《Journey of a Skeleton (undergoing rewrite on different account)》


 Prologue

    Prologue: Skeleton Blacksmith


    Alderon swung his hammer, from left to right, sunrise to sunset, day after day, without rest. That was the routine of life for normal and plain skeletons like him. They were useless in terms of quality on the battlefield, and as such there was only one redeemable ability, and that was their innate trait as species of the undead; their ability to never feel fatigue nor to need sleep. They can work endlessly without food and water. As such, there was only one outcome for skeletons summoned to the mortal world. Labour. Intense labour until the master died or needed them no more. Was this fair? Was this justice? Was this the life Alderon had wished for? Hell no!


    It had been a week since he came here, to the black castle, to the mortal world from the underworld, enslaved by the most powerful lich in existence. How did it happen might you wonder? How was the powerful skeleton known as Alderon the coward enslaved? Well, the process was quite grand, or at least that¡¯s how Alderon himself thought of it as. You see, he sat in his cave, surrounded by his skeleton friends, when a huge, purple magic circle appeared on the rock floor. He looked down and then poof, he was in a throne room, standing in front of an old, wizened man. The man, clad in a black robe, was bucktoothed and, by all definitions, ugly as hell. But Alderon kept quiet about that. After all, the lich was a powerful necromancer as well as Alderon¡¯s new master.


    ¡°Minions of mine,¡± the lich had proclaimed in a hoarse voice. ¡°thou shalt follow my conquest and be glorified for eternity! We shall drag out the dwarves from the mountains. Smash their skulls to dust! And pillage their treasures! We shall hang the elves from trees! Let frogs drink their brain gravy! And burn down the forests! We shall slaughter the beastmen! Cut their limbs! And let vultures gouge out their eyeballs! Finally, we shall exterminate all that human vermin and purge the world from all evil!¡±


    The lich had been sitting on his bone throne in the fortress of the dead while telling them of his grand plans to purge the world from all evil. He sought their help to assist him and Alderon was bubbling with joy to finally have received a master who truly knew what was up. That was, after all, all that he and the skeletons talked about down there, in the flaming abyss. How they all longed for a master.


    But how wrong he had been. A master? Humpf! What kind of master sends one¡¯s most loyal subordinate down to a newbie castle with a newbie necromancer who smells of his mommy¡¯s milk? Yeah, that¡¯s what happened. Alderon was sent down to one of the mighty lich¡¯s disciple disciples. At first, the mighty lich had decided to give a few subordinates to his disciple. All was good at that time. The mighty lich¡¯s disciple was very awe-inspiring. But then the mighty lich¡¯s disciple had a¡­ well, not so brilliant idea. Why not send a few skeletons to his own disciple and gift him a castle? So after talking to his own master, the mighty lich¡¯s disciple lead alderon and a couple of other mindless skeletons to the castle, told them that their new master was the newbie, and then left.


    And that¡¯s how Alderon got stuck in the human world, forced to work at one of the forges in the black castle as a blacksmith that forged spears to the newbie necromancer''s undead troops.


    Right now he was creating a spear, although it was an overstatement to call it a spear. The iron he used to create the spear was the lowest grade and the hammer he swung with had become dull long ago. The spearhead of the spear wasn¡¯t even pointy, and yet, that didn¡¯t matter. Skeleton soldiers were merely cannon fodder, used to block the enemies while skeleton mages or skeleton archers stood in the back. They were summoned from the underworld in clusters to serve as tanks and allow others to do the damage. Only because it looked more fear-inspiring did they have weapons.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have successfully crafted an item!


    ¨C Blacksmithing proficiency has increased by 0,3


    ¨C Strength has increased by 0,1


    ¨C Agility has increased by 0,2


    ¨C Dexterity has increased by 0,1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Alderon showed a smile fitting for a skeleton. He removed the spear from the anvil and held it up high, the anything but smooth surface glistening in the light from the fire.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Incomplete Iron Spear


    An incomplete spear forged by a novice blacksmith with meagre skills using very crude methods.


    Grade: Inferior


    Damage: 1-3


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Having looked at the spear enough, the skeleton jerked his hand and threw the spear toward a pile of other spears that lay in the corner of the ten diameters large room. He didn''t know how many he had done all these weeks, all for raising his blacksmith proficiency. He only needed to forge one more spear until he ranked up from lvl 1 to lvl 2.


    The blacksmithing skill was a very neat skill for Alderon. When he arrived here at first, he had been very bad at forging. After all, he knew very little about blacksmithing at that time. The strange thing was, however, that once he came to the human world, all his actions, no matter how trivial or small, gave him small effects, and this is was made him able to learn the art of handling metal quickly, without needing a master to teach him.


    Running would increase his agility, swinging the hammer would increase his endurance and strength, and completing and items would increase a whole bunch of stats. There were surely many other methods of increasing his stats but he was locked up here in the forge without any way of getting out so the only thing he could do was to put the forge to good use.


    Every day, a stupid skeleton servant came to fetch the weapons Alderon had made. Communicating with it was a hassle for an intelligent skeleton like him, but there was nothing to be done, so when the skeleton asked its stupid question, Alderon just nodded and said for the skeleton to go away, which the skeleton eventually did, taking the heap of spears along with a cart it pulled.


    Alderon picked out two of the better looking worst grade iron ores to start the smelting process before he could craft the last spear.


    The smelting process of the iron ores took a great amount of time. Good thing the least Alderon was missing was time. Time and ores were really all he had. He wondered if he could create better weapons if the blacksmithing skill or whatever it was rose to lvl 2. This narrative has been purloined without the author''s approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.


    After finishing the smelting of the iron, Alderon grabbed the same mould he used before. He held the iron kettle filled with liquid with both hands and slowly leant over with his feeble body, (that was almost incapable of lifting the kettle with ease) causing the hot, almost magmalike substance to drip down into the furrowed mould.


    He waited for the spear to cool down further until he knocked it off from the mould. He walked to the anvil and lay the sword in the middle, taking a hammer and performing a full swing. His swings gradually got faster and faster, stronger and stronger. Eventually, the spear was completely deformed. He heated it up again and began the process all over. After a while, the spear was managed to an acceptable state.


    Alderon had no blacksmithing knowledge at all and only did things he had heard and seen others do. So that his technique was a bit rough around the edge couldn''t be blamed upon himself.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have successfully crafted an item!


    ¨C Blacksmithing proficiency has increased by 0,4


    ¨C Strength has increased by 0,2


    ¨C Agility has increased by 0,1


    ¨C Dexterity has increased by 0,1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations! Your blacksmithing skill has ranked up!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Blacksmithing lvl 2 (0/500)


    The art of handling metal has been passed down throughout the ages through the hands of all races. It is little known about who was the first blacksmith but it is suspected that it was a dwarf. Blacksmiths are distinguished crafters of weaponry and armoury and can handle different types of ores and jewels with ease.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Change!


    Congratulations, by reaching level two in blacksmithing you have unlocked a new class.


    Would you like to change class?


    [Yes/No]


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The blue screen was asking Alderon if he wanted to change class. What is a class? The little skeleton who only stood at six and a half feet contemplated on this in silence. Although very intelligent, Alderon did not possess as much knowledge in comparison. Even the fastest bird could not fly if its wings were chopped off, and Alderon was the same. Without adequate knowledge, he wouldn¡¯t be able to display his immensely, great, genius intellect.


    Luckily, things would have been worse if he was unable to read. He had never learned it in his whole damned existence, but once he came to the mortal world, he discovered himself being able to understand most types of languages, and not just the words of his master ¨C the mighty lich. (Every summoned creature can understand the summoner¡¯s wishes.)


    Should he change class? Well, if he had known what a class was, this would have been a lot easier. Skeleton Blacksmith. He was a skeleton, wasn''t he? And a skeleton blacksmith, that sounds better, right? Then he will not only be a skeleton anymore ¨C but also a blacksmith? Wouldn''t that mean he''s on like equal terms in status compared to skeleton archers and mages? Two is better than one and Skeleton and Blacksmith is better than Skeleton. Yes, it must be so! With the use of his meagre knowledge and peerless wisdom, Alderon made a decision.


    With the use of his meagre knowledge and peerless wisdom, Alderon made a decision.


    "Yes!" he cackled out in the only language he could speak.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have changed class to [Skeleton Blacksmith]


    Please be reminded that you may change class at any time in the character menu. The change may only be between classes you have acquired and unlocked for use. Items equipped during the change will be unequipped if not eligible for the class you changed to.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    [Skeleton Blacksmith]


    Skeleton Blacksmiths are the lowest type of blacksmiths with the lowest kind of skill. They are despised by all other blacksmiths around the world, especially the dwarves who hold the blacksmith profession in high esteem. Be warned that meeting dwarves as a skeleton blacksmith may cause them to turn hostile and attack without reason.


    Effects: 30% increased risk of creating items with low durability.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    New methods of forging have been acquired!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Shuryxola''s iron


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    A New item had been acquired!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Yorgurim''s hammer


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    The little skeleton cowered back as a golden light dazzled his eyes. As the light disappeared, a small, iron hammer fell to the floor with a bang. Alderon shuttled forward and picked up the hammer. It was an orderly hammer without any kinds of ornaments. What a shame, though Alderon, shiny things sell for more, even he knew that. He inspected the hammer.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Yorgurim''s hammer


    Yorgurim was once a novice dwarven blacksmith who worked at a not so famous forge in the capital of dwarves, J?rgdmund. During the great war a thousand years ago, the young dwarf had been called out to fight for his race, eventually killed by a young beastman from the eternal wastelands. His hammer has been lost ever since.


    Grade: Common


    Damage: 2-5


    Effects: 10% chance of creating higher quality items


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    At the same time, Alderon decided to look at his character menu by saying it out loud.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Alderon


    </td>


    <td>


    Skeleton Blacksmith


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Level 1 (0/10)


    </td>


    <td>


    Classes: [Skeleton], [Skeleton Blacksmith]


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skills: N/a


    </td>


    <td>


    Inventory: 0/7


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td></td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Strength: 11,3


    </td>


    <td>


    Stamina: 9,8


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Agility: 9,7


    </td>


    <td>


    Intelligence: 6,2


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Wisdom: 4,5


    </td>


    <td>


    Spirit:7,3


    </td>


    </tr>


    <tr>


    <td></td>


    <td></td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Although these numbers were a bit confusing to him, receiving the class Skeleton blacksmith made him very happy. He would now be able to hold his head up high when meeting those arrogant skeleton archers and mages without feeling useless. How he would laugh at their dumbstruck expression! Those arrogant bastards!


    As he was rejoicing in getting a new class and throwing away that worthless skeleton class, someone came into the forge, causing the fire in the forge to be extinguished. Alderon retreated and looked at the creature with fear instilled in his eyes.


    It was a vampire. A real vampire, one of the creatures from the higher layers, creatures that no skeleton would want to mess with. The vampire wore a crimson cloak, a black coat, black breeches and pointy black boots. It seemed to be a male vampire, and his white hair contrasted with his red eyes.


    Above the vampire, Alderon could make out a blue box.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Vampire Ezra (lvl 126)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Master Ferguson demands your presence, Skeleton." said the Vampire. "follow me."

 Chapter 1

    Chapter One, New Order


    Alderon¡¯s unconscious nod caused Vampire Ezra to reveal a surprised expression. His young face (that had taken the form of a human male, albeit not so very human-looking with two protruding, white teeth that were curved like western daggers) brightened up and looked at Alderon from a different perspective.


    ¡°You can actually understand what I¡¯m saying,¡± said Ezra. ¡°I thought I¡¯d have to drag you out of the forge, but it seems you are a variant ¨C lowly-- but special indeed. Come, let me take you to our master, he¡¯s been expecting you since your weapons were delivered. If I were you, I''d prepare for the worst.


    Alderon nodded again and followed the vampire out from the forge.


    Was Necromancer Ferguson dissatisfied with his work, or was it something else?


    The little skeleton and the vampire walked through many corridors and hallways where the light of torches was reflected onto the walls before they arrived outside two gigantic doors, guarded by two black-clad skeleton knights whose eye sockets burned with purple fire.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skeleton Knight Bemores (lvl 56)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skeleton Knight Aemoras (lvl 57)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Open up,¡± commanded Ezra.


    ¡°Yes, sir.¡± growled the two skeleton knights in grim voices.


    The skeleton knights moved their halberds aside and slowly pushed the two massive doors open, allowing for just enough space so that Ezra and Alderon could make it thought. As Alderon followed Ezra inside, the two skeleton knights looked at him disdainfully and snorted, as if he wasn¡¯t worthy of their attention. He shook his bony head and increased his speed, soon leaving the two doors slamming together, shut.


    Alderon found himself in a large hall. Candles, stretching like dead men¡¯s fingers, were lit with blue flames and lined the black stone wall. The windows of the castle were covered with a thick haze, making the candles the only sources of light in the hall.


    A crimson carpet was laid out, from the entrance of the hall to the wall furthest away, and to both sides of the carpet stood skeleton knights, wearing black armours and holding two-meter tall halberds. They were the same as the two skeleton knights outside if not for their level being above hundred, and the fact that they weren¡¯t just Skeleton Knights, but instead Captain Skeleton Knights of the highest order.


    The hundreds of Captain Skeleton Knights didn¡¯t notice as Alderon and Ezra walked inside onto the carpet. They bowed on one knee, facing forward as if they were worshipping something holy and couldn''t bother themselves with worldly matters. Alderon followed their gaze to the centre of the large hall.


    In the centre of the large hall sat a black-clothed figure, overlooking everything that was happening in the hall with a cold gaze. He was in his prime, a pale-faced youth with black hair and freckles, and seemed to notice Alderon and Ezra coming into the hall as he gave the vampire a slight nod.


    Ezra turned to Alderon. "Master wants you to come closer. When you''re there, kneel and keep your head down."


    Alderon nodded and slowly walked toward the centre, toward the black-clothed man. As he came closer, he could see who he was dealing with, and it was who he was suspecting from the start. The newbie necromancer.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Necromancer Ferguson (???)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Understanding what was the wisest action to choose, Alderon kneeled down on one knee and stared down without daring to look at Necromancer Ferguson. What would his fate be, wondered the little skeleton, now a skeleton blacksmith, as he kneeled in silence.


    "You," said Necromancer Ferguson. "were the one who created those spears I received not too long ago?"


    Since Necromancer Ferguson was the master of all underworld creatures in the black castle, it was obvious for everyone to understand them. So even if Alderon had been unable to understand languages, he would have been able to understand Necromancer Ferguson and the words he spoke.


    "Yes, Master," said Alderon with his cracky voice. "they are my creations."


    "Good good," chuckled Necromancer Ferguson. "they were of rather good quality, those spears, for a skeleton without knowledge of blacksmithing. And I can see now that you have evolved into a skeleton blacksmith, it seems you were a variant and only needed the required stimulation. Very good, I''m very, very pleased right now."


    "Tell me, what''s your name?" asked Necromancer Ferguson.


    "This lowly one''s name is Alderon, Master." said Alderon.


    "Very well," said Necromancer Ferguson. "You shall be rewarded with the title of Skeleton Blacksmith for your meritorious service and be addressed as Skeleton Blacksmith Alderon from now on."


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations!


    You have been awarded the title of Skeleton Blacksmith after pleasing Necromancer Ferguson!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Skeleton Blacksmith


    A special title only available for skeletons with the [Blacksmith Skeleton] class.


    Together with [Blacksmith Skeleton] class, title will increase the attributes of all items created by the blacksmith with 5


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Thank you, Master."


    "Furthermore," continued Necromancer Ferguson. "Since you have pleased me, I shall award you with a new post."


    He glanced at Ezra. "Ezra shall lead you to the nightfall camp where you are to take up the official position of the blacksmith. Your task shall be to create new equipment as well as to repair that which is damaged."


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    A quest has been triggered!


    </td>


    </tr>


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    </table>


    The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    *Nightfall Camp*


    Travel with Vampire Ezra to the Nightfall Camp south of the Black Castle and take up the position of an official skeleton blacksmith. Once there you have been requested to create new armour from the ores delivered every month as well as to repair old armour that is damaged by the ongoing skirmishes with beastmen around the camp.


    Time Limit: ???


    Reward: ???


    *Failure will result in Necromancer Ferguson''s wrath.


    *Quest cannot be declined.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Alderon gritted his nonexistent teeth. A quest, read the blue box, it must be as the word itself mean. The little skeleton would have to follow Ezra through the eternal wasteland and travel to the nightfall camp and complete the objective. If he didn¡¯t comply with the order, that would probably incur the wrath of Necromancer Ferguson. And the wrath of Necromancer Ferguson wasn¡¯t something Alderon could withstand at this moment, so the only option he currently had was to comply.


    ¡°Yes master,¡± said Alderon. ¡°this lowly skeleton shall do as his master has told him.¡±


    ¡°Good, I''ve begun like you more and more,¡± said Necromancer Ferguson. ¡°Ezra will come get you in the forge at first daylight tomorrow morning. Now, begone, I have important matters to deal with.¡±


    After having met with the newbie necromancer Ferguson, Alderon was lead back to the forge by Ezra. Once alone, Alderon opened up his status and took a look at the new plans he had received when becoming a Skeleton Blacksmith.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Shuryxola''s Iron


    Mix low-grade iron with coal (coke) to create higher quality iron.


    Shuryxola was a Skeleton Blacksmith who worked for a poor necromancer in Gehenna wetlands. To save money, the necromancer decided to mix the metal with cheaper materials. Shuryxola, by luck, stumbled onto a way to create a higher grade iron by mixing and a coal (coke).


    Class Requirments: Skeleton Blacksmith


    Other Requirments: Furnace, Iron hammer, Anvil.


    Materials needed: Iron (97%) Coke (3%)


    *Coke (fuel): Created by heating coal to 450 degrees celsius.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Shuryxola''s iron was a type of iron that was of higher quality than normal. To make it, discovered Alderon, he would have to mix low-grade iron and coke (which he would have to refine from heating up coal). He was eager to try it now, and see what kind of weapons he could do, but as Ezra would come tomorrow and pick him up, he doubted himself to be able to finish the whole procedure, that including the tests he would have to perform first. Since this was the case, Alderon decided to wait until he was at Nightfall camp for that damned quest.


    Alderon started to forge normally instead. This was the last time for a long time he would be in this forge, and so why not try some experiments out. Since he would be travelling through the endless wasteland where beastmen resided, it was a quite good decision to make some protective armour for himself. After some time, the Skeleton Blacksmith had put out a lump of iron that would be manageable with the iron hammer on the anvil


    Yorgurim''s hammer was a very fine hammer. As Alderon swung it down onto the lump of iron, he felt as if a lot more power than he used to exhibit came into action. Sparks flew wildly and a grin began to curve from his mouth.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    You have successfully crafted an item!


    Blacksmithing proficiency has increased by 0,3


    Strength has increased by 0,1


    Agility has increased by 0,2


    Dexterity has increased by 0,1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Inferior Iron Sword


    An iron sword forged by a novice blacksmith with mediocre skills using crude methods.


    Grade: Inferior


    Damage: 4-6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    After forging the iron sword and making sure it was hard enough by hitting it a few times with the hammer, Alderon started to make armour as well. The armour was considerably harder to create than the sword. Now, instead of using moulds, Alderon heated the iron in the fire, allowing it to turn into a state where he was able to beat it to change its shape. He first made the back and the front. Then he made shoulder plates.


    When all the components for the chest plate were ready, Alderon began fusing the front of the chest plate with the shoulder plate, using high temperature and his hammer to beat the two together. The whole process took an hour or so. Next was to tie together the back with the other end of the shoulder plate, a process which would be much, much harder than the first. If he did it incorrectly and hastily, it could result in everything becoming a failure.


    Time passed and it was midnight when he finished.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Inferior Iron Chestplate (with Shoulderplates)


    Grade: Common


    An experimental work by novice blacksmith Alderon.


    Durability: 15/29


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    He understood that it was impossible to complete leg guards before Ezra came in the morning, which is why he chose to forge a shield. And since everyone knows that bigger shields mean better survivability, Alderon made the biggest shield he could. The process was much simpler than before, and everything he had to to was to smelt a huge iron lump and beat it into a round-shaped object (along with a handle so that he could hold it.)


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Gargantuan Iron Shield


    Another experimental work by Skeleton Blacksmith Alderon.


    Grade: Uncommon


    Durability: 52/64


    Stamina: +3


    Agility - 1


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    ¡°Uncommon¡­ is that better than Inferior? It must be, yes!¡± muttered Alderon.


    He was barely able to hold the shield with one hand because of how heavy and large it was. His size was about five and a half feet, and this shield, well ¨C it was almost as big as him! And it was round!


    ¡°Why didn¡¯t I just make a normal shield¡­¡± cried Alderon. ¡°How do I even carry it around?¡±


    Suddenly, Alderon shone up from his gloomy look. He remembered himself having an inventory when he looked at the character menu and had a week ago when he received the blacksmith skill, been told that he could store things inside his inventory.


    ¡°Inventory!¡± he shouted.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    <table>


    <tbody>


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    <td>


    Inventory (0/7)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Empty


    </td>


    <td>


    Empty


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Empty


    </td>


    <td>


    Empty


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Empty


    </td>


    <td>


    Empty


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Empty


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Alderon took the shield and pressed it into the blue box, hoping for it to work. It didn¡¯t, sadly. The shield just passed through the blue box and the little skeleton blacksmith, wearing a chestplate and shoulder plates and had a sword strapped to the side of tattered leggings, lost his balance, hitting the floor (just after the shield did) with a loud bang.


    ¡°Then how do I store my shield?¡± he asked himself after getting up from the floor. ¡°Perhaps it works the same as the other things. In that case, I would just have to say the command out loud.¡±


    ¡°Put Gargantuan Iron shield into my inventory.¡±


    And just like that, the shield disappeared from his bony hand, turning into a wisp of golden light, entering the blue box and taking up the first pocket. However, because of the shield being so heavy, and him having to set his balance around the shield, he once again lost balance and crashed into the floor.

 Chapter 2

    Chapter Two, Learning the Ropes!


    Ezra came to get Alderon before dawn, just as promised. The vampire wore the same black outfit and pale face as the first time they met and it was only how the vampire looked at the little blacksmith skeleton now that was different. While the Skeleton knights, Aemoras and Bemores, were disdainful toward him because he was a skeleton, the old vampire with a young face treated him like a peer, at least acted like he did.


    This made Alderon''s cold heart become warmer.


    Ezra was the first creature from the underworld he had met here who didn''t despise him.


    "Call me Ezra," said the Vampire as they walked. "and feel free to ask me about anything."


    The Black Castle was situated on barren land, and everything Alderon could see as they exited the castle was endless sand and some mountains on the horizon. After all, there was a reason to why this region was called the eternal wasteland. Nothing could ever grow here, and it was still a mystery to how the beastmen were able to survive without the ability to grow crops and raise cattle.


    In fact, the beastmen was the most mysterious race in the whole mortal world.


    The elves, dwarves and humans still communicated now and then, though less than before, but there had been no communication between the beastmen and the other three large races of the world.


    "Ezra, do you know where the Beastmen live?" asked Alderon.


    He was quite curious to how they could tolerate the scorching heat, every day, every night, without taking cover in mountains or forests. So his best guess was that that the world was falsely informed about how the beastmen lived, or that the beastmen had their homes inside great canyons.


    "No, I''m not sure, no one is actually. " said the vampire. "every battle we''ve fought with them ¨C as they attack the Black castle once every month or so with a moderate sized army ¨C they''ve just appeared out of nowhere. They also have a very strong tradition of never being captured alive, because we''ve never taken a single prisoner. Like never. Which is why we''ve never had the chance to interrogate them and find out."


    "I see," said Alderon. "by the way, aren''t you vulnerable to sunlight?


    It was only now, after they had a couple of miles, that Alderon was reminded of the most famous weakness of vampires. Sunlight. Well, except for the piercing of an oak stake, but that was a whole different story.


    The red sun that shone in the sky was burning the sand like hot metal. They could even feel it through their shoes, and it was lucky for Alderon that he was a skeleton, a race that had an innate resistance to pain. After all, they had already died once, and wasn''t that the greatest pain ever?


    "That''s because I''m a noble," said Ezra. "only vampires with common blood fear the sun. We who originally walk the night don''t do it because we can''t during the day, but instead because it''s easier to find prey when everyone''s asleep. Especially in human towns. Ahh, I get thirsty just thinking of getting some fair, maiden blood for refreshments. Tell me Alderon, don''t you ever get the urge to bite into a fresh, ripe throat?"


    "Erm, I''m a skeleton." Alderon said slowly with a smile. "a skeleton blacksmith at that. I think that only you vampires have those kinds of urges, Ezra. Also, this is the first time I''m outside the black castle for a while, when would I ever get the chance to prey on humans?"


    "Well, you do have a point there, I guess." admitted Ezra.


    They set up camp at noon to escape the heat as well as to avoid being targeted. Ezra was over level 100 so no fatigue was visible on him, and the same went for Alderon who was an undead and had limitless stamina.


    The problem was that there were beastmen scouts riding around in the desert on their prairie wolf mounts, and it would be a huge hassle if the Ezra and Alderon were discovered. They were far from reinforcements and Ezra couldn''t protect the level 1 Skeleton Blacksmith if they were to be under attack from all directions.


    "Ezra, do you know swordsmanship?" asked Alderon the vampire as they had taken cover under the side of a canyon.


    "I do," said Ezra. "why do you ask?"


    "Well, I was wondering if you could teach me?" Alderon continued. "I have a sword but don''t know how to use it, and I find it to be a waste not to learn when I have the chance."


    Ezra seemed to be in deep thinking for a moment but then nodded. "Sure, If It will increase the chance of us getting to the Nightfall camp without you dying, why not."


    "Me," asked Alderon. "why would I die?"


    "Aren''t you a blacksmith?" Ezra said, grabbing the sword from his waist strap. "If scouts find us, do you think they will just kindly guide us to the camp and then leave? No, if they find us, they will attack, and they will attack with rage for what we creatures of the underworld have done to them."


    Alderon also grabbed the handle of his iron sword. The weight of the sword was quite balanced, and the sharpness looked, well, sharp. He didn''t wear the armour as they were travelling since that would decrease their speed, so he wore the shabby rags instead. The chestplate was safely stored in his inventory, just as his round shield was.


    "Come at me, let me see what you can do," said Ezra, and raised his sword.


    "Ok, take care," said Alderon and charged.


    He held the iron sword in one hand and slashed from the side.


    Ezra parried with ease and deflected Alderon''s sword with even less effort, causing it to slip from the skeleton blacksmith''s hand and spin in the air before landing a few meters away.


    After the exchange of blows, the vampire seemed thoughtful for a moment before nodding.


    "I see, you certainly would not last even a single blow from a beastman." said Ezra.


    Alderon gnashed his teeth. "I know."


    "But we should be able to do something about that," continued Ezra, pointing at Alderon''s iron sword. "Pick it up and try again. First, however, look at my stance."The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Now, as Ezra told him to look carefully, Alderon noticed how the vampire stood a bit different from how he used to stand. His knees were deeper than normal and his whole figure was a bit crouched. He stood in a position where his sword arm was in front of his chest and shoulder, making his figure twisted.


    Almost as if the sword was a shield, protection the body.


    Alderon tried to copy it, first bending his knees and crouching down. He noticed how he felt to be able to generate more explosive power from his legs. He then raised his right arm (which was his sword arm) and held it in front of his body, turning his torso forty-five degrees to the left side, still keeping his head facing forward.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations! You have learnt a new skill from observing Vampire Ezra!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    [Active] Basic One-hand Sword Stance ¨C lvl 1 (0/10)


    A stance widely spread across the world, used by all races.


    Effect: +10% damage, +5% agility.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Ahh!" shouted Alderon, coming to a realisation.


    "Good, now pick up the sword." ordered Ezra.


    This ability with blue boxes really made life simpler.


    As Alderon held the sword after picking it up, (standing in the stance Ezra had shown him) he felt much lighter. He wondered what damage means. It also read damage on the blue box of the Iron sword he made.


    As he inspected the iron sword as carefully as he could to see if he could figure out what damage was, a blue bar slowly floated up above it. He was once again jolted by surprise.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Inferior Iron Sword (Common)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    So it''s like that. Then... Alderon changed his focus and instead gazed at the sword Ezra was holding. And just as expected, a blue box also appeared the obviously better quality sword.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Nightstalker (Rare)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    After looking at Ezra''s sword, Alderon began to inspect the other things Ezra was wearing.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Nightstalker Coat (Rare)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Nighstalker Leggings (Rare)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Nightstalker Boots (Rare)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Cape of Blood (Epic)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Why are you staring at me?"


    Alderon snapped out of what he was doing and said. "I was just checking your stance. Please don''t take offence."


    "No worries," Ezra said and nodded. "come at me"


    "Ok, here I go!"


    Alderon stepped forward with his right foot and then followed with his left foot from behind, never once breaking the stance. Ezra saw this and inwardly praised the skeleton for his quick learning.


    Alderon quickened up the last step with his right foot (followed by his left) and swung his sword in the same path as he did earlier.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    + Basic Sword Stance (1/10)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Sadly, the result was the same.


    "Better, but you must use your waist and not just your whole arm," said Ezra after parrying and dismantling Alderon of his weapon. "Like this!"


    Ezra stepped forward with his pivot foot and swung the sword, twisting his whole body toward the direction the sword was slashing at. It was the same swing as Alderon had performed, but the result was very much different.


    Before Alderon could react, Ezra''s sword was already by his throat, just an inch away from drawing blood.


    "Only by using your waist as your core, letting your arm follow your waist, and your sword follow your arm, will you be able to exert the maximum amount of strength," explained Ezra. "do you understand?"


    "I think so," said Alderon, using his bony index to push away Ezra''s sword.


    "Think about it like this," said Ezra after noticing Alderon''s hesitation. "Imagine that your power starts from your feet and moves through your whole body. From your feet to your knees, from your knees to your waist, from your waist to your elbow, and from your elbow to your hand, which will work as the controller for where you want to hit."


    "Okay, I think I understand what you mean. Let me try one more time," said Alderon.


    "Wait, just one more thing." intercepted Ezra. "If you are going to swing from your right side with a diagonal slash, your last step must be with your left foot. In the last second, put the opposite foot from where you are striking from and press down with it before you do what I told you to maximise the power. This action will make sure you have firm balance as well as more power leading through your body and out through your sword. If you don''t use your left foot and instead hide it behind your right foot, your body will be much more closed, and you won''t be able to generate a lot of power nor have the ability to chance your striking target with your wrist in the last second."


    "Okay, so if I''m making a diagonal slash from the right, I should move my left foot last, and if I make a diagonal slash from my left side, I should move my right foot last?" asked Alderon.


    "You got it." smiled Ezra.


    "Okay, so like this?"


    Alderon stepped forward with his right foot and then quickly with his left, placing it in front his right, and pressed down. He then used the momentum from his foot and lead it through his body, using it to diagonally slash down from his right.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations! You have learned a new skill from observing Vampire Ezra!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    [Active] Diagonal Slash ¨C lvl 1 (0/10)


    One of the most commonly used sword moves.


    Effects: +15% damage


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations! You have learned a new skill from observing Vampire Ezra!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    [Passive] Twisting Power ¨C lvl 1 (0/10)


    An uncommon method that maximises the usage of power.


    Effects: +30% Strenght


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    During the day when the sun was at its peak and beastman scouts were riding around in the scorching, Alderon and Ezra trained together. While it wasn''t much of a training for Ezra, who already was level hundred, it was for Alderon.


    He learned a couple of more new skills as well as becoming more used to holding a sword in his hand. Pierce, Parry, and Sidestep, were each a skill that had their own, special effect in battle if used with the right timing.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter Three, Swordsman!


    As night sneakily approached the endless wasteland from the shadows, Alderon and Ezra concluded their sword practice and left the canyon side, continuing their journey to the Nightfall Camp as per Necromancer Ferguson''s command.


    The night sky shone with clusters of gleaming stars and on top of it hung a large bulb of light -- a graciously, curved half-moon that allowed them to navigate through the waves of golden, dry sand with ease.


    When Alderon''s feet touched the sand, he could feel that it was a lot cooler than previously and also understood that this was the best time to travel the desert. The beastmen would be sleeping, and the temperature, although not affecting then much, would be comparatively lower.


    The endless wasteland covered about one-fifth of the world''s surface, stretching out for god knows how long. Beyond the wastelands lay enormous mountain chains where snow never melted. These mountain chains were mainly inhabited by dwarves; short, sturdy people whose greatest hobbies lay in blacksmithing and engineering.


    While the kingdom of dwarves was safely protected by the mountains as far south one could come, the forest of elves lay in the east. The green woodlands stretched for thousands of miles and were the home to most animals and forest life in the world, along with the peace-loving elves, of course, ruling the forests as kind monarchs.


    And then, finally, the human has taken the western area of the world, a region of a rather diverse climate and environment. They were the largest race and also took up the most space.


    So, to sum it all up, the world was divided as this. The endless wasteland in the middle (where the mightiest necromancer and his followers fought with the beastmen over territory), the enormous mountains chains in the south, the lush forests in the east, and the most normal environment in the west.


    Or this was what had Ezra told him as they walked the dunes who never seemed to end in the darkness


    The vampire also spoke of the northern region, a barren area where cold winds cut like blades and hailstorms blew, a place of death ¨C or so courageous adventurers had come back to tell their tales, failing to explore the unexplored in search for riches.


    "Quiet!" ushered Ezra suddenly as they were in the middle of a discussion.


    "Listen." he said a moment later.


    Alderon wasn''t able to hear anything out of the ordinary, and so he looked at Ezra with a puzzled look.


    However, the next second after, his face also greatly changed.


    He heard low, thick thuds sound out from behind of them.


    Ezra spun around, grabbed the skeleton blacksmith by his waist, and threw both of them off the dune which was shaped like a rolling wave.


    "Shhh." Ezra signalled Alderon with his finger to his mouth.


    "What the heck? I can almost swear I heard voices from around here," said a deep, animalistic voice from where Ezra and Alderon had been standing just a moment ago.


    "Once again, Slug is talking in his sleeping hat," said another.


    "No, I can swear I¨C"


    "Old Sluggy, you hearing things again?" asked a third. "I thought for sure the voices in your head had gotten better by now, and yet here you are, spewing out another load of nonsense."


    "I''m telling the truth, I really did hea¨C" The voice stopped abruptly. "Oi, what''s this smell? Stinky Skeleton?"


    "Wow, I can''t believe it. You reall¨C" continued the third voice. "...you''re right. It does smell of skelly."


    As Ezra and Alderon held their breaths to avoid being discovered, the head of a dog suddenly poked out from above, staring straight into the two.


    The dog face seemed shocked, its mouth opened wide. It quickly pulled back.


    "Attack!" shouted Ezra, knowing they only had one shot to avoid being chased around the whole desert, and that shot was to take out this small party of beastmen before reinforcements were called for.


    The vampire shot up from beneath the dune and attacked the beastman with a dog''s head. Alderon followed soon after, drawing his sword.


    As they jumped onto the dune, the moonlight allowed them to clearly see the faces of their opponents as well as the prairie wolves that stood beside. And for Alderon, he was also able to see the blue boxes above their heads.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Dogman Sora (lvl 24)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Prarie Wolf (13)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Tigerman Raia (lvl 27)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Prarie Wolf (15)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Mouseman Piri (23)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Prarie Wolf (11)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Owlman Slug (26)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Prarie Wolf (14)


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "A skelly! A-and a vamp!" shrieked the mouseman.


    Beastmen were half human, half animal.


    And -- the beastman who shrieked was a merge between a mouse and a human. Its lower body was human, having a pair of short but muscular legs, and its upper body was that of a mouse''s, covered with pale grey fur.You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.


    As the mouse shrieked, the long whiskers at its mouth trembled, and it put its two claws together in front of its mouth, as if this position was its stance.


    Quite different from what Ezra taught me. Alderon shrugged and entered the basic one-handed stance. He immediately felt the effects in form of increased agility.


    It had been a long time since he last checked his character menu but he didn''t share a single doubt that his stats hadn''t increased a great deal. His agility must be at least in the tens -- from what he could feel now.


    "Piri!" ordered the Tigerman, seemingly the leader of the group. "You deal with the skelly! Raia and I will take on the vamp. Sora, hurry up, you are the fastest of us ¨C alert the camp! We can''t let these monsters get away!"


    The Tigerman, the most robust and fierce looking, and Owlman Slug, who seemed kind of old, blocked Ezra from attacking the Dogman Sora. The Vampire gnashed his teeth and curled his lip, blood filling his eyes.


    Alderon stepped back as the mouseman moved in front of him.


    He squinted his eyes and calmed down, remembering the basics that Ezra had taught him during the previous day.


    "Skelly, eat my claws!" shrieked Mouseman Piri and charged.


    While those thick and muscular legs looked more strong than what they did fast, they were quicker than what Alderon had expected. He barely managed to sidestep to the right.


    However, he couldn''t avoid being scratched, a crack appearing on his white forearm bone. And as that happened, a blue box flared up.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health (139/145)


    -6


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations! By being hurt, you have discovered your health bar!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Health is one of many different kinds of energies in the world. Please be cautious -- you will die if your health drops to zero. However, as a creature of the underworld, you will be returned there upon death until summoned again.


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    "Lucky bastard!" growled Mouseman Piri.


    The beastman once again took the stance where its claws were by its mouth.


    It seems that each time someone hurts me, my health drops. And as it drops to zero, I will die, re-sent to the underworld. Alderon did his best to keep his distance from the mouseman. The notice about health was a surprise, like always with these damned blue boxes, but he didn''t allow himself to be disturbed by it.


    Alderon tried to remember the practice with Ezra. This mouse moves in a straight line. I should sidestep to the right, and when he charges, I will avoid him and use a diagonal slash. Good, let''s try that!


    Mouseman Piri licked the bone dust from his claws, directly spitting it out again, coughing. He was probably used to attacking creatures with blood, forgetting that Alderon was a skeleton.


    "Bastard! Tricking me like this! Come, doggy!"


    Mouseman Piri was flung into rage and shouted for the Prarie wolf not too far away.


    "I will kill all of you dirty beasts!" screamed Ezra.


    The two beastmen didn''t understand what the vampire said since they spoke a different language, yet they more or less understand the message. Ezra wasn''t like Alderon who could understand other languages, so when the tigerman and Owlman Slug told each other to be careful, he took it as an insult and became even angrier.


    Being on a whole other dimension in terms of strength, Ezra had the complete edge in the fight.


    The tigerman was very fast and fought with a bloodthirsty nature, but Ezra was even faster, and if were are going to talk about who''s more bloodthirsty, who can say they are more bloodthirsty than a vampire.


    On the other hand, Owlman Slug was a bit different. His attacks were always incredibly precise, targeting any weak spots or openings Ezra revealed.


    If not for the Owlman''s annoying nature, Ezra would already have killed the tigerman.


    "Slug, we must hold on until reinforcements come!" said the tigerman. His left arm was badly mangled and there was no trace left of his paw. Ezra had ripped it off from the creature''s arm earlier, making blood flow almost endlessly, painting the sand in crimson.


    "I know! How the f*ck is that useless Piri taking so long? Shit, if just we hadn''t gotten him in our squad!"


    Vampire Ezra sneered as he heard the desperate, animalistic sounds the beastmen were making. He had already killed the Prarie wolves and would only need one more opportunity to bite into the neck of the tigerman. Although he preferred human females, blood was always blood, and would always heal his wounds to fine scars.


    It was a shame that he never got the chance to drink from the Prarie wolves, or he''d be even stronger. The last time he drank blood was at the black castle before they left. She had been quite a tasty one, that female human. A shame he couldn''t enjoy her more before his master ordered him to escort the skeleton blacksmith.


    After all, Blood was vital for vampires. If a vampire drank blood at least a day before the fight, he or she would be able to deploy their greatest abilities, and if not, their strength would be halved ¨C if not more.


    As the mouseman shot forward with his claws, the blacksmith skeleton performed an almost perfect side step. Piri was caught off guard by the sudden movement from Alderon and couldn''t change direction.


    Now! Alderon stomped down as Ezra taught him and twisted his body, leading the force that had been accumulated from his pivot foot and legs through his whole body out trough his arm and sword.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    [Active] Diagonal Slashlvl 2


    + 0,2 proficiency


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    [Passive] Twisting Body lvl 1


    + 0,4proficiency


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    Blood splattered onto the sand as the mouseman released a horrifying shriek sank to his knees.


    The prairie wolf came one step too late, and when it discovered its owner being hurt, rushed over to stand firm between Alderon and the mouseman. Its intention was clear.


    Alderon looked over to see how the vampire was doing. After noticing the state of his opponents, he heaved a large sigh of relief.


    The vampire was totally dominating the two beastmen. The fight would probably be finished within a minute.


    I need to wrap this up as well. It wasn''t the first time Alderon fought. He had brawled with his skeleton friends down the underworld, but he had never been in a real sword fight. All they had down there were their fists and perhaps their own bones when they were chipped off from their own bodies.


    Alderon entered the stance again. Mouseman Piri was still down on the ground because of the injury to his back. The skeleton''s sword had slashed down at his back and there was now a long gash, in where one would see the colour of white that originated from his spine. He also understood this was the best chance to end this.


    The prairie wolf growled ferociously, baring its razor-sharp teeth as Anderon advanced with his sword in hand. With a quick double step, Alderon used the [pierce] skill he had learned from Ezra, his sword piercing toward the prairie wolf''s head.


    The Prarie wolf felt its fine hairs raise, but knowing its owner was behind, it lunged toward the attacker!


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations! By killing a Prairie Wolf, you have advanced to lvl 2!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations! By killing a Prairie wolf, you have advanced to lvl 3!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Congratulations! By killing a Prairie wolf, you have advanced to lvl 4!


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>


    A bunch of blue boxes shimmered in front of Alderon.


    <table>


    <tbody>


    <tr>


    <td>


    Class Change!


    Congratulations! By killing an enemy with a sword, you have unlocked a new class.


    Would you like to change class?


    [Yes/No]


    </td>


    </tr>


    </tbody>


    </table>

 Chapter 4

    Chapter Four, Grand Escape!


    Alderon furrowed his slick brows, which had long ago faded away with time''s ebb, as the blue boxes appeared from thin air. These blue panels were akin to the mirages a thirsty traveller would see in the desert, similar to the reflections of oases where flowing water flowed across wide stretches of green. It was truly unfortunate though because the skeleton knew they were real, unlike a fake mirage, and that if he didn''t make them go away ¨C that they would become a hindrance to his fight with the beastman.To elaborate more clearly, the boxes clouded his view of the mouseman, enabling him to see nothing. And needless to say, the lack of vision in a fight was the opposite of an advantage. Also, he didn''t dare to guess if another bright, golden-like light would appear as last time ¨C in the forge. Therefore, he shouted outin an impatient voice, hoping for them to go away.


    And thankfully, they did, turning into nothing at his command.


    The view was once again cleared. Alderon could still make out the screaming mouseman, whose furry back was carved with red. He took a deep breath and was just about to take another step forward as mouseman Piri shrieked abruptly.


    "Bastard! You killed doggy!"


    Mouseman Piri''s face turned in anger, its whiskers furiously twitching as the furry creature slowly crawled up from the ground. Blood spewed out from its back like an open dam, only calming down once the ground was dyed akin to the bedsheets of a woman''s first time.


    "I''ll kill you!" It screamed. "I''ll fucking kill you!"


    "Come!" said Alderon and raised his sword.


    There was no need for hesitation although the little skeleton''s skills were newly acquired. His strike worked earlier, albeit used in a quite, what some people would call a dodgy move.


    However, what was the use in morals and ethics?


    What did being an honest and upright person help when a sword was pointed at your throat?


    Life and death were the only fair laws in this world, at least from what Alderon had seen and learned. Even in the underworld, no one was detested for using moves that were, so called cheap.


    In fact, there are no cheap moves.


    There is only strength ¨C and all the factors and moves and traits and abilities that increased it.


    Mouseman Piri laughed crazily as it heard Alderon''s clear taunt. It charged with a stance that was fundamentally different from before, whereas its claws had been set up at its chin. Now its arms were stretched out like the wings of a hawk, and its claws were gripping the air as if the air was able to be pulled.


    From what Alderon could see, and deduct, the puny mouseman was really firm upon not giving in an inch, throwing itself toward its opponent without fear of death.


    "Die!" screamedMouseman Piri.


    Alderon took a step forward to meet the mouseman and used a diagonal slash, the skill he was most confident in.


    "... is what you thought I''d say! Dumbass!" laughed the mouseman and changed direction, retreating as fast as possible instead, relying on its muscular and explosive legs to widen the distance by several meters.


    "You think I''m dumb? Hah! Who the hell cares about a dog? Risk my life for it? Hah!"


    "I don''t know how you understand and speak our language, but don''t for one second think I won''t take advantage of it! And you fell for my plan!" Mouseman Piri continued. "Smelly, retard, stupid, dumbass skeleton! Just wait until the reinforcements get here. They will have you returnedfrom here you come from before you know it!"


    Alderon was shocked from the course of events. He certainly did not expect this from a creature whom h regarded as but a primitive being. Perhaps he had underestimated them. Or at least this fellow.


    "You coward! Come back! Piri! How dare you abandon your comrades!" roared the tigerman, its other arm now also completely mangled, as it saw the mouseman''s retreat.If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    "Shut up! You think I''d risk my life for you, idiot?" returned mouseman Piri. "I know you''ve all thought lesser of me because I''m a mouseman! Why should I risk my life to save yours! Would you even do the same for me?!"


    "You bastard! We should never have taken you along!" growled the tigerman as it saw the mouseman turn tail and run away. The tigerman turned to the owlman. "I will block them. You escape. Don''t let that bastard Piri go unpunished!"


    "No, let me do it instead. I''m at death''s door either way, as old as I am." said the owlman. "Go, take revenge for me in the future!"


    "Old slug..."


    "Go!"


    "Thank you," it said softly ¨C unlike its previous roaring -- finally nodding.


    The Owlman laughed, its head quickly turning a hundred eighty degrees, barely able to notice Vampire Ezra''s sneak attack at the cost of one of its wings, now a bloody mangled piece of flesh.There was no doubt the owlman would never be able to fly again, not to mention how it wouldn''t be able to get away from Ezra and Alderon. "Now leave before its top late!"


    Upon hearing its comrade, the tigerman turned around and tried its best to quickly escape.


    "Owlblood," said Ezra, his eyes now completely crimson, just like his sharp nails; gleaming in the bright, red colour that had painted them. "not my favourite, but should work for today."


    "Alderon," said Ezra to the skeleton who stood idly.


    Alderon nodded in understanding and shot after the tigerman, leaving Vampire Ezra to deal with the owlman.


    Since the tigerman was bleeding proudly from both arms, its speed had dropped quite a bit, not to mention how its armour was heavy compared to Alderon''s self-made chestplate, causing it to expand more strength to move forward than him. And as the cherry on top, Alderon didn''t have to worry about stamina while the tigerman did.


    After a long chase, the tigerman finally dropped down, stumbling in the sand. Its two arms sucked the sand closely to them like sponges when they made contact with the fine, golden grains.


    Alderon hunched down, put the sword by the tigerman''s throat.


    "Any last words?" he asked.


    "You know how to speak our language? it said, baffled. "How?


    "are those your last words?" he asked again.


    "Hah! Just do it," the tigerman said. "I no longer have the strength to move or I would already have killed myself honourably! Now I have to die by your hand, the hand of a pesky skeleton. Tsk. I''m a shame to my ancestors."


    Alderon shrugged and raised his sword, preparing to swing down.


    "Wait!" a voice said.


    Alderon turned his head and noticed Ezra walking toward him.


    "You killed it?" the skeleton asked, letting his sword fall to his side.


    "More or less. He took his own life."


    The tigerman couldn''t understand their discussion but was able to guess what had transpired now that the vampire was here. Its eyes became moist. The owlman had been like an uncle to the tigerman.


    Alderon pointed and the badly mangled Tigerman and said. "What about this one??"


    "Just one second, I need to check something. "said vampire Ezra and walked to them, squatting down.


    Ezra grabbed the tigerman by its throat and pressed his cheek to the ground, revealing a ripe, furry neck that was less muscley as Alderon would have expected. The vampire growled. Two sharp fangs extended from his mouth and shot down toward the tigerman''s throat, piercing through the skin and flesh as easily as a wasp''s needle.


    The tigerman released a groan, and its limbs, that were tight and stiff, fell to the ground and became limp. Ezra''s eyes slowly turned into a darker colour of crimson. When the vampire was finished, he rose from the ground and wiped the leftover bloodstain from his lips with his coat.


    "Well, well, just as I expected," said Ezra. "a female."


    "Really?" said Alderon, not really caring a lot about wether she was male or female. "I never noticed."


    "Me neither. At first," returned the vampire. "but I could smell the faint scent of female when I drew blood."


    Alderon nodded. "What now? We can bring her to the camp and make her tell us where their camp is."


    "We could -- but we won''t."


    "Why?"


    "Because we might die if we do," Ezra said and then gave him a thoughtful gaze. "We are currently in enemy territory and the top priority is to get to the camp as quickly as possible. Now that we''ve alerted the enemy, taking prisoners will slow down our speed enough for us to be chased down, especially with their wounds. It would be a lot better for us to leave them here and make the chasers pick them up."


    Alderon nodded. "I''m still a bit ignorant so please continue to advise me."


    "Of course."


    The two creatures of the underworld smiled. Ezra would not spare Alderon the teachings and experiences he had accumulated in Necromancer Ferguson''s service, and Alderon would listen carefully to whatever Ezra told him in the future.


    They quickly left the bleeding tigerman, or tigerwoman to be precise, and headed back to the owlman who barely clung onto his life. Ezra kicked him in the gut and broke both of his legs, an action that would force the reinforcements to carry him themselves, which once again would slow down their already slowed down speed.


    After doing all this, they once again hit the road, now in a more hurried fashion than during the previous time. And when they heard the beastmen''s prairie wolves'' howl, declaring the hunt that was going to take place in the desert this night, they picked up the speed additionally.

 Chapter 5

    Now that I think about it, I got a new class, didn''t I?"Alderon smiled as they were running. He pulled up the menu and found the name of his new class. Skeleton Swordsman. Pressing on the class, information about it came up.


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    [Skeleton Swordsman]


    Skeleton Swordsmen are the worst type of swordsmen there is. They are despised by all other swordsmen around the world, especially the human knights who hold the swordsman profession in high esteem. Be warned that meeting human swordsmen with this class can cause them to turn hostile and attack without reason.


    Effects: 20% decreased stamina


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    The class was the same as the Skeleton Blacksmith. Does the world have something against me or what? Do the gods really hate skeletons?Alderon looked at the information and snorted. What a worthless class. On the other hand, while the class was absolute garbage, the skill he acquired with it was actually quite good. Its name was cannibalism and it worked for all classes.


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    [Passive]Cannibalism ¨C lvl 1 (0/10)


    A very normal skill used by Skeleton fighters to recover health on the battlefield.


    Effects: +2 HP / 50 gram flesh


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    He had seen some higher tiered skeletons eat from their defeated foes in the underworld. If it wasn''t for the fact that skeletons didn''t have any flesh, they would have eaten him too as they noticed him scramble into their territory. When they had been eating, the cracked bones in the ribgrasses and their broken arms had healed and grown together again. And now, as he got this skills, he could feel that it was the same. How nice wasn''t this? He could heal up just by eating flesh!


    He didn''t equip the class. Doing so would do absolutely nothing since the effect was negative in the first place. Twenty percent less stamina? Hell no, that would reduce his health, and therefore increase his chances of dying? Did Alderon the coward want to do? Of course not! Not even for the mighty lich would he throw away his dear life? (he wouldn''t really die in the first place though, just return to the first layer of the underworld which is also known as the flaming abyss.)


    "I can hear them getting closer," Ezra told Alderon in a low voice. "they will catch up in less than ten minutes."


    "Then what should we do?" asked the skeleton.


    "Increase our pace." said the vampire solemnly.


    Ezra shot away like the wind. Alderon ran after albeit not as fast as the vampire. And as time passed, the distance between them grew yet again. The vampire looked backwards and said. "If you don''t speed up you will be caught."


    Alderon swore.Think, think, think, what can I do to catch up? I need speed... Agility! That''s right! I levelled up and that should mean I received stat points enough to raise my agility and, in turn, my running speed!


    The skeleton quickly pulled up the menu again. He rejoiced in the fact that he was right. Points really had been added. Nine of them!Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.


    "Here we go, everything into agility!"


    As his bony finger tapped the button with a plus inside, a cool feeling spread through his whole body. His feet and legs immediatelyfelt lighter and instead of one meter per step, he now ran just a bit less than two. He laughed haughtily and increased his pace, soon catching up the vampire who revealed a surprisedexpression.


    "You caught up?"


    "Of course." Alderon snickered. "Why? You didn''t think I could?"


    "No, not at all." answered the vampire. "I thought you''d be run down by the beastmen. But this is better. Now I won''t have to feel the wrath of our master for failing to protect you."


    Alderon laughed on the outside but was in truth a bit angry.Would he really just have let me die like that? Well, I do understand that I could just be resummoned, but you know, that hurt my feelings you stinky vamp!"


    "Oh shit. I made a huge mistake." declared Ezra and stopped running. He closed his eyes and slapped himself in the face, murmuring. "Stupid Ezra, stupid Ezra."


    "What? What have you done?"


    "Look ahead," he said. "Can you see something there?"


    "a wall..." began Alderon. If his eyes weren''t hollow pockets, they would have constrictedby now.


    "Yeah, a wall, also known as the Koroma mountain chain," continued Ezra. "It''s the largest mountain that can be classified as being in the territory of the endless wasteland and stretches for several miles along the border. In a hurry, I must have misjudged where we were, and as such, we haven''t been running toward the camp, but instead a bit more south-east, toward the foot of the mountains that protect the dwarves. If we run straight west, we will come to the camp and if we run straight east we will come to the forests of the elves. There''s only one problem though."


    "What?"


    "They will catch up to us before we can reach the camp. In other words, we must fight, or seek hide in the mountain."


    As Ezra said his last line, they could both hear a war horn sound out. How convenient. The beastmen were catching up to them and they had no idea what to do. "So what do you say? Do you think your bones can withstand the cold? Because I can tell you, we got no chance in a straight up fight."


    "Not sure," Alderon said. "Never been in the mortal world except for the castle. I know I can take on heat pretty well. The flaming abyss down the first layer is quite warm after all. But cold? I truly don''t know. Maybe, maybe not."


    "Well, it seems like we have no choice," Ezra said. "I''d rather bet everything on chance than to take suicide by fighting a whole beastman squad all by myself."


    "You got me fighting by your side, though?"


    "That''s not much to have considering your current strength, Alderon. No offence, of course."


    Alderon and Ezra started to run once again. They could hear and feel the beastmen coming from behind, slowly but surely catching up on their ferocious prairie wolves whose howls echoed across the barren lands and sent icy chills through all living things that heard them. Even Alderon felt a chill. On the other hand, he was quite interested in the levels which he received for killing the mouseman''s wolf, so the chill slowly turned into a desire to acquire more stat points.


    It was soon dawn when they at long last arrived in front of the foot of the mountains. The mountains were taller than what the eye could see and stretched into the sky, surrounded by mist which hid the peaks. The skeleton and the vampire began to ascend the mountain. Perhaps the pursuers would give up when they would see the tracks ending here.


    A while later, the sound of soft thuds sang out. A whole squad of beastmen, thirty-six of them, sat on top of their prairie wolves, looking up towards the mountains with dread. There were two extra soldiers with them. It was a mouseman, the one who had escaped Alderon and Ezra earlier, as well as a wolfman, the one who ran away before the battle began. They both shared the wolfman''s wolf and while the mouseman watched everything unfurl with a smug expression, all that filled the wolfman''s was hatred. He swore to himself as his eyes were filled with crimson to get revenge for his fallen comrades.


    "This is really bad, squad commander. Really bad." In the front of the squad, a lionman and aneaglewoman sat on their prairie wolves. They wore armours of steel, clearly of higher status than the other who wore leather.


    "I know." the eaglewoman bit on her white wing that was adorned with shiny and sharp feathers.


    "If they discover the tunnel," began the lionman. "everything will be ruined. And if they do that then the commander will¨C"


    "Stop it!" the eaglewoman looked at her and said sternly. "Manja, don''t tell me what I already know. Help me figure out a plan to catch them instead. Because If we allow them to get away with that information, let alone our two heads, I fear the destruction of our race will be imminent."


    The lionman calmed down from the eaglewoman''s rebuke and said with determination burning in his golden pupil eyes. "Yes, squad commander. Then let us hunt."

 Chapter 6

    The few day of the journey across the snowy landscape had been tough. Steep cliffs and deep valleys and so much snow that the two undeads had to wade through. From times to times, the black-clothed vampire even had to carry the skeleton, muttering in complaint every time about how fragile Alderon was and how much he would owe Ezra when they successfully escaped the squad of beastmen.


    The beastmen were after them, hack in heel, without rest as the two groups ascended the mountains. They had tried to shake off their pursuers but it was hard, and they feared a battle was unavoidable. While the prairie wolves would be hard pressed to follow Alderon and Ezra¡¯s scent, the footprints in the snow were easily seen and trackable.


    "What the fuck is that?¡±"


    It was as they advanced up the mountains that they discovered smoke. A lot of smoke. It originated from a valley in the mountain range and rose up into the sky, forming a beacon of grey.


    ¡°It seems to be smoke," Alderon answered.


    Ezra stared at Alderon for a while, deadpanned, trying to figure out if the skeleton was joking with him or not. Of course it was smoke! But that wasn¡¯t the answer he had wished for!


    The vampire shook his head and said. ¡°Yes, but why is there smoke here? This region should be devoid of people.¡±


    ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s travellers, like us, who have lit a fire to keep warm.¡± suggested the skeleton.


    ¡°Possibly,¡± acknowledged Ezra. ¡°but that much smoke¡­ why would a bunch of travellers light fires that releases so much smoke? Heck, if not for the place we¡¯re in, I¡¯d think it¡¯s an army camp or something.¡±


    Ezra looked at the smoke. The winds were blowing hard, so the smoke spread quickly, but Ezra wasn¡¯t battered from the razor-sharp winds at all. Instead it was Alderon, still dressed in his shabby clothes. He had thought of putting on his armour to shield himself from the cold, but then again, that might backfire and make them slower than they already were.


    The beastmen squad was one or two hours away, had Ezra concluded earlier from god knows what information, and considering their speed and resistance to cold, they were on the verge of catching up, so the two undeads couldn¡¯t allow any mistakes.


    ¡°I¡¯ve decided. Let¡¯s go down the valley. Perhaps we can find a cave. ¡° Ezra decided. He was mainly the one who made the decisions. Not that Alderon could come up with something better.


    ¡°I do wonder though,¡± muttered the vampire as they waded through the snow in the downward slope. ¡°why are they so persistent? Did we kill their king¡¯s heir or what?¡±


    While the mountains were white and pretty, there was actually quite a bit of vegetation in the valley. That was one of the reasons to why they decided to enter the valley. Well, why Ezra decided for them to enter the Valley. The vegetation would allow them to prepare an ambush if they didn¡¯t find any cave. And the last reason -- what if the travellers were from the mighty lich¡¯s faction? That maybe Alderon and Ezra could get them to help.


    Unfortunately, it could just as well be beastmen or dwarves, while the latter was more believable since this region was closer to their domain.


    As they came down into the valley and moved closer to the point where the smoke originated from, they began hearing voices. And it wasn¡¯t the kind of voices they wanted to hear.


    ¡°Now, my dear skeleton friend, we¡¯re in even more trouble than before,¡± Ezra said.


    Alderon nodded nervously.


    ¡°Let¡¯s take a closer look¡± the black-clothed vampire and crouched down, moving under tree branches with unparalleled swiftness deserving of his kin¡¯s reputation. Alderon followed him.


    ¡°This¡­ we need to quickly report this to master!¡±


    Ezra and Alderon looked out from the bushes, peering at no other than thousands of beastmen. The beastmen had set up a large camp. Hundreds of tents were scattered across the open area of the valley, made from beast skin and held up by wood poles hammered into the hard soil with its frozen crust now broken.


    If you spot this story on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation.


    Further to away, as the ground turned into an upward slope, a large tunnel had been created straight through the mountain rock. Beastmen walked in and out, pulling mining carts filled with stone.


    ¡°Why are they making a tunnel through the mountain? Is that what they call mining? Is it from those kinds of places that the ores I smelted in the black castle to make weapons came from?¡± asked Alderon curiously.


    ¡°I¡¯m not completely sure what they are doing but there can only be one reason except for mining, which I find very unlikely since this region is too much if a hassle to start a mine in.¡± the vampire explained. ¡°and that reason is an invasion. An attempt to invade the kingdom of dwarves and leave the endless wasteland they have been forced to live in for so many years.¡±


    He then laughed. ¡°And yeah, it¡¯s from those kinds of places your ore comes from.¡±


    ¡°Isn¡¯t this good for us?


    ¡°For our faction, yes. But for us, you and I? Right now? Not as much.¡± Ezra said. ¡°however, if we can successfully relay this piece of news to master, who can then talk with his own master who will talk with the leader of all undead, we will be plentifully rewarded.¡±


    ¡°But we need to escape first.¡± added the vampire. ¡°Come, let¡¯s search for a cave to hide in.¡±


    The two undeads left the beastman camp and searched for a cave where the upward slope began. By chance, they found one, a crack in the mountain rock, and entered. Ezra did something that made Alderon gasp. He smirked and muttered in a weird language unknown to the skeleton. In a flash, a small ball of fire materialised in his hand. Alderon could now see the interior of the cave and they discovered it to be quite a lot bigger than they had expected.


    "Let''s go down. Perhaps they will be resigned to follow. Either way, trying to escape from them in the same manner as we''ve done these couple of days is impossible now since the camp will most likely help them." said Ezra solemnly. "try to escape from a thousand beastmen with rested wolves? No thanks!"


    They carefully stepped further into the cave. Ice covered the walls stalagmites hung from the ceiling, glistening from the light shed by the ball of fire in the vampire''s hand. It was strangely quiet in the cave and not even the sound of wind reached their ears. They discovered that the cave was inclined, leading them up and not down.


    "This cave is strangely large and orderly." Ezra pondered. "It makes me wonder, was it really formed naturally?"


    Just as Alderon was about to answer his vampire ally, he was at a loss for words. Was it because of what Ezra said? Well, not exactly.


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    Congratulations! You are the first to discovered the hidden instance the tomb of the Dwarven KingThalgraes Heavyhand


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    The Tomb of Dwarven KingThalgraes Heavyhand


    Long ago, when dwarves fought against dragons, there was a kind dwarven prince who''s best friend was the son of the red monarch. They often met and played in a small lake lit up by luminous rocks. However, Alrunenth and Thalgraes''s friendship didn''t last long. Their fathers, the red monarch, Ailzrarth the fire dragon, and the iron king, Aramid Heavyhand, soon discovered this forbidden friendship. In an attempt to sever the friendship, they constrained their children within their respective domains. Years passed and the friendship dawned. But against all odds, when the red monarch and the iron king died, the two friends came to power. And as they met on the battlefield, everything that existed was that old friendship, shining more brilliantly than all those years ago. And so, the dragons and dwarves laid their grudges and hatred behind and joined together as one people, following the steps of their two great leaders.


    Here lies the tomb of the great unifier, Dwarven KingThalgraes...


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    By being the first one to discoverThe Tomb of Dwarven KingThalgraes Heavyhand,you have received a boost!


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    Boost:Explorer


    *Double XP for 7 days within the instance you discovered.


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 Reboot

    Hey, guys, I''ve decided to do a quick reboot of the story on another account.To change a few things in order make it clearer and such. I''ll post the chapters during the day and then I''ll post the seventh chapter, a new chapter, as well. Thanks!The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    I''ll post a link here as well when I''ve posted the first chapter on the other account so you know where to find it.


    The name of the account ison Alderon by the way.


    Also, what do you think is the optimal length of a chapter? I''ve been thinking. 1,5k or 2k or 3k ¨C what do you think?

 Undead Conquest!!!!!!!!

    Hey guys, currently at work, but noticed that the rewritten piece of journey of a skeleton, in first persen perspective, Undead Conquest, was accepted as a submission. I''d reccomend to read the whole story from scratch since there are certain things, dialoge among else, which have been changed, especielly in chapter 2 and prologue. I''ll begin release chapters when I get home.The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.


    Here''s the link: https://royalroadl.com/fiction/12641/undead-conquest</a>


    To make up for some letters.... hsksekdjwjskkeehskveyeldvehwwbecwlbshdidkdcjfkgvdjdvdjlfvvjdjdjdjfjjfjfkfbdkbjdjdjdjfkfkfkfjfjfbfjfjfj