The day is cold, even though the sun shines in the morning. A chilling breeze carries the scent of death, whispering through the air like a harbinger of decay.
Near a graveyard, a path lies ravaged by death and decay, its once-orderly stones now cracked and overgrown. Suddenly, a hand claws its way out of the ground, desperate to escape its earthy prison. But before it can fully emerge—
BANG
A steel boot crushes its attempt, silencing the undead's struggle.
Standing atop the grave is a skeleton, ancient and weathered. Its armor bears the insignia of Roma Sol Invictus
though the symbol of the Aquila is broken and faded. How long has it been since this warrior last walked the earth? It wears a standard Galea helmet , reminiscent of a Roman legionnaire, and carries a tall, rectangular scutum shield and a short sword. Its hollow eyes glow faintly as it surveys the graveyard.
".....I can feel it," the skeleton mutters, its voice a dry rasp. It turns its gaze toward the graveyard, where the air grows heavier with the presence of the undead.
"....A challenger."
Meanwhile, Ethan stands atop a hill overlooking the valley of the dead, Ferox by his side. Below them, the Bone Guard stands ready, its purple eyes gleaming with anticipation.
"So, how do you think he'll fare?"
Ethan asks, glancing at the Minotaur.
"...Unorthodox,"
Ferox replies, his deep voice
As if on cue, the ground begins to shift. Zombies rise from their graves, their rotting forms shambling forward with guttural groans. The Bone Guard charges ahead without hesitation, meeting the horde head-on.
RAHHHH!
The zombies lurch forward, but the skeleton is faster. It grabs one zombie and uses it as a battering ram, slamming it into the others with brutal force.
BANG!
The skull of the zombie crumbles under the impact, and the skeleton hurls the lifeless body with full strength, sending it crashing through several gravestones and into another group of undead.
BOOM!
The Bone Guard seems to smile, its jaw rattling with a mocking laugh.
CLICK CLICK CLICK CLICK
But the battle is far from over.
THUM THUM THUM
A massive figure emerges from the shadows—a Giant Undead, its hulking form towering over the graveyard. Its hollow eyes fix not on the skeleton, but on Ethan and Ferox standing above. Hunger drives it forward, and it begins to charge, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground.
The Bone Guard doesn't hesitate. As the Giant Dead tries to run past, the skeleton lunges forward, grabbing onto the giant's leg with surprising speed. The Giant Dead stumbles, confused, before it realizes what's happening.
With a display of immense strength, the Bone Guard heaves the giant into the air as if it were made of paper. The Giant Dead flails helplessly before crashing to the ground with a deafening BOOM
crushing several zombies beneath its weight.
The Bone Guard doesn't stop there. It pulls a sword from its back, the blade gleaming despite the decay around it. With a swift motion, it brings the sword down on the Giant Dead's neck.
SLASH
The giant's head rolls away, dark blood splattering across the skeleton's bones.
Without missing a beat, the Bone Guard turns its attention to the next wave of zombies. It moves like a whirlwind, cutting through the undead with precision and ferocity. Each swing of its sword sends limbs flying, and each strike builds a growing pile of corpses.
The zombies try to overwhelm it, but the Bone Guard is relentless. It grabs one zombie and hurls it into the crowd, knocking several others down like bowling pins. Another zombie lunges, only to be met with a shield bash that sends it flying into a gravestone, shattering both the stone and the zombie's skull.
The skeleton's movements are almost mechanical, its purple eyes glowing brighter with each kill. It stacks the zombies higher and higher, creating a pile of bodies monument to its strength and skill.
It joys over the delight of battle in its existence
Ethan watches from above, a smirk forming on his face.
"Well, I guess it's not just for show."
Ferox grunts in agreement, his arms crossed as he observes the carnage.
"Unorthodox... but effective."
The Bone Guard stands atop the pile of corpses, its jaw clicking in satisfaction. It raises its sword in a silent challenge, as if daring more enemies to come forward.
Ethan nods
"Hmmm, it's good... but I don't get any experience from it."
Ferox remains silent, his eyes fixed on the scene below.
Ethan turns to the Minotaur, curiosity piqued. "Say, are skeletons common?"
"No"
Ferox replies.
"They usually serve a lich. Yours is... an oddity."
Ethan nods, then gestures toward the graveyard. "What about that one?"
Both Ethan and Ferox turn to see another skeleton approaching. This one carries a broken symbol, its armor ancient and its presence commanding. Ferox narrows his eyes, recognizing something familiar in its stride.
As the newcomer draws closer, the two skeletons lock eyes. The Bone Guard's purple glow intensifies, while the ancient skeleton slams its shield into the ground with a resounding
THUD
"...I LEGIONAIR SERFE BRUTUS CHALLENGE YOU TO A DUEL TO THE DEATH" it declares, its voice echoing with the weight of centuries.
"ACCEPT THY CHALLENGE"
The Bone Guard steps forward, its jaw clicking in anticipation. The air grows tense as the two undead warriors prepare to clash, their hollow eyes burning with the promise of battle.