The Gnomes left Lili at the entrance to a narrow tunnel along which they indicated that she should proceed. Lili took a few steps into the tunnel. It was so dark that she could not see her own feet. She turned back to the Gnomes to ask if they would maybe like to walk with her a bit further, but she was too late. They were already gone. Melted once again into the very fabric of the earth, she supposed. Well, perhaps her new friends were still with her, at least in spirit, then. Lili continued along the tunnel, feeling her way along its walls with her hands, since she could not see where she was going.
The tunnel was long and winding. Lili followed it through many twists and turns and fancied that she was travelling uphill as well. After some time, she encountered a draft in the tunnel. After the still air of the Gnomes' cavern, this was a welcome change. At first.
The wind in the tunnel picked up in intensity with every step that Lili took, and she soon found herself needing to lean into it in order to make any headway. The air became thick with dust and other debris which was picked up by the wind and thrown about. When something large and painful slammed against Lili's shoulder, she wasn't sure that she wanted to continue along this route anymore. Then she remembered her shield. She took the Gnomes' gift off her back and carried it out in front of her to protect herself from the wind strewn projectiles.
The strength of the wind in the tunnel continued to increase, and Lili was growing tired and unsure of whether or not she would be able to go on. Just when she was about to sit down and give up, however, she noticed that the darkness in the tunnel was starting to lift. The light was definitely brighter up ahead. Lili tucked her head in low behind her shield and pressed on.
