Chapter 31: Pushing Deeper

Kaius poked his head out, watching the four undead carefully. Three were garbed in tabards and chain armour, half-helms capping their heads. On their chests was an emblem of a crow pecking at a corpse. They were almost identical to the two undead he had fought around a similar camp over a month ago.

Swords in hand, they strutted around the camp in a mockery of discipline. Their remaining companion was different, standing eerily still as it hovered at the edge of the burnt out firepit that was at the centre of their camp, staring at the charcoal and ash. Garbed in a tatty black robe, it held a staff in its hand that was capped with the mouldering skull of a bird.

A caster.

He had no way to be sure, but the threat it represented if it was one was too great to ignore. They had no way of knowing its capabilities, beyond that as a common depths-born it would have no access to class skills. That didn’t stop it from channelling through raw manipulation or its staff if it was an implement.

There was little he could do to defend against a mage. No way to block a bolt of necrotic energy, or parry a cloud of flesh melting acid. Their best bet was to take it out quickly.

Turning to where Porkchop was hunkered down behind a large bush he jutted his chin at the robbed undead. Catching his eyes, he peeked out from around the bush to stare at the monster.

“Mage?” Porkchop said silently across their link, one of the benefits of mental communication. Kaius shrugged back.

“Mine. I’ve got magic resistance.” His words were confident, unconcerned with the potential threat of the mage.

Eyebrows raising, Kaius started at Porkchop in surprise. Magic resistance was a rare power, especially since it had to be a merged skill from what Porkchop had told him. He burned to look at his companions’ status, but it was the height of trust to share that with others. It would be rude to ask before it was offered.

“Ready?” His friend asked.

Nodding, Kaius slowly pulled his longsword free from his scabbard.

“One.”

Porkchop tensed. Digging his claws into the ground.

“Two.”

Kaius braced his foot against the tree. Ready to kick off.

“Three!”

Kaius sprinted out, raising his sword into an easy guard as he raced towards the closest of the foot soldiers. To his left, Porkchop roared. The sound echoed around the forest, leaving dead silence in its wake. His friend dug his claws in, launching himself towards the potential mage at a speed that Kaius found almost impossible to track.

The undead turned to face the coming threat.

Swords held high in their hands, the undead charged. Still standing by the fire, the robed one started to mouth a chant. A sickly green glow alighting the tip of its staff at its silent words.

A mage after all.

Kaius smashed into the first foot soldier, parrying its chop. Even at level one, Kaius could feel Adamant Body putting in the work. Giving him the power to finally contest the undead’s strength.

To his left, his fluffy companion smashed into the undead who readied a spell, sending it to the ground. Hard. Its noxious magic discharged prematurely, showering Porkchop’s shoulder in a haze of riotous green, sizzling against his fur.

Kaius looked to his friend in alarm even as he followed through with his parry, spinning into a riposte. His blade cut deep into the footsoldiers jaw. Not quite deep enough to kill.

“Porkchop!”

“I’m fine! Just kill the others!” he said with aggressive delight.

Kaius turned his attention back to his opponent, already trying to gut him with a heavy slash. Behind it, its companions drew closer. Ripping his sword free, Kaius met the blow blade to blade. He locked the undead’s sword fast, grinning as he felt the lack of strain.

A push kick shoved it back. Diving forward into a thrust, Kaius stabbed the foot soldier through the gap in its open faced helm.

**Ding! level 16 Undead Armsman slain**

He took the opportunity to check on Porkchop, who had sunk his teeth into the mages chest, whipping it through the air as he savaged it. The mage ineffectively battered him over the head with its staff. Failing spectacularly as Porkchop sent it sailing to hit a tree with a crunch. Kaius watched as his companion bound after the mage, intent on finishing the job.

A swing of a sword ripped him back to his own engagement, the other two foot soldiers closing in on him. Catching the incoming blade with a blurring parry, a quick step back took him out of range. He slashed, cutting a line through the leftmost undead’s tabard. Revealing the chain underneath.

It was enough to knock the undead back, giving him space. The rightmost footman lunged. Sword thrusting for his chest. Adamant Body or no, the skill was nowhere near high enough level for cloth and leather to protect from a sword thrust. It would be enough for active defence.

He parried.

**Ding! Adamant Body has reached level 2!**

He followed up with a boot to the undead’s chest. Sending it stumbling back. Kaius wheeled on the footsoldier that was recovering from his attack, hammering on its guard. The undead just barely managed to raise its sword to block his overhead chop.

Kaius raised his blade once more. It came down, swinging past the undead’s guard.

A feint. One he capitalised on quickly. Flowing into a thrust, he impaled the footsoldier on his blade point.

**Ding! level 17 Undead Armsman slain**

He heard a crunch behind him. Kaius jolted, whirling around. Sword at the ready. He found Porkchop standing over the crumpled body of the last footsoldier.

He was retching, rubbing one paw repeatedly into the dirt. Kaius ran over to him, concerned.

“Hey! You okay? Was it the mage?” He asked, hand on Porkchop’s back.

“No!” he whined. “They taste horrible. No more biting!” Porkchop wailed.

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Kaius went green. He hadn’t considered that. He ran to fetch one of his water skins from his pack, helping to wash out his friend’s mouth. He didn’t dare to think about what kind of plagues and contagions the undead might hold in their flesh and blood.

“I think no more biting is a good idea, you big dumb idiot.” Kaius said, watching as his friend resorted to chewing on leaves to rid himself of the taste in his mouth.

“Bleh. You want their armour?” Porkchop asked once he had thoroughly cleansed his palate.

Kaius inspected the bodies of the foot soldiers. They were withered, almost bone thin, and their chain sat tight against their frames. Curious, but something to consider later.

“I don’t think it’ll fit bud. Let’s just keep moving.” He replied, dismissing the option.

Kaius retrieved his pack, and the pair set off, pushing deeper towards the centre of the glade.

Kaius and Porkchop pushed deeper into the glade. As they moved the trees grew thicker and taller, slowly choking out their view of the cavern ceiling far above. The underbrush – the curling ferns, bushes, and lichens – grew progressively more difficult to traverse. At first it was just a problem of growth. Too many plants too close, slowing their journey. Eventually it got so bad that Kaius had to resort to using his longsword as a machete, bushwacking their way deeper.