Proofread by Thomas F
"Lord Silver," Azalia called.
At the sound of her voice, I opened my eyes and slowly pushed myself up. My head still throbbed, and all I wanted was sleep, but this was not the time for it.
"It seemed like your person was right."
She stated, and I followed her gaze. Between the two golems, there was a crown, more like a circlet.
It had the same royal violet crystals as the two golems, the biggest one on the front with the rest behind, encased in thick metal. It looked beautiful.
"Command Tool," I said and sighed. I was happy because that means these are top-level golems; the neural golems or soul-controlled golems as she had called them.
It means they are tremendously hard to control. If what she said is right, it takes years to learn to control them, and there is also some sort of lock-in in these inheritance golems where they could project to the same level as their masters.
Though the most difficult part is control itself. We will need years to learn.
Unfortunately, the enemies will not give us such time.
Two golems aren't the only ones with the command tool; the command tool has also come out of the forgeband as well. It is a head-sized ring with red crystals attached to it.
I walked toward it, since most people gathered there; the screen disappeared, unblocking the way.
"These weapons will be tremendously helpful to dominion," said Mage Aldridge.
I nodded as I looked at the control tool, before the golems. The command golem to exact, which is now open, with space for a person to sit inside it.
The one who commands it will sit inside the golem.
"Not immediately, though; it will take years before we could use them in battle," I sighed, before shaking away the melancholic thoughts.
Despite the constraint of time. This is a massive boost to our power; we have to just survive until we can use them in battle.
"Now that we've got them. Let's try it," I said and picked up the ring before anyone could say anything.
It didn't resist and came to my hand.
"My lord, you should be careful," cautioned Azalia, and I smiled before looking around at the people, who were all looking at the ring in my hand.
I looked at it, surprised. This is an artifact.
She had told me the command tools would likely be artifacts, but I am still surprised. I stared at it for a few seconds before turning to my people, and a moment later, my eyes locked on one man.
"General Irab, would you?" I asked the man, who was looking at it with glittering eyes.
He seemed surprised by the offer and licked his tusks before nodding with a big smile.
Yes, Irab has some problems and a few prejudices, but there are no questions about his loyalty. He knows when to look past them for the benefit of dominion.
"It would be my honor, my lord," he replied. He understood the value of these golems. Understand, the forgeband is more valuable than the twin wardens we fought.
This is a unit of sixty, with each strength of Lv. 40. That is a terrifying force.
"You should be careful, General, and be prepared to bear the immense neural load," warned Azalia. The man, in his excitement, had barely listened and put the ring above his head.
It faintly lit up before it moved behind his head.
It surprised me, and I am not the only one. It had surprised others as well. We thought it would be like the circlet of the two golems.
The red gems on it lit up, and immediately, a change appeared on Irab's face. A massive strain appeared, with blood leaking from his orifices, before he fell into unconsciousness.
"General!" people screamed.
We caught him and pulled the ring from behind his head, which had turned off on its own a second ago when Irab fell unconscious.
"It seemed like we would have to find the right person before we could even think about them being using it in battle," said Mage Aldridge.
As I heard that, I sighed.
I didn't just choose Irab at random. No, I chose him because he has a strong will and an awakened aura. Most importantly, he has a rare soul defense skill.
Such a skill also helps with bearing soul pressure, but even so, the pressure was so great that he fell unconscious within a second.
It wouldn't be easy to find the right person to control these golems, one with enough mental prowess to bear this massive weight.
A person who could also be trusted, because with such force, they could destroy us if they turned against us.
I watched them take Irab away before I turned and walked ahead, when suddenly I stopped.
The ring in my hand wouldn't move. Seeing that, I let go, and it returned to the original place where it had been.
"It seemed likely; we can't take the command tool over ten meters away from it," I said.
'Unless the artifact is successfully bonded,' replied the voice.
We stopped in front of the twin golems, and now Azalia has the same look as Irab has. I noticed it earlier and am now seeing it again.
Unlike Irab, she does not have soul skill, but I believe she would be quite good at controlling them. If she could bear the neural pressure.
After what happened with Irab, I don't know if she could.
I picked it up and turned toward her. "After what happened with Irab, I wouldn't recommend it without preparations," I advised her.
She hesitated for a moment before taking the beautiful circlet from my hand.
She didn't immediately put it over her head. She stared at it for a few seconds before slowly putting it over her head.
The moment she did, it lit up beautifully, and Azalia's expression had changed as well. She gritted her teeth, and I opened my mouth to ask her to take it off, but I stopped, seeing her expression.
A few seconds later passed, and blood began to come out of her orifices.
"Don't force yourself, General," I said, feeling worried. "I am fine, my lord," she replied through her gritted teeth. Hearing this, I felt relieved.
This woman is too wilful.
She has that drive to prove herself and works hard.
Like how she trains at every free moment of her time. She knows she isn't as talented in direct combat and works ten times as hard as her peers to bridge that gap.
A minute passed, and she shook, but didn't let go. It was only when another minute passed that she gently removed the circlet and let it go.
"These golems are incredible," she said, a big smile appearing on her very tired face.
'She had likely received the knowledge from the circlet,' said the voice, and I nodded.
"Do you need rest, General?" I asked. The woman had just fought a hard battle before using that circlet. I don't know if I would have remained standing if I had been in her place.
It is why I didn't even try putting them on, and I would likely not.
"I am fine, my lord."
I sighed and resumed walking toward the building. Though that is not the destination. It was something before that, in front of the door.
We reached it and stopped.
"What is it?" asked Zela. I was confused as well and looked at Aldridge.
There was a screen, and it was likely our third challenge; it's why everyone turned to the old man, who was looking at the screen.
'Shaped seed!'
A voice rang through my mind, filled with shock. The last time I had seen her, this shock when she saw the Forged Seed.
'Shaped seed?' I asked, and I heard a sigh.
'Shaped seed, half template, templated artifact; there are many names for it,' she stated. 'If I quote my mother, then I say, 'They are the construct between, forged seed and complete artifact,'
Her words have confused me even further and shocked me.
I know how powerful my artifact is, and I have barely started developing it. If it is something like this, then it could be a powerful thing.
'Explain in simple words,' I asked while she laughed.
'In simple words, they are like a forged seed, but halfway into becoming an artifact."
"Half of the template of it is already formed. So, whoever chose it won't have complete freedom to materialize the artifact they desire as you did, but this is still a seed, and it will develop many characteristics based on its master's desire.'
'Incredible!' I said.
'It is, and I would have asked for it, if not for knowing you already have a person for it and she deserves it,' she replied.
I was stumped for a moment, before laughing. Yes, this woman knows me too well. The moment she explained it, I already knew who I am going to give it to.
"This is something called a Templated Artifact," said Mage Aldridge and turned to me.
"Remember, the forged seed I told you all about?" I asked, and they nodded. "Well, this is something like it, further into an artifact, but not fully conceptualized," I replied, making the eyes of many light up.
I turned to Azalia, and she nodded. A moment later, I saw a unit of soldiers coming toward us.
"The challenge is to bind this within a month. If it succeeded, the last three floors of the tower would be unlocked, and we would be able to take out the golems as well," he stated.
'It wouldn't be easy; it is a failed forge seed. It is much harder and more dangerous to bind it than a forged seed,' she cautioned.
Hearing this, my mood turned somber. It's no wonder; it is a third challenge. If it had been a simple bonding, it wouldn't have been.
"Good," I replied and turned to the large gate of the nine-story building. It's time; we checked it out- the six floors of it that are open to us.