The second stone joined the first in his palm, in a clumsy grasp.

He had nearly made it out. From his vantage point on the steep slope (huffing and puffing as he paused for breath) he could see the slippery tunnel. He wasn't sure how he'd make it out; it was smooth stone in places, with running water. But he had his spear to lean on, he supposed, and worst case he could put everything between his teeth and walk out on all fours.

Well-... threes.

He started down the slope after resting for a moment, careful to remain quiet as he went.

It took effort to suppress both his own gasping breaths and groans of pain. It was hard to focus on anything but the pain; if he hadn't been a brown bear with plenty of battles behind him, he might have curled up and returned to his chrysalis then and there.

As it was... he wished he could. Maybe when he was done with this, safely free of it. For now, he pressed onward, senses open to any final stones that he might find.

Despite it all, his magic remained cooperative: partway down the hill he sensed another stone. Once again he went through the now-exhausting task of kneeling, setting aside what he was carrying, and weakly digging with one arm.

Once again he came up with a gemstone in his hand, carefully consolidated his findings, and pressed on. If he found a large gem at this point he'd need to find some other way to carry it--or he'd have to choose one or more to leave behind.

I failed, he thought mournfully, facing the tunnel at last.

He'd come all this way, fought and killed two massive enemies, yet he was coming out of it empty-handed. Or rather...

His gaze shifted down; he let the spear fall against his chest, opening his hand to eye the little gemstones that he'd found. Not empty-handed. But there was no promise to these, either. No hint of what they'd been, or whether he could even make something from them.

He'd have to make do. Make do, as he'd always done: second-best, no, last place, barely alive, barely surviving, barely scraping by. A huff of frustration escaped him and tears threatened his small, beady eyes; he gave one last look around, with eyes and magic.

There was nothing here, and so he set off, wincing as he gathered it all back in one palm and tried his best to make his way up Lacerta's brutal tunnel in silence.

exit Sergei