The boys determination disappeared as they entered a room instead of the stairwell to the second floor. Exhaustion was catching up to the boys by this point but they still couldn't rest for a while and had to just push forward.

Entering and looking around the room. It seemed to be a study containing a desk and bookshelves that lined the room. As well a door leading to what he assumed to be either the exit another room.

The boys made haste towards the door. The rooms temperature started to plummet causing the boys to halt with caution. Thrain looked to Thorin seeing his breath in the air. A shiver was sent down Thrains spine. "Thorin you should pull out your sword I don't think we are alone". Thrain said to Thorin while drawing his weapons as well. A couple of seconds passed it was eerily silent, Thrain was racking his brain trying to find out what creature could make a room this cold without being seen.

"Without being seen....". There was only one creature it could be.

A ghost!

"THORIN!, physical attacks won't work you will have to dodge" Thrain yelled out. The air getting increasingly colder.

Whoosh.

A icy figure flew pass Thorin as he barely moved out of the way. Thorin panicked looked towards the icy figure, It was an older looking man with tattered clothes hovering above the ground that had ice forming. "If we can't physically attack it, what are we meant to do" Thorin said while preparing to dodge another attack. "Just keep taunting it ill deal with it" Thrain said pulling out one of the core containment box he got from albert's store. "I have to find its core, just keep running around" Thrain said. "Just get on with it please!" Thorin said worriedly, he didn't like fighting against a creature he couldn't do anything against.

Thrain began to search around the room for the core of the ghost. "When some one dies with a lot of regret they will end up lingering in the living world while being chained by their regret that has manifested into a core. This means that the core is probably some where with signific meaning to the person" Thrain thought to him self.

There's only one place Thrain could think of. The desk he dashed towards it looking back at Thorin who was dodging the ghost but could see Thorin running out of breath as the air got colder. Reaching the desk he looked through the draws. "Just paper! Where could it be!" Thrain thinking before opening the last draw to see a translucent icy sphere. Thrain placed the core containment box next to it and picked up the core. It was painfully cold but he knew he had to do this otherwise Thorin would be in more danger. Placing the core inside the box he closed the lid and placed his sword in the top slit and thrusted down as hard as he could seeing the sphere break into multiple shards.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

"LOOK OUT"

Thrain looked back to see the ghost charging straight at him. Thrain side stepped the ghost avoiding its charge. Thrain focused on the ghost while attempting to avoid its attacks. "How is it still alive? It should have dissipated!" Thrain thought.

CRAKLE

Thrain glanced down at the icy hand that went through some of his clothing causing it to crystalize and break. Thrain dashed backwards. "Thorin get its attention I need to think". "Could it somehow have so much regret that it could have manifested two cores?" Thrain then franticly searching the room, seeing it was only the bookshelves left he ran up to them and started to clear off the books.

Three quarters through Thrain heard the sound of something hard hitting the ground. There it was the second core. Thrain quickly pulled out the second containment box and placed the core into it, once again enduring the pain. Closing the lid he placed his sword in the slit. Pushing with all his power he shattered the core. Gazing back at the ghost hoping it would be gone for sure this time.

It was thankfully. Thorin's clothes had holes all over it from where the ghost had almost got him. Other than that the boys we surprisingly fine albeit being a little out of breath. "Each stage has had multiple parts, do you think this is the same?" Thorin asked Thrain. "I would hope this was the only fight but I doubt it." Thrain said while pulling out a second shirt for Thorin to change into. After they were all prepped and caught there breath they headed towards the door, weapons drawn just encase.

Entering into the next room they noticed that the room was completely empty except for a large skeletal human in the centre, head down and arms to its sides as if it was not awake. Moving closer to it the skeletal human started to move rigidly, looking like it was waking up from a deep sleep. Thorin looked at Thrain "This one I can hit right?". Thrain gave an affirming nod and Thrain stepped back a bit like he was getting ready for a race. He dashed forward then leapt straight at the skeletal human sword ready to his side.

As he got in range Thorin with all his might swung horizontally. The sound of metal cutting against the bone could be heard reverberating around the room as Thrain saw the head of the skeletal human come right off.

Thorin landed and headed towards the door, calling Thrain to follow. "That was pretty easy" Thrain said. As they reached the door they could hear a scraping sound from behind. They looked back and saw the skeletal human getting back up without its head, this time though it wasn't moving so rigidly. "Guess its time for round two!" Thorin rushing towards it again however this time it wasn't so much of a one sided battle and the skeletal human was pushing back Thorin a bit.

Thrain could tell it was the fatigue getting to him. He then started analysing the creature looking for a way to beat it. "It doesn't need a head to survive, and it was extremely rigid it could just be because it wasn't awake but it almost had puppet like movement" Thrain thought as he was watching the battle unfold.

He had an idea but he wasn't sure. So he snuck around the skeletal human as it was distracted. Watching it from different angles he could now be sure it wasn't just a skeletal human it was an engineering rat that was controlling it. This was because of the strings that he could just barely see in between the bone that we giving it movement. However knowing this didn't make it easier as an engineering rat can be hidden anyway in there suits of armour.

Thrain still had to attack though otherwise Thorin will end up losing. Reading his sword. The moment he had an opportunity his thrusted straight into the chest of the armour.

Nothing happened except it now turning around and facing Thrain.

"Uh oh"

A bony arm was coming straight at him. Thrain lifted his shield to try to distribute a bit of damage. The arm hit the shield throwing him backwards. Then it turned back to Thorin as he was a clearly more of a threat.

Thrain grasped for air while on the ground the world was spinning around him.

After a couple of second he was able to breathe again. Sitting up he could see Thorin also getting sent flying with the armour following after him. Seeing Thorin not getting up Thrain knew he had to power through this extreme dizziness. He stood up getting his bearing and rushed straight towards the suit of bone, he would not let his brother DIE!

With all the might left in him Thrain swung at its arms following through to its legs and then finishing with the other arm.

As he cut through the last limb, the world started to fade. The only thing he could hear was the sound of loud, terrified squeaking.