Chapter 38- Skeletons In The Closet

Morpheus couldn’t sleep that night, he was restless and woke up multiple times. Draghaul wanted to take Fuzz from him but Morpheus would die before he let that happen. He had become so attached to the shadow over the few days they spent together.

The young chimera knew he had to train for the event, he couldn’t let Celene down.

Morpheus and Fuzz hunted for the next three days continuously. They had the strategy to kill a bulgur down to a tee, with Fuzz tearing off their legs and Blood Axe striking into their swollen head.

He didn’t speak to Celene the entire three days, he assumed she knew something went down.

On the third day he felt more comfortable with his skills, their levels had been going up nicely.

You have levelled up Flow of the Valkyrie Level (19)

You have levelled up Flow of the Valkyrie Level (20) (Evolve possible)

You have levelled up Spartan’s Essence Level (19)

You have levelled up Spartans Essence Level (20) (Evolve possible)

You have levelled up Arcane Step Level (19)

Blood Axe 52/10000

‘Congratulations’ you have levelled up Level (84) (1 stat point available)

‘Congratulations’ you have levelled up Level (85) (2 stat points available)

‘Congratulations’ you have levelled up Level (86) (3 stat points available)

‘Congratulations’ you have levelled up Level (87) (4 stat points available)

…

‘Congratulations’ you have levelled up Level (94) (11 stat points available)

Morpheus sat down on a tall rock in the centre of the bulgur swamp and he glanced at Fuzz next to him.

(Shadow, Level 90)

He smiled as he stroked Fuzz, shadows licking around Morpheus’s hand.

Morpheus put all his points into agility, his joints suddenly became lighter and more flexible. He swung his axe around his head a few times, the rotation becoming easier on his shoulder joint. He felt that his agility was now more than enough for him.

He sat down again and Fuzz jumped on his lap.

Morpheus then suggested yes on evolving Spartans Essence.

Skill evolution in progress, achievements and stats have been analysed.

Skill remained active.

Spartan’s Ethos: Imbue yourself with the Ethos of Sparta. This buff gives you 35% increased resistance to physical and magical attacks. Mana cost decreases with level increase.

Morpheus activated the buff, he was lined with a bright and more defined red. It was the ethos of Sparta.

He suggested yes for Flow of the Valkyrie.

Skill evolution in progress, achievements and stats have been analysed.

Skill remained passive.

Dance of Battle: You fought with the flow of a Valkyrie, now you perform the dance of battle in their honour. Increased flow with your weapon and body, your moves become a dance of battle. Increased flow of movement with level increase.

‘Woah, thank you Skeggöld.’ He thought and placed a hand over his Valhalla tattoo.

Morpheus stood up and swung his axe around again, it was a strange feeling but there was a strange force pushing the axe forward almost like it was following a path. He was extremely happy with his new skills.

Morpheus brought out his communication crystal and sent a message to Rose, but there was a message from Brevair.

‘Morpheus, I have been instructed to head to Northcross. It seems like a nice retirement hasn’t befitted me yet. Cavet has told me that the Ditorians have a hideout in the North and I am to find it. Bellona is with me and with you Morpheus.’

He smiled, but realised it was his fault Brevair is going to Northcross

‘Good luck Brevair, I hope you find those bastards.

He sent a message to Rose also.

‘Wanna kill some stuff?’

A few minutes later he received a message back.

‘I’ll meet you at the guild in ten minutes.’

Fuzz dived in his cloak and he sprouted his wings, ten minutes would be a close shave and he knew Rose would be annoyed.

He flew back to the city gates and headed towards the guild. Morpheus felt something was off as he hurried through the streets, like someone had their eyes gazed upon him.

He didn’t look, if he was being followed it was probably because he was a candidate. The other houses were curious about House Baylor’s level one hundred fighter.

Morpheus arrived at the courtyard and saw Rose drinking an ale in one of the benches. The last thing he wanted to do was tell her that Draghaul had hurt Fuzz.

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“Hey elf-boy, I found a job.” Rose said.

“Do I get a say in this?”

“No, you asked me.”

He rolled his eyes. “What is it?” He said, to which she handed him a piece of paper.

‘Dungeon Suppression- Catacombs of House Ragroth, Cull undead and other monsters around the area. Pay-1 Silver. Risk-Medium/High. Red or above. Recommended level 100.’

“This is a high risk dungeon.” He said.

“So.”

“We could die.”

“Yeah but it sounds cool, House Ragroth were murdered in that house. No one knows how they died.”

“Sure, and does undead mean zombies?”

“Pretty much, souls forced to stay in their body, which is preserved through their own mana.”

“Nice.” Morpheus stated, zombies movies always creeped him out.

“How long will it take to get there?” He asked.

“Half an hour if we fly north following the coast.” She answered.

“Lets go zombie hunting!”

Rose handed the paper into the clerk in the main building and the duo were off. It was just past noon and the sun was shining down on the Southcross.

They headed out the north gate and made their way down by the port. Morpheus sprouted his wings and scooped Rose up in his arms, fuzz shouted out of his cloak in bird form and joined them in their flight.

They flew for ten minutes and finally the House Ragroth was in view. The house stood on top of a cliff face, he could barely see it since the trees around it were so high. The roof had black slate tiles with thin circular towers ending with a sharp point. It had a dark gothic style, painted in grey and black, windows shattered and the wood rotting.

“In the dungeon booklet it said that the dungeon was called House Ragroth not Catacombs of House Ragroth.”

“Two different dungeons, catacombs have undead , the house has spirits.”

“What’s worse?” Morpheus asked.

“Spirits, they can only be killed truly by spirit or mind magic.”

“So what happened to this house then?" He asked.

“Some say they were evil, far past the Empire. They used to torture, rape and kill their guests, but no one actually knows how they all died.”

“Sounds like karma.” Morpheus said.

“Probably.”

They landed in the forest a few hundred feet away from the house. The forest was overgrown, with a mixture of dark green from the trees and bushes. The forest was silent, there was no sounds of chirping or the occasional twig snapping.

“Fuck this place is creepy.” Morpheus said.

“Yeah, but at least it’s not a Ditorian hideout.” She chuckled nervously.

Morpheus shrugged his shoulders, at least she was honest.

They crept for a few minutes until they heard a groan coming from behind a tree.

Morpheus drew Blood Axe of the War Orc and applied Spartan’s Ethos. Rose followed just behind him as they carefully walked around the corner.

A hunched person with moody white skin was chewing into an insect.

(Undead, Level 85)

The undead heard them and stretched his neck around, it’s lifeless eyes staring at both of them. Morpheus swung his axe and decapitated it swiftly.

“Fucking rank.” Morpheus said.

“Poor soul, at least we released him.” Rose said, bending down and studying the corpse. She took out a knife and cut one of its right ear off.

“Is that for proof?” He asked, and Rose nodded.

Fuzz shot out of his corpse and engulfed it in shadows, and a walking corpse appeared.

Morpheus sneered, he preferred the mutated bulgur.

“Bulgur.”

The mutated bulgur appeared in front of him.

“How good is the bulgur for fighting large groups.”

“No idea, Fuzz’s tentacles should be able take two heads off at a time though. So I imagine pretty good."

“Good, the clerk said that a large amount of them were piling out of the catacombs entrance. So we’ll have to clear the surrounding area first.” Rose said.

“Split up?” He asked.

“Yeah I’m taking Fuzz though.” She said with a wink.

“Ok, he knows the mountain lion command as well. Might come in handy.”

Rose nodded. “Come on Fuzz, I’ll send you a message when I can’t find no more.”

"Sure."

Morpheus watched as Rose walked off with Fuzz and his dangly long legs stalking behind her, he truly was a monster of a familiar.

The young chimera sprouted his wings and flew off around the right side of the gothic house. He saw a group of three of them huddling around a tree, their backs hunched and their arms dangling by their hips.

(Undead, Level 85)

(Undead, Level 95)

(Undead, Level 86)

Morpheus retracted his wings and dropped down, he spun while falling and sliced two of them in half. Blood Axe of the War Orc was so sharp, and it didn’t cost him any mana. The other undead looked up at him confused, wondering where his two friends had gone. Morpheus swung down and lifted the corpse up in the air by cutting its legs and then slammed his axe down on its stomach.

Black blood sprayed every, but Morpheus quickly blocked the splatter with his cloak. He brought out Dagger of Black and took off each of their ears.

Morpheus carried on for about twenty minutes slaughtering the undead until his green crystal glowed and vibrated, he checked his notifications before he looked.

Amazing! You have slain (Undead, Level 113) For killing an enemy 10 levels above your own additional experience has been added.

Amazing! You have slain (Undead, Level 102)

Amazing! You have slain (Undead, Level 98)

‘Congratulations’ you have levelled up Level (95) (1 stat point available)

‘I’m at the entrance, back of the house. Found something strange.’

Morpheus grew his wings and flew to the back of the house, as he flew down he saw Fuzz’s tentacle holding on to an undead. But this undead looked slightly more alive and had green glowing eyes.

(Hargon The ʿIfrīt’s Undead, Level 123)

“Who’s Ifrit?” Morpheus asked.

“It’s pronounced ʿifrīt and it’s a type of jinn. The evil wish kind.” Rose said.

Fuzz’s tentacle held the undead on the ground and they both looked intently at it. It’s reflexes and muscles looked more sharp and it’s eyes were constantly twitching and looking around.

“So someone made a wish for these things?” Morpheus asked.

“No, a ʿIfrīt usually finds someone who’s mentally deranged or wants revenge. They then make a deal, rather than a wish. Aʿifrīt gets pleasure from it.”

“Damn that’s some really evil shit huh.” Morpheus said.

Morpheus looked to his left, it was the entrance into the catacombs. A large arched doorway, with only one door attached, the stone around it falling to pieces.

“Should we go In?” Morpheus asked.

“Yeah, the normal undead are being pushed out by the Jinn’s undead. We need to try and stop it.”

“How?” Morpheus asked.

“Find the Jinn and stop it.”

“Surely a Jinn would be powerful?” He questioned.

“Yes, but they are scared easily by people." She replied.

“That’s comforting, so just confront it and it should fuck off?" He asked.

“Pretty much.” Rose said as she planted a rock fist into the undead’s head, causing its skull to explode.

“What is that smell? The others didn’t smell like that.” Morpheus asked.

“Death Miasma, the normal ones were created with more natural ways. Whereas Death Miasma is the conversion from mana in the atmosphere to increase more powerful undeads, like these.”

They both got up and Rose cladded herself fully in her rock armour. Morpheus applied his newly evolved skill, and Fuzz just gurgled since he was with his friends.