The process of creating the golem was anything but simple.

Each step had to be done with caution so that even a slight mistake could render all their efforts useless.

Kai watched Orion carefully.

The Golemanic Ichor, that volatile liquid derived from the larvae queen’s monstrous body, was being carefully funnelled into the golem’s core.

The man handled it with the utmost care, aware that a single misstep could spell disaster.

The liquid began to flow into the channels carved within the golem’s clay frame, designed to conduct mana efficiently and easily.

As the Ichor filled the core, Kai stood straight, his eyes fixed on the process.

He knew the hardest part was still to come. The core needed to be cooled first— a task that was so delicate it required him to pour his mana into it with just the right amount of control. Too little, and the crystallisation wouldn’t occur properly; too much, and he could shatter the core altogether.

Once the cooling was complete, he would need to channel even more of his mana into the core to power it up, breathing life into the golem. This was where many had failed before.

Like in most things in magic, there were several ways to go with it. A lot of times, many Mages had come together to power up a golem, but Kai didn’t have that luxury. At the same time, using his mana to power it up would mean it would be easier to form a connection with it.

A golem’s connection with its master was a vital part of golemancy. If the connection wasn’t strong enough, the golem could go rogue, its power unchecked and dangerous.

Kai had heard the stories— golems that had turned on their creators, rampaging uncontrollably because the mana bond was too weak or improperly formed. It was a risk he couldn’t afford to take.

He took a deep breath, steadying himself. This was no time to rush.

As the last of the Golemanic Ichor flowed into the core, Amyra glanced up at Kai, her eyes filled with anticipation. “Good luck,” she said, her voice carrying a mixture of hope and concern.

Kai offered a reassuring nod. “I’ll do it well.”

Without wasting any more time, he stepped forward, his focus entirely on the task at hand. Lots of eyes gathered on him as he began the process.

He raised his hand and decided to cast a first-circle ice spell, directing the frigid energy into the core.

“[Frostbite]!”

Kai extended his hand and let the burst of freezing air enter the golem, guiding it towards the core. His mana surged, turning icy as white streaks of light covered his palm.

The liquid within hissed and crackled, its surface rapidly cooling as it began to solidify into a shining red crystal. The Ichor didn’t react badly to his spell and that was half the battle won.

The process was mesmerising, but Kai couldn’t afford to be distracted.

As seconds passed, the core slowly solidified and soon, the crystallisation was completed. He took a look at the now-solid core as exclamations broke out behind him.

But the job wasn’t done yet.

He placed his hand on the golem core, feeling the raw, untamed energy thrumming beneath the surface.

Taking a deep breath, he began to channel his mana into it, carefully wrapping his essence around the core, feeling out the energy channels that would power the golem.

The golem’s frame quivered slightly as Kai poured more of his mana into it.

He focused on establishing a connection, a mana link that would bind the golem to his will.

The core pulsed with power, responding to his efforts as he directed the energy to each part of the golem’s body. It wasn’t meant to cast spells or perform any complex magical feats, but even so, bringing it to life required every ounce of his concentration.

He could feel the golem stirring as his mana coursed through it, activating the mechanisms that would allow it to move.

Piece by piece, the golem started to come alive.

The limbs twitched, the head lifted slightly, and the entire structure seemed to hum with energy. The golem wasn’t meant to be capable of any magical attacks. It was purely a creation of brute strength, so it was a bit easier to handle considering that this was his first golem.

The strain of the process began to take its toll as Kai’s mana reserves dwindled, but he pushed through, channelling the last of his strength into the golem.

The core shone with a gleam as both Kai and the golem got enveloped with raw mana. He pushed and pushed, straining his Mana Heart and the golem kept sucking every bit of his mana.

Finally, when he could give no more, he took a step back, his breath coming in heavy gasps, but his eyes stayed on the golem.

The golem stood still for a moment, its body vibrating with the mana now surging within it.

Then, with a faint groan of metal and clay, it straightened up, its eyes glowing with the cold blue light of life.

It was done.

Amyra’s voice cut through the silence. “Did it work?”

Kai closed his eyes, reaching out with his senses to feel the connection.

It was faint, almost as if the thread linking him to the golem was about to snap at any moment. He narrowed his focus, channelling a thin stream of mana to strengthen the bond. The thread thickened, solidifying into something more substantial.

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Satisfied, Kai gave the golem a simple command.

“Step forward.”

The golem hesitated for a heartbeat, then with a heavy, deliberate motion, it took a step. The ground beneath it trembled slightly with the weight.

Now, crouch, Kai instructed mentally, checking if it was going to listen to mental commands.

The golem obeyed, lowering itself into a crouch, its movements surprisingly smooth for something so massive.

Amyra cried out in joy, rushing toward the golem with excitement. “It worked! Lord Arzan, it really worked!”

Kai allowed himself a small smile as Francis and Balen approached, both of them having wide smiles on their faces. On the back, he could see Orion talking to a few of his apprentices, looking excited.

“This is going to work well with the guards,” Francis said, nodding in approval at the golem.

“Yes, I hope so,” Kai replied, pausing to take a breath, then turned to Balen and Orion. “You both did a good job,” he said, his voice steady despite the exhaustion that threatened to pull him under. “Balen, I need you to craft a big axe for it. Something that can match its strength.”

Balen scratched his chin thoughtfully. “Should I make armour for it too?”

Kai shook his head. “No, that would just slow it down. If you really plan to make armour, make it as light as possible. It’s already big enough. We’ll use it as a berserker— let it tear through the enemy lines with brute force.”

Francis, ever curious, asked, “What level of power does it have?”

“At least third-rank Enforcer strength,” Kai replied. “It doesn’t have any magical attacks, but the core from the larva queen is high-level. If the connection holds, it’ll learn fast. Physically, it’s already the strongest among us.”

The group fell silent, the weight of Kai’s words sinking in. Everyone who heard his words looked over at the towering golem.

Francis smiled broadly. “That’s great news for our reinforcements.”

Kai nodded, satisfied with the progress, and began walking toward Amyra, who was clinging to the golem with a delighted grin. He wanted nothing more than to take a break with the golem moving, but he needed to have one conversation with her.

Without a word, he mentally commanded the golem to lower itself, its massive frame bending down so that Amyra could easily climb up onto it.

As she clambered up, she looked down at Kai with a gleam in her eyes. “We need to name it!”

Kai raised an eyebrow, somewhat indifferent. Naming a creature wasn’t of any significance to him. “Does a name really matter?”

Amyra pouted slightly. “Yes, it does! It’s not just some tool; it’s part of our team now. I’m pretty sure Claire is going to love it too.”

Kai sighed, relenting. “Alright, you can name it then.”

Amyra beamed, clearly thrilled by the responsibility. She looked down at the golem that was massive for her size, turning to look at its arms, then at the glowing core. A contemplative expression took over her face as it scrunched in thoughts.

After a moment, she smiled thoughtfully at Kai.

“Sentinel. I heard a folk tale of a giant warrior saving a village from a beast and his name was Sentinel. It really suits it.”

“Sentinel it is,” Kai nodded, not minding the name. At least it suited the golem.

As the golem stood tall once again, with Amyra perched on its broad shoulder, Kai found himself watching her. Her excitement was infectious, completely opposite of the time he had first talked to her, but he had something serious on his mind.

A part of him felt like it wasn’t the right time to speak as he had been biding time all this while, but with the beast wave on the horizon, he didn’t knew if he was going to get another chance.

“Amyra,” he began, his tone measured and steady, “I need to talk to you about something.”

The lightness in Amyra’s expression faded as she noticed the shift in his demeanour. She looked down at him, her face now serious. “What is it?”

Kai hesitated for a moment.

“You know a beast wave is coming, and the whole territory is tense because of it. We’re looking for as much help as we can get.”

Amyra nodded. “I’ve been trying to help with the refugees, taking care of them with the maids and doing what I can.”

Kai shook his head, interrupting her. “That’s not the kind of help I need from you.”

Amyra’s eyes widened slightly, surprised by his words. She waited, sensing that there was more he needed to say.

Amyra looked down at him, her curiosity piqued. “What do you mean?”

Kai met her gaze, his expression calm but intense. “How would you feel about me igniting your heart and helping you become a Mage?”

The question hung in the air, and Amyra froze, her breath catching in her throat. Kai watched her reaction closely. He had always known that she possessed the potential— her magical organs were intact, and she had everything needed to harness the power of mana. He had never pried too deeply into it, respecting her silence on the matter, but he had kept the knowledge to himself, waiting for the right moment. That moment had arrived.

With the looming threat of the beast wave, everything has changed. Amyra’s expression revealed that she wasn’t entirely surprised; it seemed she had been aware of her potential all along.

Kai continued, his voice steady, “I’m not going to force you into anything. I only know about your potential because I had to check your body for any signs of corruption after the incident with the necromancer. If you don’t want to pursue this, you don’t have to.”

Amyra remained silent for a moment, her mind clearly racing as she processed his words.

A silence descended over them as he waited for her answer. Finally, she spoke in a low voice. “I’ll think about it.”

Kai offered her a reassuring smile. “That’s more than enough.”

***

Kai sat cross legged in his room.

His focus was entirely on the inside of his body as he took in mana from the environment, slowly filling his Mana Heart regularly.

His breathing was steady, and controlled, as he carefully drew in the ambient mana from the air, letting it flow through his body and into the mana circles.

Kai’s thoughts drifted as he worked. The fourth circle shadowed the horizon. But it wasn’t something he could achieve easily. The leap between the third and fourth circles was vast, fraught with danger for those who rushed it.

Yet with the beast wave fast approaching, the pressure weighed heavily on him. He had done everything he could to prepare— fortifying defences, training the Mages, and arming the golem. But would it be enough? Would pushing himself to reach the next circle give him the edge he needed to protect his people, or would it backfire, leaving him vulnerable at a critical moment?

The uncertainty gnawed at him.

He knew the risks of forcing his way into the next rank, but the thought of facing the beast wave without every possible advantage was equally unsettling. It was a decision that could determine not only his fate but the fate of everyone under his protection.

It hadn’t been a long time since he reached the third circle and the road to the fourth was long, but it wasn’t like there was no way. It just wasn’t a path he wished to take—

Knock!

His concentration was abruptly broken by a knock on the door.

Kai opened his eyes, the glow of mana fading as he was pulled back to the present. His thoughts were in a disarray, so he took a breath before looking towards the door.

He knew who it might be.

“Come in,” he said, his voice steady as he rose to his feet.

Claire entered the room, “You called for me, Lord Arzan? What’s going on?”

Kai nodded. “I have a very important task for you, Claire.”

Her brow furrowed slightly as she fidgeted with her fingers. “What kind of task?”

“A task that might decide the outcome of the entire beast wave,” Kai said, his eyes dimming slightly. “If you aren’t able to do the task, then I might not survive.”

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