Far beneath them, the Brass Behemoth continued to march through the Gray Vale.

Within the behemoth’s jail, Hubert paced back and forth.

Right, what am I goin’ ta do? he thought. Tenacia’s out there alone, doin’ who knows what to try and save me. I gotta get outta ‘ere so she dosen’t risk ‘erself savin’ me

He turned and grabbed the bars.

Them guards from before gone, so maybe I can trick this ‘ere new guard. Who is this new guard anyways?

He looked at the tall-armored figure that stood at the end of the jail’s exit, the guard was as still as statue as they stood in their heavy armor.

“Oi guard!” Hubert yelled. The guard didn’t budge, they stood there perfectly unmoving.

“What’s with that ugly helmet yet got there on ye mug! Ye get that from a junkyard or somethin’?”

No response.

“S’matter? Yer ears so fulla wax ya can’t hear anythin’? Or ye just so stupid ye don’t know what I’m sayin’?”

Once again no response.

Hubert scratched his beard, the “Insult Them ‘Till They Try To Attack Ya Then Bash Their Heads Against The Bars And Take The Keys” plan wasn’t working. This guy wasn’t even trying to make a snide comeback.

To say nothing on how my insults are weak, Hubert thought to himself with a wry smile. It isn’t easy getting under someone’s skin when they just seem to lack a personality at all.

Hubert then moved on to another plan, he looked around his jail cell. It was an almost perfectly smooth cell without any nuts or bolts to unscrew, the only notable features of this metal cube was a long cold bench and a small pipe with a knob on top above a basin coming out of one of the walls. Hubert smiled as he looked at this device, he knew its purpose and how he could exploit it.

Hubert turned this knob, there was a bit of gurgling and out of the pipe came water. Hubert cracked his knuckles and then punched the knob, it was now thoroughly bent and stuck. Hubert ran to the bars and yelled at the guard again.

“Guard! Guard! The wash bowl is broken! It is just spittin’ water without stoppin’!”

The guard remained unmoved.

“Alright, but don’t blame me when we get flooded…” Hubert said, strutting to the bench and sitting on it.

A few minutes later, the basin was full and water was pouring out onto the ground of the jail.

Hubert heard the guard finally start to move to his cell.

“About time ya got ‘ere” Hubert said to the guard as he unlocked the cell, he gave his guard a big mocking smile, his teeth glinting strangely brightly even in the dim light.

Each move exacting and stiff, the guard entered and walked to the flooding basin, they then grabbed the knob and tore it off.

Hubert slowly snuck away out of the cage. The exit was plenty far enough from the basin, there should be no way he could catch Hubert in time.

Just as Hubert was about to make a run for it, he found the back of his coat being grabbed. He turned and saw the guard’s arm had extended a fool foot and grabbed him. With their other arm the guard produced a new knob and twisted it, with a hand that spun around like a top. The guard then tossed Hubert back to his bench and turned off the water. The guard marched out of the cell and locked it.

Hubert looked a this guard, more intrigued than angry. Clearly a constructed thing, the dwarf thought to himself, It can’t be a golem ‘cause there is no place to put the tablet, its gotta be an automaton.

Hubert cricked his back and went to the bars and stared out of them, looking at the guard closely. He noticed it was made of a greyer metal than the reddish brass of the room. Its style was also completely different from everything else on the behemoth, it was more streamlined with feathery and eye designs, but also made from pre-forged armor in contrast to the architecture of the behemoth which was more angular but with everything clearly custom made.

There is no way the maker of that automaton is the maker of this giant walking monstrosity… Not sure how it helps me, but at least I got somethin’ to think about, Hubert thought, scratching his beard as he sat back down in the corner of his cell.

Tenacia and Delphine sat around the campfire (though in Delphine’s case she was set on a nearby rock) and watched the big kettle that hung above the flames. Twist was stirring a stew of mushrooms he had gotten from around the cave, then thrown in with some food also gotten from his hat (onions and carrots to be exact), as well as some strange blue meat they had gotten from Delphine’s own pantry

“Almost done there?” Tenacia asked, snacking on some rations.

“Almost!” Twist happily responded. The rations would work fine as food, but he was happy they would snack on something with more flavor soon.

A few minutes later, Twist got out three bowls from his hat and poured the stew into each. He handed one to Tenacia and placed a bowl in front of Delphine. Delphine glared at him, then leaned her hat head forward to lap up the stew. Twist looked in fascination as a cloth tongue came out of her mouth and to slurp up the stew.

Tenacia ate up the stew with her spoon, and then nodded in approval.

“Not bad!” she commented. The stew was savory, if a bit bitter.

“It does need improvement but thank you very much!” Twist said, “Best I could on short notice”

“Better than anything I could have done, brellcap mushrooms are great! My mom used to use them all the time”

“Hmm! I will remember that” Twist replied, sitting on a rock to eat “I honestly only used them here since they were the only mushrooms here I knew weren’t poisonous. Still not sure what the meat is myself, I just got it from Delphine’s pantry”

“Its ahuitzotl meat” Delphine said, licking her fabric lips.

“Bless you” Tenacia responded.

“No! An ahuitzotl, it’s a monster that lives up in Oshea”

“Ahh… We’ll know not to eat it when we go up there” Tenacia remarked “It is way too gamey”

They finished up the stew, Twist cleaned up the bowels and put them away back into this hat. Then he sat and thought.

“Hmm, it occurs to me we need review the dreaded Brass Behemoth. Infiltrating that terrible machine won't be easy, even with Fatana's help"

Tenacia was surprised Twist brought this up so sudden, but eagerly nodded “Yeah, we gotta find a way to deal with the fat sorcerer! I hate to admit, but he is most dangerous thing on the behemoth”

“Yes, a member of a wicked cult that seems to have hijacked an ancient machine. A cult that has gotten two knights under their thrall” Twist said, suddenly very loudly.

“Uhh yeah I know…” Tenacia said, giving Twist a confused look.

Tenacia then noticed his gaze, he was looking right at Delphine.

Then Tenacia smiled, figuring out what Twist was getting at: trying to pique Delphine’s interest. The hat was staring away with her usual scowl, but she was also looking right at Twist from the corner of her eye.

She would not admit it, but Delphine was getting interested in what was going on.

“Indeed! And they wanted us to rebuild something deep below! Somewhere in the depths of the Underworld, I bet!” Tenacia said boisterously, trying not to chuckle.

“What the Gehenna is this about a giant machine and a cult?” Delpine suddenly asked in anger.

Twist and Tenacia smiled at each other. Hook, line, and sinker.

“Basically there is this huge mechanical thing that is walking around deep beneath us and there are these undead” Tenacia answered.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“What kind of undead?” Delphine asked.

“Well that is the thing, they weren’t just undead; they were mixed with metal, clockwork zombies you could say”

"Deadworks, haven't heard of those in a while..." Delphie murmured.

Twist and Tenacia looked at her in surprise.

Delphine was then quiet for a long time, thinking. Then she finally asked “Was there a fool named Karogoz on this big walking machine?”

“Why yes!” Twist exclaimed in surprise “He is the sorcerer Tenacia spoke of. He was tall, fat, and most unpleasant. Do you know him?”

“He was an apprentice of mine years ago. He was a natural necromancer and sought ways to make his zombies better, including using metal parts”

“That is both brilliant and disgusting” Twist remarked.

“How did the fat fool smell?”

“Uhhh?” Tenacia and Twist uhhh’d.

“Answer the question, you dolts!” Delphine replied impatiently.

“I didn’t get the best whiff of him” Tenacia slowly explained, thinking, “But he did smell bad... Rotten.”

Delphine’s already sour expression scrunched up further in disgust.

“Pah! That little fool, I always knew he was terrified of death and it would make get him into trouble”

“You saying he became undead or somethin’?” Tenacia asked, frowning at the thought. What kind of person willingly becomes an undead?

“Yes and no” Delphine answered, “Karogoz has become a bodach, I am willing to bet”

Twist and Tenacia looked at the hat, their eyes wide in confusion.

“A bodach? An again-walker? A wight? Bah! Are neither of you versed in necromancy?”

“Necromancy is illegal in Minvaco” Twist answered quickly and solemnly.

“Why would I want to know anything about magic that messes with the dead?” Tenacia asked indignantly.

“Hmph! How naïve… Basically he has become something decidedly not what he was before” Delphine grumbled.

“Descriptive…” Tenacia sarcastically said.

“When a magician really wants power and immortality, they may make a deal with an Infernal!” Delphine explained impatiently “Basically the Infernal removes their soul, fills the hollow body with black magic, and then puts the soul back in the wizard they made the contract with!”

Twist and Tenacia’s faces both blanched.

“A demonic contract?” Tenacia asked, her expression grave.

“Correct” Delphine said, nodding grimly.

Twist and Tenacia looked at each other, a thought coming up in both of their minds: Karogoz had stated he was a high ranking member of the Grand Faloon.

What if the same infernal he made a deal with was also their object of worship?

Given how rotten the Grand Faloon had proven to be so far, this would be a surprise, but it was still a sobering thought and it made them both more worried for Hubert’s safety. Infernal cults were all mad and terrible.

“Why would he want to be in such a state?” Twist finally asked Delphine, “To be within a body that cannot die, yet still be rotting away and at the mercy of a heartless spirit?”

“Never underestimate what fear does to folk” Delphine explained seriously, “The little upstart was always afraid of death, so this is his way of avoiding it. He may be in a decaying body, but he can’t die of old age or disease now and the Infernal’s magic ensures he will remain alive even if he rots to bones!”

“So is he immortal?” Twist asked.

“Nope, not even a bodach is truly deathless. If his body is damaged enough it will crumble away and his soul will lose its grip on the body and come right to the infernal he made the deal with” Delphine explained “If the infernal wants it, he will come back, but if he ceases to be useful the infernal will drop him like a sack of potatoes”

“Well, that would serve him right then” Tenacia scoffed.

Twist scratched his chin, thoughtfully and seriously.

“Honestly, I am quite convinced this Grand Faloon is an infernal cult. A higher up being a bodach, what they did to a god, and the clear presence of dark experimentation with those undead automatons, the deadworks… It is exceedingly likely”

Tenacia nodded in agreement, “No doubt in my mind"

Delphine looked at Tenacia “You mentioned you and your brother were kidnapped”

“That is right” Tenacia replied “They wanted something with me and my brother to be sure deep below”

“Did they tell you?” Delphine asked.

“Nope, just captured us and encased us. We were both working on our wagon, next thing we know we are attacked and knocked out. Then we wake up in separate cells”

“Oh a wagon?” Twist asked excitedly “Were you guys traveling?”

“Hmm you could say that. It was an experiment”

Twist’s eyes glowed in anticipation.

“What kind of experiment?” he asked.

Tenacia chuckled at his childlike energy “As a matter of fact we were messing with the wagon of ours. We were trying to make it so it could move on its own without any horses or anything pulling it”

“Ooh! An automatic wagon! Revolutionary!” Twist laughed joyously “Brilliant! Was the experiment a success?”

“No idea unfortunately” Tenacia sighed “We had it all set to use, but then that cult nabbed us”

“The better question is who cares?!” Delphine griped “Focus! Who has this cult sent after you?”

“Not sure, two folk at least but no idea who they are” Twist explained, “We were able to give them the slip by utilizing a dwarven runecart. With them unable to use it, it will take them forever to catch up”

“If we’re lucky, they lost their way” Tenacia said hopefully, “These caves are one big labyrinth”

“Indeed! I doubt anyone from the surface would last here long without someone who planned ahead and has a map of the Underworld, like me” Twist chuckled, “How can someone who has never stepped foot in the Underworld find someone who knows it well?”

"No clAACH!" Tenacia squeaked. She felt something cold against her arm, she held it up and at the end was a small brown slime. Tenacia glared at it then tossed it away. There was a splatter as it hit the wall.

"Oh that's right, there are a lot of slimes in this neck of Lethes!" Twist said in fascination, looking in wonder at the swarm of tiny slimes flee in fear.

"Yeah, I've noticed" Tenacia grumbled.

Klamka could still sense the magic from whatever artifact Twist had going along the tracks, so knew it was the right way to go. Eventually Lionel and Klamka made camp next to the stone path, they had been following it for many hours and decided it was finally time to rest. With Lionel’s fire magic it was quick to make a campfire and they picked some mushrooms to eat. Once the food was gathered, Lionel drew a circle in the dirt around the fire and spoke some magic words.

"Flames of purity, so bright and warm

Keep monsters away, protect us from harm"

The fire became a bit more gold in color and shined a bit brighter.

"What was that?" Klamka asked.

"Ahh just a simple monster repelling spell. We can rest and sleep easily with this now sacred flame guarding us... It also cooks food more efficiently!" Lionel replied happily. He then took his helmet off.

This was the first time Klamka saw Lionel with his helmet off. His face was dark-skinned and youthful with a black pointed beard.

“I was wondering what you looked like under that helmet” Klamka remarked.

“Handsome ain’t I?” Lionel asked with a sly grin.

“Hmph” was Klamka’s only reply.

“Why not take your helmet off too? I am willing to bet you have a cute face.”

Klamka shook her head “I do not think this place is safe, I will wait until we are someplace I know I for a fact I won’t be attacked in the head by some underworld beast”

“That is actually a good reason, not bad” Lionel chuckled. He put a large mushroom at the end of his sword, then held it above his campfire.

“You don’t think our targets will get too far ahead?” Lionel asked “I was surprised you were okay with resting.”

Klamka folded her arms in front of her as she sat down “We have traveled far in our armor, so must rest”

“Heh good point, they won’t be comfortable to sleep in either”

“And I am not worried, from what I understand the bat is more of a mage” Klamka continued, “Mages are stronger in mind than body, so he will need to rest more, even with his allegedly strong companion. Also, from what I understand, the Underworld is filled with monsters. They will need to deal with them like us, as long as we fight well we will catch up to them”

Lionel nodded, paying more attention to this roasting mushroom than to Klamka.

“You made sure that mushroom isn’t poisonous or intoxicating right?” Klamka asked, eyeing the fungus suspiciously.

“Eeyup I did” Lionel responded “I did my research on what is edible before I came down here, I even have a book in my pack if you want to read it; this here mushroom is plastosilenia rexa bisporus, also known as the ‘greater grey mushroom’. It is common in this neck of the Underworld, earning its name due to being much larger than its fellow grey mushrooms. It is perfectly safe for consumption, though has a strong chance of causing diarrhea”

Lionel paused, then he chuckled.

“Ahhh I forgot about the last part… Oh well, I’ve had worse food”

Klamka shook her head, though she was also had to admit that she was impressed how prepared Lionel seemed to be. Perhaps he wouldn’t be so unreliable.

“So Lionel, are you a Magi Knight?” she asked.

Lionel chuckled again as his mushroom roasted.

“About time you noticed I was a magi knight! I was wondering if you being a mage hunter was all talk. Was it my giant sword with glowing runes or my magnetic personality that clued it off?”

“I noticed from the beginning, I just saw no reason to mention it” Klamka sternly answered “No banter for now, tell me about this Grand Faloon”

“What makes you think I would know much about em? I look like a loony cult member?”

“The Magi Knights are foremost a religious order. Your founder is one of the greatest paladins ever to have lived: Avalon Artevo. He began your order with the express purpose of stomping out spiritual corruption.”

“Hey, good research!” Lionel chuckled again.

“And infernals are at the top of that list. So if the Magi Knights are helping the Grand Faloon, I assume it is either fine or you are a double agent. Which is it?”

Lionel nodded and chuckled “Ha, well princess… It is kinda neither”

Klamka frowned behind her helmet.

“The Grand Faloon approached me and I just accepted the job without question”

“Hold on, you are not affiliated with the Magi Knights after all? But you wear the armor, their weaponry, and utilize their tactics!”

“Joined em for a bit, then left when it got too hard” Lionel chuckled “Just wanted some extra skills to be an adventurer see? I’m helping the Grand Faloon for some good money!”

“So you not only aren’t a true Magi Knight, but know nothing about the Grand Faloon” Klamka groaned. Clearly this man wouldn’t be reliable after all.

Lionel shrugged apologetically “Sorry about that! I ain’t some noble knight, just an adventurer seeking coinage! I know some stuff about them, but probably nothing you don’t already know”

“I know little, so tell me anyway” Klamka asked, desperate for any information.

Lionel popped his mushroom off his sword “They are a pretty lovey-dovey cult, big on harmony and tolerance and stuff like that. Honestly? Seems pretty hollow, been among them and most of them are a lot nastier than they would let on. To say nothing of their creepy leaders, as you've seen. If you ask me, I am willing to bet it is front for some guild of bandits or sorcerers or something like that”

Klamka pondered this information.

“Hmmm... Thank you, that was helpful information, as was your input” she said.

Lionel nodded and bit into his mushroom “Still going to trust this Grand Faloon, by the way?”

Klamka thought for a bit.

“My own concerns are no matter, if my father trusts the Grand Faloon, then that is good enough for me” she answered confidently.

“Whatever you say princess” Lionel replied, he gulped own his mushroom, "Got another question: what are those big round things you got?"

He gestured toward the sash with the five mason spheres, Klamka had taken it off and set it aside.

"Antimagic bombs" Klamka answered, "When they detonate, they will let loose an antimagic field. No one can cast spells in the field and any enchantments stuck in it are removed"

"Ahhh sounds handy for fighting a mage! Not so handy when your ally casts magic"

"You can use that sword normally, you don't need to rely on magic"

"No, but it is useful AND looks cool"

"Ridiculous" Klamka grumbled, "No more questions. Just be quiet and eat please"

"Gotcha princess" Lionel said with a smile.