“MOVE!” Kaelalin bellowed over the clanking of the charging monstrosity.
The Frost-kin was already in motion, putting distance between herself and Simon, covered crystal grasped tightly in her hands.
Simon froze for a moment, eyes widening as he realized his mistake. The stone reverberated with each step as the creature came flying towards them. In the last moment, Simon's body finally caught up to his brain and he launched himself to the side.
CLANG CLANG CLANG BOOOOOOM.
The hulking monster whistled past, plowing through the spot where Simon had been standing. With a deafening sound, it slammed into the solid metal wall and fell silent.
For a moment.
Twisting metal screeched as its glowing arms gripped the dented edges of the wall. It pulled itself from the impact zone and turned to face the two humanoids.
Across the room, Simon could hear Kaelalin chanting. Icy magic poured from where she stood, bathing the cavern in frost-blue light. The crackling tendrils raced through space and slammed into the chest of the monstrosity.
Now bathed in the magic’s light, Simon saw their opponent.
The monstrosity towered over them. A hulking humanoid figure made of shifting and glowing metal. Large plates adorned it like armor, sitting atop molten bronze flowing where skin and muscle should be. It hissed and steamed with each movement, chunks of blackened slag clinging to it, darkening the glowing material. As it turned, molten bronze sloughed off it with each tentative step.
But despite its form, it was its face that drew and froze Simon’s gaze.
Red-hot bronze glowed in place of eyes. The creature's facial features were those of a twisted visage of humanity. It oozed and warped with every moment, but one expression kept reappearing. The face looked as if it were screaming. Hunger radiated from its molten eyes as its bulky head swiveled and took in Kaelalin and Simon. Hunger tinged with despair and suffering.
Kaelalin's magic spread across its chest and seeped into the jagged seams between the plates.
The creature looked down, then back towards the Frost-kin.
A mouth formed and opened, a horrifying sound expanded outwards. It sounded like a teapot boiling mixed with screaming and scraping metal.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
The monstrous creature charged towards the magic user, eyes bright with hunger and despair.
Kaelalin was already moving, hand glowing with her next spell. Between the words of her chant, her other hand popped a green potion. She finished her spell while backpedaling, downing the potion in the same motion.
Simon’s face was scrunched as the horrible sound dug into his mind. He held his head and shook it, trying to remove whatever effect this creature was emanating. His vision swirled as he watched the creature give chase to his companion.
“Goddamnit!” he snarled as he mentally pushed against the sound. Simon wasn’t going to let some overgrown teapot touch his mind. He had been through far worse. With a surge of willpower, the pain lessened and clarity returned.
His eyes danced over the room and he saw the blur that was Kaelalin. She was barely staying ahead of the pounding, clanging metallic creature. Her eyes were wide with fear as she came to a wall, turned, and dodged at the last moment.
BOOM.
The creature once again slammed into a metal wall.
Come on, Simon, pull your dumbass together. This guy's an idiot.
Simon reached for his skill, channeling it to his right hand. With his other hand, he dug into the pouch on his belt that contained the potions. He reached to the right side of the pouch, where his green potions should be.
POP.
A long tube materialized in his hand as he downed the potion. His feet were already moving as he closed on the monster and Kaelalin.
His feet slapped across the metallic floor as he whipped the instrument experimentally.
A deep whistling sound came from it as he slashed it through the air. Simon glanced while running, examining the long tube. It was a… didgeridoo? At least that’s what he thought it was. Made of a meshed material and insanely light, it was smaller at the end he held, but grew wider as its length extended.
The black shiny mesh was stamped with a company logo that was impossible to read in the dim light.
Ahead of him, the creature was in hot pursuit of Kaelalin. While quick for its size, it was still slower than the two companions. The giant's limbs stiffened as Kaelalin threw bolt after bolt of ice, hissing and steaming as layers accumulated on its surface.
Simon caught up with them as they neared another wall. With a burst of potion-powered speed, he leapt forward and slammed the instrument down on the creature.
thunk.
The sound was barely audible over the clanging of metal and crackling magic. Waves of heat from the construct drew sweat from Simon. The smell of molten metal permeated the surrounding space.
He swung again. Thunk. Then again. Thunk. Again.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
His blows glanced off the creature. Simon felt like he was beating a cement block with a pool noodle.
BOOM.
The molten golem-like creature crashed into another wall, barely missing Kaelalin. Simon pulled back, and his eyes snapped over to her. She was breathing heavily, bending over slightly as she backed away from the being.
“Is… that… the best… you have…?” She gasped out, eyes locked with Simon.
“I’m trying, okay!” he yelled back.
“Try… Harder!” Kaelalin shouted with a large exhale. She continued her chanting as she dashed across the room.
The molten golem pulled itself from the wall, and Simon prepared to dodge. The creature straightened, turned, and rumbled past him in a beeline towards Kaelalin.
It had completely ignored him.
Simon growled in frustration and gave chase, holding the scuffed didgeridoo aloft as he closed the distance.
Thunk! Thunk! Thunk!
He whacked the golem as it ran, keeping ?pace behind it. They burned across the room, one clanging towards the Frost-kin, the other desperately wailing on it.
“Dammit!” Simon roared as his blows rained down on the metal monster.
The repetitive sounds of thunks echoed in rhythm to the pounding steps as the creature closed on Kaelalin. Her ragged breathing nearly matched Simon’s frantic swinging, and she was faltering. They came to the next wall and Kaelalin dodged, but stumbled, and a molten arm clipped her shoulder.
She yelped in pain as she went spinning to the side.
BOOM.
The metal giant slammed into yet another wall. Kaelalin was scrambling to her feet, grunting in pain. Her clothing had seared where the monstrosity had clipped her, exposing blue-tinged skin beneath.
Simon didn’t wait for the creature to right itself; he jumped to it and feverishly swung.
“Simon! Do… SOMETHING!!!” Kaelalin screamed through her panting. She had scrambled to her feet and was trying to back away, eyes wide with fear and pain. “Get it to chase you for… a moment!” She wheezed. Her hands were busy digging through her potion pouch. She removed a red potion, downed it, and took off, not waiting for Simon’s response.
“I AM!” Simon roared in frustration. THUNK. THUNK. THUNK. He coated the metal monster in blows to no effect.
The monster peeled itself from the wall, again ignoring Simon's flailing to turn towards Kaelalin.
“GODS.” Simon spat. “DAMNED. CURSE. BULLSHIT.” His arms blurred as he hit the creature over, and over again.
Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.
His mind raced through other ideas. What could he do? What could hurt this walking metal disaster? Potions?
No.
It wasn’t using magic; it wasn’t even alive if his assumptions were correct. This stupid, shitty skill was the only thing he had. If he could just get this dumb monster to chase him instead, he could outrun it. He had the skill to escape enemies that were stronger than him.
His frustration grew. Helplessness seeped into his mind. What was he supposed to do?
Simon kept pace with the creature. He started yelling at it, cursing its parents, its creator, anything he could think of. But the metal monster just kept pursuing the slowing mage.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
Its footsteps echoed over the floor as it didn’t tire. It didn’t slow.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
Simon leapt onto its back, attempting to at least distract the creature from his beleaguered companion. That just led to him tumbling to the ground, screaming like a small child as his hands burned from the molten exterior of the creature.
He rolled on the ground, skin melting. A booming noise rang out, and a scream followed.
Simon leapt to his feet and watched as Kaelalin skidded across the floor. She had barely dodged as the creature shoulder-checked her and slammed into the wall. He took two steps and scooped up the heavily dented tube to dash towards them. His feet pumped as he erased the distance. Simon’s breathing came out like bellows.
Kaelalin was near her limit. She could barely move, her face scrunched in pain. She limped as quickly as she could, trying to put distance between her and the metal giant.
“Look at me, you fucking kitchen appliance!” Simon roared out as he closed the distance.
Thunk. Thunk. Thunk.
The creature ignored his curses and began its slow, clanging steps towards the Frost-kin. She wouldn’t be able to dodge this time.
She knew it. Simon knew it.
Kaelalin’s face turned to fury as magic channeled into both hands. She stopped moving, mouth turned up in a wicked grin.
A final stand.
“NO!” Simon screamed out, frustration and anger ripping through his voice.
Thunk. Thunk. THUNK-Thuuum
A reverberation followed the hit. Like a deep bass, it echoed through the room. Simon slammed his instrument into the creature again.
THUNK-THUUM. The area around the hit buzzed. CRACK.
Simon grinned like a maniac. Finally.
The creature faltered. Simon hit again, and again, and again. With each hit, a deep buzzing bass sound pulsed from the points of contact.
Spider-like cracks spread across the metallic creature. The monster's steps slowed, as it tried to slide to a stop.
Bright frost-blue energy slammed into it, and layers of ice spread across its body. Molten metal slowed and solidified. Kaelalin dodged, barely making it out of the path of the creature as it slowed and turned towards the new threat.
Simon didn’t relent. Each blow brought new cracks across the creature's body. The metal giant's head turned like an owl and pierced him with a desolate stare. Icy fear poured across Simon’s sweat-soaked body, and he shivered. But he didn’t stop.
“That's right, asshole. You picked the wrong target.” He yelled as he rained down blows.
Thunk-thuum Thunk-thuuum. Thunk-thuuuuuuum.
With each blow, the pulsing sound deepened and gained volume. The cracks grew larger with every strike.
The giant slid to a stop and turned, red glowing eyes locked on Simon.
“Mad?! This way, princess!” Simon taunted with a final smack to the thing's chest.
He ran.
Pounding and clanging followed him. Simon raced across the cavern as he felt his body gain a second wind. He practically flew across the floor. He slid to a stop at the first dent the creature had made and turned to face it.
CLANG. CLANG. CLANG.
It charged towards him like a locomotive, mouth agape as it screamed a discordant melody of metal, hissing, and horror.
Simon grinned at it. He took a hand off the bent and scuffed didgeridoo and held up his middle finger.
“COME ON!” He bellowed at it, voice raising in volume over its hissing scream. “FOLLOW THE BIRDIE!”
The giant barreled forward, picking up speed, its eyes enraged.
Simon fell into a stance he had learned from The Echoing Steps almost a decade ago. He tensed.
Not yet.
Not yet.
NOW!
Simon shoved off the wall. His middle finger, still extended, blistered as it brushed the monster. Worth it.
BOOM.
Simon spun and wailed on its back plate. The metal cracked and screeched with each attack. Every blow had a weight behind it.
Simon snarled as the giant tried to pull itself from the wall. He pushed himself, arms blurring as each blow shoved it back into the dent. He didn’t hear the loping steps of Kaelalin as she half-limped, half-ran to his side.
“PAUSE!” she croaked, her hands ablaze with icy glow.
Simon stopped for a second. Magic raced from her hands and onto the back of the creature.
“GO!” she yelled. Simon continued to layer blows on the giant's spine as it tried to climb out of the dent. His attacks beat it back into the crater. Seconds of resonating thrums went by.
“PAUSE!” Kaelalin repeated. Simon paused. Ice magic flew. “GO!” Simon complied.
Cracks expanded into the dented metal. Dark bronze dripped out like honey and dribbled onto the ground. The metal giant's whistling scream dropped in octaves.
“PAUSE! GO!” Kaelalin yelled again as another bolt of ice magic cooled the construct.
A loud crack sounded out, followed by the sound of tinkling metal as the hard outer armor shattered on the monster's back.
Exposed to the world was a crystalline-like structure wrought from metal that pulsed with light.
Simon paused his swings and looked at what seemed to be the heart of the creature. With a feral growl, he threw what was left of the didgeridoo to the side. He stepped forward and reached forwards.
“Simon?! What are you doing?!” Kaelalin said, her voice exhausted but filled with worry.
Simon ignored her and put both of his hands around the pulsing object. He hissed in pain as his hands blackened.
“Fuck this metal piece of shit.” He screamed in anger and pain.
His hands firmly gripped the pulsing cage. The creature flailed its arms trying to stop him, but its movement was limited. Its form was covered in fractures and layers of hissing ice.
With a grunt, Simon pulled. It resisted his strength. Simon growled deeper, his eyes wild. His boot sizzled as he slammed it onto the shattered lower body of the giant.
He pulled again, his muscles bulging as he pushed his foot against the creature. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.
A heartbeat went by.
A metallic screech pierced the air, followed by popping sounds. Metal strands twisted and broke.
Simon fell backwards, hands grasping the rough, glowing heart as his ass slammed onto the floor.
The metal giant slumped and stilled.
“HA!” Simon yelled. He held up the metal heart in victory.
DING
—- SYSTEM NOTICE—-
> You have slain a Bronze Reliquary of Resentment
> Experience has been earned.
> Level Up!
——————————
Simon smiled at the notice but then grimaced. He dropped his battle trophy that was still barbecuing his hands.
“You are absolutely crazy.” Kaelalin said as her face loomed over him. “You know that right?”
“You’re one to talk.” Simon snorted as he looked at the next notice.
—- SYSTEM NOTICE—-
> LEVEL UP!
> Level: 2 -> 3
> You have gained:
- 10 Stat points.
- 1 Skill point.
>Skill Point Allocated:
>> Theodia’s Instrumental Summon has consumed available skill points
Harmony is offered. Growth is earned. Limits are unknown.
——————————
Simon rolled his eyes.
Of course it did. But then he paused.
He felt two more notices in his mind. With a mental nudge, he pulled on the next one.
—- SYSTEM NOTICE—-
> REQUIREMENTS MET.
> Through effort and practice you have met the requirements to learn a skill.
> Skill: Blunt Weapon Mastery
WARNING - This skill has been blocked
> Source: Curse - Varrax the Unyielding
> Explanation: This skill falls under the martial domain. The curse has prevented you from learning this skill.
——————————
Rage began to boil in Simon as he read the prompt.
Shit!
Simon closed his eyes and tried to calm down, but his anger continued to grow.
He took several deep breaths as he seethed.
This was ridiculous.
It wasn’t fair.
He clenched his fists and the pain from his burned flesh helped clear his mind. He snarled and snapped his eyes open. Simon saw Kaelalin look over at him in concern.
“You okay?” She asked. She had been inspecting the corpse of the metal giant, but had turned when she heard his muttering.
“Fine.” He snapped. He shouldn’t have, but at the moment his vision was red with anger.
She raised an eyebrow at him. She opened her mouth opened to say something, but then closed it again.
Simon sighed, but it came out as a half growl.
Why? Just… why?! What the hell, man. Every step is met with another disappointment created by some divine prick.
He looked down at his bright red hands. The skin was charred and had boiled away in some parts. Blood dripped from them.
Simon shook his head. He felt nudging from his mind. One last notice awaited him.
“Fine… I’m just fine.” he muttered.
He pulled up the last notice.
—- SYSTEM NOTICE—-
> FEATURE UNLOCKED
> Type: Brand of Refusal x 1
> Explanation: A limit was imposed. Despite this, you pushed against it. Now that limit has prevented you from growth you have earned. In recognition of this, you have been given a Brand of Refusal.
> Uses: These brands can be used to empower skills of your choosing. Each is equivalent to using two skill points for that skill. If you use this brand to empower a skill, all future brands or similar features will be automatically used on that skill.
WARNING - By using the Brand of Refusal you accept the limit that has been imposed on you. Once used, the feature will be blocked, and a path will be forever closed to you.
——————————
Simon blinked and reread the prompt
Then he read it for the third time.
“What?!”
—— ? ——
—