Chapter 11:
The metallic tang of fear had faded, replaced by a humming awe—a volatile mix of confusion and exhilaration. A Level 10 golem. Leo Makjin, a Golemancer with only basic summoning experience, had conjured a colossal creature forged from the bones of the earth with a Level 2 skill. The implications were staggering, terrifying, and invigorating.
The Earthbound Warrior stood motionless before him, radiating a slow, grounding heat. The glowing mana lines etched into its body pulsed in sync with the bioluminescent mushrooms around them. It didn't feel like a construct—it felt like a relic of the world itself, as if the land had answered his call.
Leo exhaled slowly, grounding himself as his hand slid across the polished shoulder of his Resonant Aegis—newly forged armor that clung to his form like a second skin. Mana flowed gently through its latticework, granting him a soft +1 MP/sec regen. Lightweight, unyielding, and brimming with subtle force. The Quartz-Powered Energy Rifle slung across his back felt almost mundane in comparison.
"Tarra," he said, his voice steadying, "analyze Dimensional Pocket. Level 1."
Tarra's lenses whirred. "Skill: Golem's Dimensional Pocket. Level: 1. Parameters: Generates unstable localized mana-space. Capacity: One inorganic construct, size class 'Massive.' Storage duration: indefinite with mana upkeep. Retrieval time: 3–10 seconds depending on construct complexity. Mana cost: moderate. Mana reserves currently sufficient."
Leo gave a tight nod. It was enough. A godsend, really. He could store the Earthbound Warrior for now—traveling with a ten-foot construct through the forest was not practical.
He looked up again. The golem's features remained still, but Leo imagined something noble in its bearing. "You need a name," he muttered. "Terron. You'll be Terron."
He raised a hand. "Terron—activate Dimensional Pocket. Return to storage."
A distortion shimmered like heat waves in front of the construct. Terron began to fold inward, his form collapsing into glowing fragments that twisted into the haze and vanished within seconds. The ground where he had stood still steamed faintly.
Leo exhaled, tension draining from his shoulders. He turned to Tarra. "Alright. Objective unchanged. We head for the Nara Tree."
"Navigation initiated," Tarra replied. "Estimated distance: 40 kilometers. Terrain: Dense forest. Estimated travel time: 2 days, minimum resistance assumed."
They moved east. The glowing mushrooms faded into cracked stones and winding roots. Sunlight filtered sparsely through the thick canopy. Faint mists clung to the underbrush. The forest pulsed with life, but it was subdued—as though something held its breath.
Leo's thoughts drifted. Terron's creation still sat heavily in his mind. A Level 2 skill yielding a Level 10 golem? It defied standard RPG mechanics, defied logic even in Aethelgard. Something else was at work here—perhaps tied to Adamuz's legacy or the Golem Architect path.
Hours passed in a strange silence. Occasionally, Tarra's head would turn at some distant rustle or thump, but nothing approached. When Leo checked his mana, he saw steady regeneration—Resonant Aegis working exactly as designed.
Then Tarra halted.
"Anomaly detected," she said. "Airborne. Magnitude: Extreme. Advise concealment."
Leo looked skyward, pushing aside a curtain of moss. Above, the early morning sky was tinted amber and pale blue.
A shadow fell.
It wasn't a bird.
It was massive.
A flying whale drifted overhead—levitating effortlessly through the air. Iridescent fins billowed around it, catching dawn's light. Its skin was patterned with ancient runes, glowing faint blue. It was like a creature from myth, silent and godlike.
Instinctively, Leo used Appraisal.
> \[Appraisal failed. Target designation: (????)]
Pain stabbed through his skull. He stumbled, gripping his head, gritting his teeth against the sudden migraine.
"Tarra… I can't…"
"Entity's mana output exceeds safe cognitive thresholds. Recommend no further analysis."
Before Leo could ask more, the sky-whale let out a *call*—a haunting, low-toned note that resonated through trees, bones, and soul alike. It was beautiful, tragic… *wrong*, somehow. The whole forest dimmed in reverence.
Then another roar split the morning.
From the northwest ridge, a second presence emerged.
A beast—vast and primeval. A bear, but titanic, its coat a mottled black-brown like scorched bark. From its skull burst antlers shaped like deadwood, gnarled and massive. Its claws were black, obsidian-like, oozing faint red energy. Its eyes burned with fury.
Leo twitched. Another Appraisal.
> \[Appraisal failed. Target designation: (????)]
The pain returned, sharper this time. He gasped and fell to a knee.
The bear roared, shaking the earth. Stones tumbled. Trees shuddered.
The sky-whale banked. Its runes glowed brighter.
They had noticed each other.
"Tarra," Leo croaked. "Run. Now."
Tarra was already moving. "Escape route calculated. Executing."
Leo ran.
Adrenaline surged. He ducked under low branches, vaulted roots, sprinted blindly. Behind him, the world shook.
A collision.
A shockwave of sound and power slammed through the forest. Branches cracked. A gust of displaced air knocked Leo sideways. He rolled, regained footing, pushed forward.
Tarra kept pace, analyzing terrain, avoiding danger, shielding Leo when needed.
"Nearest shelter?" Leo panted.
"Cave system southeast. Three kilometers. Navigable."
"Go!"
Another rumble. Behind them, the clash of titans intensified. Mana howled in the air. Trees *snapped*. Rocks split. Two impossibilities fought above the forest.
Finally, after endless sprinting, they reached a rocky drop. Vines concealed a cave mouth. Tarra scanned and cleared it.
Leo collapsed inside.
The world trembled around him.
Tarra stood at the mouth, sentinel and silent.
Leo curled in on himself, gasping.
*This world…* he thought.
Aethelgard wasn't just dangerous—it was *colossal*. It held forces he couldn't hope to understand, much less face.
Not yet.
But he would learn. He would craft. He would *build*.
And someday, he would meet them not in fear.
But in challenge.
The titans of Aethelgard.