Twist had the feeling of something hovering around his head... He opened his eyes to look up a pale sky with numerous golden stars... Then the stars came closer and he realized they were all golden eyes staring right at him.

Twist immediately woke up with a small “EEP!” and sat up, still tired but now with some renewed energy. He realized that Tenacia’s jacket was on him like a blanket. He was also now in a deep ditch.

“Glad you woke up quick, sounded like a mean nightmare” Tenacia remarked. She was sitting on a rock, jacketless. Twist could now see her red tunic, it was thickly woven and covered in pockets where tools would normally be.

“Ahh hello my new companion!” Twist joyfully greeted, getting up and handing Tenacia her jacket “How did we get here by the way?”

“I carried you to someplace safer, a bunch of those metal skeletons were coming out,” she explained, putting her jacket back on, “The Behemoth ain't goin' after us, but we better get going before the clankers find us,”

Twist nodded, then saw that Tenacia now had bandages around her arm.

“Oh my! Are you okay Miss Tiffany?” Twist asked, eyes wide in worry.

Tenacia shook her head “Nope! I’m okay, that knight’s fire whip just did a number on my arm. Its a good thing they didn't find the bandages I had hid. Also, its Tenacia.”

Twist nodded, then scratched his head. His thoughts turned to the nightmare that had woken.

Tenacia gave a groan and winced as she tried to put weight on her leg. This snapped Twist backt to the current situation.

“Right, my poor companion’s leg seems to be wounded. What to do? What TO do? What to DO?” he thought rapidly to himself. “I should move her myself, but that would risk further hurting her leg. I am physically a weakling and have proven I cannot lift her. Then I could pause her in time! No wait, I have not rested enough to have enough vis to cast more time magic safely. Plus her being still in time would just make her harder to move. I still haven’t figured out how to pause something and still be able to move it…”

“You okay there?” Tenacia asked, hearing his rapid whispering.

Twist paused and cleared his throat.

"Sorry, I was thinking out loud" he answered.

Tenacia gave him a thumbs up.

“Don't worry about me. I made sure to tend to my wounds well enough, my brother taught me how. I can rest later, like I said we gotta get goin’ before the clankers catch us”

“Fair!” Twist said, he smiled broadly “Alright, Tenebris!”

“Tenacia” the half-dwarf corrected, a tad stiffly.

“Right Tenacia, my apologies I am not the best with names! I know roughly the wheree we are, but I will need some input from you. From where did that giant machine enter the Gray Vale?”

“Errr where now?”

“This whole area, this is the Gray Vale,” Twist explained, peaking out of the ditch “One of the biggest of the many giant caverns within Lethes.”

“And what is Lethes?” Tenacia asked, even more confused.

“Okay we’ll get back to that, I’ll inform you on Underworld geography a bit later. I think I know where to go”

Twist took a good look around him, then he climbed out of the ditch and ran away.

“Hey where are you going?!” Tenacia shouted, climbing up and quickly following.

“There is a place we can get some help over yonder!” Twist replied. He paused, "Oh sorry, I forgot we are traveling together!"

Tenacia sighed and caught up with him, "We didn't really make it official... But yeah, better we travel together" she said out loud. Internally, she thought: I dunno about this brainscattered bat, but one ally is better than none.

"Excellent! I tis great to have a companion!" Twist laughed, shaking Tenacia's hand. Tenacia accepted the handshake, though smirked a bit.

"So where are we going, Twist?" she asked.

“Over there!” Twist said, pointing at something afar.

Tenacia looked at what he pointed at: she saw a great column of stone several feet before them. It was a giant stalactite that had connected to the floor after ages of growing. Most of it was naturally weathered, though there were distinct holes in it that looked like they were carved.

“What is that?” Tenacia asked, awed at the structure.

“A tower that will lead us closer to allies” Twist replied, panting.

“And what allies are those?”

“I’ll… Explain… When… We… Get…” Twist huffed as his body reminded him that he was still exhausted.

“You okay there? You are breathing awfully hard” Tenacia said, placing a hand on Twist’s shoulder.

“Yes… I.. Am… FineHEY! Not this again!”

Like on the Behemoth, Tenacia had slung Twist across her good shoulder.

“Really now? That arm of yours is hurt!” he exclaimed.

“I carried you in this state just minutes ago remember? And Don’t worry about it!” Tenacia gruffly replied, then a mischievous grin spread across her face “’Sides, I’ve carried things heavier than you when one of my arms was even more busted”

“Hmm encouraging!” Twist said.

Tenacia could not tell if it was sarcasm.

Tenacia soon arrived at the towering pillar of stone, after walking around it she found a hole that was very clearly carved in the shape of a doorway. Various unusual letters lined the passage.

“Fascinating! I wonder what those runes say?” Twist said, looking at the runes in fascination.

“You don’t know?” Tenacia asked surprised, assuming Twist knew everything about the area.

“Nope, sadly I never did too much reading in old runic letters. I can only hazard a guess that the same folk who carved into this stalagmite were also the ones who wrote them, most likely the formorians”

Tenacia put Twist down, giving him an incredulous look with a big frown.

“So you’ve never actually been here?” Tenacia asked, putting her hands on her hips.

“Oh certainly not! This is the farthest I’ve been out of my city”

“Then how do you know we are going the right way?”

“With a map of course”

“A map? How about handin’ it over rather than just tellin’ me where to go?” Tenacia growled, now losing her patience.

“Oh true! My apologies!”

Twist reached into this hat, his long arm going far deeper in than it should have. The hat got all the way to his shoulder, making Tenacia stare in amazement.

“Here it is!” Twist revealed, his arm came out of the hat and in its hands was a weathered parchment map.

He then snapped a finger “Ahh lets also get something to help with your lack of ability to see in the dark! The Glow Moss isn’t everywhere in the Underworld” Twist continued, once again reaching into his hat. He pulled out a square lantern, though this time a few other things also fell out of the hat.

“Oh woops!” Twist said, leaning down trying to get everything.

“Here lemme help” Tenacia said, grabbing the map and shoving it into a satchel on her belt. Amongst the various things that fell out of Twist’s hat were some wound bags containing rations, various colored balls, some golden hoops, three small books (“Beasts and Abominations of the Under Realms”, “The War to End All Wars”, and “The Pauper’s Pot: Book 1 of the Veracia Cycle”), and a small wand seemingly made of bone. Tenacia and Twist gathered these items and put them back into the hat.

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Then something else caught Tenacia’s eye. It was a dark square stone with a golden engraving on it that looked like a spiral.

“Whoa… Is this a rune stone?” Tenacia asked, utterly fascinated.

“Indeed it is,” Twist replied, impressed that she recognized what it was.

“I haven’t seen one of these in ages!” Tenacia said excitedly, picking up the rune stone ”I had heard that my uncles used to use them to make the hottest forges possible and even make monoliths that could fly!”

“Well! Fascinating indeed!” Twist said, raising his eyebrows. He was amazed at what Tenacia said but decided to keep his questions silent “Though sadly I have no idea what this one does, I don’t even know what this letter is”

Tenacia looked at the stone closely “Same, it ain’t like any dwarven rune I’ve ever seen. I can feel from the texture of the rock it is super old too! Ancient! Where did you find it?

Twist was about to answer, he heard the sound of gears grinding and metal feet meeting stone in a rhythmic march. He turned and saw a squad of the automatons marching toward him and his companion.

“Something to answer later I’m afraid, we better get going!” Twist said, pointing at the mechanical soldiers as he took the rune from Tenacia and put it back in his hat. Tenacia gazed at the automatons and nodded in agreement, then from one of her pockets she got out a round tinderbox. She lit the lantern using the sulfur matches within and followed Twist into the dark stone tower.

"Oh by the way my friend, do you have the feeling of being watched?" Twist asked.

"We are being watched by those clunkers, that's why we are running" Tenacia gruffly answered.

"I more meant... Ahh, probably just the stress talking" Twist chuckled.

Miles above back on the surface was a great city built between a corner of mountains, its buildings sturdy and ancient made from brick, stone, and iron. Surrounding the city were great walls and above those walls rose the castle of its king, the only things taller than this castle nearby were the mountains that that acted as an even more imposing wall. This was the city of Boroti and the capital of the kingdom of the same name, a sizeable province that grew to power thanks to its relentless military and impenetrable defenses. Someone standing at the foot of the city could how high its walls were, how many guards were stationed there, and a large stone plaque that was above the city’s entrance engraved with the friendly words: “No magic permitted within the city. Wizards, sorcerers, and sages begone!”

The king of this mighty kingdom was a man named Brodi sat in his throne. A large golden crown embedded with a large ruby rested on his head, his hair brown with streaks of grey, his long beard mostly grey, which he stroked nervously. He looked at something that stood on a pedestal next to his gold throne, a large box made of copper. It had two odd bells on it and on top was a metal bar that had two cup-like flanges at each end. Brodi looked at this thing with great terror, as if he expected it to attack him.

“Father, you called for me?” said a strong voice.

Brodi shook and reached for the bar on the box, but then stopped when he realized the voice was not what he thought it was. He sighed in relief and turned to a tall woman who had entered the room. She had black hair and shining iron armor, she kneeled before him. In one of her arms she held a helmet that had a distinct design that looked like the angular crown of Brodi’s head.

“M-my dear daughter,” Brodi stammered, “I am sorry to interrupt your training, b-but I must ask of you of… A mission”

“Calm yourself father” the woman said kindly, “I am ready to serve my country. Simply tell me what I must do”

“Yes! My apologies my daughter” Brodi said, clearing his throat “You see Klamka, we have allies that have braverly… I mean b-bravely traveled into the Underworld on private business! They seek us for aide and aide them we must.”

“What allies father? None of the other kingdoms we call friends with have made any expeditions to the Underworld as far as I know” Klamka replied, brow furrowing.

“Oh you know this? I am glad you are keeping an eye on the other kingdom’s daughter! Well done!” Brodi replied, he tried to lighten the mood with a chuckle, though it came out more like a sad wheeze.

“Thank you, father, but what of these allies I know nothing of?” Klamka asked.

“Oh yes! They are friends I have known for a while. Old friends I had before I was king you see. Scholars and wizards”

“Magicians?” Klamka said, eyes growing cold “Father, our kingdom swore never to rely on the forbidden arts. Our great ancestor King Boros was most adamant on the dangers and wickedness of magic”

“Ahh but remember Klamka! It pays to have allies, even those who follow lesser beliefs!”

Klamka was unconvinced but nodded.

“Right! Now…. Yes right! I want you to go to the Underworld and help our allies there, some dangerous… Thieves have attacked them and jeopardize their mission”

“Most concerning father, but how am I to get to the Underworld on such short notice?”

“Quite easy! Magic!”

Klamka’s frown grew more severe.

“Drastic times call for drastic measures Klamka” Brodi said sternly, “I won’t lie, things are grim for Boroti. Grimmer than you think! Those allies are doing something important, and if they fail the consequences will be dire.”

Klamka’s frown faded, she gave him a salute, pounding on his chest with a clenched fist. The iron gauntlet meeting the iron chest plate made a loud clang like a bell.

“Understood your majesty! I apologize for my doubt and I will prepare for this journey through the Underworld immediately. I will return ready to serve my country,”

“Thank you my daughter,” Brodi said, smiling in relief, “I don’t think I could run this kingdom without your strength or your mother’s wisdom.”

Klamka gave another salute and left the room to pack up her supplies.

Twist and Tenacia ran up the great spiral staircase of the stalactite. Tenacia took notice at how the stairs were made the designs engraved on the walls: these were carved by dwarves. There were subtle differences, these stairs were sharper in shape for example, but these were most assuredly made by dwarves.

"So that is how you knew dwarven, eh? You have dwarves down here?"

"Not for a long time, they moved higher up due to getting fed up with the monsters here, but yes! Dwarves have lived in the Underworld for a long time, and they've made a lot of ruins with passages, like this one!"

Midway up was an engraving of a stone eye above a lever in the wall, Twist reached into his hat and pulled out his piece of parchment before the eye. It glowed, then he pulled the lever. There was a thud farther down.

“And what is that all about?” Tenacia asked.

“Ahh you see, my people have made their own additions to these ruins” Twist chuckled, “These ruins contain special defenses that can keep anyone who isn’t a dwarf from entering. A long time ago though, magicians from my city wrote over the old enchantments the dwarves made, so now they can obey us!”

He gestured toward the parchment he had “Or at least those of us who were given special passes, like me. Either way, those on the Behemoth will need to find a new way to reach us with that door at the bottom closed.”

“Hmm handy” Tenacia remarked, then she gave Twist a suspicious look “And how did you get such a valuable pass?”

“Oh I can divulge that later, we should continue to travel for now,” Twist answered, putting his pass away.

Tenacia crossed her arms, but did not question further. They continued up the stone stairs, as they walked up Tenacia looked at the map Twist had handed her. She quickly frowned as she looked at it.

“Ok, I can’t make heads nor tails of this dumb map” she grumbled, turning it to look at it from various angles, "How do you read this garbage?"

“It is a tricky map, but no problem! I will explain it” Twist said, grabbing one edge of the map. On the map were 8 wide and short discs arranged in a circular fashion, various arrows and marks pointing to different lines and symbols in each one.

“Each one of these discs represents one of the layers of the Underworld” Twist explained, he pointed at the disc in the top right corner of the map “The topmost layer is Averno, which is the caverns of the surface. Clockwise is a the layer beneath Averno” Twist moved his finger to the circle to the right of Averno.

“See this? This is the layer Stygia which is right beneath the surface caverns. Then there is Oseha, which is above us. Next is Lethes, which is where we are now. Beneath that is Phlegeon where we definitely don’t want to go to. And beneath that is Eretarus, where we REALLY don't want to go! We just need to get through the rest of Lethes, then Oshea, then Stygia, then Averno, then bam! We are at the top!”

“What do you mean we?” Tenacia sked curtly, “I’m not leaving yet! I’m trying to save my brother from the Behemoth, I ain’t leaving him behind”

“Oh you are correct! I am truly sorry!” Twist said, tipping his hat “I am thinking of my own mission too much. That said, we need to continue upwards.”

“And why is that?”

“I am visiting another city of my race, the noctav, to seek help for a problem I have. I think they can help save your brother too!”

“So you expect a bunch of bats who don’t know me to lay siege to a walking fortress just because you ask them?” Tenacia asked, thoroughly not convinced.

Twist paused and his smile wavered “Well when you put it like that, I am sure it sound unlikely… But it is worth a shot, is it not?”

Tenacia looked at him. She was incredibly suspicious of this bat. Everything he was saying sounded crazy, fishy, and crazily fishy. He was probably leading her to some sort of trap, or best case scenario he was a thief on the run from his race. Twist had saved her yes, but what if it was just a way to earn her trust? And there was no way his earnestness and eccentricity was sincere.

Then Tenacia remembered she literally had no other lead. It was either follow Twist, or try to lay siege to the Brass Behemoth by herself to save her brother.

Tenacia sighed “Okay Twist, lead the way”

“Right madame! Onwards and upwards!” Twist said, excitedly picking up his pace.

Princess Klamka returned to her father’s throne room after arming herself. She now had a big backpack on which carried the essentials for travel, a sheathed sword at her hip, and a belt across her chest that carried five mason spheres.

“Your majesty, I am ready” Klamka proudly announced.

Brodi nodded energetically “Well done my daughter, quick as per usual! Now, I can send you to our allies”

Brodi gestured towards the box on the pedestal.

“Hold on, the phone will teleport me to them?” Klamka asked, eyebrows again furrowing “But is it not just a talking artifact? Like a magic mirror, something to use to speak with someone over a great distance”

“Oh it is more than that, it has…” Brodi quickly cleared his throat “It is special and powerful you see, it connects to another phone that our allies have. You may use it not only to speak, but to travel to them.”

Klamka looked at her king in disbelief, but then put on her helmet and walked to the device called a phone.

“Now pick up the receiver” Brodi explained “The thin thing on top, then hold it up to your ear. That’s it!”

“I won’t let you down father” Klamka declared proudly, Brodi was about to thank his daughter but then Klamka felt as if someone had grabbed her by the legs and dragged her away with the strength of an ox, soon everything around her was just a blur of colors.

She could tell this was the work of the phone, she had a sixth sense for knowing when magic was used. It had helped her as a mage hunter all her life. She still wasn’t too sure of this mission, but she had faith in her father. Rumors had long been circulating that perhaps King Brodi some outside help to ensure his kingship. Some whispered that it was infernal, others supernal, though regardless both those inside and outside Boroti wondered if there was some sort of magical secret to Boroti’s success. Klamka was determined to not only prove herself but prove these rumors wrong!