Day 120 of Banishment: Iron Golem (2)
Marylia was engraving runes onto each piece of iron.
With a small chisel struck by a stone serving as a hammer, she meticulously etched the runes, little by little.
"From an anti-rust perspective, mana fixation is a must, isn’t it? I'll apply some oil for maintenance, but there will inevitably be places I can’t reach... I could dunk it in an oil bath every day, but that feels excessive too."
As she muttered to herself, she inscribed runes on the arms, legs, and torso—runes to fixate mana. These were, essentially, runes designed to strengthen the essence that transforms mere material into a golem. In other words, they were for solidifying the pseudo-life force of the golem.
Golems are essentially objects imbued with life or a soul via magic. Strengthening that life force's bond with the material ensures the body doesn’t deteriorate. In this aspect, it is similar to necromancy, which also requires securing a body against decay by reinforcing its pseudo-life.
In fact, Marylia had adapted this rune for golem use from one taught to her by a necromancer acquaintance. Marylia had a knack for such inventive tweaks.
"Sharing memories with me would be beneficial too. It would be great if it could use the tactics and swordplay I know right from the start."
Next, she engraved another type of rune on the Iron Golem's head and torso. These two rune types dominated the overall design since they were the crux of this golem.
What enhances a living being's survivability?
One factor is undoubtedly the robustness of the body.
A fragile body doesn’t survive long. Marylia herself was a sickly child, and she doubted she would have survived being marooned on an island with that frail body.
Hence, she had engraved the rune for "reinforcing the pseudo-life force of the golem."
The other factor is knowledge.
The ability to avoid countless dangers comes from experiences and memories—essentially, knowledge.
Knowing how to hunt prey, gather food, counteract poisons, or process metal—these kinds of knowledge were what kept Marylia alive.
The same applies to golems. Faced with predators in winter or encircled by ravenous monsters, their survival depends on knowing how to react. They must identify the weak points in enemy formations to minimize damage or find alternate paths back to base if stranded.
For these reasons, Marylia engraved runes allowing the golem to "share memories with Marylia."
This way, her Iron Golem would inherit her experiences and knowledge, enabling it to make swift, informed decisions—whether to evade an enemy, signal her base, or take a detour when trapped.
"A sturdy body is crucial, but intelligence is just as vital."
With a cheerful smile, Marylia carefully engraved the runes into the components, stroke by stroke. She worked with precision, wishing the Iron Golem a durable and loyal existence.
"I have to give it the best tools to thrive."
Near the furnace, the heat stirred her hair, leaving beads of sweat on her forehead. Wiping her brow, Marylia cast a tender gaze at the components in her hands.
The golem's completion was near.
The work continued through the afternoon.
Once accustomed to handling the chisel, her pace doubled. "It’s fun when you get the hang of it!" she remarked, grinning as she diligently carved the runes at an incredible speed.
"Let’s use up every bit of the remaining space for runes. Hehehe, next up is strengthening its physical capabilities… hehehehe."
The essential runes for mana fixation and memory sharing were complete, but there was still empty space on the components. Without hesitation, Marylia began engraving supplementary runes.
These new runes focused on physical enhancements. Not for pseudo-life force fixation, but for improving its "muscle strength" and "stamina"—as they would be in a human.
Technically, these runes optimized the flow of mana. One mechanism allowed mana to swirl and accumulate, then release in bursts of accelerated motion. Another stored excess mana, feeding it back into the system when needed.
In short, these mechanisms enabled brief bursts of high-speed motion and efficient, energy-saving operation. While the golem wouldn't be capable of marathon-like endurance, it could outpace Marylia for a few seconds when necessary.
Once she finished the runes for speed enhancement, she filled the tiniest gaps with protective runes, leaving no space unused. For an Iron Golem, the effort was worthwhile.
Unlike Terracotta or Mud golems, which had limited potential for improvement, Iron Golems offered far greater enhancement potential. It was akin to increasing a value of 1 by 10% versus increasing 1000 by 10%—a much more significant gain.
Knowing her labor would pay off, Marylia poured all her effort into the task, her eyes shining with determination.
She engraved runes tirelessly until the night.
By the time the moonlight faintly illuminated the sky and the sun's last rays had vanished entirely, Marylia had skipped dinner, engrossed in admiring the completed components.
"… It's done."
Bathed in the faint light of both the sun and moon, the engraved patterns shimmered brilliantly.
The assembled body was humanoid, slightly larger than Marylia herself.
It was the Iron Golem.
Surrounding it, the Terracotta Golems fidgeted nervously. They seemed to sense the arrival of their new leader, though in reality, it was simply Marylia’s own anticipation being reflected in the golems’ behavior.
With a mix of anxiety and excitement, Marylia approached the Iron Golem and gently placed her hand upon its form.
"It's a bit late to say 'good morning,' so instead…"
As she spoke, mana began to flow from her hand into the iron body.
The lifeless chunk of metal started to transform into a golem.
"… let me welcome you instead: 'Welcome.'"
The Iron Golem slowly rose, standing upright in the growing dusk. It gazed down at Marylia, who beamed warmly up at it. Then, in a display of chivalry, the Iron Golem knelt on one knee, took Marylia’s hand, and placed a kiss on the back of it.
At long last, the Iron Golem was born!
"Ah… I may have gone a little overboard with its engraving…"
Immediately after its activation, Marylia collapsed from exhaustion. Fortunately, the Iron Golem swiftly caught her and held her steady. "Thank you," she murmured with a smile, leaning against it as it helped her into the house.
"Engraving that much really takes a toll during activation… I probably should’ve waited until morning."
Lying in bed, Marylia reflected on her choices.
Though proud of the exceptional Iron Golem she had created, she realized that the excessive runes had demanded an enormous amount of mana for activation.
"Well, now I know. Next time, I’ll be more careful. Although… I doubt I’ll go this rune-crazy again."
Despite the lingering headache and dizziness from the mana depletion, Marylia remained optimistic. A good night’s rest, she reckoned, would solve her problems. It was, after all, a long day of meticulous engraving followed by a sudden burst of magic to bring the golem to life.
For now, the Iron Golem was complete, and Marylia had gained valuable insight for future creations.
"Rest well tonight," she told the golem with a soft smile, "because starting tomorrow, you’ll have plenty of work to do."
And with that, Marylia decided to call it a day.
The next morning. Day 121 of banishment.
Marylia awoke bright and early—but not without cause.
"… So hungry."
Having skipped dinner to rest and recover her mana reserves, her stomach demanded immediate attention. Still, despite her hunger, she was in high spirits. After all, the Iron Golem was here now!
"Good morning! I’ll be counting on you to work hard today."
And so, Marylia handed a clay jar to the golem.
"First task—go fetch some water for me."
Without needing further instruction, the Iron Golem walked toward the stream behind the house, filling the jar with water before returning.
The runes were functioning perfectly. Sharing her memories with the Iron Golem had ensured that it "knew" the location of the water source from the start!
"Thank you kindly. Please pour some into the pot for soup—just enough for breakfast."
Nodding, the golem carried the jar inside and filled the pot to about seven-tenths full. It then carefully placed the remaining water near the hearth for later use—an action Marylia hadn’t explicitly requested but was pleased to see nonetheless.
Its ability to interpret vague instructions and act efficiently, using her shared memories, made the Iron Golem incredibly reliable.
Beaming, Marylia watched it work with satisfaction. The effort she had poured into creating it had truly paid off!
With its help, Marylia prepared breakfast: a hearty soup of dumplings made from lily root scraps, meat, and wild greens.
After stepping outside to gather more wild herbs, she shivered slightly at the chill in the air.
"… It’s getting colder. Winter’s coming soon."
The crisp autumn wind served as a stark reminder of the season's progression. Wrapping her arms around herself, Marylia began planning the day's tasks.
"I really need to start making winter clothes."
She had been so engrossed in creating the Iron Golem that her preparations for winter remained incomplete. Now, with the season fast approaching, there was no time to waste—she needed to stockpile supplies, craft essentials, and ensure everything was ready for the long, cold months ahead!
What do you think about this chapter?
