Around the worlds 3 - Golems & bears

"You're following us until we're sure you didn't attack Karl," Neos said as he grabbed the guy by the collar. Well. He only felt brave enough because Michela was by his side, let's be honest.

Athorn looked at them for a little while, then started walking in a given direction. Was he expecting them to follow them? Who knew.

Maverick made a small protesting noise, but he didn't really react. He wasn't strong in his human body, and transforming could be seen as a menacing action. "I didn't attack anyone", he huffed. "And, I can walk on my own, thank you!"
Michela looked at Athorn walk away, and moved to follow him, gesturing to Neos to come.

Neos frowned, but released his grip on Maverick.  "Alright. But tell us a bit more about you, then. You're being suspicious."

Maverick huffed, fixing his collar. "I have already told you, I believe. My name is Maverick, I am part of a tribe of shapeshifters. We live just outside the forest, in that direction", he gestured towards his right. "I usually come here to look for herbs and to hunt. When I have to." He sighed, while following them all.

Neos arched a brow, now more curious. "What kind of shapeshifter are you ?"

Maverick played with his long hair distractly, almost tripping on a root. "Bear", he answered, cussing the trees and looking back at the root as if it had just offended him.

Neos smiled, against all odds. "Good. At least I'm used to that," he said as he suddenly relaxed.

Maverick looked at him, tilting his head in surprise. "You- you are? What do you mean?"
Michela in the meantime kept silent, following Athorn. She wondered where they were heading to, and if she was really doing good in trusting that creature. But well, at least now she knew why she didn't feel any human being for miles. She was mislead by the animal-like smell that Maverick had, and of course those creature weren't human.

"I've met some bear shapeshifters in other worlds," Neos just said with a shrug. "I know you're not dangerous, then."

Athorn lead them to what seemed to be an empty, desertic place, but he lifted his staff - which was oddly made of rock - and hit the ground, to reveal stairs going down. He then moved to the side, and gestured for Michela to go first.

"Oh, I'm probably the less dangerous one around, for what matters", Maverick said with a small smile, frowning a little when he saw where they were about to go.
Michela observed the stairs, going down and disappearing in the darkness. Then she lifted her gaze and squinted suspiciously at their guide. But he said nothing. She shrugged, and headed downstairs, still keeping silent.

"... Alright. Since we're probably headed towards hell, you're free to go," Neos told Maverick as he started to climb down the stairs, right behind Michela.

Athorn looked at Maverick, as if he was waiting for his decision.

Maverick bit his lip, peeking into the darkness with unease. Then he looked at Athorn, and swiftly made his way behind Neos, hurrying.

Athorn went behind them and closed the "door" before he climbed down the stairs.
There was actually a whole city down there, with lots of people who kind of look like Athorn, safe for their eyes, which looked normal. The city was shaped round, with a great empty place in its middle, in which stood Karl surrounded by some of the curious golems, while a female figure - with white eyes, and an attire like Athorn's - was painting odd designs on his face and torso.

Michela looked around, feeling slightly intimidated by all those people - why did they all feel so much big than her? She tried not to stare, but sometimes she couldn't really help to just openly look at the houses, at the people. At their guide, which wa still silently at their side. At- "KARL! Oh, thank goodness, you seem to be okay!" The vampire couldn't keep a sigh of relief as she accelerated, trying to get to her android friend.

The golems seemed friendly enough, so they opened the way to Karl, who smiled at his friend. "Good morning, Michela. I'm sorry I had to ask Athorn to bring you here, but so many things happened this morning, I lost track of time.

"Don't give us that kind of bullshit, you have an internal clock", Neos sighed as he followed Michela close. He was always a bit nervous when meeting new creatures.

Michela smiled a relieved smile, even if she felt just as nervous as Neos. Not much about a new kind of creatures, more like about how much bigger than her they all were! "Well I'm pleased to see you're enjoying your time here, but care to explain what happened? You made us panic a whole lot, you know. I was ready to go on a hunt or something!"

"Again, I am sorry," Karl said, looking... genuinely sorry. "I should have come to you myself, to tell you what happened this morning." And a whole lot seemed to have happened, given how many paintings he was now wearing on his body.

Michela sighed, then shook her head. "What matters is that you are okay. But I'd really love an explanation... on that too", she added on a second thought, gesturing towards the paintings.
Maverick was in stunned silence, almost reverent towards those big creatures. He looked around, shyly, almost not daring to lift his eyes from his feet. He looked at Karl though, tilting his head curiously. He wanted to hear too.

Karl smiled softly as he followed Michela's gaze, then looked at her. "I might become a living being thanks to those people. They... they say they can see my soul."

"...Hold on, WHAT", almost yelped Neos. "That's... That's beyond witchcraft, and trust me, I know what I'm TALKING ABOUT!"

Michela just stood there, gaping. "A... living being?", she stuttered, unsure of what to say. Should she be congratulating? "Your soul? What does that mean?" Oh, she was scared of the soul talk. It tasted too much like home.

"Allow me to explain," the woman with white eyes told them. "We are golems. Beings of the earth. We are born from the earth, and bound to become one with the earth again. Athorn and I are guides. We find the souls in the earth, and give them a body. Your friend, Karl... is not that different. His soul is merely trapped into a metallic body," she said in a soft voice, as she painted yet another sign on Karl's torso.

Michela was about to say something, but she got interrupted immediately by Maverick, who just couldn't help himself. "I'm sorry if I barge in, but- does it mean he will be... like, transferred in another body?" He frowned slightly, trying to understand.

Athorn nodded. "We actually already built one. Here," he said," as other golems moved aside to reveal a body made of earth and stone that... Actually looked a lot like Karl, at least regarding his face. There was however no hair, given that this was a golem's body.

Karl actually slightly frowned as he looked at his friends. "Aren't you... happy for me ?"

"On the contrary, if that's what would make you happy, then know that it makes us happy too", Michela said immediately. "I was just making sure this wouldn't... change you, on the inside. It would have been like losing a friend. That would've been sad."

Karl smiled softly, and laid his hands on Michela's shoulders. "Don't worry. I have been able to be myself in an artificial body. It shouldn't be much of a difference, would it ?"

"...And what if it fails," Neos grunted, all of a sudden. "What if you die in the process."