Terry and Kelima were nearing the top of the mountain when Dusk finally came bounding out of the growing evening darkness. She came over, rubbed against Terry's leg for a few moments, then looked up at him expectantly. Snorting to himself, he picked up the cat. He stroked her fur and scratched her ears.

"Did you kill all the bad death weasels?" he asked.

The kitten ignored him completely, which Terry decided to take as an affirmation.

"Of course, you killed all the bad death weasels," he continued. "I don't care what Kelima said about you."

"Hey! I didn't say anything bad about her," snapped the noble girl.

"Oh. Yeah. You definitely didn't say anything bad about her," agreed Terry before he whispered to the kitten. "I love you more than she does."

"Stop telling your cat lies about me."

Dusk, still basking in the attention, didn't seem to be listening to either of them. Terry shrugged and continued his walk toward the peak. They never actually got there, since the path ended well short of the actual top. There was, however, a reinforced tunnel entrance that was far, far darker than the time of day could possibly explain. To Terry, the entrance looked like a doorway straight into the void. Kelima came and stood next to him. They stared at the tunnel for a little while before the noble girls spoke.

"Yeah, that's not ominous."

"Not ominous at all," said Terry.

"Great. I'm glad we agree. That means you can go first."

Terry gave her a flat look.

"You know, back in my world, miners used to take canaries down into the shafts with them."

Kelima frowned at that and asked, "Why?"

"Well, if the canaries died or got mysteriously eaten or came down with curses, it was a way for the miners to know that the tunnel wasn't safe anymore. The good news is, you don't have to use canaries. Strays work just fine, too. So, in you go!"

"Oh, ha, ha. You're just sooooo funny. Fortunately, we're in my world, where the stronger person goes into extremely dangerous situations first. Especially when we're looking for something that's only going to benefit them."

"You clearly just made that up."

She gave him a smug smile and said, "Prove it."

While Terry knew it was bullshit, she had effectively backed him into a verbal corner. He couldn't actually prove that it wasn't true. Yes, he could just pick her up and throw her into the mine tunnel, but then she might really get eaten or cursed. While he'd learned to do a lot since he arrived, he was pretty sure he couldn't uncurse someone.

I can't un-curse people, can I? he asked other-Terry.

Technically, you can, but not with the tools you have available.

What does that mean?

It means that, unlike some of the adventurers Kelima might know, you don't have any native priestly or pagan holy powers that would dispel a curse. You don't even have any real healer powers. Those can do it sometimes. It's one of the pitfalls of basically being a cultivator. If you want to uncurse someone, you need specially crafted talismans or seals.

What are those? Terry asked.

For the purposes of this conversation, magic papers with magic stuff written on them.

Like spells?

For the purposes of this conversation, sure, why not? We'll call them spells.

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This is one of those times when you're taking something super complicated and giving me the cultivation for dumber than dummies version, aren't you?

Gosh, said other-Terry. What gave it away?

Is there some reason I can't use talismans?

Do you have any talismans?

No.

Do you have any purified paper? Alchemically refined ink?

No.

Did you pick up a runic language while I was playing video games…I mean, dutifully watching out for your welfare?

I did not, said an irritated Terry.

Those are some of the reasons why you can't use talismans.

If I had talismans, could I use them?

Yes. You would have had to get them before you ran away from the cultivators five seconds after you got here, but yes. All they really need is an injection of qi to work. As long as it's not demonic qi, you're all good.

Wait, there are demons here? And they have qi?

What did you think those cultivators wanted you to fight? Penguins?

I never gave it any thought.

Man, if ever there were words for your tombstone, said other-Terry. I doubt they wanted you to fight demons as a full-time occupation, but demonic cultivators with the backing of some demons? Yeah, that's a pretty good bet.

So glad I got away from them.

Yeah, sure you did.

You're saying I didn't?

I'm saying they let you go, and that they can probably find you anytime they want. This little vacation you're taking in the south, they're probably choosing to read it as you going on a journey to boost your cultivation. To be fair, you have. You've been about as unorthodox about it as a person can be, but it's the results that matter.

That's just great news.

They yanked you here from another freaking universe, said other-Terry. You didn't really think that you were done with them just because you pulled a runner, did you?

Sort of.

Well, if it makes you feel slightly less hunted, cultivators tend to view time a little differently. Ten or fifteen years is nothing to them. Hell, a hundred years is nothing to some of them. You've probably got some time.

I guess that's something.

It is. So, get your head back in the game. Go get the orichalcum.

The what? asked Terry.

The orichalc… Oh, for god's sake. You forgot what it's called. I mean the unobtanium.

Right! The unobtanium is actually called orichalcum. Right. Definitely going to remember that.

We're so doomed.

Terry felt the construct mentally withdraw and turned his attention back to the tunnel. Kelima was still staring at it, and it was very clear she had no intention of going near the entrance until he went inside. It is my fetch quest, he thought. I guess it's only fair if I go first. Terry put Dusk up on his shoulder and felt her crawl back into the pack. He stared at the tunnel some more. Now that he was here, he really didn't want to go in there.

"Should we eat first?" he asked.

"Please, yes!" said Kelima.

Dusk immediately crawled back out of his pack and onto his shoulder. She mewled into his ear. The three of them spent the next hour eating the most leisurely cold meal they could manage. Eventually, Terry couldn't justify sitting there any longer. Going into that tunnel was the only way he was getting his special swords that weren't going to break on him. Whatever was in that tunnel, he'd just have to deal with it. However, now that he was looking at the tunnel, a thought occurred to him.

"Why did they build the entrance way the hell up here?"

"What?" asked Kelima.

"The tunnel entrance. Why did they put it at the top of the mountain? Why isn't it at the bottom? Is the orichalcum way up here? If it is, how did they know that before they started digging? I didn't see any signs that said priceless metal ore thisaway with an arrow pointing to the top of the mountain."

"I don't know. Maybe someone with a skill told them to?"

"The rare metal ore finding skill?"

Kelima nodded.

Terry blinked at her and asked, "That's a real thing? You're not just messing with me?"

"You didn't have that on your world? Oh, right, no magic. Yeah, it's a thing here. I mean, it's pretty rare, and most metal diviners wouldn't come out this far these days. But if this used to be tamed land, I could see it happening."

"Man," said Terry. "Every time I think I'm starting to get a handle on this place, I find out some new, completely unbelievable thing about it."

"Says the man from another world who can probably punch a hole right through this mountain."

Terry looked down at his own hand.

"Yeah, that's fair."

Pushing aside his own misgivings, Terry stood and put his pack on. Then, he fumbled with the axes until he managed to pull them free. He'd been right. The leather rig for holding them was not ideal for any kind of a quick draw. Either that, or he was using the thing wrong. He noticed Kelima eyeing the axes.

"Better safe than sorry," he said.

Conjuring a small fireball to provide them with light inside the tunnel, he walked toward the entrance. The fireball bobbed along over his head.

"Not ominous at all," he whispered. "Just a casual stroll into the heart of a mountain with an unknown monster inside. I've got this."

Then, he stepped into the darkness.

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