I used my lantern to penetrate the darkness. I had been walking through the tunnels of the mines, which led to caverns with various openings on all sides, as if all the stones found in this place had already been collected. Some tunnels were less illuminated than others, so I assumed they were places that no longer made sense to advance, so I knew where not to go.

From time to time, I made a guttural sound to hear the echo of the place. I was so distracted doing that that I almost forgot that I was in this place to look for the material Karim needed. Following one of the tunnels, I see a person chopping the ground at the end of the tunnel, which was the size of two people.

"Excuse me, I'm looking for materials." I tell to him.

Clin, clin, clin.

His tool did not stop.

"Hey, can you hear me?"

I put my hand on his shoulder, he turned around, and I couldn't see his face because it was covered, but I noticed that he was startled. He squeezed his hands and used his pickaxe to hit horizontally, the tip brushing my face as I lost my balance, fell back, and began to crawl while trying to make signs.

But the man with his greenish-brown bulky miner's suit, covering also part of his thighs, accompanied by a mask with two glasses on each eye. He put his hands on the end of the handle and began to pound the ground to push me away. I tried to unsheathe my sword as I continued to move away.

The pounding stopped when he saw me moving away from him, but I had already drawn my sword.

"Don't make me use it!" I shouted.

The masked person made the same signals I had tried to make, as a sign that he understood.

He lifted the mask that was attached to the miner's suit and asked me;

"Who in the name of the king are you, and who let you in?"

"It's not like someone was guarding the entrance, I just came in."

"You almost scared me to death!"

"You know? I don't think anyone can die of fear."

"What do you want?"

"I came here to look for lead, no, wait. Aluminum, one kilo of aluminum."

"And what do you need that for?" He asked with a grimace.

"It's for someone in the central plaza. Does Karim sound familiar to you?"

"No."

There was an uncomfortable moment of silence with pure eye contact, so I decided to break the ice.

"Then who can I talk to?"

"Let me guide you to the exit."

"No, I need the aluminum."

"Alright, I'll ask around if anyone is interested in your proposal. Follow me and don't touch your face. I've been spraying chemicals in this place for mining, and it's a bit toxic, so it's better to wear protection in these places."

I stood up from the ground and lifted the lantern.

"A bit toxic, you say?"

"Yeah, it's not acid, I mean, it's acid, but not 'that' dangerous. It can be hurtful if you rub it on your face, it's like a solvent, but short-term and doesn't damage the earth of the place. What I mean is... If you want to scratch yourself, just don't."

I followed him through the different tunnels. It felt like a human anthill.

"So, these are the mines?" I asked.

"Yes, where did you think you were?"

"I'm new to this city, well, actually, I've been here for a few months, but I came from the outskirts."

"Really? No wonder you're wandering around here."

"You don't doubt me?"

"Are you lying to me?"

"No, of course not."

"So?"

"I ask because everybody look me as a stranger when I say that."

"They do that? Well, I'm not like that people."

"Understood."

We came across another miner who has a similar uniform. It was strange because when they spoke to each other, they began to pronounce their words more quickly, as if they were emphasizing their words than me. I almost couldn't understand them, even though we spoke the same language. It's hard to explain, but it's like they were speaking in a different language when they banter, that's how odd they sounded.

I started to follow the two miners, and as we walked, the other miner asked me;

"So, what's your name?"

"Before anything else." I replied;

"I wanted to ask if you guys support the king or something, because your partner used it as an expression."

Both looked at each other and after a few seconds, they laughed.

"Are you talking about 'In the name of the king'?" The miner who I found before responded.

"We can give you our opinion, but that doesn't mean we're all the same. Some are happy, let's suppose."

"Why suppose?" I inquiry.

"Let's tell this guy the things at they are Essoh, the truth is..." The first miner said to me, "The king stopped paying us by the month, and now we only get paid for the contributions we make individually. That's why we all save now, even though we still get a bed and free food."

The other companion grunted;

"That's the fault of the idiots who don't do enough. It was better when we were paid for general contributions, but because of them and the declining performance, we now get paid less. If I had known that, I wouldn't have spent the gold on stupid things."

"And how exactly do they pay you?" I asked both of them equally.

"With living in the caves. We have a room to sleep in together, and we never go hungry." Explained Dotia. (The first miner I found)

"I see. I work in the underground warehouse."

"Oh, really? Are you Taleh?" Essoh asked me.

"Uh, no, I'm Broken Forever. Taleh is my work partner."

"Oh, I had no idea. I heard that he takes almost all of the materials to the central plaza by himself without anyone's help, but I've only seen him from afar a few times."

"Well, since you both have met, I'm Dotia."

"Shut up, nobody's talking to you." Replied Essoh.

"First, learn to be bad, you're not good at it, Essoh."

They both laughed.

"Why did you ask about the king?" Dotia said to me. "Apart from me mentioning it, don't you know him?"

"Yes, I know him, and I think he hates me and talk bad of me with his guards."

"Really? He didn't say anything to us. And why does he hate you?"

"Because I ask a lot of questions."

They both laughed again.

"I asked him for a better place to sleep, and I hope he doesn't hold a grudge against me!" Essoh said between laughs.

"I was just worried they'd do something to me if I told them that." I replied.

"Nah, that's your problem, don't worry. Is that why you're carrying a sword?" Dotia asked.

"Wait, he has a weapon?"

"I found it near the city entrance. It's a long story."

"But why do you keep carring it?" Dotia questioned.

"For safety."

"That seems valid to me." Affirmed Essoh.

"Yes, otherwise, someone could sneak up on you when you're peacefully doing your work."

"Well, I didn't know you were going to take it the wrong way. So, where are we going?"

"Let's go look for other colleagues, we have to ask for permission to give you aluminum, don't expect to get it for free, many expect a trade." Dotia explains.

"I have gold to give them."

Both of them stop the walking.

"Hold on, gold? Really, gold? Uh, Dotia, maybe we shouldn't look for the others."

At that moment, I thought I shouldn't have said that. I regretted it as soon as the words left my mouth... Even if it didn't go wrong, it was a moment that made me see how the miners were in this city.

"That could be enough money to buy a plot of land in the central plaza. Even if I heard that gold isn't used much, I heard a rumor that someone was looking for gold in exchange for a cultivable area." Dotia comments.

"Don't you like this place?" Essoh replies.

"No, I mean, yes, but if I were given the opportunity..." He hints, raising his head.

"Hey, I don't think we should see the others."

"So what are we going to do?"

"Well, instead of talking to the others... we could take the little aluminum we have saved and weigh it ourselves." Dotia explains. "How much gold do you have?"

"If they give me what I want, one coin each."

"What?! Okay!" exclaims Essoh as if this is the most incredible thing in the world.

We take a detour that leads us back to the entrance of the place.

"One question, besides fulfilling their function, what are these mines for? I heard that these are the mines in the north, so I assume there are more." I ask.

"Yes, there is another one, in the west zone, but it's not worth it. Not only can we not move the machinery from this place, but we also have a diverted water source from the Nile River apparently, so these mines are a good source of water. Or as we were told, 'mineral water.' When I heard that, I was already looking for water in the shape of a stone." Dotia explains.

"The Nile River? But I thought this city was located in Congo."

"It is, but for some reason, that darn river is now underground. The king, in one of his delirious moments, said we could make a shortcut. If he wants, he can come and grab a shovel for us, because we're already working hard on that instead of thinking about how to get as much as we can for ourselves." Essoh sarcastically comments.

"They get water from the mines?" I ask.

"Along with sulfur for gunpowder, yes. Water and sulfur are found nearby for some reason I don't know." Dotia confirms.

"Going back to the merciful conversation; He doesn't change his mind. Of course, the king listens to what one of the scientists says, and we have to do all the work." Dotia responds with annoyance.

"Meaning they don't follow his orders, which isn't a bad thing because their profits are based on what they obtain. It seems like a complete leadership mistake." I comment, intending to see their reaction and confirm my suspicion that even the miners repudiate him.

"I know, right? It's... 'counterproductive,' as the chemical jar says." Essoh adds.

"Don't you mean 'adverse effects'?" Dotia doubts.

"No, that's something else."

"If you say so..."

We arrived at a room that was closed and one of them opened it with a card that looked like my ID, but worked like a key.

I stayed examining the door frame but they entered as if it were an everyday thing, so I was the only one surprised if I omit the reaction they had when they heard I brought gold.

The place was pretty well worked for a cave, it had several beds and chests with a name written next to them.

Dotia and Essoh open their own chests with the cards they have, put everything on the scale and it results in one kilogram after putting and removing things.

In addition, it was a scale that, like the door, was quite technological, since apart from calculating the weight, and also, it gave the name of the material they put.

"Here we go, one kilogram of aluminum."

They hand me the aluminum inside a cardboard box and I give them a coin each.

"Thank you very much for giving me information."

"Not for nothing, but next time don't come disguised as death personified!" Dotia warns.

"And how can I talk to you guys?"

"You shouldn't be here, that's what's happening." Essoh replies.

Dotia hisses, raising her eyebrows towards Essoh and nudges him slowly.

"Come on, Essoh, if he gives us gold, he's welcome anytime he wants."

"Oh yeah, of course, but the king..."

"The king can go jump off a cliff."

Despite Dotia using the expression "in the name of the king" I don't see him so supportive.

"You know, between us, the king seems like an idiot to us."

"Yes!"

"No doubt about it."

"I see, I'm glad to know that. If the guards ask about me, don't tell them anything."

"Why? Did you steal the gold?" Dotia asks.

"So what? Haven't you heard that you have to go with the highest bidder? You don't know much about the central plaza if you only recently decided you wanted to go." Essoh jokes.

"But shut up..." he responds with a tone that doesn't show he's really angry.

After they stop teasing each other, I answer them:

"No, Karim lent it to me to get aluminum for him."

"Don't give us a name if we don't know him..." I hear Essoh with a bitter tone.

I never understood why people get like that when you talk about someone they don't know. I feel like it's not the first time it's happened to me, although I can't remember exactly, I just felt a déjà vu.

"Although I still don't know how to get in touch."

"Look." Dotia stands next to me, puts her hand on my shoulder, and points to the door. "In the middle of this place, you go to where the generator is, which is what's making noise, and lift one of the phones. There you give orders, someone will answer by radio that we all have."

"Still, if it's about the gold..." Essoh insinuates.

"Oh, if that's how you're going to find me, personally I already have enough to go live in the central plaza for these months. I never even thought something like this could happen." Says Dotia.

"More gold for me then!"

"I'm leaving now."

"Well, see you, Broken Forever." Dotia replies.

As I walk away, I hear Essoh ask her in a low voice before the moving door closes:

"Is that really his name?"

Time to go to the surface.