Health: 210 -> 193

‘Well, that wasn’t as bad as I expected…’

Battle Order

D20 - 1 = 5 (6)

Omen: 6, 15

‘Aren’t you lucky?’ Bandlor thought to Adam, swooping around the area. ‘This is an injured golem! Let’s fight it!’

“We need to run!” Andal exclaimed, reaching for his shield.

The giant golem had awakened right beside Imma and Jay, who had been nearest to the tablet after the rest had withdrawn. It turned to face the pair, scanning between one to the other, before bringing up it’s thick greatsword. It swung down with purpose towards Imma. She screamed, bringing up her staff before it was split into two and her front was cleaved by the heavy metal blade. She dropped, a pool of crimson beginning to seep under her.

“Imma!” Jay roared, unsheathing his own greatsword to attack, though the creature swung wildly towards Jay, striking him across the front of his armour, his chain mail shattering under the heavy blow, and he flew across into a nest of broken trees. He let out a grunt before his breath escaped him. He grew limp.

The golem had defeated almost half their party in a matter of seconds. Adam glanced around, noting how the remaining three had been struck by the beam and weren’t fighting at full strength.

Enraged, Kay leapt towards the golem. She swung mightily, though her axe clattered against the golem’s shifting armour. She did not cry out, nor did she curse.

“It’s no use!” Andal raised his shield up and then circled around towards the pair of unconscious fellows. “Your blade won’t be able to cut through it! These golems are dwarven made!”

“So is my sword,” Adam said, though he reached for his shield. ‘What do you think Bandlor? Can I take it on alone?’

‘You will not be fighting alone!’ Bandlor, currently Adam’s owl familiar, swooped around the creature. ‘I won’t abandon your side!’ The golem turned its attention to the owl, its head spinning around to follow it.

“You two, get out of here! I’ll handle this!” Adam called out.

Spell: Stabilise

“Let’s do something about that blood, shall we?” Adam called out, reaching out towards Imma, who was still bleeding in a pool of her own blood. The energy of his divinity shot through his fingertips and stifled the woman’s bleeding, allowing her to rest in peace. However, it was then the golem turned its gaze to Adam. The half-elf quickly donned his shield as it marched towards him.

‘Why’s it looking at me like that?’

The creature towards Adam, ignoring Kay’s glancing blade. She could barely get through those heavy plates, and so she quickly retreated to her allies. Adam inhaled deeply as the creature towered over him, wielding its blade with both hands as it swung.

Adam brought his blade up to meet it, yet the might of the swing was such that Adam’s arms were blown back.

‘What the-’

The golem’s blade blurred as it struck Adam right against his gut, causing him to keel over, spitting up both spit and blood as his insides were bruised. His chain mail shuddered, threatening to shatter under the creature’s heavy blow. Pain flooded through his body, screaming out at him to run.

Health: 193 - 156

“Jesus!” Adam cried out through his teeth, his eyes going wide. He gasped for air as he readied himself to fight, but his legs wouldn’t listen to him.

‘Adam!’ Bandlor whizzed by the creature, distracting it for a moment, striking the creature’s face.

Adam heard the clatter of metal against metal, and watched as the golem stumbled. Andal pulled his warhammer away from the golem’s knee.

“You alright, son?” The dwarf asked, keeping his shield up.

“Didn’t I tell you guys to get outta here?” Adam asked, coughing up some blood.

“The orc’ll go! The earth mother will not see me run today!” Andal exclaimed, striking the golem again, though he clattered off the side of the creature.

‘Damn dwarves!’

Adam watched as Kay hoisted Imma over her shoulders, though in her eyes there was uncertainty. She didn’t want to run, and he could see the pride of her orc half pulling her towards the fight.

Spell: Stabilise

Mana: 37 -> 36

Spell: Mirror Mage

Onward Soar

1 -> 0

Mana: 36 -> 33

Spell: Spectral Sentinels

Adam extended a hand towards Jay. “Not today,” he said, letting the magic flow through his body as he stabilised the man with his spell. “Get them out of here!” Adam shouted as Kay nodded, making for Jay. Adam then slapped his chest, breathing heavily through his pain as multiple Adams began to exist, all slightly displaced from himself, but copying his actions.

He wasn’t done just yet, as the golem’s head remained glued to facing his own. ‘Watch this, you prick!’ This golem had done quite a number on him, and he wasn’t going to let the guy show him up! He kissed his amulet and brought it up. “I think we need a few more owls,” Adam said. White light flashed across the area as Adam summoned forth dozens of owls, all swirling fifteen feet around himself. Each owl was pure white, radiating light, with tiny halos atop their crowns.

‘Damn, they’re so cute!’

Spectral Sentinels

3d6+3 = 15 (2, 4, 6)

15 radiant damage!

Adam coughed from the pain again, before looking up at the golem. As it swung for Adam, dozens of owls slammed into the creature as it swung wildly. Adam ducked under the mighty swipe, losing two of his images.

‘Are you kidding me?’

As the owls struck the golem, Andal took the moment to slam the creature again with his mighty warhammer. The creature stumbled, allowing Adam to step through it.

“You’ve got a lot of spells, boy!” Andal called out, his face filled with worry. “You aren’t going to hit me with them, are you?”

“You don’t have to worry, master dwarf!” Adam said, readying to cast another spell. “As long as we’re still on the same team!”

“Aye, boy!” Andal nodded.

Mana: 33 -> 31

Spell: Spectral Weapon

Attack

D20 + 9 = 13 (4)

D20 + 9 = 29 (20)

Critical hit!

2d6 + 9 = 18 (3, 6)

18 damage!

Attack

D20 + 9 = 27 (18)

Hit!

1d6 + 9 = 11 (2)

11 damage!

Spectral Weapon

D20 + 5 = 23 (18)

Hit!

1d6 + 2 = 4 (2)

4 radiant damage!

“Come to me!” Adam called out, drawing his sword and then raising it into the air. Another sword appeared, one that looked similar to his dwarven blade, and it flew towards the golem, striking it right through the golem’s shoulder. The blue-white light of the creature flickered, as though losing its strength. Adam tried to strike the creature against its shoulder, but it was swinging around to meet him, so he harmlessly clattered against the creature’s bicep.

‘Crap.’

Yet it was fortunate for him, because as the creature turned, Adam found that the golem’s plates were shifting, giving him a moment where the gaps opened up wide, wide enough for a sword’s tip. He thrust his blade into the golem’s side, warping a small section of the metal, before it quickly slammed into another to block anymore attacks.

“How did you like that?!” Adam exclaimed with delight, grinning wide.

“Don’t get too cocky just yet!” Andal called out, moving around to remain at the golem’s back. “It’s dwarven made, and don’t you forget it!”

“Whose side are you on?!” Adam called out.

‘Focus!’ Bandlor exclaimed into the half-elf’s mind.

Spectral Sentinels

3d6+3 = 14 (2, 4, 5)

14 radiant damage!

‘Wait a second…’ Adam thought, ducking beside the giant blade, which cut through the mirrored form ahead of him. ‘I wasn’t healed?’ The haloed owls peppered the golem like arrows, slamming into the creature, disappearing, and then reappearing again moments later.

Adam brought up his sword as the golem swung downward, meeting the blade. The force of the attack thundered through his body, his legs feeling like they were about to break as the ground underneath shuddered.

‘God damn!’

Health: 156 -> 129

Tough Save

D20 + 2 = 8

D20 + 6 = 14

Success!

“This thing really hurts!” Adam exclaimed, feeling his entire body shake in pain, trying his best to maintain his focus on his spell. Losing the owls now would be a big issue.

“Keep it up!” Andal called as he slammed the golem again with his warhammer, striking the back of the golem’s knee once more, his hammer thundering. He kept aiming for the same spot, attacking it with surgical precision

Attack

D20 + 9 = 10 (1)

D20 + 9 = 16 (7)

Omen: 6, 15 -> 6

15 + 9 = 24

Hit!

1d6 + 8 = 9 (1)

Attack

D20 + 9 = 14 (5)

Miss!

Spectral Weapon

D20 + 5 = 25 (20)

Critical hit!

2d6 + 3 = 12 (4, 5)

12 radiant damage!

Spectral Sentinels

3d6+3 = 16 (2, 5, 6)

16 radiant damage!

Adam slammed his blade against the golem’s, his arms feeling like they were about to shatter, before he dropped down onto a knee. He tried to pull up his sword, but his arms refused to raise after the mighty blow.

Health: 129 -> 108

Tough Save

D20 + 6 = 12 (6)

D20 + 6 = 19 (13)

Omen: 6 -> 0

He stared up at the sword, which was moving to pierce through his chest. He cringed at the thought of being skewered, and then called forth for Mistress Fate’s aid.

The blade pierced right beside him, digging into the dirt beside him. He had been scraped against his armour, a narrow miss, but a narrow miss was still a miss. Adam’s heart pounded as he stared up at the golem, which tried to pull out its sword.

“By the salt mother!” Andal exclaimed, slamming his warhammer against the back of the creature’s knee, causing it to shudder. The dwarf roared, slamming the back of the golem’s knee again and it shuddered once more, dropping down to a knee. It stared down at Adam, its body flashing with the light once more.

Adam leapt up at his chance and then grabbed his sword. Bandlor struck it across the head, but its head did not move away from staring at Adam. More owls peppered against it, and Adam willed forth his might as he pierced the creature’s chest, finding purchase between some shifting plates.

The blue-white of the creature faded as it fell. Then a flash of blue-white light filled the air as the golem’s metal pieces dropped, revealing a giant core which shot out beams of blue-white light everywhere.

“Get dow-” Andal’s voice was cut off by the sound of a thundering explosion.

Quick Save

D20 - 1 = 3 (4)

Health: 108 -> 77

Light seared through his body and Adam was shot back, slamming against a nearby tree. He coughed up blood again, the liquid escaping his throat as his entire body screamed with pain. Though he had a lot of health, more health than everyone around no doubt, the entire fight had taken quite a bit out of him.

EXP Gained

Weakened Mage Hunter Golem

+6,000

Shared with Party

-3,000

Otherworlder Bonus

+3,000

EXP Total

6,000

Current EXP

8270

Level up available!

The thundering fell silent and they were left there, in the woods, a half-elf and a dwarf. The sounds of their breathing began to fill the air.

“You alright?” Andal called out, stumbling onto his feet. The dwarf was covered in blast marks from the two explosions he had tanked straight to the face.

“I’m fine,” Adam replied, trying to roll over to get up.

“How?” The dwarf asked, his face filled with tired astonishment.

Adam shrugged. “I’m lucky.”

“I’ve never met such an unlucky fellow in my entire life.”

“That sounds terrible,” Adam replied. “You are quite… wizened.”

Andal raised his thick eyebrow, but nodded. “You aren’t too bad, for a half-elf.” Andal reached over a hand to help Adam onto his feet. Adam accepted graciously.

“Must be the human side of me,” the half-elf said, brushing off his armour.

“You seem like the type to make that joke often.”

Adam shrugged again. “It’s a new joke if the person hasn’t heard it before.”

“In a certain manner of sense,” the dwarf replied. Then the dwarf turned to the golem, walking over to it as he checked the golem out.

‘Well done, young man!’ Bandlor flew over towards Adam. ‘That was quite the show!’

‘You said I could have killed one by myself…’

‘Yes! Of course you could have!’

‘Didn’t seem like it!’

‘All you needed to do was to cast Mirror Mage, then your Spectral Sentinels and Spectral Weapon would have whittled it down for you.’

‘I think you were trying to get me killed…’ Adam narrowed his eyes suspiciously.

‘What?! Why would I do that!’ Bandlor slapped Adam with his wings, but Adam punted the owl away again. ‘If you had died…’ Bandlor fell quiet. The owl shuddered and then quickly flew away.

‘What?’

‘Do you know what Mistress Fate would have done to me?’

‘…’ Adam had no idea what Mistress Fate had planned for Bandlor. ‘Aren’t you a god?’

‘Indeed! I am Bandlor, God of War!’

‘So how can Mistress Fate be so much stronger than you? You’re a god.’

‘For a Wizard, you are quite stupid.’

‘Rude.’

Bandlor flew down beside Adam. ‘I may be a god, but Mistress Fate is a being beyond even our powers. The difference between her and I…’ Bandlor fell quiet. ‘It is the same difference between I and a baby.’

'Seriously? Aren’t you a god though? You’re meant to be extremely powerful…’

‘Powerful, yes, but not all powerful. Even someone like Belle can fall under the whims of Chaos and Order.’

‘So… wait, what?’ Adam cocked his head aside, leaning against a tree to rest up. ‘What do you mean by that?’

‘I mean by that, what I mean by that.’

Adam had no idea what he meant by that.

“Here,” the dwarf called out. Adam turned to see the dwarf holding up four small gems. No, not gems, they were something else. Andal handed over four of the small cracked gems and then revealed he had taken two.

“Since you did most of the work, I’ll give you the dragon’s share,” the dwarf said, with a tone of finality.

“Thanks,” Adam replied. He looked down at them for a long moment, trying to examine what they were. They weren’t typical gems.

Arcane

D20 + 8 = 10 (2)

Failure!

He was sure there was something about them. He remained staring at the shards for a little while, as though that would help reveal what they were.

“Lesser cores,” Andal said. “The core split into six pieces.”

“Oh.” Adam nodded. That made a lot of sense. He smiled and then pocketed the cores. They would be useful in the future for enchanting. Not only that, they could also be sold for a pretty penny.

Adam checked over the golem. It had been piled up, with its sword stuck into the ground as though it was a grave marker.

“Could we use the metal of the golem?” Adam asked.

“It’s best to leave it to rest,” Andal said.

Adam turned back to see the look on Andal’s face. The dwarf was holding a helmet to his chest, as though mourning for the golem. Adam nodded and then looked out into the distance.

Perception

D20 + 5 = 24 (19)

Success!

He managed to see the tiny specks in the distance, those of the fleeing forms of Kay, holding onto both Jay and Imma. She had been slowed down quite harshly by the weights of the pair. Adam looked down at the packs that had remained nearby, mostly scattered.

“Let’s go tell her the good news, shall we?” Adam said, beginning to pack the spilt items.