Golem of the Demon King

Leo hated two phase bosses in games. He especially hated it when it was after a scripted loss. That  was because he hated wasting his time figuring out a boss’s patterns only to learn it didn’t matter in the end. Well, not like he actually learned how to fight Barns after being tossed around like a ragged doll.

“AGHH!” Barns screened in pain as red lighting shot out of the shard. He seemed to be in enough pain to drop the shard before it drained him as he also jumped back from it.

*BZZT* *BZZT*

*RUMBLE* *RUMBLE*

As the lighting crackled stones from around the room started to roll closer to the shard.

“Oh no…” Leo sighed seeing what was happing.

“What?” Zen asked tilting her head.

“That.” Was all Leo said while pointing at the rocks. It seems enough had been collected as they began to place themselves together. They began to form into proxy legs, torso, arms and finally a head with a glowing red center. “It made a golem.”

It was taller than the three currently and although crude, it was definitely top heavy. Magic was all Leo could guess as to why it didn’t topple over on its own proportions.

“So…” They heard Barns from the other side of the golem, “I suppose this is my bad?”

“Yes.” Zen said unenthusiastically as always, never removing her eyes from the new enemy.

To offer its own answer, the golem raised its arm to slam at Barns with great speed. Barns barely managed to dodge seemingly tired from having his mana drained into creating this thing, “Yeah, that’s fair.” He then looked at the two, “Either of you got any bright ideas? I’m kinda spent.”

“Really?” Leo asked shocked at Barns sudden switch.

“What can I say? I got no shame asking for help.” The golem then turned by rotating the the stones on its body. It raised arm again and in a throwing motion hurled the stone at the end of its arm at them.

Dodging, Leo thought that it seemed to be a golem with very basic attack patterns. Still, judging from the craters it was leaving behind from its impact, it was using the magic to reinforce the stones used. If there was one thing Leo felt sure of, it was that if he could get to the shard, the golem would fall apart. He just needed to get to it. “Not really an idea, but I could use your two to kite the thing!”

“Kite?”

“What?”

Leo groaned as they all had to dodge the golem’s attacks. Seriously, trained assassins and neither of them had tactics, sure they were gamer tactics, but there had to be something similar. “Distract the thing so I can get close!”

“Affirmative!” Zen confirmed

“Ah. Got it.”

While the start was awkward, but the two quickly switch to throwing knives to get the golem’s attention… at least that was the plan. While Barns did throw the first few knives, once it became Zen’s turn to distract the golem, he position himself infant of the exist.

Leo, who was opposite of the golem and was keeping an eye on the other’s position, called out. “Barns! What the hell are you doing!?”

“Oh, shit man.” Barns said surprised he was caught, “Sorry, but I think this for the best.” He pointed his thumb to the exit portal, “If I leave now then I got plausible deniability of whether or not knowing if you two survive this or not, good luck!” He then backed up and exited the dungeon.

“Bastard.”

“Zen! Language!”

This was bad, without a second person to kite the golem Leo had no way to study the golem’s patterns to get an opening. Did he have anything in his spacious bag to get both of them out of this dungeon. If he could just throw something, anything, then he could take some of the pressure Zentella.

“Focus!” Zentella called.

Leo snapped his head to her. All she did was nod before turning back to the golem. She raised her pinky before throwing another knife. The symbol of their trust to each other. With that Leo knew he just had to trust her. That he had to finish this quickly. Did the party have skills that could take on the golem? He didn’t have time to cycle through the system... but if he asked the system?

“System! Assistance!” Leo called in desperation as he saw Zen dodge another smash from the golem. Thankfully she dodge as the system answered him.

[Aleister’s Leap is suggested. Use the skill?]

“Confirm!” Leo shouted as he rushed the back of the golem.

ALEISTER’S LEAP

The muscles in Leo’s legs surged with mana. It was definitely a skill he never read? Was it unlocked along his dungeon dive? It didn’t matter as he now was in the landing on the golem. It did not take kindly to the added weight to its artificial weight. It began to attempt to reach him with its stone arms to pull him off, forgetting it had no fingers.

ALIESTER’S STRENGTH

Channeling mana to his whole body Leo squirmed and reached for the center of the golem’s artificial face.

*BZZT* *BZZT*

Lightning crackled as he placed his hand on the red shard. The golem then began to shake and thrash violently.

“Uncle!”

“Wait, Zen!” Leo called out. The lighting wasn’t affecting him, but she didn’t know that. She came charging at the golem He needed to work fast to get the stone before Zentella gets too close. Using all of Aliester’s borrowed strength there a loud thunk! Before Leo could celebrate his victory, the golem began to shake. Without its power source, it could no longer hold its form. With adrenaline coursing through him, his mind focus on Zen. She had just made it to where the golem was going to fall, but she wouldn’t be able to dodge with her momentum. “Damnit!”

ALIESTER’S LEAP

xXxX

Using the falling golem as his springboard Leo launched himself towards Zen. It seems his speed was fast even for her, as she didn’t realize that he tackled her out of the way of the debris until they finished skidding across the ground. When she looked at Leo, it dawned on her why they stopped. Her Uncle crashed into the wall. This final collision seemed to be the one that knocked him this time. Her eyes then were drawn to the red crystal in his hand.

It was still sparking with energy and she began to fear that it could do the same strange thing it did before. However, being this close she saw the mana clearly. It was a strange red color that flowed like bright blood. She never seen mana so thick before. Then the red shard shot out straight into Leo’s chest.

Panicked, she removed herself from his embrace and tried to examine the wound. Except, there was no wound. There wasn’t even damage to his armor. What was stranger was that the mana was gone. It was like it never existed. Confirming that their objective was complete Zentella gathered her mana to increase her strength. It was still awkward positioning, but she had to get her uncle out of the dungeon. Hopefully there were the miners so she didn’t have to carry him back to Bellen.

“Mission Complete.” Zen nodded to herself as she entered the portal.