To be honest, I was probably taking this world lightly.
This was a fantasy world with fantastical things and I was a skeleton. I could use magic and so could these guys. We had stats like some video game and I even had a slave… It felt surreal, unreal even. Which prompted me to not take things too seriously. Perhaps this was one of the reasons I even got a slave.
Perhaps I was still somewhat reluctant to accept this world for what it was and- no, that wasn't it. I just- thought things would randomly be different and things would just go my way like those novels and shows. No. I was expecting it to, I was hoping it to. But I wasn't like the protagonists from the novels. I wasn't righteous, heck, I wasn't even human.
"There are no monsters nearby," Vivia came back.
I was by the fire, watching the snake meat be roasted on skewers. They wanted to make a soup too but decided to just store the meat instead since they could sell it.
I didn't try necromancy on this, particularly because we needed to bring in the head as a confirmation to complete the quest and also because I didn't really feel like it. I didn't see that golden thing either. And although just a feeling, I knew, using necromancy on this would just turn it into another soulless husk like the goblin.
"Good work, take a seat and have some," I said.
Escalor had already been munching. Siarre ate normally.
"Do summons need to eat?" I asked Siarre. "Would they have hunger pangs like me?"
"I don't think so, unless you keep them here for long of course," she said. "Would you like to have some Luna?" She asked.
The skeleton had been looking at us for a while now. She nodded.
Siarre took three skewers and gave one to each of us. "Oh, and did you decide on what path you're going to take yet?"
The goblin husk didn't bother even trying to eat anything and it probably didn't need to eat anything either.
"Not yet," I said, staring at my card.
I was level ten now. And I had to option to evolve into two things. Skeleton Warrior or Skeleton Mage.
I could evolve at level 10, 30, 60 and 100 apparently. So basically, three more times after this. Assuming I stuck to one particular path, I could evolve into stronger and stronger classes. It actually came as a surprise. Siarre and Escalor had two shots at evolution while Vivia had only one. But I had four shots.
Again, this was very much akin to a video game. And that just threw me off. What was this? A game world? Or reality? Or had someone stuck a super immersive VR headset to my head and- no… I was worthless and dead.
I'd already seen how real this world was. This was definitely another world with different logic. Yet, how come it carried elements I was familiar with? How come this world ran like the novels I'd read?
The more I thought, the more confused I got. I could not make head from tails. And frankly, even knowing wouldn't have helped me. What I really needed to know was- 'Am I really a monster?'
I bit into the meat. Firm, spongy, full of bones like a fish. It didn't taste fishy though. Somewhat like chicken but just less tender and less savory. It was smeared in this odd fruity, bitter paste and salt. Didn't taste like meat I had before but not bad. Could have definitely used some roasted garlic though.
"Think I'll become a Skeleton Mage," I said.
It was a shame I didn't have any other options available but- I imagined myself being a mage.
[Evolution will now commence.]
No sound. No sight. No senses at all. Almost as though I was drowning in nothingness.
Time stretched. How long has it been, a day? Yet it only lasted for a second.
[Evolution complete.]
Words floated before me, almost like a game menu. Just words without any clicks or sounds. This was particularly how I'd learned evolution was available and I could choose the two classes. It had arrived out of nowhere the moment the snake was dead. But I thought my mind was just playing tricks on me and ignored that. But it came again when Siarre mentioned evolution and how I could do it, and now that she'd mentioned it again- and I consciously thought what to become…
[HP increased by 70!]
[MP increased by 110!]
[New skills gained- Double shot, Empower]
[New affinities acquired- water, wind]
I checked my stats and well… "I'm back to level 1?" Every stat was virtually the same. My Hp and MP increase just like the words floating before me had implied.
"That means, the evolution was a success," Escalor said. "Congratulations."
"Doesn't that mean, I'll be able to just level up to 10 and then evolve again and again?"
"You can only evolve once you hit a milestone level for the first time. I'm surprised you have 3 more milestones but that means that's just how much potential you have. Really, congratulations Lord Sean," he said.
Siarre clapped and so did the rest of them. Even the Goblin husk was clapping though it's claps didn't really make any sounds.
Oh well.
***
We finished eating, packed up and headed back for the city again.
The plan was for us to hunt some more but I wasn't feeling into it. And Vivia was starting to tire too. She was not built for the night, no.
I'd sent the two skeletons back.
"I will be turning in the snake head and meat, so you three can just go back," Escalor said.
We were almost at the gate.
"Alright," Siarre said. "Don't bother drinking though. If I have to drag you back tonight, I'll also be cutting some organs as a bonus."
Escalor smiled awkwardly. "Roger that…" He chuckled. "Well then, see you tomorrow, my lord."
He parted ways just as soon as we reached the gate.
Once in, we made way for the Inn. The city was bustling as usual. Mostly just undead.
There were actually some variations among the dead. Particularly, halfdead numbered the most but I saw occasional mummies and zombies and even just headless corpses. There were all sorts of dead stuff just walking around. Did make me wonder, how come they didn't die? And was death really an end when these things could very well… no, I didn't really want to think more about that. Definitely not after nearly dying. But- 'Can I die?'
Before really doing much else, I was back in my room, in my bed.
Staring at the ceiling.
Alone.
Seriously… 'Can I just die?'
No. Even if I could… 'Let's not die this time…'