As the man at last fully hoisted himself out of the mine’s ruined bracings, he firmly and briskly slap-brushed off the outer layer of encrusted shaft dust from his clothes while taking in huge gulps of fresh air to help restabilize his ragged breathing.
Then, he stood up broad and tall to face the caravan’s crowd that had gathered around the mine’s safer outer edges after hearing the initial yell of alarm from his fall.
“I have survived a brush with death, and The Devil did not come claiming,” he announced with full intention in his voice swelling.
“I now claim The Right to have The Devil do my bidding!” and as he opened his muscled arms wide, a shockwave boomed from within the mine’s depths, blasting hot air past his form to knock back the gaping onlookers as a rippling dark, ephemeral mass emerged and infused itself into his body.
