A shout pulled him back to the situation at hand, which was far from over. The golem on the floor regained its footing and tossed one of the Forgotten into a wall. There was a loud crack as it hit. Though King doubted it was dead, it would clearly not be rejoining the fight any time soon.

Alexander flew through the air next, landing at King’s feet. “Run!” He shouted at King. “To the gallery.”

King saw the golem stand, gripping the Forgotten in its stone hands. The ancient dark specter shrieked as it was pulled in two directions. As he turned and ran, following Pierce, King heard the shriek rise in pitch and volume before it was cut off by a wet tear.

“Go!” Alexander shouted from behind as he fled the room behind King.

A pulsing vibration filled the tunnel, growing in intensity. A sickening impact followed as the golem crashed through the wall behind them. King allowed Alexander to pass him in the tunnel, knowing Pierce was likely to get lost. He looked over his shoulder as the golem righted itself and gave chase.

King fired his weapon over his shoulder. He knew the bullets would have no effect on the creature, so he aimed for the lightbulbs, darkening the tunnel behind them as they moved. He wasn’t sure if the monster had eyes to see with, but it was all he could think to do.

Besides run.

Thirty seconds later he was out of ammo. Despite the darkness, the tight confines of the tunnel and its eight-foot height, the golem closed the distance. It lunged at King, reaching out for him with its heavy hands.

King rounded a sharp corner and was knocked forward by the impact of the golem striking the wall. Had he not reached the corner, he would have been crushed like a frog under a steamroller. He gave a quick look back at the golem, which he now noted was dark red in color, smeared with the dead Forgotten’s blood, and bolted for the archway entrance to the gallery.

Pierce, with wide, panicked eyes, waved him on. “He’s going to lock it down!”

King ran for the arch, remembering the metal beams hidden at the base and top of the entryway. The ground shook at his heels as the golem gave chase once more. With a glance over his shoulder, King saw a large hand reaching out for his head.

Then he was through the door.

Alarms sounded. Metal screeched. The room shook.

King fell to his stomach, rolled over, and scrambled to his feet, ready to keep running. But it wasn’t necessary. The golem’s stone arm had been sheared off. It lay on the floor as inanimate rubble.

The one-armed golem slammed into the thick bars twice, but had no luck. It wouldn’t be getting through.