“Faster Tradfast!” I cried. Ignoring the acid burning at my throat, I put every ounce of strength and endurance I had left into the climb. My muscles felt as if they would burst, but I was close now. I could see right up Buro’s nose, see each drop of sweat on it as I made it to the machine’s neck.

“I’m going to get you, Buro! You traitor!” The neck was five vertical poles banded by loops of steel which I grabbed onto firmly. Instead of the freezing cold of the struts on the body, they were almost too hot to touch. Glowing rubies spiraled around them, the colour of hot blood.

“Stony, look out!” cried Tradfast, and I looked up to see Buro swinging down, the steel of his blade arcing at my neck in a silver flash. I ducked under the loop of steel above me, and the strike clattered off the metal.

"Get out of here!" shouted Buro, spittle flying from his lips. I screamed and tried to pull myself up, but was forced to duck again as he slashed at me one-handed, his other hand continuing to push buttons and flick switches.

“Stony!” shouted Tradfast. “Go around to the top. I’ll distract him from below.”

I nodded, and started edging around to the back of the machine’s head. Buro’s control area was fully enclosed but for the front, but that front opening was wide enough that I’d be able to swing through to where Buro sat. Provided Tradfast distracted him enough, that was. I would be hopelessly exposed if Buro decided to attack me as I came through.

The bounding loops of metal continued right around to the back of the neck, providing easy access to the machine’s summit. I clambered up, the clash of Buro and Tradfast’s blades ringing in my ears. The smell of acid grew stronger, but petered out as I hauled myself onto the roof. Now all I had to do was swing into Buro’s chamber without getting stabbed. I crawled forwards and peered down.

Tradfast, hanging onto a rung with only one hand, slashed madly at Buro, his long sword reaching into the chamber, each strike powerful enough to gash the metal of Buro’s control panel. Buro defended expertly, deflecting Tradfast’s clumsy slashes with grace. But his face was red and sweaty, and he winced visibly as a particularly powerful hit of Tradfast’s rang against his blade, almost knocking it from his hand.

“Die!” roared Tradfast, redoubling his attacks. Each strike send hot sparks flying, and Buro turned pale. But the big Overseer was puffing, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead and into his eyes. He couldn’t keep up his of assault for long. I drew in a deep breath; this was my only chance.

I crawled as fast as I could to the front edge of the head, turned so I faced backwards and grabbed the rim of face-window. My strong miner’s fingers had to remain firm here. The opening was slightly concave, and as long as I didn't lose my grip, I’d make it in safely.

So I swallowed, and kicked out. Nothing but my fingers between me and death, my heart leapt into my throat. Then my legs swung into the chamber. I let go with my fingers, and the world turned to a blur of silver and gem-light as my feet smacked into the chamber floor with a bending shudder. I sprang up and spun to face Buro.

His elbow caught me right under the chin with a crack, and my teeth smashed into my lip. Blood filled my mouth as I fell and crashed against the steel wall. Buro reached back with his sword to stab, and I threw myself to the side as the diamond-shaped point of his sword flew at my face like a silver dart. It missed by a finger width, and I rolled away, pulling my knife out.

His deranged and bloodshot eyes met mine.

“Look behind you, Buro!” I shouted, as Tradfast clambered in through the front, sword held ready to stab. I’d get him in his moment of distraction.

“Fool!” shouted Buro, and stabbed at me. I twisted to the side, the blade slicing through my shirt fabric and into my skin.

Before he could stab again Tradfast’s tree-trunk like arm wrapped around his throat. The veins on Buro’s neck bulged as he choked and coughed, then he narrowed his eyes. He reversed the grip on his sword, and with a mad smile, stabbed backwards at Tradfast.

I was on him, straining against the possessed dwarf’s unnaturally strong arm with my two, as the tip of his blade began to dig into Tradfast’s belly.

“I trusted you!” I screamed, and drove my forehead into his already bloodied nose. Then I fell forwards as Tradfast twisted away from Buro’s halted stab and threw us both to the floor. The Overseer’s enormous fist flew down and I shut my eyes on instinct. A smack and crunch sounded in my ears as he pounded Buro’s head into the metal floor.

The strength drained from Buro’s muscles and I pushed myself from under him, the smell of blood thick in my nose.

“Quick, grab his sword,” said Tradfast. His belly bled, but the wound didn't look too deep. “He’s waking up.”

Spitting a great blob of blood from my mouth, I stamped on Buro’s fingers, still curled around his sword hilt, and reached down to pull the weapon from his grasp. I pointed it at his back, still rising and falling with shaky breaths.

“Tell me what the fuck’s going on,” I said. “Or this sword is going straight through your spine. I’m not going to feel guilty if I kill you.”

Buro choked, rubbing at his neck with one hand, and struggled to rise. Tradfast planted a huge boot on the side of his head and pressed down.

“You’re not getting up, ghost,” he said. “You’re going to pay for killing Lorsson, and for bringing the Gods here.”

“I didn't bring the Gods here!” he said, voice strained as Tradfast’s weight compressed his jaw to near breaking point. “The priests brought the Gods here.”

“Yeah, maybe,” grunted the Overseer. “But they weren’t your enemies, were they? You and your King wanted the Gods to come. You supported the whole ritual, thinking after the dust had cleared you’d be rulers of a new paradise.”

I frowned. “Now I know why the sapphire was in the hall of the thousand pillars. It’s because you were all part of the fucking ceremony, ready to jump out and rule again once the Gods, or whatever creatures they are, finished their job ruining the place.”

Buro spat out more blood, staining the metal before his mouth crimson. “It doesn’t matter anymore. Our job is finished, and the King will rule again. We’ll have your bodies to live in, since our peoples’ are all gone. Fucking hell.” He wobbled his head a fraction in a feeble attempt to shake it. “Stupid bloody priests! Why did they have to end up killing everyone? Ten thousand years I spent in that bloody gem, waiting for some new civilisation to find its way into the halls. At least we didn't end up outside like the priests.” He grinned. “But we’re finished waiting.”

The machine, whose vibrations had been a constant buzz around us, fell still and silent. The lights dimmed to near blackness. All I could hear was our three straining breaths, and all I could see were gems glowing faintly, like dying stars.

“If this isn’t a weapon, what is this thing?” I asked. “What did you do to Lorsson? What were you going to do to me?”

“You’ll find out soon. There no need for me to tell you.”

“Tell us!” roared Tradfast. There was a slight crack, and a creak of metal as he increased the pressure on Buro’s head. “Tell us now or I’m going to crush your skull!”

There was a multicoloured flash, and the machine jolted, knocking me off my feet. Images of splintering wood and cascading rock filled my head. Would the machine collapse like our mining rig had? I stumbled to my feet, nearly slipping on a smear of blood and saliva. I blinked, eyes stinging. Every little switch and button was lit up like a coloured torch. Damn! My hands were empty; I’d dropped Buro’s sword.

“Tradfast!” I shouted, vision nothing but teary blurs and dancing lights. Something smacked me in the side of the head and I fell back down, ears ringing.

“Shit!” came Tradfast’s reply. “He’s got up!”

Through my tears, I saw that Tradfast was right. Buro stood over me, pressing and flicking the final few switches. I fumbled for my sword and tried to pull it out. Shit! It was caught on something. I yanked it once, wiggled it around twice, before finally managing to draw it. Raising it above my head, I blinked the last tears from my eyes.

“Stay there, Tradfast!” ordered Buro. He held his sword at the big dwarf’s stomach, and Tradfast could do nothing but raise his hands. “You can’t do anything now. The machine is ready. Our King will finally be free to rule again.”

I sprung forward, feeling a spur in my ankle but ignoring it, swordpoint aimed straight at Buro’s chest. He turned to stab, but not fast enough. I blocked his strike then sunk my sword deep into his lung. Blood spattered my face as he coughed, then he leaned over the panel, head dangling over the outside of the room.

“You two will die like insects. But I will live with my King, forever!” With the last ounce of his strength he threw himself backwards and flopped over the control panel to plummet down. I nearly fell after him, but steadied myself against the control panel at the last second, switches and buttons clicking beneath my palms.

The possessed dwarf smashed against the body of the machine, making the whole edifice ring, but before his broken body could slide off, he grinned at me. “I’m not really going to die,” he rasped, voice barely reaching me. “Not really...”

Out of the topmost chamber thick leather tendrils, each one ending in a clean cut where I’d sliced them before, but still long enough for their purpose, wrapped around Buro’s legs. My eyes stung as the machine let out an acid breath of anticipation. Then it dragged Buro, still grinning, into the chamber.