The sign Maxwell, Marigold, and Walter stood beneath read Smithin’. The sign-maker cared equally about brevity and grammatical precision, as the sign’s lone apostrophe had been carefully and lovely etched into the stone.

“This is your friend, I suppose,” Walter said.

“His name is Thales, but I’m not sure if we’re still friends. I might have exaggerated that part. It’s been a long time.”

“Then why bother? Did you see all those creatures back there? They’d just as soon eat us as help us.”

“The gerbil seemed all right,” Maxwell said, but nobody listened.

“Thales isn’t like that. Not everyone that lives down here is a cannibalistic gremlin. Some creatures just wanted something different.”

“Like yourself,” Walter said.

Marigold sighed. “Look, Thales might know how to get to the Cauldron. It’s worth asking.”

Walter didn’t look convinced.

“At the very least we can get Maxwell away from the crowds,” Marigold added.

She ended the conversation by opening the faded green door and disappearing inside. Walter looked down at Maxwell, who shrugged and followed behind. A bell rang as they entered the workshop, and a bearded, muscular creature looked up from behind the counter. If it weren’t for his considerable size and even more considerable horns, he might’ve looked human. He was fleshy and mostly hairless and possessed a comfortingly normal number of legs, arms, and eyes. A look of surprise came over his face, which quickly expanded into joy. Without a word, he ran around the counter and lifted Marigold from the ground in a bear hug. She giggled, which struck Maxwell as odd. She did not seem like a giggler.

“I can’t believe it,” Thales said with a hearty laugh.

A large open forge took up the better part of the room and covered the cramped space in heat. A chimney siphoned some of the smoke off into some forgotten warren of the Hollows, but there was still enough to make Maxwell cough. Thales had apparently been at work on something because there was a twisted piece of metal still glowing red on the anvil that occupied the center of the room. Shelves filled the rest of the space, much of it laden with tongs, hammers, and other well-used tools.

Walter frowned and walked over to Marigold and Thales. “Walter,” he said, extending his hand and forcing an end to the hug.

“Of course,” Thales said. He put Marigold down and shook Walter’s hand perfunctorily before turning to Maxwell. “And who is this, then?”

Maxwell looked over at Marigold, who nodded. He removed the bandana and hat.

“I knew it,” Thales said. “A real human. Here in the Hollows.”

“You could tell?” Marigold asked.

Thales didn’t answer. He was mesmerized. “I can’t remember the last time I saw one of your kind. Come here, little human. Let me look at you.”

Maxwell walked closer to Thales, who was twice his size. Heat radiated off his blackened apron. He bent down to inspect Maxwell more closely.

“Yes, a normal human. Nothing special about you, eh?”

“Um—”

“No, nothing at all.” Thales circled Maxwell before turning back to Marigold. “If anything, he looks a bit messy. So, there must be something unusual going on here then, right?”

“It’s a bit of a long story.”

“Well, it just so happens, that I have time for some long stories. Come into the backroom and take a seat.”

“We don’t have much time, Thales. We just had some quick questions and wanted to see if you could look after Maxwell for a bit,” Marigold said.

“Still rushing through life, I see. Come, come, a few minutes won’t do any harm. You should rest your leg if nothing else. The wound looked quite nasty from where I was sitting,” he said.

“You saw the trials?” she asked.

“I saw one trial and two lucky accidents, no offense,” Thales said, patting Walter on the back.

Maxwell did not take offense, but Walter looked as if he very much did.

“Perhaps we should rest awhile,” Marigold said, looking over at Walter.

“Sure, whatever,” Walter replied, sounding like a surly teenager.

Thales doused the glowing scrap of metal in a bucket of water next to the anvil and led them through the back of his workshop and into the house beyond.

Walter sidled up to Maxwell as they followed Thales down a twisting hall lined with doors. “How do you think he knows her?”

“Thales?” Maxwell asked.

“They seem friendly, don’t they? Very friendly.”

“I guess. Why do you care?”

“I don’t. It’s just strange. That’s all. I mean, why would someone like Marigold be on such good terms with someone like him.”

It did not seem as if Walter wanted an actual answer to this question, so Maxwell did not provide one.

Thales led them into a storage space that was as bright and spacious as a subterranean grotto could be. There were some coils of wire and abandoned scrap, but the room had plenty of space to unwind with leather armchairs and a bed on one side of the room. There was also a simple wooden table in the middle, and sitting on it, in a miniature chair, reading a miniature book, was the gerbil Maxwell had faced earlier. She stood up as they entered the room.

“Marigold, I want you to meet my wife,” Thales said.

Marigold was gobsmacked.

Elvie stood up and bowed deeply. “It’s good to finally meet you. My husband speaks of you often.”

“Husband?” Marigold said, turning to Thales.

“I would have told you if I had a way to reach you,” he replied.

“Thales recognized you when we arrived at the trial grounds. He encouraged me to volunteer,” Elvie said.

“I thought we might tilt the balance in your favor,” Thales added.

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Elvie bowed to Maxwell. “It was a noble battle. I’ve never had the honor of fighting a human.”

“But did you know I was human at the time?” Maxwell asked.

“Not at first, but your breath gave it away,” she replied.

Walter looked over at Marigold smugly. She ignored the glance. She was still staring at Thales and didn’t appear to be listening to the conversation at all.

“How long?” she asked.

“The marriage? Only a few years now. Elvie came to me to forge a weapon.”

“Fine work,” Elvie said, holding up the tiny blade. The sight of it, made Maxwell rub his arm.

Thales gathered the chairs scattered around the room and set them around the table. They were one short, so he pulled up an old wooden crate for himself. It creaked beneath his weight.

“Maybe we should get IT out. I mean, if it’s safe.” Maxwell said.

Marigold had been staring off into the distance, lost in thought. “Oh, sure.” She pulled out the cleaning robot and placed it on the table.

“Was I quiet enough for you, frog?” IT said. The robot turned around to look at Thales and Elvie. “Nice to meet you both.”

“Fascinating,” Thales said, examining the robot. “An artificial creature.”

“I am not,” IT said. “I’m very real. I’m just not all squishy like you.”

“Apologies. I didn’t mean offense. I’m impressed.”

“Yeah, you better be,” IT said.

“You’re not bothered?” Walter asked.

Thales shrugged, but Walter didn’t seem ready to let the matter go.

“I thought creatures down here smashed anything more complicated than a sundial.”

“You judge us unfairly. I have no issue with machines. I just want my labor to be my own.”

Walter snorted.

“A problem?” Thales asked.

“No, no problem,” Walter said. He looked away.

“So, tell me about this catastrophe that has brought a human to the Hollows,” Thales said.

Marigold did her best to explain the story to Thales, though she was distracted. IT filled in the occasional gap, and Walter made no sound at all, other than the impatient tap of his fingers against the table. Maxwell remained silent as well, comforted to hear the random series of events he’d experienced formed into a story that kind of, almost, sort of made sense.

“So, this human is the source of some technical problem,” Thales said.

“That’s a gross simplification, but yes, more or less,” IT said.

“That’s why we’re going to set things right by getting him to the World Cauldron,” Marigold said.

“But the Cauldron isn’t connected to any machines. That was a condition of the peace. Reality was to remain untouched,” Thales said.

“That’s why it’ll work. The Cauldron is the only thing functioning properly right now. It’s the only way to fix things.”

“Technically, we don’t know if we can set things right even if we do reach the Cauldron,” IT added.

“We will,” Marigold said. “We have to.”

“Ah, that is the Marigold I remember,” Thales said. “Your certainty amidst the uncertain always set you apart, but there’s still a long road in front of you. The Cauldron is somewhere in the lower depths, and they say it’s hard to reach. How did you intend to get there? Do you even know the way?”

“I was hoping to ask some of the locals about it. Maybe they’d know exactly where to find it.”

“I see, and you’d like me to look after your stray human while you do?”

“If you don’t mind.”

“Marigold, you know that you and your friends are always welcome under my roof.”

Walter snorted again.

Did I say something funny?” Thales said to Walter.

“No, nothing funny,” Walter replied.

“You seem to dislike me.”

“No, you’re very nice, very accommodating. One wonders why someone so open-minded would lock themselves away down here.”

“In my home?” Thales asked.

“In the Hollows,” Walter replied. “You weren’t born here, I take it. Why come down here and cling to the darkness if you had a choice?”

“To find a path for myself that wasn’t set in advance.”

Walter rolled his eyes. “To run away from your duty, you mean.”

“I don’t like how you’re talking to my husband,” Elvie said standing up and walking in front of Thales.

Thales, however, did not show any sign of anger. He motioned for calm with his hand. “I wasn’t willing to pretend to be something I’m not. Like everyone in my line, I was born a god of the hearth, not an administrator or bureaucrat, certainly not some kind of technician.”

“Is that what you think I am?” Walter asked.

“I don’t know what you are. I just met you.”

Walter snorted a third time. He rose out of his seat as he leaned across the table.

Thales’ calm demeanour was dissolving. “Why are you trying to provoke me in my home? What have I done?”

“I’ve met others like you before. The ones that thought they could do what they wanted while the rest of us sacrificed everything to keep the wheels turning, the ones who turned away when presented with a universe with less suffering, less brutality, the ones I went to war with.”

“I’m too young to have fought in the war, though I’m sympathetic to those that did.”

“That’s even worse.” Walter was shouting now.

Marigold stood up and put a hand on the demon’s shoulder. “You don’t know what you’re talking about, Walter. Sit down.”

Walter looked as if he might lash out at Marigold too, but then remembered himself and let out a long sigh.

“I’m sorry,” Walter said, though he did not look very sorry at all.

“We should go,” Marigold said to Thales. “You’ve been kind, and we’ve been rude.”

“Nonsense. I’m not afraid of an argument, but your friend does seem lost in the past.”

“He does,” Marigold agreed. “But we don’t have time for arguments. We have to find out what we can.”

“Perhaps, I could help,” Elvie said. Everyone’s attention moved to the gerbil at the center of the table. “I spend my days exploring the cracks and crevices of the Hollows. I’ve heard talk of the Cauldron from the older folks down in the Slaughter Market.”

“Right, well, I know where that is. I’ll just go myself,” Marigold said.

“They’ll consider you an outsider,” Elvie said. “And the creatures we are to visit detest nothing more than an outsider. I, on the other hand, am well known to them.”

Marigold looked uncertain. “I don’t think—”

“You should take her help, Goldie,” Thales said. “She knows things nobody else down here does. If anyone is going to get you where you’re going, it's her.”

Marigold winced. “I guess—”

“It’s decided then,” Thales said. “Elvie will help you search for an entrance, and I’ll watch the human.”

“I’ll watch him too,” IT said, though nobody seemed to notice.

“Thank you, Thales. I knew we could count on you,” Marigold said with a sad smile.

“Of course, it’s no problem at all.”

“There’s one last thing you should know,” Marigold said. “Av’enna’s among the ones looking for Maxwell.”

Thales’ smile evaporated. “I see. Then she might think to look for you here.”

Marigold nodded. “That’s why we have to be quick.” She stood up, but the pressure on her injured leg caused her to wince and stumble.

“Are you OK?” Thales said, rushing over to her.

She shook him off. “I’ll be fine.”

“Perhaps, you should rest,” Elvie said.

“I’ll be fine,” she said again. She turned around to Maxwell. “We’ll only be gone for a bit. Be careful.” She walked toward the door with Walter in tow. The demon said nothing. He was fuming.

“Make yourself at home, Maxwell,” Thales said with an encouraging smile. “I’ll come join you when I’ve completed a few chores.”

Maxwell was glad to see everyone go. He was exhausted and wanted to sleep. He lay down on the oversized bed, stretched out, and closed his eyes. He could feel sleep overcoming him at last, a softness flooding his—

“How are you holding up, buddy?” IT asked.

Maxwell could feel the robot’s sensors resting on Maxwell from the floor. He opened his eyes.

“Tired, but fine. I think I’m fine.”

“Fine is good. You’ve gone through a lot. We both have.”

Maxwell grudgingly made his way back up to a sitting position and looked down at IT.

“At the beginning, back up in the Junction, I thought this all might be an exciting adventure, but it's mostly just confusing with little bits of terror sprinkled in.”

“Maybe that’s just what adventures are really like,” IT said.

“I guess so.”

“I mean this is all new to me, too, but I like the excitement.”

“Is that what makes you different?”

“What?”

“You said you were different when I first met you, different from the other robots.”

“Oh, that. I say a lot of things, but I guess excitement is part of it. It’s hard to explain, but there’s a weird feeling inside me I don’t think is supposed to be there. I know how I’m supposed to think, but something allows me to act differently. I don’t think the other robots get to do that. Plus, I don’t seem affected by the outage very much.”

“Why is that?” Maxwell had been wondering about this since they had met.

“That’s a good question, for once. I have no idea.”

“Well, it makes you braver than me. I almost always do what I’m supposed to.”

“Maybe that’s because you’re still thinking you have something to lose. I know I don’t. Anything is better than being back in the computer.”

“So, you’re loving all of this.”

“Pretty much. Other than the frog always treating me like a tool, that is. If you could stop her from switching me off or throwing me in her bag when I’m inconvenient, I would appreciate it.”

“I’ll do my best.”

“Thanks, buddy. Hey, you look tired, you should probably get some sleep. My records show that—wait that can’t be right, eight hours a day?”

Maxwell nodded.

“You’d better get started then. That’s a lot of time to make up. Humans are pretty inefficient, huh?”

“Yeah, probably,” Maxwell said.

“Go on then.”

Maxwell lay down and closed his eyes again.

Without warning. IT began to vacuum. It should’ve been annoying, but the sound was rhythmic and almost soothing. Worry had driven Maxwell through the day, but fatigue was quickly overtaking him. He set the pieces of his disguise on the floor beside the bed. Almost immediately, he could feel consciousness fading into dream. Less than a minute later, he was asleep.