Artison would look at Mira once and a while, but he would look around them even more as they walked the streets. Mira held onto Artison's hand, her eyes were always on those who seemed to be staring at her. As there were fewer people, it was less common, but it was also much easier to spot. Mira tried to look at a lot of the stores, but it was rather hard to tell what each one was selling. Most if not all the buildings seemed to be pressed against the base of the spires, sometimes even stacking on top of one another. It seemed no one dared to build away from them, it left more space to walk through, but the gaps just seemed massive.

"Is there a reason people do not build in these more open spaces, Artison?" Mira asked

"Heat." Artison answered, "With the fog above and spires around, light doesn't reach down here often. Tiz easier to stay by the spires because of how heat travels from inside them to the metallic bases each one has. If you do not, Lord save you when winter comes."




Mira looked back at the buildings, ears lowering. She could start to see it more. people either trying to build up more, or even lean against the metal parts of these massive iron structures. Among all this was a group of children who were eyeing the things at a stand made from scrap metal siding, but the horse there shouted for them all to leave.

"Artison, this place, it seems so harsh..." Mira said to him and it got him to stop walking, "Everyone here just looks like-"

"Don't talk like that." Artison said, and turned back to her, "With all due respect, you don't know what any of these people live through."

"Artison, you show them a similar disdain though."

"I have reasons for that, and I know a number of these people." Artison said, "Trust me, it's best not to comment on the lives you know nothing about down here." He looked around, seeing some of the children from before. He tilted his head, "Although I will concede one thing, I wasn't expecting so many children out here. I wonder if they all return to the orphanage, at the end of the day."




"Do their parents not watch over them?" Mira asked, "Even where I lived there was one of the adults to keep watch over the children."

"Indeed, tiz a rule adults live hard by down here." Artison said, and looked over to one of the tower bases, "Do you see that place?" The building he was pointing to had a large overhang where iron-barred gates were. Some people of different sizes, genders, and races stood on the other side. They just stood still there, even when they seemed to sink into the ground. "That is one of many entries to the mines. Tunnels that are ever expanding as we dig up The Great Veins that run under our city and even span to the outskirts. What they dig up; metals, gems, coal lumps, brimstone, that's what they bring up to sell on the markets. Tiz one of the main ways to make your fortune if you're fit enough down here, that or to join the army like my sister."

"Or being smart like you?"

Artion's ears lowered at that statement, but took a breath, "If you don't, you're making a living doing small stuff for stronger people. Cleaning equipment, working for the shops to sell stuff or working for the guards." Artison feels where his metallic leg connects to his hips, "However, tiz only the legal means to get money."

"Were your parents both working the mines?" Mira asked, "I... I feel like it was a mistake to come down here, but... I would like to see it still." She held Artison's arm, "Could we see it, where you lived down here? And then we can leave for up top."

Artison looked at her as she started to smile, but he didn't smile back. He only nodded to her and started walking again, further through the streets and between many of the spire bases.

---

It took me to now to realize this wasn't posted on time. For that, I apologize...


Part 10

Part 9: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/58013673/

Part 11: https://www.furaffinity.net/view/58183661/


Mira (C)   Calypso-Dreams

Artison, Loretta, art, and character (C)   watcher12