EPISODE 219: POTENTIAL MADNESS 9

— GREAT EDRYAN, YEAR: 7292. SEASON: NEW BEGINNING.

Golems was Lawruthian's first answer to a problem that expanded far beyond their initial idea. As his mind connected to the machine and his eyes met that of his mother, the pain, the hurt—the madness within them were reflected in his. Golems were meant to be a new workforce, freeing magi-humans from the mundane and allowing them to pursue other avenues—other classes of interest. Golems, alongside his other introductions such as public schools, would allow the vast majority of the Edryan population to leave the [Worker] class and become something else—something more —if not differentiate things so that it no longer seemed uniformed. It was no longer stale.

Then, they developed far beyond their initial purpose. GEMs and GMMs, or Golem Earth Materials and Golem Metal Materials, opened new paths of thought and combined the best of both worlds. And, when Lawruthian was given the option to finally choose a class—one that he could suit and mold to his liking—he chose to follow this direction, this path he began carving as a child.

Throughout the years, this path expanded, becoming more versatile but not yet at a place he truly wanted it to be. He developed the [Hero Golems] at least using the many resources of his country to build what could barely be called a functioning computer. The (Adaptive Learning Algorithm) wasn't quite a computer, but it could recall all information stored and learn from it—pattern recognition—an artificial intelligence of sorts. And, because they could collect large amounts of data and keep records of it, Lawruthian loaned them to the new [Prime Overseer] and her branch. This allowed them to collect all votes properly and ensure there was no redundancy or cheating of any sort.

First, he was the [Hero of Edryan]—a blank slate. It was a class that would allow him to forge the [Hero] class into anything of his choosing. It came with skills like (Party) and other things while he used Skill Seeds to build his initial golem class. That class eventually experienced its evolution [Imperius Golem] while his third evolution was probably available should he assign the gained levels to the class. Throughout this process, Lawruthian experimented with many different methods of using his golem. The first was controlling it and using it as a partner to fight next to him; the second was inhabiting the golem's body—wearing it as a second skin and combating that way. Both methods held positives and negatives—controlling the golem to fight next to him took a mental strain and forced him to control two bodies at once. Fighting within the golem's body to remove this problem introduced a new one—their attributes and skills didn't merge—it was nearly like he was still doing the first method, only inside the golem. This enabled him to forget about his body.

This was the same as he inhabited this new golem forged of faith. A notification of its attributes appeared, stunning Lawruthian for a few moments, while another notification alerted him of dwindling time. Lawruthian growled—a guttural, anguished thing, he didn't exactly hit his benchmark with the golem crafted from faith, but it'd have to do. At least the acquired skills would be useful while the golem lasted.

[??? — Level 443]

Base Atk: 7500

Base Def: 5000

HP: 30000/30000

MP: 30000/30000

HP Regen: 288/Hour

MP Regen: 216/Hour

Power: 15000

Mind: 10000

Vitality: 10000

Self: 10000

You have interfaced with a golem far beyond your Intent range. ‎ 00:14:58 remaining.

The golem [???] created from the faith of the magi is unstable and will shortly collapse. ‎ 00:14:58 remaining.

"TIME. TIME . TIME . TIME—there is never enough TIME!"

Lawruthian felt like there was never enough time—not since the Goddess descended, not since his mother announced her intentions to depart. It was part of the sole reason he began to take these risks and do such endeavors far from his norm. ‎ The golem moved slowly at first—Lawruthian felt sluggish from the raw power that radiated through their connection. His head began to hurt, and he could feel other problems developing that he put to the side. He turned his gaze to the battlefield, his eyes aligning on the [Final Dragon] as it combated against the [Realm Guards]. The golems were trying to subdue the dragon and keep the space they occupied stable to prevent it from collapsing. His mother stood above, her eyes closed and lips moving as she silently chanted. Her gaze flickered to Lawruthian before back to the [Final Dragon]—resolved filled her eyes and the intent to kill blossomed like never before. The status of the surviving members of her cohort was unknown—both Marna and Akeem had yet to show themselves and Lawruthian felt a feeling Vivian was out of the fight completely.

Minerva chirped, speaking to him, but Lawruthian was far too consumed to respond. All he had was fifteen minutes to end this—fifteen minutes to kill Rasheed.

He moved, and in one moment, he stood among the injured magi who peered at him with awe and worship, in the next, he was in the air, far faster than he could control as he overshot past the fighting combatants and slammed into the roof. Lawruthian took a deep breath, attempting to calm down and refocus. Then, once calmer, enough so that he could focus on the amount of strength to use, he moved.

A blur flew through the air, passing the unexpected [Realm Guards] and slamming into the red dragon. A surprised grunt emerged from the dragon, and a damage notification appeared in Lawruthian's HUD.

Rasheed Reach -2500 Health Points.

It was a pittance—nothing—but, to Lawruthian, seeing that amount of damage gave him the hope of killing the dragon. He laughed and spoke. "Rasheed—let us see whose {Madness} is stronger—the magi's or yours."

Lawruthian punched out, one hand grappling the dragon while the other reared back to strike its maw. Lawruthian refused to give him the chance to speak, the warning of Minerva still in his mind. "I'm going to beat you to death and enjoy it. Let's see if you can reset reality or if I can beat you to death quicker."

"Lawruthian, halt ya actions, or we will be forced ta intercede," Ignis spoke—his voice heavy but duty-bound. "Aspect Rasheed is an integral part of reality—should he fall then there will be no Aspect ta keep the Foundation from crumbling. This realm would perish and all within it within'a matter of years."

Lawruthian punched again, but a heavy claw struck the side of the golem, blowing him back as he slammed through several of the large pillars. As he reorientated himself, the laugh of the [Final Dragon] entered his ears.

"Hahahahaha, is that the plan you've come up with, Lawruthian? Have me reverse reality to bring your loved ones back," Rasheed shook his head. "As I've taught Minerva, allow me to give you one final lesson—and, a gift from me to you as you've already given me so much."

Lawruthian shook himself from his crashed position—his golem lost a bit of health, but it was still fine. Rasheed flapped his wings, their gust blowing back the spells of the [Realm Guards]. The Queen moved at this moment, her body flickered once, then appeared next to the red dragon. He dodged backward, but her spear tip cut into his wing. The dragon spun, swiping his tail and knocking Titiana back. Of her six companions, she was the only one left to fight. The others retreated on her orders. The {Attribute Limiter} was already gone and the dragon had returned to its full strength.

" Cease ," the dragon commanded. The Queen halted, teeth clenched as her body forced itself to stop. The [Realm Guards] were the same, body forced to stop from Rasheed's command.

"Aspect Protocol — Code: 008651, command override—Standby for direct orders."

The [Realm Guards] who once struggled against Rasheed's command went rigid—their bodies stood at attention, and the spark of life, the spark of Intent in their eyes, was removed. Even Ignis, the leader of the guards, stood stationary, their minds completely inactive.

"Did they believe what I could do," Rasheed's voice was curious, like a child who discovered a new favorite toy. "I couldn't undo—experimental prototypes that their master never fully realized. They are weapons meant to be sold and used by those who could afford to pay the price. God Knowha was a close friend of hers and by extension, me ."

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The Aspect of Knowledge smiled at the frozen golems. "If it is a final battle you wish for, then allow me to oblige," Rasheed laughed, first directing one gaze at the receiving mother, then her son.

Queen Titiana regained control of her body. [Heavenspear] pointed in the direction of the dragon in one hand while she gently reached into her bosom and pulled out a medallion— the medallion. The very one that signified a ruler's right to govern over Edryan. It was an object that collected the faith of the Edryans toward the monarchy, but it also served another purpose. Queen Titiana began to call out, and with each word spoken, the medallion grew brighter and brighter. A golden brown light emerged from it, the magi below could feel a strong connection to it that brought them another level of confidence.

" I Call To Thee, To Magi—Of Ages Past And Present—To Those Who Have Become [Messengers], Guardians Dedicated To Forever Watching Over The Magi. I Call To You For Guidance, For Help, For— "

"(Law of Knowledge: Faith Sunderer)," Rasheed activated cooly—his voice calm and measured. "This will not be a lesson interrupted by old age [Heroes]—what happens next, I will not even allow the Gods to see."

For the first time, that intimate connection, one that Lawruthian woke up with daily… was gone. He paused and stared up at the floating dragon in shock. It wasn't just the connection, but the very faith itself that he could no longer feel.

"Recall my lessons, Lawruthian—recall the lessons of Gods I instructed you on," Rasheed's cool voice spoke. "Did you believe that in a vast world full of Gods, Titans, and Dragons, there was no counter to the faith of Gods—many Gods developed their counters against their opponent halting their calls on the faith of their people for extra strength during harrowing battles. This counter was especially strong against foreign Gods in weaker realms Genesis invaded."

Rasheed breathed in deeply, the light from his chest growing with every second of the inhale. Then, he looked up and released—dragon breath hit the ceiling, and in one swift motion, it broke through, sending flaming rocks and meteors into the sky. To those outside, it appeared as if the Mountain of Final Hope erupted.

"That's better, I needed fresh air," Rasheed commented as flaming rocks fell around him. "Now, let us begin your lesson."

The dragon grasped at its chest, and the remaining portion of the ceiling burned, reminiscent of his earlier spell. He removed the egg and beckoned toward the unresponsive [Realm Guards]. Threads of multicolored mana left the respective [Realm Guards] and in one swift motion, they inverted before flying toward G.E.N.E.S.I.S.

The golems dwindled within moments, and the egg increased in size. Five multicolored orbs glowed within G.E.N.E.S.I.S. as the larger egg grew crystalline and translucent—although the five eggs were multicolored, each seemed to hold one or two dominant colors over the rest. G.E.N.E.S.I.S. underwent a metamorphosis, but the process seemed incomplete. There was space within G.E.N.E.S.I.S.—room not just for one final missing egg but enough to fit several people.

"This realm, Genesis, was the crowned jewel of a collation of territories. It was a cultural, military, and so much more center of a billion-billion beings. All with the sole purpose of fighting against (#&(#$#1$&. [Oblivion] was a calculated strike provoked by those creatures that nearly wiped out such a gem. Its remnants fell through the elemental dimensions—falling out of the very final layers of space and Time before hitting Limbo and entering this space. If rescue was sent, the chance of them finding us was minimal to none."

Lawruthian looked up, confused at the words of the dragon. Frankly, he did not care—he wasn't here for a lecture, nor did he wish to receive one. He jumped, activating his only offensive skill of the three he was able to acquire. "(Golemancer's Ascendancy)."

The skill was close to what he wanted only missing a few steps, perhaps a second property would have given him exactly what he needed. Unfortunately, the golem was rushed and unable to achieve a form he was satisfied with.

Golemancer's Ascendancy

Rarity: Unique—Heroic

Category: Unique—Heroic Skill

Properties:

1. Merge your mind with that of the golem—fight as one being. Should the user not possess the required Intent, an imperfect merge will occur, resulting in a near-mindless creature.

Cost:

100 Stamina/Mana Points per minute. ‎ WARNING: Golem's core will lose integrity at a rate of 1:1 per minute.

Description:

Transcend the limitations of mere control—merge together to become one.

For a moment, Lawruthian's world paused; his body felt like it melted but his senses expanded as it did so. His connection with the unnamed creation was like a small straw that allowed him to pass commands. That straw melted, dispersing completely until there was no golem and there was no Lawruthian—what was left was They.

They acted, their sole target the red dragon before Them. Their body surged through the air, breaking through space and leaving a void in the realm behind them. The world screamed at the tear; its foundations were already so little, and beings of this power should not be present within its walls. It attempted to reject them, but its actions were blocked by the Aspect.

Their fist struck at the red dragon, whose only response was a grin as he caught it.

"Now," Rasheed spoke. " This is the Path I was searching for ."

The Queen gazed at her son, his mind lost in his creation. She sighed. "So much has been sacrificed—I cannot let you go too."

Her gaze was filled with nothing but A Mother's Love. It was boundless, never-ending, always present to kiss any wounds and make them feel better. It was encouraging, timeless, and said the right things at the wrong times. It was gentle, forgiving, and prepared to correct any mistakes a child may make. It was sad, loving, as it knew such precious moments were limited.

"(Law of Love: Boundless)," Titiana whispered. A notification appeared asking for confirmation. Titiana mentally gave it, and a tree, one only meant to stay in her Sol, emerged. Its branches, her arms, its roots, her feet, its trunk, her body. Its branches reached out grasping the [Chosen of Madris] ready to send him away. Its body glowed bright pink and the world trembled from her might. The realm seemed to scream in horror—a sacrifice of… everything would do irreparable damage to its Foundation.

Titiana gave Lawruthian one final look. The Chosen of Madris's mind was blank as it was still merged with that of the golem, yet it understood that a friend and not an enemy-held onto it. Queen Titiana smiled, and space rippled as Lawruthian teleported away. In her final moments, she stared at the dragon, a sigh escaping from her lips as her path was cut. Perhaps in another life this situation would not happen.

Titiana's final thoughts were that of her loved ones as her body exploded—destroying everything within its path. The Mountain of Final Hope disappeared in a pink light as did Wyvern's Roost. Citizens from Edrya clutched onto one another as the ground shook and a pink light enveloped the sky. Minutes later, other parts of the large country did the same—their sky turned pink and their hearts felt sorrowful for reasons they couldn't understand.

The egg, G.E.N.E.S.I.S., seemed to echo Titiana's sigh as it, too, disappeared, consumed in an explosion of pink light.

" No, it did not ."

— Ascension Hall, Astral Above, Year: 729. Season: Dawn.

The game paused, Goddess Madris — The Challenger frowned but remained seated. The same could not be said for Her compatriots of a similar level. They began to pester, incessant whines annoying Her ears with complaints.

"He's cut off our sight, for what reason should we not act to restore it," one claimed.

"You know the Mortal Realm cannot handle such a strain. Look at how it acted with that demigod's demise and Her Chosen's meager abilities," another countered.

"Hmph, You are quite the…"

The cries of the Mortal Plain could be felt clearly in the Astral Above where the Twelve Thrones resided. To the Gods, it was like a child's whine—one who was under immense strain and pressure pleading for the pain to stop. It was broken, disabled and any further strain would cause it pain—not in a physical sense but more esoteric, like a constant, an immutable change of impending doom. It was piling debt, crippling depression—a sense of unending dread that nothing was ok.

" Enough ," a voice finally spoke. This voice came from one of the center thrones but it was not feminine, not the voice of Madris.

El — The Adventurer held a solemn look on his face. His long elf ears twitched while his eyes, silver-gold and full of thrill stated otherwise from his facial expressions. Braided hair, a silver gradient that matched His Chosen's fell just past His waist while a knife with a circle handle was tightly knit at its end. El fiddled with the knife and hair, twirling it around a finger as the members of the Twelve Thrones, first of the New Gods, settled down.

El's solemn look was from the disconnect between His Chosen and His followers in the Mortal Realm. Yet, His thrill was from the possibility of an [End of Adventure]. The end to such a tale would propel Him closer to Her.

"[End of Adventure] will not do anything to jeopardize the Mortal Realm—He would not allow such a short ending for His current creations, for His 'children,'" El's solemn voice said. "Yet, that doesn't mean He would not do something that isn't permitted during this time. As the [Chosen of Madris] caused this, I proposed a Minor Penalty be inflicted upon their [Golden Age]."

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