*BANG!*

The gunshot rang throughout the camp.

Sofia clung to Harton, bracing herself for impact. Realizing she hadn’t been hit, Sofia ventured a glance toward the shooter. 

Erae, standing in front of the man, was holding the barrel of the rifle straight into the air. His face was dark with anger as he wrenched the weapon from the man’s hands, emptied the ammunition, and threw it with all his might against the trailer. 

Then, gripping the mustached man’s collar, Erae lifted him and slammed him against the trailer. Taking full advantage of his height, Erae kept the man’s toes from touching the earth. The fear in the man’s eyes was palpable.

“Eric, wait!” Taegan called as she rushed out the trailer door, with Graham following behind. “That’s the boss!”

The surrounding crowd watched on breathlessly – impressed and terrified. Who was this guy?

Erae looked coldly in Taegan’s direction, then menacingly back at the boss. Erae dropped the man, who crumbled to the ground. Taegan and Graham rushed to his side. 

Flushing from fear and embarrassment, the man demanded an explanation. 

“N-now, who the hell are ya?” the boss growled as he stood. “How did ya get on this property?”

Ignoring him, Erae rushed to Sofia and Harton’s side.

“Are you alright?” Erae gripped Sofia’s face. The anger in his eyes had been replaced with deep concern. 

“Y-yeah, I’m ok,” she responded, still clinging to Harton. Erae turned to the Dlam, “How about you, Friend?”

“I’m alright,” Harton whispered. 

“Hey, I’m talkin’ to ya!” shouted the boss. The man was now on his feet and jabbing his finger at Erae. “Who do you think you are, threatening me? Do you know who I am?”

Erae turned and rose to his feet. “Should I?” he replied, his face dark once again. The cry of a hawk was heard overhead. 

The man’s face became bright red. “I am Colton Foster, owner of this ‘ere mining company! You are trespassing on private property!”

“Mr. Foster, sir,” interrupted Taegan. “He’s part of the group we found on the ridge.”

“Oh, is he now?” Colton looked Erae up and down, seeing him properly for the first time. “Is he one of your crazies, Hasil? Never thought you’d start sending yer idiots on suicide missions just to make a point.”

All eyes turned to a bearded man in the crowd, several years younger than Colton. Russ was holding the man’s hands behind his back.

“Colton, I have done some crazy things but you know right well that I would never send any of my people purposefully into harm’s way,” replied Hasil. 

“And yet you show up, spouting your dirty water nonsense, at the same time as these bozos. Gaumed up a whole day’s work.” Colton marched over and jabbed his finger into the other man’s chest. “Makes me mighty suspicious that you are telling me a story!”

“I ain’t telling you no story!” shouted Hasil.

With the crowd’s attention focused elsewhere, Sofia interrogated Harton.

“What are you doing here?” Sofia whispered angrily, gripping his fur. “I told you to stay out of sight!” Although, if people aren’t seeing the guys’ ears or Roquewei’s hair, they probably aren’t seeing his colors… Still!

“I had to find you!” replied the Dlam in a hushed tone. “Porgi says something feels… off about the coming storm.” The Aslavu cried out again, drawing their eyes to the darkening sky. 

“We need to get out of here before things get worse,” Harton continued. Turning back to Sofia he asked, “Where’s Roquewei?”

“And don’t think I’ve forgotten about that creature!” roared Colton, pointed his finger now at Sofia and Harton. “No wild animal in its right mind would have come this close to the quarry. It’s probably rabid!”

“He’s not rabid, and he’s not wild!” Sofia shouted as she quickly stood, taking a defensive stance in front of Harton.

Ignoring Sofia entirely, Colton instead looked again at Erae. “What do you take me for? How could a beast like that be tame? Get that varmint off my property or I’ll get rid of him myself.”

Erae advanced intimidatingly towards Colton. “Do you really want to try that again?”

The mustached man stumbled nervously.

“Let go of me, Russell! How many times have we been through this?” said Hasil, breaking free from the other man’s grasp. Rubbing his wrists, he said, “I’m not here to hurt anyone.” 

Turning to the mustached man, Hasil said, “Colton, listen. Forget the animal, it’s obviously a pet. Forget these two, they aren’t the problem here. The problem is that the work being done here is ruining the valley’s water supply. People are getting sick, it has to stop!”

“You have no proof,” scoffed the mining boss. 

“Yes we do!” said Hasil in an exasperated tone. “There is mounting evidence of scientific research and geological studies that show high levels of toxic compounds around sites just like this.”

“And?” scoffed Colton haughtily.

“And?! Where are you putting the debris, Colton? Where does all that rock and dirt and plant material go once you’ve blown off the top of a mountain?”

“It goes in the neighboring valley,” interjected Taegan. “We need to move everything out of the way to get to the coal.”

Hasil gestured towards Taegan with an open hand. “Out of the way, and into the water.” 

Sofia stepped towards Erae and tugged his sleeve. “Harton says something’s off and that we need to leave…” she whispered. “What are we going to do about Roquewei?”

A thunderclap roared across the sky as Hasil turned to Colton to continue, “Down the rivers and streams and into the homes of folks like us. Even with everything else factored into the equation, people are getting sicker and dying sooner. Babies are being born with defects. Your impact doesn’t end at the permit boundaries! 

Taegan, Graham, Russ, and the other nearby miners stood in a sobered silence upon hearing Hasil’s words. Colton could sense he was losing ground.

“Coal mining is in my blood!” bellowed Colton. “Generations have been working in these mountains. Thousands are employed working these mines. Millions outside depend on this resource. But you want to end it all because of a little dirty water. I will not be the weak link in the chain to let this family trade die!”

“It’s in my blood, too, Colton!” Hasil’s calm demeanor breaking. “But I don’t think recognizing a need for change makes one weak… I know you see the challenges our people have. I know you believe that you’re helping, but this isn’t the best way! Is it really worth keeping the trade alive at the expense of your own family?”

“I’ve heard enough!” roared Colton. “You can harp all ya want, I won’t pay you no mind no mo’.” The boss turned to wave at the gathered miners, “Git back to work, all of you’ns!”

“Colton…” said Hasil. The mustached man continued to bark orders. 

“Colton,” Hasil said again, but the mining boss continued to ignore him. Russ reached out to place a hand on Hasil’s shoulder. 

“Maybe it’s time to go, Hasil…”

Clenching his fists, Hasil shouted. “COLTON!”

Finally, Colton looked in his direction. With tears in his eyes, Hasil spoke through gritted teeth.

“Ma’s dying,” the bearded man said painfully. Colton froze.

“She’s beginning to turn, Colt,” Hasil continued. “She didn’t want you to worry but… Her cancer has become too aggressive, and even with the best care…” Hasil’s voice trailed off. “Ma don’t have much more time, Colt.”

The mine boss stood unmoving for several moments. Porgi, unnoticed by most, cried out a third time. 

Suddenly, Colton began to laugh. Hasil stepped back, disturbed. 

“Did you come here to blame me for Ma’s cancer?” asked Colton in a jeering tone. “You sure have lived up to your name, brother.”

Turning, the mining boss barked an order to Graham. “Call the police! Tell them I want to press charges on my brother – again – for trespassing and obstruction. And them, too!” He jabbed his finger at Erae and Sofia. “For trespassing and assault.”

“They won’t be able to come,” said a new female voice. The crowd parted to reveal three medical workers in white uniforms. 

“Why the hell not?” demanded Colton.

“The road’s been washed out.”

A bolt of lightning ran across the sky.

“There’s flooding and debris blocking our way in and out of here,” the woman in white continued. “There won’t be any police coming, or ambulance for that matter,” she declared, looking at Graham.

“We are here to check on the condition of the patient,” said one of the men beside her, carrying a large medical bag in one hand. 

“No need.” 

Everyone turned to see Roquewei, sword in hand, leaning heavily on the doorframe of the trailer. He still clutched his side, though seemingly in less pain than before. His hair, which Sofia still saw as blue, was in disarray, but the elf had re-donned the hat and somehow managed to reattach his pauldron. 

Roquewei looked out over the crowd gathered around the trailer, and then up into the dark and angry sky.

This is no regular storm.

Looking at Erae and Sofia, he said, “It’s time to leave.”

Roquewei started down the stairs, but stumbled. Sofia and Erae moved to help him, but the medical team reached him first. 

“Sir,” said the woman, obviously the team leader, “I was told that you may have internal injuries. Moving will not help your condition.”

She motioned the two men beside her to take hold of Roquewei. “We’ll take you to our medical trailer to be properly examined and cared for until the storm has passed.”

“Hold on!” Erae rushed forward, inserting himself between Roquewei and the men. “With all due respect ma’am…”

“Doctor,” she corrected, her dark eyes stern but not unkind. “My name is Dr. MaKenzie Sullivan.” 

“Doctor,” Erae quickly repeated. “To be perfectly honest, I don’t think you will be able to treat my friend.”

“Why not?”

“Because the damage that has been done,” replied Roquewei, wincing again with pain, “cannot not be repaired.” The doctor stood in confused silence. Placing a hand on Erae’s shoulder, Roquewei said, “Let’s go.”

“Go where, exactly?” shouted Colton. “You have nowhere to go! And even if you did, do you think I’d just allow you lot to waltz off?”

“Mr. Foster! Mr. Foster, sir!” A young man sprinted through the crowd. “There’s a landslide in the quarry!”

“What?” Colton quickly faced the young man. 

“We weren’t able to remove enough of the debris before the rain came. We have to clear the area now!”

As the young man spoke, Sofia felt a warmth in her pocket. Wrapping her hand around the pouch, she felt the heat focused in one particular direction: back to the forest.

“Era…Eric!” Sofia shouted. “We have to go back to the mountain!”

“Lady, did you not just hear what I said?” said the young man. “The mountain’s…”

A sudden loud noise cut off the worker. Everyone looked around, confused. The sound seemed to be coming from behind the trailers. 

Taegan walked around the corner to investigate. Her eyes flew open in fear.

A wall of rain, so dense one couldn’t see through it, was rapidly approaching the workers. Flood waters, carrying all manner of debris from the quarry, quickly followed.

“Everybody get inside!” yelled Taegan.

The water reached them in a matter of seconds. The workers scattered, seeking places of refuge. Taegan and Graham escorted Colton into their trailer. 

Erae, throwing Roquewei’s arm around his shoulder, walked as quickly as he could towards the foot of the mountain. 

“Give me the sword!” Sofia said, running up to the guys with Harton. She strapped it on her back and attempted to support Roquewei’s other side, but the height difference made it difficult. 

A hand on her shoulder made her jump. 

“Let me help!” said Hasil over the sound of the rain. Taking her spot, the bearded man asked, “What’s the plan?”

“We have to get back onto the mountain!” replied Sofia.

“Are you crazy?” replied Hasil.

“It’s the only way we can get home.”

Before he could ask more questions, the group heard the rev of an engine. “You’ns come this way!”

Russ helped everyone pile into his pickup truck. “Jump in the back, boy!” he called to Harton, who obediently leapt into the truck bed. Before shutting his door, Roquewei let out a long whistle.

Another bolt of lightning ran across the sky, as a red flash swooped into the truck cabin. A soaked Porgi shook himself vigorously once inside.

“Zonie’s alive! Is that an eagle?” asked a startled Russ.

“Hawk,” Roquewei replied. “Now drive!”

Although it had been a short drive before, the heavy rain and high water made it difficult to move quickly. Hasil, sitting in the passenger seat, tried to help Russ navigate.

“Branch up ahead!”

Russ attempted to swerve out of the branch’s pathway, but the truck was nicked. The water was already covering half of the truck’s tires, making it difficult to move.

“We’re almost there!” announced Russ. From the truck bed, Harton started barking wildly. Sofia turned to look out the back window. She could barely see the Dlam through the rain.

“What’s going on?” Sofia asked, abandoning all caution. 

“Tree!” Harton cried.

Sofia turned to look out the window and saw a shadowy form making its way towards them.

“There’s a tree coming right at us!” she screamed. Hasil turned and saw the tree as well.

“Russell…!” 

Russ slammed the accelerator. The tires whined as they sought contact with the earth, but found only water. The flood waters diverted the tree slightly so that it hit only the back corner of the pickup truck. The car circled a few times before catching on a large boulder.

“Out! Everyone out!” shouted Russ. Hasil and Sofia jumped out first, soon followed by Porgi and Harton.

Erae, struggling to help Roquewei, felt the truck shift. Suddenly, he felt a hand on his collar. Russ managed to pull Erae and Roquewei out of the truck just before another surge of water sent it floating down the river. 

“Erae!” Sofia shouted as she ran over. She looked at Russ, who was sitting on the damp ground breathing heavily. “Thank you.”

In gratitude, Harton gave the miner a slobbery kiss on the face. 

“Ugh, ain’t I soaked enough?” the older man chuckled. He gingerly patted Harton on the head. “My, you are a big fella.”

The group sat for a moment to catch their breath, the rain still pouring. They had made it to the foot of the mountain.

“Does this happen often?” asked Roquewei as he watched the water go by. Porgi swooped down to land on the elf’s pauldron.

“In the actual quarry? Almost never,” replied Hasil. “But…with moving the debris from the mountain blast into the valleys, rivers and streams become blocked or are diverted and when big storms like this come… these kinds of disasters can happen.”

“My daughter’s house was wiped out last year because of one o’ these freak flash floods,” Russ shared. “Water was waist high. Destroyed everything. I… I didn’t realize that what we were doing up here had anything to do with that...”

They sat in silence, listening to the sound of the falling rain. Suddenly, Sofia again felt the earrings’ focused warmth. She stood, looking up toward the mountain, water streaming down her face. All eyes were on her.

“We made it to the mountain,” said Hasil. “What now?”

Clutching the pouch in her pocket, Sofia set her eyes on the inclined forest before her. Turning, she offered her hand to the bearded gentleman.

“I guess it’s time to go further up and further in.”