Eternal Rest

Bones found himself at a crossroads, torn between the enigmatic allure of the Arcane Mage and the haunting whispers of the Bonemancer class. As he contemplated his options, the shadow of the Rogue class quickly faded away, deemed unworthy in comparison to the untapped potential of the other two.

While briefly considering the path of the Arcane Mage, the idea of manipulating raw mana and wielding powerful spells appealed to him. However, the Bonemancer class consistently surfaced in his thoughts, creating a sense of connection that he couldn't easily dismiss. In the end, torn between two enticing options, he trusted his instincts and chose the class that felt like destiny – the Bonemancer. The decision resonated with him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that either choice would lead him down a path worth exploring.

You have chosen a class: Bonemancer

Congratulations on choosing your first class!

Recommended attribute distribution: INT

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You have learned a new skill: Bone Spear

Bone Spear (basic) - Summon a piercing projectile made of bones with increased piercing power. Piercing damage reduced with each pierced target. Damage and durability of the spear is increased if the bone is used as material..

Cost: 10 mp

Level up: +1 bone spear per 5 levels, +1 mp cost per level

After acquiring the newfound skill, Bones decided to check his status.

Status

Attributes

Name: Bones

Race: Undead Skeleton lvl 5

Class: Bonemancer lvl 1

Profession: ???

Hp - 108/130

Mp - 89/130

Sta - ∞

STR: 9

AGI: 5

END: 5

VIT: 13

INT: 13

WIS: 5

Free points: 1

Examining himself, Bones noticed tiny cracks and scratches, evidence of the battles he had endured. Though his health points were slowly recovering, he realized that he had overlooked a crucial aspect – his constant mana usage. The sheer movement during combat drained his mana, a revelation that dawned upon him with a sense of realization.

Considering the importance of mana in his newfound abilities, Bones pondered how to allocate his free attribute point. After a brief contemplation, he decided to adhere to the recommended distribution, at least until he gained a deeper understanding of his class and potential paths.

Placing the attribute point in INT, a surge of power washed over him, and Bones relished the sensation. As half an hour passed since the battle's end, an eerie silence settled over the area, broken only by the whispers of the wind and the rustling of leaves. Bones, still amidst the aftermath, debated his next move but opted to stay for a while.

Eager to experiment with his new skill, he returned to the desolate camp, now a graveyard of corpses. Bones sought an abundance of bones for his practice. With focused bone manipulation, he willed his mana to permeate the nearest corpse, coursing through the flesh, organs, and ultimately attaching to the bones. Despite his attempts to command the bones to move, they remained stubborn.

Expressing his annoyance with a subtle tsk, Bones acknowledged that he had to resort to a more direct approach. Attempting to yank the bones out, he was startled as the upper body of the corpse abruptly sat up. The unexpected movement disrupted his concentration, causing the corpse to fall back into its lifeless state. Disturbed by the experience, Bones muttered to himself, "That was disturbing."

Realizing he needed a more direct approach to gather useful materials, Bones reluctantly embarked on a search for anything sharp, or rather, bloodier. His eyes fell upon the larger goblin, and he surmised that if any of them carried something remotely useful, it would be the formidable one. A thorough search yielded an iron knife, still sharp, lodged in the goblin's loincloth.

"Will have to do for now," he muttered with a tired undertone, mentally drained by the whirlwind of events. Returning to the gruesome task at hand, he randomly selected a corpse and began the laborious process of cutting, pulling, and more cutting. After an hour of macabre craftsmanship, Bones felt satisfied with the assortment of bones he had collected, though they were still stained with blood and had tendons clinging to some.

Creating a pile with the gathered bones, he extended his mana to envelop one of them, activating the skill Bone Spear. Tendrils of mana coiled around the bone, causing it to levitate. As the mana worked its magic, dissolving grime and blood until only a clean white bone remained, slightly shaped like a spear.

A skeletal smile graced Bones' features, pleased with the outcome. He noted the mana depletion during the creation of the bone spear, which now only drained him of the mana required for bone manipulation. Contemplating the optimal use of his new skill, he concluded that it was most practical for combat at a medium distance from the target. Uncertain of his accuracy at a larger distance, he decided to practice on the nearest tree and, reluctantly, on the bodies of the fallen. He needed to gauge the destructive potential of the skill.

The bone spear, about half a meter in length, struck him as a bit short for its namesake. However, he recalled reading that its length would improve with a higher level in the skill. Adopting a stance, Bones focused his will on impaling a tree roughly ten meters away. The spear moved in a sudden, jerky motion for about five meters before plummeting to the ground, sliding an additional two meters.

"Hmmm - alright then!" he muttered.

Approaching the fallen spear, he used his bone manipulation to pick it up and returned to his starting position. This time, Bones extended his arm and, with a flick of his wrist, willed the spear to fly straight. Much like an arrow released from a bow, the spear sprang into motion and embedded itself deep in the ground next to the targeted tree. Bones grinned and exclaimed, "Much better!"

With each attempt, he found the process became smoother. Recognizing that hand motions facilitated the flow of mana and made aiming easier, Bones felt satisfied. Finally equipped with a means to attack from range, the impact of the spear proved devastating, easily demolishing anything he had encountered thus far.

A sudden flashback brought him back to the memory of the summoned skeletons, introducing a touch of uncertainty to his satisfaction. Well, almost anything.

Scanning the aftermath of the battle, Bones sockets caught sight of a set of somewhat clean clothes on one of the fallen goblins. Although small and far from ideal, they offered enough coverage to veil his skeletal frame, granting a semblance of modesty. Yet, the absence of boots and a hood left him with a sense of exposure, a feeling that lingered despite the meager cover the goblin's attire provided.

Using another set of clothes, Bones fashioned a makeshift carrying mechanism for the extra bones he had prepared. As he turned to head back to his spot by the tree, a faint disturbance in the ambient mana caught his attention. His mana sense tingled, indicating a potential presence nearby.

"Is someone coming?" he pondered, dropping the bones he carried. Acting swiftly, Bones laid down, deactivated his core, and assumed the appearance of a lifeless skeleton. Moments later, two humans leaped from the surrounding trees, landing a few meters away from the seemingly deceased Bones. Clad in dark brown leather armor with hoods concealing most of their faces, they appeared to be hunters, their daggers sheathed by their waists.

Observing the aftermath of the skirmish, the two scouts speculated on the possible causes. The first suggested in-fighting, while the second, noting the tracks, leaned toward goblins ambushing kobolds.

"What a bloody mess. In-fighting or adventurers?" the first scout commented.

"Could be either but," observing the tracks left behind, the second scout deduced that it appeared more like goblins ambushing kobolds.

"The goblins made their camp here," the second scout continued, surveying the area. "A patrol, considering the number of their corpses. Possible in-fighting?" he queried his companion.

"Mmm, seems so. One human casualty by the looks of it. Cleaned to the bones," the first scout remarked, eyeing the skeleton not far from them.

Looking in the same direction, the second scout said, "Seems to be one of the newbie adventurers. Few low-level goblins shouldn't be able to best a party of adventurers in a newbie zone, let alone kobolds. Maybe a solo adventurer?"”

A tired yawn escaped one of the scouts.

"Let's return and report. Our patrol shift has ended anyway, and there's a report of an apparent skeleton army marching and attacking villages - if you can believe it?! In just two days, the village had already fallen to the undead, and many dead are joining their ranks."

Both scouts turned their heads toward the skeleton one last time and then left. The skeleton in question lay still for a few more minutes after they departed, then got up, leaving the area. Climbing a tree, he sat cross-legged and entered a state of meditation, needing a moment to process the unfolding events.

As Bones contemplated his surroundings, he recognized this part of the forest as a beginner's area, explaining the low level of monsters he encountered. Pondering the frequency of patrols by scouts like the ones he encountered, he wondered about their motives and the skeleton army's purpose. The idea that a summoner raised an army without reason seemed unlikely. Reflecting on the events, Bones acknowledged, "A lot happened in such a short amount of time... Can't say I hate it though!" Grinning, he considered whether to follow the scouts or choose a different route. Opting to follow, he reasoned that gathering information was paramount. Knowing the scouts were heading back to report their findings, he anticipated that following them would lead him out of the forest and into civilization. Despite his worries, Bones resolved to face challenges as they arose. Throwing one last glance at the now-demolished camp, he jumped down and started walking after the two scouts.

The sun dipped low on the horizon as Bones raced through the forest, a pair of oversized wolves hot on his heels. Two hours had passed since he unwittingly entered their territory, and the relentless pursuit showed no signs of abating.

Initially, the wolves approached cautiously, circling Bones, and detecting nothing edible on his skeletal frame. However, Bones, being bones and wolves having an affinity for them, enticed the predators to pounce. It marked Bones' first encounter with the Bone Spear in combat, though it devolved into a close-quarters skirmish. Swiftly dodging the wolves' lunges, Bones skillfully impaled them with both a crude spear and the Bone Spear. Four wolves lay defeated around him—two with impaled heads, one through the heart, and the last sporting dual holes in its torso. Despite their levels being 3 and 4, the meager experience gains left Bones undeterred, for more wolves swiftly approached.

Summoning another spear, he prepared for the impending attack. However, he swiftly changed tactics, turning and sprinting away with a pack of seven wolves hot on his heels. Demonstrating the advantage of his lighter skeletal frame, Bones outran them slightly. Occasionally, he turned around, hurling spears at his pursuers, dispatching them one by one. Most succumbed to a single strike or bled out shortly after. Only a few at level 5 and above required two hits. Despite his efforts, the experience gains were inadequate, prompting Bones to seek more.

Amidst the chaotic pursuit, Bones sensed mana building up to his left. Glancing in that direction, he spotted the largest wolf he had ever encountered charging at him. Swiftly readying his spear, he stumbled and fell just before using it. Hastily getting up, he faced another fall, narrowly avoiding the oncoming wolf. As he lay sprawled on the ground, he surveyed the scene to identify what caused his repeated trips. The revelation struck him – his left leg was missing from the knee down, with the remains held by one of the wolves a few meters behind.

Undeterred, Bones sprang to his feet, leapt as high as he could toward his other leg, and employed mana manipulation to yank it back with all his might. The leg went soaring through the air, and in a deft maneuver, Bones popped it back into place at an odd angle as he landed. Clumsily sprinting towards the wolves now ahead of him, he faced the relentless pursuit with the colossal wolf still chasing from behind. Leaping over the wolves, Bones killed two in mid-air and continued running, encapsulating the past hour of his harrowing escape.

As Bones traversed the forest, he discerned the larger wolf not to be an ordinary wolf but a direwolf - an evolved species, larger and more formidable in every aspect. All direwolves seemed to share a common trait—they were level 6 and possessed a skill that released a shearing blade of air. Frustrated with the incessant wolf encounters, Bones impaled two more wolves, and deftly dodged a Wind Blade skill from the direwolf. Engaging in a skirmish with the final pack, Bones paid a hefty toll, losing an arm and a leg in the process. Yet, he emerged victorious, or rather, bounced triumphantly in his skeletal way. In the aftermath, he embarked on a search for his misplaced appendages. Retrieving his leg, he mused, "Damn oversized dogs," while grappling with the crunching sounds of pulling his arm from the wolf's jaws.