He tried [Analyzing] the ghoul corpses to see if it had any information on how to harvest and use their venom but all it returned was.

[Lesser Ghoul Corpse]

He then looked around for anything else he could use but the only other thing he could [Analyze] was.

[Unknown Lesser Skeleton Bones]

He noted it in his mind before continuing to plan. He only had 2 minutes left to go over everything so he plotted and cemented each action he would take in his mind. Then, as the timer reaches it's last 10 seconds, he assigned his Attribute Points, 2 in Strength for the damage and 3 in Vitality for the HP he desperately needed, and looked over his Status.

[

Name: Liam Karr

Race: Human (Earth)

Path: None

Class: None

Titles: None

Level: 4

HP: 79/150

Stamina: 64/130

Strength: 24

Dexterity: 14

Vitality: 15

Endurance: 13

Intelligence: 15

Willpower: 17

Free Attributes: 0

Traits:

None

Skills:

Appraisal I

Spirit Lore I

Undead Lore I

Hafted I

Powers:

None

]

The timer hit 0 and he rolled to the side as the spirit lunged for him. It's scythes passed through where he was a moment ago as he came up next to the red skeleton's remains, swapped his axe to his free hand and scooped up its sword.

"Your resistance is futile. Give up."

It said and he [Analysed] the spirit as it gathered itself and assessed him in turn.

[Spirit of ???, Level 4]

[91/250]

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It was healthier than he thought and he became glad that he had accepted it's gift and been tricked into this challenge. Who knows if he could've handled it without it paying the extra HP cost? As it stood he was reasonably confident, but a few 10s more HP and he would've been doomed to fail.

"Prepare to meet your end. When I am victorious your body will be my vessel to remain in this world."

It charged at him again and brought both of its weapons down. Liam's sword rose to meet it, a clumsy block since he had never used one before and was still adjusting to his increase in Strength, but it was enough. This was where the weakness of weapons being part of the spirit's body came in. It was blocked by the fire that blossomed along the sword's edge so Liam was fine, but it still took the damage from being burned.

[84/250]

It would be a long fight if he just relied on blocking, and he didn't have the Stamina to keep it up. He would tire long before he struck it down if he didn't change his tactic, but luckily for him he hadn't been planning to rely on that but instead had a different plan.

"Your feeble attempts will only make your end worse. Do you truly wish to spend your last moments struggling and in pain?"

It said and struck again, swinging both arms from opposite directions to prevent the previous block from happening again. This, however, left it wide open and Liam drove forwards, dropping his axe to wield the sword with two hands and plunging it deep into the spirit, piercing in where a stomach would be on a human and cutting up into its chest. Fire was continuously generated inside it and it screeched in a mimicry of a pained cry. Liam joined it in its screaming less than a second later as 2 long gashes were opened along his back. Still, he held on as the thing thrashed and bucked, trying to back off itself or drive him off. It floated backwards and he advanced in step with it to keep his weapon buried within it. His HP plummeted as its attacks got more and more desperate, but its fell far faster than his. He hit [30/150] as it reached [23/250] and something changed. It thinned and lost some of its opacity, its HP dropping by another 10 in the process, and a scythe extended out of its chest to pierce through him.

Liam released his grip on the sword and fell back out of surprise and self preservation. The sword, now ownerless, was easily removed from within itself and snapped it into two pieces which it threw a distance to either side of them. It then advanced upon him, driving him backwards with each swing of its limbs. Thin wounds opened up across his torso where he failed to dodge completely and, stumbling, he tripped over one of the ghoul's bodies to land on the solid stone floor.

"This ends now."

The spirit saw it's chance and dived down at him, bringing all three scythe blades to bear against him. It descended upon him at blistering speed, only to be stopped by an axe head being embedded in its chest. Fire blossomed and the rest of its HP dwindled rapidly, reaching [1/250] as it's momentum drove the edge further into it. If it had features, Liam was sure it would've look bewildered as it spoke into his head.

"How?"

Liam looked left towards where he had grabbed his axe and the much reduced number of [Unknown Lesser Skeleton Bones] that lay where it had been before looking back at the spirit.

"Preparation."

He said as he smiled at it.

It didn't even get a chance to respond as it started condensing, getting smaller and smaller until it became a small skull charm that fell onto Liam out of the air. He didn't move to catch it, or to grab it once it hit him and lay on his chest, as he just lay there catching his breath. The notifications that popped up when he won could wait.

All that had happened so fast, and not just the meeting with the spirit going south. The last few hours had been strange beyond imagining. He took a few minutes just to rest his mind before he inspected the charm and started opening his notifications.

[Spirit of Death Charm

Tier 2 Bound Accessory (Liam Karr)

Spirit Lore I: This item contains a Spirit of Death defeated in a challenge of Spirit Binding. It may either be worn to provide it's effects or absorbed by someone on the [Path of the Spirits] to bind the Spirit and gain it's Power.

Undead Lore I: This item may be used to raise a powerful undead with spirit bound to its soul. However, doing so would draw the ire of the natural world and the hostility of any spirits you encounter.

Tier I: You deal an additional 10% damage as Magic Damage

Tier 2: Requires Spirit Lore II to view]

It seemed quite powerful just using it but it seemed like absorbing it would grant much more power than just carrying it around, and the challenge did say that he would have the chance to walk the [Path of Spirits]. That, and the fact that absorbing it would stop Ander Phyris or any other necromancer from covering it and targeting him to acquire it. Regards could become burdens if he was not strong enough to keep hold of them and absorbing it seemed like it would give him a Power that couldn't be stolen.

[You have won the Challenge of Spirit Binding and Bound the [Spirit of Death] to you. As you are not on the [Path of the Spirits] the [Spirit of Death] has instead been transformed into the [Spirit of Death Charm] Bound Item.]

[You may now embark on the [Path of the Spirits] by absorbing the [Spirit of Death Charm] and binding the Spirit within.Would you like to?]

[Yes/No]

[Warning: Rejecting this Path will close it to you but accepting will close all other Paths bar this one.]

He focused on the words [Path of Spirits] but got nothing until he [Analysed] them, something he was surprised he could do even as he tried it.

[Path of the Spirits

+1 Maximum Lifeforce per Level

Those who walk this Path spend Lifeforce, the spiritual energy of Nature that they draw in each day at sunrise, to utilise the Powers of their bound Spirits. They have a foot in both the Physical and Spiritual worlds, able to see and traverse both.]

It was a short description to base a lifelong commitment on but he realised he didn't really have a choice. If a [Path] gave Powers then going up against the lich in charge of the catacombs without one would be a fools errand and likely suicide. Sure, he could reject this [Path] and seek out the information on all the rest, spend ages researching them and only upon finding the perfect one for him accept it but he didn't have that luxury. Besides, from the Spirit's showing against the undead, and later against him, he reckoned that it would be in his top choices for a [Path] anyway. So, in an action most unlike him he didn't allow himself to give it too much thought and risk changing his mind, since his survival was too important to risk on the nebulous chance at a better [Path] when he didn't even really know what one was.

He accepted.