[center][b][i]If we were created in God’s image Then perhaps it was wise Not to repeat such a mistake When our turn to create something came[/i][/b][/center] --- A pathway, sided by a row of houses and a small public garden. Voldoans gathered around the fallen Flesh Golem in the middle of the street, some of them children poking at its skin with an innocent yet freakish sense of curiosity, which was common enough for young Voldoans. The Flesh Golem’s left leg was a complete mess, the rods protruding in peculiar directions and the leg bindings unhinged. The leg itself was rendered misshapen without the contraptions holding it together. It was laying on the cobblestone like a strip of soggy meat. Flesh Golems didn’t have bones, that’s what the metal was for in the first place. The Flesh Golem in question was covered in intricate markings. Rows upon rows of etchings akin to fabric embroidery and kitchenware decoration, all by one hand. Its chest, void of any metal augmentations, had a name carved into the skin. “Jeigh!” The Flesh Golem bellowed behind its peculiar mask at the sound of its name. The Voldoans surrounding it backed away as it attempted to lift itself up, only to fall back down with a very audible thud. The residents turned their heads to a nearby street corner in the distance as another Flesh Golem, upright and active with two Engineers riding atop it, entered the area. It hunched itself over after it was given the signal to do so, with one of the Engineers quickly dismounting the platform and landing on the cobblestone, seemingly in a hurry to see to the Flesh Golem’s leg. “Lucky you.” Robert called out, “Guess no one else was in this part of the neighborhood at the time.” Thomas ran over to Jeigh’s side as the Flesh Golem bellowed once more, with an audible sense of despair. “It’s alright Jeigh!” The Engineer called out, patting the giant’s head. “I’ll get you back up and running in no time at all.” “Are you certain of that?” Robert called out, standing beside Jeigh’s broken leg. As Thomas joined him, he pointed at the mess and said, “This doesn’t look like any quick reparation. You may have the parts, but the leg itself looks rather beaten. It might give out again if he stands up.” “Nonsense.” Thomas replied, kneeling down and placing his supplies on the ground next to the leg. “He’ll be fine.” “Oh, Thomas, at least [i]consider[/i] having him wheeled in? They could carve him a new leg and he’d be right as rain in a week!” “Look, just…” Thomas looked back up at Robert and said, “I’d rather not have him go through that, alright? He doesn’t like it. None of them do.” Robert sighed and shook his head as Thomas turned away and began gently removing the snapped bindings from Jeigh’s leg. He had to admire that sense of parenthood he possessed. Flesh Golems did feel pain, after all. They weren’t designed too, but when the Engineer’s carved them from [i]it[/i], well… They evolved. Muscles, nerves, all the sort. Working themselves up to greater levels of strength. Never grew any bones, still. But they had that matter in check. Jeigh was one of the oldest Flesh Golems in Voldoa, from the first batch that Thomas and his mother Helena had a hand in carving. One of the oldest and, therefore, one of the frailest. And Thomas had managed to keep him out of the Underground for quite a few years. He couldn’t keep him out of there forever, though. Try as he might. “Alright!” Robert called out, turning to the surrounding party of Voldoans, “Can anyone tell me what happened here?” A young nymph, with green skin and amber eyes and leaves for hair, wearing a simple white garment, walked over to Robert from the nearby garden. “He fell.” She said, with a rather weak voice. “And… could you tell me what led to his falling?” Robert replied, a brow raised. “There’s nothing else. He was stumbling through the square when we all saw him. It looked like his leg was jammed or, something. It broke apart, and he fell down.” Robert lowered his head in disappointment. “Thank you.” He said politely, turning away from the nymph. He turned his gaze back to Thomas and watched him carefully replace each old leg component with a brand new one. He made sure the rods fit perfectly, and all the braces were nice and taut. And he did it all with this… smile, etched across his face. Like a parent treating a child’s leg when they got a scrape on the knee while playing outside. Thomas was just so… compassionate. Robert always thought it was a result of his father’s death and his mother’s waning condition. But whatever the case, these Flesh Golems… he was more likeable to them than any other Engineer he could think of, not even Tarblatt. Robert took a seat on a bench next to the garden, watching Thomas the whole time. He would wait until later to tell him that, whether he approved or not, Jeigh had to take a trip to the Underground. The nymph sat down next to Robert, watching Thomas as well. “He really cares about that thing, doesn’t he?” She asked. Robert sighed once more. “I guess they’re not just [i]things[/i] to him.”