DC

I chuckle at my own joke. None of them seem to understand the nuances of the joke, but I found it funny, and they figured out his name. I also gave them some money, and the nice dagger he was using.

I watch as they walk into the seventh floor, finding the sign labeling it as a safe zone. They smile, and begin to cultivate in the mana rich area, collecting even more mana.

I turn my attention to Talon. He cracks his whip parting the flesh of a slave pumping bellows into a hot forge. As soon as Talon came into power, he began industrialization. He took advantage of the already well established slave system to aid his industry.

He removes whatever he's heating from the forge, and his weak hands begin to work it. He has spent the last week making simple iron, and copper parts, like nails, nuts, bolts, spikes, and plating. He carries a bucket filled with spare parts to his construction area.

He begins the construction of a second engine. First he takes more of the blood, and powdered organs of the rats who overdose on this, and he makes another bloodstone.

Once created he continues the work, and makes two more engines. These engines, he once again mounts on a frame similar to the train. The back engine he attaches to the wheels of the vehicle, but the front engine he attaches to a giant drill bit on the front of the vehicle.

What he's left with is basically a train, with a giant drill bit on the front, and cart on the back, which to fill with the rock, and debris that is left behind from I assume digging.

He quickly deposits two slaves, as well as a guard into the cabin of said train. Points them east, and they begin drilling.

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As they drill into the wall, he turns to someone nearby him, and says something. "These stones, they no have much power-left! When they run out, they fall-apart, no hold together, BOOM! Explode! That’s why I no ride in those metal-things."

Oh. So I was right. They do explode.

I turn my attention back to the mole people, who are just chilling in their cavern, but at the rate that giant drill is chewing up stone, they will break into the mole people cavern, in maybe a couple of hours.

One of the mole people is collecting insects for food in one of the rooms, when a humming noise, and the sound of metal grinding on stone fills the room. The mole sets its basket down, and peers closer, when KER-RACK The wall crumbles away revealing the drill bit forcing its way through, and into the room.

The mole backs away fearfully from the metal beast.

The rats inside the drill begin to panic. "Go back! Reverse! Tell Bonechewer! Quick-fast!" The rat slave scrambles, paws fumbling at the control, pulling back the big-wrench. "I try! I try! No stop! I make it work!" He scrambles, his paws scraping against the smooth metal handle, but he pulls it back, and the train begins to creak, and disappear back down the tunnel.

The mole glances down the dark tunnel, but instead of following he turns, and sprints back to the majority of the mole people.

Once he arrives with the other mole people he begins to speak. “People.” he points in the direction of the cave he came from. “A metal beast broke free from the wall, and I heard voices from the interior.”

A mole female working the forge stops, and asks. “A metal beast?”

He clarifies. “It had wheels, and a giant drill on the front. It tore through the wall, and then it began to reverse.”

She nods. “I hope they are friends. We shall go speak.” She points at a group of 8 or so other Mole people. “I will lead the group.” She walks forward, her feet scraping against the stone.

Back in the rat palace the guard scrambles around the corner to find Talon indulging in meat in the center of the room. "Lord! Meat-meat! Machine-thing smash through, found cave, and I find big-meat thing!"

Talon scrambles to his feet, and follows his back to the tunnel. "Get guards, many! Battle-train ready! We feast-eat well tonight!"