Of Mice and Metal
The Skeleton Lord
Tyl leapt to his feet pointing dagger and mace at the armoured form next to the lantern. His body shook. “You…speak…again?”
“You have shown yourself to be worthy to escape this place. But consider my words carefully. It is not a kindness to do so. Beyond this mausoleum, lies greater death and a higher pain that no leveling bliss can match. It would be better for you to remain here for another millennium than to spend a day in the world beyond its ancient gates.”
The realization that the knight was not dead, and that he was not hallucinating, or mad ran through his head. There were so many things that it said that gave him pause but the most shocking was the latter. Tyl approached the knight pointing the dagger at its still form. “A…millen…nium? I have…been…here…for…a thousand…years?”
“What is a single breath for one who breathes endlessly? What is a single scream when every moment is unending pain?” Said the knight dismissing the mouse’s words, “Pay heed to my words. Approach and strike the wall above me. Your path leads through stone that is not stone. You will not so easily dispose of the master of this place.”
“What?” Trepidation replaced anger, as the last of the knight’s words trailed off into a whisper.
The mouse recognized that whisper as a death rattle that he heard from his own throat too many times to count. Anger and frustration supplanted trepidation. The knight is dead. He remained silent for a thousand years and when he spoke again, and then he has the audacity to go on and die on me? What is even a thousand years? How can I weather such an absurd length of time and keep my mind in this place?
“I don’t know what you mean about the stone not being stone?” Said Tyl. “What else could it be?”
The knight was silent. Was it like me? Would it rise again? Tyl wanted to scream at the thing but speaking alone hurt his throat nearly to tears. In frustration he drew close to the wall and whipped his new dagger at it. Stone became transparent and then a deep dark passage as the blade passed through it, touching nothing substantial. That is mildly frustrating. Tyl thought as he stepped over the knight. He froze, when his eye caught the glint of something bright and gold shining like a heatless fire just above the being’s breastplate. Tyl turned around and reached for it.
[You Have Gained an Artefact: Heirloom]
[You Have Gained Crystalized Weight: Storied Traveler]
For an instant warm golden sunlight bathed Tyl as he rested on a velvet bed of flowers, bright with every color. And those flowers and his toes rested on a floor of silky, jewel bright green grass, filling the air with their sweet scent. The mouse felt tall on that flowery hill in the sun, saw the peerless blue sky above him and tasted a freedom he never knew he could miss so badly. It was gone faster than thought. And he longed for it the instant it passed, hating his stone prison more after seeing that vision of the hill. Tyl collected himself after a time and then with a thought he considered Heirloom.
[Two abilities are open to you: (1) Graceful Heal (2) Unnatural Vitality]
Graceful Heal replenishes 20% of total health loss and negates 10% of total damage received 5 seconds after use. Use 3x Per Day
Unnatural Vitality grants a 1000% boost to Strength, Carrying Capacity, and Endurance when active; vigor is depleted at 2x rate when using or carrying something beyond un-augmented stats. Grants a 2000% boost when in battle; vigor is depleted at 5x rate.
Graceful Heal was a boon, if it performed as its description says. The mouse thought. How many attempts at riding myself of the skeletons was thwarted the moment I was seriously injured? No…even minor hurts inevitably led to my death thousands of times. But Unnatural vitality…that came right on time! Tyl immediately leapt over the body of the knight and soared five times his height in the air before crashing against the opposite wall. Shaking his head and understanding that the power of the Heirloom was granted to him immediately Tyl went back and carefully grabbed the lantern for light and returned to the chamber with the fallen bone champion.
The iron greatsword glittered across the stone entry, hilt protruding, massive blade stuck deeply into the stone and mortar. Even with the Artefact ability it took him a long time to work the greatsword free. He was persistent because of what this weapon spawned in the pit of his stomach every time he saw it. For him when he saw this blade it meant death. It meant death for him thousands and thousands and a thousands more times after that. It was only after his most recent two attempts that he was able to overcome it. As Tyl worked, he marveled at the strength of the skeletal warrior. The monster’s power in their battle was obvious and the size of the weapon would entail incredible weight. However, there was a difference in thinking about a weight and feeling the heft of it. When he was finally able to pry it from the wall, shock stupefied Tyl, when the ponderous mass of the weapon pulled the hilt from his aching paws. It was as if the weapon had a mind of its own and did not want to be touched by the weak. Tyl growled at it and set his mind to the task.
After that, it became a battle for him to lift the greatsword from the dank stone floor and another fight to secure its sheath from the champion then position it across his back to carry. It was like having a tree strapped to his back. Tyl kept getting caught on walls and when he tried to cross through doorways. Still, the mouse stubbornly persisted.
When he got back to the knight and the new passage he glanced at the knight’s sword. He tried once to lift the smaller arming sword, but it felt as if it was fused to the stone floor. The greatsword was as a feather in comparison to that. Tyl gave up and proceeded from the place, carrying the lantern and leaving the body of the knight in the dark.
Tyallandyor recalled shepherding the great beetles of his family’s pasture forest as a child. It was hard work, and he had to stay vigilant against thieves, and Gyr lizards as they tried to make off with a young beetle or two. Some mice had problems with the beetles wandering away from the flock, but Tyl had an affinity with them, they would follow at his tail wherever he led. The beetles mostly ate ground shoots, but thrice a year they needed the nutrients from the Sapnectar of World Tree roots. His family often mixed in crystallized sapnectar to push back the time but the fresh stuff was what kept the beetles healthy and their meat dense enough to warrant the cost of raising them. The other even more prominent worries and work in the farms usually meant the youngest had to tend to the beetles, despite the journey taking days.
Tyallandyor slept with them, ate his provisions with them, and loved them fiercely. He slew his first mouse on his first year with the task. It changed him. Before that he’d driven off Gyr lizzards, and even the Lesser Black Shrikes with his stones and sling, but he had never slain a creature before then. Tyl wept for a week straight and stayed up days from the nightmares of seeing his true-flying stone, crack the skull of the would-be thief. The beast did not wake after his stone. And he did not last the day. The young mouse felt hollow and wretched for months. Tyallandyor tried to refuse his parents when they made him go out again. Despite the slaying, he still enjoyed the company of the beetles. On the first day of his journey to the Sapnectar Wood, He had to slay a starving Gyr Lizard that had his favorite young beetle in its jaws trying to crack its new shell. It took five stones, but the last sunk into the beast skull as if the bone and scales was pudding. After that his heart abruptly lifted and he was able to free the young beetle from the clutches of the creature. That feeling, the sense of being released from the guilt of slaying another beast, was what it felt like to leave the old stone mausoleum after his time there.
The stone passage behind the knight was dryer than the space before it. It took a thousand heartbeats of walking at a steady pace before the stone gave way to earth and another three thousand before that dark earthen tunnel opened to starry night sky hemmed by the dark canopy of trees. The light of the lantern winked out as soon as the light of the stars and the absence of the light from the new moon settled upon the mouse. The air was sweeter in the open as compared to the crypt, but his memories of fresh air, now disjointed flashes from a time almost too long ago to be counted, told him that even this air was stale compared to the real thing. Tyl blinked as his eyes adjusted to the difference from lantern light to the night sky. The shadows were thicker under the cover of the trees but they were pale imitation of the shadow within death. Eventually he was able to see within them for a few dozen paces. A large clearing opened before Tyl. In the center of the space there was a large, three-tiered fountain of pale stone that seemed to glow in the light of the distant stars. Tyl abruptly realized that he was thirsty and approached the stone structure. The moment he took a few steps into the clearing, he heard water gurgling somewhere deep within the stone to splash into and fill the three basins. Tyl froze paw griping the mace at his belt.
A blue phantasmagoric light appeared to the right of the mouse, near the fountain. The greatsword slid from its scabbard with a strange ease as Tyl pointed the giant sword at the swiftly materializing form of a glowing blue mouse. He didn’t recall taking his paw from the mace at his belt and reaching for the greatsword instead. The transparent creature looked through Tyl and spoke in a loud but clear voice.
“Dreamslayer, the Lady of Revenants has sought fit to make you perpetual, this gift is not without cost. You will gain strength and slay the minions of the Eater of Worlds. You will climb the Yoke of the Everhigh, and tear apart the Oaths Kept by mortal tongues that speak The Immortal Words.”
For a moment Tyl froze, the tip of the greatblade making nervous circles in the air as he considered the transparent strange creature. However, once it became apparent to the mouse that the being would not attack the weight of the greatsword doubled and the blade sunk into the soft grass topped earth. Immediately the mouse felt as if he had been fighting for an hour. His body felt heavy.
“I don’t…know what…you’re saying.” Rasped Tyl, “Speak plainly.”
“Drink the water of the Bottom Basin and you will be given access to true strength.” The phantom said, seemingly ignoring Tyl’s words.
“I can…already level up.” Tyl said, “How will you…force me, to fight…for you? I’ve…I’ve fought…died…and lived to fight…again, for a thousand…years.”
The transparent being paused as if to consider Tyl’s words. When it spoke the mouse could hardly believe what it said.
“Many are seen, warriors of old, beasts of renown but few are called into the honor of Her Service. You have known a world of pain. She has recovered you from the calamity that faces all worlds in the Wake. Attain power, slay those who would usurp her rule and you too may recover your world as your body was recovered.” It said. “You have tasted a fraction of the Lady of Revenants’ power, Yes? Time is no bar to her reach.”
Tyl could not believe it. Could this Lady truly bring back his world? The mouse looked down. He rested the hilt of the Skeletal Champion’s weapon on his shoulder as he peered at his paws. What will this cost me? Does the cost even matter? Tyl considered his family. He thought he once had many brothers and sisters, he was sure his dam and sire had been nurturing. Parents are kind and good and nurturing right? But he could not recall their names. The thought made him afraid and cold inside. Could he ask this…thing the question he longed to ask? That query been on his mind for those long stretches of agonizing death and revival, when he first learned that he forgotten so much of his old life. Little remained of his old life, now, just random patches of him playing and living with beetles and inane conversations with beasts whose faces he could no longer imagine.
“Can…can she make me remember…the faces of those…I loved?” His voice was coarser than he thought it should be, but his heart seemed to stop as he waited for the answer.
“Her power is unending. Climb the Yoke of the Everhigh, and tear apart the Oaths Kept by mortal tongues that speak immortal words, and you will taste that power. But first drink. It is unusual for even Dreamslayers to already possess the power to level, but it is no matter! Drink and take your first step into destiny.”
Tyl took a step forward before he could stop himself. He felt unseen chains closing in all about him as he prescinded each phrase the transparent being spoke. Much of it remained a mystery. What he did know, was that this Lady of Revenants, wanted to manipulate him. Does it matter? I’m going to walk forward anyways, what other choice is left to me? Could there be anything be as terrible as what I left behind in that dank crypt? For an instant he saw a world on fire and powerful heroes flung in the air as screams rung in his ears. His heart quickened. There was little hope in the crypt but there was no hope in that world. Tyl completed the rest of the steps to the stone fountain and stared into the basin. The water was strange. Dark. It was almost black, or rather a mirror of starry night sky, replete with swirling clouds of purple, magenta, and green star systems interlaced with forked lightning that flashed and died in an instant.
“Drink.”
The mouse did not remember bringing his muzzled down to siphon up that glass smooth liquid but he recalled the taste of lightning that crawled burning fingers through his entire body. His fur caught on fire, his bones smoked and split, his muscle became soup, and his body rigid as if unto death. The pain was exquisite, but a thousand years of death taught him that it was not enough to grant him sweet oblivion. Then his world turned white and as Tyl shut his eyes tight against it he saw the fountain and clearing around him as a burning purple shadow on that bed of blinding luminescence.
As if it was another being Tyl saw his body burst apart, flesh evaporating revealing pink bone and strips of ruddy flesh and gore until that too turned to ash. The bones returned almost immediately glowing softly as a lattice of energy-like veins mapped the shape of his form. Nerves, veins, arteries, and other systems such as lymph followed the shape of that lattice. His body returned in layers, assembling in rapid order tendon to muscle, fat and organs to their cavity, muscle to fascia to layers of skin and ultimately a coat of new fur.
[You have been granted a Status Menu]
[You have been granted a body that can hold new soulweight]
[You have been granted access to Skills, Abilities, Talents, Feats, Titles and More]
[You have been granted access to Leveling Bliss. You may now achieve Level 1. Levels required to reach Level 1: 1000. Insight required to reach Level 1: 500,500. Insight bonus is increased under level 1. Wisdom is received from slaying monsters. Wisdom to Insight Ratio 100:1. Experience is received from monster gems and leveling up skills. Experience to Insight Ratio 1000:1. You cannot manually allocate Status Points until reaching Level 1. Status Points received before Level 1 will be automatically allocated]
Tyl
Health: 8,100
HP: 100 (1.2%)
Vigour: 100 (1000-2000)
VP: 0/(-900) (10) [10%]
Focus: 0/(-900)
FP: 0/(-)
Level -999
Equip -27/10 (180)-
Intellect 100
Wisdom 1,000 (10,000-20,000)
Constitution 100
Acuity 100
Sagacity 100
Intuition 100
Charisma 100
Perception 100
Strength 1000 (10,000-20,000)
Speed -250
Velocity 100
Agility -250
Focus -1000
Aptitude 100
Dexterity -500
Endurance 1000 (10,000-20,000)
Stamina -1000
Vigor 100
Hardiness -1000
Resistance -1000
Power -500
Vitality -1000
Verve 100
Spirit -1000
Quintessence 100
Tyl felt a bit overwhelmed by the amount of information that appeared before him. The Stats and words was originally just a star-shaped point at the corner of his vision. It was only when he tried to focus on it that it expanded to take up his entire field of view with glowing words, while at the same time a soft but passionless voice spoke from within his head. He looked at the glowing phantom and then leapt into the second basin. The glowing creature was in the middle of another speech when the mouse did it.
“You now have the tools…That is beyond you for now...”-
Tyl managed to fill his belly with two long draughts before a brilliant blue flash of light threw him from the fountain. A deep physical pain crawled along his back and the mouse tasted copper as he tried blink away the dark spots swimming in his vision. Tyl extracted himself from the small hole where his body slammed into the ground and got to his feet. His knees trembled.
[-4,050 Health Loss. 40% Health Loss all at once, Weakened for 10 sec., 50% Health Loss all at once, Paralytic Pain, Shock activating. Due to an abnormal death count You have a supernatural resistance to negative effects of losing a large amount of health in an instant. Weakened: Failed to Resist. Paralytic Pain: Partial Resist. Shock: Resisted]
“You are…as special as the Lady of Revenants said.” The glowing phantom said, “There was a barrier that protected the other basins from unworthy lips. A barrier strong enough to resist beings that are Beyond World Class. Even with your grossly inflated health your stats are feeble at best and yet…It is no matter. If the Elixir from the Crucible has not slain you with Greater Death, then you must not have ingested any of the precious liquid. Count yourself lucky.”
Anger flared within the mouse, but he remembered his trials within the mausoleum. Patience tempered his ire a smith could temper iron. Tyl did not ask to be here. He did not ask for his world to be destroyed and he did not want to be used. But this Lady of Revenants was powerful and only those with true strength could avoid being used. But more than that, if what the ghostly being said was true, she had the power to give him back his life. A life he could no longer remember. No…what could a life a thousand years dead do for me now? What I desire now to bring forth ruin on the monsters that destroyed my world and cast me into those many centuries of anguish.
“I am sorry. I did not know that I was not permitted to drink from the other tiers…on the fountain.”
The smoothness of his words surprised Tyl. His throat, his new throat no longer ached.
“The disposition of your stats show that you prefer to fight as a Warrior. You have the fire of their anger. You have their ability to desperately cling to life. But you are more cunning than most of those stone-headed beasts. The Lady of Revenants may have use for you yet.” Said the Phantom, its face unchanging. “You must familiarize yourself with your status menu. It will determine how efficiently you can use any strength you obtain. Next, seek strength, seek power, seek rule. This is your path. Once you have established your rule upon the face of this world, you will be granted an audience. Now go. You have yet, unfinished business with the monsters of this low dungeon.”
Tyl opened his mouth to speak but the phantom and the fountain vanished in that instant. The mouse closed his mouth after a few seconds of staring at the spot that the fountain the apparition had been. He then tramped back where the greatsword was thrust into the earth, pulled it out grunting at the weight and sheathing it on his back. At least I know that that Artefact truly gave me additional strength in battle. It is also good to know that it works based on perception not so much reality. Tyl unsheathed his long greatsword after a moment’s thought and plopped on the ground, after placing the blade on the grass of the clearing before him. Tyl then mentally opened up his Status Menu and asked the voice associated with it to explain every bit of it to him. Tyl decided to focus on the basic stats. The Status Menu was far more complex than it originally displayed. With thought the mouse could see how each stat affected the ability of a single phalange.
Health (+100 per Level + Vitality + Verve)
HP (Health points replenished per sec./Health + Vitality x 0.0001)
Vigour (Stamina + Vigor + Endurance)
VP (Vigour points replenished per sec./Vigour + stamina x 0.1)
Focus (Focus + Sagacity)
FP (Focus + Aptitude x 0.001)
Level -999
Equip -27/10 (180)-
1. Str + Con + End + Sta + Vit + Verve + Vig
1. Intellect 100
1. -Determines Dmg by High Art (Intellect + Art Base Dmg)
2. Wisdom 10,000 (10,000-20,000)
1. -Determines Sum of High Arts you can Hold at once (Wisdom/Art Base Dmg)
3. Constitution 100
1. -Determines resistance to critical attack
4. Acuity 100
1. -Determines sum of ranged Skills
5. Sagacity 100
1. -Determines proficiency of Skills/Weapons
6. Intuition 100
1. -Determines serendipity, Trap detection, Luck
7. Charisma 100
1. -Determines likability
8. Perception 100
1. -Determines power of senses
9. Strength 1000 (10,000-20,000)
1. -Determines Damage for str weapon
2. -Determines Weapon Class/Type that can be used
3. -Determines max lifting strength
4. -2 Handling increases Str by 1.75
10. Speed -250
1. -Determines min speed
11. Velocity 100
1. -Determines max speed
12. Agility -250
1. -Determines rate of movement change
13. Focus -1000
1. -Determines energy required for Skills
14. Aptitude 100
1. -Determines sum of Martial Arts you can Hold at once
15. Dexterity -500
1. -Determines Damage for dex weapons
16. Endurance 1000 (10,000-20,000)
1. -Determines Carrying Capacity
17. Stamina -1000
1. -Determines rate of Vigour replenishment
18. Vigor 100
1. -Determines Max Vigour
19. Hardiness -1000
1. -Determines Resistance to Physical Damage (Dps - Hardiness)
20. Resistance -1000
1. -Determines Resistance to negative Status affects
21. Power -500
1. -Determines Attack Rate
22. Vitality -1000
1. -Determines rate of Health replenishment
23. Verve 100
1. -Determines Max Health
24. Spirit -1000
1. -Determines Death Resistance
25. Quintessence 100
1. -Determines the amount of Soulweight that can be used as Power
2. -Determines likelihood of Paragon Mode ()
Another thought shorted the menu to the stats affecting his current combat ability.
Health: 8,100
HP: 100 (1.2%)
Vigour: 100 (1000-2000)
Level -999
Equip -27/10 (180)-
Constitution 100
Strength 1000 (10,000-20,000)
Velocity 100
Agility -250
Endurance 1000 (10,000-20,000)
Stamina -1000
Hardiness -1000
Power -500
The numbers in red put a chill down Tyl’s spine. He asked his Status Menu what that meant and was told that as long as the sum was negative or red, that the monsters he fought would be buffed in those stats by the sum. That bit of information silenced the question of why basic skeletons, armour or no, could slay and wound him so easily even after he possessed a health pool as high as it was. At level 1, one’s health was around 100-300 hp. Tyl pulled up the stats on his mace and then the Skeleton Champions Long Greatsword.
Iron Mace
Rarity: Common
Material: Iron (x3)
Proficiency: 100% (1% Prof = 5% Dmg)
Wt: 3
Req: 100 str
Scaling: -0-
Base Damage Per Second (BDPS): 20
DPS (BDPS + Scaling + Proficiency + Rarity + Material) 300-525
Dur: 1/30
Skeleton Champion Long Greatsword
Rarity: Common ()
Material: Iron (x3)
Proficiency: 0% (1% Prof = 5% Dmg)
Wt: 24
Req: 1500 str
Scaling: B (x0.4 or 40% + (Str/Req))
Base Damage Per Second (BDPS): 72.7
DPS (BDPS + Scaling + Proficiency + Rarity + Material) 439-768
Dur: 239/240
The average skeleton could destroy him in just a few seconds even after Tyl leveled up thousands of time. Most of the weapons they had were similar to the mace, which did not scale. This meant even if they had extra strength which the mouse did not believe they did, they would have still had DPS similar to his DPS. This meant it should have take them closer to half a minute of constant attacks to slay him. Dying seriously handicapped him. Tyl abruptly realized. Death debuff served to buff monsters and enemies in combat with him. This made dying an incredibly difficult cycle to escape, especially if you could not outrun one’s enemies. Still, despite those handicaps I was able to persevere. Tyl thought. My first goal is to reach level one and to put all my stats, at the minimum back to 0. Tyl got to his feet and brushed off his fur. His eyes were now well adjusted to the dark, despite the brightness that radiated from the phantom and the flashes associated with his new body.
Still, the light was not perfect. Tyl could just make out a dirt path that meandered through forest on the edge of the clearing, opposite him. Distant groans, the rustle of underbrush, and the scrap of things against bark and branches, lacking a breeze, told him that he was not alone. His heart quickened when he recalled the feeling of rusty swords and daggers plunging into his flesh and bludgeons smashing his skull and breaking his limbs. His breathing quickened until darkness encroached at the edges of his vision. He forced himself to breath slower, and kept his eyes wide as he looked around. Closing them would have brought the nightmare nearer to his conscious mind. Fear and anger warred until a heat from his belly rose up and filled his chest. Tyl kept the greatsword in its sheath, as a way to protect his back, and for the fact that if he had to flee in the trees, the sword would be more of a hindrance than a boon. The mace had a loop on a broad, if ancient belt at Tyl’s waist. The mouse pulled the weapon from that loop and waited, ignoring the voices in his head screaming at him to return to the earthen tunnel that led to the mausoleum.
You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.
It was a pawful of minutes before the monsters showed themselves. The darkness of the night hid much of their finer features but they resembled the skeletons, just wrapped in a sheath of twisted and desiccated flesh. They were mostly naked, with rags for clothing, flat faces and dark hollows instead of fleshy eyes or glowing pinpoints of evil light. Most of them came by way of the path directly in front of Tyl, though some shambled from the undergrowth, tripping over bushes or bouncing off of the trunks of trees. They smelled of wet death and feces. Few of them had weapons that seemed more rust than instrument of death, and held them in loose fingers as they came for him.
Lowly Undead
HP 33 (+1000)
Low Undead
HP 70 (+1000)
Tyl leapt forward swinging his mace in a devastating arc. Four of the undead felt the blow as it bounced off the temple of one of them and then rolled over the pate of the skull of another, and smashed through the chin of the third, and then skipped over the ribs of the last. Only the first stumbled, the others leapt at him, startling the mouse with their speed. Their health is a fraction of the minimum dps I can do with the mace. That blow shown have blown them all away! Tyl hopped back to avoid the flat teeth and grasping bony fingers, and backhanded the nearest monster with the mace. It dropped but the middle replaced it. The first monster recovered and bit the mouse as he slew the middle one with two more blows to the head.
[Critical: DPS x 3]
[Critical]
[Critical]
[Critical]
What is going on? Hands grabbed at Tyl’s back, digging thin fingers into his fur. Clumps of it tore free when the mouse spun free of their grasp. I need to flee! I don’t know their fighting styles, I don’t know this area, I have to leave and regroup! Something else surged within the mouse. NO! I will not flee these weak monsters! I slew that Skeleton Champion! And I know for a fact, that monster was by far stronger than these things! More of the monsters surrounded him. Tyl reached up and pulled the greatsword from his back with one paw as he dropped the mace in the loop on his belt with practice ease. The greatsword felt as light as it had when he tried to bring it to bear on the blue phantom creature. The monsters surged like a single wave attacking from all sides. Tyl screamed and swung the greatsword in an arc as he spun on his toes. The monsters blew apart, splashing Tyl, the clearing and the nearest monsters beyond them with rotting black blood.
[Critical] x22
[You Have Leveled Up!] x10
More of the undead leapt at him and he kept swinging. His attacks were not as perfectly executed as the full circle slash and did not get critical bonuses unless he struck their heads, or thrust them through the center of their chests, but they were knocked back, nevertheless. Tyl moved quickly, and tried to be efficient. And with the sum of the monsters about and the reach of the blade, he was able to strike at least five of the monsters with each movement. However, in no time at all Tyl was more tired than he had ever been fighting against the skeletons. The mouse had also leveled up greatly. Though the levels came a lot slower the closer he got to Level 0. Tyl understood as the fighting progressed that his negative stats no longer gave them the same absurd boost that they had in the beginning. His body was matted with blood, both red and black. Clumps of bone and old dry flesh, stained his body and blade. The sky faded from deep navy black, filled with stars, to gray and subdued blue. The grass was wet with dew and dried filth and it grew bright enough that Tyl could see for dozens of paces beyond the clearing.
Half of the monsters remained, mainly surrounding him, shambling around him in a strange and inefficient flanking maneuver and only attacking when his back was to them. Tyl barely swung his blade now. The 500% increase to stamina depletion wore his body thin. His throat rasped with each painful breath, and his body burned with fatigue. The mouse could not even feel his hands. He had to look at the sword to make sure it was still in his paws. Tyl was so tired.
Pain exploded along his back and through his left side, the mouse stumbled into the undead, and its rusty longsword, before he half fell half stumbled once more this time to the right. The greatsword came around to his left in an arc that threw him in a spin. That spin saved his life as the path of the blade cut through the bodies of three more monsters, gaining critical damage and knocking them back into the row of monsters behind them. Tyl fell to a knee, and stayed relatively upright by propping himself up against the filthy sword. His eyes felt so heavy. I was hoping to slay a few of them so that I could level up. Since leveling fully restored his heath and vigour, it and time was the only way he could deal with the ridiculous vigour demand that came with using the Knight’s Heirloom. Blood leaked from his back and side, making Tyl shiver. The morning was cooler than the night. A thought summoned his health to the corner of his eye and another thought in panic summoned the Healing artefact twice to replenish his HP.
[Health: 90/9300]
[Graceful Healing (1:3)]
[Health: 3740/9300]
I’m going to die. Tyl thought. These weak…things are going to pull me down and claw and hack me to death with their rusty weapons. For some reason the mouse did not immediately panic at the thought. But a slow realization of the pain of death and the terror of that deep lightless dark, made him get to his feet and hold up his greatsword. No…I can’t…Half a dozen blades sunk into his back as Tyl smashed at a trio of bold monsters attacking his head on. He fell again and vomited blood and this time they were upon him, swinging their weapons so wildly that they struck their fellow undead. The mouse did not have the strength to scream, but he rolled and was barely able to lift the massive blade in a sort of warrior salute, as his blood and gore soaked into the torn earth and grass. A low undead leapt over his companions as the mouse lifted the sword and impaled itself. As the undead slid down the length of the Skeletal Champion’s Long Greatsword, it’s black blood blinded him.
[You Have Leveled Up!]
Tyl’s eyes snapped open, black blood evaporated from him. The press of the bodies of the monster made it harder for their blades to sink deep into his flesh. His strength and vigour renewed his health replenished slightly greater than before, the mouse cut his way from the press of bodies. Flesh moist by rot and filth parted and bones splintered. He climbed ontop of the mound, roared his challenge to the world and then started to hack at the mass below him. They were so entangled in their mad lust to slay him that many of them fell before they could disentangle themselves. It took long minutes of relentless hacking before the levels stopped coming and the mass of bodies stopped moving. 110 levels from before…and another 115 just now. There were a dozen of the monsters beyond the horrific mound of the dead that still moved about trying to find a way to attack him. Since their strength was in their numbers, they posed little threat to the mouse. Tyl slaughtered them without mercy, striking their desiccated bodies so hard, that they went flying and the metal of the greatsword rung. When he was free of the undead he sat in the filth of their twice dead bodies and felt exhaustion creep upon his body. It took only half an hour for his body to cool, and minutes after that before his tired muscles stiffened. He was so tired that he had to fight to keep his eyes open.
Sunlight poured into the clearing from gaps in the forest canopy, settling many small golden pools on the grisly mound of brutalized monster body parts. When the mouse finally summoned the will to move again, he nearly cried out from the pain of his stiff body. He tried and failed to stand several times before he got to his feet. When he fought the armoured skeletons in the mausoleum, Tyl never had to fight for so many hours upon end with the same intensity as he did with fleshy undead. And what’s more the mouse knew that even now the skeletons in their armour were stronger the undead. Tyl did his best to clean the filth covering his greatsword before placing it back into its sheath on his back. He could not find his mace. The lost of the weapon that saw him through many deaths in the mausoleum, made him pause and look back towards the tunnel. Tyl blinked. He could not find it. The mouse only took a few more seconds to scan the area to make sure he did not get unduly turned around during his long battle before he gave up and left the clearing. Sticking to the dirt path leading away from where the stone fountain once stood, Tyl opened his stats and then checked his weapon.
Health: 10,350
HP: 196 (1.9%)
Vigour: 2800 (28,000-56,000)
Level -774
Equip -24/59 (885)-
Constitution 325
Strength 3250 (32,500-65,000)
Velocity 325
Agility -25
Endurance 3250 (32,500-65,000)
Stamina -775
Hardiness -775
Power -275
Skeleton Champion Long Greatsword
Rarity: Common
Material: Iron
Proficiency: 2.25% (1% Prof = 5% Dmg)
Wt: 24
Req: 1500 str
Scaling: B
BDPS: 72.7
DPS: 488-855
Dur:
The branches and canopy of the trees lining the path stretched over Tyl as he made his way. Hunger and thirst were a soft pang in his throat and belly, but the mouse could easily ignore it for now. He could go for days without drink and days more without food. The water from the fountain was both pain and satisfying but after the hours and hours of battling his thirst reared up once more. He died from thirst dozens of times and hunger only once or twice. The mausoleum was a dank place and pools of brackish fluids were enough to quench one’s thirst when desperate. Though it usually involved a beasts innards twisting from listeria or dysentery, or some other plague found near dead things. Eventually, his body became immune to all but the most terrible of disease caused by drinking unsanitary fluids. Soon it was enough to simply level up. Hunger and thirst were reset every time he died or leveled up. Still, he kept his ears up for the sounds of water gurgling over a streambed.
Tyl found more enemies before he found water however. The withered undead were dressed in rusted armour, with dull iron chestplates, and helms. All of them had either longswords or broadswords, and a few bows with a quiver at their bony waists or daggers. Loathed to fight the monsters so soon after his battle, the mouse tried to circumnavigate around the clearing where they took up residence. Tyl froze when he realized they guarded the body of a beast. Its chest glowed with light as if signifying loot the same way the dead knight in the mausoleum glowed. The dead beast was so old that it almost seemed apart of the clearing floor. Lichen, soil and even grass grew in patches over its form, but its body had not decomposed. The blue-gray fur was intact and the earth-tone clothes though ratty was still present. Tyl surmised that the undead must have stripped it of armour and weapons, because it still had a black sword belt on its waist, and clothing resembling the padding used under platemail. The belt was partially submerged as the body was, into the earth.
The item they are guarding might be too precious to pass by. Tyl thought. The mouse unsheathed the overlong greatsword. It was nearly impossible to properly use among the trees and brush. Still, it was the most effective weapon he had now.
Low Undead Archer x2
HP 70 (+775)
Lowest Undead Scout x3
HP 33 (775)
Lowest Undead Solder x5
HP 33 (775)
Pro (Protection): 300
Tyl’s first thought was to take out the archers. He asked his Status Menu about the Protection stat.
Damage negation is based on a multitude of different things. Two of the most basic considerations is Protection and Damage Absorption. The protection sum is the minimum damage necessary to affect the target, plus one. Damage absorption is the percentage of damage that affects a monster, creature, or beast.
So instead of negating all damage that strikes the armour, like the armoured skeletons, protection just require a bare minimum of damage to affect the monster? Or rather perhaps the protection associated with their armour was higher than the damage I could deal? Tyl immediately saw that the soldiers would be a lot harder to get rid of than the other undead. However, the mouse also understood that armour would greatly improve his survivability. Armour like those skeletons is better though. Tyl saw that his plans did not change, slaying the two archers took precedent. Slaying the weaker scouts while I’m at it would make dealing with the slower soldiers easier. Plan in mind, Tyl gripped his greatsword like a lance or spear and charged for the center of the clearing. All the undead immediately orientated themselves towards Tyl, who was bent forward for more speed as he pierced the archer closest to him through the chest.
855 dps (Two Hands) X3 Crit
The first archer died instantly, the second was pierced in the same blow but it did not receive a critical. It did not matter, the second died for the sheer damage associated with two-handling the greatsword. Before Tyl could turn to deal with the scouts he felt lines of ice crisscross his back and sides, and the sound of rust painted dagger slicing through fur, white tissue, and meat, and scouring the bones of his spine, ribcage and scapulae, reverberate in his ears. Tyl cried out feeling his back seize and suddenly loosen as muscle were cut. The mouse turned as quickly as he could, grateful that the undead did not hamstring him, and lifted his greatsword to block the rest of their mad strikes. I messed up! Tyl felt real panic rise within him. He tried and failed to swing the sword with both paws, but only his right could follow through as he left refused to any posterior motion. He allowed the left to hang as he spun the greatsword in a full circle. Two of the scouts were struck and knocked off their feet but one leapt free without sustaining damage. Unfortunately, with one arm the damage was not enough to slay the scouts. In an instant Tyl considered his options, the solders were bearing down upon him, and he knew that he would not be able to take even one of the soldiers down before they hacked him to pieces. He had a second and a single blow to make his move. By instinct he leapt forward to slay the grounded scouts.
[Health: 750/10,350]
Tyl pinned the closest fallen undead into the ground through the chest, ending its unnatural life, but the other wounded rolled to its feet dagger in hand. More than half of its hp was depleted, but Tyl could almost feel the dagger of the unwounded scout behind him, bearing down upon him. Tyl kept running forward, dragging his overlong sword behind him. He hoped that at least three dead undead held enough insight to give him another level but he was wrong. The scout in front of him leapt to the side, then attacked. The dagger whiffed as Tyl ran past it, ignoring the monster completely. The soldiers were already in a loose circle before the mouse ran between them to attack the archers, but when they advanced as he battled the scouts, the circle tightened until he could not leave it without facing one or more of the monsters. Tyl smashed into one of the soldiers, pointing the tip of his sword once more like a lance or spear. The tip of the greatsword struck the rusted iron chest plate carved a groove in it, the tip chipping as sparks flashed and it sunk a full paw into the skull of the monster. The soldiers longsword exploded from Tyl’s back in a glout of blood, that stole his breath. I’m dead. Tyl thought as cold filled his belly and the familiar night appeared at the edges of his vision.
[200 dmg x Crit 2.2]
[Wounded -10% Health]
[Health: 207/10,350]
Wait…I’m alive? Tyl felt his vision get hazy and then clear for a moment, allowing him to see that the solder even impaled through the skull was still alive. Tyl could not think about how this was true only that he had to remedy the problem and hope that it was enough. The mouse pushed the greatsword up, lifting the undead soldier from it’s boots before he slung it down. A dagger slammed into the back of his skull as he did.
20 Crit x3
[Health: 140/10,350]
[You Have Leveled Up!]
Tyl spun swinging his greatsword with both paws with such force and speed that he cut the scout in half and carved a rent in the solder’s breast plate next to it; slaying the first instantly, and depleting the HP of the last by 855. Four soldiers and one scout were left to fight, and he had full health once more. Tyl shuddered feeling phantom pains from the many wounds the undead bestowed upon him just seconds before. He glared hatefully at the scout and then turned and ran away. With his speed by far lower than a level one monster, he knew that he could not outrun any of the monsters outright. It only took seconds for the scout to start gaining on him, and even the soldiers in their armour were faster than he was. However, the scout was faster than all of them and pulled ahead and within range of Tyl with ease. The mouse turned and swung his blade in a single fluid motion of forward step, pivot backstep into his momentum, pivot, and then follow through with the blade. The scout was fast enough to bring his dagger up to attempt a parry, but the greatsword hacked through arm two thirds of its upper chest, launching the mangled body away from him, into the underbrush.
Tyl breathed hard. The knight’s heirloom which allowed him to fight with incredible strength nearly froze him with fatigue for his antics. The mouse did not dare run once more as the soldiers trotted to him, fanning out almost instinctively to flank him. Tyl consciously stayed on the dirt path so that he could use his greatsword effectively, but the length of the sword also kept the soldiers back, or forced to them to swing wide to encircle him long enough to regain his vigour. Slaying the last of the undead, became a game of inches. It took him nearly half an hour to do so. By the end of it, his health was reduced by half, his greatsword was thoroughly chipped from cutting into plate, and he gained another level.
[You Have Leveled Up!]
Tyl retreated to keep the undead soldiers from attacking him from behind and thus had to backtrack quite a bit to reach the clearing once more.
Health: 10,370
HP: 198 (1.9%)
Vigour: 2824 (28,240-56,480)
Level -772
Equip -24/61 (905)-
Constitution 327
Strength 3270 (32,700-65,400)
Velocity 327
Agility -23
Endurance 3270 (32,700-65,400)
Stamina -773
Hardiness -773
Power -273
[You Have New Items In Your Inventory]
Tyl ignored the prompt in the corner of his right eye as he approached the long dead beast in the middle of the clearing. Even when the sunlight was shining overhead the glow within its chest was visible. Now that it was well into the afternoon with the few clouds present sailing on a darkening blue sky, painted gold violet and red, the light shone even brighter. Tyl reached for that light. In an instant he was filled with pleasure so sweet, that it turned him mindless. That sweetness started at the tip of his tongue then trickled down his throat turning, his insides golden with delight and making tears stream from his face. The pleasure that turned him mindless was gone in an instant but the warmth it left in his chest was like unearned love.
[You Have Obtained Stareaters’ Elixir (1).]
Stareaters’ Elixir x1 -Elixir that heals all but the most virulent of sickness and hurts, instantly replenishes 10,000 Health + 10% hp for 1000 seconds. Negates Bliss, Glamour, Shock, Horror, Terror, and Fear debuffs.
It is out and out better than the Graceful Heal ability. Tyl thought. But it only has one use. Still, this is amazing. With a thought opened his inventory.
Inventory (x100 Equip): [6100:652]
* Arms (27)
* Worn Dagger x3
* Worn Sword x5
* Broken Bow x2
* Arrows x20
* Mace x1
* Armour (625)
* Worn Helm x5 (25)
* Rent Cuirass x2 (100)
* Worn Cuirass x3 (100)
Another thought summoned the helm upon his head and the worn Cuirass upon his chest.
Undead Soldier’s Helm (Worn)
Rarity: Common
Material: Iron
Efficacy: 0% (1% Prof = 3 Pro)
Wt: 25
Req: 100 str
Def: Physical
Dmg Abs: 0
Pro: 150 (-50)
Dur: 125/250
Undead Soldier’s Cuirass (Worn)
Rarity: Common
Material: Iron
Efficacy: 0% (1% Prof = 5 Pro)
Wt: 100
Req: 200 str
Def: Physical
Dmg Abs: 0
Pro: 300 (-100)
Dur: 575/1000
Once again Tyl was grateful for the Knight’s Heirloom, particularly its ridiculous boost to equipment burden. The mouse could feel the weight of the armour but also felt that the weight though uncomfortable was not unduly heavy, just awkward, and unfamiliar. Still, the mouse felt as if it was worth it. Dying would push him back from reaching level one, not to mention the pain and fear of death that was greater than any hurt that preceded it. Feeling refreshed by the new loot and the new level that washed away hunger and thirst as well as minor aches and pains, Tyl continued on down the path.
The canopy of the forest made night come early to Tyl as shadows stretched turning gray into black and muting the natural shades of green brush, grass, brown logs, lichen, and pale mushrooms. The mouse found shelter just before sunset in the form of a half broken tower. It rose twice as high as the tallest trees near the road, a dark but giant bolt against a darkening sky painted in burning rosette, purple, and burgundy. It was the last tower, in the remains of an ancient fort, mysteriously preserved considering the ramparts that once buttressed it, was merely a darker outline on its stone.
Tyl climbed its ancient stone steps which spiraled around a center column until it reached an untouched room at the top. The door to it was unlocked, but it was thick and ironbound, the floor was wooden and polished by slipper-ed feet but even better preserved than the bottom of the tower. There was bookcase full of leather back, iron, or steel braced books, with velum or parchment pages free of mold and centuries of wear. A large wooden desk and imposing chair, and a divan, matched by various knickknacks completed the furnishings. The mouse could see the sun fall below the level of the forest, which stretched further than his eyes could see, through slit like windows in the tower. Tyl braced a heavy chair against the only entrance to the room, and settled down to sleep for the night.
The mouse awoke in a could sweat. The space around him was pitch dark, save for bars of moonlight that lined the floor. There was an eerie silence, as he tried to still his breathing to concentrating on hearing. Something woke him up. His heart pounded in his ears. He slowly moved to the door and pressed his ear to it. Nothing. When he removed the chair and started down the spiraling stairs, the mouse began to sweat. Portions of the tower free to the elements, as if something had knocked great holes in its walls long ago. The dark sinuous shapes of vines grasped the edges of those holes as they climbed up the outside of the structure. It was still too tight to draw his sword, and Tyl practiced putting the weapon into his inventory and taking it out before night fell. The mouse griped a rusty longsword in his left hand keeping his dominant paw free. When Tyl got to the forest floor, he abruptly understood what had stolen his peace.
The monster strolled down the dirt path, a hundred paces away, coming towards the tower. It was twice Tyl’s height, by far taller than even the Skeleton Champion. Dressed in a full suite of black platemail dominated by sharp blades, it looked more imposing than any monster he had ever seen. It’s face was hidden by the visor that took on the likeliness of a flat-faced beast. Red eyes, like bloody coals lit the front of its armour. It carried a great bludgeon that was one third all metal with a huge, metal bound striking edge that resembled a ball mace, with four hooked metal beaks, attached by thick metal bars. Skeletons, full armoured and not, Undead flat faced monsters, bearing cuirass, or rogue clothing, ratty robes or leather plates surrounded it. They swung longswords or dual axes in eager hands; hoisted shields, daggers, bows, and a few of them walked with a staff or kept a wand ready for immediate use. Tyl was not able to pull up their stats with his mind’s eye until they cut the distance to him by half.
[Low] Presage of the Lesser Hunt of the Wilds
Skeleton Lord (Boss)
HP: 55,000 +25,000
Pro: 5000
Dmg Abt: 50% +25%
Skeleton Champion (Elite Enemies) x3
HP: 15,000
Pro: 3000
Dmg Abt: 25%
Skeleton Arbalest x2
HP 1750 (+773)
Pro: 200
Skeleton Rogue of the Hunt x4
HP 1393 (773)
Skeleton Soldier of the Hunt x10
HP 2030 (773)
Pro (Protection): 1000
Skeleton Huntsmen of the Wild x5
HP 2530 (773)
Pro (Protection): 800
Undead Archer x5
HP 700 (+773)
Undead Rogue of the Hunt x5
HP 633 (773)
Undead Soldier of the Hunt x15
HP 1030 (773)
Pro (Protection): 700
Undead Sorcerer x3
HP 500 (+773)
Elite Undead Sorcerer of the Hunt x1
HP 550 (773)
Tyl froze where he was. A ghoulish blue-gray fog rolled out from the center of the small company of monsters. The Skeleton champions, looked like upgraded versions of the monster in the catacombs, that slew the mouse almost too many times to count. Tyl knew that he was immortal, but it did not bring relief to him. He wanted flee. This was the same sort of challenge that would cause him to spend another millennium dying and reviving only to die again. Reliving that pain was not an option. Tyl did not know how his sanity returned after being submerged in that building agony and torment. However. Tyl thought. I know how to fight enemies like this! I did it for so long, learned from my mistakes and gained experience. To move a mountain, you just had to carry it in pieces, bit by bit, stone by stone, pebble by pebble.
Arrows rained upon him and Tyl had to duck behind the tower, in order to make it through the next few seconds, just in order to enact his plan. He felt shaft punch into his arm and shoulder, and a bolt strike his thigh hard enough to make him stumble. Projectiles from the same flight dented his chest plate and helm. That should have killed him.
[300 Pierce x2]
[1000 Pierce]
Tyl pulled arrows and bolt from his body and jogged into the cover of the trees around the tower.
[Wounded -10% Health]
[Wounded -10% Health]
[Wounded -10% Health]
[Health: 5659/10,370]
The mouse was surprised that his leg was still able to support him, as he slowly sped up, welcoming the dark embrace of the trees. Tyl circled around the flank of the company, from his last sight of his foes. Even with the glowing mists surrounding the monsters, the density of the thickets and trees forced him to draw nearer than he wished. Tyl focused on the monsters near the rear of the group, which were all undead. The archers and crossbow monsters, undead and skeletons tactfully positioned themselves near the stronger monsters, so taking them out easily was not an option. Tyl started with the rogues. He tried to pull one at a time but drew the ire of three at once, by swinging his greatsword into the body of the one he wanted, which made it fly into the second, and alerted the third, as he sprinted from the bushes on one side of the path to the other.
893 x 1.5 (surprise)
The surprise boost was almost enough to slay the monster instantly, unfortunately It did not, and Tyl had to spin and face the three agile monsters before they could run him down, with their daggers. The ridiculous reach of the long greatsword gave him an advantage that was more than overcome by their numbers and their agility. And worst their attacks against his blade slowly but steadily shaved off points of its durability. Tyl had to be patient and careful, the stamina consumption was in effect as he battled so he could not waste vigour on feints or exhausting ploys. However, they were faster than he was. So, the mouse retreated and circled them, doing his best to keep at least one of them in the path of the other. His moment came when, Tyl abruptly rushed the weakest undead, after its companions agilely leapt out to the mouse’s sides to surround him. The undead backpedaled and fell. Tyl dropped the edge of his greatsword between the monster’s legs and cut it in two as he passed.
Seeing his back, or perhaps goaded to action by the lost of one of their companions, both leapt well into the range of his greatsword. They were only able to sink the tip of their daggers into his back before he stutter-stepped and pivoted on the balls of his paws, swinging his long greatsword in that perfect arc. Both backstepped to dodge, instead of ducking or leaping, and were beheaded by the last fourth of the blade for their efforts.
[You Have Leveled Up!] x7
Tyl blinked slowly, surprised at the sum of the levels the monsters gave him. These undead were tougher, but they gave a lot more insight than the Low and Lowest of their peers. Fully replenished, the mouse returned to the company of skeletons and undead. The mouse was able to draw the rest of the undead scouts and all but one of the skeleton rogues, one by one, by using stones, instead of sprinting past them with a quick attack. The undead scouts were dealt with in just a minute or two, and Tyl still had full health even before he leveled up again.
[You Have Leveled Up!] x3
The bone rogues had nearly double the undead’s health, and they would supplement their faster and more agile attacks with endless barrages of throwing knives. The knives only did 30-50 damage, without critical bonuses, which were few with the mouse’s helm and breastplate, but they would follow it up with a vicious attack that dealt a large bit of damage. Tyl knew that facing two of those monsters would have been beyond him. However, after twenty minutes they too were down and granted him even more levels.
[You Have Leveled Up!] x15
[You Have Throwing Knives! Inventory: (20)]
The throwing knives were effective at depleting hp before Tyl was forced to engage the stronger and more durable monsters, like the Skeleton Rogue. Unfortunately, when he drew the monster’s attention, one of the undead sorcerers trailed after it. As he fought the skeleton, the undead lobbed dark bolts of energy at the mouse, forcing him to expend precious vigour to dodge the magic attacks. The skeleton fought in concert with the undead’s attacks, by timing feints and counters with the arrival of the magic abuse. Tyl was struck three times by the magic, which ignored the protection afforded by his armour and ate into his health and was often followed by the skeleton rogue’s most vicious attacks. After every one of those exchanges, which happened a few times before he was able to best the duo, his life force went into the red. Tyl was able to slay the skeleton rogue eventually, and after that, the undead fell in just a heartbeat or two.
[You Have Leveled Up!] x5
Tyl dealt with the two lesser sorcerers after that and then pulled the sword and shield undead and skeletons by the pawful. The mouse had to be patient and utilize his vigour efficiently but, they fell easier than the scouts and rogues had, though it took the mouse hours to slay them.
[You Have Leveled Up!] x75
The Skeleton Huntsmen and the Elite Sorcerer were by far the most troubling. One of the Huntsmen could reduce his health to single digits in barely a pawful of seconds with their furious barrage, and their health made them proof against four noncritical attacks. Each battle against them forced Tyl to fight use his greatsword as both shield and lancing attack. They were only vulnerable after the exhausting barrage, and a carefully aimed blow almost always gave a critical. His stats resent with the host of levels the Huntsmen gave with their death.
[You Have Leveled Up!] x25
The Elite Sorcerer was worse and easier to deal with. The first spell that it hit Tyl with, reduced the mouse’s health to 8. In panic the mouse retreated behind the cover of trees, and used Graceful Heal, before waiting until his health recovered fully. That happened three more times before he able to get to the undead. Once there, a single swing of the greatsword slew the monster.
[You Have Leveled Up!] x10
The undead archers and Skeleton Arbalests would not be drawn from their proximity to the Skeleton Lord nor its bodyguards, the Skeleton Champions. Tyl dealt with them by enticing the Skeleton Lord or champions to attack him, and putting the ranged monsters into the path of their ridiculously destructive weapons. With his new levels and the sheer power afforded by the Knight’s Heirloom he was able to avoid the swings of Skeleton Champions with an ease, that felt as if it was too good to be real. However, the Lord was a different monster altogether. Tyl was clipped by one of its lesser swings and it depleted his heath lower than the elite sorcerer’s strongest magic attack. After that Tyl fled. The mouse came back when the remaining monsters, which were only the Boss and its guards, returned to their patrol on the dirt path.
As for the Skeleton Champions, they were merely a stronger and hardier version of the monster Tyl faced in the mausoleum. The moveset was almost entirely identical and they had the ability to damage one another. A dagger to their bony faces usually made them immediately attack. And their dps was so great with their strong attack that they did more than ten times his dps with his one handed attack, resulting in over a thousand hp being lost with when they struck out amongst their companions. Tyl was able to get them all down to about half their life force before they wised up and charged for him. Despite knowing their moves and being able to anticipate the little variance that they could come up with, morning would fade to sunset by the time he was finished with one of them. And Tyl was only in danger of death, twice; once when he slipped and fell into the path of the bone champion’s greatsword. It was the second of the champions just a single blow from the end of that clash, and the monster’s attack tore a screaming rent into his armour and collapsed his left lung. He finished the champions with a dagger to its eye-hole and lay sprawled in a clearing bleeding to death until the levels it gave full healed him. The second time was when his old long greatsword broke against the helm of the last champion and he had to quickly summon the blade of one of the fallen champions.
[You Have Leveled Up!] x300
Now, after days of fighting and leveling up faster than he had ever leveled up; only the Skeleton Lord remained. A thought brought his full status to his eyes, the stats on his old greatsword and the stats on the new ones.
Health: 14,770
HP: 638 (4.3%)
Vigour: 7224 (72,240-144,480)
Level -332
Equip -149/501 (5305)-
Intellect 767
Wisdom 7,670 (76,700-153,400)
Constitution 767
Acuity 767
Sagacity 767
Intuition 767
Charisma 767
Perception 767
Strength 7,670 (76,700-153,400)
Speed 417
Velocity 767
Agility 417
Focus -333
Aptitude 767
Dexterity 167
Endurance 7,670 (76,700-153,400)
Stamina --333
Vigor 767
Hardiness --333
Resistance --333
Power 167
Vitality --333
Verve 767
Spirit --333
Quintessence 767
Skeleton Champion Long Greatsword (Broken)
Rarity: Common
Material: Iron
Proficiency: 52.25% (1% Prof = 5% Dmg)
Wt: 24
Req: 1500 str
Scaling: B
BDPS: 72.7
DPS: 1147-2007 (115-201)
Dur: 0/240
Skeleton Champion Black Greatsword ()
Rarity: Common
Material: Black Iron
Proficiency: 1% (1% Prof = 5% Dmg)
Wt: 24
Req: 1500 str
Scaling: D
BDPS: 72.7
DPS: 770-1349
Dur: 239/240
Special: Armour Piercing 5%
Skeleton Champion Black Greatsword (x2)
Rarity: Common
Material: Black Iron
Proficiency: 0% (1% Prof = 5% Dmg)
Wt: 24
Req: 1500 str
Scaling: D
BDPS: 72.7
DPS: 734-1285
Dur: 240/240
Special: Armour Piercing 5%
Tyl hefted the black greatsword and prepared himself to face the Skeleton Lord. The mouse knew that the Boss monster received an unfair buff on its hit points and damage absorption during the night, and so he waited until morning. Tyl received the arbalest and bows from the monsters slain and so he started with a bolt from the arbalest. The projectile his perfectly, sinking deeply into eyelet of its visor, puncturing the Boss’s eye.
1000 x 1.5 (surprise) x 3.3 (Crit) 4939 dmg
Tyl felt a grim satisfaction as he dropped the heavy crossbow into his inventory and hefted the black greatsword. The mouse blinked at the incredible speed in which the Skeleton approached. It’s fast! Tyl leapt back teeth clenched, heart pounding. I’m not going to make it! Tyl did not feel the blow. The deep dark of death swallowed him.
[DEATH DEBUFF: Status Affected(-14 Stats/+1 Stat)/Level -333]
Health: 14,670
HP: 637 (4.3%)
Vigour: 7124 (72,240-144,480)
Level -333
Equip -149/491 (5205)-
Intellect 667
Wisdom 6,670 (76,700-153,400)
Constitution 667
Acuity 667
Sagacity 667
Intuition 667
Charisma 667
Perception 667
Strength 6,670 (76,700-153,400)
Speed 317
Velocity 667
Agility 317
Focus -433
Aptitude 667
Dexterity 67
Endurance 6,670 (76,700-153,400)
Stamina --433
Vigor 667
Hardiness -433
Resistance -433
Power 67
Vitality -433
Verve 667
Spirit -433
Quintessence 667