I couldn't get a wink of rest throughout the entire night, but strangely enough, I don't feel tired. It probably has something to do with the fact that I'm a skeleton now. Looks like I can't get fatigued or hungry anymore. No matter how much I stare at my own body, I can't get used to this skeletal body. I'm not human anymore, nor am I a monster.
However, I must be cautious, if anyone sees me like this they will hunt me down. I pull the sheets from my bed and wrap them around my hands. I can't always go around with my hands in my pockets and if I am to go get my cloak, I need to show at least that much. Determined to leave this town, I pack my things and bolt out of the inn without looking suspicious.
A phantom pain strikes my heart as I glance at the dining room where I ate with my friends. Alas, they are dead now. Clenching my bones until I make them crick, I resume my escapade. Despair assaults my human soul and the darkness in my nonexistent heart plagues my thoughts. No, I have to remain calm. I need to get away from this cursed place.
Opening the door to the armor store, I was greeted with the sight of a black cloak hanging from behind the counter. I awe at the craftsmanship and hurry to the clerk. He looked me over and asked. "Hello sir, is there anything that I help you with?" His tone was curt, but I could feel the animosity in his voice. He can't recognize me, not that I want him to.
I answered grimly. "The cloak. I came to pick up the cloak I ordered." Surprise crossed his face, before frowning darkly. He checked me over and pulled the cloak into the counter right in front of me. I felt a small trail of magic oozing from the dark cloth. "Is that you mister Brine?" a simply inquiry that unnerved me to the very core.
Am I really Brine? I feel like that man died with his comrades. Nevertheless, I nodded sharply. I want to get out of this store as soon as possible. I hate this town. "We-I had a run in with some wolves." I muttered under my breath. Thankfully, my voice still sounded the same. Strange, I don't even have vocal cords. Never mind, this must be magic doing its wonders.
I pull the 16 copper from a pouch and take the cloak. I had no way of checking the size, so I trusted this man's skill. "I see" is his only solemn response "You were a promising group." Bitter, I turn impolitely and rush out of the store and out of town. I feel like if I stayed there even a second more, I would turn everything around me into pincushions.
Running, I cross the gate and stop where no one can see me. I ditch the dirty cloak and the tore sheet. This is a lot better. I can feel the magic circulating around my body like a barrier. Without a doubt, with this cloak I can tackle a strong intermediate monster. Getting enough money for my house will take too long if I am this weak, I need to get stronger.
As wolves howl deep in the woods, my blood boils. Enraged, I punch a nearby tree. I swear I will hunt every wolf in this damned place. Still, I am too frail to actually duck it out with the big packs of wolves. Power, I need to get more spells, stronger spells, until no one can compare to my might. Subduing my desires, I take out my staff and hurry further into the forest.
Until I get enough money, I will have to camp out and get my own food from Mother Nature. There is no need to be hasty. I'm a skeleton, in a sense, I'm already dead. Not even five minutes after going ahead, I find myself surrounded by possessed raccoons. Monsters with low attack power, but with a lot of agility.
A beginner monster that won't cause you much trouble even if you can't kill it. However, this far into the woods, there are more than a dozen. Good thing I have my magical cloak or I would find myself overwhelmed by their sheer numbers. I start to chant, but two raccoons jump straight into my face. Tch, there is no one else here to protect me.
I leap from my spot without a heartbeat without breaking my chant. I protect myself from their claws with my cloak, but I can't help absorbing damage. "Shadow Bullets" I cry as four other raccoons block my escape route. six dark spheres appear before me and dart toward my enemies with buzzling speed.
As my bullets pierce the hide of the monster, I crash against a tree, but feel nothing. My bones creak, but I can't feel anything pain or anything broken. The other six remaining growl warily. My throat's dry, I feel the adrenaline starting to kick in. I can't just stand here surrounded! I dash like a mad skeleton toward the closest beast and kick it with all my strength.
I feel something break and a gooey liquid on my right foot. I glance over my feet without lowering my guard. The dead raccoon is stuck on the tips of my foot fingers. I shake it off and start to chant again. There are five more enemies. I got this. Another one leaps trying to bite my skull, but I swap it with my staff.
However, I didn't manage to kill it. The raccoons regroup and dash toward the forest, hiding through the bushes. I can feel their piercing glares from afar. I can tell they are waiting for me to show an opening. Too bad that's not going to happen anytime soon. I run toward a tree and start to climb its branches as high as I could.
Now there's only one way to get to me. Returning my focus back to my chant, I can hear the claws grapping the bark of my tree. Unfortunately, for the raccoon, I'm done with my chant. This time ten bullets materialize and flash against the unsuspecting beasts. A single growl echoes through the forest as the beasts fall flat on the ground.
I jump down gracefully from branch to branch and finally fall down back on mother earth. I gather my spoils of war, but I realize that I made a mistake. Damn, I shouldn't have shower them with so many attacks. Now their hides are busted. I can't sell this. Sighing, I take a knife and skin them being careful not to damage the good parts.
Of the twelve beasts, only three hides and seven tails are sellable. reminding myself that I need to be careful I resume my hunting. I should probably try to make a binding spell or a blunt attack, but I don't know how hard that is going to be. I throw my spoils into the bag and dive further inside the forest.
After some minutes, I can feel more gazes boring into my skeletal back. It's going to be a long day. After fighting with dozens of small animals ranking from beginner to intermediate monsters, just as the sun is about to set, I find a cave suitable enough to be my home base. It's deep enough in the forest to never encounter another human and there is a river some kilometers south.
Having a roof and water is good enough for this body. I haven't felt hungry since I became like this, I can't rest or defecate. It's convenient for my current situation, but I fear I might become a mindless monster. I won't lower my guard until I know more about my powers and their side effects. At that moment something comes to my mind and I immediately realize what it is.
I have acquired a new spell. I will try it out when I feel like it but for now I wont use it. The cave is dark and damp, but with this body it doesn't matter. Just as I was about to lay down my things, I hear the sound of flapping wings. My head turns toward the ceiling and I notice that it is crawling with dozens of vampire bats.
Most of these are harmless to humans since they mostly feed on cattle's blood. But their race is capable of evolving into demi human vampires with enough time. The Vampires are sturdy enough to give an advanced rank adventure a run for their money and good trouble to an expert rank. Thus, their heads fetch a good price at the adventurer's guild.
Also the leather of their wings is pricy on the merchant market. I stare at the ceiling counting every bat. Aside from the one that flew away, there are 34 regular bats, 5 great bats, and an elder bat; these ranking beginner, intermediate, and experienced accordingly. I weigh my options. I should be able to crawl into the back and kill the elder and great bats with a barrage of shadow bullets.
But Then rest of the bats will flee and I will lose a lot of money. I don't even know if they will accept an experienced monster from a beginner without me showing my face or party register. On the other hand, if I spread my attack as much as possible, I could at least kill 20 of the regular bats and one or two of the great ones.
I can sell those at the market without hassle. However, before I could decide. All the bats flapped their wings and flew down onto my body before I could react. A trap! Realization dawned on me. There was no way a monster so close to becoming a real vampire would be left alone by the humans.
It has slowly hunted it's food here in this cave. I am now Pinned to the floor by the sheer number of bats biting on my bone.The bats squeal every time they fail to extract precious blood from my body. If I had facial muscles, I would be grinning at their misery. However, I didn't have the luxury to stay like this; small grazes were appearing on my body.
Not to mention that if the Elder one decided to sweep down and snatch my skull, it was game over. the only thing that I could do is summon five bullets and that wouldn't be able to take down the Elder one. I'm like a cornered rat right now. Anger flowed through me, I'm not going to allow some lowly bats to kill me!
I'm the one who decides when I'll kick the bucket and it sure as hell isn't any time soon. I won't let these measly monsters kill me. You didn't have to see a facial expression on me to tell that I was pissed right now. The verses of my new spell resound in my hollow skull. I will kill you flying bastards and there is no escaping it.
My boney jaw crackles as I speak the verse "Shadow grasp awaken! Engulf the souls of thy enemies in eternal darkness. Feast on their lives and forsake their bodies to the void!!" I feel a small bit of pain in my non existent heart but its gone almost as soon as it appeared. Shadows darker than black fickle on the cave's floor and form what appears to be a portal.
Then a giant purple mist hand with sharp nails reaches out and grabs all of the bats. it then Drags them back down into the portal with it as they squeal in fear. My jaw is ride open and I'm suprised about what I just saw. I relize there arent any bat remains left behind because they were dragged into the portal with the hand.
I decide its probably best that I dont use that spell for creatures that I actually need to keep so I can sell them.