[Crimson's POV]
Ever since the day my Master created me, I have guarded Lady Torva and watched over everything she does.
The best thing about this post is that she pets me four times a day, and often rides me when she goes out to hunt. And whenever Master pets my mane, it feels amazing. His head pats feel like a massage from the gods.
For a while, I couldn't tell what my own gender was. If I had to choose, though, it would probably be male, since I want to be with Torva for the rest of my endless life.
Today, Torva decided she wanted to spar with Fenrir. I followed behind her and nodded to him. Fenrir is the only one who knows about my love for Torva. And I'm the only one who knows about his love for Jarn, the swordswoman Master recently named for reaching a unique class before any of the other swordsmen.
I thought it would be impossible for her, since she started with a normal class like the rest of them. The only difference was that she asked Fenrir for training the most, and watched Sir Piaro just as much as he did. From what I can tell, Master named her after the old iron forest on purpose. The two of them are obviously infatuated with each other and can't find the words to say it.
Even so, Fenrir doesn't care how anyone sees him. He still regularly naps on Master's head. Not that I blame him. Sleeping beside Torva is very relaxing too.
Torva knows how I feel about her. But right now she has very strong feelings for Master. It isn't romantic love, exactly. It's reverence for our King, and loyalty to our creator. She said she wants to at least wait until I evolve and get a human form. According to Master, he wouldn't care, but people outside the golem community would judge her for loving all kinds of beasts.
That thought made me angry, and made me want to reach unique rating all the more.
It surprised me that she didn't love Master in that way, until she told me why. She and a few of the other golems figured that since Master has children, he must have had a wife at some point, and he plans to recreate her someday, just like he did his son and daughter.
It threw me at first when I learned that Fenrir was Master's son. Considering his power, I should have known from the beginning.
Today, Master gathered the golems and announced he wanted a mass expansion of our city, to prepare for visitors. That made sense. Naturally occurring golems were showing up more and more often in this forest. Anyone competent would put two and two together and find our home.
Because of this, Torva would stay in the city, helping Master direct construction. Master temporarily relieved me of guard duty until the construction was finished.
With our population at around 260 golems, and the amount Master wanted to expand, it would take a few weeks. Most of us are focused on combat, not construction or crafting.
I saw it as a chance. In that time, I could hunt and raise my level. I also wanted to start using magic together with a weapon. I didn't want to take up the sword, since there were plenty of swordsmen and it was Torva's and Fenrir's specialty. I'd have to figure it out once I got used to a human form.
I took a priest, an assassin and a guardian knight with me to raid one of the newer dungeons that opened when Master became king. It's called the Edith dungeon, and it's mostly wyverns and elementals.
When Martimer and Joul first found it, they both got a big stat boost from all the wyverns they absorbed, and made a few powerful undead too. The monsters ranged from level 180 to over 250. It goes even higher than that, but nobody has gotten that deep yet.
I planned to go as deep as possible. I was level 220, and I could feel I was close to my next rank.
Most of the run wasn't special, since we were all around the same level.
A lot of golems don't have names unless they're epic or higher. Sometimes rare golems get named if they show amazing growth potential. Golems with names are treated like royalty in golem society, and it makes me proud to have one. On the subject of names, Master told the golem society that his full name is Dazzle Daedalus. Such a powerful name!
When we reached the boss room of the major wyvern, I realized everything past it was uncharted territory. I honestly didn't think we'd make it that far. But my determination for my love shall not falter!
When the major wyvern fell, something inside me broke open. I felt it in my chest, like a lock snapping. I didn't look at the notification. I didn't need to. I knew.
I walked back to the city in happy strides with my party. We were battered, but excited about our full inventories and my newest accomplishment. I decided to save the surprise for later, for when I could show Torva properly.
All of us were thrown off a bit, though, when we saw every golem gathering at the training grounds. I rushed over in big strides to see what the commotion was.
I spotted Torva sitting off to the side and ran over to sit next to her.
In the center of the training field stood Fenrir. Princess Juliet and Master stood near each other, discussing something I couldn't make out even with my enhanced hearing. Fenrir and the Princess nodded to Master, and Master stepped back. Then Fenrir raised one hand in front of him and started to chant, and the Princess followed after him.
[Fenrir's POV]
I felt I'd reached the peak of what I could learn from Piaro and from my own insight into swordsmanship.
I'd leveled myself up to 310, but I'd stopped gaining experience. It was like I'd hit a wall I was struggling to break through. As much as it pained me, I decided to consult Father.
I looked for Julie first, since I was sure she could use some insight from him too.
I found her in one of the castle training grounds, attacking a dummy golem. Dummy golems are an interesting member of our species that Father created. They copy an opponent's weakness, or weaknesses, and turn it into their own strength before they fight.
Martimer and Joul had the hardest time with them, since the dummies used holy magic against them. The dummy golems don't work on me, unless I'm fighting one that's copying someone else. I usually spar with dummies that copy Father, since they bring the best enlightenment when I'm stuck. I always win against the dummies. I have never once won against Father himself.
That's mostly because he can use the power of any golem he has ever created. He can use my own strength against me, and make it even better.
Father also made an improved dummy golem that works on Julie, called a mimic golem. It copies all your abilities, so you're fighting yourself without any of your weaknesses.
Julie stopped sparring and ran over to hug me. I hugged her back and told her what was happening to me. She nodded seriously and didn't say anything. Then she looked sad. It seemed she was in a similar situation. I guess it happens faster for Legends than for unique beings.
That was when something neither of us expected arrived, as a quest.
[To Go Even Further Beyond]
Difficulty: Unknown
You and your sister Juliet have reached a wall you cannot climb and cannot find a way past. Consult your father, the Golem King Daz, for help.
Clear Conditions: ???
Rewards: ???
It was the first time either of us had received a quest from the voice of the world. It was a good thing I'd come to get Julie first.
Julie told me Father was taking a break from making golems and was doing something in one of the training grounds. We went to find him so we could ask. When we reached a training ground in a secluded part of the castle, we found Father reading something. When he noticed us, he waved us over and asked what we needed from him, besides head pats.
When we told him our problem, he surprised us both by smiling.
"I see. It's a good thing you two came to me first. I was going to come talk to you once I finished my research. My solution might not work, so don't expect anything crazy to happen. What I'm about to teach you is experimental, but I believe both of you can pull it off."
Then Father told us about creating a small reality within our souls, and releasing it into the world. He told us to write a chant that represented ourselves: our history, our lives now, and everything in between.
Once our chants were ready, Father took us to a training ground in the city, wished us luck, and backed away.
Julie and I each took half the training ground. We raised our right hands in front of us.
And we began.