novelraw Chapter 155 - 155 - Into the thick of it
Chapter 155 - 155 - Into the thick of it
Two ghosts down, the gods and goddesses only know how many to go. It doesn't really matter anyway. What really is important is, that I have no time to waste. I better get those creepy spooks before they have a chance to get me. And who knows, maybe I'll even be able to secure a second wind through a level up sometime soon. My first and my second class will take a while to reach the next threshold, but my third class, the newest, is pretty close. That way I will be able to keep going longer. Or I could properly recover after facing the ghosts. Both would be fine.
I take a deep breath and shudder. That unnatural mist isn't helping. Not at all. It should flow down the flanks of the hill, but it isn't. Instead it's gathering and thickening, making for a cold and wet and unpleasant in general experience. Initially the mist made it easier to spot where a ghost may be, but by now it's getting too thick. This is not good, yet I don't want to quit either. No, I still want to keep trying, at least for the time being. At least unless it gets even worse.
In the end I keep making my way around the hill, skirting the edge of the roiling mist, diving in only where it's not too thick yet. I'm careful, I really am, but even that can't guarantee that I don't run afoul some particular cunning ghost eventually. As it is, it's not just one either, as I quickly find out.
It happens when I spot what appears to be another lone ghost or rather the disturbance in the mist caused by one, earning me some more progress for my [Perception] skill, close to a trio of graves so old it's hard to even recognize them for what they are. In all honesty, that alone should already have tipped me off, but while I took note of the fact I didn't let it dissuade me. I approach the disturbance in the mist, sword at the ready, anyway.
My next warning is the prickling at the back of my neck which suggests that my [Danger Sense] is getting triggered. I don't ignore that one, but I don't abort my attack either. I'm pretty sure now that there is at least one other ghost around, but that one hasn't given its location away yet, and the first one needs to be dealt with anyway, thus I don't falter in my attack.
[*Ding!* Hit! Ghost's Health reduced by 73!]
Once again several skills benefit. My [Melee Weapons] and my [Blades] skills for one. Both improve a little. The third actually receives a notification of its own.
[*Ding!* Your skill Long Blades has leveled up to level 4!]
This one counts towards the progress of my masked mediator class, which as a result is by now a third of the way to the next level up itself. It'll still be a while, but I'm getting there.
I don't get to appreciate this for long though. First and foremost, the ghost I struck is not yet destroyed and as a result it actually manifests, revealing the gruesome likeness of someone who has been burned at the stake in doing so, and lashes out at me.
[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 15!]
The touch of this one feels very different from the first ghost that managed to land a blow on me. As it rakes its spectral claws across my face their touch is cold as the grave but at the same time hot like coals fresh from a fire. My [Spell Resistance] improves again, but that is the only good thing to come of this.
It's not too bad yet but it's not an experience I really care to make again either. I don't exactly have a choice in that regard though, as a second ghost strikes at me right after. This one actually rises up, out of the ground to grab my legs as if it wants to drag me down to join it in its grave.
[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 15!]
Alright, this might be worse than I initially anticipated. Sure, my [Spell Resistance] improves again, but my health is already down quite a bit anyway. I can't keep going like this. Not for long anyway.
Well, if I can't keep going like this, I have to make a change. The first change I make is to bash the ghost in front of me in the face with the buckler, while I stab down at the one that went for my legs at the same time. The result is very rewarding in several ways. First off, there is the set of desired notifications.
[*Ding!* Hit! Ghost's Health reduced by 58!]
[*Ding!* You have defeated a Ghost!]
[*Ding!* Hit! Ghost's Health reduced by 74!]
And of course a whole slew of skills makes a little progress too. First, s the buckler makes contact with my initial target, splattering it, its my [Shields] and [Brawling] skills. And afterwards, as I stab down into the other ghost, its my [Melee Weapons], [Blades], [Long Blades] and [Ambidextrous] skills. That's quite a lot of progress even if none of it results in a level up notification. That too is only a matter of time though. Those notices will come in eventually.
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First I still have other problems though. One ghost down. Another still latched onto my legs, as if it wants to drag my down into the ground. Or does it want to use me for leverage to crawl out of it? It doesn't really matter anyway. What matters is, that its touch is still both cold and hot and most importantly painful at once.
[*Ding!* You have been wounded! Health reduced by 15!]
A ghost's touch is a magical attack of some sort. My [Spell Resistance] keeps improving little by little. It's close to the next level up by now. It has to be. It won't matter any more in a moment. Before the ghost can drain any more of my life force out of me by simply clinging to my legs I drive my sword down into its face once more.
[*Ding!* Hit! Ghost's Health reduced by 74!]
[*Ding!* You have defeated a Ghost!]
Again my [Melee Weapons], [Blades] and [Long Blades] skills improve a little despite the fact that my thrust was awkward at best. I guess even awkward close quarters fighting results in progress though. In fact at least the latter of these three skills is incredibly close to the next level up thanks to this last kill.
I can't rest on my laurels though. I really can't. My [Danger Sense] is tickling me again and although I can't exactly pinpoint it I'm pretty sure that there is another disturbance in the mist somewhere pretty close by. Well, there is one almost surefire way to secure my current location and possibly even force that ghost to reveal itself.
I focus on a spot just ahead of me and channel some of my Mana into my recently acquired utility spell and close my eyes even as I turn away and a surprisingly bright sphere of magical light springs into existence. The Mana drain still feels a little unpleasant, but it's nothing I can't handle and the [Light] skill making some progress in turn makes up for it anyway.
The sphere of light comes into existence just in time too. Just as I dodge to the side the third ghost manifests and lets out an angry screech as it shies away. If I hadn't moved it would have jumped me from behind. Leaving me mostly helpless.
This one too looks like it found its end on a pyre. Since there are three graves here as well, I can only assume this is the third of a trio, possibly of arsonists, who found their gruesome end together only to be buried together too. Yes, I really wouldn't be surprised if that were the tale behind the spectral trio.
I'm not inclined to give it a chance to recover. Using the momentum from my dodge I strike right away, essentially in the same movement. Since this ghost is already manifested, I decide to try and aim for a vulnerable spot this time around. I'm not sure if ghosts have those, but I guess I'm about to find out one way or the other.
The look on it's twisted, burnt and still partially translucent face, as my blessed blade severs its neck, is worth gold.
[*Ding!* Critical Hit! Ghost's Health reduced by 112!]
[*Ding!* You have defeated a Ghost!]
The dissolves first into spectral goo and then quickly more mist before it can even land on the ground and the rest of the ghost's body follows shortly. I can't help but grin. It's a grin so wide it might just make me look a little deranged, but I just learned something really good, so I may be excused for being a little excited.
That's of course not all either. My combat skills keep making progress as well. The whole slew, [Melee Weapons], [Blades] and [Long Blades], improves a little. The last one even results in a level up notice, which counts towards the level progress of my hedge witch class this time around, whispered into the back of my mind in the voice of Fox.
[*Ding!* Your skill Long Blades has leveled up to level 5!]
Bathed in the bright light of the magical light I created I take a moment to recover my breath and my eyes widen as I look around, to make sure nothing else will jump me in the near future.
The mist actually dissolves, at least to a degree, in the magical light. The effect is strongest to the actual glowing, floating sphere and gets weaker with distance. This is quite curious, not that I mind anyway. That the disgusting cold mist is not clinging to me for a change is actually pretty nice. That I don't have to breath it is even better. Not all is well though. No, not by far.
I might have caused a bit too much of a ruckus. The light isn't exactly stealthy either. Quite the opposite. It's drawing in more ghosts almost like moths, even though they are so far lingering at the edge, where the mist still seems to protect them, just beyond the reach of my spell. It's near impossible to get y good count on them, as they keep fading out before they manifest partially again. They blur together together. It has to be a dozen if not more. Not it's most definitely more. Despite this I still can sum up the situation nicely with very few words, even as my [Tactics] skill improves a little.
"Well, quack."
No matter how bad the situation looks, it's not all bad. I'm certainly not disheartened. Even in the worst case I should be able to tough it out until the morning sun drives these undead buggers back into hiding. I have more than enough Mana to cast my protective light spell a few more times. That's one option anyway. The other option? I dive right into the thick, dish out some damage, take care of one or two ghosts before I cast another light spell to get the rest off my back. Rinse and repeat.
Sure, that won't be a pleasant experience. I probably won't be able to avoid that they get their hands on me again every once in a while, but I should be able to catch a second wind like this pretty soon anyway. Having the ghosts surround me, manifested so I can actually see them too, is in fact working in my favor. Yes, the situation may look bad, but now that I come to think about it, it certainly could be much worse.
I flash the ghosts directly in front of me a nasty grin.
"Wanna make a little wager, you undead creep? I bet I don't have to chop up more than four or five of you before the rest runs off, gibbering and howling, to hide in whatever little nook or cranny they can find. So, are you going to be some of the idiots? Or some of the cowards?"
My trash talk has the desired effect. Seems even ghosts can be infuriated or intimidated. Either is fine anyway. Both my [Bluff] skill and my [Intimidate] skill improve a little. More importantly though, the ghosts I have been focusing on actually lose their composure.