It is a good thing that I'm moving slow and methodical now. Otherwise I might have completely missed the ruin that is my target. It was barely visible from up in the tree tops and it is hidden even better when viewed from down here. It is only because I keep my eyes peeled that I do not mistake it for another overgrown cliff.

I could be forgiven for a mistake like that though, as it is at least partially built into an actual rocky outcropping. Overall I'm not quite sure what to make of it. Is it some kind of fortification? Or is it an observation post of some sort or maybe a refuge? I'm not sure.

I'm pretty sure though, that it is not just a forester's home. No one builds a simple home from massive, no, downright monolithic, blocks of stone. No one builds a plain home with walls that are five foot thick, at the very least, either.

If the place is actually abandoned it might just make for a decent base of operations for me though. At least for the time being. Until I find some signs of actual civilization.

If it is not abandoned, I might just be in trouble. Somehow I doubt it though. The place really doesn't look well maintained. No, scrap that. It doesn't look, like anyone took care of this place in decades at the very least. I mean, never mind the bushes and shrubs concealing most of the structure, there are trees taller than me growing out of some of the cracks!

No, the place really doesn't look inhabited. There are no tracks, other than my own, leading here either. Another thorough search makes sure I'm not mistaken in that regard.

[*Ding!* Your skill Spot has leveled up to level 4!]

Oh, nice! That is the best one so far! Let's keep this up!

Well, welcome as this development might be, it doesn't solve my other problem. How do I get inside? I can't see any doors and the windows I can spot a little further up are more like arrow slits. They look awfully narrow. I'll consider them my last option if I don't find any other ways in.

Should I cut back the growth at the base of the tower? Maybe it covers up a hidden entrance?

I eye my sword for a moment. I'm a little loathe to use it, my only weapon right now, for something like this. What if it grows dull? What if it breaks? That isn't a risk I'm willing to take. Not yet anyway. There is only so much damage to the edge a plain whetstone can fix after all.

Instead I decide to climb upwards. I don't know if the tower had a flat top to begin with or if it had a proper roof originally, but it doesn't really matter anyway, because either way there might be a rooftop access of some kind.

This climb is a little more challenging than anything else I have faced in this world so far. Thus I decide to take my time. Instead of climbing right away I decide to check out the possible routes first. I give some of the plants growing out of the cracks in the rocks a good tug too and quickly decide not to use any of them as handholds.

In the end I decide to start my climb at the corner where the rounded tower meets the straight cliff face. I won't be able to climb all the way to the top here, but this spot offers the best handholds all the way up to the top to the cliff at least. I'll take a break there and look around for the best way to continue.

I take one last deep breath, crack my knuckles and stretch my fingers. By now I'm quite thankful for my adventurous, fingerless gloves. Then I begin my climb. Picking the corner really was the right choice. There are plenty of hand- and footholds here. If not in between the stones of the tower, than in the cracks of the cliff face.

There is an additional benefit too. The route I picked leads past one of the arrow slits. This way I should be able to take a little peek inside.

I stop just short of it, to steel myself. There still is a risk that someone inside might notice me. Of course it is much more likely that I'll see nothing but an empty and long abandoned room.

As I pull myself up to the very edge of the arrow slit to peek inside. Before I can get a good look another divine whisper distracts me though. In fact it startles me bad enough that I almost loose my grip. Out of reflex I easy back down a little before I can get a good look.

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[*Ding!* Your skill Climbing has leveled up to level 4!]

Very good! Except, couldn't that wait just a little longer? Ah well, I really shouldn't complain. In all likelihood I probably better get used to surprises like this one. It probably won't be the last.

I wait a moment to calm back down and to regain control of my breathing before I pull myself back up to look inside.

The first thing I notice is that the window is indeed an arrow slit of sorts and that the walls are incredibly thick. They have to be at least five feet thick. Thankfully the narrow gap of the arrow slit widens further into the room or I wouldn't be able to see much at all.

As expected the room beyond the arrow slit doesn't really look like it is lived in. It isn't exactly empty either though. No, the room is a total mess. There is broken furniture and dust everywhere. In some places I can even spot the scattered remains of a roughly human sized skeleton.

Most of the skeleton, well, most of its upper half anyway, lies in the broken remains of an old bed, but the rest seems to be scattered all over the room.

My thoughts come to a screeching halt. Has the skeleton just moved a little? My left eyebrow twitches once. I focus on the skeletal remains again, but I can't spot any more movement. Was it just a figment of my imagination? Well, thankfully I have just the skill to make sure.

I focus my attention the mortal remains in the bed and trigger my [Identify] skill once more. This time I'm ready to put a little more distance in between me and the skill's target though.

[*Ding!* Your skill Identify has leveled up to level 4!]

As it turns out, I'm not mistaken about that sneaky pile of bones!

[Decrepit Skeleton (Darkness, Common, Level 5)]

And of course my use of the skill startles it awake. Damn it!

I don't wait for the undead abomination to reach me. I have to move quick to make sure it doesn't too, as it is surprisingly nimble, considering the fact that it has to drag itself around with its skeletal arms. Without delay I resume my climb, to put some distance in between me and the opening.

Only when my feet are well above the upper edge of the arrow slit do I dare to stop and look back down. Just in time too, to see the damned thing reach out. If I had stayed in place it might have been able to reach me.

A cold shiver runs down my spine as the undead keeps trying to grab me although I'm well out of reach. Stubborn thing! At least it can't fit the rest of its grisly remains through the narrow slit.

It's just level five and thus not really a strong opponent, but I'm only level six too. We are entirely too evenly matched for my taste. Although, unlike me it isn't armed. Maybe that will make a difference?

I try my best to recall all the details from the last time I checked my status. Yes, the sword should make a difference. If I recall right, it roughly doubles my attack power. Unless this undead monster is a lot tougher than me, which I doubt, I should be able to smash it with a good hit or two at most.

I swallow hard as I resume my climb, doing my best to ignore the scraping noise from below. If I really want to make this place my home, even if just temporary, I'll have to face it. There is no way around it. I'll have to face it and whatever else might still be lurking inside.

Finally I pull myself up over the ledge of the cliff. I chuckle to myself and dust off my clothes a little. I'll need to improve my combat skills anyway. This thing might just be perfect for me. First I still need to find a way inside though.

Once I have regained my balance and composure, I look around and it turns out getting into this weird tower might not be too tricky after all. There is a door up here. Or rather there is an archway blocked by the sad remains of what once was a pretty sturdy door.

The wood looks rotten and most of the iron fittings have apparently been looted. Only the parts of the hinges immured into the stone are still there. This is a little troublesome for two reasons.

On the one hand it troubles me because it means that there is something out and about that can smash through rather sturdy doors.

And on the other hand it troubles me because it means that my potential hideout does not have a door anymore which I could lock to keep at least lesser threats out.

I sigh and look up. The tower has, as far as I can guess, two more stories above the one with the entrance. Those probably are the ones I spotted from afar, as they break through the foliage. And of course there is at least one floor, the one with the decrepit skeleton, below my current position. I really don't like that. I'd really prefer to not start my exploration of this ruin in the middle. That's just asking for trouble.

If I don't go in through the door, that leaves one more option. I can climb to the roof in hopes of finding some kind of rooftop access. And, of course, if I'm wrong I'll have to climb back down. In the end I shrug and limber up again to start my next climb.

I don't climb up the tower's wall directly though. Instead I climb a sturdy tree that grows reasonably close to the tower. Judging by its looks I should be able to reach the tower's roof via some of the tree's branches.

There is no divine notice this time, as I climb. I don't mind though. What really matters now is that I can actually edge across one of the sturdy branches onto the rooftop.

[*Ding!* Your skill Balance has leveled up to level 2!]

Another notification? Another skill improved? Nice! Thank you very much!