Prologue: Skeleton Blacksmith

Alderon swung his hammer, from left to right, sunrise to sunset, day after day, without rest. That was the routine of life for normal and plain skeletons like him. They were useless in terms of quality on the battlefield, and as such there was only one redeemable ability, and that was their innate trait as species of the undead; their ability to never feel fatigue nor to need sleep. They can work endlessly without food and water. As such, there was only one outcome for skeletons summoned to the mortal world. Labour. Intense labour until the master died or needed them no more. Was this fair? Was this justice? Was this the life Alderon had wished for? Hell no!

It had been a week since he came here, to the black castle, to the mortal world from the underworld, enslaved by the most powerful lich in existence. How did it happen might you wonder? How was the powerful skeleton known as Alderon the coward enslaved? Well, the process was quite grand, or at least that’s how Alderon himself thought of it as. You see, he sat in his cave, surrounded by his skeleton friends, when a huge, purple magic circle appeared on the rock floor. He looked down and then poof, he was in a throne room, standing in front of an old, wizened man. The man, clad in a black robe, was bucktoothed and, by all definitions, ugly as hell. But Alderon kept quiet about that. After all, the lich was a powerful necromancer as well as Alderon’s new master.

“Minions of mine,” the lich had proclaimed in a hoarse voice. “thou shalt follow my conquest and be glorified for eternity! We shall drag out the dwarves from the mountains. Smash their skulls to dust! And pillage their treasures! We shall hang the elves from trees! Let frogs drink their brain gravy! And burn down the forests! We shall slaughter the beastmen! Cut their limbs! And let vultures gouge out their eyeballs! Finally, we shall exterminate all that human vermin and purge the world from all evil!”

The lich had been sitting on his bone throne in the fortress of the dead while telling them of his grand plans to purge the world from all evil. He sought their help to assist him and Alderon was bubbling with joy to finally have received a master who truly knew what was up. That was, after all, all that he and the skeletons talked about down there, in the flaming abyss. How they all longed for a master.

But how wrong he had been. A master? Humpf! What kind of master sends one’s most loyal subordinate down to a newbie castle with a newbie necromancer who smells of his mommy’s milk? Yeah, that’s what happened. Alderon was sent down to one of the mighty lich’s disciple disciples. At first, the mighty lich had decided to give a few subordinates to his disciple. All was good at that time. The mighty lich’s disciple was very awe-inspiring. But then the mighty lich’s disciple had a… well, not so brilliant idea. Why not send a few skeletons to his own disciple and gift him a castle? So after talking to his own master, the mighty lich’s disciple lead alderon and a couple of other mindless skeletons to the castle, told them that their new master was the newbie, and then left.

And that’s how Alderon got stuck in the human world, forced to work at one of the forges in the black castle as a blacksmith that forged spears to the newbie necromancer's undead troops.

Right now he was creating a spear, although it was an overstatement to call it a spear. The iron he used to create the spear was the lowest grade and the hammer he swung with had become dull long ago. The spearhead of the spear wasn’t even pointy, and yet, that didn’t matter. Skeleton soldiers were merely cannon fodder, used to block the enemies while skeleton mages or skeleton archers stood in the back. They were summoned from the underworld in clusters to serve as tanks and allow others to do the damage. Only because it looked more fear-inspiring did they have weapons.

You have successfully crafted an item!

– Blacksmithing proficiency has increased by 0,3

– Strength has increased by 0,1

– Agility has increased by 0,2

– Dexterity has increased by 0,1

Alderon showed a smile fitting for a skeleton. He removed the spear from the anvil and held it up high, the anything but smooth surface glistening in the light from the fire.

Incomplete Iron Spear

An incomplete spear forged by a novice blacksmith with meagre skills using very crude methods.

Grade: Inferior

Damage: 1-3

Having looked at the spear enough, the skeleton jerked his hand and threw the spear toward a pile of other spears that lay in the corner of the ten diameters large room. He didn't know how many he had done all these weeks, all for raising his blacksmith proficiency. He only needed to forge one more spear until he ranked up from lvl 1 to lvl 2.

The blacksmithing skill was a very neat skill for Alderon. When he arrived here at first, he had been very bad at forging. After all, he knew very little about blacksmithing at that time. The strange thing was, however, that once he came to the human world, all his actions, no matter how trivial or small, gave him small effects, and this is was made him able to learn the art of handling metal quickly, without needing a master to teach him.

Running would increase his agility, swinging the hammer would increase his endurance and strength, and completing and items would increase a whole bunch of stats. There were surely many other methods of increasing his stats but he was locked up here in the forge without any way of getting out so the only thing he could do was to put the forge to good use.

Every day, a stupid skeleton servant came to fetch the weapons Alderon had made. Communicating with it was a hassle for an intelligent skeleton like him, but there was nothing to be done, so when the skeleton asked its stupid question, Alderon just nodded and said for the skeleton to go away, which the skeleton eventually did, taking the heap of spears along with a cart it pulled.

Alderon picked out two of the better looking worst grade iron ores to start the smelting process before he could craft the last spear.

The smelting process of the iron ores took a great amount of time. Good thing the least Alderon was missing was time. Time and ores were really all he had. He wondered if he could create better weapons if the blacksmithing skill or whatever it was rose to lvl 2.

After finishing the smelting of the iron, Alderon grabbed the same mould he used before. He held the iron kettle filled with liquid with both hands and slowly leant over with his feeble body, (that was almost incapable of lifting the kettle with ease) causing the hot, almost magmalike substance to drip down into the furrowed mould.

He waited for the spear to cool down further until he knocked it off from the mould. He walked to the anvil and lay the sword in the middle, taking a hammer and performing a full swing. His swings gradually got faster and faster, stronger and stronger. Eventually, the spear was completely deformed. He heated it up again and began the process all over. After a while, the spear was managed to an acceptable state.

Alderon had no blacksmithing knowledge at all and only did things he had heard and seen others do. So that his technique was a bit rough around the edge couldn't be blamed upon himself.

You have successfully crafted an item!

– Blacksmithing proficiency has increased by 0,4

– Strength has increased by 0,2

– Agility has increased by 0,1

– Dexterity has increased by 0,1

Congratulations! Your blacksmithing skill has ranked up!

Blacksmithing lvl 2 (0/500)

The art of handling metal has been passed down throughout the ages through the hands of all races. It is little known about who was the first blacksmith but it is suspected that it was a dwarf. Blacksmiths are distinguished crafters of weaponry and armoury and can handle different types of ores and jewels with ease.

Class Change!

Congratulations, by reaching level two in blacksmithing you have unlocked a new class.

Would you like to change class?

[Yes/No]

The blue screen was asking Alderon if he wanted to change class. What is a class? The little skeleton who only stood at six and a half feet contemplated on this in silence. Although very intelligent, Alderon did not possess as much knowledge in comparison. Even the fastest bird could not fly if its wings were chopped off, and Alderon was the same. Without adequate knowledge, he wouldn’t be able to display his immensely, great, genius intellect.

Luckily, things would have been worse if he was unable to read. He had never learned it in his whole damned existence, but once he came to the mortal world, he discovered himself being able to understand most types of languages, and not just the words of his master – the mighty lich. (Every summoned creature can understand the summoner’s wishes.)

Should he change class? Well, if he had known what a class was, this would have been a lot easier. Skeleton Blacksmith. He was a skeleton, wasn't he? And a skeleton blacksmith, that sounds better, right? Then he will not only be a skeleton anymore – but also a blacksmith? Wouldn't that mean he's on like equal terms in status compared to skeleton archers and mages? Two is better than one and Skeleton and Blacksmith is better than Skeleton. Yes, it must be so! With the use of his meagre knowledge and peerless wisdom, Alderon made a decision.

With the use of his meagre knowledge and peerless wisdom, Alderon made a decision.

"Yes!" he cackled out in the only language he could speak.

You have changed class to [Skeleton Blacksmith]

Please be reminded that you may change class at any time in the character menu. The change may only be between classes you have acquired and unlocked for use. Items equipped during the change will be unequipped if not eligible for the class you changed to.

[Skeleton Blacksmith]

Skeleton Blacksmiths are the lowest type of blacksmiths with the lowest kind of skill. They are despised by all other blacksmiths around the world, especially the dwarves who hold the blacksmith profession in high esteem. Be warned that meeting dwarves as a skeleton blacksmith may cause them to turn hostile and attack without reason.

Effects: 30% increased risk of creating items with low durability.

New methods of forging have been acquired!

Shuryxola's iron

A New item had been acquired!

Yorgurim's hammer

The little skeleton cowered back as a golden light dazzled his eyes. As the light disappeared, a small, iron hammer fell to the floor with a bang. Alderon shuttled forward and picked up the hammer. It was an orderly hammer without any kinds of ornaments. What a shame, though Alderon, shiny things sell for more, even he knew that. He inspected the hammer.

Yorgurim's hammer

Yorgurim was once a novice dwarven blacksmith who worked at a not so famous forge in the capital of dwarves, Jörgdmund. During the great war a thousand years ago, the young dwarf had been called out to fight for his race, eventually killed by a young beastman from the eternal wastelands. His hammer has been lost ever since.

Grade: Common

Damage: 2-5

Effects: 10% chance of creating higher quality items

At the same time, Alderon decided to look at his character menu by saying it out loud.

Alderon

Skeleton Blacksmith

Level 1 (0/10)

Classes: [Skeleton], [Skeleton Blacksmith]

Skills: N/a

Inventory: 0/7

Strength: 11,3

Stamina: 9,8

Agility: 9,7

Intelligence: 6,2

Wisdom: 4,5

Spirit:7,3

Although these numbers were a bit confusing to him, receiving the class Skeleton blacksmith made him very happy. He would now be able to hold his head up high when meeting those arrogant skeleton archers and mages without feeling useless. How he would laugh at their dumbstruck expression! Those arrogant bastards!

As he was rejoicing in getting a new class and throwing away that worthless skeleton class, someone came into the forge, causing the fire in the forge to be extinguished. Alderon retreated and looked at the creature with fear instilled in his eyes.

It was a vampire. A real vampire, one of the creatures from the higher layers, creatures that no skeleton would want to mess with. The vampire wore a crimson cloak, a black coat, black breeches and pointy black boots. It seemed to be a male vampire, and his white hair contrasted with his red eyes.

Above the vampire, Alderon could make out a blue box.

Vampire Ezra (lvl 126)

"Master Ferguson demands your presence, Skeleton." said the Vampire. "follow me."