The Machinist's Apprentice

Chapter 20: Resolution

Bojan wasted no time in setting to work preparing to face the forces outside as the cave walls around them rumbled and shook from Keld's continuing onslaught. Neither Jevrem nor Senka voiced their support for fighting, but both began to quietly aid in Bojan's efforts. This was where they were needed. Jevrem had been present at the start of all this. He would be there to see it end.

The general extended an offer to the displaced miners to bring them out safely on Goskar's side of the mine, but it was politely declined. They were distrustful of Goskar, certainly, but it also seemed most of them were feeling the sting of Keld's betrayal and wanted to help fight back. Now they were all caught here between Goskar and Astansuria.

Mostly the work involved bringing weapons and stockpiling them in the cave as quickly as they were able. Senka was working with Bojan's engineers and machinists who were discussing the engines of war that could be used and how to transport them through the narrow openings of the cave. The bug-like crawlers like the one that Jevrem had previously seen in the Astansurian woods were available of course, but their limited firepower and relative fragility made them a risky option. Machines with heavier firepower, however, were far less mobile.

Jevrem busied himself with helping carry supplies as it allowed his mind to wander. There were two things that were bothering him about what they faced, and he couldn't focus his thoughts elsewhere until he puzzled out some kind of solution.

One was the superpowered magnet Keld had created. It was a dangerous thing to make use of. Astansuria may not use machines as Goskar did, but they still used metal weapons and armor. Why make use of something that would be just as dangerous to his own men? Still, there had to be a reason he was intent on making something like that, he must have some sort of plan for it.

The other problem that was overwhelming his thoughts was the very idea of fighting Astansuria at all. He would never call himself a pacifist, there were some situations where he felt violence was inevitable, but this wasn't one of them. It felt so pointless, Keld and Bojan could've negotiated for what they wanted ages ago, but that would've meant giving something in return which would apparently have been a step too far. With his new found respect for Astansuria, however, Jevrem found the thought of killing their armies disgusting. There had to be some other option. If Stian, one of the most ardent proponents of war with Goskar, could be made to see reason, then surely the same was true of every man who was standing by Keld's side. Killing them would never give them the chance to try.

Jevrem's heart sank as he thought of Stian. He felt ashamed now at having just left him there, held prisoner by the man he had looked up to for so long. What had become of him? Was he okay? Without any way to really know for sure, Jevrem couldn't help but imagine the worst...and it was all his fault.

He couldn't seem to look at it any other way. He had been at the incident that began this whole mess and had caused enough worry that Arvid had felt it necessary to use magic to locate him. He had given Bojan reason to escalate his troop movements in Astansuria. He had goaded Keld into a panic that had led to the situation they were in now. Whether directly or indirectly, he had helped to guide everything to this point, and he felt a responsibility to do something to help.

The problem was then figuring out what exactly he could do. He wasn't a fighter or a tactician. He didn't have much in the way of skills he could offer, but he did have an idea for something he could do. He wasn't entirely sure it would work, but he knew where to go to get the information he'd need.

It wasn't terribly hard to find Arvid alone. The mage didn't have much way to help with what the groups or workers were currently doing so he spent most of his time in an empty shaft off to the side of where the others were working, studying his book and eyeing the barrier for signs of weakness.