Chapter 11 - Golems

The Maroon colored Pyro Spell Tome materializes in front of Nero.

"Plasma Blade Ballet!"

Empty plages flip and stop on the page with the Spell's description and formulas.

[Plasma Blade Ballet Lv 1 (Offensive Spell)

MP Cost: 100 MP

Spell Duration: 100 Seconds

Description:

Gauntlet Sword - Pata

Plasma in the shape of a Pata sword on each hand. Can slice, pierce and burn through almost every material except the following.

Graphite, Tungsten, and Pyromancy nullification spells.

Length - 44-inch/112 cm

Blade Type - Double-Edged Straight

Hilt Type - Gauntlet Type]

Nero clenches his fists, and gauntlets made of solid Maroon flames appear over them. Two Double-Edged Straight blades made of Plasma rise out of the Gauntlets to create Pata Swords.

"That Spell... you inherited Jeddah's Tome? Did you loot it from his grave too?"

"What?" Nero asked as he dodged a Spear made of Ice thrown toward him. The Spear struck an empty patch of ground and shattered. 

"Don't bother answering! I will turn you into a mana fiend and have you return it to where it belongs."

More projectiles of different Elemental Spells are hurled at Nero, who expertly dodges them all. He had spent the last three years training with his Grandfather in the forests of the Wildlands. He learned how to wield a Bow, Spear, and Sword, among many other skills related to hunting and combat. The art of dodging incoming attacks from an arrow, close-range and long-range weapons, claws, and horns was drilled into his muscle memory. It helped him survive and thrive in the Wildlands filled with Beasts and Bandits, but now it is helping him in his fight against Varren's Golems.

The Twelve Golems have a Soul Crystal in the center of their chest. It is their core, and Nero must target these Crystals to take them down as he dodges the Elemental attacks related to Cryomancy, Electromancy, Geomancy, Metallomancy, Aeromancy, and Floramancy. 

All the Golems are made of Granite, but each has a different color representing their Elemental affinity. Spears, Swords, Staffs, Shields, Maces, Axes, or Hammers were wielded. The Golems alternated between Elemental attacks and close combat weapons. Nero stretched every muscle and hyper-focused his senses to avoid getting hit. 

Nero's Maroon Pata Swords drew power from his meager 100 Mana Pool (MP). Luckily he had bought 2 Mana Potions from Alexander that could restore his MP if it ran out. So that meant he had a total of 300 seconds before he would become defenseless.

Nero spent the first Ten seconds dodging the long-range Elemental attacks thrown by 6 of the Golems that stood behind six others who guarded them with tower shields in their left hands. Nero had to get close and take down the projectile throwers before dealing with the Tanks. So he ran forward until he picked up enough momentum to slide underneath the legs of the Shieldbearer and the one behind it. Thankfully the Golems were slow to react and move. 

While he was passing underneath both the Golems. Nero extends his right arm so that the Maroon Plasma Pata slices through the joints that connect their leg with their foot. Though the Golems are made of Granite which is highly heat resistant, the joints are made of Quartz which melts at 600 Degrees Celcius. It can't resist the 2000 Degrees Celcius heat of the Plasma Patas. Both the Golems lose balance and fall. Leaving their Soul Crystal Cores exposed. 

Nero quickly gets back on his feet and jumps on their bodies to stab their exposed Cores with his Plasma Patas. He moves fast enough that both are dealt with within five seconds. Once the cores are destroyed, the Golems cannot maintain their form and crumble into small pieces.  

"Two Down!"

"Impressive for a Grave Robber. But my creations will find a way to stop your movements."

"I found it in the Library!" Nero yells, but his voice is drowned out by the Golems who move to surround him. Several of them swing their Elemental Weapons down on him. Nero manages to dodge most but gets a gash on his right shoulder.

"Argghh!" Nero screams in pain as he rolls between the legs of the Golems to escape the encirclement. As they slowly turn around, Nero jumps up as high as he can and slashes the core of another Golem with both Patas. But as soon he lands back down, the pieces of the crumbling Golem fall on top of him. Nero manages to escape getting hit by large boulders, but a few smaller pieces graze and sting his shoulders.  

Sensing his Mana Pool is almost empty, Nero pulls out one of Alexander's Mana Potions and gulps it down. But while he is drinking, one of the Golems charge at his right flank with an Axe made of Wood and vines. Nero could not dodge the incoming attack, so he recasts the Plasma Blade Ballet and counterattacks. His Spell Blades cut through the Elemental weapon created through Floramancy like a hot knife through butter. The remains of the Axe caught fire and quickly spread across the body, covered in vines and tree bark for armor. The Golem fell to the ground to roll and smother the flames, but Nero took the opportunity to stab right into the Golem's Core which came within reach.

Nero. "I can't believe that worked! Four Down!"

Another Giant Axe made of Metal came at him. Nero could feel the air pressure striking him before the blade could close. He fell to the ground to let the Axe pass over him and then rolled between the Golem's legs. But before he could repeat the same feat of dismembering the joints in the feet. Another Golem's foot rushed in to kick Nero back. The attack knocked out several teeth, cracking his ribs and hurting his spine.

 "Ha Ha Ha! Didn't expect a donkey kick did you?"

Nero groaned and spat blood. His vision is blurry, but he still makes out the remaining Golems rushing in to finish him. 

"I have no choice... Ben, I need you!" Nero called out to the contracted Summon that materialized in front of him. The Wolf's white fur stood out in the desolate landscape. Ben's eyes quickly darted from Nero toward the approaching Golems and began barking at them. They all slowed down and came to a standstill.

"So you are a Summoner, a Mage, and a child of Sin? What kind of ancestry do you have?" Varren asks as he comes to inspect Ben, who growls at him.

"It's complicated... but why did you stop your attacks?"

"Though I despise Grave Robbers, you have defeated four of my Golems. For a Mage with a White Magical Core, that is already a feat worth acknowledging."

"Wait... weren't you trying to kill me?"

"Yes, I was.. as I do with every other Mage who enters my Soul Plane. But I am not fond of ending young lives if they defeat some of my Golems as you did. I am willing to raise your grade from White to Orange."

"Organe? That is two grades higher than White."

"Defeating two of my Golems equals one upgrade. You defeated four, so two upgrades."

"If I defeated all Twelve Golems, I could have reached Indigo?"

"If you had some health potions, you might have been able to do it. But it doesn't look like you have any. So you get to live and rob another Grave."

"I... I am not a grave robber. I found this Spell Tome in the library, and I have no intention of stealing a Spell Tome from Gandhara. I was just surprised two forbidden Spell Tomes were buried near where I lived."

"The Summoner village? I must say... I do not recall any village like that in my time."

"When was your time exactly?"

"Hard to say... I can't keep track of the passage of time in the Soul Plane. I don't have eyes on the outside world. Only the Mages who come here to challenge me are my only landmark for the passage of time. You are the 88th Mage who stepped in here. But the second child of Sin I had to deal with. Though he was a child of Pride while you belong to Gluttony."

"How can you tell which Sin is inside me?"

"The Sins... originated before my time on Earth. I fought for them... against them and ended up as Demonic Soul Crystal."

"Really? How did they do it?"

"Somethings are better left lost to time. Now let's get back to business. I will purify your blood with Negative energy, and you will get what you came for."

Nero smiles and then looks at Ben. He is wagging his tail in excitement. 

"Hold on... The Headmaster said the battle will be won if I defeat you in combat. Why would he say that if the test was destroying your Golems?"

Varren is surprised by that and then studies Nero.

"Well... if you defeated the rest of my Golems and me... you would go straight to Violet Grade. Do you desire a quick shortcut like that?"

Nero paused to consider. 

"Once I get to Organe Grade... I won't be able to come back here to upgrade again, right?"

"That is the will of your Emperor, I believe."

"Then that means I will have to find another Demon Soul Crystal in some ruins... which might take a long time... so now is the only opportunity I have to reach a higher grade."

Nero pulls out the last Mana Potion from his coat pocket and then looks at Ben. 

"What do I get if I defeat you?"

"Me? My... you are ambitious. You still have to go through the other Golems to earn the right to challenge me."

Nero knew 100 seconds wouldn't be enough for that.

"What if I promise to visit Gandhara and give her a message from you in exchange for a direct battle."

"Boy... you just made me question if you are really the child of Pride. I will be willing to consider it... though I doubt you will be able to defeat me with a white core."

"I have Ben with me... I believe the two of us can take you down."

"Ho Ho Ho! Very well then! I will get you to Violet Grade if you can defeat me as you are right now."

"Then what should I tell her?"

Varren looks at the ruins once more and shakes his head.

"Find peace and move on... you have protected that place long enough."

"I will remember that! Now let's get this over with!"

"AAAooohh!" Ben howls in excitement to battle by Nero's side again.

"Overconfidence might kill you... I hope you considered that."

End of Chapter 11