The Rise of the Legendary Puppet Mage!

Chapter 8

Xavier stood in front of the secret palace with in the Eldoria Magic Academy, its towering spires vanishing into the clouds. The air around him was heavy with the weight of magic. Master Orion, the archmage, stood beside him, silent for a long moment. Then, without turning, he finally spoke.

"Do you truly wish to be strong, Xavier?" Master Orion’s voice was calm but carried an unmistakable edge. "Even if it means risking your life?"

Xavier glanced at the ground, his fists clenching and unclenching. He had no magic to speak of—nothing but his raw strength and the on and off connection with his puppetry magic. But his answer was clear in his mind.

"I do," Xavier replied, his voice firm. "I need to be strong. For my family, for those who rely on me... for myself."

Orion’s piercing gaze turned to him, as if searching for doubt. "Strength comes at a cost. Some cannot bear that cost when the time comes." His voice grew darker, almost foreboding. "This path you’ve chosen will test not just your body but your very soul. Are you truly prepared?"

Xavier held his gaze, swallowing the lump in his throat. "I am."

Without another word, Master Orion led Xavier into the palace, down dimly lit corridors lined with ancient symbols and worn nama stone. They stopped in front of a large, circular room, empty except for a massive stone golem in the center.

The golem was motionless, but its towering frame radiated an ancient power that made the hairs on Xavier’s neck stand on end. Master Orion gestured toward it. "The great God Mage Aracana made it. This golem adapts and counterattacks according to its opponent. The longer you fight, the stronger it becomes. It will learn your moves, your weaknesses, and exploit them. Defeat it if you wish to survive. I’ll return when you’re done."

Without another word, Master Orion activated the golem with a flick of his wrist, and the massive creature’s eyes lit up with a deep, menacing glow. Then, the archmage turned and left, leaving Xavier alone with the golem.

Xavier tensed, taking a fighting stance. 'No magic, just my physical strength. Great.' He moved cautiously, eyeing the golem's moves. "Alright, big guy. Let’s see what you’ve got."

The golem moved first, faster than Xavier expected, its stone fist crashing down where he had been standing. He rolled out of the way, his breath quickening. 'Damn, that was close. I have to be serious.'

He dashed toward the golem, aiming for its leg, but the creature shifted with surprising agility, blocking his punch with its massive arm. The impact sent a jolt up Xavier’s arm, and he stumbled back. The golem's eyes glowed brighter, as if mocking his attempt.

"Is that all you’ve got?" Xavier taunted, gritting his teeth. "Come on, I’ve fought drunks with better aim than you!"

The golem didn’t respond—of course it couldn’t—but its movements grew sharper, more precise. With every missed strike, it was learning. Xavier dodged another swing, but the golem was faster this time, and its stone fist touched by his side, sending him skidding across the floor.

'I can’t keep this up forever...' He wiped blood from his lip, feeling his muscles strain under the constant pressure. Every hit he dodged seemed to take more effort, and the golem wasn’t slowing down. If anything, it was getting faster, more dangerous. It swung again, and this time Xavier barely ducked under the blow.

'Concentrate, Xavier. You have to connect with your magic—whatever’s left of it.Only with magic you can survive.'

But no matter how hard he tried to focus, he couldn’t feel the familiar tug of mana. Nothing. It was just him and his fists.

The golem came at him again, and this time it landed a direct hit to his chest, sending him crashing into the stone wall. Pain exploded through his body, and he coughed, gasping for air. 'I’m not going to make it...'

The golem came forward, without caring about its opponent's wellbeing. Xavier struggled to his feet, shaking off the daze. "Is this it?" he muttered to himself. "Am I really going to die like this? In a stone room, fighting a damn rock monster?"

He dodged again, barely. His thoughts raced. 'I need to do something. Anything.' But his body was slowing down, his vision blurring.

The golem raised its fist again, and Xavier knew this time it would be over. His back was against the wall, nowhere to go.

But then, a sudden warmth pulsed from his wrist.

The bracelet.

It glowed with a blue flame, fierce and bright. Xavier felt a surge of energy unlike anything he had ever felt before. His limbs moved faster, his mind sharper. The golem swung, but this time Xavier saw it—ahead of time. He moved before it could, dodging and retaliating with a punch to its chest where the core was. The stone protecting the core cracked.

"Not so tough now, huh?" he grinned, his confidence returning.

The golem, didn't took the blow for nothing, it didn't stop but continued its assault with multiple power, but Xavier was faster. His body moved with precision, and his mind raced two steps ahead. For the first time, he could predict the golem’s moves. As the golem adapted, so did he.

Suddenly, something clicked. 'The puppet.' He hadn’t used it yet, but now he felt a strange connection to it, like it was part of him.

He raised his hand, and the puppet materialized in front of him, its form illusive and dangerous.

"Let’s do this," Xavier said to the puppet, feeling its presence in his mind.

The puppet moved as he commanded, striking at the golem’s joints with swift, deadly precision. The two fought in unison, a seamless dance of man and puppet, both connected by the flow of mana. The golem got confused, its movements slowing as cracks spread across its body.

With one final blow, Xavier and his puppet struck the golem’s core, shattering it into pieces. The massive creature crumbled to the ground, defeated.

Xavier stood, panting, his body aching but alive. The puppet, now no larger than a doll, floated back to him, hovering in the air.

"Can I keep you?" Xavier asked, his voice hoarse from the fight.

The puppet seemed to nod—if puppets could nod. He felt a strange warmth as it shrunk, landing in his palm.

"As long as I can supply you with mana, huh?" Xavier smirked, placing the tiny doll on his shoulder. "Well, looks like I’m going to need a lot more training."

He glanced at the door, wondering when Master Orion would return.