Hard Bone Campaign (Solo) Part 2

I'm fucked, aren't I? I can't face all of those skeletons alone- what am I, superman!? My bones will break if I tried to punch or kick them… what should I do?

I walked around to clear my mind a bit. It's still the same… cabin?

Between the weapon stands, there was a book. I can read- Reading helps me to calm down. The book was titled: "Purity".

I then start to read the book, and the information I could gather was: Silver symbolizes purity. Silver does not corrode either. Silver is usually associated with cleansing the wicked, an effective weapon against the undead. Silver was used in mirrors as well which explains why Vampires do not get their reflection from them. Silver, however, is soft. You can never make proper swords from pure silver, but you can plate the inside of the steel sword with silver to retain the "purifying" identity. Alchemists have also discovered that Silver can purify wounds. The rest of the pagers were torn- but I think I got what I need.

I also noticed that there were words that were underlined. On the table was an inkwell and a quill, along with rolls of what seemed to be paper. I unroll the paper and I place my forearms down so they wouldn't roll back as I open the inkwell before dipping the quill, writing the words I noticed. They were…

"The" "is" "The" "Hidden" "The" "Board" "The" "Table"

…what? Probably some hidden message.

I then pick the other book which was titled: "Rise from the dead". Before I can start skimming through the book, a key has been dropped. I also noticed that some words are underlined, so I might as well take notes.

…

This book has very detailed about the description of skeletons. Basically, Necromancy is about re-animating inanimate objects. Making the lifeless things move. Necromancers have the ability to suck and store souls from others- which they use for their re-animation. Re-animated units can be put into rest through "Holy" magic which high-level paladins and priests possess. If one were to fight these "skeletons", one must bathe their weapons in holy water while chanting the words: "Father of light, guide me in putting these souls to rest.". With silver weapons, these effects are amplified.

So… I should just look for silver weapons? Maybe there are like Silver Cestuses or Shin Guards here. But… there's still the underlined words. I wrote them down just below the previous ones, and they were:

"Key" "For" "Vault" Under" "Loose" "Under" "Round".

I tried connecting the two words together, and this is what I formed.

"The key is for the vault hidden under the loose board under the round table."

Seeing this, I grab the key and I moved the round table to find… nothing weird until I touch them. I could feel a board move and I push further with the other side going up as if there was something under it. I pick the board up and under the board was a small chest made from metal. I lifted the chest- and it was quite heavy- onto the round table. I tried the key… and it worked! What's inside was… another key, and what seemed to be a diary. Looks like there will be lots of reading today. I wonder if I can stay in this campaign endlessly.

The diary was about an undead slayer! It turns out that this was his hideout for a while, and he had been recruiting others to join his cause. He said that he wasn't a noble paladin so in the end, he found no one. He decided to press on alone and he left some equipment if the people he recruited changed their minds. The key was for another room of spare equipment. …I hope he's alright.

I then explored this "other room". There weren't "spare equipment", just a stone statue holding a bowl, blocks stacked together with a missing block at the middle replaced by… fire? And a table having different flasks, garlic, glitters, belts with pockets, bars of metal, and a note.

The note said that these were specialized equipment for hunting undead. There was supposedly a holy shrine that hosts holy water to enchant your gear for a while, a "forge" if you need to make silver weapons, and an alchemy lab on the table if you want to take extra precautions. There was also a crossbow and a set of bolts under the table, Woah!

…I searched again, and there weren't any notes about how to forge from "silver bars", how to fire a crossbow, and how to brew potions. I hope I'll be alright by enchanting alone.

I went back into the other room and I wore the same leather equipment from last time. It's so… quiet here. I spaced out when I was trying to tie the strings on my back and the back of my legs and arms. Now… which parts do I want to enchant? My fists, elbows, knees, and shin, obviously.

If I remember correctly, I must bathe them with holy water. Do I bathe them all before chanting or one chant per set? I don't know man. I'll do the first one.

I approached the silver statue holding a bowl of water, and I submerged my Cestuses and my Elbows. I then grabbed some water with my hands to pour on my knees and shins. I also took quite a sip just in case I need to be "holy" within. I then stepped back a bit before standing on my knees and bowing with my hands and head to the ground.

"Father of light, guide me in putting these souls to rest.", I prayed. Nothing happened at first- but there's this warm spreading throughout my body. There were still plenty of holy water left. It might be useful later, so I filled some nearby empty vials and attached them to what seemed like a vial holder on my belt. I also took a vial of shiny glitters?

…I wonder if Satoshi and the others are okay. I don't think they know much about the skeletons and the necromancers.

I looked around to see if I missed something, but I think I'm good. I prayed a bit more before I left, just in case. Outside the cabin- it's still the same. One dirt pathway straight forward. I feel so warm inside too.

I progress further into the dirt pathway. I don't feel the cold sensation that I had before- I just feel sort of… determined to get this over with.

I felt vibrations on the ground again. I then jump on my toes and shuffle a bit to warm my feet up and start my footwork. I see hands burrowing out again- four sets of bony hands. What if…

I take a vial from my belt and I bit the cork off before praying on top of the rising skeleton. After praying, I poured some holy water on its skull- and it stopped its ascent from the ground.

I did this again to the nearest skeleton- and the remaining two had risen up already by the time I finish.

I toss the empty vial to the side before I get into my orthodox stance. Two skeletons, Chatri. We got this.

The two skeletons just stood there… and something dark blue was forming in the air. The two skeletons let their hands out into the thing, an- HOLY SHIT! A FREAKIN' SWORD AND A BOW!?

Seeing this- I KNEW I had to MOVE FAST. I approach the swordsman skeleton and I get to an angle where the swordsman skeleton blocked the archer skeleton's aim. The swordsman skeleton looked like it was sizing me up, just walking around slowly with its right hand on the sword hilt and each time the skeleton archer… here goes nothing!

I feint a left jab by extending my left arm just a few inches and the swordsman skeleton went for a counter- swinging its blade to my left- Fingers crossed!

I waited for a bit as the blade traveled- and I just… did it. I swung the back of my hand to the left- parrying the sword with my cestus! I waste no time as I push off my back foot and leaped a little with my lead foot into a "half step" to close the distance before pushing off the back foot and pivoting off of it, bending my knees and rotating my hips and torso into a right straight punch to its bony cheek. The impact as rough on my fingers inside and I see a quick beam of light come from within its bony skull and out of its hollowed eye sockets with purple haze being expelled.

I then hook its right bony arm with my left as I went for a clinch- with both of my hands on the back of its head. I see the archer circling around so I did the same, pulling the back of the skeleton's head as I walk to the side, blocking the skeleton archer's view with the skeleton swordsman.

Okay, Chatri… it's gonna shoot an arrow. Good luck buddy-

I then lower the skeleton's head as I fake my head peaking to the left- before bending my knees and moving my head to the right quickly. I hear something whistling through the air- it must be the arrow!

I then change the grip on the skeleton, reaching over with my right arm around its head so I can touch where its right ear should be and I unhook my left arm- gripping its right elbow with my left hand instead as I step to the right with my right foot beside its left knee. I then push up its elbow with my left hand as I push down on where its ear is supposed to be, causing it to trip on my right thigh and fall.

I see the archer skeleton about to reload with its hand on an arrow inside its quiver. Alright, Chatri- just one more! Superman Punch!

Before running, I pull a vial of holy water and kept it inside my left hand. I then ran up to the skeleton- mindful of my steps. Once I got the right range- and the right foot position with my right foot to the front and left foot to the back- I raise my left knee as I lean back slightly before whipping backward with my left leg while pushing off the right foot- driving my left fist to its skull as I land on my right foot. The skeleton didn't budge, however- so I place my left foot down and push off my right foot to maintain distance before getting back into my orthodox stance.

"Damn it!"

Why the fuck did I do that!? The vial shattered inside of my hand and I got tiny bits of glass inside- FUCK!

I look back at the skeleton archer and it started shaking- before light came from inside of its hollow eyes again. Once the light dissipated, the skeleton archer levitated as purple haze came out from its eyes. Once the purple haze came out, the skeleton archer fell, turning into a pile of bones.

"…"

I look at my left hand and it was bleeding. The Cestus only had two strips of leather inside. One for the middle of the hand and one for the fingers to curl onto in order to grip it. …But that shouldn't stop me now. I looked back at the swordsman skeleton- and it just laid there. I then look forward to see metal fences with graves inside it- I'm near the end. I checked my leather belt- and I have one vial of holy water and the vial of shiny glitter left.