Radiance

He concentrated on the spearhead and aimed his hand at the tip. Radiance LV 1 made the spear tip glow in a reassuring dull white light.

It didn't look like the skeletons had noticed anything so he readied himself and dashed forward stabbing at the first skeleton before it turned, the single stab into the back of its skull seemingly enough to crumble it to dust.

[40 exp]

"Intruderrrrrrr"

Their rattling voices making his skin crawl he swiftly moved on to the next with the aim of destroying the ones furthest from the dig site first to control the flow of combat. He had not expected as he destroyed the target in front of him for one of the pickaxes to fly into his side pushing him over.

[44 exp]

As he scrambled to his feet another pickaxe flew through the air towards him and he saw the skeleton closest to the treasure stooping over the mining supplies collecting another tool to throw.

By now the other three had closed in on him but he managed to get to his feet in time to put the spear to good use and dispatched them one at a time, while backing up, always keeping one directly between him and the throws of the furthest Skeleton.

[42 exp]

[40 exp]

[44 exp]

This last skeleton seemed not to be able to grasp the new situation as it, upon finally getting a clear shot, threw its pickaxe again and bent to pick up another.

Easily dodging this last attack he stabbed the skeleton as it was still reaching into the box of supplies.

[43]

[Congratulations Hermes, you are now level 7]

"Ha! Nice, okay let's do this first then"

Hermes: Level 7

Exp: 2/700

HP: 240/240

MP: 60/60

Strength - 8

Endurance - 8

Agility - 8

Intelligence - 12

Wisdom – 10

Free Attribute points: 2

Free Skill points: 3

*Transfer energy – 376

Skills:

Dimensional Transfer LV 4

Storage space LV 1

Flame LV 1

Grim touch LV1

Radiance LV1

"Okay, 1 more level to get the next transfer upgrade so no skill right now, these attribute points however"

[Strength 9]

[Agility 9]

"I need to be faster and hit harder, the magic is useless if I can't get close and hit hard enough to use it"

Rooting through the mining supplies he realised he didn't have to be picky and simply sucked up what was there in to his Storage space

Torch x 3

Crude Stone pick x 5

Crude rope x 2

Boards x 2

Next he gathered the loot these skeletons dropped, he hadn't had the opportunity to look at their drop items before

62 copper

Leather strips

Crude thread spool

78 copper

Iron ingot

Small Wire spool

"Are skeletons crafting materials? This is an odd bunch but I think that's a clear indicator, either way the coin drops are bigger for these boys, Radiance was a good choice"

Finishing his looting he looked to the gap and into the chamber above, the skeletons may not have been agile enough to get through it but it was plenty big enough for him. The pitch black interior however did not make him too eager to try.

Plucking a couple of torches from the walls he threw them opposite ways into the room hoping they didn't land on anything valuable. The light radiated throughout the room and he could see it all clearly even from this angle.

It was some kind of tomb. The oblong room was well finished with even, clean stone blocks at every corner; sculptured depictions of some beast looked inwards from the corners to an angled slab in the centre, a sculpture of a proud warrior in plate raising its stone mace high in triumph.

"Those proportions are just a little wrong. I think he's a Dwarf?"

The ceiling at one end of the room was slanted and huge storm cellar like doors were visible as the only entrance to the room.

Judging it secure and wanting a better look at the statue Daniel pulled himself up through the hole and walked to the front of it beneath the doors.

From the front he could see sitting on the angled slab and a velvet like cushion, a beautifully engraved shining silver mace with three holes in the handle, it was clearly the weapon the statue was depicting and the treasure marked by the system.

"That is more like it! Really wish I could read these words though"

The slab had strange runic writing along the top and Daniel could only guess from context it was the history of the weapon and its wielder. Taking one last look at the triumphant and heroic dwarven statue and scanning the room for anything else to loot he made a quick apology and thanks to the statue before taking the Mace.

He had intended to try the goods after this and explore the rooms above but as soon as he took the mace and sucked the cushion up into his storage space a rumbling of machinery could be heard along with the falling of sand or dirt.

What sounded like gears turning and valves coming to life resounded above and Daniel wondered what he had awoken by taking this treasure.

"Perhaps the skeletons weren't entering this way just by coincidence, what the hell is guarding the upper halls?"

Hurrying to the hole he'd entered by he heard what he suspected was only the first thud against the heavy stone doors above.

"I need to leave right now"

He slipped through the hole and broke into a run down the passages he'd taken before, entirely ignoring the strange hooting noise coming from the mushroom cave as he passed its entry.

Within minutes he was out the cave entrance and looked above him expecting to see something rushing down the mountain side.

Nothing could be seen or heard outside or within the cave now and he hoped he had gotten away without any pursuit. Not wanting to test this however he started his run back through the fog bank holding his mace ready, the first zombie to get in his way having its body shattered by the first blow of Daniels new weapon and flying back as it dissipated into light particles.

A smile spread across his face as he considered the power of his new weapon and the potential those three slots in the handle represented.

By the time he had reached the end of the fog bank Daniel had long completed his mission, even stopping to pick up one of the loot items a zombie dropped, a carving knife and the perfect addition to his kitchen, the rest he ignored as his time and distance were of too high a value right now.

Reaching the slime fields he laughed out loud and burst into a sprint; he wanted to burn off some of the energy relief brought with it as he headed back to his dome with a real weapon in his hand and precious potatoes in his future.