We were going for an unknown amount of time when we saw a bone sticking out from the ground. We didn't think much of it, but it slowly started to move and unearth itself.

I showed Stella to move near it. We saw as a skeleton got more and more visible in the ground. It had a skull with blue flames burning inside.

Just as that got visible a quick stab of the sword to the skull took its flames away.

" Raven why are we you so scared. This guy didn't seem to amount to much."

Skeleton it seems possible to conquer this. But there'll be a lot of skeletons as they gather into groups.

" Why don't we go our normal pace and we can find the exit sooner." She said.

" No, a change of plans. We're going to the centre, but before that I'll need you to kill 2 skeletons and taking a hit in the process. Don't worry I'll just graze you with my dagger. "

" Why do I have to do that?"

" Part of my skill."

" Gotcha."

We went our way further into the centre. The ground switched from being rocky to a dark soil. With insects crawling all over it. If there were any lights, plants would quickly grow here.

But It's in our favour. Just like now a faint blue fire got visible in the fog. It was swaying and getting closer.

" Skeleton is headed our way. I'll try to hit it in the leg to incapacitate it."

" And I just have to rush at it. And you'll stab me in the back."

I gave her a deadpan look. " Yeah, except I'll just graze you. But if you want to you can take a hit from the skeleton. You know no one's stopping you."

" Okay just promise me it won't leave scars."

" Don't worry it'll be just a skin wound."

We waited in silence for the skeleton appear. The moment I saw the faint outline I shot. But I missed and it went right past its bone.

It continued to walk closer. But Stella seemingly had enough of its slow pace and rushed at it.

I pulled my bowstring a second time, but had no chance to release my arrow. Because Stella shield bashed it and the skeleton went down on the ground.

I went to her and sliced her shoulder until I saw her HP go down by one. She went ahead and finished him off.

[ Warriors Body ]

- kill 5 enemies while sustaining damage in the process (4/5)

- be wounded in battle ✓

It's one of the most common passive skills one can get as a Warrior. But it's also a cornerstone for every tank build and self-respecting Warrior who wants to survive.

" Let's get moving. The skeletons are guided by the force of the living."

" Doesn't that mean that we'll be hunted down by them?"

" That's what I meant that they like to gather into groups. But those are only the lone ones. There are some skeleton groups that have Tier 1 leader."

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" Isn't that something to worry about?"

" Nah, it's a sense like any other and so it has a limit. It should be about 500 meters."

" That means it's possible a lot of them are on our tail right now."

" That's pretty much certain, but don't worry we move faster than them."

" It is a reason to worry. What if we have a prolonged fight and they take us by surprise."

" Well, it's no longer by surprise because we are expecting them. Look there is no need to worry. I honestly thought that you'll be overconfident from your killing of spiders and I'll be able to call you the Mighty Spider Slayer."

" The overconfident one is you. You'll just get us killed by your nonchalance."

We continued bickering on our way. After a while a house got visible in the fog.

It was a mansion with it's front ruined by the years of no one taking care of it. The moment we walked in we could see the shabby state it was left in. Furniture was all over the place and a rotten smell was all around coming from the wooden floor.

It was crumbling with each step we took. We went from room to room but nothing much changed. Until we came to one end of a hallway where we heard sounds coming from around the corner.

We saw a skeleton group moving our way from the end of the room. There were 5 skeletons in it with one of them having a spear and remnants of armour.

We retreated to the back of the hallway.

" You slow them down while I shoot them from behind. "

" Ok." She said and moved to the front.

" Be wary of the one with the spear it's probably a Tier 1."

She looked at me to say something, but before she had a chance I shot my arrow. Nailing the first enemy thought the skull.

* Ding killed skeleton lvl.3

+30 EXP

Stella started to block and attack with every opportunity she got. It was no easy task keeping 4 skeletons at bay.

She was being pushed back, but I shot an arrow which got ricocheted by the skeletons head. While the skeleton was recovering from the impact, she took her chance and smashed its head.

But the skeleton spearman stabbed right at her. She dodged to the side. But the spear still took some of her blood in its trail.

I fully pulled my bowstring, its ability activated. And shot an arrow before it could follow up its attack. It evaded my shot treating me like I wasn't even there.

It stabbed once more, but this time Stella blocked it with her shield and slashed at the spear.

The skeleton retracted its spear and got into a stance. They were in a stalemate as the skeleton approached and Stella backed away step by step from the approaching group.

With my bow fully drawn I waited for a change to take place and it did. The skeleton took a longer step forward thrusting the spear forward.

Stella tried to block it like before, but the moment the shield came into contact, it crumbled to pieces.

Fragments of wood exploded into the air, but they were mixed with some bone fragments too.

In the moment it was attacking I took my shot forcing it to choose.

*Ding killed Skeleton Spearman tier.1 lvl.11

+110EXP

+1 skill point

It after all is only a monster with a sole purpose of seeking life to devour and destroy it. No hard feelings as it's just its job, like it’s now mine.

The other three skeletons I left for Stella to vent her frustrations on. And vent she did. I shot them in their legs making them stumble on one leg.

Stella thrashed them around like a wild animal. The last ones head she even used as a soccer ball which she kicked onto the wall.

" You alright?"

" What do you think?"

I went ahead and bandaged her bleeding arm. The skeleton did a number on her through the shield.

Name: Stella

Class: Warrior

LVL: 3/10 EXP:20/800

HP:96/156 MP:90/90

AGI:9 DEX:11

END:13 INT:9

STR:11 WIS:9

Skill points:0

Attribute points:0

Skills: Flower2/5: 10%+ to CHAR

[ Warriors body 1/5]

- Converts END to HP ratio 1:2 ( added 26 HP)

Nothing more nothing less yet it still remains a most used skill because of its scaling. It might not make such a difference now, with one good blow taking you out. But with it full levelled and two times as much dumped into END. And you got yourself a tank.

I came to Stella that was fiddling with the spear.

" Can you let me take a look?"

" Yeah, sure."

[ Spear of longevity ]

Damage: 20 HP

Quality: uncommon

Durability: 24/30

-trait: Sturdy- Durability gets worn down 5 times slower.

" Do you want it? It'll be good to keep enemies at bay."

" Yeah, sure why not. I can keep them away and not get any blood on myself." Yeah, that's one way to take it.

We went through the rest of the mansion, we didn't see much more skeletons. But when we came to the backdoor we saw a lot more houses near.

And at the front was another group with a tier 1 skeleton at the front.

" I'm on it."

" Make sure to kite them around."

" What do you mean?"

" Just run around them while attacking."

We went into our next battle.