1
00:00:00,099 --> 00:00:02,900
(suspenseful music) The Thieves Guild

2
00:00:04,400 --> 00:00:05,799
by Jake Care.

3
00:00:10,460 --> 00:00:11,999
Episode 56:

4
00:00:15,839 --> 00:00:17,159
A Steep Path.

5
00:00:24,639 --> 00:00:29,039
Mailer hadn't spent two minutes in the tunnel to
freedom when she had strongly

6
00:00:29,139 --> 00:00:33,680
considered turning back. Each stop brought her
closer to

7
00:00:33,700 --> 00:00:37,079
otherworldly wailing that got louder with each
step.

8
00:00:37,840 --> 00:00:40,219
Pausing, she tapped Darla's shoulder.

9
00:00:40,219 --> 00:00:41,419
"That is the wind?"

10
00:00:41,419 --> 00:00:46,339
"Yes, there is a strong wind that blows through
the chasm and the many crevices

11
00:00:46,340 --> 00:00:49,360
and small caves that dot the path down create the
sounds."

12
00:00:49,360 --> 00:00:53,600
Darla squeezed Mailer's arm. "You will see."

13
00:00:54,559 --> 00:00:57,240
Mailer nodded and followed as Darla continued
forward.

14
00:00:57,520 --> 00:01:00,599
The tunnel they were in was small and barely fit
one person.

15
00:01:01,239 --> 00:01:05,959
It was a natural cave with narrower and wider
sections, and parts where Mailer

16
00:01:06,019 --> 00:01:07,179
had to duck her head.

17
00:01:07,179 --> 00:01:11,439
"We are at the chasm. You must be careful. The
path down is treacherous.

18
00:01:11,799 --> 00:01:16,679
Always have a hand on the wall to your right, and
with each step, assume it will give way, so when
it does,

19
00:01:17,019 --> 00:01:18,439
you will be able to catch yourself."

20
00:01:18,439 --> 00:01:21,019
"The path will give way?"

21
00:01:21,999 --> 00:01:26,659
Mailer wasn't a fearful person, but the ominous
dark lit only by Darla's

22
00:01:26,739 --> 00:01:31,639
single torch, which flickered in the wind, and the
horrendous screeching combined to make

23
00:01:31,699 --> 00:01:34,819
difficult footing almost one fear too many for
her.

24
00:01:34,819 --> 00:01:39,379
"The path is not steep. It is like a small ridge,
but there are rocks and pebbles.

25
00:01:40,019 --> 00:01:42,879
You will take a step that won't be secure, but
just try again.

26
00:01:43,379 --> 00:01:45,039
It's not dangerous if you take care."

27
00:01:45,819 --> 00:01:47,039
Darla walked forward.

28
00:01:47,659 --> 00:01:52,259
It was the change in the sound of the wind that
alerted Mailer that they had entered the

29
00:01:52,359 --> 00:01:57,339
cavern. As bad as the shrieking was in the tunnel,
it was even worse in the open air

30
00:01:57,359 --> 00:02:02,019
of the cavern. And as it echoed from distant walls
and the ceiling, it

31
00:02:02,039 --> 00:02:04,439
created an even more frightening sound.

32
00:02:04,439 --> 00:02:08,439
"No wonder everyone thinks this tunnel is
haunted," Mailer muttered.

33
00:02:08,439 --> 00:02:13,279
"Yes, and those who enter to prove their bravery
often slip on the path and

34
00:02:13,279 --> 00:02:13,979
don't return."

35
00:02:13,979 --> 00:02:16,599
Darla stopped.

36
00:02:16,599 --> 00:02:18,559
"And now the path is clear for a while.

37
00:02:18,959 --> 00:02:23,559
Just keep your hand on the wall to the right and
follow me. We will pass some caves.

38
00:02:23,839 --> 00:02:25,819
They're empty and nothing more than dead ends.

39
00:02:26,159 --> 00:02:29,799
Just keep your hand prepared to touch the wall
again once we pass the opening."

40
00:02:29,799 --> 00:02:34,639
"I will." Darla was right. The path was relatively
flat and

41
00:02:34,659 --> 00:02:38,819
easy to navigate. Mailer found herself peering
into the black to the left.

42
00:02:39,119 --> 00:02:43,919
She could see nothing. It was clear that a huge
opening was there, but it was

43
00:02:43,939 --> 00:02:48,659
as black as the Cloak of the Thieves. Just how big
the chasm actually was,

44
00:02:48,759 --> 00:02:49,899
Mailer couldn't tell.

45
00:02:49,899 --> 00:02:51,579
"The path ends here."

46
00:02:51,579 --> 00:02:55,459
"What do you mean? I thought you said there was a
path all the way down."

47
00:02:56,339 --> 00:02:59,579
Mailer did her best not to sound nervous, but it
was difficult.

48
00:03:00,379 --> 00:03:01,759
Everything was so alien.

49
00:03:01,759 --> 00:03:06,039
"The easy path from here on out, it is the small
ridge I mentioned.

50
00:03:06,979 --> 00:03:10,159
It is not so steep you can't stand on it, but it
is still not flat.

51
00:03:10,759 --> 00:03:15,419
The real danger is that the pebbles may slip out
from under foot. It'll be slow-going.

52
00:03:15,659 --> 00:03:17,339
Please, do not be impatient."

53
00:03:17,339 --> 00:03:20,639
"Trust me, I'll be going slower than you will."

54
00:03:21,539 --> 00:03:25,079
They moved forward and Mailer could immediately
tell what Darla had meant.

55
00:03:25,439 --> 00:03:29,819
They weren't so much on a path as a slightly less
steep part of a rocky cliff.

56
00:03:30,179 --> 00:03:34,839
She couldn't even use her boots to carve out
support in the dirt as they were walking on rocks
and

57
00:03:34,939 --> 00:03:35,439
stone.

58
00:03:36,159 --> 00:03:40,959
Almost immediately, Mailer's forward foot slipped,
but she caught her weight on her back

59
00:03:40,999 --> 00:03:43,759
foot and leaned toward the wall to stop from
falling.

60
00:03:44,179 --> 00:03:48,599
Darla turned back to her, the concern on her face
lit by the flickering

61
00:03:48,739 --> 00:03:50,379
torch. "Are you okay?"

62
00:03:50,379 --> 00:03:55,179
"Yes." Mailer took a deep breath. "That was good,
actually.

63
00:03:55,519 --> 00:03:58,059
I now have a feel for what it is like to have my
boot slip."

64
00:03:58,059 --> 00:04:00,179
Darla nodded.

65
00:04:00,179 --> 00:04:02,259
"The torches are not helping, however."

66
00:04:02,779 --> 00:04:05,919
They both had at least a half dozen torches tied
to their backs.

67
00:04:06,239 --> 00:04:10,779
Mailer noted that they wouldn't be in the cavern
long enough to be weighed down so heavily,

68
00:04:11,359 --> 00:04:16,359
but Darla refused to budge on leaving a single
torch behind, even going so far

69
00:04:16,379 --> 00:04:19,099
as saying that they should have stolen some food
too.

70
00:04:20,059 --> 00:04:24,859
Agreeing that it was too dangerous to venture back
into the mine for food, they hoped for the

71
00:04:24,939 --> 00:04:25,979
best on that count.

72
00:04:25,979 --> 00:04:27,519
"Do you want me to carry them?"

73
00:04:27,519 --> 00:04:30,499
"No, I'll manage. I'm just complaining.

74
00:04:30,559 --> 00:04:31,519
Never mind me."

75
00:04:32,299 --> 00:04:36,579
Mailer smiled and Darla returned it before turning
back to the path.

76
00:04:37,059 --> 00:04:41,079
It was difficult to gauge time, but Mailer was
certain that they had been

77
00:04:41,219 --> 00:04:44,299
incrementally moving downward for over an hour.

78
00:04:44,299 --> 00:04:48,839
"How much longer?" she asked. "We're probably
halfway."

79
00:04:49,819 --> 00:04:52,779
Darla turned and smiled. "See? Not so bad."

80
00:04:54,239 --> 00:04:58,739
The shift of her weight must have loosened some
stones, and to Mailer's horror,

81
00:04:58,879 --> 00:05:01,319
Darla's feet slid right out from under her.

82
00:05:02,139 --> 00:05:06,719
The torch was in her left hand, and she held onto
it rather than grab towards the

83
00:05:06,779 --> 00:05:07,239
wall.

84
00:05:07,859 --> 00:05:12,839
The flickering light made the surprise on Darla's
face look even more frightening as

85
00:05:12,859 --> 00:05:17,419
she threw her right hand toward Mailer in a
desperate attempt to get her body

86
00:05:17,719 --> 00:05:21,959
on solid ground. Mailer reached out and caught
Darla's sleeve.

87
00:05:22,519 --> 00:05:26,699
Planting her feet, Mailer put all her weight back
toward the cavern wall.

88
00:05:27,419 --> 00:05:31,959
Darla desperately scrambled with her feet, but
they slid down toward the chasm

89
00:05:31,999 --> 00:05:36,519
below, and soon the only thing keeping her from
falling was Mailer's grip.

90
00:05:36,519 --> 00:05:40,599
"Toss the torch. You can help climb up," Mailer
exclaimed.

91
00:05:40,599 --> 00:05:45,499
"I can't," Darla said through gritted teeth as she
desperately tried to

92
00:05:45,499 --> 00:05:48,919
find a purchase for her feet. "Darkness is death
here."

93
00:05:49,799 --> 00:05:53,459
Darla had rid herself of her armor, but she was
still not light.

94
00:05:53,459 --> 00:05:58,259
And while Mailer seemed to have solid footing,
there was always the possibility that she would
slip

95
00:05:58,279 --> 00:05:58,639
too.

96
00:05:59,279 --> 00:06:03,559
Using all her strength, she tried to pull Darla
up, but it was no use.

97
00:06:03,779 --> 00:06:08,685
The Harvest Guard was too heavy to lift with one
hand."I have an idea,"

98
00:06:09,165 --> 00:06:13,706
Maila said through gritted teeth as she strained
to hold on. "I'm going to swing you.

99
00:06:14,305 --> 00:06:18,046
Try to get back on the path with your hands and
knees when I swing you high enough."

100
00:06:18,046 --> 00:06:19,745
"Okay."

101
00:06:20,365 --> 00:06:23,006
Maila knew it was absurdly dangerous.

102
00:06:23,865 --> 00:06:28,185
Swinging Darla only increased the pressure on
Maila's unsure footing.

103
00:06:28,765 --> 00:06:33,605
It was entirely possible that they would both
tumble down the cliff before Darla

104
00:06:33,665 --> 00:06:38,625
found stable ground, yet she knew it was the only
option, so she did

105
00:06:38,665 --> 00:06:38,845
it.

106
00:06:39,845 --> 00:06:44,646
It took a few swings before Darla moved very far,
but when she did, she cried

107
00:06:44,666 --> 00:06:47,486
out. "There's a spot here, I can feel it with my
knee.

108
00:06:47,525 --> 00:06:48,965
Just swing me a little further."

109
00:06:50,085 --> 00:06:52,785
Maila gritted her teeth and swung harder.

110
00:06:53,126 --> 00:06:55,226
She was worried that she would lose her grip.

111
00:06:55,646 --> 00:06:59,846
The pressure on her fingers and shoulder filled
her with searing pain.

112
00:07:00,306 --> 00:07:04,486
The only thing that gave her hope was that she
appeared to have solid footing.

113
00:07:04,825 --> 00:07:09,765
With one more swing, the torch slammed to the
ground, sputtered, but didn't go out.

114
00:07:10,225 --> 00:07:15,205
The pressure on Maila's hand lessened, and she
watched as Darla scrambled on her knees

115
00:07:15,205 --> 00:07:19,865
up to the small path. Her right knee slipped
again, and Maila's heart fell,

116
00:07:20,305 --> 00:07:23,405
but Darla tossed her body forward and against the
wall.

117
00:07:23,865 --> 00:07:28,705
Huddled against the wall and at her feet,
practically prone on the path, Darla lay

118
00:07:28,805 --> 00:07:33,425
still, taking large breaths. As she did, Maila
watched as the

119
00:07:33,505 --> 00:07:38,425
torches slowly slipped from the ropes on Darla's
back and fell one by

120
00:07:38,545 --> 00:07:43,305
one into the abyss below, but that didn't matter.
Darla was safe.

121
00:07:43,305 --> 00:07:48,165
"Are you okay?" Maila asked. Darla nodded. "Thank
you.

122
00:07:48,165 --> 00:07:49,105
You saved my life."

123
00:07:49,765 --> 00:07:53,085
She slowly pulled herself up along the wall and
checked her footing.

124
00:07:53,085 --> 00:07:55,245
"You would have done the same thing for me."

125
00:07:56,085 --> 00:07:59,165
Maila rubbed her hand. "You did do the same thing
for me.

126
00:08:00,045 --> 00:08:01,905
You saved me from a life in a cell."

127
00:08:03,045 --> 00:08:06,985
Darla ignored the comment and touched her back
with her free hand.

128
00:08:06,985 --> 00:08:09,125
"I've lost my torches."

129
00:08:09,945 --> 00:08:13,405
She sounded alarmed. "It doesn't matter. I have
five or six.

130
00:08:13,425 --> 00:08:14,085
We should be fine."

131
00:08:14,725 --> 00:08:19,565
Darla nodded, but appeared concerned over the
loss, although Maila blamed that on

132
00:08:19,585 --> 00:08:24,265
her recent brush with death. Soon they would be
free and the descent along the

133
00:08:24,365 --> 00:08:29,145
chasm would be a story they would use to regale
their friends.

134
00:08:30,745 --> 00:08:35,725
After Darla's near fall, they descended more
slowly and reached the bottom two hours

135
00:08:35,785 --> 00:08:40,625
later. Maila immediately tossed herself onto the
ground and lay on her stomach,

136
00:08:40,845 --> 00:08:45,205
hugging their floor. "I don't think a stone floor
ever felt so wonderful."

137
00:08:46,225 --> 00:08:51,205
While Maila felt joy over finally being on solid
ground, Darla was holding

138
00:08:51,225 --> 00:08:55,085
the torch up and waving it around, peering into
the distance.

139
00:08:55,085 --> 00:08:59,925
"There's the cart track. We may have quite a bit
of walking to do on this solid ground

140
00:08:59,985 --> 00:09:04,825
though. The cavern appears to have no end." "Well,
there's only one way to

141
00:09:04,845 --> 00:09:09,745
find out." They followed the mine cart into the
darkness, walking side by side.

142
00:09:10,085 --> 00:09:13,505
Darla made a point of telling Maila to take care
with her steps.

143
00:09:13,805 --> 00:09:18,385
They didn't know what kind of damage could have
been done to the path, with cave-ins and

144
00:09:18,425 --> 00:09:21,345
landslides entirely possible within the mine.

145
00:09:22,225 --> 00:09:27,005
An hour later, Maila wasn't sure how far they had
progressed when the cart path

146
00:09:27,085 --> 00:09:30,385
ended at what appeared to be a wooden loading dock
of some sort.

147
00:09:30,865 --> 00:09:34,625
The wood was warped and decayed. Darla walked
around the structure.

148
00:09:34,625 --> 00:09:36,625
"This is used for loading wagons."

149
00:09:37,345 --> 00:09:39,465
Darla pointed to a collapsed wooden beam.

150
00:09:39,465 --> 00:09:42,165
"That lifted the ore into the wagon via an
operator."

151
00:09:43,185 --> 00:09:47,745
She walked away from the dock and into the
distance. Maila hurried to catch up.

152
00:09:47,745 --> 00:09:51,425
"We must be near the entrance, no?" Maila asked.

153
00:09:51,425 --> 00:09:54,125
"The wagons would need access to the road out of
the mine."

154
00:09:55,045 --> 00:09:58,485
Darla was standing still, staring at the ground.

155
00:09:58,485 --> 00:10:00,585
"Maila?" "What?"

156
00:10:01,305 --> 00:10:03,785
She hurried over. "Th- this is the road."

157
00:10:04,685 --> 00:10:06,585
Maila looked down, and Darla was right.

158
00:10:06,805 --> 00:10:11,645
They were on a road that looked like it was paved
with wide, flat stones. "Stone?

159
00:10:12,105 --> 00:10:15,025
Who in their right mind paves a stone cave with a
stone road?"

160
00:10:15,765 --> 00:10:20,285
But that's exactly what it was, a road with packed
dirt between flat

161
00:10:20,345 --> 00:10:25,005
stones. "This makes no sense," Darla replied,
walking

162
00:10:25,105 --> 00:10:28,585
further into the darkness. Maila followed, looking
at the ground.

163
00:10:28,605 --> 00:10:33,585
It was indeed a paved road in excellent condition
with no grass obviously

164
00:10:33,645 --> 00:10:36,225
overgrowing it, without any sunlight.

165
00:10:36,225 --> 00:10:37,785
"Here's the other side."

166
00:10:38,585 --> 00:10:43,265
Maila shook her head. "This is wide enough for two
wagons, maybe three, to ride side by side."

167
00:10:43,265 --> 00:10:46,745
"Well, our path is at least clear. We follow the
road."

168
00:10:47,545 --> 00:10:51,145
They both looked up and down into the darkness of
where the road led.

169
00:10:51,145 --> 00:10:55,925
"But which direction?" Maila asked. She was
completely turned around.

170
00:10:56,145 --> 00:10:58,785
She had no idea which way led to the exit.

171
00:10:59,165 --> 00:11:01,865
Darla walked over to Maila and pointed at the
torch.

172
00:11:01,865 --> 00:11:05,625
"I think we follow the road in the direction from
where the wind is blowing."

173
00:11:06,765 --> 00:11:10,985
The torch was flickering in the direction directly
behind them.

174
00:11:11,945 --> 00:11:15,345
Together, they looked up the road in the other
direction.

175
00:11:15,345 --> 00:11:19,445
"Looks like the wind is coming from that way,"
Maila said.

176
00:11:19,445 --> 00:11:23,445
"The exit," Darla replied. "Yes, and it shouldn't
take long.

177
00:11:23,805 --> 00:11:28,685
Maybe it winds south and then out to the old
quarter, so if we walk slowly and with care, maybe
a day?"

178
00:11:29,585 --> 00:11:33,725
Darla nodded, and they started down the road, a
joyful spring in their step.

179
00:11:34,805 --> 00:11:36,185
They would be free soon.

180
00:11:36,185 --> 00:12:18,445
(instrumental music plays)