Chapter 224: Atlas (2)
As her earth Golem slowly grew forth from the doll core, Dora took account of the current situation.
*Summoning the doll in this state blocks off about 15% of my mana. Far Sight blocks off anywhere from 20-40%, depending on how far I push the skill. Conservatively speaking that leaves me about 35% of my mana to play with freely.*
Dora locked eyes with the Atlas Grizzly, wary of another fireball. Her left arm was a testament to the strength of the attack and she did not want to be caught unaware. The best thing she could do at this moment would be…
Dora knelt, pressing her right hand to the ground and she began pouring some of her own mana into the earth.
*This won’t work as well as earth generated by magic, but it should help speed up the process.*
Right now her earth golem was only at about thirty percent of it’s full mass, this was a consequence of using atma on a doll that couldn’t handle it in her earlier spar with Zero. Eventually she would be able to completely refill her doll core, allowing the golen to be summoned at full glory. For now she would have to supplement its mass with actual earth matter.
As Dora poured her mana into the earth, small chunks of dirt separated and flew towards the swirling mass of earth and magic surrounding the doll core. In seconds there was a moderately deep gouge in the earth at Dora’s feet, meanwhile her golem doubled in size.
*I need a better way to gauge just how much lead time I have between what I see with Far Sight.* This was Dora’s first priority. To that end she immediately sent her golem on the attack, her foe the Atlas Grizzly lumbered forward and used the full weight of its body to attack the construct.
The golem shook, it’s trajectory completely altered by the power of the golem’s strike.
*D-dammit.* Dora thought inwardly. Her construct allowed her to fight remotely, but any damage it sustained would be reflected in her mana pool. The construct was sturdy and easily held together, but being swatted around like a pinata would do very little to conserve her mana.
Dora brushed the jarring sensation which accompanied her doll’s blow to the side of her mind. Although she couldn’t “physically” feel the attack, something of a mental transference was attached to the blow. Zero warned her of this, and even said his dolls were special, but only now did Dora fully understand.
Zero’s atma-made dolls mitigated this effect entirely, allowing her to fully experience activating and utilizing multiple dolls. She took a deep breath and pushed her Far Sight outwards, moving time ahead as she continued to focus on the Atlas Grizzly.
Much like before the Atlas Grizzly shifted its body weight and attacked with it’s other paw, this time in a diagonal swipe.
Chunks of the golem were gouged out, but the hit was largely ineffective as Dora willed the golem to strike back. The golem’s earthen body shifted to form the head of a hammer where it’s fist might normally have been. The golem then struck a blow to the creature’s sternum, shrugging off it’s slashing attack completely.
The Grimlock seemed surprised by this and was caught completely unaware. Due to its large mass and hulking body, the creature wouldn’t have been able to evade her anyway. Unfortunately the blow did very little damage.
*It looks like the fur is natural armor. Tsk.*
Dora clenched her right hand, using it to control her doll’s movements manually. Typically there were two ways to handle a doll, the first and easiest was to give it a vague impression of an objective. When this was done a doll would act according to many circumstances to make that will a reality. For example, the command “crush my enemy” would be perfect for a golem and terrible for a bird-type doll.
A general command with the intention of “attack my enemy” would yield better results for both, but it may be less effective based on the enemy. The second method could be considered manual and it required infusing mana into the doll via the core, willing it to take a specific action.
The benefit of this was the ability to give a doll very specific commands. However this method had a drawback from the first method (also known as “auto-mode” according to Zero).
Auto-mode used minimal mana expenditure while manual mode used higher mana expenditure in the form of magic bursts to activate commands. Not only that, complex commands would require more mana. In short, the more manual commands given, the faster a Doll Mage would eat through their own mana.
Dora had a suspicion that this is why the Doll Mage class “blocked” off a part of her mana pool, reserving it for doll use. Otherwise, under certain circumstances the class might be a juggernaut to deal with. These limitations made the use of Doll Mage a bit restrictive , but ultimately there were more merits than detriments. Dora was currently making use of one such advantage.
The Golem was now locked in a heated battle with the Atlas Grizzly. The bear’s weight easily overcame the mass of shifting rock, but that mattered very little to an inanimate object. When faced with a direct challenge, the Atlas Grizzly acted like a savage. The creature sought to use overwhelming power to humble it’s foe.
The creature slapped and pawed wildly, it’s hits resounded through the forest with unparalleled ferocity. It growled, it’s sounds reaching new levels of disdain for the foe that dared to withstand it’s blows. And in the midst of all of this Dora worked to calibrate her senses. With the Atlas Grizzly fully engaged in a slugfest with her doll, she used her Far Sight to gain a deeper understanding. Each blow, each strike acted like the stroke of a paintbrush, revealing a larger picture to the Oracle.
Soon the Golem’s body began to shift, moving in the best ways to deflect or lessen damage from the grizzly’s claws. Then the golem began to get hit less and even strike counter blows more often. Soon the Atlas Grizzly reached an insurmountable level of hatred for the doll, it’s fur flaring up into embers as it sought to burn the golem to ash.
Unbeknownst to the Grimlock, Dora used her Far Sight to better study it’s movements and slowly, surely begin matching the golem’s reactions to the impending threats. At first it was difficult, the creature’s force alone was enough to make any onlooker shudder. But the adrenaline fueled situation honed Dora’s senses to a razor sharp degree. It was something she counted on.
With every blow the grizzly attempted she began to get a deeper feel for the timing until finally the result was the current present. The Atlas Grizzly opened up it’s chest, head heaving backwards as it summoned a monstrous flame blast. It then pointed it’s nozzle downward, it’s mouth agape as a ball of condensed flame spiraled and churned inside. The look of rage on the creature’s face was only surpassed by it’s confusion when the golem smashed its mouth shut with a well placed uppercut. This occurred just moments before the Atlas Grizzly let the blast rip.
The result was an explosion that engulfed the creature’s entire head, a ball of billowing black smoke -- the color of charred flesh and singed fur. A growing ball of flames so hot and intense -- yet confined and pushed back upon itself. The blast caused the Golem to inch away ever so slightly from the force and the Atlas Grizzly, having finally been injured, stumbled backwards precariously.
For a moment Dora thought she’d finished the job. It wasn’t until a plethora of earthen spikes jutted from the ground did she realize her optimism was misplaced. The golem was easily pierced by earth magic more powerful and sinister than it’s own. Jagged, irregularly shaped spires of blackened earth appeared with such quickness, such force that they seemed to appear from nowhere. Dora was aware that it was due to her lax guard, but the mental damage was severe. The sight of black spikes piercing from the ground in a two meter radius sent chills up her spine.
“Ridiculous.” She muttered as a bead of cold sweat formed along her brow.
