Eternal Rest

After spending the night drinking at the pub, Bones helped Solin return to the tavern in the morning and bid him farewell. It was time to finally clear the second stage of the dungeon. With his leveled-up abilities and a combat-ready golem by his side, Bones had no more excuses to avoid the confrontation with the Widow Queen.

As was his routine, Bones stopped by the smithy and entered. Around midday, Hemdus was engrossed in the workshop with custom orders, oblivious to the bell at the front door. Bones found Darsumi in the kitchen, legs crossed on the table, absorbed in the headlines.

Darsumi glanced up, one bushy eyebrow raised, and welcomed Bones with a smile, motioning for him to join at the table. The dwarves had been expecting Bones to stop by any day now.

"So, think you'll be able to handle the Widow boss this time?" Dar probed, smirking.

"I better! If not, I don't think I have what it takes to be an adventurer."

Darsumi lowered his newspaper and gave him a look.

"Are you joking?" he deadpanned.

"What do you mean?" Bones asked.

Darsumi didn't reply immediately. After a few seconds of making eye contact, he huffed and returned to reading the headline.

"What? Honestly, I've no idea what you meant by that!" Bones said, confused by Darsumi's reaction.

Darsumi slammed his newspaper on the table and pointed a finger at Bones.

"Your class and your race are overpowered nonsense!" he exclaimed, spreading his arms.

"I don't know wh-"

"Oh please, Bones… how many adventurers do you think can complete a dungeon solo?" Darsumi interrupted and paused, seeing Bones mulling over the question. Then he continued answering his question. "Bloody few! People do dungeons in parties and raids for a reason! Even if you don't manage to kill the Widow Queen this time, all it would take are a few levels and possibly another golem at your side before you do."

"I guess that's true," Bones admitted. He wasn't exactly comparing himself to others, but he knew the advantages he had.

"By the way, what's your golem like? What are its innate abilities? Did you find the materials for the second one? You can create two now, right?" Darsumi asked question after question, changing the subject.

"Yes, I can create two now, but I don't have the skeleton to make the second one combat-capable. The one I have seems to have weapon proficiency with the spear and is pretty agile."

Darsumi cocked his head and murmured, "seems?"

"Wut was that bout innate abilities?" Hemdus chimed in while entering the kitchen and wiping his hands on a piece of cloth. "Boney… dun tell me ye didn't identify yer golem?"

Bones remained silent. It didn't cross his mind that it was a possibility! The two dwarves burst into laughter while Bones summoned the golem by his side. Hemdus whistled upon seeing the golem in a full set of leather equipment with the hood covering its head. It resembled Bones's previous appearance, except for the lump in the back where the tail was.

"Might hav to redesign sum parts of the armor to better fit the lizard," Hemdus remarked.

Bones used Soul Link with Identify to get a better feel for his golem. The golem had two innate abilities. The first one was "Basic Spear Weapon Proficiency", just like he thought the golem had, and the second one was "Improved Reflexes", which raised the golem's perception and gave it a slight boost to agility. The golem's attributes were agility-oriented, akin to a rogue or a hunter class. Like Bones, it couldn't use stamina, but it made sense since its main source of power was, after all, a Mana Core.

"Aye, 'twas to be expected of the Lizard folk. Have ye thought about what ye want fer yer second golem?"

"Something bulky! Capable of taking damage, probably. I already made an inquiry at the auction house, but I'd like to ask you, Darsumi, if you could keep an ear out for any skeletons around silver rank for sale?"

"Will do! Have you thought of a name for the golem?"

"Bones turned to Hem, his face puzzled, seeking an explanation. He opened his mouth to speak, but Hem beat him to it. "Aye Boney. Naming a golem is a thing, and ye can't name it golem!"

Bones's shoulders slumped. Hemdus had completely read his mind. He moved his hand to his chin and began stroking it, as if making a difficult decision. He turned to his golem, observing for any traits to give him a clue what to name it.

"What about ska…no, skull? Skulls? Skully? Yes, Skully will do!"

The dwarves shared a look. "Bones, you…you're not good with names, are you? I'm beginning to think your name wasn't a mistake," Darsumi said, and Hem snickered by his side.

"What? What's wrong with Skully? And my name WAS a mistake!" Bones spread his arms wide and said in defense, as if hurt by what he had just heard.

"Ye ye, sure Boney!" Hem waved his hand dismissively.

"What about you then? You have earth golems, no? You gave them all names? Did you infuse them with mana cores, by the way?" This time, it was Bones who was asking questions.

"Of course, Boney! Rocky one, Rocky two…all the way to Rocky six!" Hemdus exclaimed proudly. "And no, I didn't bother wit the cores. I use golems temporarily and fer utility purposes. The earth is all the material I need to create one."

Bones was baffled. "And I'm the one with no sense of naming?!"

He turned to Darsumi, who, meanwhile, picked up the newspaper and continued reading. "Have you heard about the war?" Bones asked.

"Of course, they've been at it for years! It was only a matter of time before it escalated into a full-blown war. What about you? Do you plan to join the front?"

"Didn't plan to," Bones simply answered. Dar gave him a look but continued reading, not commenting further.

"Well, it was nice seeing you, as always!" Bones stood up and stored Skully back in his inventory.

Seeing as Bones was ready to leave, Darusmi added, "Be sure to stop by after you finish. We have matters to discuss regarding the acquisition of your mana core."

"Ye, and I'll be done before ye return so we could have a drink or two!" Hem winked.

Bones chuckled. "Sure, I'll see you in a day or two."

Bones reached the clearing just before nightfall, finding it shrouded in dense fog that obscured visibility. Darsumi had done an impeccable job concealing the entrance; Bones struggled to locate it amidst the mist. With a flick of his wrist, he triggered the hatch to open a few meters away, revealing a staircase spiraling down into the cavern below. As he descended, the stone platform at the base faintly illuminated. “A formation? Darsumi must have set it up.”

Various sources of light soon filled the cavern, illuminating the surroundings. Bones turned towards the small wooden cabin nestled in the corner and pushed open the door. Inside, he found a cozy living area complete with a kitchen, bathroom, and bunk beds. Despite its humble appearance, the dwarves had made themselves quite at home, leaving their belongings scattered about as they went about farming the dungeon for monster parts.

Over the past few months, the dwarves had been gradually improving the cavern, each contributing their skills. With the help of one of their cousins, a skilled woodworker, they had added finishing touches to all the wooden structures. Bones had to admit, the dwarves were truly master crafters.

Bones left the cabin behind and ascended the stairs out of the cavern, setting off towards the entrance to the second stage. This would mark his final dungeon run in that particular stage. While the dungeons had initially held his interest as a means to gain experience, the repetitive nature of running the same stage had begun to wear on him. Reaching the familiar tree, Bones touched its bark, causing runes to dimly light up before he disappeared, accepting the prompt.

Summoning his golem by his side, Bones swiftly made his way through the tunnel, leaping and vanishing into the dense jungle beyond. He had no intention of wasting time on low-level monsters; having outleveled most of the creatures in the stage, he wouldn't gain much experience from battling them, except for the minibosses, which posed a worthwhile challenge.

The miniboss differed significantly from normal and elite monsters, offering valuable crafting materials and items upon defeat. However, what intrigued Bones the most was testing his golem's combat prowess against it. Crafted from level thirty-nine Lizardmen, the golem's level had been halved due to Bones' low level of golem mastery. With each level gained in golem mastery, the golem's level could increase, potentially reaching its maximum level. Bones knew he'd eventually need to construct a new golem, but for now, he focused on honing Skully's abilities.

Observing the number twenty-nine above Skully's head, indicating its current level, Bones contemplated the progress of his golem mastery, now at level twelve. Anticipation grew for reaching level fifteen, unlocking another level of improvements for his golem. Progressing to level twenty seemed distant, yet Bones remained hopeful for the possibility of acquiring a third golem or an alternative upgrade upon reaching advanced mastery.

Reflecting on his choice to employ minions, Bones pondered the potential power of other classes with golems and minions. Commanding Skully to attack any encountered monsters, Bones continued their journey until they reached a clearing. Motioning for Skully to stand at the center, Bones climbed a nearby tree and settled on a branch, establishing Soul Link with his golem, readying himself for the impending battle.

The atmosphere was eerily silent, devoid of the usual sounds of nature. No rustling leaves or distant calls could be heard. It wasn't long before their presence was detected by the Viper, which swiftly slithered toward them, moving silently and effortlessly through the grass. From his vantage point in the tree, Bones watched as the snake approached, marveling at its ability to remain hidden and strike with deadly precision.

As the Viper lunged forward, Skully sprang into action. Though lacking in movement skills like Quick Dash, the golem compensated with its lightning-fast reflexes and agility. With a graceful sidestep, it avoided the Viper's strike and retaliated with a precise thrust, damaging the serpent's scales. Bones couldn't help but grin, impressed by Skully's capabilities.

Bones had grown accustomed to directing Skully in battle, his commands flowing effortlessly as they worked together seamlessly. The Viper, though fast and vicious, found its attacks futile against the resilient golem. Skully, unfazed by the serpent's strikes, continued to carry out Bones' orders with unwavering determination. With each calculated move, Skully proved to be more proficient with the spear than Bones himself.

As the battle progressed, Bones decided it was time to end it. Issuing a decisive command, he urged Skully to intensify its assault. With a flurry of rapid thrusts, Skully delivered the finishing blows, and the Viper collapsed under the relentless assault.

But Bones wasn't merely a spectator in the fight. Coordinating with Skully, he used Soul Gaze to weaken the Viper, leaving it vulnerable to their combined attacks. Together, they proved to be a formidable team, each complementing the other's strengths in battle.

In no time, Bones and Skully dispatched the second miniboss with ease, their coordinated efforts proving effective against the Viper. However, Bones couldn't ignore the wear and tear on Skully's spear from the relentless attacks. He resolved to instruct Skully to target weak spots and focus on weakening their foes rather than delivering full-force blows.

As they pressed forward, Bones noticed a pair of boots among the loot dropped by the miniboss. He replaced Skully's worn-out boots with the new ones, ensuring his golem was equipped for the challenges ahead.

After only a few hours in the dungeon, the duo arrived at the familiar temple. With Skully leading the way, they ventured deeper into the corridors, guided by the flickering torches lining the walls.

Bones halted at the entrance to the hall while Skully pressed forward, reaching the middle before abruptly being swept off his feet by a swooping shadow, reminiscent of Bones' own encounter with the Widow. This time, however, Bones was prepared. He observed the attack unfold, then swiftly Quick Dashed behind the Widow, imbuing his lance with energy before delivering a powerful thrust that severed one of the spider's legs.

As the Widow screeched in pain and turned towards Bones, he retreated, creating distance between them. The spider, momentarily thrown off balance by the loss of a leg, recovered and retaliated by swatting Skully aside. Yet, before Skully was knocked down, he managed to land another hit on the Widow. Despite this, the Widow remained focused on Bones, poised to strike.

Anticipating her move, Bones circled around to her blind spot, orchestrating a coordinated attack with Skully. They synchronized their movements, flanking the Widow from opposite sides. Bones then engaged Soul Gaze, momentarily stunning the Widow, allowing them to each sever one of her remaining legs.

The Widow thrashed wildly, spraying acidic blood that sizzled upon contact with the ground. Bones and Skully maintained their distance, strategically positioning themselves opposite each other. With the Widow's attention divided, she struggled to keep up with the coordinated assault from the duo.