Spel had been somewhat right about Check. When Lolk presented the idea to Check she was skeptical, even having seen his cutie mark. However from her performance that day she gave her the money to get a dagger of her own. Not enough for anything garish, as much as she liked the look of the gold inlays on one she saw, she stuck with a simple bronze dagger. She wasn't fond of the leather string holding it to her right thigh. Too tight and it would dig into her skin and give her a rash, too lose and it'd fall right to the floor. She could never find a good middle ground no matter how hard she tried. Lolk had contemplated getting it on a belt but found that the dagger would just fall out of the sheath when it hung on its side.

Today she was trying another kind of knot in a different kind of tie pattern. Still tight but not ridding up on her yet. It had been a fairly busy time the past week, ponies were checking in and it meant two things, nothing to do in the mornings and FAR too much to do in the afternoon. But that meant she could see Spel getting out of bed today! His recovery was impressive to both Spel and the Doctor. Considering he was still somewhat hurting, Check just had him helping Lolk clean the rooms later in the afternoon and the dishes at night. It did her heart good to see her friend up and about again.

It was approaching lunch as Lolk was starting to crave some kind of meat. Spel went and informed his sister they were taking off for their break and they were off.

"How is your chest?" Lolk asked Spel hearing him breathing a bit heavily lately.

"Better. Ma' ribs 're holdin' up good 'nuff. Dagger 'angin' fine?"

"Still tight and certainly not comfortable. I will be more than glad if I can find a way to have it not give me a rash."

"Good to hear. So anythin' you've been cravin'?"

"You know my answer. But I would settle with a loaf of bread and some butter. Maybe jam."

"Agreed."

They started towards their usual bakery. "So I have been wondering something."

"Well don't keep me waitin' in suspense."

"How often do you go on your little hunts of fortune?"

"I wouldn't call them little Lolk but Whenever they present themselves. My main benefactor's is always lookin' around his personal collection for something for me to do. I should get him a letter tellin' 'im I'm up and about."

"Why not go speak to him directly?" She asked a bit curious.

"He lives in Crow. We can't go see him and eat today."

"Very well, I can wait until tonight to eat."

"Lolk really y-"

"I won't hear another word of it Spel, we're going to your benefactor."

"W-"

"Now Spel." Lolk said asserting some power over her friend.

As much as Cave Diver liked to think Lolk wouldn't push her weight around with him, he was sorely mistaken. She smiled and started making her way to the central city. She smiled and hummed most of the way while Spel kept his head low. She took her toll from a pouch. Once Spel had paid he lead her to a section of the city nearer the Royal Palace.

"I thought commoners weren't allowed in this section." Lolk asked wondering as they were ever encroaching on the King's land.

"It only applies to Royal Ground. As it stands we can't loiter 'round here too long." He clarified. "The King's Generals and most well known war heroes live here."

"Oh. Of what party is your benefactor involved?"

"He's an old General. Fought in the first siege of Emerald City."

"Ah yes where the windego reside. Such disgusting creatures."

"Yeah… anyways, just call 'im General and please let me do the talkin'."

He started down a short walkway across a lawn. The stone house was simple and square broken up with columns across the front. The lawn was dotted with elegant statues of ponies, most in armor in various positions of either combat or pointing in some direction. The statues were painted to match the ponies presumably but they were far too perfect looking to be normal, though all attractive. Lolk had to keep his eye away from the statues as Spel knocked on the General's door.

It was answered by a mare who could've been taken from the statue garden. Her black mane was pulled back into a complex braid. It went well with her black toga and blue eyes.

"Oh Spel, it's nice to see you." She said to him with a smile. "General Cage has been expecting you." She stepped aside. "Who is your friend?"

"Hello, I am Lolk." she answered holding out a hoof.

The mare shook it with a smile. "It's nice to meet you Lolk. Please come in."

"Thank you."

"General Cage is in his Study, I trust you know the way?"

"I do, thank you."

Spel started up the stairs and Lolk followed as the mare went elsewhere.

"Who was she?" Lolk asked.

"Sunny. I don't know her last name. She's the General's servant."

"She seems nice."

"She has to be if she doesn't want to be punished."

"Punished?"

"Ya know… wiped, flogged or beaten."

"WHAT!?"

"Shhh!" Spel said keeping his voice down. "I don't like it any more than you do but he bought her legally. If she were his wife then yes, I'd object to him openly but there's nothing we can do."

"That isn't just servitude Spel, it's slavery!" Lolk said now just as hushed. "Even if she is his servant, that doesn't mean he should abuse her!"

"I understand Lolk but we can't do anything 'bout it. Just… please be quiet 'bout it."

"I…." Lolk scrunched her muzzle in frustration. "Fine, but you owe me something in return."

"Fine fine, whatever you want, just please keep your mouth shut 'bout it."

She snorted at Spel as he sighed. He lead her to a large set of wooden doors and knocked on them as well.

"It's open." A weathered old stallion's voice called.

Spel pushed the door open and entered, Lolk not far behind. The large room had dark red marble with tall shelves filled to the brim with scrolls practically spilling out of the square slots. Some were very weathered and yellowed with decades of age. Where there weren't shelves. relief statues of mares on their hind legs, frozen in a tantalizing dance, were seen. As with the statues in the yard, they were painted to look more realistic. They were beautifully made but with Lolk's new view on this man, she found them disgusting. The ceiling wasn't much better. It was painted with what looked like a dome showing up to a portal with ponies looking over the edge. It looked kind of crude and not as realistic as the paintings but the perspective was impressive.

At the other end of the room, a intricate wooden desk sat with a blind arcade of arched windows behind it. The desk itself was just as disheveled to the shelves, scrolls half open and hanging off of the side of the desk. Behind it all, a white stallion with gray hair sat. His face was wrinkled with age and scared from battle. He sat hunched looking over the scrolls from every angle he could without getting up. He looked up and saw Spel and Lolk at the door way. His left eye was milky white and his left ear was missing a chunk near the tip.

"Cave Diver my little explorer!" the old warrior said happy. "I heard what happened and I had the King flog the soldiers responsible. How are you feeling?"

"Better now, Sir. This is my good friend Lolk." Spel said introducing her.

"A pleasure I'm sure. Sh-h-she seems displeased." Cage said looking at her.

"Oh, they had a bad sweet roll earlier today."

"Ah, well I'll give you money for lunch here in Crow. Come come my dear boy, you must see what I have found!" the General said happily motioning them over.

Spel went over to the other side of the desk while Lolk stood on the opposite side, she didn't want to get any closer to the man then she had to.

"I know you said the treasure from the unicorns was taken but it seems I misread the maps and riddles."

"B-but I saw it with my own eyes Sir. There was no end to the gold and jewels in that cave!"

"I know! That's the amazing part!" He said as giddy as a little filly. "The end of the city is nigh, the pillars of fire and smoke rise high. Her majesty calls for our retreat, we take the track well beat. Following our track to our old homes, to save our wealth 'neath the ebony domes."

"Yeah we went over this a few months ago. It pointed north to the old city of Onix and its mines."

"Exactly! But we've been taking it too literally." He tossed a couple of scrolls off to the side. "Look here." Lolk looked over the desk as well as Spel. "This is Quarts City, where the Princess of Unicornia ordered retreat and she took the cities vast wealth with her. The only way she could go was north and yes, she did drop some of her wealth in the Onix mines."

"Some?" Spel said starting to light up.

"Yes! You see," he takes the poem out again. "The Ebony Dome doesn't just mean the Black Onix mines."

"Then what does it mean?" Lolk asked.

"I'm very glad you asked. There are several black MARBLE mines further to the north. Basically into the Frozen North before the Crystal City."

"That's a dangerous move. I mean, they're not exactly trustin' of pegasi out there. It was risky just getting to Onix."

"I understand. I bought your passage to the north before but I don't know how far my gold will get you then."

"Why would you have to?"

"The Pegasus Nation's relations with the ponies down here on the ground has been rather strained for the past few years." Spel told him. "Unicorns aren't rather miffed at us for our limited distribution of the rain water."

"Has your friend been under a rock?"

"No just…. out of touch with society for quite some times."

"I see well you're right Cave Diver. I don't know how far money will get you this time. You wouldn't be able to take the roads and the unicorns would take you down and ask questions as soon as they get a look at you in the air."

The two sat for a moment before Lolk chimed in with a suggestion to try and get gears turning. "What of nomads?"

"Nomads?" The stallions asked in unison. "Surely there are nomads that make their way around the land without being seen or questioned."

"He's right." Spel said. "There has to be dozens of nomads passing through Crows right now. Maybe some gold could persuade them to take us to the north."

"Perhaps… It wouldn't take much to persuade them to take you along with them. I would hope at least."

"We can only ask. I'll need some gold for that."

"You'll have it my friend." He said putting hoofs on his shoulders. "And I'll make good on my promise of lunch. Dine," He said giving him a small sack of coins. "I will buy the provisions you will need to explore the caves and send you additional coins to pay off the nomads."

Spel put a hoof on the General's shoulder. "I won't let you down this time."

"I know you won't." He nodded at him before letting him go. "And… Lolk was it?"

"Yes." Lolk said simply fearing what she might say other than that.

"Will you be accompanying him?"

"Uh… I don't know if L-"

"I would love to if you wouldn't mind."

"It would be no trouble at all! Any friend of my favorite explorer is a friend of mine!"

"Uh-y-yes Sir."

"Go! Enjoy your lunch and return home. Give your regards to your sister for me Cave Diver."

"Y-yes Sir." He said getting out from behind the desk.

Lolk had a smug smile on her face as Spel lead them out of the house. Spel looked rather annoyed with himself as they left the property and found the nicest café they could. Lolk had just ordered the biggest steak they had while Spel decided on a ham.

"It was nice of the General t-"

"Why do you wanna go?" Spel interrupted.

"Hm? Oh yes, after what happened last time you'll need my help."

"I can handle myself Lolk."

"Can you? Say you run into more dragons or something that can't be bribed by boundless gems and gold."

"Then I'll handle it."

"Like the soldiers that were in the bar?"

"I-"

"He's already paying for both so regardless I'll be coming with you." Spel slumped back against the chair he was in with a groan. Lolk giggled as the server came by again. "We have just opened a barrel of mead, would you two like any?"

"Two." Spel answered quickly.

"I would like to try some for a change."

"Make it three then."

Author's Note

I'M NOT DEAD! Yes I'm going to try and start making content again. Hopefully. And what of the two fics I have on hold? ..... Well we'll have to see.