Chapter 648: Claygon's Path

Chapter 648: Claygon's Path

The massive xyrthak called across the Barrens of Kravernus, its mournful cry striking terror into every creature that heard it.

Roaming through the sun-blasted ground below, muupkaras and gorgers abruptly fled at the sound of its voice and the creature hunting them below.

A dune worm.

The monster swam through the earth, its mouth open, ready to swallow them whole.

Yet the xyrthak was unfazed.

He was king of the sky, after all. What did he have to fear from anything that walked or crawledon the ground in this world?

Soaring past the doomed gorgers and muupkaras, he rode the air currents toward the border of the Barrens. The mana in the air was less potent there, but he would brave it for a chance at his favourite meal.

Humanoids.

The little humanoids from beyond the well-guarded wall were a rare delicacy; it wasnt often that they left the safety of their green land to enter his domain, and he was not so careless as to fly over the wall and into the path of deadly magic wielders guarding it.

He was a patient beast, and would always wait for those rare individuals who crossed the wall to hunt in the Barrens.

And then he would show them what a true hunter was.

Today, an opportunity had appeared.

Far below, a small group of humanoid adventurers were moving across the Barrens. They were armed and wore garments to protect against the power of the sun, but neither their weapons or other protections would save them from his jaws.

With another cry, he swooped toward his prey.

From his great height in the sky, he would have appeared as a mere dot to those poor-sighted humanoids, perhaps a crow or some other scavenger, until it was much too late for them to save themselves.

His mana destroying call would ruin any magic wielders among them. Next would come his force ray, firing from the lance on his skull just before he drove the lance through their cowering forms, letting the vibrating force grind his prey to paste.

Then, at last, he would feast!

His tongue flicked across his fangs, anticipating his meal.

He swooped closer.

And closer.

Mana surged behind him.

He spun with a cry of alarm at finding a four-armed humanoid hovering above him. The creature was sheathed in metal armour from head to toe, it gleamed in the sunlight.

Worrying energies were gathering in the palm of one of its hands.

The xyrthak roared his challenge, beating his wings and launching toward his challenger.

Why did they always underestimate his might, thinking their puny magic could harm him?

One mana-destroying cry, and he

Suddenly, a gem in the humanoids palm flared so brightly, it blinded the hulking xyrthak. A beam of light erupted.

The xyrthak snarled; his scales were tougher than metal or stone! He welcomed every bit of magic this four-armed creature could throw his way, it was useless, but he was patient. In time, he would be feasting.

Patient or not though, that was the very last thought the xyrthak ever had.

Claygonschaosbeam struck him full in the chest, breaking flesh and shattering scales. The energies of dungeon core and chaos essence whirled in the gaping wound.

An explosion sparked, turning the sky to every blazing colour of fall.

In an instant, the xyrthak was gone, vapourized, without a single cry.

To the adventurers far below, it appeared as though a second sun had suddenly bloomed in the sky. The thunder caused by the explosion would be the xyrthaks final legacy in the Barrens of Kravernus.

###

Claygon watched the explosion bloom and fade away. Though the ground was far below, the force of the blast blew the adventurers from their feet as a shockwave kicked up a cloud of dust that choked the air around them.

The golem watched the explosion as it quickly unfolded and died.

Her reaction had left Clagyon conflicted; he could feel her love and pride in his new form, but her enthusiasm was more muted than it had been when hed turned from clay to stone.

She hadnt bounded up to him, all smiles and giggles.

His fathers sisterand Claygons co-creatorwas changing just as he was, slowly turning into an adult like Alex and his friends.

But as someone whod evolved twice, he couldnt help but be happy for her evolution. Still, he did miss parts of those earlier days.

What he didnt miss was Shale examining him like he was some prized lab specimen.

This is incredible! Shale had cried, squinting at him through a pair of magical goggles. His mana flows a tidal wave now! Alex, you have to let me watch some of your field tests with him. You absolutely must!

At the time, Claygon was very glad that his facial expression couldnt change; he doubted he wouldve been able to look at the golem crafter with any expression but a scowl.

Even though hed evolved twice, she still looked at him like a tool rather than a sapient creature. It was something hed gotten used to, but he preferred not to spend more time around her than was necessary, whether she was fathers business partner and one of his closest allies, or not.

Besides, her treating him like a tool was a painful reminder that he was basically different from his father, or his fathers friends.

And that difference had birthed a fear deep inside him.

He remembered the battle at Uldars Rise. It was a terrible day; a lot of people he knew had diedeven if he didn't know them welland he still remembered the terrible force of Uldars statues striking his body.

Cracking it.

He could still remember the Third Apostles magic boring into him.

Fracturing him.

And he still remembered the might of the First Apostles divinely empowered blows hammering his body.

Shattering it.

Even though hed fought hard, he hadnt been a match for the evil priest. The First Apostle had been so much faster, and hed wielded hundreds of years of deadly power and experience against Claygon.

For all of his strength, he might as well have been a small child in the face of the ancient warrior. If Carey hadnt sacrificed herself and the explosion hadnt triggered his evolution, there was no doubt he would have been destroyed.

The swarm of statues would have smashed him into gravel, leaving the First Apostle free to kill his father. He would have died, disgraced, having failed to do what hed been initially created forprotecting life.

It would have made a mockery of his entire existence.

I must get more powerful the golem said. We will facedangers in the Empireand danger from the First Apostle againand from the Ravener itself

They would all be fierce opponents.

Without doubt, his iron body was strongperhaps stronger than any other golem in the worldbut would that be enough? Would training his skill truly be enough to let him face any opponent on any battlefield, and protect his father?

What if he came across an opponent more experienced, faster or stronger than he was?

Twice I have evolved in battleand saved father the golem said. Butno golem has evolved past ironI cannot count on evolving anymorewhat can I do?

Claygon paused.

No golem had evolved past iron that he knew of.

But, was he like other golems?

No.

His father had built him to be more powerful.

His father had built him to think faster.

His father had built him to be unique.

And if he was uniquethen

...could I find another evolution? An evolutioncompletely my own? Claygon wondered. Not simply claystone or irona different material. Something better.something uniquelike me.

The golem stared up at the sky and knew then what he wanted.

Yesanother evolution. One of my ownI will find it.