Time held little concept within the deep dark gloom of the barren mines. Minutes felt like hours, and hours felt like days as each second was an eternity all unto itself. Both the sun and the moon could have raised up and settled over the horizon a hundred times over, but all that marked the passage of time this far under the mountains was a slow and steady erosion. An erosion that had left one of their number hobbling along on a broken ankle and another with a dislocated shoulder.

Even as they traversed the ancient pathways the minutes slowly ticked on by mile after mile. The dwarven city or mine, though those two distinctions were often synonymous with each other in dwarven terms, held many twists and turns and dead ends that served to only delay the group's progress.

Naughts and crosses were sketched onto old stone passageways in the group's wake, marking paths that led to either dead ends or the one that led to the exit north of the jagged mountains.

The remnants of the old civilisation were cluttered with ponderous clues that beckoned the young faun at almost every turn. Umbra was sure that their young charge would have reveled in the opportunity to uncover what secrets that lay hidden, were it not for being pressed for time to intercept the marching dwarf army then there would surely have been a different tale to tell.

Instead, Celandine merely speculated with the dark elven captain and some of the soldiers that knew their history that the dwarven city was a relic from a time when the dwarves had the sole claim to the land. From a time when the dwarves were known for their architects rather than their artificers Umbra supplied, adding their own small contribution to the talk that whiled away the hours.

Their path through the hallway eventually led to what looked like a large endless underground road swallowed by the darkest of shadows. Once, long ago Umbra recalled that they were part of a colossal subterranean network that ran the breadth and width of Alerar, connecting each and every dwarven city with a direct trade route. They only lingered just long enough for the scholar amongst their group to wet her appetite before the urgency of their mission took precedence once more.

“To think that the dwarves did all this?” one soldier among their number said in awe of the dwarves' ancient legacy. Umbra wondered what would become of it all once the Demon threat was dealt with, would there be a market for mercenaries like themselves to accompany scholars like Celandine that wished to uncover its ancient secrets?

Umbra pondered the mystery and allure of an ancient lost treasure, before ultimately dismissing the notion all together. They had more than had their fill of a subterrestrial adventure and were determined to comfortably stay on the surface for some time to come.

From the ancient highway a path took the group upwards along a winding path towards the very entrance that the dark elven Commander had spoken of in his youth. Light of the morning sun shone through a small gap at the crest of a collapsed ceiling, a steep climb over the loose rocks however saw the group safely on the other side amongst a collapsed ruin that no longer resembled the remnants of the dwarven city.

“Ah, I know these foothills!” Vanimar proclaimed joyously as he crawled out into the light. He held out his free hand to aid Celandine through the small opening in the time worn collapsed ceiling and pulled her to her feet with his good arm. She laughed and chuckled when she was hoisted upwards and was unable to hide the blush from the cheeks now that she was once more exposed to the sun's brilliance.

“I would very much like to take a more detailed account over what we discovered down there.” The faun said to the captain with a growing grin “But we have more pressing matters, such as those foothills you said?”

Vanimar smiled warmly and began his own recounting of his time within these plains, though he had soon admitted that he had not known about these ruins. The captain's admission however struck the Mercenary as somewhat odd.

‘Then these must be the ruins the commander said he played at as a kid,’ Umbra observed thoughtfully. The mercenary idly ran an open palm gently across the moss and ivy that had grown in abundance over the many long years over remnants of the ancient forgotten walls and fallen pillars. ‘Had he always known about what lay below?’

‘A thought for another time.’ Umbra relented, and turned to focus on aiding the rest of the soldiers through the small gap instead. Once they had all been brought back into the light the group gathered in the ruins of what Celandine believed to have once been a foyer, though it may as well have just been a small clearing overflowing with white petaled flowers. ‘Not more blood lilies at the very least.’

“If the Commander is right about the dwarfs, then we should be able to locate them towards the northwest of here.” The captain addressed the brave men and women gathered around. “From here we will split up into two groups, the first group will continue on in an attempt to contact the dwarfs, the second group will be heading back to Sanctuary through the mines so that the Commander can be informed that there is a ‘relatively’ safe path.”

Vanimar turned to give a brief look towards the injured soldier whose injuries were being tended to by the team's medic. “Malik, you'll be coming with us to the dwarves, they ought to be closer than Sanctuary and I'd rather place you into the hands of their chirurgeons than have you tread all the way back through the mines.”

The injured soldier chuckled and gave a wry grin in response “Dwarven healers? Ha, I think I'd rather go through the mines again.” He jested but the painful wince that crossed his face when he laughed told otherwise.

Vinimar ordered the remainder of their contingent to head on back to Sanctuary, while bringing only the wounded soldier and the female medic to continue onwards to find the dwarfs. The two groups stopped only for a quick meal before going their separate ways.

“And then there were five,” the captain commented sadly, leading the group to the northeast towards the green foothills. Their pace was limited only by the injured soldier accompanying them, though non begrudged Malik for the injury he sustained there was an eagerness to their pace regardless as the final stretch of their journey was before them.

- - -

As it turned out, finding the dwarven army was not a difficult feat within northern Alerar’s foothills. Their brash and courageous nature had thrown all caution to the wind as they had set up camp within one of the dark elves' outposts, the rising plume of smoke that billowed for the outposts forge and the hundreds of campfires gave away their position for miles around them.

Vanimar narrowed his eyes as they approached. “I wonder what the circumstances were for the dark elves stationed here to yield the outpost to the dwarfs,” the captain pondered as he adjusted the position of his arm in his sling. “Sanctuary was cut off from the rest of the Alerar military so the men and women here would have had no way of knowing.” Vanimar continued thoughtfully.

“That Raimneth declared martial law to make our alliance legal?" Umbra asked after sensing where the young captain's thoughts were leading him. Without being able to spread the word of the commanders declaration, each and every surviving portion of Alerar’s military may as well have been a separate nation left to their own devices. Some outposts may have continued on as normal waiting for any kind of communication while others still may have taken matters into their own hands.

“Sanctuary was supposed to be our last bastion in case of situations like this, it’s where all our leaders were supposed to gather.” Vanimar hissed as they grew closer to the outposts gates. “Be prepared for anything, The dark elves that were stationed here either welcomed the dwarfs with open arms or they were removed from their posts.”

What Vanimar was so reluctant to say was that he did not know if the guards had been killed or imprisoned, Umbra silently hoped that their situation was neither of these scenarios as that would only complicate discussions for a three way alliance.

“Get ready Celandine, you're going to need to be at your best.” The Mercenary told the faun walking by their side. The faun said nothing at first as she took in a deep breath and exhaled long enough to gather her resolve. She turned and flashed Umbra a radiant smile full of confidence.

“If not now then never.” She said full of determination, causing Umbra to let out a small huff in amusement as they secretly allowed themselves to grin under the privacy of their faceless helmet.

Two dwarves that stood guard outside the outposts' gates watched the group of five approach with guarded apprehension. For their short size they more than made up for it in their stout burly builds clad in heavier armour than Umbra and bore bear pelts that draped across their broad shoulders. They appeared as beings of metal and beard, large beautiful braided beards from hues of the darkest of ales to the warmest of sunrises.

Once the group had stepped within range, the dwarf to the left of the gate proudly stepped forward, Within his thick hands he brandished a large decorative axe that he used to lean against as he curtly addressed the group. “All right, Ya can halt right where ye are, what business do ye have here?”

Vanimar straightened his posture while Umbra made sure to stand close to the young captain. “We’ve travelled here from Sanctuary to bring a message to your leader. We seek to form an alliance with the dwarves along with Corone forces to drive back the Demons.”

The guard's brows narrowed on the young captain as he gave a dismissive huff of annoyance. “From Sanctuary yer say? Fat chance lad, everyone 'ere knows that that lump of metal is just a metal ore vein ready to be cracked open.” He laughed and began to stroke his long magnificent braided beard “And besides, yer really think to tell us ya crossed tha Jagged Mountains swarming with all kinds of demons without getting slaughtered?”

The dwarf began to guffaw along with the other guard beside who appeared unable to hold back his own amused snigger. “Heh, Ah go on, tell me another.”

It was Celandine who made the next move as she stepped around both Umbra and Vanimar to face the dwarven guards herself. Her hand was already reaching into her satchel, no doubt ready to brandish this metal ore she believed was key to securing their victory.