Heart of Stone – Chris Cornetto
Light filtered through the debris, igniting a spark in his crystalline heart.
Bending all his will to the effort, the little golem opened his eyes. Pink, hazy dawn — or perhaps twilight? — filtered through a cloud of dust motes. It was barely light at all, yet it set his body thrumming, energy tingling through silicon veins. The light soaked into his heart and filled it with life.
He tried to move his arms, his legs, but he was too weak. He tried to check if he still had limbs, but he couldn’t lift his head. Even his thoughts trickled like tar.
How long had his core been dim? Where was he?
From above came scraping and grunting. A rustle of debris, as pebbles tumbled down. More light squeezed through the gap, and the gears of his mind began to turn.
Grand, he thought. My name is Grand. He was a Clay, a Stonesinger, a servant of the Lord of Earth. And he had failed his Master.
