Hell's Glitch (initial draft)

2:17 Backtracking

Sam gazed ahead at the looming castle across the chasm, its grey bricks the darkest shade he'd seen thus far. Much of its gothic architecture stood out and couldn't have been made by human hands, like the oddly shaped turrets. It was surely his next destination, but it would have to wait.

"I should really level up first," Sam said eying a mechanical lever on the other side of the chasm, a lever which no doubt went to the drawbridge that was raised nearby. There wasn't much space on the other side and behind the drawbridge looked to be the entrance to the castle.

Sam turned around and began walking back towards the shopping district of the dilapidated fort town. Littered throughout were the remains of all the golems he'd just defeated in his battle with Ronove. He stepped over several piles of rock, before stopping and turning to look at the castle again. He was curious about exactly what he would face inside. Since he had planned on increasing his physical capabilities and skills, he figured he might as well work on some strategies as well. For that, he'd have to know what he was fighting against.

"Think I'll just take a peek at what's next."

He walked back over to the chasm and took a look down into it. Climbing down and across looked plausible, but also time consuming. Instead of that, he pulled his bow and took aim at the lever near the drawbridge.

"Looks sturdy. I'll have to hit it hard."

Sam activated his Pierce pyromancy and felt the heated aura it projected over his left hand. He spread the heat to his arrowheads with a wave and once more focused on the top of the lever. He let his arrow fly and watched the arrowhead go right through the lever and push it backwards.

"Hell yeah! It worked!"

The mechanisms controlling the drawbridge clicked to life and it was slowly lowered, its black chains rattling until the long wooden bridge was fully extended then all was silent. Sam walked forward, gazing at the high double doors on the other side. He looked at the castle walls and above as well as below for any sign of surprise attack. He couldn't see any threats, but he didn't want to be on the bridge any more than he needed to. He made it halfway across the bridge before the doors opened seemingly of their own accord.

He stopped in his tracks to see if anyone was coming, but could see nothing but a dark void inside the depths of the castle. He chuckled nervously, listening for whatever it was his eyes might not have been picking up.

"You guys really need to pay your light bill."

His pulse quickened when he heard footsteps. It was a single pair—slow, laborious, and ... heavy. Sam's Corseque was in his hands faster than you could say 'threat' and he stood, rigid, waiting for his ... guest. As it appeared out of the castle's abyss, the castle's doors were closed behind it.

"Damn. No running past I suppose. Just as well though. I'm here to see what you can do anyhow."

The golem was much taller than Sam, of course, bigger too, but it was much smaller than many of the golems Sam had already fought and defeated. The main difference, Sam noted as it approached, was that it carried a sword and a shield and wore bits and pieces of metallic armor. The closer it got, the more Sam could see that it didn't wear the armor as much as the armor was infused into its body, further fortifying various bits and pieces of its body.

The golem ... knight, for lack of a better term, advanced deliberately, its shoulders forward and its strides long.

"Friend or foe?" Sam yelled when the golem closed half the length between them. When it didn't offer an immediate response, Sam superheated his Corseque and lowered himself into a fighting stance.