The Golem Adventurer

Chapter 51 - Draugr

"I put the bastard down, I swear!" Mateo is let down gently by Aaric as we all gather together away from this newly arrived threat.

I pull out my spear and go into a fighting stance, "I dunno, Mateo. The man here doesn't look very dead to me."

"You don't shrug off a skewered heart, golem!" Mateo replies bitingly.

My eyes stay right on the Glavian. The man is covered in his own blood and can barely stand, let alone hold his weapon. His gaze is malicious but unfocused. "It's fine. I'll put him to rest." A final stand against us. Weapon in hand, I begin to walk forward. I need to end his misery.

"Arlan, stop!" Hoektan roared.

I'm caught slightly off balance by the Wolf Lord's sudden shout. "Hoektan?" I ask in surprise as I turned my head slightly to see him.

"He is already dead!"

"I know? I'm going to end his pain." I reply back in confusion. Does he want me to keep him at death's door?

The Wolf Lord growled low, "What I mean is that he is truly dead. A corpse. His soul has already departed."

If that's the case then that means... "Some kind of zombie?" This is the first time I've met something undead. I've dealt with monsters like orcs and goblins, yeah but this? Feels like I'm in a horror movie now. Then again the same could be said about me...

"I have no reason not to believe so but something is wrong." Hoektan explains, "There is nothing in my [Domain] that could raise a corpse immediately. Nor would I suffer a necromancer to step into these lands."

Hoektan begins to sniff the air in disgust, "And the smell... That scent is coming for him.  Fetid, rotting meat slathered in sweet honey."

Honestly that sounds absolutely disgusting and now I'm glad I can't smell. But the Glavian was killed just a few minutes ago. Any noticeable decomposition, even the smell, shouldn't be happening in such a short time unless there's some magical reason I have no idea about.

Now Aaric begins to sniff the air, "But I don't smell anything like that. Do you, Mateo?" Mateo turns and shakes his head at the elf before both of them look at Hoektan.

The old wolf's eyes narrow, "Then it's magical in nature. Even my Tsume is affected." Next to her father, the wolf pup is doing her best to suppress her gagging. That poor girl, distressed by the wretched stench that only she and her dad can smell.

Mateo coughs and begins to speak, "It's been a nice discussion but we still need to deal with our undead problem immediately. Can't exactly have him running around the woods at night, can we?"

"Agreed. "The Wolf Lord nods as he begins to speak to Aaric, "Go with Arlan. I will protect the others. With my enfeebled body, I can do that much at least."

Aaric nods in consent, "As you say, Lord Hoektan." The elf moves and places himself behind me, and begins to knock his bow without an arrow. Didn't need to. What did he call himself? An Arcane Archer? While he did have arrows stashed in his quiver, his preferred ammunition was those magic arrows he would conjure with his bow. He certainly did a number on a few of those Glavian soldiers.

As for me, I ready myself to attack with trepidation. Whatever this guy was before, how has Hoektan on edge. There's no room for complacency.

'I'll keep <Claw of the Lamb> in my back pocket for now. My spear should be more than adequate for this.'

"Golem... golem... " It mutters incoherently as it takes a step forward. And then another.

[Unit Arlan. I highly advise extreme caution.]