The Dwarven highway ran straight and true for a long while before it finally began its labyrinth like twists and turns. All of the true light from the sun had long sense faded from existence. The dwarves could see in some sort of spectrum that was beyond what even elven vision could provide. Ein could see in near perfect dark. As long as there was some sort of light source, no matter how faint or distant, her elvish eyes could pick up the most subtle differences in the light and make sense of the shapes into the world around her. However, without any light she was just as blind as a human down there. Fortunately, Zeke gave off a slight glow from the live magma that swirled below his obsidian crust and an occasional flame licked out from around one joint another as he moved, providing plenty of light to allow the young elf girl sight.  Zeke, however, was perfectly fine. In fact, the semblance of a face on Zeke was just for the convenience of onlookers. To tell the truth, Ein really had no idea how Zeke navigated the world, or listened to her prattle on. All she knew was that he could and did.

The first day continued on without incident. The group ate and drank while they moved. When Ein got tired, she climbed aboard Zeke's shoulders and slept against his warm body as he continued following the Dwarves. She took the first watch that night because of it, but nothing interesting happened at all. 

The second day started the same way that the first had gone on. Lots of walking, not much talking. Though at one point the Captain and one of his men had a disagreement about which way to travel down the dwarven Highway. Once they had settled the debate and started on their way again Ein asked one of her guardians why the tunnels were so jumbled up. "Well Lass," He started, "Each tunnel leads to another part of the Dwarven Kingdom, which is the largest kingdom by area in the known world. It runs deep below the forests and the mountains, even north to the frozen depths below the ice. Sjorgen's folks came from the northern most city of Deep Ice. Weird folks come from there, I blame it on all the drippin' and droppin' of freezin' water, the sound'll drive ya batty it will, but some of the best tastin' water you'll ever experience comes from there ice mines. Or it used to, anyway. The tunnels, though, they have to wrap around each other for structure and support, you know. Besides, it helps keeps intruders confused, makes it harder to march an army in to the capital." Ein nodded knowingly, but she didn't really know, not really.

Later that day she felt as if she were being watched, but when she turned to see what was lurking behind her, she found that there was no one there. She urged Zeke to keep up closer to the group. Only his low stony rasp of a voice came in response as he took a few larger strides to close the gap between he and the dwarves. Soon the group fell upon a small crop of Wilde Mushrooms. They were edible, but they caused major and lasting hallucinations nearly as soon as they were ingested. The group of Dwarves gathered them up, just in case. "They might drive ya a bit crazy for a while, but most Dwarves get over it after a while... Not sure what they would do to an elf, not sure if one has ever eaten a Wilde Mushroom. Better stay away from them, just in case." The dwarves had a small reserve of food beyond the rations, just in case, but Ein didn't.

Night fall came and went, or at least that is what she thought of when they laid down to rest. She was meant to take the last watch, but she was never woken up until the captain shook her awake. "Hey, what in blazes are you doing, Lass?" He whispered angrily, "Where is Sjorgen, what're you doing asleep?"

"Huh?" Ein said rubbing her eyes, trying to find focus in the dark, "Oh, Uh, I don't know. He never woke me up to take my watch..." 

"Seven blazes," The captain said, he started shaking everyone else awake, one at a time he made his way around the small group until they were all awake, "Sjorgen is missin', he never changed guards with the Lass. I suspect we've got a Cave Vampire on our hands. No idea if they are still watching us or not, but we need to move quickly, and quietly. Come on, then, pack it up quickly, and lets get a move on it!"

The remaining guards were quickly packed up and ready to move. There was a chill amongst the group, an urgency, a fear that wasn't there before. Suddenly every shadow held knew potential for terror deeper and darker then they had held previously. The captain gestured the directions and the group set off quickly, making no more noise then necessary. It didn't take too long before they found Sjorgen, or before he found them. Even in this world of lightless shadows Ein could see just how pale he was, even the thick brown mat of hair that made his beard seemed to be drained of color, except for the red glow in his eyes and the two red dots on the side of his neck. The captain shook his head but hesitated no further, he signaled for one of his men who stepped forward with his crossbow at the ready. He loosed a bolt and knocked the colorless body of their former companion to the ground. The captain moved quickly now with his ax in hand and moved to apply the finishing blow, removing his bearded head from his short and hairy body, but the bolt had not been as true as the captain had thought, and it took less then a moment to realize as Sjorgen's hand clamped around the Captains throat that there was no saving either of them now. Sudden chaos broke out in the tunnel depths and the group all scattered. A small host of trained Dwarven warriors was broken that quickly by the death of a friend and his reanimated corps killing their captain. 

Ein was left with little choice but to run. But to where? She had no idea where she was going down there below the surface. She had little choice but to run the direction they had come in. She could follow the signs of their travel and get back to the surface somehow. Go back to the smith in the mountain and she could stay with him until his mission was done and return with him. Perhaps someway that didn't include these tunnels. She and Zeke ran for a long time, until they came up to their first intersection. What way was it? She looked around the stone floor and walls, hoping for some indication that they had come this way, and which way to go next, but it was no use, there just wasn't enough light for Ein to be able to track the group. Left, she decided left, and quickly she and Zeke continued on their hastened way. Suddenly Zeke let out a wall shaking yell and lunged in front of the princess, shoving her behind himself, the low grumble continued for a while when the glow of four sets of eyes peered through the darkness at her. They moved suddenly in a single attack, hoping to evade Zeke and at least one of them making it through to Ein. They did not anticipate Zeke destroying the support in the wall to cause a collapse. But then again, neither did Ein. With a thud, a rumble, and the heart wrenching sound of rock tearing apart, the tunnel collapsed before them, sealing the four sets of beady eyes below the rubble. "Thanks Zeke," Ein said, patting the rock form on the back. She pushed on down the tunnel the only other option available to her now. It took a long time, but eventually the tunnel did straighten out and start a gradual incline, similar to the one that she had experienced when she first entered into the darkness below. It took another whole day of sleepless travel before the pair finally reached the door way to get out of the tunnels. 

When finally she pushed her way through the door she was stunned by the light. It took her the better part of the day before she could comfortably look out of the cave, once that finally happened Ein traveled out to see where they were at. As she stumbled out of the cave with Zeke lumbering behind her she came into a clearing in a forest, happy to breath fresh air again and feel the sun directly on her skin again, not to mention hearing the songs of the birds and the running of a stream, that she failed to notice that she was not alone in the clearing. 

Zeke did not, however, as he once again released his low rumble warning to Ein and pushed its way ahead of the young Elvish girl.