Dawn light filtered weakly into the subterranean antechamber as Draven's alliance regrouped. They'd rested through the night—sleeping in shifts, maintaining watch, recovering strength.
The ward was gone, dissolved by yesterday's puzzle-solving. The massive doorway stood open while revealing the Anchor chamber beyond.
"The golems will activate when we enter," Adhivar warned through Genesis Codex. "Guardian defenses. Be prepared for combat."
"How many?" Draven asked.
"Unclear. Dozens dormant, but activation pattern unknown."
Malvorn's bond hummed with readiness. *We've faced armies. We'll handle constructs.*
The alliance formed up—Overlords leading, pack supporting.
They entered.
The moment Draven's foot crossed the threshold into the Anchor chamber proper, reality shifted.
Throughout the antechamber behind them, every dormant golem surged to life simultaneously.
Eyes blazed with mana-light—brilliant, cold, inhuman. Crystalline armor glowed with dimensional power. Weapons activated—blades materializing, energy projectors humming, defensive barriers shimmering into existence.
Dozens of constructs, waking as one.
"Fragments," Feyra breathed. "All of them?"
But then the golems... separated.
Nine constructs stepped forward from the mass. The rest remained motionless—active but waiting.
Draven's stomach sank as he recognized the pattern emerging.
Four massive golems—Overlord-sized.
Four medium golems—Lord-sized.
One additional massive construct—advancing directly toward him.
"They're matching us," Frostina stated as ice-ring eyes narrowed with realization.
Adhivar's presence pulsed urgently through Genesis Codex. "The golems are analyzing your power signatures. The system is scaling defenses to match intruders—"
The massive construct advancing on Draven radiated cosmic energy—similar to Fragment resonance but twisted, artificial.
Naelvorn's playful tone vanished. "They built these specifically to counter whoever entered. We're not fighting random guardians—we're fighting ourselves."
Raziel rumbled as volcanic heat intensified. "Architects designed perfect opposition. Every strength we possess, these constructs mirror."
Malvorn's bond carried grim determination. *Then we prove living power exceeds dead imitation.*
"Overlords, engage your matches!" Draven commanded. "Pack, coordinate support! They mirror our abilities—use creativity, not patterns!"
The nine golems advanced.
Four toward the Overlords.
Four toward the pack.
One toward Draven—Bearer-killer construct, designed specifically to end Fragment wielders.
Combat began.
***
Malvorn launched forward while meeting the massive construct head-on. The golem matched his size exactly—crystalline scales mimicking dragon form, empty eyes blazing with copied gravitational resonance.
They collided with thunderous impact.
Malvorn activated Graviton Core—pulling the golem toward him with crushing force. The construct responded identically while creating opposing gravity well. The two forces clashed as space warped between them, neither gaining advantage.
Malvorn shifted tactics while using Cataclysm Stride—each step releasing gravity pulses that fractured chamber floor. The golem mirrored perfectly as its steps created identical pulses.
Through bond, Draven felt Malvorn's frustration. *It copies every technique. Anticipates movements.*
"Then stop being predictable!" Draven called back.
Malvorn roared as shadow energy erupted—not standard technique, but raw Overlord fury channeled through Stone Legion formation, creating unpredictable combat patterns.
The golem struggled adapting to creativity.
Small advantage emerging.
Raziel engaged the volcanic construct with focused intensity. The golem radiated identical heat—obsidian armor, molten veins, plasma wreathing its form.
Raziel unleashed Infernal Dominion while commanding magma streams beneath chamber floor. The golem countered instantly, controlling same magma, creating stalemate.
"You copy heat but lack soul," Raziel rumbled as ancient power intensified. He activated Cinderstorm Reign—calling ash and molten rain across battlefield, forcing golem defensive.
The construct adapted while generating its own storm. Molten drops collided mid-air, exploding into superheated steam.
Raziel shifted to Scorchpulse Roar—sonic eruption igniting air itself. The golem screamed back with identical resonance.
The chamber temperature spiked dangerously as both combatants locked in volcanic fury.
"Soulless fire burns cold," Raziel declared while seeking weakness in perfect mimicry.
Finding none yet.
Frostina faced the ice-construct with calculated precision. Absolute Frost Dominion clashed against identical molecular stillness—frost spreading from both combatants, meeting in crystalline collision.
She activated Cryo Reversal while absorbing the golem's ice attacks and converting them to strength. The construct did the same.
"Interesting," Frostina observed coldly. "Perfect mirror."
She began seeking structural weaknesses instead of overwhelming power.
Nearby, Naelvorn's serpentine form battled the water-construct. Abyssal Dominion versus identical pressure control—currents clashing, neither dominating.
"This is weird, bro!" Naelvorn called to Draven. "It even knows my favorite moves!"
Both elemental battles raged—stalemates, for now.
The cosmic-golem advanced on Draven with inhuman speed—faster than Overlords, designed specifically to kill Fragment Bearers before they grew powerful.
Draven drew Genesis Codex fully as Fragment blazed. Their first clash sent shockwaves through chamber.
The construct moved with precision beyond natural—analyzing his movements, predicting attacks, exploiting weaknesses instantly.
Draven gritted teeth. This wasn't just power-matched.
This was assassin-construct, built to execute Bearers.
And he was barely holding it off.
"Not dying here," he growled.
***
Zor's golden form clashed with aerial-construct in chamber's upper reaches. Storm Crown activated—permanent lightning halo blazing, but golem generated identical electric field.
He dove with Sovereign Strike as lightning-charged impact detonated. The construct countered with perfect mirror dive.
Evenly matched. Frustrating.
Velnar battled earth-construct as Everthorn Arsenal generated thorn-vines. Golem created identical thorns. His Soilshaper Pulse reshaped terrain—golem did same.
Feyra faced life-construct as Dawnflare Beam cut through air. Golem fired identical light beam. Her Gleamstep allowed dodging—construct moved at same speed.
Sylvara fought nature-golem as Verdant Bind summoned vine-chains. Golem responded with corrupted vines. Groveheart Blessing healed allies—construct generated healing field.
Every ability mirrored.
Every tactic countered.
Lord-tier pack struggling against perfect opposition.
Through Genesis Codex, Draven maintained awareness of all nine battles simultaneously—alliance stretched thin, every member engaged, no reinforcements available.
"Pack, coordinate!" Draven commanded between dodging Bearer-killer strikes. "Use teamwork—golems mirror individuals, not groups!"
Feyra shifted tactics as Lifelight Surge healed Velnar mid-combat. Her golem healed itself uselessly—no injuries yet.
Velnar used Root Dominion while summoning plant-beasts. They attacked Sylvara's golem, breaking pattern.
Sylvara's Nature's Command redirected beasts to Feyra's construct. Multi-target confusion.
The golems struggled adapting to coordinated chaos—programmed for individual duels, not team warfare.
Small advantage emerging across pack battles.
"Keep it up!" Draven shouted. "They're strong but predictable! Creativity wins!"
But the constructs were relentless. Tireless. Learning.
Malvorn's scales bled from gravitational shearing. Frostina's aura flickered under sustained ice assault. Raziel's volcanic heat dimmed slightly—exhaustion creeping despite Overlord endurance.
Draven's muscles screamed. The Bearer-killer pressed harder every second—faster, stronger, adapting to his combat patterns.
Genesis Codex provided information but not victory. He could analyze the golem's movements perfectly—and still barely survive them.
Through bond, Malvorn's presence carried strain. *These constructs don't tire. We do.*
"Then we finish this fast!" Draven replied while dodging another strike that carved stone behind him.
The alliance was powerful. Experienced. Coordinated.
But the golems were designed specifically to kill them.
Power-matched meant neither side dominated easily.
This would be brutal.
Long.
Uncertain.
"Hold together!" Draven roared. "We break them or they break us!"
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