"The golems are sluggish due to their bulk. Use that to your advantage."
"Thanks, captain obvious. Don't you have any better advice? This sword is useless against their metallic exterior."
I was met with a sight of a golem wielding its hammer, aiming it in my direction at my head. With a sharp intake of breath, I nimbly dodged it by slipping under its massive hands and rolling through its legs. The next golem waited patiently and then, with one powerful blow from its colossal hammer, shook the ground. To prevent myself from tumbling, I leaped onto the weapon and raced along the handle, feeling the handle vibrate beneath my feet. With a flick of a wrist, I sent one claw dart flying towards one of the creature's exposed eyes, hoping the impact would be enough to make it flinch. Alas, it harmlessly bounced off. Hearing whistling behind me, I dove to my left just in time before the previous golem could hit me.
"I'm impressed by how you move. You know precisely when it is time to fall back and time your next attack thoroughly," said Solgen.
"Why am I not hearing any advice coming out of your mouth?" I frustratingly reminded.
"Admiring a good fight is one of my weaknesses. Back on topic, the key to winning against these foes is mana. There is a reason I had you consume the Torqinite. Since you're but a chick when it comes to mana, I, Solgen, will teach you."
The golems in front of me regrouped, their cold, dead hands gripping their weapons tightly as they stared at me. I stepped back hurriedly as they approached me, the tension in the air thickening with every second.
"Okay. So how do I use mana?"
"'Tis but a simple matter. It all depends on your psyche. Just envision in your mind what type of power you would like to manifest. Think of mana as the mold and use that mold to shape what you desire. The blue lights that should have appeared when you consumed the Torqinite are mana."
Okay. That explanation is simple enough to understand. Let's find a safe place to calm my thoughts. All I need is one minute. The cliff from earlier should be fine.
I looked around my surroundings to think of my next course of action. All I saw around me were rocks, the lake, and the stalactites rooted in the ceiling.
Wait, that's it! If there's one thing I learned while I spent my time here, it's that you should use the environment to your advantage!
With strength in my legs, I jumped towards the high ceiling of the cavern, feeling the cool, damp air on my skin. I stretched out my arm, feeling the wet texture of a long stalactite. The plan was to have the golems wade through the water to catch me. Once they entered the water, I'll drop into the lake. Noting their sluggish movements and my speed, they won't be able to catch up to me as I swim past them. This is all to buy time for me. I could only think of this plan when this area was so barren.
The golems stomped into the lake, one after another, and the lake rippled with their weight. I seized my chance, tensed my body and was hit by a wall of water that engulfed me.
Hot damn this water is freezing! It's like I'm submerged in an ice bath! I am so not looking forward to getting out of this cavern sea… Now, where are they while I was preoccupied?
After wiping my face from the droplets, my eyes landed on the two figures. They were awkwardly flailing their arms around as if this was their first-time swimming. One thing that came to mind was that these golems are dumb. It's like they were only made to fight, not think. I guess golems are mindless creations.
It took a good minute for them to reach my location. The next part of my plan is was to swim right past them. I thought that part would be easy, but what I didn't account for is their adaptability. Every passing second, their sluggish movements became more fluid. They went from bumbling buffoons to intermediate swimmers. Wanting to avoid the worst-case scenario, I dove underwater to limit their visibility. One golem followed my lead and tried to swing its hammer underwater. I watched as the weapon moved slowly through the dense water, its movements hindered by the heavy liquid.
Putting more strength into my legs, my pace increased. It did not take long for me to reach the shore. With deep breaths, I climbed out of the water and bolted straight onto the cliff, ignoring my plummeting body temperature. With a quick peek, the golems were still far. Knowing that my plan worked and reaching my destination, I sat cross-legged and closed my eyes, and began my meditation.
Okay, so the voice said that I should think of mana as a mold and shape it however I envision it. So, I should think of myself as a sculptor. The heap of clay that sits in front of me will serve as the mold. The problem is, what should I create in this situation? A nuke? That won't work. Blowing myself and the cavern is not a wise decision. Maybe a gun? Not that either. I must account for the bullets too and it's highly likely that making too many would tire me out. And making too little may not be enough. Wait a minute. I'm overthinking it. Simplicity is sometimes the best option. A sharp blade made from mana will do.
In my mind, I thought of the schematics of the first weapon I had studied extensively for a school project.
Use your hands to create the cap… Next the handle and the guard…
As I was concentrating on sculpting my weapon, Solgen piped up. "Yes. You are doing fine. Do not falter. The latter steps are the most important. Should your mind be frail, so shall the weapon."
Interrupting me does not help me in the slightest, I thought.
Ignoring the voice, I continued sculpting. I could feel the ground shaking beneath me as the golems arrived closer on shore, the sound of their footsteps growing louder. I hastened my pace even further. The blade collar was next in line to be made and finally, the blade. It must be sharp enough to cut through the golems. Then, the clay must be heated or else the whole structure crumbles.
What do I use as a heat source, though? Do I just imagine a furnace?
I felt a warmth within my heart that answered all of my doubts. Ah, that's wrong. The warmth was coming from something attached to it. Is that... a second heart? Although it was a lot smaller, the same size as a golf ball. Let's worry about that later. I should finish this as quickly as possible!
As I used the unfamiliar organ as a furnace, I felt the heat radiating through my skin as the clay weapon I'd been crafting started to stabilize. Beads of sweat began to form on my forehead as I pushed myself to finish the task. The rumble of the golems' movements echoed from beneath the cliff, a few meters away.
A few more seconds…
…
The flames then died down, signifying that the process has been completed.
[First Mana Formation Completed.]
I opened my eyes, and the first thing I felt was the weight of a katana in my left hand, the mana within it thrumming through my palm. It had the same color as the blue lights previously, and its length of around 70cm. A feeling of familiarity and safety washed over me the longer it's clutched. Was it because it's my creation? All that studying about different weapons made throughout history came in handy!
"What a weird design for a sword. I've never witnessed this kind of craftsmanship in all my years."
Solgen sounds fascinated by what I produced? How come they have never seen this weapon before? It's well-known worldwide and almost anyone would recognize what it was unless you lived under a rock or- Oh my god. Why am I just now putting the pieces together?
I was standing there, lost in thought, when a giant hand appeared in front of me. A golem had now reached on top of the cliff.
I stood up abruptly. "Alright Solgen, just sit back and watch while I dispatch these brutes."
"I haven't been able to move at all this whole time…"
Disregarding the sarcastic tone, the round frame of a head popped out from underneath. Its pitch-dark eyes, like two pools of ink, made my skin crawl, just like the red mage. The blade in my hand trembled.
"While fear takes hold of me now... Knowing Isaac is waiting for me on the other end... My determination makes that feeling brief."
Since my longsword was too cumbersome, I stowed it in the Inventory, and gripped the katana tightly with both hands. As my knowledge and experience of sword fighting are null, my current capabilities lessen the gap. Taking in deep breaths, I charged toward the defenseless golem, swinging the blade.
"Thanks for taking your sweet time getting to me!"
The blade made contact with the golem's hardened face. Instead of the usual sound of metal clashing, the katana pierced through the exterior as if it was cutting through melted butter. With great effort, I exerted the most force I could muster into my arms and tackled the hanging golem off the cliff. The other guardian, who was waiting down below, saw its companion falling and sidestepped aside. Before it hit the ground, I, who was still on top of the golem, sprung over to the next one's shoulder. The golem was too slow to react to my sudden burst of speed. Hands still firm, I swung my blade at its neck.
The headless golem then jerked spasmodically, throwing me to the ground. The structure slowly crumbled, and the loud boom of its collapse echoed through the cavern.
"Is it finally over?" I said with ragged breaths. The mana sword in my hand flickered rapidly.
A sharp tone from Solgen entered my mind. "Dodge now!"
My body suddenly jerked in the opposite direction and I felt a suffocating weight on my stomach. My whole body was then thrown onto a nearby wall. I felt the pain reverberate through my body as I bounced off the wall, leaving a hole the size of a small crater. Feeling something rising from deep within, I vomited out blood.
"You only destroyed one of the golems. You thought the one you stabbed earlier was defeated, but that was not the case. Its connection to the core was not severed."
There is some internal bleeding and maybe a cracked rib. It's bearable, but If I move too much, the pain would follow… As if my nerves were being doused with acid. And to think I was the one who said to run if things get too dangerous…
Looking around, I noticed that the katana in my hand was no longer there. Desperately searching, I found it near the foot of the golem. I must have dropped it when the hammer connected. The blue light from the katana was alarmingly dim, as if it would fizzle out any second.
"Just how am I going to grab it..."
Just talking out loud made the pain worse. A headache started to form. I'm not in the greatest condition and I could feel my mana running low. At this rate, I really may get killed.
No Laila. Don't think about dying. Think about the consequences If that were to happen. A hundred scenarios ran through my mind while trying to find the best plan possible.
Solgen's distant voice chimed in. "If I may add in... The mana within you is an extension of your body. Think of it as a sort of remote control."
As a remote control...
A plan suddenly came to mind. If I can't physically get to my weapon, ill just bring it over to me. But I must time it perfectly. There is only one chance given.
The golem's booming footsteps inch closer like a doomsday clock ticking, signifying my demise. Yet, the only demise that will be met would not be me, but my opponent. I stuck my arm out toward the fallen sword. To call it back, I picture a long string attached from my hand to the hilt. The blade was barely visible, but with careful observation, slight signs of movement were detected.
A shadow slowly casts over me while I lay face down, biding my time. The golem, not knowing of my charade, paused a few meters away. It slowly raises its hammer, hellbent on casting it down onto my head. That was when I took the initiative. With a swift gesture of my hand, the mana blade, which had been motionless, suddenly flew up from the ground, zooming towards the target. I guided the weapon to the golem's neck with perfect precision, but it only created a dull thud upon contact, not enough to behead it.
"Your mana is unstable because of your condition! Release every ounce of your strength or else you will die!"
The veins on my forehead throbbed as a high-pitched noise emerged from my mouth. While the golem may paused for a second as it noticed something attacking from behind, it changed its attention back to me and swung the hammer down. I felt my eyes start to strain, and small black dots slowly began to fill my vision. Just when I thought I was about to die, I felt the blade pierce through.
Just as before, the golem suddenly stilled and shuddered with energy. I rolled to the side as it released its hammer onto the ground. It then got onto its knees and fell face forward with a thundering noise. Every time I took a breath, a sharp pain would shoot through my body, making it a struggle to remain conscious.
"Quickly, consume a Torqinite to replenish some mana and use it to heal," said Solgen. "While it may not completely rejuvenate yourself, it's better than nothing."
Following Solgen's advice, I opened my Inventory and took out a mana crystal. Proceeding to swallow it whole, I could feel myself already being healed. My ragged breathing steadied, and the splitting headache faded.
"Wow… Just absorbing these things… can heal wounds… and replenish mana?" I wheezed.
"Yes, but too much of it will be bad for your body. Excessive consumption leads to your mana becoming unstable, and your health deteriorating, slowly killing you."
"That is nice to know," I mumbled.
"Now then. Our deal from earlier. I helped you deal with the guardians. It is time for you to free me from my imprisonment."
Oh yeah, kinda forgot about the whole prison thing while I was fighting for my life!
I unsteadily got up from the ground and examined my surroundings once more. "You say free yourself, but I don't see you or any sort of prison."
"That is because you aren't using your 'eyes'."
I furrowed my brow in confusion at that statement. My vision was completely fine since all I saw were water and rocks.
Solgen projected a deep sigh within my mind. "Infuse mana into your eyesight. Then look at the far end of the lake and you will see what I mean. Honestly, what kind of Apithien are you?"
Following its advice, I attempted to fuse mana into my eyeballs. Since I've experienced mana for a bit, I am getting more comfortable using it. Sure enough, at the far end of the lake, I noticed a small crevice. It seems like it was purposely hidden if you were not closely paying attention. I guess it's time for another swim...
After reaching the shore, I checked my body once more to check for any damage, and sure enough, I felt fine. The fatigue is there, but the pain in my ribs seems to be gone. After finishing the health checkup, I dove into the lake and made my way to the crevice. It took me a good three minutes, even with my speed, to get across. Once there, a small ledge appeared, and I hastily climbed on, soaking wet.
Walking around in damp clothes feels so weird.
"By the way Solgen, your comment from earlier..."
While talking, I entered the small hole in the wall. "I don't know what an Apithien is, and I sure as am not one. I came from the planet Earth."
"You're not an Apithien?! Then how are you-"
I cut off Solgen with a loud gasp when I witnessed a disturbing sight. An altar was surrounded by a sickeningly dark pool of dried blood. In the middle stood a woman, her skin covered in a patchwork of scars. Chains staked into a wall were inscribed with runes as it wrapped around the arms and legs of a tall figure. Her pale white skin seemed to sparkle, as if it were blessed by the moon. Gray hair, wild and unkempt, reached all the way to the floor, like a beast's fur. She raised her face weakly, and our eyes met. Her slight frame made her look vulnerable, yet her lavender eyes shone with an unyielding intensity.
"You... what are you?" Solgen croaked as we both gawked at each other.