“Bony bitch!" Talax spat as the skeleton crumbled to the ground.
Gritting his teeth against the searing pain, he summoned every ounce of strength to yank out the dagger impaled in his lower stomach. With a trembling hand, he tossed the blood-stained weapon to the ground. He reached for the health potion he had found in the previous room, his fingers fumbling desperately until he finally got a grip and gulped down the miraculous liquid, feeling its revitalizing warmth course through his veins.
"The difficulty of our encounters is escalating with every chamber," Franny remarked as he wiped a bead of sweat tracing a path down his furrowed brow with his handkerchief.
That was the third chamber they had cleared. While their first encounter with the skeletons involved opponents that were nothing more than animated skeletons, only a couple of them having a weapon that could pose a threat. From then on, the skeletons were equipped with swords, daggers, and bows. In the last chamber, there were even skeletons wearing armor, making their job even harder.
Qalo was already searching the urns, trying to find loot, while Talax walked to a fallen archer and pocketed his arrows. One positive aspect of battling archers, despite them being the most dangerous opponents for his melee companions, was that after they killed them, Talax was able to loot their arrows, replenishing his stock.
Qalo was accumulating a small mountain of copper coins with a gleeful expression, while Franny stood by, indifferent to what he felt was a meager compensation for their troubles. Talax, on the other hand, was inspecting the armor pieces he had looted from the skeletons, wondering if he should use them.
The spoils, however, were a mixed bag. The looted armor was a far cry from his dreams of grandeur. There were a couple of bracers, their leather faded and pockmarked by age, definitely a downgrade from his own bracers that he had looted from the bandits. A set of metal pauldrons was his next acquisition, rusty and dented. That was a no as well. He offered them to Qalo, but when the orc saw them, he shook his head, claiming they were too small for him.
There was one item that had him hesitating. A particularly strong skeleton, which took Qalo an uncomfortably long time to defeat, was equipped with a chest piece. It still looked like it belonged in a pile of trash, with scratched-up leather and missing metal links, but the previous battles made it clear that he needed protection and shouldn't be picky about it.
"Franny, can you come here?" he called, wanting his opinion. The man was an endless well of information and could answer any question, from what food possesses the most nutrients to what kind of handkerchief matches your outfit.
"What do you think? Should I wear it?" he asked the noble. Franny knelt down and inspected the piece of armor with a serious expression.
"This is a chain shirt; it is categorized under medium armor. In my opinion, it isn't suitable for your fighting style. Medium armor, even though it affords greater defense," Franny scoffed with a distasteful expression as he looked at the banged-up armor. "Although this piece is barely better than not wearing anything, it hinders one's movements. And since you use a variety of spells, you will find yourself unable to cast successfully. Moreover, all those links will cause a ruckus, making your stealth skill obsolete."
Talax's shoulders slumped in dejection; he knew he needed better armor to face the ever-increasing dangers they encountered. He sighed and nodded, acknowledging Franny's wisdom. "I hope I will soon find a suitable piece," he murmured, his resolve unwavering despite the setback.
Qalo approached with a glint in his eye and handed Talax his share of the loot. "So, you won't take it, right?" he asked with a playful grin, eyeing the discarded armor. Talax shook his head, and before he knew it, Qalo had snatched the armor and deftly bound it to his back with a piece of rope, adding it to the collection of other discarded equipment.
"What are you doing?" Franny inquired aghast when he saw Qalo loaded like a donkey.
"What? It's money! Some merchants will buy these things for a few silvers," Qalo replied matter-of-factly. Franny shook his head exasperated.
Meanwhile, Talax was already eyeing the next chamber. From the scant illumination, he managed to deduce that the next chamber was different from the previous ones.
The room was twice the size, with two dozen sarcophagi lining the walls. What was interesting, though, was that the room was cut in half by a platform where an intricate coffin was placed upon a pedestal.
He immediately knew that was where the boss was. They had finally reached the final chamber.
"Guys? I think the key is in the next room," Talax announced. Qalo and Franny positioned themselves on either side of him and looked at the silent room.
"What makes you believe that?" Franny inquired. Talax pointed at the far end of the room where the intricate coffin lay.
"You mean other than the obvious boss hiding inside the fancy coffin? Obviously, when we kill it, we will get the key," Talax explained with a wry grin. Franny looked at him, unsure for a moment, and then simply shrugged.
"You are the expert," he said, trusting his friend’s words. Talax smiled upon seeing that and said, "We should thin out the herd as soon as we step inside. My best guess is that it will take a moment for the boss to appear. You two should attack immediately while I cast Fog of Mystica to confuse the skeletons, and then I will provide support with my bow."
His two companions nodded in agreement, and after a brief pause, they marched into the eerily silent room. As soon as they entered, the sound of murmuring that accompanied them every time they entered a room assaulted their ears.
Bony fingers emerged from the closed coffins, and with a dragging noise, the lids gave way to the emerging skeletons. Qalo yelled and attacked the first skeleton to come across. With a mighty blow from his new hammer, the head exploded into tiny chips of bone.
Franny similarly attacked a skeleton before it could come out of its coffin, and with a precise strike, severed the head from the rest of the body. He quickly jumped to the next, dispatching two enemies in a few seconds.
Talax hung back, right at the entrance of the chamber, casting his five-second spell. Heavy fog blanketed the room, three meters wide, ensnaring six skeletons in its disorienting clutches. Talax noticed that most of the skeletons wore some kind of armor. Some wore chest pieces, some helmets, while others wore mismatched boots or gloves full of holes.
Grasping his bow, Talax took aim at a skeleton skirting around the boundaries of his spell. He didn't know if these creatures possessed any intelligence, but occasionally, he caught a skeleton acting like it had actual thoughts.
After a brief pause, he let his fingers slip from the bowstring, and the arrow flew with a silent whoosh. He followed the arrow's trajectory and watched it hit the skeleton's torso. The damage was negligible; arrows weren't very effective against beings without flesh or organs.
Talax seethed and quickly fished out another arrow from his quiver. The skeleton had lost a step from the impact, but when it regained its senses, it raised its sword threateningly and started running toward Talax with an uneven gait.
This time, Talax activated his ability Explosive Arrow. He felt the power surge into the arrow as he readied his shot. With a confident release, the arrow hit the same spot as before, but this time it was followed by a small explosion of mana, blowing up the skeleton and sending its bones clattering to the floor.
Talax saw his companions fighting side by side, exchanging blows with two skeletons each. They still looked confident, but as soon as that thought crossed his mind, his spell elapsed with the fog dissipating into wisps of nothing and the trapped skeletons surged towards Qalo and Franny.
He couldn’t use the same spell for the next ten minutes, since it was in a cooldown and he didn’t have another spell that had an area of effect. He could use Bubble of confusion, but it was a single target spell and wouldn’t be of much use against the horde of skeletons.
Frustrated and alarmed, Talax continued to shoot arrows at the incoming monsters, trying to make the most of his bow's ability, Aim, in hopes of landing critical headshots for instant kills. However, the ability was draining his mana at an alarming rate, making it unsustainable for prolonged use.
Despite the challenges, Talax observed that the skeletons were slow and uncoordinated, which made them easier to dodge. Franny displayed brutal efficiency, deftly wading through sword strikes and retaliating with lethal precision. Qalo, on the other hand, deflected the oncoming attacks with his massive strength and countered with overwhelming force, shattering the skeletons with each strike.
Talax couldn’t stay at the sidelines any longer, since his contribution to the fight was minimal while using his bow. The skeletons were all but immune to his arrow and the constant use of aim had left less than 40% of his mana. He could feel he was on the verge of leveling up, but due to his low contribution to the fight he barely got any experience mana.
Talax made a decision. With one last arrow, he activated his ability Explosive Arrow, taking advantage of the cooldown that had passed. The arrow found its mark, and the explosion sent a skeleton wielding a chipped axe into pieces. He felt the mana from the kill entering his core, bringing him closer to a level up.
With a satisfied nod, Talax put his bow away and joined his friends in the midst of the chaotic battle. He unsheathed his short sword and moved with determination, ready to face the encroaching skeletons head-on.
The skeletons, deprived of their easy targets, shifted their attention towards Talax. Despite their bony limbs swinging in his direction, their movements were sluggish and uncoordinated, allowing him to anticipate their attacks and parry with his blade. With each strike, he carefully observed their patterns, searching for exploitable weaknesses.
Franny and Qalo fought beside him, their weapons slashing and striking with precision. Talax admired their skill and determination, but an inexplicable sense of urgency weighed upon him, intensifying the pressure. Taking a deep breath, he recentered his focus on the enemies, swiftly maneuvering between the skeletons, striking with well-timed slashes and thrusts.
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While he lacked Qalo's brute force and Franny's impressive equipment, Talax compensated for his shortcomings with accuracy and agility. He executed swift and precise movements, targeting the joints and weak points of the skeletons to incapacitate them.
The clash of steel resounded through the air as Talax engaged in a deadly dance with the undead. His sword whirled through the air, meeting the bones of his adversaries with impactful clashes. By deftly deflecting their attacks, he created openings for his companions to exploit.
As the battle raged on, Talax found himself facing off against a particularly formidable skeleton wielding a massive two-handed sword. Determination ignited inside him. He wanted to prove first to himself and then to his friends that he could face a strong opponent using just his sword.
As he watched the looming skeleton, a flicker of doubt made him hesitate for a moment. But he was rudely awakened when the dead creature attacked. Talax evaded the attack by hopping to the side and decided to test one of his new abilities, Clarity of the wrath. He felt mana burst inside his body, clouding his senses but providing him with renewed strength.
With his new ability, he skillfully sidestepped the bone-crushing blows, and retaliated with calculated strikes aimed at the skeleton's vulnerable points. With a final flourish, he delivered a decisive blow, cleaving the skeleton in two. A feat that without the additional 40% in damage, thanks to the Clarity of the wrath, wouldn't be possible.
A surge of adrenaline coursed through Talax's veins as the last remnants of the horde fell before his companions and his ability ran its course. Breathing heavily, he turned to Franny and Qalo, exchanging a knowing glance. Together, they stood amidst the scattered bones, their chests heaving with exertion, yet their expressions filled with triumph.
Before they could revel in their recent victory, a resounding boom shook the entire chamber. A sphere of darkness erupted from the central sarcophagus, sending rock fragments hurtling across the room. The trio swiftly bowed down, seeking shelter for their heads as the wisps of darkness dissipated, revealing a new opponent.
This particular skeleton differed significantly from the ones they had encountered before. Its yellowed bones still clung to remnants of rotting flesh, seemingly ready to slough off with a sickening squelch. Adorned with surprisingly well-preserved flowing robes, etched with arcane symbols, it tightly clutched a wooden staff with a small black crystal on top.
As the creature spotted them, it opened its jaw and emitted a hair-raising, clicking noise, seemingly attempting to communicate. "I suppose that's the boss you were talking about," Qalo remarked. Talax nodded, his gaze fixed on their newest enemy.
"It's a magic user," Franny stated, causing Talax to roll his eyes at the obvious observation.
"How do you want to handle this?" he inquired. Franny seemed momentarily puzzled by the question before responding, "Same as always? We attack like a couple of barbarians while you cast a spell to confuse it?" Talax shrugged and replied, "Good enough for me." Qalo nodded in agreement. They tightened their grips on their weapons, ready to engage in battle once more.
The magic-wielding skeleton flourished its staff, causing its tattered black robes to billow around its decaying form. As it clacked its jaws and emitted an eerie sound, it seemed to taunt the trio, as if unbothered by their presence.
Talax focused intently, mentally preparing the spell he planned to unleash. He knew that confusion would be their best weapon against this arcane adversary. As he began to chant incantations under his breath, his companions strategically positioned themselves, circling the sinister skeleton.
Without warning, the trio charged forward, their weapons poised for attack. Franny's sword swung in a wide arc, seeking to break through the skeletal creature's defenses. Qalo wielded his hammer with immense strength, intent on delivering a single, devastating blow to the abomination.
However, the creature swiftly swung its staff, releasing a wave of pure blackness that washed over the chamber. Talax lost his concentration, and his spell fizzled out into nothingness. He blinked and with alarm he realized he couldn’t see. He heard a sizzling sound followed by a cry of pain.
“Qalo? Franny?” He called out in panic, trying to find his bearings but stumbling in disorientation.
“I cannot see,” Ferdinand replied with alarm, while Qalo groaned from somewhere nearby.
“What is it doing?” Talax wondered aloud. “Why isn't it attacking?” His question was met with unsettling rattling sounds echoing all around him.
All around him the rattling bones echoed around the room. Talax whipped his head trying to find the source of the disturbance, but the spell that had hit him was still in effect. The skeleton mage didn’t attack again, but seemed preoccupied with what he was doing with the bones of its fallen comrades.
Suddenly the rattling stopped and Talax waited with bated breath. Silence fell on the chamber, the only noise was the trio’s heavy breathing. Then, he heard footsteps rushing from all over the room. Despair began to drown him; he was sure that at any moment he would be skewered by the newly risen skeletons while he stood there helpless and blind.
He clutched his sword tightly, waiting for the attack he was sure to come. He could hear the clatter of bones hitting stone, approaching his position with every breath he took. He got ready to defend himself, even in his blind state, all the while hearing Qalo’s pained voice.
The next moment his eyesight was restored. He blinked furiously, and at the last moment he ducked. An incoming sword whistled past his head. He raised his sword as the skeleton, infuriated by its failure, attacked again with barely constrained fury. Their swords clashed, sending vibrations down Talax’s hand. His eyes grew wide upon witnessing the skeleton's strength.
The enemy was markedly stronger than its predecessors, its size seemingly augmented, as if it had been injected with a potent augmenting potion. Talax clenched his teeth, determined to find a weakness to exploit. With all his might, he allowed the sword to glide past him, executing a quick sidestep before striking at the skeleton's arm, attempting to sever its sword hand.
His strike collided with hardened bone, merely chipping away at the tough exterior. The skeleton swiftly swung around, forcing Talax to jump back to avoid being decapitated. He racked his brain, desperately seeking an advantage, and then spotted Qalo fending off two skeletons while Franny faced another opponent. Meanwhile, the mage prepared to cast another spell, darkness shrouding its decaying hands, while its staff hovered idly at its side.
The skeleton mage had resurrected five of its underlings, and to Talax's dismay, all of them exhibited enhanced strength, agility, and vitality. Even Qalo struggled to inflict a fatal blow against the revitalized skeletons.
Thinking quickly, Talax conjured a stone spike aimed at the creature's face and then swiftly darted forward, slashing at its sword hand once more. He noticed cracks forming on the skeletal hand, renewing his hope that victory might be within reach.
Without hesitation, Talax changed his course and sprinted toward the entrance, aiming to create distance between himself and his foe. The skeleton took a moment to comprehend Talax's retreat, and in its rage, it brandished its sword. Talax welcomed the momentary pause, using it to cast his spell, Bubble of confusion. Though the skeletal creature began to give chase, it was already too late.
Talax swiftly moved his hands in sync with the incantations, summoning a bubble of roiling water to encase the skeleton's head. The creature froze mid-step, futilely attempting to dispel the water with its raised hands.
Seizing the moment, Talax grasped his bow and activated explosive arrow, knowing it was his most potent attack. As the arrow glowed with mana, he released it, and it crashed into the skeleton's water-encased head.
With his heart pounding anxiously, Talax watched as the skeleton was flung back by the force of the explosion. However, the attack wasn't enough, and the skeleton writhed on the floor, still alive.
Meanwhile, the mage completed its incantation, causing the already dim lighting of the chamber to grow even darker for a brief moment. The spell seemed to absorb the light, and darkness enveloped the skeletons.
For a moment, Talax and his companions stood frozen, watching as the wisps of darkness danced and coalesced like black tongues against the skeletons' bodies. Gradually, the writhing darkness formed into shiny, black armor that devoured what little light remained in the room.
Franny's eyes widened, and he snapped out of his stupor first. Realizing the threat, the risen skeletons posed, he threw caution to the wind and activated his skill, heroic strike. His remaining mana was drained, but the blow he delivered to the still-frozen skeleton proved devastating.
Talax berated himself for momentarily being captivated by the show of magic. Quickly drawing another arrow, he aimed at the fallen skeleton. Although the creature lay sprawled on the ground, his spell had ended during the precious seconds Talax was distracted by the mage's actions.
After Talax's explosive arrow, he noticed the network of cracks marking the skeleton's head. Although the creature appeared heavily damaged, it was still very much alive. As the skeleton began to rise, freed from the spell's effects, Talax swiftly shot another arrow.
The sound of bones breaking echoed, and fragments of the creature's skull flew away. The skeleton flopped back to the ground with a rattling sound, and Talax sighed with relief. He checked on his friends and was glad to see that Franny had already dispatched his skeleton and gone to aid Qalo, who sported a black scorch mark on his body.
The mage swayed listlessly, seemingly dazed, clutching its staff as if it were a lifeline. After a moment, however, the arcane creature shook its head, causing its quivering jawbone to appear as though it might fall off. It then aimed its staff at Talax's two companions, and a ball of condensed darkness began to form and grow.
Qalo and Franny remained oblivious, still preoccupied with their own opponents, not sparing the mage a glance. Talax, who had been aiming at his own skeleton, switched targets at the last second. Utilizing the ability aim granted by his bow, he aimed for a headshot. His vision zoomed in on the robed creature as the last reserves of mana rushed into his bow. With a soft twang, he released the arrow, which flew with unerring precision.
Satisfaction filled him as he watched the arrow pierce the creature's head, causing it to stumble back in surprise. The ball of darkness that had been growing dissipated harmlessly in small wisps, leaving no trace behind. The mage seemed dazed, clutching at the arrow protruding from its empty eye socket. Now that the creature was vulnerable, Talax wanted to follow up, but the sword-wielding skeleton was already closing in.
With no more mana left for his special attacks, he had to rely on his arrows and sword. Panicked, he drew another arrow as the skeleton approached, its sword poised to strike. He aimed hastily, but his panic got the better of him, and he shot too soon. The arrow missed its mark, falling harmlessly to the hard earth.
He saw the sword coming down, ready to split him in half, and with a desperate move, he jumped to the side. A scorching pain flared in his shoulder as he rolled on the ground. Thankfully, his ability, Armor of the Deep, protected him from further injury. Wincing, he quickly stood up, knowing that a moment was all the skeleton needed to kill him.
Checking his core, Talax found that his mana was still drained. He sensed ambient mana slowly replenishing his reserves, but it would take some time before he could use one of his most useful abilities. Stone spike might be an option, but it would prove futile against the magically reinforced skeleton.
Thinking quickly, he decided to run. Talax darted around the chamber, creating distance between himself and the armored creature, shooting arrows whenever he had the chance, chipping away at the creature's health. While the skeleton may have been stronger and more coordinated than before, it remained relatively slow, allowing Talax to easily outrun it and launch hastily aimed arrows.
His friends were holding their own, working as a team to defeat one of the armored skeletons. However, they faced difficulties with the second one, as the mage had managed to extract the arrow from its body and was now throwing small spheres of blackness. After his earlier miscast, the mage preferred less powerful but more frequent attacks, forcing Qalo and Franny to dodge both the mage's spells and the armored skeleton's strikes.
Talax unleashed another arrow, but it seemed futile as the arrow only penetrated the slick armor for a few centimeters without causing any significant harm. The skeleton grinned at him, yanking the arrow from its armor, which appeared to be as sticky as honey. With the skeleton rushing toward him, Talax drew another arrow and waited patiently.
He activated his ability just as the skeleton came within a meter's range. The arrow turned blue, allowing Talax to see through the empty eye sockets into the rattling skull. The arrow flew and smashed into the skeleton as it approached. The deafening boom that followed sent Talax flying back, crashing into the wall. His ears rang and he blinked, trying to see what had happened.
With effort, he focused his eyes and saw a pile of bones where the skeleton had stood just seconds ago. The skull had vanished, leaving the rest of the body eerily intact. The black armor that had been a source of great trouble began melting away, dripping like thick liquid and vanishing into the ground.
Shaking his head, Talax got up and rushed to join his friends. All three of them set their sights on the last remaining enemy, the mage.
"I am so over this," Qalo murmured with a hollow voice.
"After we dispatch this heinous creature, we deserve a lengthy break. My skin is dry and crying for attention, I haven't applied my salves and ointments for so long," Franny complained.
"I would kill for a nap," Talax agreed, narrowing his eyes as he let another arrow loose.