Two more weeks later...

It has been a month total since Jesse's group arrived at the Clockwork Fortress. In that time, Axel's wound has finally healed. Magic can do wonderful things.

He can feel his arm again, no longer having the dire option of amputation. So Axel finally got better, only for him to slave away like Jesse and Olivia.

Axel just helps Jesse in the mines deep below the fortress. Bailey had gotten work too as she makes potion after potion. Stocking up for the soldiers, not for the desperate refugee's begging for help.

Olivia had finally placed the redstone turrets all around the top of fortress' wall, the same things she used at the Tournament: three dispensers on a metal rod that shoots arrows.

Even though each of their work is different, it's all for the same thing: preparing for the assault on the Clockwork Fortress. But the mystery remains, who is the cloaked man? Why does he want to kill everyone under the command of the Clockwork Fortress?

Well, PAMA knows why. The meatbag it is controlling is standing on the flat top of a cliff, looking at the Clockwork Fortress from 200 blocks away.

It's easy since PAMA created a metal exoskeleton, completely covering the female meatbag's body. The helmet encases her head in metal, except the back where her blonde hair flows out, and covering her face as PAMA created lenses in the eyeholes to zoom in so it can spy on things from a distance. PAMA went that extra step to have runes containing the skill [Mana Vision], provided by his master, to gather more data.

It started snowing harder as a harsh wind blew, making the female meatbag's blonde hair fanned out behind her with the wind.

"Who knew spying is so easy?" A dead voice coming from being PAMA. The computer-possessed female turned around to look at the freak.

But about fifty blocks away, a massive swarm of undead monsters is approaching from behind. Hundreds in total due to a month of slowly gathering the undead monsters to follow him.

"Indeed, it is." PAMA acknowledged. The voice of the female at a higher pitch with static mixed in. "Soon everything shall fall into place,"

"And the slaughter can start." The freak finished, but then looked at PAMA. His dead eyes stared at PAMA's red-possessed eyes glowing through the metal-encased head. "So is everyone here?"

"Almost," PAMA reported as it looked back at the fortress, specifically at the redstone turrets Olivia had placed all across the top the building. "One of our comrades is already inside the fortress, and we are still waiting for one more meatbag."

"So we just wait?" asked the motherless abomination, making sure the black dust pouring out of him doesn't go near PAMA's body. It's too valuable to lose.

"We prepare." Stated PAMA as it walked back, the freak following it as PAMA walked towards the undead monsters attracted to the Alluring Skull.

PAMA then pulled out a two chests from the inventory of the female it is controlling. One containing redstone chips, the other containing golem parts.

Its exoskeleton-covered hand opened one of the chests, revealing tiny, redstone chips. "I managed to reduce the size while I my master made me mass-produce the chips."

"That's more than enough for the undead monsters," Observed the freak, willing the carbon to form a wall in front of them to block the arrows from the approaching skeletons.

"Who said these are only for the monsters?" Asked PAMA, willing the redstone chips to protrude needle-thin, spider-like metal legs as the crawled out of the chest, around the carbon wall, and to the undead monsters. "I plan to assimilate more people into my network."

"I just wanted to kill the soldiers and the commander of the Clockwork Fortress." Said the freak. "I didn't think Jess would do something so extreme."

"You association my master with my actions is rude." Stated PAMA. "What I do, I do of my own will. I'm just benefiting my master as in the process."

"So we're all getting something out of this then," Stated the freak before snorting in amusement. "Jess is right after all, no one will do anything for free."

"Of course not," Nodded PAMA as it constructed a massive golem. "Everyone wants something for their actions, may it be humble or selfish."

"If Slab was here he would talk about how kindness, and all synonyms of that word, are nothing more than a joke." Mentioned the freak sadly. "It's amazing how the world, and the cruel beings that inhabit it, can birth monsters."

"Remember what my master taught us," Reminded PAMA. "Everyone is a monster, they just have different appearances."

"Just like us?" asked the freak as PAMA constructed the ten-blocks-tall golem.

"Just like us." PAMA nodded. PAMA jumped down near the freak, looking at humanoid golem. But the most noticeable feature was the melted, scowling face and the hollow eyes.

"Is that like, your theme?" The freak pointed at the face with his clawed finger. "You really must have a lot of hatred inside you."

"Good." Nodded PAMA as it placed its exoskeleton-covered hand onto the construct. "But it's not complete, I still need to work on the internal components."

"I should do something too," Offered the freak, pulling his hood back to clearly see the construct.

"You can," Said PAMA, willing the metal construct to lie down on its back. "Mass-produce some lonsdaleite, but keep it in a powder form so I can infuse it with my puppet."

The freak did as he as told. He willed the carbon into his hands, rearranging the atomic structure to create the dark material that is stronger than diamond.

He even took down the carbon shield he formed; the arrows firing from the skeletons have already stopped. When he did, he saw the undead monsters have red eyes, not on fire due to PAMA's tampering, and kneeling in front of him.

"...Why are they doing that?" asked the freak, looking at the submissive undead while he continues to produce lonsdaleite.

"While I can make them do my bidding, I can force them to follow basic instructions without my supervision." Explained PAMA as it scooped up the lonsdaleite and carefully blended it with the metal construct. "They will follow you as you flank the fortress, so they will be affected when you activate the fetish."

PAMA willed the undead to march forward. "Will the allotrope to wrap around their bodies for extra protection while I work."

"That will take a while..." The freak pointed out, but did it nonetheless. "But why won't you command the undead?"

There was a several minutes of silence. PAMA willed the surface of the golem, the 'skin', to fold back. PAMA then continued to work on infusing the internal mechanics with more lonsdaleite, and installing Flasks of Withering, to make the weapons more dangerous.

The freak didn't push for an answer. He just continued to wrap the undead monsters' tightly on their bodies in lonsdaleite like armor while the abomination unwillingly generated more carbon from his decaying body.

PAMA willed the 'skin' of the golem to close. Covering all of the internal components as PAMA willed the golem to kneel before it.

"...I really want to personally kill the meatbag called Olivia," Answered PAMA. Just looking at her reminds it of Harper. "But taking down the fortress, and gaining the dark knowledge within, is my master's priority."

"You really hate redstone users that much?" asked the freak as he continued to armor the undead monster. "I hate Bailey, but I don't hate everyone with the Alchemist Class. That's Jess' thing."

"When they claim that redstone is superior, they are doing three things." Lectured PAMA, remembering what Jess taught him, as it placed several redstone chips into the kneeling golem, watching as it sank into the construct. "First, by saying that redstone is superior, they're also saying that all other technology is inferior. Second, they create a false sense of value, making them prideful and arrogant. Third, they become lazy and weak."

That got his attention. "Care to explain?"

"It's why I hate meatbags, especially those who use redstone." PAMA continued as the golem's hollow eyes glowed red. "They talk about how hard their lives are, but really they're just complaining how their privileged lives are lacking even more benefits. Not knowing how others have it worse."

"It's because of this, because of the illusion of superiority they create for themselves, they deny any other knowledge to learn. Sneering at others, belittling everyone else, even if they are people they care about."

"They act as if they are experts, and yet they struggle to make the machines that aid them. They study more, not to apply that knowledge, but to improve and boast their superiority."

"They contradict themselves while they brag on how smart they are, believing they're geniuses, but when confronted with other branches of knowledge, they simply insult and stubbornly refuse to learn."

"Like Axel and Olivia." The freak stated as a fact, rather than a question.

"Exactly." Confirmed PAMA as the golem stood tall. "I may be created by a redstone user, but I refuse to be anything like them."

"Aren't you just as arrogant?" asked the freak as he finally armored the last undead monster.

"If I am, it is because I have the knowledge and strength to back it up." PAMA explained as it looked at the freak, walking close. "Unlike the rest of them, I know my value. I don't go out of my way to purposely brag or insult others who don't use redstone."

"Knowing your own value..." The freak repeated, taking off his Alluring Skull. Inhaling that cold, crisp air as he exhaled carbon. "I wish I knew that."

"Don't think about to hard." PAMA explained, looking at the odd-colored blood oozing out of the freak's deflated eyes and rotten mouth. "The word 'value', like everything else, is a matter of perspective. In a world without knowledge, I would become useless."

"I'm already useless," Said the freak, turning his attention to the Clockwork Fortress, his clock flapping with the ice-cold wind. "My purpose is whatever Jess tells me what it is. Nothing more."

"But she is helping you in your quest," Stated PAMA, walking to the freak, gaining his attention before tapping a metal finger to his chest. "She didn't tell you to do this, you did all of this of your own freewill. You make your own purpose in life, and you have a purpose right now, so go complete it."

Silence. They just stayed like that for a few moments before the cloaked man finally spoke up.

"...Can you make the exoskeleton, that's covering the hands, fold back?" The cloaked man hesitantly asked as he closed his eyes, affected by PAMA's words. "Please?"

PAMA didn't question it. PAMA is originally here to help out the freak, so if it helps get his mind ready, then so be it.

PAMA willed the exoskeleton to retreat to the upper arm; exposing soft skin of the female PAMA is possessing. The freak wrapped his hands in carbon, dulling and softening his hands to not damage the female.

The freak kneeled before the possessed human. He then gently grabbed the hands, and carefully placed it against his rotting cheeks. Feeling it as he close his eyes, pretending and imagining that the hand on his rotten skin is his none-existent mother, caring about him. Concerned for him.

But that's just a dream. A lie that can never come true. PAMA pulled the hands back and covered it back with the exoskeleton. "Why did you have me do that?" Curiously asked the machine.

The cloaked man placed the Alluring Skull back on his rotten head before dropping his hood over it. Hiding the tears, mixed in with the odd-colored blood, pouring out of his eyes. "I just... wanted to know what human contact feels like, when it's not hurting me, before I die."

A/N: Huh, that's a bit of a bummer. So sad, but it is true. A creature that knows pain, and only received pain in return for existing. How messed up is that?!

To me, not so much. I can do much worse, and you'll read that in future chapters. Sorry for not updating, I got school again! *Flips a table*

But, there will be two OC's introduced later. Yes, two! I originally was going to have one, but as I reviewed my planned out plot, I added in more details. So while I can make up my own character, I decided to add in an OC just because I can.

So PAMA is one of the people sent to help the cloaked man. One is already inside the fortress. The last one hasn't' arrived yet. Care to take a guess~?