CHAPTER 9
The heavy stone door creaked open, revealing a cavernous chamber bathed in dim, greenish light. The air was thick and damp, and massive stone pillars were placed all around. A low rumble echoed through the chamber, vibrating in Zack’s chest as he stepped inside.
The door slammed shut behind him. He turned sharply, but there was no handle, no mechanism to pry it open. Only a symbol of the earth etched into the stone, glowing faintly. He sighed. “Welp,” Zack said aloud to no one in particular. “Guess there’s no way out but forward.”
The ground trembled as if answering him. From the far end of the chamber, a hulking figure emerged from the shadows. A stone golem, towering at least three times Zack’s height, lumbered forward. Its eyes glowed emerald, fixed on him with a predatory focus. Cracks on its surface pulsed faintly with light, as if veins of molten energy coursed through its core.
“Great,” Zack said, raising his fists. “Big rock guy. I’ve punched worse.”
The voice from earlier echoed around him once again. “Strength is not enough. Endurance must guide your hand.” The golem roared, its guttural cry shaking loose bits of stone from the ceiling. Zack barely had time to brace himself before it charged, each step shaking the ground.
He rolled to the side as a massive fist slammed into the ground where he’d stood, the impact sending a shockwave through the chamber. Stumbling to his feet, Zack launched himself at the golem, delivering a powerful punch to its knee. Pain shot up his arm. His gauntlets absorbed some of the force, but striking solid rock still hurt. Or was it solid rock? The golem barely flinched, sweeping its arm outward. Zack ducked just in time, feeling the rush of air as the massive limb sailed past.
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“Okay,” he panted, backing away. “I guess hitting harder isn’t gonna cut it.”
The golem advanced, its movements slow but relentless. Zack dodged another swing, his mind racing. The golem was massive, yes, but it was also heavy and cumbersome. Every time it attacked, it overcommitted, its weight throwing it off balance.
An idea began to form.
The next time the golem swung, Zack didn’t dodge outright. Instead, he stepped into the attack, letting the momentum carry him close to its torso. He slammed his gauntlets into its side, not aiming to break it but to disrupt its balance.
The golem staggered, its foot slipping on the loose stones beneath it.
Zack grinned. “You don’t like that, do you?” he taunted, weaving around to its back. “Big and scary, but not so stable.”
The golem roared, twisting to face him. Its massive hands slammed into the ground, shaking the chamber. Zack leapt back, narrowly avoiding the fissures that spidered out from the impact.
“Gotta be quicker than that!” Zack yelled, adrenaline pumping.
He kept moving, circling the golem and striking at its legs and joints, targeting the weak points he’d noticed earlier. If power didn’t cut it, precision would. Finally, the creature messed up, its weight shifting too far forward. Zack saw his chance. He darted behind it, slamming both gauntlets into the back of its knees with all his might. The golem let out a low groan as its legs buckled, sending it crashing to the ground.
It tried to push itself back up, but Zack was already moving. He climbed onto its back, aiming for the glowing cracks that pulsed near its core. With a roar of his own, he drove his fists down, striking right on the core.
The chamber shook violently as the golem let out one final, earth-shaking cry. Its body crumbled into rubble, leaving Zack standing atop a pile of stone, panting heavily.
As the dust settled, a doorway appeared on the far wall, glowing faintly.
Zack grinned, wiping sweat from his brow. “Endurance, huh? Guess I’ve got plenty of that.”
He stepped through the doorway, the glow enveloping him, taking him away to somewhere. Hopefully somewhere safe.
