"Do I really sound like that?" Beren asked Buri as the dwarf was unsteadily rising. Beren had a relatively deep, noticeably smooth voice. But of course it was always hard to hear how others heard one's timbre. For his part, Buri almost fell flat on his face again. Unfortunately, Buri was most definitely the least fit of all the dwarves, with a well groomed beard and attire more suited for a day merchant than any sort of dangerous travel. His small merchant's cap had fallen off, the dwarf grabbing it groggily. 

"She makes a good effort," He said by way of an answer. The dwarf groaned, blinking away the spots in his eyes. It said something about the dwarven race, that even the most coddled were tough enough to get up after a head wound that would have left a man on death's door. "Better than I could, least ways." 

The darkness, even with the glow worms, was still all-encompassing to the senses. Beren reached into his pack, grabbing the second to last torch. Buri grunted, taking out a small flint and tinder from his belt. 

"I could just make some light, you know." Jocasta reasoned, her hands opening up as if emulating a small burst. 

"I don't know much about magic, but a torch should be ok for now. I have a spare, and you should conserve what energy you have." The warrior monk said, unstrapping his axe as Buri set the torch alight. The sparks caught, and the flame whooshed to life. Buri handed it to Beren. The handsome warrior took it gingerly. "Buri, stay at the back. Jo, stay between us, and I'll take the lead." 

"Alright, boy. But if we have to run, just remember my legs aren't that long." He complained. Beren grinned as Buri started muttering about the mead and salted pork he missed from back home. His voice echoed gently through the chasm. "Only reason I came was fer the wealth. Aye, the legends had me as enthralled as the next dwarf, but I was promised funds! Not traipsing around in the darkness..." His accent and the rolling r's caused his voice to doubly reverberate along the stone. 

As they crept along, the mosaic grew noticeably cracked, bits of stone flaking off of the walls. Beren had expected it, and it nearly made him as forlorn as a proper dwarf. He decided to change the subject. "You know, speaking of funerary rights, there's probably some good research opportunities up ahead." He chimed in to Jocasta.   

"That's true..." She said, mulling it over. Her earrings had zipped back onto her ears obediently, a glow worm propped up on her shoulder, like a miniature lamp. 

"And there's probably an outpost up ahead too, with beer and running water." He continued conversationally. It was just a hunch, but as long as there were tunnels that led out into the underworld, there was always a guard station. 

"Really?" She said, hope in her voice. 

"Really?" He echoed, his voice as high pitched as he could manage. Jocasta stuck her tongue out at Beren and he responded by giggling like a boy. 

"I'll turn you into a frog," She threatened, wiggling her fingers. A glow worm was just at the brink of her heavy bosom now, casting a light above and giving her cheekbones and eyes a shadowed, eerie look like a mad witch. He doubted she could do that, even if she wasn't playing around, but still it made him shake his head.

"Oh, so you can make fun of [i]me[/i], but when I do it-" 

"When I do it it's [i]tasteful[/i]-" She asserted, tossing her hair back.

They bickered for a few more moments, both failing to suppress smiles as they continued until Buri cleared his throat. "Oi, are the both of ye gonna flirt or can we keep going?" 

"He/She started it," the remarked in unison. 

Buri mumbled something in dwarvish that was clearly derogatory. Jocasta placed her hands on Beren's left shoulder and got on her tip toes. "What did he say?" She whispered. 

"You don't wanna know," He whispered back. 

The chasm soon blossomed into a hollow cavity in the endless stone. Initially it was a natural widening, but it sharpely turned with hard right angles. They stood just outside of the main structure, and from where they had entered, they saw there were three levels of the 'graveyard,' every dwarf body either interred within the well-carved walls, or in stone tombs inlaid with runes along each level. The stairways were easily accessible and wide. 

Stout, protuberant pillars stretched from ground floor to tiled ceiling, drawing the eye upwards to see an incredible piece of artistry. Every tile was hexagonal, and every hexagonal shape was filled with sparkling gilded veins that had been formed into runes that spoke the name of every dwarf interred within. At its center, one large hexagon held an immaculate canvas of Mahal, the fortress guarding the dwarven afterlife. 

"Muradin's beard..." Beren muttered, and Jocasta grabbed his hand as she looked skyward with him. 

"Aye..." Buri agreed, taking his hat off in respect. A few moments later, he added: "The most wealth I've seen here, and I would be damned for eternity if I touched any of it. The gods have a way of testing you."