After I felt like some of my bones snap, crackle, and pop. The rest of my memory of after Ulrich poured whatever that potion down my throat kinda became hazy or segmentation as after each break.
I started losing consciousness after, I think it was maybe after the eighth or maybe the fifteenth bone that broke. Or I'm pretty sure it was when I saw my leg start to twist like a fresh squeezed orange.
I only started to regain consciousness after Gods knows how long.
I tried to open my eyes but I wasn't able to because of how heavy they felt. But as I continued further to try and open them I felt like something was slowly breaking off of them.
After my vision started to focus and saw what was breaking off my eyes I noticed that it wasn't just my eyes that were covered, it was also on both my legs, arms, and even my waist which confused me.
It was a thin layer of reddish and purple sustenance.
'Status' I called out in my mind as I continued to slowly move the rest of my body as the reddish purple substance slowly started breaking off.
'Status.'
Name: Bastion.
Age: 20
Race: Human/Unknown.
Title: Baron. (Primary.)
Class: Grave Digger. (Origin)
Job: Keeper of the Grave. (Beginning.)
Rank: Human - 1
Strength: 6
Constitution: 6
Dexterity: 5
Intelligence: 7
Wisdom: 7
Charisma: 7
Items: Shovel (Requirement not met.), Letter (Common.)
"Well, at least it didn't kill me. Still, normally wouldn't one get like an insane increase in their stats from something like this?" I said weakly as I sat on the edge of the bed as I noticed the change in the Letter in my Inventory. "It went up from Broken to Common. No wonder Ulrich said not to open it."
I stood to my feet after looking at my Inventory as the door to the room I was in opened as Ulrich walked in carrying a worn and rusted looking shovel with a troubled look on his face.
"Seems like I did, mix that potion wrong. Or did I grab the wrong ingredient. I mean I did second guess putting in that Rotting Corpse Finger as it felt like a Fresh Corpse Finger. But I swore that it was the right one." Ulrich said in a low voice as he didn't seem to notice that I was standing right in front of him.
"Still this is like what the… fifth inheritor that I've tried to find as of late. I swore that this Otherwordler would be different since he was summoned to the grave I just buried. Wasn't that a sign from Qhedlir, since he was in the ground?" Ulrich said as he was looking at the ground until he slowly started to raise his head as a look of surprise shone on his face.
"Sup."
"Sup."
"So what's with the shovel?" I asked Ulrich as I pointed to the broken and rusted shovel in his hand.
"Um… it's a gift for you." Ulrich didn't hesitate as he tried to hand me the shovel.
"So I'm the fifth person to try and inherit your Job? And who is Qhedlir?" I ignored the shovel as I continued to ask my questions.
"Technically, I said this is like the fifth inheritor as I can't clearly remember since I'm old. And Qhedlir is the God of Soil and the Grave." Ulrich said as he still tried to hand the shovel over. "And take the damn shovel you have a lot of bodies that have been left out in the sun for eight days now. You got work to do."
"Yeah I know that, and I thank you for answering my questions. But you never fully answered my question. Who is Qhedlir the God of Soil and the Grave?" I asked as I took the broken and ancient shovel and put it into my inventory.
But when I grabbed the broken and ancient shovel a stats screen appeared in front of me.
'Items.'
Weapon Name: Ancient Shovel.
Weapon Rank: Broken.
Requirements: Strength - 1, Constitution - 1, Dexterity - 1.
Description: An old and ancient shovel. Some would find it impossible to use such a shovel as it seems it would snap in two as it breaks the ground.
*Special: Because of your Class: Grave Digger. (Origin.), and your skill Shovel Wielder this shovel will not break. Is only usable to dig graves if used as a weapon then it would break in two.*
I was a little surprised by the special at the end of the Ancient Shovels stats as at least I would be able to dig a grave.
'Still I would have been insane to use this as a weapon outside of digging a hole. I should see if there is a decent or intact weapon from one of the soldiers.' I internalized as I put the Ancient Shovel in my Inventory.
"An Old and forgotten God. I doubt that maybe ten people still know of Qhedlir. Qhedlir was onced the most worshiped and practiced faith. Then things started to change after the now infamous Cult of the Blue Sky came about. And why do you really want to know? Are you wanting to join?" Ulrich said as he pulled out a black robe with gold edging, a pair of black trousers, and a pair of fingerless working gloves.
"Put those on as I'm pretty sure you don't want to be working in a dirty and disgusting smelling outfit. They are regular everyday Common Items so don't expect anything from them."
I was a little offended until I made the mistake of lifting my arm and smelling my pit.
Take my advice if someone says you look dirty and smell, then take their word for it as they are right.
"Yeah, definitely smell. And no, I don't practice, but I do respect many Gods and Goddesses. Especially if they had a specific burial rite as I thought it helped those that died reach their destined place of refuge." I said with respect as I continued. "And is there a place I can go to wash myself off?"
Ulrich stopped as there was a sly looking smile on his face. "Even if they worshiped a Devil, Demon, or a Monster? And yes there is a small lake about a few minutes walk from here."
"Yes." I didn't hesitate as I answered. "Many in that Otherworld of mine had an uncountable amount of Gods, Goddess, Demons, Devils, and anything in between. But if they had a burial rite they earned my respect, because at least they cared enough about those that followed them to give them a special rite for burial."
The sly looking smile on Ulrich's face disappeared as a genuine smile appeared on his face before he turned to face the door.
"That's commendable, Bastion. And you've earned my respect because of that. There is what you Otherworlders call a shower in the room next to this one. Get yourself cleaned and come meet me outside as I'll explain the proper burial rites for the soldiers." Ulrich exited as he left me a little surprised.
'Huh, that was a little unexpected. And at least there is something I'm familiar with as I'm pretty sure if I didn't answer that honestly I would have had to walk probably a minimum of one hundred miles and max one thousand miles.' I sighed as I grabbed the clothes that Ulrich left for me and headed to the room with the shower.
It wasn't anything special. Just a regular looking shower. Well there was another door that connected to the room that was locked which made me suspicious.
But I pushed it to the back of my mind as I cleaned myself. The clothes were even a little more comfortable from the ones I was wearing and fit perfectly as well.
I was easily able to find Ulrich waiting for me as he stood just outside of his Shack with his hands behind his back as it looked to be spacing out. But from the corner of my eye I noticed a small and oddly shaped hill.
But as I turned to look at the hill I noticed it wasn't a hill. But corpses piled together that multiple of them took the form of a small hill.
"Why are there so many more corpses? That's definitely more than I remembered from the Temple of Summons." I blurted out as I stopped counting after forty.
"Simple, it's a small gift from the Crown Prince. It seems that he also took a liking to those three sisters and took them as his concubines." Ulrich answered as he walked up next to me.
"Well the Crown Prince is generous. But unfortunately, he chose the wrong concubines." I said with an appreciated nod. "I wonder how mad he'll get when I kill them."
"Depends on how well he treats them. And from what I can tell not by much since he makes them deliver them here personally." Ulrich answered mysteriously.
"Then it seems that we won't have any problems then. And what exactly is a Keeper of the Grave?" I asked as I looked over to Ulrich.
"Just as the name says. You're a Keeper of the Grave. You make sure that those who are buried in your Domain are properly kept. And that means everything from rites, maintenance of the grass, garden, or anything you place in your Domain." Ulrich said with an odd spark in his empty eyes.