52 Battle of the Blacksmith

The trio walk slowly into the blacksmiths while keeping their alert high for enemies. The building creaks, while a gust whistles through the cracked and shattered windows. Dust covers the floorboards that are laden with strange contraptions and random pieces of junk, many of the devices smoking or showing extreme damage.

"Oy junk slave get back to findin' stuff! Didn't build you to keep disturbing me." Grumbles a voice from another room as the sound of electricity zapping through the air sounds out. A yelp of pain is heard before a short dark skinned man stumbles out of the side room while coughing out blood and black specks.

"Ah a night gnome, feral little things but still just as clever as they're more civilized cousins. I take it you created that hunk of metal outside?" Asks the scarred man as he fingers the handle of his mace while the creak of a bowstring flexing can be heard behind him.

"Humans....bah ingrates....dresses...muscles.....men....great perverts just what we needed! Well humans I'll not be letting ya get your filthy mitts on my work!" The gnome grumbles before dashing backwards into the room he stumbled from, the door slamming with a thunk before the sounds of a drill and steam begin coming from the closed room.

"Outside ladies, the little one means to fight us and we all remember what happened with the last gnomish inventor we faced." The scarred man says as the other to have looks of frustration before the three dash outside quickly.

As the trio unsheathe their weapons and prepare for battle the blacksmiths lets out a tortured groan as the building wobbles. Soon cracks begin appearing on the boards of the building before a wall finally explodes outwards in a shower of dust and splinters showing a new mechanical monstrosity clanking its way outside, the gnome inside a glass bubble protruding from the mechanoids back.

{Species-Junk Golem (Major) Description- This golem is a powerful construct of technology in the form of a combat ready mech. Although able to function on its own this creation comes equipped with a cockpit that allows a pilot to enter its body and give it a slight boost in combat efficiency. This golem is of gnomish design modeled after the nightscar scorpions known to give even ogre's a challenge in combat.}

"Interesting be prepared for venom and electric attacks. We kill the gnome and the mech will flail which will make destroying it even easier." States the scarred man as he darts forward with a thrust of his mace, the spiked head slamming into the mech's claw like a pool stick against a billiard ball.

Several arrows tinkle against the glass dome before bouncing off as the pale man curses and sprints away from his firing position. Chena rushes forward and releases a powerful punch towards the mech's side while a ghostly image of an elks head appears overtop his fist, its horns seeming to pierce and almost lift the mech before fading. Grumbling and shouting can be heard from the domed cockpit before the mech's tail shines with electricity and slams towards the scarred man, the razor sharp point slamming into the mans mace head before throwing the man backwards onto his back. Before he can move away the stinger comes back down into his chest but shatters against the whispy fabric of his dress as his hands dart out and grab onto the broken appendage.

"My coats a mix of bicorn fur and heavenslight drake scales, rusted metal would be lucky to even leave a scratch you fool. Forbidden Skill activate Overcharge." Taunts the scarred man as his arms begin to glow a bright red before he gives a quick jerk on the tail and smiles as the sheering of ripping metal fills the air.

"Chena use your sandals ability and take out the spine!" Shouts the scarred man as Chena nods and closes his eyes while mumbling quietly before leaping several meters in the air and brings his legs down in an axe kick, the mech's body slamming into the ground with the sound of shattering metal while Chena limps away from the downed creature before a flare of dark shadow slams against the dome on its back and pierces through into the neck of the gnomish pilot.

"Wasted one of my bows abilities for the day and one of my corsets poisons. Have a few left for the boss but if every enemy down here is this much of a hassle we might consider taking up in one of these houses for the night so we can reset." Says Henwick as he glances at the dead gnome and dismantled golem before frowning and glancing towards the blacksmiths.

"Go ahead and check out his hole of a home Henny, we know how you love finding baubles to keep us afloat and even for an amateur with garbage material this guy made something actually impressive. Shame the poor darling was hostile or we could've probably stolen his blueprints out of his little mind before putting him into his final sleep." Says the scarred man as the archer nods and dashes happily into the smiths building while Chena sits on the ground and begins massaging his leg.

"We should be careful going forward Drago, if these metal golems are the basic mobs it'll be hard to deal with them without a mage. We should've picked up that cutie a few months ago in the coastal town, I know he was wearing pleather but we could've fixed his style." Chena says quietly while the scarred man nods before sighing.

"To late now though so lets not repeat the past. Hopefully Henny can make some new accessories out of the gnomes lab and give us a boost. Plus if we strike down the shorty stacks fast enough we won't have to fight the golems at full strength, maybe not at all. Lets rest for now and see what it brings." The scarred man, Drago, says tiredly before walking towards the smith to see what's been found.

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'So all gnomes regardless of race have the ability to invent and create stuff like that? And as long as they have enough time between groups their creations will get more dangerous? That seems way overpowered. And why did he take the head of the minor golem and not the body? Seems kind of strange.' I ask as the core room now contains all the boss monsters except Shank and the Despot.

"He used a vorpal move, pretty rare ability to be honest. Gives you about a 5% chance to decapitate any enemy per attack during combat so the longer the fight goes on the better the chances if its enchanted onto a weapon but he used a skill so I can't give you its percent. As for the gnomes the answer is yes, but finding gnomes that are classified as a monster is hard since most are civilized. But as overpowered as their abilities are they're mechs drop fantastic materials upon destruction and the gnomes themselves are fragile. Easy kills if your quick enough." Emi explains as both me and Tilly nod along with her as we watch the archer come out of the smith smiling widely as he hauls a giant sack filled to the brim.

'Group seems to show promise, lets see if they can actually challenge the Despot and Shank.' I say while watching the group set up a camp and begin going through the spoils.