18 Golems

A dozen giant golems rose from around Eo. With horror, Eo noticed they were essence-filled metal automatons.

Eo always had a strange relationship with metal. Because it was his affinity, he had very intimate knowledge about its characteristics (even unnecessary ones), such as its density, hardness, or taste (yuck). Because of his affinity, he could resonate his essence with other metal objects quite well and use it. Anything he created out of essence he could decompose back into essence (albeit with it being somewhat less, due to energy consumed between the conversion and deconversions).

The problem with these element-filled golems was that it already had its own connection with a different essence. Even if it was metal, Eo still couldn't resonate with it, and as Eo most definitely did not make it with his own essence, he could not decompose it. The essences had the same type of carrier: metal, so it was only a matter of which carrier was of a superior grade.

This was the problem Eo saw. He didn't specifically study metal hardnesses, but he could tell that the metal used on the golems were much more superior than the iron in his daggers. He already realized from the beginning that his weapons wouldn't even make a scratch on the twelve or so metal giants now surrounding him.

Eo stood, petrified for the first time in perhaps his entire time during the Academy up until now. He racked his brain for ideas while the golems slowly shuffled towards him.

Eo slowly synthesized a crowbar.

(This might work. Given their innate connection with their controlling essences, it might also not work.)

Eo was about to jump on one of the golems when all of a sudden they simultaneously stopped and turned. Eo missed his mark and landed behind one of the golems.

Irritated, Eo turned around and jumped onto the golem's back. He was going to pry off the golem's limbs, hopefully immobilizing it. Metals can be strong and all, but with delicate joints being acted on with a strong torque, it would most certainly-

An enormous rune pattern appeared on the sandy ground and emitted a violent purple light.

That's when Eo truly realized what the golems were going to do.

All the golems had turned towards his and Kyros' group of Recruits. Their claws opened, revealing within their thick arms dozens of arrow-headed harpoons. Eo saw the rune had bound purple light to anyone's feet touching the floor. The rune had sapped away their essence, disabling their ability to counterattack with essence-based abilities. Eo wasn't on the ground, so it didn't affect him. However, Eo saw, almost like a vision, what was about to happen next. He thrust an outstretched hand, screaming NO as the thunderous roar of harpoons muffled his cry.

The harpoons fell on the terrified Recruits as they stumbled back in a daze, not realizing fast enough that their essence wasn't appearing at their summons. Eo could only help but watch as the entire group got slashed, stabbed, and impaled by the harpoons.

The essence that had been sucked into the rune array got conducted into the golems and into Eo.

The jolt from the massive overload of essence travelled to his outstretched hands and generated an enormous forest of metal pillars. Kyros was at the forefront of his group, face paling as he felt his essence draining. The dozens of spikes impaled the spots all around Kyros.

Eo could see at first in Kyros' eyes terror, then shock, then extreme anger.

One of the golems opened their mouth and a steamy mist flowed out.

"As per the calculations," it said with a heavy metallic accent, "only the highest ranked Purple will be able to survive this encounter." It fired a metallic harpoon into Kyros' leg. "All others must die."

Kyros yanked out the metal harpoon and screamed. He managed to barely (painfully) cauterize the wound and then he limped back.

"RETREAT! EVERYONE RETREAT!"

Everyone started fleeing as fast as they could. Eo could only watch in pure shock.

Kyros turned one last time to Eo.

"You. I thought you were my friend. It seemed that all of those days were for nothing."

Eo was dumbstruck as Kyros continued.

"But who could've thought it would've turned out like this. You hiding in the shadows all the time. You plotting against us all the time. You planning to KILL ME! No, you planning to kill ALL OF US!"

Eo could see pure hate flow out of Kyros' eyes.

"EO! HEAR ME EO! I will NOT lose this day, and I will NOT lose ever! I am THE Chosen One, THE Savior! I will kill you, and avenge my comrades. DO YOU HEAR ME?"

Eo opened his mouth but no sound came out.

"EO! I WILL KILL YOU! I WILL SEAL THE CHASM AND KILL YOU!"

Eo desperately tried speaking but nothing came to his mouth. He couldn't do anything as he watched the ten people run away.

Ten.

Wasn't the group, including him, originally 17 strong?

Eo looked down. There were six people dead on the ground.