Chapter 8:
"The dark fog… it originates from a tear, a wound in the veil that doth divide our world, Aethelgard, from the ever-shrouded Realm of Duskveil," Adamuz intoned, its voice a deep tremor, like stone grinding against stone. "It is drawn to despair, to frailty, to the mortal imperfections of the soul. This sacred forest, Eldorian, is anointed by the Nara Tree—a sentinel forged of primeval magic, older than memory."
He raised his gnarled, petrified arm, joints creaking like ancient timber. "The Nara Tree doth radiate purifying essence, a beacon that repels the creeping corruption. Thus are the forest's denizens spared from the fog's vile embrace. Yet beware… during the blood-stained gaze of the Red Moon, the Tree's blessing doth wane. The veil thins, and the corruption seeps inward."
"And the tree... it enforces peace?" Leo asked, mind spinning from the flood of knowledge.
"Aye. Beneath its boughs, conflict is forbidden. It is sanctuary incarnate—a haven for healing and introspection. When the full moon doth rise, the Tree's power swells, sealing the glade in sanctified stillness. Even beasts of untamed blood seek its comfort."
Leo absorbed every word, a tempest of ancient truths whirling in his thoughts. His gaze fell upon Tarra, his steadfast companion and first creation. Adamuz had offered him an opportunity—to awaken her hidden potential, to lift her from base beginnings to glory.
"Now, Inheritor," Adamuz said, runes of light flaring across the air in a spiral of forgotten geometry, "we shall begin the Rite of Ascension. I shall guide thee, bestowing unto thee wisdom long buried beneath the sands of time."
Leo deconstructed Tarra, dismantling her with reverence. The brittle clay gave way to enduring elements from the ruins: petrified wood grained with ancient resilience; veins of radiant quartz, natural conduits of mana; and alloyed iron touched with forgotten enchantments.
Adamuz emphasized the sanctity of arcane circuits. Leo etched runes into slender shards of bone, weaving them into the wood as mana channels. He mixed inks of powdered sapphire and diamond dust, binding spell-script with sweat and essence. Obsidian fragments were hewn into durable plates, sleek yet robust. Nothing was without purpose. Every piece a hymn of craftsmanship.
Tarra transformed. From crude mockery of life into something divine.
Tarra stood reborn—her form now sleek, radiant, and distinctly humanoid. Her entire frame shimmered with polished silver-white plating, segmented like an elegant exoskeleton, each plate fitted seamlessly to allow for precise, lifelike movement. The metal was not merely steel—it was a rare, ancient alloy imbued with mana-conductive properties, humming faintly with stored energy.
Her arms, however, told a different story. From the elbow down, her forearms and hands were crafted of petrified, rune-etched wood—vestiges of the sacred Nara Tree. These wooden limbs pulsed with dormant magic, carved with intricate symbols that glowed faintly in rhythm with her mana core. They were not mere replacements—they were conduits of ancient life-force.
Her eyes, once inert, now gleamed like cut emeralds—vivid, intelligent, and self-aware. There was clarity in them, an echo of a soul awakened. A small circular gem adorned her upper chest, embedded in the core plating—its soft pulsing glow indicated the presence of the soul shard gifted by Adamuz.
She was no longer just a construct. She was a synthesis of lifeless machine and sacred essence—a living relic of forgotten craftsmanship, carrying both the legacy of the past and the will to evolve.
Her eyes, now twin orbs of faceted quartz, gleamed with cognition.
Leo channeled his mana into her frame. The runes pulsed to life.
**\[System Notification]**
**\[Tarra has reached Level 30!]**
**\[Tarra]**
\[Type: Advanced Golem Automaton]
\[Level: 30]
\[HP: 850/850]
\[MP: 200/200]
\[Strength: 150]
\[Agility: 120]
\[Defense: 200]
\[Skills:]
• Enhanced Combat Matrix
• Quartz Infused Strike
• Energy Shield
• Rapid Regeneration
• Analytical Scan
• Mana Conduit
Leo's breath caught. Level 30. The raw strength dwarfed his own. He understood now—the materials were remnants of an older era, repositories of ancient essence. The runes had awakened something within.
Tarra's newly-forged limbs moved with fluid grace. "Master," she spoke, her voice bell-like and clear.
Adamuz inclined his head, ancient pride in his gaze. "She is mighty, O descendant. Yet, her spirit remains incomplete. Now shall I gift thee a shard of my legacy. This act I may perform but once."
With a solemn gesture, Adamuz released the last vestige of his soul into Leo. Energy surged through him, and the glyphs etched across his crafting gear flared with celestial brilliance. Knowledge beyond comprehension seared itself into his mind—schematics, enchantments, soul-binding rites.
Armed with new understanding, Leo crafted his own tools. He wrought a weapon from alloy and crystal, elegant yet deadly, forged not with fire, but with will.
**\[System Notification] New Item Created!**
**\[Name: Aetherpulse Rifle]**
\[Type: Mana-Forged Firearm]
\[Damage: 35 (Energy)]
\[Ammo: Mana-Based]
\[Mana Cost per Shot: 2 MP]
\[Special: Charging Shot (Hold to charge a more powerful blast); Bonus accuracy against corrupted targets.]
Next, he forged armor—a sanctified second skin. Infused with mana-reactive fibers, layered with protective crystal, it was both shield and conduit.
**\[System Notification] New Item Created!**
**\[Name: Resonant Aegis]**
\[Type: Reinforced Golem-Tech Armor]
\[Defense: 65 (Physical)]
\[Resistance: 35% (Energy)]
\[Passive: +1.5 MP/sec Regeneration]
\[Special: Reactive Layering (Briefly hardens against powerful blows); Custom-fit to the wearer.]
Breathless, Leo regarded his work. He was ready.
**\[System Notification: Golem Crafting Skill Maxed!]**
**\[System Notification: New Job Unlocked: Golem-Mancer!]**
**\[System Notification: New Skill Acquired: Golem's Dimensional Pocket (Level 1)]**
**\[System Notification: New Skill Acquired: Summon Golem (Level 1)]**
**\[System Notification: New Skill Acquired: Golem Enhancement (Level 1)]**
**\[System Notification: New Skill Acquired: Golem Repair (Level 1)]**
**\[System Notification: New Skill Acquired: Artifact Making (Level 1)]**
**\[System Notification: New Skill Acquired: Enchantment (Level 1)]**
**\[System Notification: New Skill Acquired: Repairing Artifacts (Level 1)]**
**\[Job Info]**
\[Golem-Mancer: Focuses on summoning, controlling, and enhancing golems in combat.]
Leo opened his status screen, heart pounding:
---
**\[Leo Makjin]**
**\[Race: Human]**
**\[Class: Golem-Mancer]**
**\[Title: Golem Maker]**
**\[Level: 2]**
**\[HP: 185/185]**
**\[MP: 130/130]**
**\[Strength: 16]**
**\[Agility: 11]**
**\[Intelligence: 24]**
**\[Vitality: 19]**
**\[Luck: ?]**
**\[Skills:]**
• Survival Instinct
• Golem Crafting (MAX)
• Golem's Dimensional Pocket (Lv.1)
• Summon Golem (Lv.1)
• Golem Enhancement (Lv.1)
• Golem Repair (Lv.1)
• Artifact Making (Lv.1)
• Enchantment (Lv.1)
• Repairing Artifacts (Lv.1)
[Sub System: Golem Architect Subsystem
[ LOCKED ]
**\[System Notification: Main Quest Updated!]**
*The Labyrinth beneath the Nara Tree holds the Core Resonance Node—an ancient trial constructed by the first Golem Makers.*
> **Main Quest:** Activate the Labyrinth Node Core and Overcome the Core Resonance Challenge.
>
> **Objective:** Locate the entrance under the Nara Tree. Survive the trials within.
>
> **Warning:** Only those recognized by the legacy system may access the core. Unauthorized interference will result in system defense activation.
---
Adamuz, now little more than flickering essence, fixed his gaze upon Leo. "Inheritor… the sands of my time hath fallen. Soon, I shall fade from Aethelgard. But I entrust unto thee this final hope—that thou shalt kindle the light once more."
And with those final, sacred words, the last of the Ancient Golem crumbled into radiant dust, dissolving into the ether.
Leo, armored in will and steel, bore the mantle of a forgotten age.