172 The Strength (2)
Crack...
The whole body of the colossal bone golem quivered violently as an explosive arrow collided with its jaw, causing its health to drop below half.
The White flames that had been engulfing the massive golem were abruptly extinguished, as if the bones themselves had developed an immunity to heat and fire.
However, this did not faze Leo, as he just stared at the behemoth’s neck, waiting until its body began to reshape, revealing the vulnerable orange orb encircled by an armor of yellow bones.
Thud...
Suddenly, the golem fell to his knees, raising a vast cloud of dust that filled the air and causing the ground to tremble with the force of the impact.
A few courageous players who had been standing too close to the edge of the city’s walls even lost their footing and tumbled to their deaths, disappearing into light particles as they hit the ground.
The battlefield turned into a tense stalemate, nobody daring to make a move or cast a spell at the kneeling golem, which remained ominously motionless. A palpable sense of unease settled over the players as they warily watched and waited for the next development.
Crack...
.....
In a sudden motion, the golem raised his fist high into the air before violently slamming it down onto its own knee, shattering the bones and splitting its leg in half with a sickening crunch. The ground shook even more, sending tremors that made some cracks appear on the city’s walls.
The players paled as they watched the monstrous golem repeat the self-mutilation on its other leg, observing in stunned silence as it continued to inflict grievous wounds upon itself for no discernible reason.
After savagely tearing away both its legs, the golem once again fell into an eerie stillness, leaving the players even more bewildered and confused. Was the golem losing its mind? The combatants exchanged anxious glances with one another, but no one had any answers to this unsettling turn of events.
Crack...
Abruptly, the severed limbs of the golem began to disassemble into their constituent bones, slowly creeping their way back towards the main body of the creature. This unexpected turn of events caused Leo and his companions to scramble to safety behind the golem’s neck, lest they be struck by the reconstituting bones.
The individual bones of the severed limbs were gradually finding their way towards the golem’s back, piecing themselves together in a slow and methodical manner to form four distinct appendages. Players were also beginning to take notice of the unusual and unsettling behavior of the bones and started pointing their weapons at the kneeling monster.
“Is he creating tentacles?”
“No, that’s probably a second head!”
“It looks like wings...”
A ripple of murmurs spread through the crowd as they watched the astonishing spectacle of the golem reassembling itself and creating additional limbs. Some of the players, who had only come to film the battle, now began to retreat from the wall, making their way towards a clock tower that stood further away, in search of a safer vantage point from which they could capture the incredible scene.
The mages sprang into action, deploying their most powerful defensive shields, archers swiftly nocked their arrows and drew their bows, ready to strike at the golem if necessary and the melee fighters... were at a loss, standing paralyzed with uncertainty and helplessness, unable to take any effective action against the monstrous creature.
Right from the outset, the melee fighters had been aware of the golem’s immense strength and ability to easily crush any opponents that came too close. Even now, as the golem knelt on the ground, the players were too terrified to make a move, knowing that its powerful hands could easily crush them in an instant.
The players could finally discern the shape of the newly-formed limbs and realized with horror what the golem was building. If the massive creature was capable of flight, then the city would be doomed. Just as the tension was reaching its peak, a sudden cry went up from the crowd.
“He has wings!”
Swish...
Without warning, a single arrow tore through the silence and hurtled towards the golem, which was still kneeling as its massive wings neared completion. But the golem was too quick for the archer, and in one swift motion, it raised its head and brought its newly-formed wing forward to block the incoming arrow, shattering it into wooden fragments. The crowd gasped in shock and fear as they realized the full extent of the golem’s incredible power and resilience.
“Attack!”
With renewed determination, the players unleashed another wave of spells and arrows, hoping to finally bring the monster down. But the golem was not so easily defeated. With two of its newly-formed limbs, it deftly blocked the projectiles while simultaneously raising its other two wings high into the sky, revealing its majestic figure.
Rattle...
The golem’s bones rattled as it flapped its wings, slowly lifting itself into the sky.
Those who had come to film the battle licked their lips in excitement, hoping to capture every moment on tape and sell it for a high price. Meanwhile, those on the wall struggled to prepare themselves for an attack from above, knowing that the golem’s power and resilience would make it a formidable foe no matter where it struck from.
As the golem rose higher and higher, its face suddenly began to morph into an eerie mask made of yellow bones. The bones flew from every direction, assembling themselves into a complex and unsettling design. As the mask took shape, the golem’s defenses weakened, leaving its back vulnerable to attack.
The once well-organized defense turned into chaos, as players scrambled to flee from the area. The golem, now high in the sky, loomed over the city, its massive shadow covering everything below. The remaining defenders continued to fire spells and arrows, but their attacks seemed to have no effect.
“Crumble!”
A loud shout pierced through the air, causing players to look towards the source of the noise. The golem also spun around, his newly-formed wings creating gusts of wind that knocked some players off their feet.
But as the golem turned, it felt a sudden resistance in its neck, as if something was holding it back. It tried to shake it off, but the resistance only grew stronger.
With a sudden realization, the golem noticed the shadows sitting on its shoulders, their dark silhouettes, undeterred by his maneuvers. The golem tried to use its hand to crush the creatures, but they were too nimble, slipping through the gaps in-between its fingers. In frustration, the golem swung its arm towards its own shoulder, hoping to dislodge the creatures, but instead it struck its own arm, causing it to crumble apart.
The golem roared in frustration as its arm began to disintegrate, the yellow bones that formed its giant limb falling out of place and scattering on the ground below.
Rattle...
The whole body of the giant quivered and shook violently, making the players stare in awe as they noticed a figure standing on the golem’s nape. The figure held an orange orb, which glowed with an eerie light in the night sky, casting strange shadows across the battlefield.
The masked man’s eyes glinted behind the dark surface of his mask as he held the glowing orb in his hand, radiating with a powerful energy that seemed to keep the golem at bay. The players held their breath, watching in anticipation as the golem trembled and shuddered, unable to move or attack.
Slowly, the man with the orange orb lowered himself off the golem’s nape and landed on the ground, the golem’s core still pulsing with a fiery energy in his hand. The golem’s body started to disintegrate further, its yellow bones cracking and falling apart as the orb furthered from its body.
Clench...
Leo exerted more pressure on the orange orb, causing the cracks on its surface to spread wider and wider. The golem’s body trembled violently as the yellow bones rattled and creaked in agony.
With a final twist of his hand, Leo clenched the orb and shattered it into light particles. The golem tried to react, but it was too late, as Leo had already shattered the core, causing the once mighty creature to crumble into a massive pile of yellow bones.
Boom...
The players stood in stunned silence, marveling at the sight of the defeated golem, while the shadow soldiers dissolved back into Leo’s shadow.
Leo stood atop the pile of yellow bones, the jagged peaks of his makeshift throne jutting out like knives.
As his shadow stretched out behind him, Leo’s imposing figure cast an aura of mystery and danger, it felt like another massive beast was hiding within his shadow. The other players watched in awe, a palpable silence settling over the crowd as they took in the sight before them.
But just as the silence began to feel heavy, a single shout pierced through the air, breaking the tension.
“Good job, Leo!”