Book 2 /28 - Conquest 3

Ring - 1st
Realm - SOL


Following the stream wasn't hard for The Titans. Their journey took them through the forest's edge, into rocky terrain and a canyon. It was wide and deep and had a river of fire flowing through to the west. The Titans doubled back, searching for a way across the canyon. The chasm was too wide, and the drop too deep to test Stryder's ability to run on air.

The passage to cross the canyon was a comprehensive piece of bridge. It wasn't very interesting and looked nothing like the Solistone. Wide enough for all five to stand arm to arm and still have enough space for another ten of them. Mera kept an eye on the ground as they hurried across. The last thing she needed was the bridge giving out beneath them.

The other side approached quickly, and the Titaness rushed ahead to get off the bridge. The last thing she or any of them expected to happen was large boulders rolling from the other side and blocking her path.

"What's happening now?". The rocks rolled and got attached to themselves. Slowly, the Titans watched the rocks take shape and grow large. Thorin was already up front with Mera while the rest stood in their places. The last thing to take shape was a humanoid headband, then two holes that glowed with a fiery light.

The humanoid watched them, its head turning in a slow, patient motion to face all five of them. There was a lips or shape to denote a mouth, but it still spoke.

"Titans!. Welcome". It tilted its upper body from the waist like it meant to. "I am Horkirk Golem of the Canyon, Sentinel of the Western Bridge".

"Nice to meet you, Horkirk". The golem's gaze moved to Hellion.

"You stand at the entrance into the noble lands of Sol. To cross, you must pass the test".

Blaze frowned, Stryder got curious, and Hellion took a step forward. "Why?". The golem turned back. Him. "Why must we take this test. Are people not allowed into the Noble lands".

"New Comers are not". The golem replied

"How would you know us as newcomers?".

"Those not of the four races that live 0at this canyon are new". It stared back at Blaze.

"Who created this test? The Nobles?". Mera had a sneer. The golem turned to her and spoke.

"No". Everyone but Stryder and Blaze grumbled.

"Guys!". Stryder shouted. When they flared, she smiled. "Atleast let's know what this quest is".

The golem spoke before they could ask, though. *A test of Twos. One is a test of those who can weather the heat of the Sol. Of those immovable in the face of danger," " Five boulders rolled up and conjoined seamlessly between the golem and the group. " The other a test of the land. Of those who remain staunch in their connection and balance".

"Kinda reeks of Thorin". The said Titan eyed Hellion. Stryder was nodding. "I mean, it's a bit muddled since we all are heat resistant, but who absorbs blows sms sends them back?".

"Fine. But the second test doesn't sound like anything eight do". Every one of the Titans had grown not in essence 94 strength but in thei4 skills and proficiency. While Hellion and Stryder remained fast damage dealers, Mera was their heavy hitter, and Thorin was their shield. The blade remained ranged. None of their attacks called to their connection and balance like Blaze.

Hellion stepped back, and Stryder and Mera followed. Thorin and Blaze abandoned up front and glared at their Pantheon members.

"What are the rules of the test?".

The golem was looking at the two standing closer as it spoke. "A single attempt. Defeat means loss, Victory means advancement". The golem moved, curving and dropping its knee to the ground. It set the elbow of 84e right arm on top of the boulder and then eyed Thorin.

"The First Test".

The Titan looked behind him. Hellion gave him a nod, and Blaze just stared. "I'd toucan swing that hammer of yours. I don't know what scares you". Mera's words and smile encouraged Thorin.

BOOM!!

The hammer hit the ground. Thorin stepped up and knelt opposite the golem. He set his elbow on the boulder and sighed. The arm and body disparity was huge. The golem gripped his palm, and he squeezed."Begin".

The ground trembled. Neither of their arms moved, but the boulder split between them. The crack extended to the ground, and the bridge shook. The corners rattled, and the WM exploded in stone-name debris.

*Woah". Hellion stumbled. Stryder caught Blaze to hold herself. Titan and Golem pushed at each other's limbs. Thorin had a concentrated look on his face, the glare from his eyes illuminating the rough and stony face of the golem.

His muscles bulged, and his fingers bit into the golem's hand. "As expected of a Titan". Thorin grunted at the golem's words and pushed harder. Essence flowed through him, the cracks of his skin lighting up fiercely. His veins burned brighter and hotter, energy filling the one arm.

CRACK

Same, and stones pieces showered the boulder their elbows sat on. The force holding him backwards vanished, and his hand fell forward. The golem's body rumbled as it rose. It's right hand lacking a palm. From its wrist down, all that was left.

"That which does not move, you crush". The boulder at the golem's feet crumbled away. In its place was a scroll. It was weathered and thin. Bending Thorin acted with as little force as possible to avoid tearing it. Even as he rolled the scroll open, the golem turned to Blaze.

"The rest of connection and balance". It lifted its left leg just a little and stomped down. A large and thick wall rose in between the two. "Move me". Horkirk moved to the wall and stood behind it. Setting its palms against the wall, i4 stood and waited.

Blaze had a frown on his face. In his mind, he couldn't help but curse. He wasn't strong like Thorin. How was he meant to push the Golem back? His legs moved. Positioning himself on his side of the wall, he inhaled.

"Begin". Horkirk commanded. The wall shuddered, and the bottom scraped as it was pushed towards him. Blaze pressed against the wall, but 85 didn't stop it from moving. His boots fit furrows into the ground as he was pushed back. Muscles bulged, calves flexed. His ashen hair fluttered like a sail in the storm, and his eyes burned brighter.

'It is not a test of strength'. He reminded himself, and yet he kept pushing.' It's a test of connection. Of balance'. He remembered Thorin using his essence to buff his strength. His lips twitched. One of the skills he developed in their journey here was forming ring chains from the ground. Unlike his chains, they were made of Solstone, magma or earth. To create the,m he needed to pou,r in essence,e to the part of the ground he wished for the chains to come from.

Essence poured into the wall. It was mixing from the top to the bottom. 'Arm wrestles are normally won by taking down a hand'.He didn't try to control the earth as it was..'The Golem did accept i5s hand getting crushed as a win'. He eyed the wall, now glowing and oozing his essence. "Unorthodox it is".

His foot stomped in the wall path, his right hand sliding down the wall and the left going up. He willed the wall to liquefy and wasn't surprised when it flashed with a spark and then burned. The Golem stumbled forward as the weakness made it collapse, and its balance was lost as the wall crept onto its legs.

It tried to get off, but the liquid magma held it together and had it sink its arms and feet into the earth. With a smile, Blaze pushed the thing backwards. Only when they were off the bridge did he let go? The magma dripped down the golem's rocky body. Blaze stood there as he watched the thing access him and itself..

"Unexpected. You ignored your balance to take mine. It stripped me of my connection to weaken my hold. Impressive. Boulders rolled around, forming a table with a scroll on my feet.

Blaze picked it up and turned away. Rolling it open, his lips twitched at the prompt he got. The same prompt that Thorin had gotten.

**Brace**

'Huh'. His mind was ripped from his body..Blaze watched his body, the others and the realm shrink away. He floated before a huge being. One that looked at him with curiosity. He could almost feel it like the gaze was looking through him and into his soul. If he could sweat, he would have. HE felt himself shiver even without a body.

"Watch!".

The gaze retreated, and he found himself staring at two massive hoofe. They were like mountains to him. Then, he was drawn back. Far further, he could see the immense length of the legs. Vanishing into the heavens.

"See"

A hind leg was raised..Blaze could feel pressure in the air like existence knew something was coming. The leg descended slowly, and yet it looked fast. The hoof tapped the earth, but it was like a meteor crashing. The earth parts and rises, forming rolling hills. Then, the leg rises again and lands back. The mountain collapsed and melded into the earth, leaving vast plains behindanother stomp, ea rth is rende,d and deep valleys materialise.

The hoof remains in place b, but Blaze understands. This could be done in a single stomp, rapidly creating diverse landscapes. But with each attempt, he feels the solidity and permanence of the ground, understanding that land is the canvas upon which all life and history are painted.

The legs vanish, and Blaze finds himself underground. Light sips in through a crack in the ceiling, g revealing veins of Abyssalite, Solistones, Seraphites, Angelites, and more. He knows this material somehow and senses the immense value and power of the wield. Their significance is clear, not just as treasures but as elements that could empower civilisations and forge the tools of progress. Tools he could forge.

The underground faded like a dream, and he was back to the top. The legs were still gone, but he could see a civilisation unlike any below him. A Utopia with monoliths that challenged the heavens. He heard it before he saw it: a roar, a rumble. The earth shook, and a great earthquake rolled in from the distance. He watched the land turn and swim like water ripple, yet specific structures remained unyielding. He watched the ancient monoliths and deep-rooted trees standing firm against the tremors.

Balance or stability. The enduring strength of the earth is an unshakable foundation upon which life can depend. He understood when without understanding that this stability provides the resilience needed to withstand the challenges of existence.

The civilisation vanished. He was on the ground this time. Looking around, he spotted a giantess with flowing golden hair, skin-like starlight and embroidery that was nothing like he knew. She raised a hand, and from nothing grew something. Rocks, stones and 08lalrs jutted out of the ground and kept rising. He stared, amazed at the rising earth and the giantess who looked unbothered. He watched as the stone kept rising and rising, melding together in places and towering until it nearly reached the rust-red skies.

Like all the previous scenes, he understood the concept of this scene. It was almost like a summary of all the previous scenes and yet a different lesson. Be it the formations of terrains, the value of minerals, the destruction and quake of the earth, its stability, or the birth of something new. All of these came from the unwaveplanet's ring support, which was back in his body. He was looking at the scroll in his hands and the words written on it blazing into fire and ash. His ears ignored the voices of his Pantheon in the background as he focused on the box in his vision.



**You have gained Domain - Earth**


**Domain - Earth**
Embodies the immense strength, grandeur, and legacy of these colossal beings. Giants are titans of physical power and carriers of ancient wisdom and elemental forces. Their presence shapes the world.

(Your Portfolio grants you authority over certain aspects within your domain. Depending on your location, the authority shows you how much power you hold over a portfolio)

Portfolios -
Land: The solid ground and landscapes (Authority - Sol(l - 1100%)

Minerals: The valuable and powerful materials found within the earth. (Authority - Sol - 100%)

Stability: The enduring and unshakable nature of the earth.(Authority - (Sol - 100%)

Foundations: The bedrock upon which all things are built. (Sol -100%)




He gasped as the earth trembled, the rocks floated, and cracks spread in a circle around him. Like the realm was lauding his new domain..

"What just happened?". The rest stared at the ground around his feet. Mera was next to Thorin, about to poke him as he remained unmoving when he gasped. The scroll h3 held went up in flames, but no ash.

Thorin blinked, staring at the prompts he had.



**You have gained Domain - Giants**


**Domain - Giants**
Those who know the Earth to be the source of Life are not exactly wrong. It is the cradle for life, a present over, and its insurer. The earth gives life to nurture life.

(Your Portfolio grants you authority over certain aspects within your domain. Depending on your location, the authority shows you how much power you hold over a portfolio)

Strength: The immense physical power of giants.

Mountains: The towering and majestic natural formations.

Legacy: The enduring influence and history of giants.

Creation: Forging new giants from raw materials.



Thorin looked away from the notifications and caught Mera's gaze. "Domain". Her eyes widened, as did the other three. Simultaneously, they turned to Blaze, who was looking at Thorin. He nodded.

"What did you see?". Blaze was curious. How would Thorin's vision relate to his domain?

"He swallowed the sun".

"Huh".

"Who?".

"Your vision?". Blaze asked. Thorin nodded.

"Guys. The suspense isn't appreciated. What happened?".

Blaze sighed and then explained all he'd seen and the notifications he'd received.

"Wait. Read them out". Hellion took up a position, and his finger burned with solr energy as he squatted and began writing while Blaze read out his domain and portfolios.

The girls stood on either side of him as they read the words.

"You Thorin". The Titan read his out, and Hellion wrote it down.

"One's elemental am. The other is like a treat or something". Mera was confused.

"Atleast we know we won't just be getting elements as domains". He stared at Thorin and then at Blaze before looking back. "You said you saw him swallow all the Sun". Thorin nodded and began talking without asking.

"Like Blade I and Visions. Thinking about it now, I see that each vision seems to be part of a portfolio. The giant wrecked the realm around it with its presence, absorbing flames and trying to control it. Each time it slipped, an explosion would create craters, mountain ranges and valleys. Yet he was unmoved by any of the effects. The realm shook, but he didn't even jerk". Thorin shook his head and rubbed his forehead like he had a migraine.

" It was the last two that were amazing and frightening". He looked at Blaze. " I saw a tiny giant babe. And it swallowed the sun. Sucked it right up. Then it regurgitated it". Everyone's face stiffened.

"I'm glad this is an ERROR then". Mera snorted. "That sounds terrifying".

"What if I told you that babe was our...". He raised his hands and made air quotes. "... father".

Hellion was nodding his head. "It makes sense. From Madi Elmara's words, he's the only known giant in existence".

" Which makes you wonder how big he would be now".

"I doubt it matters. And I don't see why it bothers you. Suneater or not, I doubt we could do anything to him either way". Hellion shrugged.

"He's right. Let's leave that be. We have something good to talk about after all. We finally have domains". Mera jumped with a laugh.

Thorin shook his head as a smile forced its way on his cheeks. " That we do. The question is what now?. If there is something like this, there should be more places for the rest of you to get domains as well". Blaze was nodding.

"But we stumbled upon this one. How do we even know where to find other places like this?". Stryder has a worried frown.

"That...". They all turned to see the Golem stomping over to them. "...is where I come in my Lords".

"My lords?". Mera did a double take.

"And ladies". He added.

"The test. Was what the price for losing?".

"Entrance, my lord".

"I knew it?". Hellion ignored the stares as he explained.

"If the price was meant for our domains, the rest was just the golem's...".

"Horkirk, my Lord". The golem interrupted.

"Right, Horkirk. It was Horkirk 's way of finding those for whom the domains were made. This means that it would have let us pass even if we had lost. He's only blocking the way as an excuse without telling others what it's all about".

" Wise, my Lord".

" Yes, Horkirk. Now tell us. How and who made you?".

The Golem stared. Then it shrugged. " One Day 8 suddenly was. I knew my purpose and task".

The Titans sighed. " But, maybe Teri knows".

" Teri? ".

" Yes. She visited me when I came to be and explained my task. She gave me the idea of this". The stone arm waved at the bridge.

"Is she another one of you. Someone who'll give us a domain?".


"I am unsure. But she did smell like me when she came. Of authority. Her spot is close by".

Everyone exchanged looks.

"Well, we found two domains. Time to get more".

"Horkirk. We'll be glad to have you take us to Teri". Thorin smiled at the golem. Horkirk said nothing and turned to walk ahead.

"I guess. We should follow".

"Keep your guards up, though. Let's not be overtrusting." No one said a word as they followed the Golem. Its lumbering steps set a pattern.