As we ran down the long tunnel, the lights grew dim and I pulled out a sunrod for some light. Soon we came to a crossroads, and torches were scattered throughout the inner mine. Upon hearing a voice, I threw my sunrod in the direction. It landed at the foot of a disgruntled dwarven guard. He yelled some kind of question, but I knew the magic came from the east and he was positioned to the south, so I bid him a friendly "Hello." and resumed running towards the magical surge.

I light my remaining sunrod. Soon I encountered a dwarven miner who hoped to block my passage. I tried jumping over him, but instead fell on my back. The jerk lifted his shovel like he was going to hit me, so I incinerate him with a burning spray. Obstacle dealt with, I continued east. As I approached a bend in the tunnel, another dwarven miner tried to block my path. I yelled for him to get out of my way, but he didn't so I hit him with a chaos bolt and continued.

As the tunnel turned south, I came to a pulley system for reaching the upper level. I could tell the magical surge came from above. Another dwarven guard stepped forward.

I simply asked him, "What's above us?"

"Who are you?!" The dwarf demanded.

"I'm Anil."

"What are you doing here?! What's all the commotion?!"

"I felt some magical surge down this way. I came to check it out, but these guys tried to stop me."

"That's cause you're not supposed to be down here!"

"What's on the floor above us?" I asked again.

"Come with me, or there will be trouble!"

I shrugged. "Okay."

Despite my congenial demeanor and cooperation, he had the nerve to manhandle me. He gripped my arm painfully and put a sword to my neck! Rude. I put a chromatic orb right in his stomach, burning his whole body. I admonished him, "Don't touch me! I agreed to go with you!"

This seemed to make him more angry and he tried to hit me with his sword. Having had enough of this I blasted him with a burning spray. He dropped his sword screaming, "Ah! My eyes!" and blindly tried to grapple me. I easily stepped out of the way. Just as I was about to finish this fight, an angry voice echoed from the hall behind me.

"Stop, you dwarf killing bitch!"

I turned my head and greeted the newcomer with a non-chalant "Hello." This distraction caused my chaos bolt to miss the burning dwarf in front of me. I refocused on the matter at hand, but my second chaos bolt was interrupted by a painful shovel to my back. The new guy had actually attacked me! Hadn't he seen my handiwork at this point?

I avoided the shovel's next swing, but it gave the burning dwarf a chance to stab me. Just as things are starting to take a turn for the worse, Khalil and Azkikar arrive. Khalil uses a magic missile to kill the guy with the shovel.

"Khalil! What took you so long? I thought you were right behind me?"

"Sorry," he answered, "The rocks in this place are just so interesting."

I turn my attention back to the burning dwarf. I decide a fitting end would be to encase him in a tomb of ice, but he slashes my arm as I try to cast my spell. Khalil steps up and finishes the guy with a magic missile.

I scoff, "Can't you cast anything else?"

"Sure. I can cast lots of things."

I turn to Azkikar and ask, "When did the dwarf tag along?"

Proud of his success in battle, Khalil tells me, "He's been around the whole time. You just didn't see him cause he's so short."

Azkikar takes offense. "Hey! I'm right here!" He turns his attention to me, "What's wrong with you woman? What are you chasing?"

I take a breather to rest my wounds while I explain, "Something in these mines let loose a powerful surge of magic. We have to see what it is. I think this lift will take us up to wherever its located."

Khalil pipes in, "If magic is involved, I'm game."

Azkiker grins devilishly, "This is getting interesting. I'll tag along. But lets hurry, we only have six hours before the ship leaves."