After a short rest, I was read to continue. Loki let me know she was ready too. I could tell her abilities had increased during our last fight.

I decided to keep heading the way I was going. Running into a pack of undead monsters seemed to indicate I was on the right track. When I found some healing items, I would be close to the boss. Provided of course, if the world followed video game logic.

Before we had gotten very far, I heard the far off sound of wolves.

I smiled. “Hey Thor. Sounds like a fight for you. What do you think?”

Thor barked happily at me in agreement. I looked around to see if I could find an area to fight. I didn’t want to fight in around trees. It would be too easy to get separated and picked off one by one. Thor indicated he found a small clearing and I headed that way.

We didn’t have long to wait. The wolves were moving fast. They were upon us. At the sight of the wolves, I was taken aback. These weren’t just ordinary wolves. It was a pack of skeletal hounds.

They were a chilling and macabre sight, combing the ferocity of wild canines with the eerie, unworldly aspect of the undead. The skeletal hounds were stripped of flesh, with their bones exposed and bleached white. Their forms were surprisingly intact, with each rib, vertebra, and limb bone clearly visible.

Their skulls retained the shape of fierce canines, with elongated snouts and rows of sharp, pointed teeth that seemed capable of crushing bone. The eye sockets were dark and empty, but they gave no sense of being blind. They moved with surety and grace, they were keenly aware of their surroundings.

I felt this fight would be harder than the previous one. Thor and Loki positioned themselves and braced for the onslaught.

The first skeletal hound leaped into the clearing, its bones rattling in a ghostly symphony. It was swiftly followed by the rest of the pack, their haunting, empty eye sockets focused intently on me and my familiars. The hounds fanned out, encircling us with an eerie, predatory precision.

I took a deep breath, and reached deep within myself to pull on my elemental powers. I knew that physical attacks alone wouldn’t be enough to stop these undead creatures. I raised my staff, calling upon the natural energies around, and directed a powerful blast of lightning towards the nearest hounds. The lightning swept through the bones, causing several of them to stumble and scatter, but they quickly regained their footing and continued their advance.

Thor, embodying the essence of shadow magic, darted around the hounds, leaping into and out range. His efforts caused a few of the hounds to snap and growl at empty air, giving me and Loki crucial opportunities to strike.

Loki, harnessing her ice magic, unleashed a wave of frost towards the skeletal hounds. The ground beneath them frosted over, causing some to slip and slide, their bone structure offering little traction on the icy surface.

I seized these moments, empowered by the earth I swung my staff at the hounds. Each hit caused bones to shatter and clatter to the ground, slowly diminishing the number of adversaries. However, for every hound that was dismantled, another seemed ready to take its place, keeping the pressure constant.

The battle was intense and demanding, requiring me to constantly move and adapt my strategy. I had to be mindful of the hounds’ sharp teeth and swift movements, which could cause severe damage if given the chance.

As the fight wore on, I found a rhythm, blending my spells and physical attacks into a fluid dance of destruction. Thor and Loki fought valiantly by my side, their own abilities perfectly complementing my tactics.

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Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, the last of the skeletal hounds were dismantled. The bones clattered to the ground, joining the remnants of the rest of the pack. I stood amidst the debris, panting and sweating, but victorious. It was a challenging fight, but I felt all the better for winning.

I needed to look over my system prompts but first I decided I should be in a safer spot. I looked for a tree to climb. I found this enormous oak that would do nicely. I climbed the oak until I found a large branch that could support all three of us.

The loot from the skeleton hounds was a little underwhelming. I found skeletal fragments. They felt magical in my hands and I was certain I could find a use for them.

There was ethereal dust. It was a fine, glowing powder. Again I felt magic in the dust, but I had no idea what it was for. I allowed my inner loot goblin free reign here. You never can know when something might come in handy.

My skills also received an upgrade. My combat instincts appear to evolve into advanced combat reflexes. My ability to anticipate and react to enemy movements had improved, making me adept in battle.

I received enhanced familiar synergy. The bond between me, Thor and Loki continued to deepen. I felt if I continued down this path I would unlock more efficient and powerful combined attacks.

My elemental mastery received a bonus. I received elemental precision. My control over element magic became more refined. This increased my power and control over my spells, reducing the mana cost and increasing the damage.

The experience was better than the last fight. I received four hundred experience. I checked my status page. This put me nearly a third of the way through my level. I needed three thousand five hundred experience to level and I had eleven hundred for this level.

My zombie clearing quest updated. I was excited. This was the whole reason I was out here right now.

[QUEST UPDATE: CLEANSE THE UNDEAD]

Quest Objective: Clear the Area of Undead Presence

Progress Report:

Gavrin, your recent encounters with various undead creatures have significantly contributed to the objective of cleansing the area. Here's a summary of your current progress:

Zombies Eliminated: Your successful defeat of the zombie group has reduced the undead presence in the area. [Completed]

Skeletal Hounds Vanquished: The dismantling of the pack of skeletal hounds has further purified the land, weakening the undead influence. [Completed]

Spectral Entity Neutralized: The confrontation and subsequent defeat of the spectral ghost entity has contributed to the restoration of balance. [Completed]

Remaining Objectives:

Locate and Neutralize Remaining Undead Threats: There may still be pockets of undead activity in the area. Continue your exploration and cleanse any remaining threats.

Investigate Source of Undead Presence: To fully complete the quest, identify and confront the source of the undead corruption. This could be a powerful necromancer, a cursed object, or a site of dark magic.

Quest Rewards (Pending Completion):

Substantial Experience Points (XP)

Unique Magical Item or Artifact

Increased Reputation and Gratitude from Local Communities

Enhanced Druidic Abilities or Knowledge

Note: Your efforts have already had a significant impact on the area's safety and the natural balance. Completing this quest will not only benefit the local environment and inhabitants but also bolster your abilities and understanding of the magical forces at play.

[Press 'OK' to Continue Your Quest]

I was at a loss about the next steps. How was I supposed to know what the source of the corruption was? Would I know it when I see it?

I was excited about more loot and power but a little worried about what I might find. I decided I had been fighting enough for the day. I decided to call it day and meditate to recover. I had been ignoring some of abilities and it was time to rectify that.