Lily looked up at the golem that stood in front of her, her bright blue eyes narrowed as she slowly held her hands up, touching the golden golem before her. She could feel the magic that made the monster click, could feel how it spiderwebbed from the core to the limbs. It felt weird against her fingertips, but it made it easy to focus on just the core. She could feel eyes on her, she did her best to ignore them but then they started to whisper, curious as to what she was about to do. The builder gnashed her teeth as she pushed against the golem. "Don't you all… have something else to be doing?"
Lily paused though when she noticed there was a new monster standing next to Jules. "Who are you?" She looked at the prestidigitator, a smaller monster that was in a grey cloak.
"This is the sorcerer that helped us back on Furrowfield!" Saffron stepped in front of him as if she had to protect him from Lily.
Lily put her hands up and shook her head. "I'm not angry he's here, Saf. I was just curious as to who he was. It's been a while since I was last on Furrowfield, you're Pastor Al's underling, correct?"
"Yes, thank you for having me, builder." The prestidigitator stepped around Saffron, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I saw the humans thriving but still having a few difficulties and then Lady Saffron got a letter from her sister stating you were going to Khrumbul-Dun and Furrowfield to gather people for a celebration… I knew Pastor Al would want to help them and help you, so I decided to dig up some old books and help them build that boat at the docks."
Lily made a face but let out a laugh and shrugged. "Right, I'm sure he would love to hear about it." She waved her hands, trying to dismiss everyone. "Can you guys go… do something? You don't gotta watch me do this."
NO. STAY. THEY DESERVE TO SEE HOW STRONG YOU ARE.
Lily whipped around, staring up at the golden bar. She frowned but nodded as she turned back to the golden golem, rolling her shoulders as to force herself to relax. With her hands pressed against the golem, she took in a slow deep breath.
Breathe in.
She could feel that spiderwebbed magic again.
Breathe out.
It felt like she was reaching into the golem. Her hands wrapped around the core of the magic.
Breathe in.
Her whole body felt tight. Sweat gathered on the back of her neck and her forehead. She dug deep to feel her own magic, she could feel Goldirox withholding power from her. Jerk.
Breathe out.
Her hands felt heavy. Goldirox felt distant, but also like he was right next to her. The golem went slack against her hands.
Breathe in.
The golem twitched. Magic washed over her.
Saffron's jaw went slack as she watched the magic in front of her. Lily's hands glowed and magic caused her hair to lift from her shoulders and her dress to flutter. A moment after that, Saffron felt a warmth roll over her skin, it wasn't like the heat that came from Khrumbul-Dun, it was like a warm embrace on a cold Furrowfield night. Lily opened her eyes and they glowed, then the air sizzled and the golden golem twitched before being engulfed in a bright white light.
Clayton slowly pulled Saffron behind him when a much larger golem straightened up out of the light. Goldi rolled his shoulders and slammed his diamond encrusted fists together and let out a roar, bending down to get in Lily's face. The builder tipped her chin but only stared at Goldi as he adjusted to having a form again. Air rushed around Lily as if Goldi was breathing her in, he let out a snort before straightening all the way up. He was much bigger than Lily remembered, easily towering over the builder's bell that sat at the edge of town.
"Lily… Lilian told me that Malroth was the God of Destruction…" Saffron slowly stepped around Clayton, her dark eyes were wide as she got closer to the builder. "Lily… are you… are you a God?"
Lily twitched when Saffron spoke to her, she felt raw. She felt like someone had stripped her down to nothing and left her in the hot Khrumbul-Dun sun to burn. She slowly turned her head, staring at Saffron for a moment like she didn't know who the girl was before her usual dopey grin spread across her face. "Me? No way! I'm just a builder."
Goldi let out a roar of laughter, gently patting Lily on the head. "JUST A BUILDER. SILLY LILY."
Lily frowned up at Goldi as she crossed her arms over her chest. "I'm just a builder, I suppose you could call me a master builder, but I'm no God."
Jules bounced over, laughing as she bounced around Lily. "Bona fida! Such a silly, tiny builder! Verda! When shall we go to your goooooorgeous isle?!"
"We can go whenever everyone else is ready." Lily put her hands on her hips and then crossed them over her chest. She felt weird with everyone watching her closely now. "Goldi. I have something for you."
Goldi tipped his head, curious as to why Lily was fidgeting so much. He held his hand out, staring at the small vile that she put in his hand. "WHAT THIS?" He watched as she shoved her hands in her pockets and shrugged before walking towards the docks.
The group stared at Goldi and then at the boat, Lily grumbled and crossed her arms over her chest. "He's going to be too big."
"Aye." Brownbeard frowned up at the giant golem. "If me ship were bigger…"
"I can attempt to teleport, but I've never been to the isle so it would be… difficult." The prestidigitator rubbed the orb on his scepter, a frown in his voice.
Lily glanced to the monster, giving him a soft smile. "I have a plan, but I should have the ingredients. Also… what's your name? I feel bad calling you prestidigitator."
"My name? Oh, you can call me Greg."
Everyone stopped and stared at the monster. They had all been expecting something much different. Greg was almost… a let down when it came to names. Lily only shrugged and turned to Goldi. "That vial I gave you? Use it. I'll make more on the ship."
Goldi looked down at the vial, slight concern in his voice as he spoke. "MAKE ME SMALLER?"
"No- well, kinda? Just use it."
Gold grumbled but took the vial, chomping down on it. For a moment, nothing seemed to happen. He looked at his large golden hands and grumped. "NOTHING."
"What? Really? I wonder wh-" Lily jumped when Goldi was suddenly engulfed in a bright light, she put herself between Goldi and the others, her sword at the ready. But then the light died out and a man with midnight black dreadlocks that went all the way down his back stood before them. His diamond blue eyes were captivating against his dark skin, old battle scars covered his bare torso and even hinted at beneath the waist of his loose-fitting pants. Two diamond encrusted cuffs covered his thick wrists, matching the golden trinkets that decorated the long dreads. "Goldi…?"
"Your jaw is slack, Lily." Goldi grinned at the builder whose cheeks were slowly deepening to a deep red. "I forgot about that curse. But we didn't break it completely. Just temporarily."
"Curse?" Lily straightened up, suddenly very intrigued by something she could break.
"Why didn't you use Ra's Mirror?" Harvest stepped up next to Lily, pointedly looking at the pouch on the builders hip.
Goldi shook his head, a small jingling noise coming from the simple movement. "Sadly, while Ra's mirror is powerful, Madusa was much more powerful than that old toy."
"This is a curse from Madusa?" Saffron put a hand to her chin, thinking for a moment. "I guess I don't understand what that means."
"I'll explain on the way. I'm excited to see our friends again. And perhaps brawl with Malroth." Goldi grinned more as he stepped up to the boat, helping the others on with such ease that came only from a man that was pure muscle like he was.
Lily had her hands on her hips and was frowning at Goldi when he held a hand out to her. "You better not get Malroth riled up."
"Me? I would never." The two laughed before getting on the boat with the others.
Malroth was sitting on a pile of old armor, nodding at the progress the monsters and humans had made on the large temple. He had cleared out the cliffs, luckily enough the Old God had been willing to play nice and let Malroth go between the monstrous form and his humanoid one with ease in order to destroy the cliffs for the temple. Malroth was guessing it was due to the fact that it was essentially a giant shrine to the Old God that was going up and nothing more than that.
He turned his attention to Rosie and Babs; the two girls had stopped for a break. Rosie had come to terms with the knowledge that Pastor Al had been the reason for her nightmares back on Furrowfield, she forgave him. Babs on the other hand hadn't been answered on what destroyed Khrumbul-Dun every time. She had pestered Dracken for hours about it, but he swore up and down that he didn't know. The Old God had known though, he had whispered it to Malroth. And Malroth liked Babs too much to tell her what he had learned.
"She's on her way home."
Malroth twisted around, seeing Rose standing just behind him. But then he felt it, Lily was on her way home and wasn't too far off actually. "How did you know that?"
"She told me that, like a puzzle, you two are missing pieces. Your last piece is somewhere in my home, and Lily is missing two pieces. I'm one, and… her mother is the other piece." The old woman gave a shaky smile before shaking herself from that hope. "But there's no way she's still alive."
Malroth frowned at the woman before turning to the temple, he put his middle finger and thumb at the corners of his mouth before letting out an ear-piercing whistle. "Lily and the others are headed back! I'm going to the docks!"
Malroth helped Rose down from the stairs, Babs and Rosie waited for them down on the beach with a few of the monsters. Pastor Al still seemed nervous around Rosie, like she would shun him or something. Dracken took Rose's hand and tucked it into his elbow, walking with her through the sand.
Perry ran down the stairs with Lilian hard on his heels, Dougie and Digby were right behind them, laughing the whole way down as they got ready to great their friends from Khrumbul-Dun. Malroth led the group up to the docks, frowning when he didn't see the golden golem with Lily as she stretched her arms over her head. Instead there was a tall man, his dark ebony skin glistened in the warm sunlight of the Isle. "Oi, who the fuck-"
"Goldi?" Babs froze on the docks, her brilliant blue eyes locked on the man. She wasn't sure what it was about him that screamed Goldi at her, but the way her heart hammered in her chest and the way she wanted to run into those strong arms told her it was him.
"WOT?!" Dougie and Digby gaped next to Babs before running over and inspecting the man. "Babs is goin' crazy! This ain't Goldi!" Dougie laughed and slapped the man on the arm, he froze and looked at the man. "Wait… maybe it is 'im…"
"No way!" Digby glared at Dougie. "Ain't no way!"
"It is." Lily watched Goldi, unable to help her smile. He barely registered anyone as his eyes locked on Babs, she gasped when Babs finally ran over to him, easily getting scooped up by the large man. "He was going to explain the curse Madusa put on him, but I told him to wait so the others could hear it too." She looked over when she heard a weird noise behind her, Greg was staring at Pastor Al. "Oh yeah, hey Al is alive."
"Greg?" Pastor Al straightened up, but suddenly turned to Lily, a snarl leaving him. "I thought Goldi was a golem. How does he have a human form?"
"Doesn't this stuff work on all monsters?" Lily held up another vial of the murky liquid, a brow raised at Al.
"Not in the way you think, child!" Al threw his arms up. "They have to have another form, humanoid or otherwise for it to work!"
"Didn't Lily just say Madusa put a curse on Goldi?" Malroth had his hands in his pockets, watching as Goldi started to walk away. "Oi, where the fuck you going?"
"Malroth, point me in the direction of the nearest chapel." Goldi had his arms wrapped tight around Babs, a sparkle in those bright eyes of his.
"What the fuck? Why?" The look on Malroth's face twisted into one of confusion, only to get worse when Lily burst into laughter.
"I said I would marry Babs, I meant it. Now, where is the nearest chapel?"
"Not so fast, big guy!" Babs leaned back, smacking the tall man on the shoulders. "Ya gotta ask me ol' man, first!"
Goldi frowned for a moment before shrugging. "Someone point me in the direction of Den."
"You have a story to tell us, first." Lily put her hands on her hips, grinning at Goldi.
"Later."
Malroth watched as a spark lit in Lily's eyes and her face became serious. Then he felt the weight of her bearing down on everyone, a few of those in the group dropped to their knees, actually the only ones left standing were Lily, Goldi and Malroth. "Lily." Malroth let out a growl as pain seared through his body, he could feel the Old God wanting out, threatening to change him. He wanted to take out the threat in front of them. "Lily!"
Lily flinched and gripped her head before turning away from everyone. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."
Rose looked at Dracken who was keeping a watchful eye on Lily. "This is the second time this has happened."
"The second?" Dracken looked down at Rose before looking between Malroth and Lily.
Rose was sitting in the rocking chair Lily had built for her, knitting away at a small scarf for Gremville. The small monster had wanted to go over the Cerulean Steppe, but it was too cold for him. She looked over, seeing Lily working on a small project outside, it looked to be the fireworks for the celebration later this week. The older woman got up and moved to the glass door, opening it so she could ask Lily a question when Hellen came down the stairs next to the house.
"Lily! I had a question about that blueprint you were making for the monsters. I know there's the temple on the other side of the Isle, wouldn't it be easier to just patch the hole in the roof?"
"It would be, but… there a few humans that are still getting used to you monsters and I want to respect their needs as much as the monsters. I promised them that I would move you guys over here until they could get used to you guys."
"Right, I understand. Dracken was just throwing a fit, like he does." The monstrous priestess laughed before walking over to Lily, looking at the firework she was making. "Though, I think we all just need to have a pow-wow and get our issues with the other out."
"No, that would cause too much stress."
"I don't think so, I'm sure if I go talk to the humans over at the Cerulean Steppe I can talk them into a pow-wow of sorts."
"Hellen, don't. I don't want to hear them bitch about it."
"You won't have to. I'll be cordial and-"
"Hellen." Lily stopped what she was doing and glared at the monster, her eyes following the priestess as she slid to her knees. "I said no."
Rose leaned heavily against the doorframe, feeling the weight of her granddaughter bearing down on her. She grabbed a book that was on the shelf next to her, throwing the heavy thing at the young builder. "Child! She is only wanting to help the situation."
Lily ducked under the book, but the feeling went away, allowing Hellen to stand once more. "Right… you're right. I'm sorry Hellen. I don't know what came over me…"
"I'll leave them be, but I do only wish to help with the tensions."
Lily stared at her grandmother. "I'd forgotten about that…"
"I know." Rose got up with Dracken's help and moved to her granddaughter, taking her hands. "The two times I've felt that power now, it's almost felt destructive."
Dracken looked between Lily and Malroth again, frowning. "We have to get you two the rest of your power. You're relying on each other too much, which is what I feared."
"I didn't feel Lily pull on my power though." Malroth gave Dracken a disappointed look, if he were being honest with himself, he enjoyed the way it felt, having her tug every now and again, asking for a little help.
"That's because you're an endless ocean of it. She can take little bits, even if she doesn't realize she's doing it, and neither of you would notice." Dracken rubbed his chin as he started thinking. "The portal in the cave down the way, I'm sure we could get it in working order again, but we don't know where it would lead."
"How many places could it lead? I only know of two other portals." Lily walked over to Malroth, grabbing his hand. The others were settling in, awaiting to hear if they could help in some way. "The one in Cantlin and the one in Moonbrooke castle."
"The one that we dropped here on." Rose frowned at the girl, seeing her nod.
"We won't even go over all the other ones. There are too many." Dracken paced now, mumbling to himself. "If we can get you to Cantlin, then that would be the quickest way to get you to the cave where I hid the Master's remains."
"How far away is the cave from Cantlin?" Rose watched the priest as he shuffled around from one end of the dock to the storage area beneath Brownbeard's house.
"It's in between Cantlin and the castle, but closer to Cantlin, it was the only place I could think of in the heat of the moment."
"There are several caves, but only big enough to hide remains. I know which one you're talking about."
"Not to interrupt, but we 'ave a celebration to 'ave." Babs finally spoke up, still wrapped around Goldi her cheek pressed against the top of his head. "I'm sure as long as no one goes around challenging these two for a few 'ours, we'll all be fine!"
