A Worthless Crown

The Voice of Fraero Vista:

I pushed Alcors toward the golem, desperate for just a few seconds to locate its weak spot. Once I struck it, the golem would crumble—powerless.

But instead of charging forward, Alcors hesitated. And then, to my utter shock, he turned and ran.

"TRAITOR!" I screamed, but my words barely reached him. I had trusted him, believed in him, but this was all the proof I needed. They were all the same—only with me to feel powerful, never really seeing me for who I was. No one truly respected the heir of the city, who was born with everything they dreamed of.

The golem's glowing eyes flickered, locking onto Alcor's retreating form. With its original target fleeing, it turned toward me. Each of its massive stone feet sent tremors through the ground as it lunged. I barely rolled aside as its fist slammed down, leaving a crater where I had stood.

"Alcors!" I shouted, panic creeping into my voice. He wasn't the type to run from a fight, or at least I had hoped.

The golem swung again. I ducked, feeling the rush of wind as its arm narrowly missed. I had to keep dodging. But my mind was clouded with confusion. Where was the weak spot? It had to be there, somewhere.

Then, just as the golem reared back for another devastating blow, I heard rapid footsteps. Alcors. He dove through the air like a cannonball, slamming into the golem's side with an impossible force. The stone armor cracked under the impact.

I blinked, disbelief flooding my senses. Had we really been freed from this nightmare? I looked at Alcors, trying to comprehend what I was seeing. His veins were pulsing purple beneath his skin, glowing like lightning trapped beneath the surface. A golden light shimmered around him, seeping from his hands, his eyes and granting him seemingly unending power.

With an agonizing cry, Alcors pushed against the golem's massive arm. The ground cracked beneath his feet, but he didn't budge. He was holding it back, lifting the golem off the ground as if it were weightless.

For a split second, everything froze. My concept of reality had been briefly cracked. This wasn't how the battle was meant to go, this should've been impossible.

I had no idea where this strength had come from or what was happening to him. But I knew one thing for certain—if I didn't find the weak spot now, it could be the end of us.

I looked around frantically. Not there... Not there...

"Ah."

There!

At the golem's armpit, hidden beneath layers of armor, I spotted a ruby crystal—a small, hardly glowing target.

But before I could move, the golem snapped its head back, rising to a full standing position. It turned, preparing to strike me down with a devastating kick. I barely rolled out of the way in time.

Alcors's voice broke through the tension, laced with desperation. "I need your power."

I turned toward him, bewildered. I had no power to offer. What did he mean? Couldn't he see we were about to be obliterated?

"Demon," he murmured, his eyes glowing as the purple veins surged back to the surface. The light also returned, the radiance around him consumed all shadows, filling the air with a blinding light. My eyes flinched as the night sky was briefly lightened.

The golem launched its fist. Alcors caught it with his own, standing firm like an immovable mountain.

For a heartbeat, I thought we might win this fight. Then Alcors began coughing up blood. His strength faltered, and the radiance around him faded. The golem's fist came crashing down again, and Alcors crumpled under its weight. All the veins retracted, he became normal once more, at the worst possible time.

I could barely hear him as his eyes struggled to remain open. "Looks like it wasn't enough… Not even his power."

I couldn't even respond. It was as if the air had been taken out of my lungs, any plans for victory had been scraped from my mind. Hope was lost. The golem's final steps echoed in the silence, each one heavier than the last. Its red eyes spun wildly as it approached us. It felt like the end of the road, this corner of the garden, the place where only shadows grew.

Then, the golem stopped. A low, mocking voice echoed throughout the garden. "You must be destroyed."

I looked at Alcors, his eyes wide in shock. Neither of us had spoken, and the golem didn't have a voice.

Suddenly, the golem was cleaved in two, a line of unbreakable light splitting through its stone form. The halves collapsed, its red eyes dimming, its lifeless form sinking to the ground.

From the smoke, a figure emerged—a figure with styled golden hair and a dark blade that could only be described as iconic: the Dragon-Slayer. His smirk was perfect, the kind that could be described as the most beautiful smile in all the lands.

"Askath?" I couldn't help the grin that spread across my face. "I knew I could count on you. This... this is why I chose you as my champion!"

I rushed over to him, Alcors trailing behind, still panting.

"Relax, my lord."

"Lord?" I stopped in my tracks, my confusion evident. "Do you think I'm my father?"

Askath's eyes sparkled. "That is your new title, as a competitor for the crown."

I blinked. "Ah I see."

"Did you not see what I just did, come on praise me!"

"Wait, hold on," I said, still in shock. "How did you destroy the golem with one strike? Was it just because we weakened it?"

Askath sighed, glancing at the wreckage. "Your efforts were admirable, but you probably would never have taken it down. You're meant to hit the weak spot."

"We know that," I muttered.

"Then why did you almost fall to a Tier 2 golem?" he asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

Alcors spoke up, his voice raw. "There's no way to hit the weak spot when it moves so fast. You'd need a whole group to take it down."

"Yeah, yeah."

Askath turned toward him, his gaze assessing. "I sensed holy power in the area. Was that you?"

Alcors nodded. "Fate's chosen, I think… That's what he told me."

Askath smiled grimly. "I see. Many heroes in this realm carry the same talent. You're lucky, kid. A great fate awaits you." His eyes glinted with a hint of something darker. "Maybe you should join my lord's cause. You'd have the chance to compete for the crown—and I could help you grow into your potential and I could teach you how to control that power.

The word control, the moment he had heart it Alcors neck had straightened. I noticed the change and noted it down in my mind.

Alcors's eyes lit up. "The capital?" he asked eagerly. "I've heard so much about it! Do you think it would improve my swordsmanship?"

Askath's smile turned sharp, predatory. "If you join, you'll train under me. Me, a dragon slayer. You should be honored. I have no doubt you'll be a worthy companion for the crown."

Alcors nodded eagerly, his youthful excitement palpable. "Yes! I want to be a powerful knight, and traveling with you two would be an honor."

I watched them, a small smirk forming. There was something about Alcors—his eagerness, his naivety—that made me think he might just be the wild card we needed. But I had to figure out what was really happening with him. The purple veins, the radiance… it wasn't just fate, and I'd need to ask Askath more about it.

"Alright, Alcors," I said, clapping him on the shoulder. "I never once saw you as a traitor. After tonight, you could even be a friend. So... Will you travel to the capital with me?"

Alcors looked up at me, his eyes shining with a new, undying hope.

"Yes."