The room was somewhat big but completely open, and as they got through the door the golems turned to face the party.

“Holy Guardian, Power Boost, Magic Boost.” Jessica said quickly.

“Holy Shield, Holy Ward, Holy Blessing, Holy Bastion.” Blake chanted off after her and moved left with Block, as they took to a full dash to isolate the left one.

“ICY FORMS: GREATER ICE PRISON” Claira said as she pointed her staff at the golem at the back of the room, creating a cage of ice around the monster.

“Hallowed Bindings” Jessica chanted a second after at the right one and pushed a mental image of the golem fully encased in the chains, willing the magic to work so.

Blake saw the magics stopping the other two and glanced to Block who shared a grin, “Let’s do this, buddy” Blake roared as he changed his run towards the golem, who was still mobile, getting its attention, “Best to be sure,” Blake said as the golem raised it massive fist to punch him, “Heavy guard,” He roared and swung to counter the blow, [sunder, power strike] he thought as the halberd made contact with the fist the size of a cottage, actually countering and braking the fist as his strike connected.

Block came up on the golem's left leg, hacking hard into the back of the monster’s knee, “Devastating Blow” He roared as his axe connected, the impact and energy-infused attack forcing the creature down to a knee.

Blake switched his grip and rushed to the golem's left hand that was supporting the upper body, swinging hard to the elbow, [sunder] he thought and shattered the left arm in half.

As Block came round to the other leg and swung at the shin, “Devastating Blow” he roared and the golem was now supported by the stumps of its arms and leg, its one good limb bent at the knee.

Blake ran around the back and got a boost up by block’s palm at hip height, landing atop the monster, running along the back to the center of the upper body, spinning his halberd to thrust downward, he raised the weapon high before striking down. “Sunder!” he roared, shattering the back and exposing the core, as Block came up behind him.

“Shield Shatter!” The tall man roared as he brought his axe down on the head-sized and smoothed gemstone, shattering it into five uneven pieces, The monster collapsed as they had ended it, and they turned to the mess of magic chains.

“Jessica, now!” Blake yelled and she dismissed her magic, the golem entrapped within released and turned to face Blake and Block, as the two got their weapons ready. “Ready buddy?”

“Helgan Yes” the human giant said with a grin.

The freed golem raised both fists and brought them down on the duo, but both dodged to the sides, coming up on its legs, each swinging hard at the knees, “Sunder!” Blake roared as Block shouted “Devastating Blow!” their attacks eliminated one leg and sent the second flying up from under the massive creature, making the golem fall on its chest.

Blake spun on his foot and came back at it, finding his footing and getting on its back, rushing along to the middle, the heavy footfalls behind him told him Block was ready too, and he hopped before bringing the blade of his weapon down a few feet next to the middle, right where the core should be, “Sunder, Devastating Blow” he roared, and broke the upper body to a massive degree, exposing the core completely, his troll slayer title slowing the reconstruction.

“Shield Shatter!” Block roared as his axe connected, the impact rending the core in two. Before he looked up at Blake with a wide grin. “Easy!”

Blake smiled back but lost sight of his friend as a rush of wind came past him, following the airflow, he saw Block soring towards the ladies.

“BLAKE THE OTHER ONE!” Claira yelled at him while pointing, while Jessica rushed over to Block.

Blake whipped his head around to see the last golem, but it was different, its cold metal appearance had shifted to a dull glow as the air around it distorted at the heat it was emanating. Its eyes color had shifted to a red from the green, and its fist shifted and made sharpened points over the knuckles. Blake saw as it readied a new attack, and he had to swallow hard as he felt pressure, one he was familiar with, that gut feeling of death coming to touch you, a terrifying feeling of doom, the incomprehensible taste of inevitability, but Blake grinned as he swang a counter, willing his attack into happening [Sunder] he willed as the axe blade of his halberd connected. And while he did hit, the heat coming off the fist burned his hands as he hopped back and a bit away.

The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

[ that is bullshit, I can hit it but it will burn me back, I think I was meant to catch fire too,] Blake thought as he got to his feet, and glanced over his shoulder, Jessica had Block sitting up and still healing him, and Claira was panting, as she looked tired by the way she was leaning on her staff. Blake gives her a smile catching her off guard and stunned. [Can’t let Block get into this too, he is strong but will need to get healed more, and we still need to kill the boss.]

Blake rushed in, “Wall of Iron” he called and his body felt a bit heavier, but he kept going and got ready to thrust, the golem sent a punch at him, and it was faster than the other two, [Tortoiseshell] he willed and the strike does nothing but burn him a bit as Blake kept on his run.

Blake thrust hard at the core, [Earth Shatter, Skyward Spike] he willed and the piked point let off a hard beam of power, punching a hole big enough for Blake to jump through into the golem. Making the monster crumble, Blake had to dive out of the way of the monster parts but got to his feet, before turning around to his team and smiling, “Well, that was…. Ummm, dumb on my part.” he said with a bit of glee at their faces.

His walk back to them was genuinely filled with happiness that they were okay, but they each gave him a different look, Claira was clearly unhappy, as she pouted a bit, Block looked amused by him, while Jessica looked on with a fair bit of wonderment. But Blake just walked over and past them to his pack, and pulled out his waterskin, drinking a few deep gulps, before looking to Jessica, “Hey, can you take a look at my hands and side after you are done with Block, I think I got a bit cooked…” he said then his mind realized the pain as the adrenaline wore out. “Actually I am going to lay down now.”

“What, cooked…” Jessica stammered and glanced between the two men, Block was still hurt and he needed more treatment, whereas Blake was lying on his back breathing a bit faster, and pouring out his waterskin over himself sighing with relief at the cool water. She snapped back to Block and kept at healing him.

Claira walked over and stared down at Blake, still a bit out of breath, and sweat pooling into drops off her cheek, “Why are you asking her for healing?” She asked a bit annoyed.

“Oh that attack I did uses energy to start but eats your magic power to boost the damage, and I sort of dumped all of what I have left,” He said with a nervous smile. “I wasn’t sure how much I would need, so I dumped everything, and now I am done, I can either wait a few hours or get Jessica to heal me.”

Blake didn’t see it happen but a new and sharp pain dug into him with her grunt, then she turned around while crossing her arms, “I thought you were dying you asshole,” she then sat down beside him, “ Please don’t do that again, I thought you are going to pass out again, I don’t like seeing you fight and lose your life for my sake. I know that I will have to make sacrifices later on, but for now, I just want to see my friends live.”

Blake reached up and patted her back then rubbed at it, and could see she was crying “I am sorry, and I understand, I fought hard against the lizard because I didn’t want you guys to die.” He said then leaned up a bit and looked around her “So, don’t cry, I don’t plan on dying anytime soon.”

Claira wiped away a few tears, and looked at him, “I know you don’t plan to, but I know the king and the royal family, They will make a move after winter, and they will find us when we become a mercenary company of renown. I just want one year of peace and fun before we go and do the hard stuff like war and politics.” she said, her expression showed her words were indeed her wish, and Blake just nodded before leaning back down.

“Thanks, Jessica, go check him over.” Block said as he tested his body.

“Right…” Jessica said, walking over to Blake, looking at him while lifting his hands, and taking off his gloves making him hiss, She let out a gasp, “Blake this is bad, I can help but I need you to take off your armor. Claira can you help me.”

Blake nodded leaned up and started to take off his armor with the help of Claira and Jessica, inadvertently shuddering as they made contact with his chest or back. Before he lays back down and hears Them both let gasps loose, [better not look, easier to be treated if I don’t], he looks at them and they look terrified.

“Jessica, this is bad.” Claira said while covering her mouth.

“Yes, please get from my bag my herbs pouch, the holy water, and the treatment kit.” Jessica says quickly and leans over locking her eyes on Blake, “So, we can help and it is still early, Just stay still and bear the pain for now.” Her voice sounded sweet and comforting, but her eyes showed far more fear and concern, Blake just nodded.

Blake smiles a bit but locks his eyes on Block who walks over, he also seems scared but he seems less sympathetic, and more interested. “Block, they aren’t going to tell me, so what has them in a panic?” Blake asks and sees Jessica shaking her head.

Block looks hard for a second, then sighs before he answers. “You have been mana burned, it's bad but not untreatable if treated early, which this is.”

“Mana burned?” Blake asked.

Block sighed again before he sat down over Blake, “Mana burn is an ailment that people can take when they interact with volatile magical energy, It feels like you are burned but you aren't really, instead the magic energy in your body is burned and it causes black marks across your skin, if not treated within an hour or two, the burn will start to spread across the rest of your body, and you will be left unable to use magic afterwards. Worse is that if it sets in you will die within five weeks.” He explains, but then smiles, “Sorry but this will hurt so hold still.” He adds before leaning over and holding down Blake's shoulders.

“What?” Blake gets out before the left side of his body feels like an inferno, and he screams while Jessica pours out one holy water bottle over him and his hands, but before he can recover Jessica applies an ointment that keeps the burning going for a while longer until the sensation slows down, and he takes deep breaths, while Jessica is wiping away most the ointment, and pulls out some bandages, and starts wrapping them so that different herbs are pressed against the affected area, and it soothes the lingering pain, and Block, Jessica, and Claira all back away, as vapors of different colors ooze out of the bandages. Blake watches the vapors until they fade and looks at Jessica. “Bear the pain?”

Jessica looks over and undoes a bandage, looking over the area and smiling, “Sorry, I have never been under the effect, and this was my first treatment. But I think we got it all, it will take you about an hour to fully recover the use of magic on this side.” she says with fading worry. “That being said, we can take a rest here until you feel better.” Then she looks up to Claira, “Go and loot.”

Claira glances over her shoulder and then back down to Blake, but he nods before she runs off.

Blake looked to the other two, “Make sure she grabs everything, I am taking a nap.” he said before closing his eyes.