The darkness of the tunnel was absolute, swallowing the weak glow of the cart's lantern where it cast its beam against the tunnel wall. Danio craned his neck, squinting back toward where they'd struck the boulder. His tone, uncharacteristically subdued, carried a thread of unease. "I can't see a damned thing back there," he muttered.

Raelyn reached for her locket, the cool metal a steadying presence in her palm. Its soft, silver glow illuminated their immediate surroundings, but it wasn't enough to chase away the oppressive blackness. She exhaled slowly, channeling a whisper of magic into the artifact. The radiance brightened, casting a pale, ethereal light down the tunnel. Rakz chirped nervously from her side, his body pressed tightly against her leg. She bent to stroke his back. "It's alright, Rakz. We've got this."

Hovan, meanwhile, busied himself gathering stray scraps of fabric and wood from their supplies. "We need more light," he grunted. He struck a spark with a flint, the flame licking hungrily at the makeshift torch. The dim, flickering fire added warmth to the cool radianceof Raelyn's locket. "This will have to do for now."

Benji's voice broke the silence as he eyed the boulder blocking the tracks. "How do you think it got there?"

Zypher straightened, his large eyes examining the boulder. "Probably a cave-in," he said matter-of-factly, gesturing toward the tunnel walls.

"I don't think so," Thomrik interjected. He stepped closer to the boulder, running his hands over its rough surface. His brow furrowed as he inspected the tunnel. "The structure here is still solid. Look at the supports." He pointed to the sturdy metal beams lining the walls and ceiling. "If this were a cave-in, we'd be dealing with a lot more rubble. This boulder fell on its own."

Zypher bristled, his small frame taut. "And you know this because...?"

"Because I've spent most of my life underground. I'd know a cave-in when I'd see one." Thomrik shot back, his voice steady but edged with irritation. "A cave-in would have collapsed sections of the wall and scattered debris everywhere. This"—he tapped the boulder—"came from above. Likely part of the ceiling that gave way."

Raelyn watched the exchange, noting Zypher's antennae twitching erratically, betraying the frustration he struggled to keep in check. The further they ventured from Khazrundar, the more the gremlin seemed to find his voice—a confidence that had been buried under years of servitude and fear.

Yet with that newfound confidence came something darker: a thinly veiled disdain for Thomrik, simmering just beneath the surface. It was there in the way Zypher's eyes narrowed whenever Thomrik spoke, in the defensive edge to his tone, and in the rigid set of his small frame whenever the dwarf drew near.

Raelyn bit her lip, her gaze flickering between them. She understood Zypher's pain; the scars left by Khazrundar's cruelty ran deep, and they weren't wounds that could be healed with a few kind words. But Thomrik had carried his own burden, a history of exile and guilt that weighed on him just as heavily. Both were victims of circumstance, bound together by necessity but separated by years of mistrust and suffering.

She let out a slow, silent breath. Bridging that gap felt like trying to mend a chasm with thread—fragile, temporary, and all too easily unraveled. Raelyn's heart ached with the weight of it, but she knew there were no simple solutions, no perfect words to ease the tension or undo the past. For now, all she could do was keep them moving forward, hoping that time and shared purpose might succeed where words could not.

"What would make it fall, then?" Benji asked, glancing upward nervously.

Thomrik tilted his head, squinting into the darkness above. "Something big came through here. Heavy enough to disturb the ceiling."

Danio stiffened. "Big? Like... how big are we talking?"

"Hard to say," Thomrik replied, crouching to examine the ground near the boulder. "But whatever it was, it's not likely to still be around. This boulder's been here for a while. The edges are worn, and there's no fresh debris."

Benji puffed out his chest, clearly trying to rally his courage. "Well, if it is still around, it wouldn't stand a chance against all of us." He gave Hovan a sidelong glance. "Right?"

Hovan clapped Benji on the back with a faint smirk. "Let's try not to find out," he said. "Fighting something in a space like this would be a death sentence. Best to avoid it if we can."

Danio let out a shaky laugh. "I'll take that as a vote for moving on." His gaze shifted to the boulder. "But we're not going anywhere with that thing in the way."

Raelyn stepped forward, brushing her hands together. "I can use magic to move it," she offered, already preparing to focus her energy.

"Won't matter," Thomrik said, his voice heavy with resignation. The tone in his voice drew the group's attention, their gazes shifting toward him. He was hunched over the Iron Runner, his thick, calloused fingers brushing along the dented frame as though trying to will it back to life. "Look here." He gestured toward one of the wheels, its once smooth metal now twisted and warped. "The impact bent it. This thing's not fitting back on the tracks."

Zypher froze, his antennae twitching erratically. His wide eyes darted to the cart, and in an instant, he was scrambling forward. "No, no, no..." he muttered, his voice tight with desperation. Dropping to his knees, he ran his small hands along the cart's sides, his fingers trembling as they traced the damage. When his touch reached the engine, a sharp intake of breath escaped him.

"The boiler's cracked," he said. He pointed to a thin fracture running along the chamber's surface, where water was already pooling at the base of the cart. "The water's leaking out—we won't be able to build pressure!" His words grew frantic, each syllable laced with disbelief. "It's ruined..."

His antennae drooped, his hands falling limply to his sides as he stared at the Iron Runner, his expression a mixture of shock and devastation. Then, suddenly, his head snapped toward Thomrik, his eyes flashing with fury. "This is your fault!" he snapped, his voice rising. "If you'd seen the boulder sooner, we could've avoided this!"

Thomrik's broad shoulders squared, his jaw tightening as he turned to face Zypher. "My fault?" he echoed. It was clear that his dwarven pride was hurt by the accusation. His deep-set eyes narrowed, and his voice sharpened as he continued. "If I hadn't seen it when I did, we'd all be dead. If you hadn't questioned me maybe the cart would have stopped in time."

Zypher's small frame trembled, his fists clenching at his sides. "It's never your fault, is it, dwarf. Always eager to blame it on the gremlins."

"Enough!" Benji's voice cut through the growing tension, and he stepped between them, his hands raised in a placating gesture. "Arguing won't fix the cart," he said calmly. "What's done is done. We'll figure it out. Together."

Zypher scoffed, his antennae flicking sharply in frustration. He crossed his arms tightly over his chest, his gaze fixed on Thomrik. "Together?" he spat, the word bitter on his tongue. "I'll never work with a dwarf again after what they've done."

Thomrik flinched almost imperceptibly, his lips pressing into a thin line. For a moment, the dwarf seemed about to respond, but instead, he exhaled heavily, his broad chest rising and falling as though trying to steady himself. Raelyn knew those words carried years of resentment and pain that Zypher carried with him. But that resentment was aimed at the wrong dwarf.

Raelyn knelt beside him, her voice soft and careful. "What the dwarves did to you was wrong—unforgivable," she began, her gaze steady on him. "But Thomrik had no part in it. He didn't even know what was happening in Khazrundar."

Zypher's shoulders stiffened, and for a moment, he didn't meet her eyes. His lips pressed together in a thin line, his expression guarded. "I know," he said finally. "I know he wasn't there. But it doesn't change what he is. Trusting a dwarf... It's asking too much."

Raelyn reached out, resting a hand gently on his arm. "You don't have to trust him. Trust me." she said, her tone soothing. "We're in this together. We need each other to make it through."

Benji crouched beside her, his voice carrying the same quiet conviction. "You don't have to like him, Zypher," he said, his words measured. "But we can't do this if we're fighting each other. Just... work with him. That's all we're asking."

Zypher's gaze flicked between them, his antennae twitching as if caught in an internal battle. His fingers relaxed slightly, his arms loosening from their defensive grip. He exhaled a shaky breath before he gave a reluctant nod. "Fine," he muttered. "Civil. But that's it."

Raelyn offered him a small smile. "That's all we need," she said gently.

Benji clapped a hand on Zypher's shoulder, earning a startled glance from the gremlin. "And who knows. Maybe you'll change your mind about Thomrik." Benji said, his voice light but sincere.

Zypher didn't respond, but his posture softened just enough for Raelyn to feel the slightest flicker of hope. It wasn't perfect—far from it—but it was a start.

Hovan cleared his throat, breaking the silence. "Now that we're all on the same page, we need a plan. Standing around isn't getting us anywhere."

Zypher glanced toward the damaged Iron Runner, his antennae flicking as he sighed. "The tracks still lead to the edge of Dwendari," he said, his tone resigned but matter-of-fact. "We follow them on foot. From there we'll continue underground through Icevein Crest. It's safer than trying to navigate the blizzards above."

"On foot?" Danio groaned, dragging a hand down his face. "You're telling me we have to trudge through these tunnels? No horses, no carts—just walking? Sounds delightful." His voice dripped with sarcasm.

Zypher turned to him, his small frame rigid. "Even if we had horses, they wouldn't have made it through Icevein Crest," he snapped. "The terrain is too steep, and the cold would kill them."

"Fine, fine. No horses. Just our poor, aching feet." Danio looked down at his boots and muttered, "I hope these hold up."

Raelyn fought back a small smile at Danio's dramatics, though she couldn't entirely disagree with his sentiment. The idea of walking for hours in the oppressive darkness of the tunnels was hardly appealing, but there was no alternative. She shifted her locket slightly as it cast its soft glow across the walls.

"We'll manage," she said firmly, looking around at her companions. "We've come this far. A little walking won't stop us."

Benji nodded. "Besides, it's not like we have to worry about demons chasing us down here. Right?" His grin faltered slightly as his words hung in the air, unanswered.

Hovan swung the torch in a slow arc, the warm glow lighting their immediate surroundings. "We've wasted enough time," he said. "Gather your things. Let's move."

The group busied themselves with retrieving their belongings. Once everything was in order, they began their trek. The rhythm of their footsteps echoed in the tunnel, a steady beat that mingled with the distant drip of water and the faint hum of magic from Raelyn's locket. The damaged Iron Runner faded into the shadows behind them, its broken frame a silent reminder of their setback.

Raelyn kept her gaze forward, the light of her locket illuminating the tracks as they stretched endlessly into the darkness. Her thoughts churned, lingering on Thomrik's observations about the boulder and the strange tension that had settled between him and Zypher. She resolved to keep the group united.

The tunnel seemed to stretch on forever. Just as the weight of the atmosphere began to press down on her, a low rumble echoed faintly in the distance.

Raelyn's heart skipped a beat, her steps faltering. The sound was faint, almost imperceptible, but it carried an ominous undertone that set her nerves on edge. Rakz stiffened against her legs, his small body vibrating with a soft growl.

"Did anyone else hear that?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.

The others paused, their eyes scanning the tunnel with wary tension. Hovan tightened his grip on the torch, his jaw clenched. "It's probably nothing." he said, though his tone was laced with doubt.

"Most likely just shifting rocks." Thomrik murmured, his gaze fixed ahead.

Danio let out a nervous laugh, his earlier bravado cracking. "Let's not find out," he said, quickening his pace. "Come on. The sooner we're out of here, the better."

Raelyn nodded, her resolve hardening. Whatever lay ahead, they would face it together. With the flickering light of the torch and her locket guiding their way, the group pressed forward into the unknown.