've been here a whole two minutes and already we're in a hole." He looked her over, making sure she wasn't hurt. "You're not hurt, are you? Can you build us a way out of this place?"
Lily nodded as she stood up, looking around for something she could build with. When she turned though, all she saw was hard rock, nothing that her hammer could break through. "Uh… well…"
"I don't like that look on your face, Lil. What's wrong?"
"My hammer… it can't break the rocks…" Tears started to build in Lily's eyes. She had never thought of herself as strong, but she never thought she was completely weak either. "Mal! I can't get us out of here!"
"Oi, you two alright down there?" The voice came from above them, causing the two of them to crane their heads back, seeing a girl sticking her head over the edge. "Here, see if you can't use these." She smiled as she tossed some blocks of dirt down to them.
Lily couldn't help the tears that welled over and down her cheeks as she desperately grabbed the dirt, building a quick staircase up. "Th-Thank you!" She hugged the other girl when they got to the top, squeezing her tight.
"You best be 'eadin' 'ome. This island ain't no place for 'olidaymakers." The girl patted Lily's back, frowning at Malroth before pulling away from Lily.
Lily gasped, grabbing the girls' hand. "Wait! We aren't here on holiday! We've come to find new friends and some metal. Do you know anyone that can help?"
"If I know… anyone? I ain't sure if I should be tellin' ya… 'oo are you two any'ow?"
"I'm Lily, I'm a builder. This is Malroth, my best friend who loves to get down and dirty with hitting things."
"A builder?! You ain't pullin' me leg, are ya?" The girl stared at them with wide eyes, looking between the two. "If yer tellin' the truth…" She turned away from them, thinking out loud to herself. "This is very interestin' news indeed…" The girl turned back, holding her hand out. "The name's Babs. Pleased to meet ya, Lily. You too, Malroth. If ya really are a builder, maybe ya can 'elp me wiv somethin'." She waved for them to follow her without waiting on them.
Lily turned and looked to Malroth who shrugged, willing to give the girl the benefit of the doubt. The two took off after Babs with Tiny bouncing on Malroth's shoulder, the run wasn't long, but in this heat, it felt like it took forever. The closer they got though; the more excited Lily got. "Look, Mal! They have a builders bell!"
"Welcome to Khrumbul-Dun, the land o' plenty. Round 'ere the precious stuff just pours out of the ground! Or… at least it did… once upon a time. Now we got nothin'. Not since the Children of 'Argon shut down the mine…" She shook her head, her long dark hair swishing back and forth. "Now look at the place. You'd never know this used to be a bustlin' minin' town, or that the Tumbledown Bar over there was once the 'ub of our little community." Her frown switched to a large grin as she smiled at Lily, taking the builders hands. "I've been dreamin' 'o getting' this mine open again and givin' this town a new lease o' life – an' now you're 'ere, we can make it 'appen for real!"
Malroth gave Lily a skeptical look. "Sounds like Furrowfield all over again, if you ask me."
Lily gave Malroth a wide-eyed puppy dog look. "Can we stay, Mal?! Please!"
Malroth watched both Babs and Lily press their cheeks together, giving him pathetic puppy dog eyes. "Fine. Fine! Quit looking at me like that. But it looks like you got enough people here to get this place back up and running. Why do you need us?"
"Just… go talk to them yourself. You'll see why." Babs pulled away from Lily, watching as the builder walked over to two muscle bound men.
"Oi, Digby… is there really nuffin' we can do? I miss the whiff o' that stuffy tunnel air, know wot I mean?" The darker skinned one cried out, clearly pouting beneath that weird mask.
"Look Dougie, if I've told you once, I've told you a fahsand times – unless we can smash frough that rock, we ain't getting' back in the mine." Digby got up, lunging at his friend who flinched away from him.
The two paused, looking over at Lily who was just staring up at them. "Huh?" Dougie was the first to lean down and get in her face. "'Oo are you? I ain't seen your face before – reckon I'd remember someone this scrawny." He grabbed her arm, lifting it into the air just for it to drop back down to her side.
"I'm a builder. My name is Lily."
"A… builder? Wot, ya mean like… a bodybuilder? Pull the uvver one!" Dougie let out a loud laugh that started in his belly.
"Get aht of it! Go on, shoo – back to where ya came from!" Digby flexed the muscles of his arms, glaring at Lily. "The Children of 'Argon don't take too kindly to any type o' buildin'!"
Dougie turned, punching Digby hard enough in the face to send the other man rolling down the stairs behind him. "'Ang abaht, Digby. Didn't we come 'ere to rebuild the town and 'elp Babs fulfil 'er dreams? Babs is everyfin' to us, ya see – a sister, an auntie, a niece, a muvver, a bruvver… she's the light of our lives, the apple of our eyes, the pincushion of our 'opes."
Digby crawled back up the stairs, a grunt leaving him as he moved. "We fought that if we came 'ere, we could reopen the mine an' put a smile back on 'er beautiful face. But that place is sealed tighter than a very tightly sealed fing…" He cringed, trying to hide against the stairs. "An' even if we could get the mine up an' runnin' again, we're all too terrified of wot the Children of 'Argon'd do to us if we did!"
Dougie stomped where he stood, throwing his arms in the air like he was throwing a tantrum. "It ain't fair! I ain't 'avin' it no more! Someone gizza drink! I need a digger's jigger!"
Lily took a careful step back as the two burst into tears, seeing an older gentleman and a rough looking man sitting in the remains of an old bar. "Hi…"
The older gentleman looked up, defeat darkening his eyes. "What's an 'appy-go-lucky lady like you doin' talkin' to a washed-up old codger like me? 'Oo are ya, anyway?" Lily sighed, explaining who she was one more time. She jumped back when the two men jumped up, eyes wide. "A b-b-b-builder?! Oh, the 'umanity! Take that devilish grin o' ours an' get right of it!"
"Don't even mention the 'B' word around here, outsider, unless you want the Children of Hargon breathing down your neck." The other man growled, taking a step towards Lily.
Lily let out a growl and pulled out her hammer, letting them know she was ready for a fight. "The Children are spoilspores on the bottom of my boots. I cleared them off one island, I'm not chicken shit enough to let them chase me off this island."
The two men flinched at her words, but the real fear came when they saw a dark being walking up behind them, his axe in hand as he loomed behind her. The older man swallowed hard, trying to explain himself quickly. "This island was once an 'aven for rough, tough miners wiv money to burn. Business in me pub was boomin'. But now, the golden age is over and me dreams are dead and buried. Everythin's gone to the dogs."
The tougher looking man quickly looked away from Malroth, trying not to let him intimidate him. "You see, mining and metalworking go against the teachings of the Children. That's just how it is now." He turned to Lily once again, a frown hard on his face. "In other words, your kind aren't welcome 'round these parts. So, do yourself a favor and get out while you still can. We'll have no trouble here."
Lily turned, gasping when she almost ran into Malroth who was still looming over her, glaring at the two men. She patted his arm and went back to Babs. "They want nothing to do with me, Babs."
Babs shook her head, sighing softly. "The bald geezer is Magrog. 'E used to be a blacksmith. The guy wearin' the bow tie's my old man, Den. 'E's the landlord o' the bar. They're all defeated. The Children-"
"Yeah, they were moaning about the mine being sealed up and being brainwashed by the Children." Malroth shrugged, putting his hands behind his head as he watched Babs, seeing if she was brainwashed too.
"I never believed a single word of 'Argon's teachin's meself, but I wish I could say the same for the others. They fell for 'is lies 'ook line an' sinker." She put her hands on her hips, glaring at Malroth. "When the mine closed, 'is beloved pub went bust. I'd love to get the mine back in workn' order and get Dad's gaff up and runnin' again, but I don't know 'ow. That's why I need you two."
"Your dad is lucky to have a daughter like you. You want to put a smile back on his face, no matter the cost." Lily smiled, flinching when Babs tossed her hair over her shoulder and huffed.
"Oh, I ain't bothered if 'e smiles or not! I'm just sick o' watchin' 'im mooch about wiv a face like thunder. What that bloke needs is somethin' to keep 'im busy, know wot I mean?" Babs put a finger to her cheek, thinking for a moment. "A digger's jigger might give these blokes the kick in the arse that they need…"
"On it. Mal, find me some cord!" Lily took off to the crumbled remains of the blacksmith, getting to work on a cask.
Malroth smirked at Babs, patting her on the shoulder as he walked away. "Just sit back and watch the magic happen, sweetheart."
Babs watched Malroth carefully through narrowed eyes. "Ain't no one callin' me sweet'eart." She scoffed and went to where Lily was hard at work, watching as the girl started tossing things everywhere. "'Ow in the world… do ya work like that?"
Malroth came back over, handing Lily the cord she needed. He leaned against the table as she built. He let out a grunt when she thrust a cask into his arms moments later, an eyebrow lifted at her grin. "What do you want me to do with this?"
"Go put it in the bar, silly." Lily led him over to the bar, pointing to a spot to set it down. "Right here please." She looked to Babs, holding her hand out. "You have what I need?"
"Huh? Oh… I guess, yeah." Babs handed the blonde a few vineapples, watching her stuff a few into the cask. "How did… ya know 'ow to make the drink? I didn't tell ya yet."
"She has this weird little sense about her, she can just… know how to make things." Malroth shrugged, leaning against the bar behind them as they waited.
Babs leaned in, breathing in slow as the sweet scent of the digger's jigger filled the air. "Nice one! You ain't just a builder, you're a born barmaid to boot!" She eyed the cask then looked to Lily. "Well? Ain'tcha gonna give me a little taste o' that digger's jigger?" When Lily handed over the drink, Babs sipped at it.
"Babs! No! That's a glass of digger's jigger! The despicable drink the Children of 'Argon call the builder's bathwater! I'm wise to yer evil way, builder – your kind-" Den froze mid-step when he saw Malroth standing behind Lily again.
"Take pity on our souls! This is all the work o' that blasphemous builder! We ain't done nuffin'!" Dougie cried from behind Digby.
"BUI…LD…ER…?"
The whole crew let out a cry, jumping away from the cask. "W-W-Wot the 'eck was that spooky voice?! Is that you, 'Argon?!" Digby pushed Dougie in front of him, shaking in his boots.
"BUIL…DER… COME TO… ME…"
Lily jumped over the bar, Malroth hard on her heels as she ran off towards the mine. They ran down the stairs, hearing Babs running behind them with the others whimpering about how they didn't have the stomach for this kind of thing. "I think that voice came from somewhere right around-" Lily let out a cry as the ground shook again, nearly sending her flat on her ass if Malroth hadn't been there to catch her.
BOO… HOO… HOO…
"Mal?" Lily pulled out her hammer, smiling when he pulled out his axe. The two set to work, doing their best to dig out the sand, trying to get to where the crying was coming from. Lily grabbed Malroth's arm when he went to swing another time, spotting a creature back behind the sand and dirt. He appeared to be made out of some sort of stone with deep blue jewels for eyes. "Hey, big guy."
The monster turned, looking at Lily, sniffling as she crawled into the tight space with him. "YOU BUILDER…? YOU FIND ME… YOU FREE ME… THANK YOU…" The creature reached out, carefully patting the top of Lily's head with his large stone hand. "NO POWER, NO MORE… BRING ME COPPER… SILVER… GOLD… GET STRONG AGAIN…"
Malroth let out a laugh as he finished digging out the area around the creature. "We've only just met, and already he's asking us for the moon on a stick! I think I like this guy!"
"I'm sorry big guy." Babs touched his arm, giving him an apologetic smile. "We'd love to 'elp, but the entrance to the mine's been completely blocked off…"
The monster suddenly stood; his bright blue eyes gleaming as he picked Babs up. "YOU… BABS… BABS KIND… BABS PRETTY… ME HELP BABS TOO." The monster turned, crashing through the rest of the dirt and stone prison he had been in, though he easily shielded Babs against his large body.
Babs let out a squeal, clinging to the monster. "Oi! Lily! Malroth! 'Elp a girl out 'ere!"
Lily and Malroth ran after the golem, not easily keeping up with him. They watched as he set Babs down while he ran at the large stone wall that blocked off the mine. "THIS ROCK…? YOU WANT… ROCK SMASHED?"
"Ye-Yeah… if these rocks weren't 'ere, we could get the mine up an' runnin' again… It's wot I've always dreamed of…" Babs watched with awe in her eyes as the monster lifted his fists above his head, slamming his fists down into the hard stone.
"THEN ME MAKE DREAM COME TRUE!"
Malroth and Lily reached Babs just in time for Malroth to grab both girls and pull them against him as he turned his back to the stone wall. Lily stared up at Malroth, seeing him grit his teeth as fly away stone hit his back. One red eye slid open and he gave her a grin. "You alright?"
"I'm in better shape than you are." Lily smiled up at him, she turned to Babs, seeing she was peeking around Malroth to watch as the monster burst through the final bit of wall. "Babs, are you alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine, love." Babs slowly got up, her grin slowly growing at the sight she saw.
Malroth twisted, seeing that the monster had tore the wall down in just two strikes. "Brilliant!" He yanked both girls up as he ran over to the monster. "You tore that wall down like it was made of paper!"
"Cor blimey!" Den and Magrog ran up, gawking at the hole in the mine in front of them.
"Do my eyes deceive me?! Are you not Goldirox?!" Magrog dropped to his knees, staring up at the monster. "Legend has it that the mine of Khrumbul-Dun was once guarded by a great golem… but when the metal disappeared… so did he…"
Goldirox gave a sharp nod, those bright gems dulling some. "STRENGTH… GONE… NEED HELP… YOUR… HELP…"
Magrog reached out, his fingers barely touching Goldirox's arm. "We've… been looking to clear those rocks for years… I never imagined it'd happen like this…"
Babs was leaning against Goldirox, stars in her eyes as if she was looking up at her idol. "E'eryone on Khrumbul-Dun knows the legends of the guardian of the mine, but I always thought they was just kiddy stories. 'Ow wrong can a girl be?" She looked to Lily, her eyes sparkling as if she could cry. "Lily, would you an' Malroth mind 'avin' a quick butcher's in the tunnels? I'm sure Digby 'nd Dougie'd be more than 'appy ta show ya around."
"US?!" The two miners gasped, pushing on each other as they tried to get the other to step up and face the angry look in Babs' eyes. "Wot 'bout the spots where the roof's all caved in?! Sand and what-'ave-ya blockin' the way! 'Ow we gonna get past that?!" Digby finally pushed his friend forward, urging him to talk sense into their favorite girl.
Babs let out a sigh and shook her head, turning her attention back to Lily. "I thought this might 'appen… lucky for us, I got just the thing for such a situation. They've been lyin' around for yonks. Some miner must've left 'em 'ere." She handed over a few old bombs, ignoring the nervous look on Lily and Malroth's faces. "Go on, get in there and blast through a few roadblocks, fix a few supports and get this mine goin' again!"
Digby gave Dougie another push, a nervous laughter on his lips. "'Ight, Dougie – do wot the lady says! Time to take Lily on a guided tour o' the finest mine in Khrumbul-Dun! I'd go meself if it wasn't for me incurable claustrophobia…"
The group turned and looked at Digby, confused looks on their faces. "Aren't you… a miner?" Lily tilted her head, surprised by this new knowledge.
"Oi! I-I'm trying to work on it! I can only go in so far!" Digby jumped back, finally noticing the judgmental looks he was receiving.
"That ain't fair, Digby! You know 'ow bad me monstrophobia's got recently! An' them caves'll be crawlin' wiv 'orrible creatures! Wot's worse, you's sendin' me in wiv a builder!" Dougie stomped, throwing his arms around in a tantrum.
Malroth walked over to the two, axe perched on his shoulder and a sadistic grin on his lips. "If you two don't get to movin', I'll show you what a real monster looks like."
"Lily, I don't like asking you to go in without an escort, but would you search the tunnels and bring back a few lumps of copper? I only want to check the quality. I just pray Hargon doesn't catch wind…" Magrog shook his head, sighing softly.
"I sure hope he does, I'd love to have a face to face chat with him." Lily shrugged as she pulled her hammer out and started walking towards the mine. "Should be easy enough to get some copper. I mean, if a little girl can do it, then two buff miners should be able to do it too."
Malroth followed Lily in, helping her up onto the tracks as the two slowly walked in deeper, lighting old torches as they went. Lily pointed to an area just ahead of them, seeing a wall made of sand that had caved in at some point. "There, I'll place one of those bombs, I guess."
"Lily! Malroff! Wait!" Dougie ran up to them, panting as he caught up to them. "Babs just gave me a right earful… if yer gonna go spelunkin', ya need a seasoned miner by yer side – so 'ere I am." The three clung to the walls as an earthquake caused the mines to rumble. "Another… Ever since the Golden Age came to a close, the ground ain't never stopped shakin'. It's been years since I was last in these tunnels, but I don't remember 'em bein' in this bad a shape. Ol' 'Argon must've let 'is lackeys loose down 'ere…"
Lily walked over to the wall when the ground quit shaking, setting down one of the bombs. She lit it and ran over to Malroth, hiding behind him as the fuse slowly burnt down. Malroth glanced over his shoulder at her, grinning. "I'm I just your shield now?"
"You proved once that you were willing to do just that." The two watched the bomb, the fuse disappearing into the body of the bomb. But nothing happened. Malroth leaned down, picking up a decently sized rock before throwing it. As soon as it hit the bomb, the whole thing erupted, sending rock and sand flying all around them.
