The Exalt [Cultivation Fantasy]

Blinding light filled the room. Unable to hold up, Oscar closed his eyes and prepared for the worst, putting up Silver Sheen. He thought it was odd. The last time Gol-4 connected to a stone slab in Tectusen, the effects weren't as drastic right now. Was it the significance of the location?

"Gol-4!" Oscar shouted from within his silver shell. "Respond! What is going on?!" Gol-4's behavior was always strange. That, combined with the dismissive words whenever Oscar tried to pry for the truth firmly stuck in the back of his mind. He didn't know whether he could continue to trust Gol-4 after this.

"I…." Gol-4's mechanical voice resounded from within the light. "I…."

"What?! You what?!" Oscar shouted. A powerful shockwave forced him back, crashing him against the wall. His Silver Sheen prevented any injuries, but the force continued to repel him. Stuck in the middle of the wall, Oscar figured any movements were pointless and let himself be.

"I…remember!!!" Gol-4's voice changed. The mechanical, cold tone broke away, replaced by a young enthusiastic voice, one of an adult. The light grew stronger to the point it even seeped through the Silver Sheen, flooding Oscar's eyelids. "I remember it all! Everything! This is my purpose!"

"Shit!" Oscar canceled his Silver Sheen. Muscles tensed everywhere as he gritted his teeth. Gol-4's words sounded very dangerous, and Oscar needed to get away. The light faded as he thought of using the Demon Deer Eirin Mantle. Oscar fell straight to the floor.

"I remember it all, lad," Gol-4 spoke in a lively tone. Excitement and laughter sprang within his voice. Gol-4 had changed completely. Though, he was still a golem head. With a glow, Gol-4 hovered over to Oscar. "Thank you for everything, Oscar. Do not be afraid of how I am now. I am still your ally and will always be repaying my debt to you."

Gol-4's words, now filled with the normal tones of emotion, sounded full of dedication and gratitude. Hearing the shift, Oscar became warier and stepped toward the entrance in case of a surprise. Gol-4 stopped and hovered back to the middle with a sigh.

"I can understand your cautiousness. It's a good quality you've honed during your time here." Gol-4 said with a chuckle. "Ask me anything you want to know. I will not keep any more secrets from you. You've earned everything."

Oscar, still holding his bulwark in front, pondered. He had so many questions he couldn't find one to say properly. His mind felt like a storm was washing through and scattering his thoughts. Eventually, he calmed down and decided on his questions.

"Are you really a treasury golem?"

"No. I'm sorry for the deceit. I lied to you from the start about it. But don't look so angry. I didn't understand much of myself either until you brought me here. My protocol was to remain and survive like the others."

"Others? There are more of you?"

"Maybe or maybe not. I am one of many scattered around. The hope was for one of us to survive and link up the stone slabs to find our true purpose. The one in Tectusen provided me with much clarity, and this one here–" Gol-4 knocked on the stone slab. "It showed me everything."

"Purpose?" Oscar mumbled. "So then, why were you in the treasury? How did you avoid wasting away? Surely others would have found more like you in the past, but we have no records."

"I suspect the rest of my type have been eroded or destroyed over the years. Most probably were destroyed during the war. I survived thousands of years through some luck and self-sacrifice. Through luck, I escaped the watchful eyes of the Forest Heart Clan, and through self-sacrifice, I continually tore off my parts to fix myself."

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"All of this just to survive and get to the stone slabs for what? What is your purpose? What kind of golem are you?" Oscar's heart quickened its thumping, pounding out of his ears. If Gol-4 was such an important golem, he feared its purpose.

"You noticed how I have upgraded, or should I say, regained my vocal functions to express emotions. My memories are all back, or should I say his memories…."

"Memories?"

"I am a Chronem, a special type of golem," Gol-4 said.

Oscar staggered, clenching his gut to stay still. A Chronem? Books he read in the past contained the details of these miraculous golems. Chronems, others known as the Echoes of the Past, held within them the memories and personalities of a person. However, the vast amount of resources needed to create just one was astronomical, and the person of interest had to waste large amounts of time to embed themselves onto the specially made artificial core.

"It appears you know about Chronems. Good, I don't need to explain too much." Gol-4 laughed.

"You said there were many of you…How many resources did the Divine Stone Clan spend to create multiple of you? And who is this incredibly important person who required all of this attention for their memories to live on?" Oscar couldn't even begin to calculate the vast resources needed to create Gol-4 and its other copies. The hard exterior and an artificial core that lasted until now meant even greater efforts went into their production.

"In due time, my lad…." Gol-4 levitated down to the stone slab, resting on its smooth surface.

"Are you serious?!" Oscar shouted.

"Just kidding!" Gol-4 sprung back up. "According to my memory, I, or rather he, hasn't had the opportunity to crack a joke until now. It's been thousands of years. To answer your question, my or his identity is very important."

"Stick to referring to yourself as him. I don't want to get bogged down in a mess." Oscar sighed.

"Very well," Gol-4 said solemnly, making Oscar tense up. Gol-4 sighed and said, "I am the remnant of the memories and personality of the Stonefather of the Divine Stone Clan. In the past, I ruled my clan and led them into a glorious age of prosperity."

It became so silent one could hear the blood flowing in Oscar's veins. Oscar didn't shout or yell. He couldn't react any other way, drawing a blank in his mind. What did Gol-4 say? Gol-4's answer echoed in the emptiness of his mind. All this time, he was next to something linked to a powerful Exalt who ruled an entire continent…

Oscar dropped his bulwark from shock.

"Was it too much of a shock?" Gol-4 hovered over to Oscar. Oscar's eyes stared straight ahead, not following Gol-4's movements. Gol-4 headbutted Oscar with his hard shell. "Wake up! Come to your senses! What sort of Exalt allows themselves to lose their mind?"

Oscar stumbled and fell to the floor, landing on his rear. Blinking multiple times, Oscar returned to reality, shaking his head. "You're really the copy of such an important figure?"

"Naturally! What? Not what you expected?" Gol-4 fell to the floor, running out of Ein. He angrily shouted, "Blasted golem."

"I thought you would have been more regal or dignified. I think your previous self without all the memories suited your position better." Oscar picked up Gol-4. "Though you were slowly slipping after the Tectusen stone slab. Why did you need the stone slabs to recover yourself?"

"Our true functions were locked up to deceive the Forest Heart Clan if they tried to break into our cores. I personally applied the seals, and there's no way that wench would look through each golem herself. The stone slabs were also placed in regular places which she would never have specifically searched through herself." Gol-4 sounded pleased. "In the end, their legacy is gone, and I technically live on in this golem due to my prudence and your arrival. Thank you, lad."

"Don't thank me yet. I can still leave you here to rot away." Oscar said.

"As you should. Don't be too trustful of others. I am just a golem you found recently. Though, I can still help you through this journey." Gol-4 nodded in Oscar's hands. "Ah, my dear clan. I hope somewhere out in the world; they're living fine and happy."

"Outside? How do you know your clan is outside? Before, you had no idea about what happened." Oscar asked. Gol-4 was getting more confusing with each question and comment.

"Adding onto my genius! The stone slabs not only undo the seal on my memories, but they also add more. I gained the memories of myself up to the war's final moments." Gol-4 praised himself again.

"So, you know everything?" Oscar grew interested in the story of the Divine Stone Clan.

"Hehe, I know you like books, my lad. I can share my story with you. You're safe in this room, and that divine essence isn't going anywhere for now." Gol-4 spoke with much excitement. It seemed he was eager to share his past with anyone.

"First, what's your name? I should reintroduce myself. I am Oscar Terr." Oscar sat down comfortably without apprehension.

"I am Isaac Stonewell. Nice to meet you, for real, Oscar. Now let me tell you my story. The tale of the Divine Stone Clan, the war, and our downfall. Get a drink, lad. This is going to be a long tale."

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