As they approached the hill, part of Aiden was still worried about Selene.
She seemed to have gotten a lot off her chest earlier, but that did not mean everything was suddenly fine. Trauma did not vanish because someone said a few encouraging words and walked half a mile.
As they walked, Aiden slowed down to move beside her. He reached into his cloak and pulled out an energy potion.
"I forgot to give you your morning medicine," he said with a small chuckle.
Selene took it with a polite nod and downed the potion. When she finished, she handed the empty vial back to him, and they continued to the top of the hill.
Below them, in the valley, was a small building.
It looked to be made entirely out of stone, with the design of a large flower carved at the very top. While the building was close to the city, it was old and clearly run-down.
Despite that, a family nearby seemed to be having a picnic on another hill. Two children played tag, running through the fields.
"Do you think we should get them to move?" Kaelen asked, giving the family a friendly wave as they headed toward the shrine.
"Nah, should be fine," Liora said with a shrug. "The bone beast is actually in the Stoneflower Shrine."
Much to Jax and Kaelen's annoyance, Liora had taken off the bone outfit and changed how she wore it. Now it hung from her shoulders as a rather flashy cape.
Like a morbid fashion statement.
When they reached the entrance, Kaelen reached into his bag and pulled out the torch they had taken from the Crypt of the 23rd Brigade. After a moment of striking flint and steel, the torch ignited.
Holding it out, they started inside.
As they walked, Jax went over the plan.
"So we hide along the sides of the hall while Liora stands there as bait. When it arrives to attack, Thalia grabs her and pulls her away, then we all attack it at once. With luck, we won't take a single injury."
Part of Aiden wanted to argue that this was optimistic at best.
Will told him to stay quiet.
As they moved down the stone hallway, the tunnel opened into a small foreroom. To the left and right were two staircases.
Thalia stretched her strings outward. After a moment, she spoke in a quiet voice.
"It is waking up because of our footsteps, but it does not know we are here. The stairs lead to two side balconies we could use."
Everyone lowered their voices.
Liora looked between the staircases.
"In that case, Aiden and Selene can go to one side, and Jax and Kaelen can go to the other. Thalia stays in this room. I walk into the main room. When it lunges at me, Thalia pulls me back, and you all jump down and attack it."
Aiden waited for someone to object.
Nobody did.
"Dude," Will said. "Remember that Jax and Selene can both jump from the floor to your roof. The fall is inconsequential to them."
Aiden thought back to cleaning his house, when Jax had jumped ten feet to reach a patch of soot floating near the ceiling.
Before Aiden could object, everyone split up.
So he kept his objections to himself and followed Selene up the stairs.
As they climbed, Aiden could not help paying attention to every step. Every step upward was a reminder that he would soon have to fall that same distance back down.
He tried to shove the thought to the back of his mind.
Will, who seemed just as panicked as Aiden, repeated the plan over and over again.
Normally, that would have been annoying.
This time, the constant babbling was a welcome distraction.
When they reached the top of the stairs, they found the twin balconies. Broken stone benches sat scattered in various spots. Aiden and Selene snuck toward the railing, and Aiden peered over to see the monster.
It was not very large.
No bigger than a bull.
Its entire body was encased in bones of all kinds. Multiple rib cages protected its chest. Femurs guarded its arms and legs. A human skull sat over its head like a knight's helm.
It rested in what looked like the beginning of a bone nest. The nest was not complete, but there were signs of work.
Just as Thalia had said, the beast seemed to be staring toward the rotting wooden doors at the end of the shrine.
Across the way, Jax and Kaelen were getting into position.
Now all they had to do was wait for Liora.
They waited.
And waited.
And waited.
"Did she run away or something?" Will yelled, the anticipation finally breaking him.
As if on cue, Liora walked in.
The bone cape trailed behind her as she strutted into the room without a care in the world.
At the same time, Aiden reached into his cloak and pulled out his new spear.
He tightened his grip around the handle.
The skill of the smith shone through immediately. The spear felt good in his hand. Balanced. Solid. The various features were accentuated by the materials worked into it, and Aiden attributed a lot of that to Selene's production notes about what materials and traits would be useful.
The Bone Beast rose from its nest and started walking toward Liora.
Confusion was etched across its face as it cautiously approached.
Liora seemed stoic, but Aiden could see her fingers twitching toward the clasp of the bone cape, ready to throw the whole thing off and run the moment it charged.
She did not have to wait long.
The Bone Beast lunged.
One arm stretched toward her.
Thalia's strings went taut.
The beast's hand slammed into the ground as the strings caught it. It hissed and writhed, trying to yank itself free.
Liora leaped into the air.
To Aiden's surprise, she seemed to stand there, balanced on the wind itself.
She swung her staff, and a blast of air flew toward the Bone Beast.
However, when the wind struck the bones, it ricocheted off and slammed into a nearby wall, sending dust flying through the old room.
Party member Thalia has used skill Marionetting Fingers (E).
Enemy Bone Beast has been restrained.
Party member Liora has used skill Wind Blast (E).
The attack missed.
The Bone Beast started pulling its arm free.
Thalia quickly wove more strings to reinforce the original ones, but they strained and snapped.
Liora yelled,
"NOW!"
In a strange way, seeing the others jump made Aiden's body move before his mind could catch up.
He fell toward the beast.
Only Kaelen stayed on the balcony, while Liora floated back up beside him.
Jax, Selene, and Aiden dropped toward the Bone Beast.
Jax landed first.
His paw slammed down onto the beast's arm with a deafening crack. The bones guarding the limb shattered and fell away, revealing black flesh beneath.
Selene's fingers sharpened as she brought her serrated hand down on the beast's back.
Aiden aimed his spear toward a gap near the beast's neck.
Both his and Selene's attacks scraped against bone, leaving gashes but failing to pierce deep enough to matter.
Party Leader Jax has used skill Iron Fist (E).
Bone Beast takes 28 damage.
Bone Beast loses a chunk of its armor from the blow.
Party member Selene has used skill Claws of the Beast (E).
The attack misses.
You have used item Spear of Seven Hunts (D).
Your attack misses.
Aiden landed beside the Bone Beast.
Pain shot up through his knees as they took the force of the impact.
He gritted his teeth to keep from crying out.
As he raised his spear again, the Bone Beast finally ripped free of Thalia's bindings.
Thalia tried to wrap strings around the ribs on its torso, but the beast spun, tearing them loose.
"It is too strong to hold for long," Thalia yelled. "My strings can buy maybe a second or two at most!"
More mana poured from her fingers as the strings lengthened and stretched.
"Got it," Jax yelled. "Aiden, you're with me!"
Aiden froze for half a second.
Will yelled immediately.
"Don't just stand there. Move!"
Will seized control of Aiden's left leg and took the first step.
Aiden followed, rushing after Jax.
Jax darted forward as the Bone Beast swung its claws down at him. Jax slid beneath the attack and got under the beast. Using his front paws as a base, he delivered a powerful back kick straight into the Bone Beast's chest.
A spiderweb of cracks spread across the outer layer of bones.
The Bone Beast lifted off the ground from the impact.
Aiden ran in.
From practicing against Jax, he had learned that a spear was more than just thrusting.
As he moved, he spun, swinging the spear in a cruel arc.
The side of the blade connected with the cracked rib cage and shattered what remained.
The Bone Beast let out a gurgle of pain as purple blood seeped from beneath the human skull helmet and dripped onto the stone.
Party member Thalia has used skill Marionetting Fingers (E).
Bone Beast has broken free.
Party Leader Jax has used skill Iron Fist (E).
Bone Beast has taken 20 damage.
Bone Beast loses a chunk of armor from the blow.
Skill Fragmented Will (E) has activated and taken control of your left leg.
You have used item Spear of Seven Hunts (D).
Bone Beast has taken 29 damage.
Bone Beast loses a chunk of armor from the blow.
Bone Beast has lost its consolidated armor.
Aiden knew D-rank weapons made E-rank weapons look weak and fragile.
But the difference was still appalling.
Even in untrained hands, he could deal as much damage as Jax if he got a good opening.
His attention snapped back to the fight as the Bone Beast landed and swiped at him.
Aiden threw himself back, narrowly avoiding the claws.
At the same time, Kaelen finished his prayer.
White and gold flames erupted from the ground.
The Bone Beast lunged away from the flames and grabbed the edge of the balcony where Kaelen stood. As it began pulling itself up, Liora swung her staff.
This time, the wind hit true.
The blast slammed into the exposed gap where its bone armor had shattered.
The Bone Beast was ripped from the ledge and thrown downward, crashing into the ground hard enough to break one of the stone benches beneath it.
Party member Kaelen has used skill Condemn the Wicked (E).
Bone Beast dodged the attack.
Party member Liora has used skill Wind Blast (E).
Party member Liora has struck a vital point.
CRITICAL HIT!
Bone Beast has been defeated.
Party has completed a Porcelain-rank quest.
+1000 XP.
Party has defeated Bone Beast (E) x1.
+2500 XP.
You have leveled up.
Level 8 -> 9.
HP 24 -> 26.
MP 69 -> 73.
Strength 4 -> 7.
For a moment, everyone just stared.
They were more stunned than anything.
Then Liora looked down at the defeated Bone Beast and yelled,
"That's it?"