Void Mana

Golems Part 2

After reading more on the subject of golems, I decided I would need better tools and better equipment, the stuff I had on hand wasn't going to cut it. I planned on making my next golem more flexible and stronger, to do this the book said I would need better material and more precise runes carved in. The book recommended Iron, but I was thinking I could use something a little better, steel.

Now steel wasn't that hard to come by in the junkyard, but I didn't want to go there today, because the local gang was most likely back from their celebration that they had the night before. That's how I'd got in before, but with it over they were most likely patrolling the area around it. As I was not part of the gang, I Would have to pay a fee to get in, and again for anything I brought out.

Luckily I had most of the parts I would need on hand, the only things I was missing were the tools and a piece of steel large enough to be used as the body, and if possible miniature-sized tools such as blades and a welder.

But to get these I would need to go to the market in town, and that was rarely a good idea, but even less so with the time of year being so close to floods, people always get restless when their lives and future were in question.

The floods were a phenomenon that had swept the world in the year 2020, it was a wave of... well we aren't really sure. What we are sure of is that it makes the wildlife more aggressive, this on its own wouldn't be too much of a problem, the real issue was the "echos" or so there called, the echos were more or less monsters that seemed to phase in and out of existence. We aren't sure how it works, but I suspect that they might somehow be from the world of void. I had no way to know for certain., however many of the creatures described in the book had similarities to the echoes we fought yearly. The flood while not terrible did take a toll on the government and its people. 30 years later in 2050, poverty was at an all-time high.

In the end, I was one of the victims as an orphan in a run-down building we call an orphanage. It didn't currently matter to me. What did matter to me was how to buy the tools and parts I needed, without being beaten and taken for all I had. now there are two ways this could go, I could walk into the market in the hope that I wouldn't be noticed when I bought tools and steel, using all my saved money, or I could use my newfound powers for good, my good.

The first thing I did, was make a few more golems, these were more mobile and dexterous. They were made of wood. Unlike the steel golem, I planned to make, these were less intelligent and did not have anywhere near as much freedom of movement. Still, they had the intelligence to carry out my commands as long as they weren't too long or complicated.

I had made three of the golems, Which I named greater good1, greater good2, greater good3, or GG, for short. By the time I had all three of them done, Night was approaching, I decided I would wait until morning to make my way to the market. As night could be less legal.

"Stay," I told my four golems. Slowly I stood up "Ugh" I groaned feeling the aches and pains of sitting for long hours. I made my way to the hatch and peeked out. The room above was clear, so I made my way out of the hatch and onto my bed, I started to nod off only to be awakened to the sound of children giggling, "Huh, wha?" all around me sat the kids of the orphanage. "Staying up late I see" turning my head, my sleeping mind took in the sight of miss C. "No" was all I could manage, my mind preoccupied with the pain of hunger I was feeling. "Did I eat yesterday?"

"Well whether or not that is true does not affect me," Miss C said. Getting up I made my way to the dining hall. Today's meal was old bread and a side of sad salad, I was so hungry I didn't even care. Finishing it quickly, I began to remember the events of the night before.

Remembering the plan I made, I got dressed and prepared for the greater good I was about to unleash.

I waited until all the orphans were in their classes, or playing in the backyard before I opened the hatch under my bed, "Come here" I said into the slightly open hatch, reading my intent, I heard four noises moving up to me "Not you Bomb" I clarified, the loudest sound stopping soon after. A few moments later three wooden figures roughly humanoid in shape crawled out of the hatch. I quickly grabbed them and stuffed them in a little pouch all orphans were given. I put on an old cloak that I had bought a few years back and began to walk out the door.

"Where you going" turning around, a boy no older than ten was standing there, "I'm heading out to go get some stuff done" his eyes brightened slightly "are you buying food?" he asked. I wasn't, but I don't see why I couldn't pick some up while I was out, "Ya I'm thinking actual meat, what do say" I said "Really!!!" he said joyfully, "Really" I told him.

While I didn't like the orphanage, it had been good to me over the years. Which was more than I could say than the people on the streets. And the kids hadn't done anything to deserve my eerie, so I could repay them every once in a while. Plus who doesn't like meat?

Heading toward the market, I tried to keep out of any area that wasn't open and heavily trafficked, It was better to be seen while being robbed. Thankfully I didn't have anything surprising happen.

The market was the main trading district of any city, it usually consisted of stalls or stores lined up down the main street, because of the flood, all cities had a wall that stood at a minimum of 10m, this forced cities to be overcrowded and compact. This is why the market was made in such a way, it was to conserve space. The stalls sold whatever the merchants could get their hands on, Which was usually scrap or wild fruits and vegetables. If the merchants were lucky they would find livestock that had survived being released. As space was premium livestock was hard to come by. Which made meet a delicacy, "And expensive" I said under my breath as I walked through the beginning of the market.

I planned on... librating the items I would need from the wealthier merchants, the wealthier merchants were just like nobles or kings, that I had read about, they had essentially taken over. Yes, there was still a government in place, but they just didn't have the resources necessary to govern all the cities. So the merchants started to throw their weight around and took over in a sense. They were almost all fat and lazy tyrants who had struck it rich by chance.

Walking further into the market street, I started to see what I was looking for, unfortunately, most of the stuff I needed was being sold by poorer merchants. Fortunately, there was a wealthier merchant selling steel. I checked the price just in case only to find that it had a value of 12. The value of something was what determined the value of goods that needed to be traded for it. For example, if I wanted a steak that was valued at 15 I would need to trade something or something that equaled or surpassed the value of the steak so three vegetables valued at 5 each would do.

But for a block of steel that was common outside the walls, 12 value was an insane price. Luckily I'm sure the good merchant would be thrilled if it was used for the greater good.

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