Were they... celebrating?
Mead was being liberally passed around. With a discerning eye, James realized that everyone was in groups of four to six and fully geared. He accepted a mug from someone in passing but slid it into his inventory instead. He wasn’t in the mood to celebrate.
Outside, the guild yard blazed with torchlight. Someone had wheeled out an ale cart; someone else fed the braziers until sparks rained on the cobbles. And in the middle of it all, a bard stood on a crate belting out a heroic ballad that had exactly four lines, all of which rhymed with .
Everywhere he looked, low-level adventurers were doing stretches, hyping each other up, or arguing loudly about who’d get the most skeleton kills.
Shortly afterward, there was a mass exodus as everyone poured out of the guild hall.
When Edward and Ken came out with grins on their faces, the place was nearly deserted. For a moment, James almost felt like he was missing out.
Edward smiled. “Here, take these.” He held out what looked like a mace and a wooden shield. “My old set. But they’ll do the job for this.”
Then he hoisted his new weapon: a rune-etched war hammer that looked like it could knock down a barn.
“This,” he said proudly, “was level-bound. But it’s usable now.”
James raised an eyebrow. “That’s… serious.”
Edward grinned wider. “Let’s go smash some low-level undead. Oh, and don’t waste a summon on this unless you feel the need.”
Despite himself, James smiled back. Edward’s energy was contagious.
“I want to try something out,” James said, then hesitated. “But if you think this is going to be easy… maybe Charlie should come along?”
Edward looked at Ken, who gave a thoughtful nod.
“Fine with me. Look, James. I’m not saying you were a bad leader. But maybe… I take point for a while?”
James raised both hands. “Please. Be my guest. I was completely blindsided back there.”
The truth was, he felt relieved. There was too much he just didn’t know, too many pieces moving behind the curtain. Let Edward lead the charge for now. James needed time to observe, to learn, to catch up.
Edward lit up. “Great. Let’s go.”
Ken glanced over and gave a wink. It looked like he was feeling a bit better too.
The night air was alive with torch smoke and distant shouts; the only steady light came from Ken’s staff.
As soon as they were outside, James summoned both Charlie and Squire. It felt strange—but it was time to take things more seriously. Ken was here, and if anything happened, he had the Cure
For once, there was no pressure. No imminent death. James took the time to flick open his card hand—maybe for the first time—with calm focus.
The cards sprayed out from his left arm, ephemeral and translucent, hovering like a fan. One of them glimmered with a silver border: Command Self
Command Self
Apply one of your active card enhancements to yourself for one hour.
Two options hovered in the space below:
- Apply EnhancementApply one of your active card enhancements to yourself for one hour.
- Craft CardApply one of your active card enhancements to the wielder for one hour.
Above each choice, a spray of enhancements hovered like a spectral menu:
- Imprint
- Cleanse
James frowned and flicked the card back down. He needed more enhancement options. Maybe even duplicates.
Ken and Edward looked over, brows raised.
James flicked the card back down and caught up with the others, running toward the sound of combat.
James summoned the mace and shield
He assumed they were actually heavy—but that +3 to Might? Amazing.
He flexed his grip, adjusting to the weight. Not enough to make him a brawler, but enough to keep from embarrassing himself. James had always dreamed of being a fighter, but that’s what it usually was—.
Now he was strong. Fast. Equipped.
And ready to hit something.
The first skeleton came at them holding a spear by the blade.
James met it with his shield and shoved—off-balance, more instinct than skill. The skeleton stumbled backward.
And Charlie launched.
The dog hit like he’d done it a hundred times. Precise. Efficient.
And then he hesitated.
Not from fear. From memory.
He landed the hit, scattered bone, then circled back immediately—keeping close. Not panting. Not celebrating. Just… watching.
James lowered the shield.
“…Hey. I’m not going anywhere.”
Charlie didn’t bark. But he blinked, tail twitching once, and held position at James’ side.
System Notice – Skeleton Defeated
Bone Arrow +1
Quest Progress: 1 / 100
The next pair came fast—sword and thigh bone, poorly balanced.
James gritted his teeth and stepped forward. The mace still felt awkward—but the swing had . He cracked one skeleton’s leg clean through and followed up with a clumsy shield-check that somehow worked.
The second raised its weapon—
—and got a face full of Squire
She flung herself onto its skull with a squeaky war cry, clawing wildly as it flailed. Charlie surged forward, more confident now, and took it down with a low, driving tackle.
System Notice – Skeletons Defeated ×2
Bone Arrows +2
Quest Progress: 3 / 100
“Hey!” Edward called. “Not bad for a first-timer!”
James bashed another skeleton’s arm aside and deflected a wild swipe with his shield.
“Still counts as experience,” he shouted back. “Even if it embarrassing.”
Edward’s war hammer flicked through another skull like paper. “Speak for yourself. I’m farming these guys like they’re goldfish.”
Ken’s staff cracked a skeleton’s jaw clean off like he was lining up a baseball pitch. The light from his staff didn’t even dim.
The truth was—everyone, —was having fun.
Fun.
Charlie stuck close, crushing everything he could reach.
Squire bounced between targets, helping absolutely no one, but looking like she was having the time of her life.
There was, however, James kept running into.
Every time one of the skeletons dropped, the System whispered the same question:
“Do you wish to bind this creature?”
It’d be so easy.
He was sure they were classified Basic
And maybe it be fine.
But he’d read the stories. Too many of them. There was a cost. Some hidden tax on the soul. The kind you didn’t notice until it was too late.
He wasn’t ready to test that theory.
The loot didn’t help. Mostly bone dust, rusted swords, and the occasional bone shiv that looked like it came from an angry raccoon.
Hardly a justification for soul-binding.
System Notice – Skeletons Defeated ×6
Bone Arrows +6
Quest Progress: 9 / 100
Another group fell, staggered and limp.
James ducked a clumsy axe swing and smashed the attacker across the collarbone.
Charlie surged in and finished the job.
System Notice – Skeleton Defeated
Bone Arrow +1
Quest Progress: 10 / 100
James was sweating now. Arms sore. Shield nicked.
Charlie? Not even slowing. His movements had grown more fluid, more confident—but never reckless. He stayed close, always checking back.
Squire, meanwhile, had invented a new game: . She raced to each fallen skeleton, trying to be the first to nose the fading loot-glow before it disappeared.
For every kill they shared, James could feel it—something tightening between them. Some invisible thread pulling taut.
Edward and Ken let them work.
Close enough to assist and provide light, but never crowding.
Occasionally, Ken flicked them a heal. They barely needed it.
The fight settled into rhythm. A blur of cracked ribs, scattered bones, and kinetic joy.
Thirty minutes later, it was over.
James had a nick above one eye, sweat soaking into his shirt.
Charlie was limping slightly, favoring his back paw.
Squire had stolen a shinbone and refused to let it go.
Edward slammed his hammer down on the last target and turned, triumphant.
“Wave One cleared!”
A cheer rolled down the line—exhausted, grinning adventurers letting the moment settle.
System Notice – Wave One Complete
Quest Completed – A Dime a Dozen
Reward – 8 Gold Pieces (96 skeletons contributed)
Bonus Reward – Bone Arrows ×96
But the biggest reward wasn’t gold. Or arrows.
It was this:
Bond Progress Complete – Charlie: 100%
Bond Progress Complete – Squire: 100%
The System chimed once, deep and clean.
System Notice – Bond Protocol Unlocked
Bond enhancement and trigger slots available.
James blinked. Let out a breath he hadn’t realized he was holding.
Squire climbed into his lap, gnawing proudly on her stolen shinbone.
Charlie slumped beside him, ears up, eyes still watching—always watching.
James scratched him behind the ears.
“…Guess that makes us official.”
Card Commander Level 4 – Upgrade Available
Somehow, after everything else—it felt almost anticlimactic.
??? System Note: Squire now considers herself James’ co-Commander.
Current duties include shinbone acquisition and morale management.
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