David Bishop and the Mystic of Creation T.C. Crawford (icecream ebook reader txt) 📖

they discovered David had been correct. They reached another intersection that branched off in two opposite directions with the ground having metal tracks running in both directions. Along the walls were old iron sconces that once held torches and countless years’ worth of soot still stained the ceiling and walls above them.

Just as David was getting a feel for which direction to go, the sound of screeching metal and squeaking wheels came echoing off the walls, faint at first, but quickly getting louder with each passing moment. Whatever it was, it was heading their way, and quickly!

The companions promptly jumped off the tracks and into the dark hallway they had just come from. In a matter of seconds, a minecart came crashing through the intersection at incredible speeds. It went by so fast they could hardly tell what it was, but they did notice one thing – the cart wasn’t empty. Inside had been two bearded Dwarves, each carrying a lantern and a pickaxe!

“Hey!” shouted David as loud as he could after the passing cart.

Suddenly, a horrendous high-pitched screeching filled the tunnels, forcing them all to cover their ears. Sparks flew wildly in the distance behind the cart as it screeched to a halt.

Then, just as soon as the screeching stopped, they could hear a grunt and a series of heavy footsteps quickly slapping against the ground – the lantern light growing brighter and brighter as the Dwarves ran quickly their way.

The Dwarves finally reached the intersection and stopped a few feet from the companions, holding up their lanterns and pickaxes to see who had called out to them while making sure they weren’t a threat.

“Oy! What’re you lot doing down here?” asked the Dwarf in the front when he finished sizing them up. He was short but stocky, with huge arms and legs that were built from a lifetime of mining and hauling away rock. His chest was as large as a barrel and his brown bushy beard had a few tinges of gray and flowed down to his shiny belt buckle.

***

Once the Dwarves were sufficiently convinced that David and the others meant no harm and had in fact actually been lost for days in the tunnels, the Dwarves took them into the cart and said they would bring them along to the city.

As they sped along the tunnels, wind flapping wildly through their hair as they raced along the tracks, the companions were excited for the first time since getting out of the Southern Tunnel. They were headed to a place no mortal man had ever been before – the great Dwarven city of Emerald Keep.

The city was the stuff of legend and was the home that the Dwarves had been actively building and developing since the dawn of time. It was said to be filled with massive buildings and structures spanning miles beneath the Draconian Mountains in every direction and possessed an abundance of treasure so vast that it could fill the entire Mystic Mountain from top to bottom!

It was common knowledge in Hurea that the Dwarves were masters of their craft – mining precious metals from the earth and forging them into masterfully crafted jewelry and splendid sets of armor, but they were also master builders and ingenious engineers.

When the cart started to slow from that of a charging horse to a more comfortable speed for the companions, they came around a bend and for the first time caught sight of the city.

Everyone in the cart was silent and awestruck as the tunnel opened up into a cavern so vast it could have fit all of Eldergate within it and still have plenty of room to spare. There was a network of crisscrossing, arched stone bridges that spanned taller than the highest towers, some simply serving as roads and walkways, while others serving as railways for mine carts and supplies to be loaded and transported throughout the city, each with dozens of little carts flying back and forth carrying an assortment of goods and supplies throughout the network.

The bridges weaved in and out between massive buildings that varied in shape and size – the one commonality between them all is that their walls were made out of pure emerald crystal.

“So that’s why they call it Emerald Keep” said David, completely dazzled by the brilliant green city.

“Aye – she’s a beauty, ain’t she?” said one of the Dwarves, seeing the look of shock on their faces. “It never gets old, coming home” he said, and they could believe it.

They traveled along the rails through the city, passing hundreds of Dwarves busy at work. Most were simply loading or unloading the carts before sending them back on their way into the mines, while others were getting on or off the carts to start or finish their shift, carrying pickaxes or shovels on their shoulders. The ones getting off were covered in sparkling dirt and were filthy, but despite their scowling faces, they seemed happy in their own way.

At last they found themselves headed towards a large building in the center of the city. It stretched so high it strained their necks when they tried to see to the top. The closer they got, the more they realized how large it truly was – it was like a mountain within the mountain!

When their cart finally came to a grinding halt before the large courtyard leading up the gigantic building, the Dwarves jumped out and helped their passengers disembark before the cart magically sped off on its own back down the tracks.

“How does it do that?” asked Erin in awe.

“Why, magic of course!” replied one of the Dwarves matter-of-factly, before leading the way towards the entrance to the building as if that were all that was needed to be said about it.

Erin laughed and, grabbing David’s hand, walked with him and the others towards the building, following the two Dwarves.

When they reached the steps leading up to the building, two large and elaborate shiny metal doors slowly opened revealing a