"One more time," Jenny ordered, clenching her fists.

Torag roared and swung another punch into the gate. The impact banged louder than before. 

The rhino stepped back and rubbed his red knuckles. Although his hands arched, his attacks left bent fractures all over the gate.  

"If Torag can keep pounding that gate, he can bust through it.” Basju held up his fists and punched the air. “Pound! Pound! Keep it up!”

Jenny held up her left hand. “Wait! I hear something…”

The gate vibrated as gears clenched behind it. Then it slowly opened, revealing a dark passage where cool air escaped.

From the shadows, something big marched forward toward the party. Jenny and the others sprinted back from the approaching behemoth.

In the blazing sunlight, the giant appeared to be a gorilla in heavy gray steel armor, but Jenny noticed the gears inside the creature’s exposed joints. The cone-shaped helm has two glowing blue eyes and a faceplate. As it took steps, steam roared behind its humped back. Spikes grew on its knuckles, ready for combat.

After the thing stopped, it looked down upon the Beastmen and the human girl.

“Who are you?” The machine roared in a loud mechanic male tone.

Jenny’s voice shuddered until she caught her breath. “Are you… The Tinker?”

The metal ape monster nodded. “This is my lair! No one is allowed here! Leave, or else!”

Rani snarled and pulled out her two swords. “We are not afraid of you! We will-”

“Hush, Rani!” Jenny shouted and stepped toward the giant. “Please, we mean you no harm. We are just travelers who are looking for shelter.”

The steam robot grunted. “I don’t care! Leave, or die!”

“But don’t you have the heart to let people in-”

The Tinker raised his left fist and swung it down toward Jenny. Huntar pushed Jenny from its path and jumped away as the fist slammed into the ground.

After the machine lifted up its fist, he turned toward Jenny. “I warned you! Now die!”

Torag charged, raising his left fist. He punched the machine’s right lower leg, leaving only a small bang.

The machine raised his other leg and swung it toward the rhino. Torag held up his arms before the metal foot slammed into him.

He flew back and trembled through the ground.

“Torag!” While Zena checked on the fallen rhino, Rani sprinted toward the machine, screaming her battle cry.

She leaped over the machine’s swinging punch and landed on his broad shoulder. With her blades, she slashed the head, but her attacks only scratched the helm.

The Tinker chuckled and grabbed Rani. He held her up and slowly squeezed her body. Rani dropped her swords and cried in rage.

Huntar snarled and charged with his sword out. Surely, he won’t allow that thing to crush the panther woman.

When the machine noticed the lion, he aimed his other fist and suddenly shot it. His fist flew while attached to a chain from his arm. 

Huntar ducked from the fist and continued his sprint. Once he reached the metal beast, he jumped to the arm, holding Rani.

While on the arm, he clanged the joint with his sword. Unfortunately, it was no use.

The Tinker dropped Rani and dragged his fist back into his arm. He shook Huntar off his arm, then he raised his large foot over the two Beastmen.

Jenny got to her feet and glared at the machine. Since she cannot reason with him, she must take the machine down before he kills her friends.

She quickly formed a white energy ball between her palms and tossed it straight toward the thing. Her attack struck the machine’s head and exploded into pieces in the shattering light.

He bent backward until he fell onto his back. Once he was down, Jenny and her friends ran toward him.

They checked his upper body where he lost his head. Although Jenny vaporized the head, something coughed inside the machine’s body. A small furry head popped up from the exposed neck hole, coughing.

Jenny’s mouth dropped. “You’re the Tinker?”

The mole rat head, with red goggles, snickered. “Yes! You thought I was only a machine? Guess again! Hehehehehehehe!”