Chapter 57: Securing the Seam

The heavy oak gates of Zevryn's safehouse swung open precisely one hour later. Stepping out into the crisp pre-dawn air, Zevryn made his way toward the city's western assembly point. Waiting there was a formidable, battle-ready contingent of one hundred men, a disciplined mix of elite municipal enforcers, council-backed battle-mages, and city-sanctioned mining engineers carrying heavy fortification supplies.

At the front of the column, the captain of the guard stood issuing sharp tactical commands, organizing the men into strict marching formations. A short distance away, the innkeeper stood quietly with his arms crossed, acting strictly as an observer and monitoring the mission on behalf of the city council's fifth seat.

As Zevryn approached, the captain gave a crisp nod, while the innkeeper simply offered a knowing, silent look.

Zevryn's pale eyes swept over the organized unit before turning to the captain. "When I scouted the area earlier, there was no sign of a large enemy garrison present. Our objective isn't a pitched battle. We need to secure the mine, dismantle their operations, and establish a permanent security base so our own city-sanctioned miners can take over and extract the black mithril legally under Vandermir's flag."

The captain of the guard nodded firmly, his hand resting on his pommel. "Understood. My men will lock down the perimeter and handle the fortification grid the moment we clear the interior."

"Move out," the captain commanded the troops, turning his focus to the ranks.

Zevryn took the lead, guiding the column through the jagged, winding ravines of the foothills and utilizing his precise reconnaissance to safely navigate the path. Behind him, the captain directed the hundred-man force with military precision, while the innkeeper followed at a measured distance, silently monitoring the operation's progress.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from NovelPhoenix; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Within two hours, the contingent reached the secluded cliffside cleft. The illusionary briars still masked the entrance, appearing completely undisturbed.

Zevryn raised a hand, signaling a halt. He stepped forward alone, his fingers tracing the hidden rune-magic on the stone wall. With a sharp, quiet flick of his wrist and a suppressed incantation, he dismantled the wards, sliding the massive stone barrier inward to reveal the dark, descending mining shaft.

"The entrance is open," Zevryn whispered back to the captain. "My lethal snare-traps are set along the upper approach, warn your men to step carefully where I step."

The captain turned to his troops, raising a gauntleted hand. "Form up! Clear the interior and prepare for fortification!"

The enforcers drew their blades, a collective ripple of steel slicing through the damp air as the hundred-man force began filing into the tunnel behind Zevryn.

Descending into the depths of the bedrock, the air grew thick with the smell of stone dust, sweat, and torch oil. Reaching the lower excavation chambers, they found the makeshift camp largely abandoned by its shifting shifts, leaving behind raw extraction tools and unrefined mineral seams.

While the captain directed his enforcers to lock down every exit and set up the engineering grid, Zevryn slipped back out into the open air, leaving the military execution to the professionals.

A short distance away, up a steep rise overlooking the cavern entrance, Zevryn found a weathered log resting near the edge of a high hill. He walked over and sat down, resting his arms on his knees as he gazed down at the valley below. From this vantage point, he could watch the constant stream of guards securing the perimeter and the miners preparing to claim the black mithril seam.

The innkeeper stood near the base of the hill, glancing up at the drow with a respectful nod. The mine was secured, Sundergard's illegal foothold was broken, and Port Vandermir had just claimed its new war chest, all without a drop of wasted effort.