As I fiddled with my fingers, willing the mana to raise the three undead, I slumped a bit as I felt the hit on my mana reserves. Although the intense drain was taxing, it felt good to work with real bones. There was something magical about the uncracked ribs, the perfectly aligned spine, and even the whole but somewhat lumpy skull. The bones clicked together in a way that just didn’t happen when you were dealing with bone behemoths or undead rats and pigeons. It was about as satisfying as lining up and grouting symmetrical bricks. Or about as satisfying as coming up with a good comeback the instant someone flings shade your way. Metaphorical shade not the ghostly ones.

“Hey! Raising the undead is illegal throughout the kingdom. What the hell are you doing with those bones! If the city finds out, it’ll be all three of our heads lopped off and stuck on spikes. The church doesn’t take kindly to Necromancers running around the city.`` Dren commented as it struck him that I might be, in fact, a necromancer.

“We’re all criminals down here. There’s no need to be so judgy, Dren. Your time working as a jailor ended the moment I pulled you over that line. Anyways, it isn’t as if magic is real. Isn’t that right Rose.”

Rose gulped.

“Of course, magic isn’t real, uh. I can’t see the string, but this must be some puppet trickery.” Rose said, although she didn’t sound too confident. It was amazing what the mind could conjure up, when you were absolutely certain something wasn’t real.

“Well, do you think these skeletons can take down a terror bunny? Or at the very least distract it enough where it’ll become bored after killing you two?” Dren asked, hopeful.

“I don’t know. What if there is more than one?” I asked.

“Then we’re dead. Besides one terror bunny is plenty unless you’re a war golem. Nosturdam hates wasting resources so I doubt they’ll send more than one. I’m afraid I’ll have to use serum b. Once the skeletons get taken down make sure to stand a good distance away from me when I go feral.”

“So you have more of that potion?”

“No, that was serum A. Serum B adds an extra kick as well as a more feral type of thinking.”

“What do you mean by a feral type of thinking? You were basically a feral beast when you took the first serum."

"Nah, that was me sane. You don’t want to be around when I guzzle this bad boy.” Dren dangled a vial of bubbling green liquid. It glowed in a way that drinkable liquid shouldn’t.

I made sure to line my skeletons perfectly as I strategically placed myself behind the good looking statue. I didn’t think that Terror bunnies had projectiles but it never hurt to take precautions. I definitely couldn’t rule out the possibility.

Slowly, the door creaked open. The screeching of the walls reverberated throughout the room. Howls of excited beasts came from the opening.

I braced as a large terror bunny rampaged into the room, its blood lust evident in their glaring eyes. There was one terror bunny, but one terror bunny was more enough to take on three experienced soldiers. The three of us weren’t experienced soldiers or even soldiers. The bunny’s elongated legs weren't enough to allow for bunny lift off. While terror bunnies couldn’t hop the long legs were perfectly good enough for charging. Terror bunnies are good at charging.

I willed the skeletons to brace themselves for impact. Their knees bent and their chests leaned forward. Their arms were outstretched ready to latch onto the beast. Without proper weapons, I knew that it would be hard for them to land a fatal blow. The best I could get them to do, is slow down the oncoming onslaught.

The first skeleton chest was smashed in mere seconds, his old brittle bones flying like shrapnel through the air. I ducked under the statute to avoid the debris.

“Shit!” I muttered to myself.

The other two skeletons were lucky and were able to attach themselves to the fur of the bunny.The bunny dragged the two skeletons as if it barely felt the weight. It shook its fur but there was no flesh in these flimsy warriors. Their grips were as tight as fused bones. Mana was just more efficient than squishy overrated muscle.

Dren unsheathed his measly guard knife. I was not jealous of the rather small knives. It was clear the knife was designed for shucking oysters from the sea border, not to hunt giant monsters. He pulled out a larger knife made for gutting deer. That was a nice knife.

Dren tossed the oyster knife to me and the hunting knife to Rose.

“I never get the big one,” I complained.

“You’re less athletic than a fat merchant whose feet haven’t touched grass for three decades. That girl will do much more with the big knife, weasley man. Be glad you get to hide behind those ‘puppets’.”

“I’ve practiced stabbing.” I said to myself in a hushed tone. I neglected to mention that it had been awhile since I’d practiced and I might be a little rusty. Secretly, I was glad I was given the smaller knife. Less would be expected of my upfront combat skills. Although, it was hard to admit that Rose had me outclassed when it came to stabbing.

The terror bunny swerved around the statue, coming for its prey. Dren uncorked his vial and guzzled the serum B. His muscles bulged and his eyes went red. A manic state took over the same way it had before. This time, however, his muscles were much bigger. Blood oozed out of his mouth and eyes, but it did not seem to bother the grunting man. I was certain hair was also growing out of his ears, but I wasn’t so sure about that.

Dren snarled. Before flinging his fist at the beast. BOOM. The sound of Dren’s punch resonated throughout the room. Yet, the terror bunny just stood still. It let out a chortle as if it was laughing. The bunny raised his back legs and kicked Dren, flinging him across the room. Like an acrobat, Dren twisted his body in the air, and gracefully landed.

I urged my skeletons to reach towards the beast's face and try to poke its eye. There was nothing else they could do to the impervious beast. As my skeletons crawled over the back of the creature Rose pointed her new dagger at the beast.

“Stay back! Go back to where you came, fowl monster!” She yelled as she scooted away from it. A wise decision after witnessing what it did to Dren.

“It’s a bunny. It can’t understand you!” I shouted at Rose.

“Well, neither my knife nor your bundle of bones are going to stop it! Poking out the creature's eyes won’t work.”

The terror bunny perked up at Rose’s words. It leapt sideways smashing its back onto the statue, crushing my skeleton minions.

“No, that’s impossible. It’s as if it understood us.” I said.

“Well, it figured out that puzzle to get in here. Why wouldn’t something that smart be unable to understand us?”

The terror bunny opened its mouth.

“Of course, I understand and speak the tongue of lesser creatures. Indeed, I find it rewarding to hear the pleading screams of my victims. It lets me know that my human language skills are improving. The listening skills I gain from such activities is immeasurable to my growth.” spoke the wise terror bunny.

“Why are you talking like that?”

“I’ve spent countless hours working on my diction and phonetics and you demean me? Do you not see my jaws; my gnarly teeth. Explain, flesh bag.”

Rose kicked my ankle.

“Shut it, Arthur. You're pissing off the large and immensely strong bunny. I think you sound perfectly wonderful!” said Rose.

“Well, it sounds like you’re speaking from a dictionary, or like some of those pretentious artificers. I’m just saying that you could use some real hands-on practice that you wouldn’t get with us wailing.” I said to the bunny. It felt weird talking to a bunny.

“Peculiar. Not once has any of my prey insulted my speech.”

“Your victims are a bunch of brown-nosers. I bet most of them even have the gall to beg for their lives.”

“Hmm, many do. Yet I can not take this insult on my character lightly. Reparations will be needed to restore my honor and dignity.”