Before we begin this chapter, I'd like you to know that my comment on the previous chapter was typed before the reviews were put up, and so I forgot to take it off before posting it and--well, I'm too lazy to change it now.

Also, my offer still stands with the custom Colossi that you can make. Simply private message me the location of your picture or send it directly to

Now then, let's get on with the show! I own nothing except for Malus's past and the Custom Colossi! (your Colossi are yours, not mine, so they are the exception)

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Dormin's Speech

Sound Effects

Thoughts

Chapter 20

Malus's Story Part 1

Is that so?

Dormin stared at the humans before him, his blue eyes drilling into their minds. His body (before he became a shadow of his former self) scraped against the ground as he crouched down to stare at them. Back then, instead of being a large shadow, Dormin was a great Colossus of unlimited power. With four rock tentacles protruding from his back and his fists and lower arms made of stone, as well as his smooth rock legs and his razor-sharp horns, Dormin was an impossibly powerful foe.

"Yes." the human leader said, kneeling. The leader was a young man, age 17, by the name of Mone. "We wish to use your power to make sixteen Colossi to protect your land." Mone looked up at Dormin hopefully. The Colossus-God stared down at him for a moment, then threw back his head and laughed.

Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha haaa!! Doth thou intend to insult Us? We need no protection. Now begone!

"Lord Dormin, please listen to reason!" Mone shouted over the God's laughter. "The humans of the north lands are plotting to kill you! We would like to help!"

Let them try.

Dormin turned away and started to stalk towards the alter at the end of the hall. Mone growled, then unsheathed his sword and leaped forward. He grabbed the back of Dormin's heel and the giant bellowed in rage, swinging his foot from side to side.

Release Us, pest!

Mone climbed higher up Dormin's leg and leaped to his knee, then stabbed his sword into the rock. He heard a scraping sound and part of the sword broke off. Dormin turned and grabbed the man, holding him to his face. Then he chuckled.

Thou art foolhardy and reckless, but to Our liking. Thou may have thine power on one condition.

"What (pant) might that (pant) be?" Mone asked breathlessly. Dormin's blue eyes shone brighter and suddenly sixteen statues, each about seven inches tall, fell from the hole in the ceiling. All fell with a clang in a circle around Dormin.

Thou must take these sixteen statues and place them in all areas around Our land. Every time a statue is set in the correct place, We will transfer Our power to the statue and make it grow into a Colossus. The condition is half of thine men stay with Us, and if thou tries to decieve Us We shall kill them.

"Fine..." Mone replied, his head spinning. Dormin promptly dropped him and he fell hard on the ground. Dormin turned away and before Mone's eyes the giant spread huge batlike wings, then with a large jump that blew the young man back Dormin sailed up through the hole in the ceiling and out of sight. He picked up the statues one by one and looked at them. They weren't anything special, just idols in the shapes of creatures. He walked to his men and ordered them to put the statues in their sacks. He turned and was about to head out when he remembered his sword was broken.

Suddenly a longsword dropped from the hole in the ceiling and landed with a clang in front of him. Mone tossed his broken sword aside and picked up the one that had fallen, then looked up.

That is the Ancient's Sword, forged by the Gods themselves. It shalt help you get the job done right.

Mone looked blankly at the Ancient's Sword, then nodded and tucked it into his sheathe. The sword changed size to fit into the holster, and was light as a feather. Then with a nod and a look of determination in his eye, he set out.

Mone walked with his men through the lands, only six with him now that Dormin had claimed the others. He saw a rocky ledge ahead and proceeded, remembering that Dormin claimed the first statue must be placed in a closed-off place of great height. He reached the small plateau beneath the cliffside, then looked up and saw something above. He turned to his men and said "Wait here." before grabbing onto a mass of ivy and heaving himself up.

He grabbed the edge and pulled himself over, then rose to his feet and ran along the ledge. He jumped over a gap and raced past a bridge before coming to a stop at a pillar. Examining it, he found no way to climb. And he had to get over to reach the plateau. Taking out the Ancient's Sword, he readied himself and slashed the stone pillar. The sword cut through the pillar as if it were paper, creating a ledge for him to crawl around. Mone leaped up and grabbed onto the ledge with his hands, then slowly shimmied around the pillar and found his back to the edge of the plateau. He positioned himself, then leaped and barely managed to grab it. Pulling himself up, he whistled as he found himself in quite a large expanse of rock. "This certainly seems the ideal place for a Colossus to be placed." he murmured. In the distance was a temple of some sort, an ancient momument far older than the Shrine of Worship.

Mone took out the first statue and frowned as he saw black marks on it. He tried to rub them off with his cloak, but they wouldn't come out. Hoping the marks wouldn't affect the statue's link to Dormin's power, he walked forward. Suddenly he heard the beat of hooves on the rock, and turned to see a large bull-sized object coming towards him.

WHAM

Mone was knocked ten feet back and the idol flew out of his hands, falling with a clunk several yards away. He sat up and swore, clutching the gash in his side, then got his first real look at his opponent.

It was shaped like a bull, but this creature's body was made up of stone circles and squares. It was like a living polygon. Red eyes glared out from underneath the helmet it wore, and it snorted before kicking a hoof against the ground. "Oh, fu--" Mone started, then the thing charged and he was sent flying again. He landed hard and gasped as pain shot through his left arm. He felt it and couldn't find anything wrong with it, but as he looked away something made him do a double-take. The same black markings that were on the miniature idol were now on his arm where the bull-creature had hit him.

"Damn it..." Mone growled. He rose to his feet and unsheathed the Ancient's Sword, then charged. The polygon monster snorted and barreled forward. Mone leaped to the side and swung the sword downward, creating a large gash in the creature's side. "Yes!" Mone cried, landing on his feet and running at it again. The polygon turned and snorted, then flung its head around and rammed it into Mone's chest. The young man coughed up blood and fell to his knees, and the bull polygon rammed its head into him again, this time into his chin. He was flung back and landed hard on his back.

Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT! he thought as he got up. The monster snorted and charged at him again. His blood suddenly raced through his veins, and he leaped up and landed on the thing's back. The polygon bull snorted and bucked, trying to shake its unwelcome passenger off. "They say that if you mess with the bull..." Mone said with a growl, unsheathing his sword. "...you get the horns. Here's my version. If you mess with me..." the air was suddenly sprayed with black blood as Mone slit the polygon's throat. "...you get my sword!"

Leaping from the body as the polygon collapsed, Mone sighed and sheathed the Ancient's Sword, then brushed dust and blood from his cloak before walking forward to pick up the idol. "Let's see now..." he murmured, then walked to the center of the plateau, ignoring the dead polygon creature, and placed the statue on the ground. Immediately the idol changed from stone to a living creature, and that creature grew until it was fifty feet tall. Mone stepped back, staring in awe at the beast that looked at its surroundings. Then it looked down and spotted him. It crouched until it came to eye level with him, and he stepped forward. "I think it was the spirit of your valor and courage that allowed me to win." he said quietly. The newborn Colossus snorted and shook its head. "And so I shall name you..."

"...Valus."

And so the creation of the sixteen Colossi began. Does anyone notice something unusual in this chapter, besides the polygon bull? If you figure it out, I'll let you pick how the next Colossus's creation happens. The next Colossus is Phaedra (I'm skipping Quadratus and Gaius) so keep that in mind. Simply tell me via private message how you would like that to happen. And thanks for all the reviews, everybody!