I had assigned them to hollow out a small hill which was literally bursting with jewel clusters, normally, a very quick, easy task for my fellows.
Now, before you judge my planning, I must explain something to you.
These two fellows absolutely refused to die. They had survived more cave-ins than any other dwarf should have the mortal right to.
They seemed to have this... 'skill' of knowing exactly where to stand before a collapse.
They were cave-in experts who had balls of adamant. (encrusted with adamant, and adorned with adamant rings. Masterwork dwarven quality.)
So I thought nothing about this routine task.
Little did I know that 'she' was coming along for this ride as well.
They worked furiously, picks swinging, rough jewels and massive chunks of rock flying behind them. They barley broke a sweat, even as the earth suddenly turned into metal ore, only making them work harder.
...and there she was..
They became distracted.
...the hill collapsed, completley destroying the ground beneath it, and sending both of my miners swiftly away to whatever God they believed in.
I was completely devastated. I stared at the screen with my mouth wide open.
No... please.. no...
I numbly scrolled back up to my fortress. I needed to make more booze and clear my mind of this awful tragedy.
Later, I scrolled downwards beneath my fortress, about to wonder what the hell I was going to do now. So much digging needed to be done.. so many rooms I needed for my w...
...then, I saw her.
Digging furiously as if she was possessed.
I hovered over her.
A broken leg.
Smashed foot.
A broken hand.
Multiple fractures in her arms.
Multiple bruises and splintered bones.
Internal bleeding.
...how the FUCK was she still standing.....
I imagined her crying tears of sorrow and rage as she swung her pick against the stone. She would finish what they had started, even as she nearly blacked out from the pain again and again.
She would try to finish her work, even as she bled out halfway through, her last breath coming in a ragged, bloody gasp as she collapsed in the middle of the nearly-finished hallway.
I'll admit to all of you, right here and now, it brought tears to my eyes.