CHAPTER 3: TESTING THE LIMITS AND INTO THE WOODS.
The first rays of sunlight pierced through the smoky clouds, painting the battered village in shades of gold and gray. John stood at the edge of the settlement, his breath visible in the frigid morning air. Freya leaned against a nearby post, sharpening her axe as she watched him with thinly veiled amusement.
“So,” she said, her voice laced with sarcasm, “you’re going to practice your fancy death magic, or are we just out here to freeze?”
“Give me a second,” John replied, rubbing his hands together. “I’ve got to figure out how this stuff works without accidentally summoning another pile of goo.”
He opened his Character Sheet again, scrolling to his newly acquired skills.
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[SKILLS READY FOR USE]
1. Bone Armor (Level 0): Summon skeletal plating to protect yourself. Costs 15 Mana. Duration: 1 minute.
2. Gravebond (Level 0): Strengthen a single summoned skeleton, increasing its speed and damage. Costs 10 Mana per use.
3. Mana Regen (Passive, Tier 1): Increases mana regeneration by 10%.
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“Okay,” John muttered, closing the menu. “Let’s start with Bone Armor. It sounds straightforward enough.”
He focused, visualizing the skill as the interface described it. A faint chill spread across his body, and the system pinged softly in his mind.
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[BONE ARMOR ACTIVATED]
Mana Cost: 15
Remaining Mana: 85
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With a crackling sound, white, jagged fragments of bone materialized across his chest, arms, and legs. The skeletal plating clung to him like armor, glowing faintly blue at the edges. It was light, almost weightless, but felt solid when he tapped it with his knuckles.
Freya straightened, her eyes widening slightly. “Not bad, Bone Caller. You almost look like you know what you’re doing.”
“Don’t jinx it,” John said, turning his arm to examine the plating. It wasn’t perfect—there were gaps where the bone hadn’t fully formed, and the edges looked brittle—but it was better than running around unprotected. “I feel like a dollar-store knight, but I’ll take it.”
He let the armor sit for a few moments, counting down the duration as the system tracked it.
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[Bone Armor Duration Remaining: 10 seconds]
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The plating began to crack and dissolve into pale mist, leaving John shivering in the cold again.
“Well, that was fun while it lasted,” he muttered, glancing at his mana bar. 85 Mana. “Let’s see how fast I get that back.”
Freya tilted her head. “You going to stare at the air all day, or are you going to try the other one?”
“Patience,” John said, raising a finger. He watched the mana bar creep upward, ticking back in small increments every few seconds.
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Mana Regeneration: +11 Mana/min (10% from Passive Skill)
* After 30 seconds: 90 Mana.
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“Okay, not bad,” John said, nodding. “I’m getting about one extra point every ten seconds or so. It’s not game-changing, but it’ll add up.”
Freya squinted at him. “You’re really going to talk numbers to yourself all day, aren’t you?”
“It’s how I cope,” John shot back with a grin. “Now let’s try the fun one.”
John glanced toward the pile of bones he’d gathered earlier—a few leftover remnants from last night’s chaos. He activated Raise Undead, summoning a single skeleton that rose from the frost-covered dirt with its usual jerky, unsettling movements.
“Welcome back, buddy,” John said as the skeleton stood, its axe dangling loosely in one hand.
He focused again, activating Gravebond.
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[GRAVEBOND ACTIVATED]
Mana Cost: 10
Effect: Skeleton gains +20% speed and +20% damage for 1 minute.
Remaining Mana: 80
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A faint blue aura surrounded the skeleton, and its movements immediately became more fluid, almost lifelike. It raised its axe and swung it experimentally, the blade slicing through the air with surprising speed.
“Whoa,” John muttered, stepping back. “Okay, that’s actually kind of cool.”
Freya raised an eyebrow. “It looks... better. Less wobbly.”
“Yeah, and if I can stack these on all my minions, they might actually be useful for once.” John watched the skeleton move, impressed by how much more dynamic it seemed with just a slight boost.
After a minute, the Gravebond effect wore off, and the skeleton returned to its awkward, shambling self. John glanced at his mana bar again.
Remaining Mana: 80 → 85 → 90 (after 30 seconds).
“Okay,” he said, pacing a bit. “If I use both Bone Armor and Gravebond back-to-back, I’ll need 25 Mana minimum. That means I’ve got about three solid casts in a fight before I’m dry.”
Freya smirked. “Then you’d better make them count, huh?”
John nodded, already mentally strategizing. Drawing heavily on his video game habits, “Yeah. I think if I lead with Bone Armor, then drop Gravebond on a stronger skeleton, I can hold my own long enough for the others to handle the smaller stuff.”
Freya tilted her head, a spark of admiration in her eyes. “You’re not bad at this. Maybe you’ll survive after all.”
“Gee, thanks for the vote of confidence,” John said, shaking his head. “Let’s hope I don’t have to test this on something bigger than a wolf.”
As the sun climbed higher, the hunters began to gather at the village gates, their faces grim. Bjorn approached John, his expression a mix of skepticism and expectation.
“You ready, outsider?” Bjorn growled. “The forest doesn’t care how clever your magic is.”
John took a deep breath, glancing at Freya, who gave him an encouraging nod. He tightened his grip on his walking stick and straightened his shoulders.
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“Yeah,” he said, trying to sound braver than he felt. “Let’s do this.”
The hunters moved out, Freya at his side, and John couldn’t help but wonder if his newfound skills would be enough to keep them all alive.
The forest loomed ahead, its towering pines casting long, skeletal shadows over the snow-covered ground. The hunters moved silently, their breath misting in the cold air as they scanned the trees for movement. Bjorn led the group, his massive axe slung over his shoulder, while Freya stayed close to John, her eyes darting from tree to tree.
John trailed at the back, his nerves fraying with every step. The forest was unnervingly quiet, the kind of quiet that screamed, Something’s watching you. He tightened his grip on the crude walking stick Freya had handed him, though it offered little comfort.
“How far out are we going?” John whispered.
Bjorn glanced back, his expression as hard as ever. “Until we find food—or die trying.”
“Fantastic,” John muttered under his breath. “Love the optimism.”
Freya smirked, not bothering to hide her amusement. “Relax, Bone Caller. Just keep your magic ready.”
“Yeah, because that’s been so reliable,” John said, rolling his eyes. He glanced at his mana bar in the corner of his vision. 100 Mana. At least he was starting this mess with a full tank.
After nearly an hour of tense marching, the group stopped near a clearing. Bjorn raised a hand, signaling the others to crouch. Ahead, a small herd of deer picked their way through the snow, their heads darting up at the faintest sound.
Bjorn turned to John, his voice a low growl. “Bone Caller. Prove yourself. Keep the wolves off us while we hunt.”
“Wolves?” John whispered, his heart skipping a beat.
Freya leaned in. “The scent of blood will draw them. Always does.”
“Great. No pressure,” John muttered, stepping to the edge of the group. He reached out to the system, summoning his first skeleton from the pile of bones he’d carried with him.
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[RAISE UNDEAD ACTIVATED]
Mana Cost: 20
Remaining Mana: 80
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The skeleton rose from the snow, its movements jerky but purposeful. John clenched his fists, focusing harder this time to keep it steady. He activated Gravebond as soon as it was upright.
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[GRAVEBOND ACTIVATED]
Mana Cost: 10
Effect: Skeleton gains +20% speed and +20% damage for 1 minute.
Remaining Mana: 70
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The skeleton straightened, gripping its rusted axe with a more confident stance. Bjorn raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
“Just one?” he grunted.
“Gimme a second,” John snapped, raising another.
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[RAISE UNDEAD ACTIVATED]
Mana Cost: 20
Remaining Mana: 50
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The second skeleton joined the first, and though it lacked the boost from Gravebond, it still looked ready for action. John wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead, feeling the strain already. “Happy now?”
Bjorn grunted, turning back to the clearing. “We’ll see.”
The hunters moved into position, crouching low as they nocked arrows and hefted spears. Freya stayed beside John, her axe at the ready.
The first arrow flew, striking a deer cleanly in the side. It fell with a startled cry, its legs kicking weakly before going still. The rest of the herd scattered, their hooves thundering against the frozen ground.
Bjorn and the others rushed forward to retrieve their prize, but John’s focus snapped to the edge of the clearing. A low growl rumbled through the air, followed by another, and another.
“Oh, crap,” John muttered.
Freya tensed beside him. “Wolves.”
A pack of six wolves emerged from the shadows, their yellow eyes glowing like embers. They moved low to the ground, their lips pulled back in snarls as they circled the clearing. The hunters froze, forming a protective ring around the fallen deer.
Bjorn shouted over his shoulder. “Bone Caller! Do something!”
John’s stomach churned. He felt every pair of eyes on him—hunters, wolves, Freya, even his own undead minions. “Okay, okay, I’ve got this,” he muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
He pointed toward the wolves. “Attack!”
The skeletons lunged forward, their movements faster than before thanks to Gravebond. The lead wolf growled and pounced at the first skeleton, its jaws snapping around the undead warrior’s arm. The skeleton didn’t flinch; instead, it brought its axe down on the wolf’s side, sending it yelping to the ground.
The second skeleton swung its rusted sword at another wolf, catching it in the flank. The animal staggered but quickly recovered, lunging for the skeleton’s exposed ribs. The undead didn’t falter, its glowing eyes locked on its target.
The wolves weren’t easily deterred. While the skeletons held their own, the pack was relentless, circling and striking with terrifying speed. John gritted his teeth, his mana bar draining faster than he liked.
[Bone Armor ACTIVATED]
Mana Cost: 15
Remaining Mana: 35
Jagged bone plating formed over John’s body just as one of the wolves broke past the skeletons and charged toward him. He stumbled back, raising his walking stick in defense, but the wolf collided with him, sending him sprawling into the snow.
“John!” Freya shouted, rushing toward him.
“I’m fine!” he yelled, shoving the wolf off. The Bone Armor had absorbed the brunt of the impact, but he could feel it cracking already.
The skeletons pressed the attack, their crude weapons striking with mechanical precision. Another wolf fell, its throat slashed open by an axe, but the remaining four showed no sign of retreating.
Freya joined the fray, her axe cleaving through the air with deadly efficiency. She struck one of the wolves hard in the side, sending it yelping into the snow. John scrambled to his feet, his chest heaving as he surveyed the chaotic battle.
He activated Gravebond on the second skeleton, funneling more mana into his undead ally.
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[GRAVEBOND ACTIVATED]
Mana Cost: 10
Remaining Mana: 25
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The skeleton surged forward, its speed and power amplified. It brought its sword down on one of the wolves, shattering the animal’s spine with a sickening crunch. The remaining wolves hesitated, their growls faltering as they took in the carnage.
John pointed at them, his voice trembling but firm. “Run.”
The wolves didn’t need to be told twice. They bolted into the forest, disappearing into the shadows.
The clearing fell silent again, save for the ragged breaths of the hunters. Bjorn approached John, his expression unreadable. He glanced at the skeletons, then at the scattered bodies of the wolves.
Notifications popped up in his vision, helpfully paused until combat was over.
“You did well,” Bjorn said gruffly. “Your magic... it has potential.”
John blinked, startled by the unexpected praise. “Uh, thanks. I think.”
Freya clapped him on the shoulder, grinning. “See? Told you you’d survive.”
John groaned, leaning on his stick. “Barely.”
As the hunters retrieved the deer and the wolf carcasses, John let out a long breath. His mana bar was nearly empty, his body ached in ways he didn’t know it could, but for the first time, he felt something other than fear or annoyance.
He felt... useful.
As the group made their way back to the village, John glanced at his system menu again, a faint smile tugging at his lips.
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[QUEST COMPLETED: “Protect the Hunt”]
EXP Rewards:
* Quest Base EXP: +200
* Wolf 1 Kill: +50
* Wolf 2 Kill: +50
* Wolf 3 Kill: +75
* Wolf 4 Assist (Shared with Freya): +25
Total EXP GAINED: +400
EXP Needed to Level 3: 700 - 400 = 300 Remaining EXP.
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He closed the menu, his steps a little steadier. Maybe, just maybe, he could make this work.
Freya walked beside him, her grin as sharp as her axe. “Not bad, Bone Caller. Not bad at all.”
“Thanks,” John said, his voice lighter than before. “But next time, you’re taking point.”
She laughed, and for the first time, John laughed with her.