The Game Before the Fall

Chapter 34: The vestiges of a Witch (Part 2)

"So which way do we go-," Endi couldn't finish her sentence as suddenly from the direction she was looking a man shaped figure appeared. It was 3 metres tall, and as expected, like everything else, was made of swords. It was approaching from around the corner.

"Freeze!" Vanter whispered harshly. "Don't move. It sees through vibrations."

"Is that really seeing then?" Endi whispered back.

"Just shut it," Vanter snapped back and we all stopped, trying to be perfectly still.

The golem's arms, body and legs were all made from twisted swords that had been bent to form limbs. Instead of its head, a single cross shaped hilt broke out from what should have been its neck. The gem in the centre of the guard shone ominously. It stepped closer, bladed feet digging slightly into the dirt. Slowly it reached us and halted. I tried to steel my heart to silence, but as the strange construct turned its steel body towards us, my heart only sped up. It could sense us. It knew we were here. Yet, for whatever reason, the golem continued. No one moved till it was out of sight.

"Wow," Erin breathed relieved. "I really thought we were screwed there."

"Yeah...," Vanter stared in the direction it had left. "We must have got lucky." He scratched his head and opened up the screen with Ardy's notes. "Yeah... really lucky."

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

"Well according to Ardent's notes. There are three of those golems in the outer ring of the fortress and they patrol in a set motion. Usually you avoid them at all costs. They're about level 90 elite monsters. Not something we can't beat, but they may attract the attention of the others too. He says that there is a chance to sneak past them, but you have to be incredibly still, like stop your heart still...."

"Maybe Ardent's information is wrong?" Erin suggested. "He would have got that information from after players cleared this place. That only would have happened later in the game's lifetime right? Maybe an update changed things."

"Maybe," Vanter couldn't think of another reason and neither could I. "From here on we need to be more careful. We're going to follow that Golem but make sure to keep a good distance. The monsters here a living blades. They can come alive from any of the swords around us."

"Any of them?" I gestured to swords plunged into the earth that still lingered even within the fortress. There wasn't as many as outside, but there weren't few either.

"Well yes...."

"Should we just pre-emptively break them?" Endi asked, her fist dangerously close to a sword sticking out of the ground.

"No," Vanter shook his head. "Apparently some of them may also explode on touch."

Endi withdrew her hand gingerly, "Noted. But what if they come alive."

"We have about five seconds to destroy it before it alerts the golems."

Erin pondered it, "That shouldn't be too hard but I guess we can't make too much noise either."

"Nope," Vanter sighed. "How did they figure out how to pass through here in the first place?"

"Lots of trial and error," Erin laughed. "As long as we can keep coming back, players like me will keep hacking away at it slowly but surely. We're a determined sort."

"Cute as well," I flirted and flicked her nose.

Erin blushed, "Ah umm, we should keep moving."