Chapter 31) Lock Down. Or. The writing on the wall.

Well... that does suck.

With a nod of agreement, I handed the spear and shield to Matt and began to unload my pack. Setting out the armor that would fit on Drew, even if it exposed his wrists and ankles a bit. Matt would get my armored coat which I had worn mainly as a way of carrying here.

As the two of them began gearing up, I pondered their revelation.

So, even if they got to the edge of the city, there were even tougher things to fight, and no easy way to get past the barrier. Not unless there was a door somewhere that didn't get a chance to see.

I suppose that even if there wasn't a door they could throw the grapple I had brought up and climb the barrier. Three stories was pretty high, but they could do it. But not if they were dodging giant skeletons at the same time.

And the big guys sounded like they were too much for the three of us to take down. At least not until these two got some levels.

Or if some of the stuff in the city included better weapons. There had to be a magic spear or ring or something in this here city. It didn’t sound like the Liche let anyone escape with all their stuff.

Was I going to have to write this stuff on the walls with the chalk I had brought? Bernard had taken the one notebook and ink with him so I had grabbed the pack of white sticks, four little ones like the ones the teachers used in grade school and two big fat ones like kids used on a sidewalk.

But then, there always was a chance…

I clapped my leather cord wrapped skeletal hands together, see, I can learn, to get Matt and Drew’s attention and began to sign…

“Understand sign?”

Drew nodded. “Yeah.” While signing “Yes I can sign.” back at me. Rather smoothly too.

Matt gave him a curious look. Drew just shrugged.

"My niece got a bad ear infection that messed up her hearing so I leaned since no one else but my sister and her husband were bothering to learn."

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Matt looked thoughtful and nodded before turning back to look over what I brought with me while I stared at Drew until he looked uncomfortable.

It was taking me a second to remember how to sign “Forgive you. We good now.”

Drew smiled and signed back. "Yeah, we are good." While saying out loud. "Can I check out how you work as a skeleton? The ones in the city aren't exactly cooperative."

I gave him a nod and a moment later he had my arm stretched out in front of me and was tugging on my finger while trying to figure out how it was staying on without any skin, muscle, or ligaments.

The one time I couldn’t speak to make a pull my finger joke…

“Is this hurting you? Can I try to pull it off?”

Pulling hard on the last bone on my index finger had made the bone stretch out a bit from the next bone in, and while there wasn't any pain, it did feel… numb I guess. Like I had less control over it than the rest of the skeleton.

I gave Drew a thumbs up with my other hand, and he slowly began to pull harder and harder until I had to brace myself against his shoulder with my other arm to keep him from pulling me off my feet.

Right after I set my knee up against his thigh for more bracing, the bone popped off the rest of my hand with a small crackle of black electricity in the gap between the two bones.

We both froze in place before Drew slowly tried sticking it back on.

Which didn't work. "Sorry Tex, but it looks like there's more than one way to put a Skeleton down.

I signed back. “Okay, I wanted to give you the finger anyways.”

He laughed after a moment, after looking a little unsure if I had been joking or not.

I dug out my chalk so I could talk to get my idea out to both of them at the same time. The chalk stuck pretty good to the walls even if there wasn't all that much contrast between the off white marble walls and the white chalk.

1: Getting out of the city by barricade.

1a: Wall around to look for the door and try to get to it.

1b: No door, plan B.

2: Plan B. Get levels.

2a: Higher level and kill giant skeletons then climb Barricade.

2b: Reach level 10 and get out anyways

3: Bonus plan. Loot city while getting levels

Matt and Drew watched me write, offering comments like "There is a curtain wall that looked like it ran around most of the lower city, once we get up there we can just walk along it and look for the door."

When I finished, Drew had something to add. Reluctantly.

“I saw a magic sword.”

Me and Matt turned to look at him, he flinched a little.

"One of the Talkers, the ones who came here looking for me at night. He was carrying a sword that had flames on the blade when he drew it halfway out of its sheath when he was arguing with the others."

I shook my head. I did not want Drew to have to face those people again. Matt also shot it down. "They sound like the sort of people we should come back to talk to after we get to level twenty or so." He stepped over to lay his hand on Drew's shoulder. "The ideal situation is for you to be strong enough to take them all down by yourself with me watching your back."

Drew slowly smiled and nodded, then looked shocked and upset as Matt added. “But dibs on the sword.”

‘What? Bullpoop! If I have to do all the work the drops are mine.”

The older man backed away, his hand held up defensively while he grinned. “Too late. I called it, and I called it specifically. Thou shall respect the sacred call of Dibs.”

It was nice to see them in high spirits after how glum they looked when I had gotten here, I suppose being armed again must have helped.

Then I heard their new plan as the two of them looked at my plan.

Matt held his hand out for the chalk and began to write on the wall.

3a: Explore deeper into the city since we can’t go out yet.