The light of the goddess fell upon me. It was said that once you are graced with such a blessing you feel warmth and joy spreading across your body, mind, and soul. I didn’t feel this way. Quite the opposite, I felt suffocated, as if I was drowning into cold, sticky mud.

Her light cleansed the remainder of my body, leaving nothing but a naked skeleton. As part of my rotten flesh evaporated, I felt deep within me that my senses and ability to move are coming back. My joints cracked as I started rumbling my fingers over the dirt. I raised my arms catching the edges of the ditch as I slowly started elevating myself.

Moving was much easier than in my previous form.

“Don’t forget to check your status. Information is key in achieving your goals.” Zariel said with a smile all over his face.

I did as he told me, within my mind I called the image of blue tablets filled with information.

Name: Asteruse Race: Animated Skeleton [Lower Undead] [Self-aware Variant] Level: 1 [0/50] Attributes: STR: 14

VIT: 18

END:∞

RFX: 13

DEX: 16

INT: 14

WIS: 9

SPI: 4 [Animated Skeleton] Lowest rank Undead of the [Skeleton] group, usually raised by a novice necromancer. Its lack of defensive power is compensated with its agility and ability to freely use tools - usually those that were buried with it or with the first object that it found after rising from its grave. Usually mindless, controlled by most primitive desires, they creep around crypts and graveyard hunting those who disturbed their sleep.

Racial traits:

- No attributes gain/losses - attributes are similar to those possessed by an individual during life.

- Endless Endurance [END] - this creature is restless and possess limitless stamina

- Lowered damage from [Earth], [Dark], [Chaos], [Piercing], [Slashing] sources

- Increased damage from [Holy], sources Titles:

[Blessed with the name] - the one who holds the ancient name is favored by Gods. This person is sure to have a great future. Title status - [Corrupted]

[Prodigy] - the tempo of gathering EXP is increased by 25%; Tempo of [leveling up] skills of [Begginer Rank] increased by 100%; Tempo of [leveling up] skills [Aprentice Rank] increased by 75%; Tempo of [leveling up] skills of [Regular Rank] increased by 50%; Tempo of [leveling up] skills of [Expert Rank] increased by 25%; After achieving [Master Rank] an [???] would occur.

[Hardworking] - "Even talent has its limits, only with backbreaking training you are truly assured to reach a new high" - Tempo of [leveling up] skills increased by 25%

[Kind-hearted] - ???

[Champion of the Beast] - ???

[Holder of a Grudge] - Holder of this title has suffered a personal offense from [Church of the Three]. A relationship with this group can never raise above [Hostile]. By committing acts damaging the well-being of this faction and attacking its members, [Hilder of a Grudge] might receive bonus benefits [Damage bonus, Defence bonus, Rewards bonus]

[Personal Vendetta] - "I have a list. This list, you see, is filled with names. A funny thing is, that despite I scratch the names off it on daily basis, the list only keeps getting longer" - killing the people on the user's personal List will grant additional Rewards.

The List: ~ Michael Diederik - Nemesis

~ Albert

~ Jack, the mankiller

~ Rick, the hunter

~ Ernest, the hunter

~ Stephan, the hunter

~ ??? - x 5

~ Eric the Nameless “System was never meant to be bestowed upon individuals… It's the domain of administrators.” The Lady of Light hissed. “You are using your ways to boost your champions, I am using mine. Everyone is cheating in their own way… Now, Aster, how do you feel?” “Confused. How do I see without eyes? Or how do I speak without lungs, throat and every other organ… But mostly, I am quite pissed off.” “Gooood. Don’t fight it. Let it all in. Your anger. Your grief and sorrow. Let it settle in your soul, then fight and dominate it. When you master it, you will be able to unleash controlled wrath, and your passion will be able to move mountains.” “And bring misery and destruction to everyone everywhere you go.” The Light Bringer said with sorrow in her tone. “Don’t you dare to lecture me about misery and destruction, you, who trampled everything I ever worshiped… including my faith and love to you.” I said, making a few steps toward her and pointing her chest with my finger. I wanted to dig my fingers in her skin, but the aura that emitted from her body kept me away. If as an undead I would approach her any closer, I would evaporate.

Zariel whistled with acknowledgment.

“The best part of what he said is that he is right… But look at the time! We have so much to do! There are plans to be made, champions to make stronger and nobles to kill. You probably have to be going as well, don’t you think?”

The Goddess joined her angel as she was about to leave, but, a moment before that, she turned back to us one last time.

“I feel like making a request in the adventurer's guild regarding undead cleaning.” “What a coincidence. I feel like relocating a few undead into these woods as a distraction as well.” “The Game goes on, with your champion being a bunch of animated bones. Good luck, may the better one win.” “Remember that you still owe me one wish.” The Fate Breaker smiled widely. Unprovoked, the goddess raised her face toward the sun.

And then she turned into a ray of light which returned her to the heavens.

“Dying over and over again is a very bad habit, usually, one death is all it takes to end one’s journey, promise me that you will try avoiding getting killed, would you kindly?”

Despite his friendly tone I knew he was quite mad at me. In the end, I forced him into using one of his cards earlier than he expected. Saying things that “I will” or “that was the last time” would be simply silly, so I only lowered my head.

“Now, now! Don’t be so gloomy! A new life! A new opportunity… Though, calling it life might be a little too much. Anyway, I suggest you to leave this place, for various reasons, one, you don’t want to bake yourself in the sun - you need to find some shelter, preferably some crypt or dungeon… it’s a shame that you lost your chance of becoming a vampire though, except for drinking blood, avoiding certain substances and metals, you could have pretty much a normal life!... Opsie, shouldn’t have said that.” “What do you mean? I was just a lowest corpse…” “By consuming essence you could evolve, I am quite sure that one of the paths could lead you to form, doesn’t matter now, you are a skelly now, so I doubt you would ever be able to achieve this fo… unless you would go for an elder lich and perform the blood rite… Don’t listen to me, please, I am not supposed to guide you through your progress tree.” He waved his hand nonchalantly.

The way he talked was weird at least. It was only my assumption, but he probably tried to avoid some of their rules regarding giving information of a certain nature to their believers… or he was just informing me about it in such a way to inform that he doesn't want to interfere with my choices… or, he was just messing with me. Or all of the things above combined.

“There is only one thing I would suggest you do. Leave this place. The sooner the better.” “There is one thing I wish to do before departing, it may take a few hours or days, can’t really tell.” “Hey, that’s your life! Feel free to waste it, though I would appreciate it if you would waste it after doing your part, y’know, I kinda raised you from the dead. Twice. If you were wondering where to go, I would suggest either east or north.” “Diederik lives to the west…” I noticed quickly. “Yes, around bigger cities, roads protected by knights, and close to the guilds, far away from dense forests, caves and dungeons which could provide you with shelter. Aster. You are weak. As a skeleton, even weaker than a walking corpse. Your body is fragile, few strikes from a heavy mace and you would crumble. You want to save your girl? Pay back the goddesses who messed with you? Get stronger. Right now even a villager with a fork to throw horse’s shit could defeat you… But, no pressure! Go, lad, conquer the world, in the meantime, I have urgent businesses to check.” He said as he started changing back into a cloud of smoke.

Urgent businesses. Sure. I believe that this business has red hair and the posture of a man. Apparently even gods can have mortal partners.

I was left alone. With a goal, hatred burning in my mind, a few tips and a crude, rusty dagger. I laid myself back in the ditch, which until now, was my grave and covered myself with a thin layer of earth, to protect myself from the sun as much as possible. And then, I waited.

I knew that he would come. In the end, no one in the entire village knew him as much as I did. Since the day his parents died, he had only me.

That’s why his betrayal hurt me so much. This is why, despite knowing his motives, I couldn’t let it go.

Few hours passed and the sun rose to its highest place in the sky. From early morning to noon people were working in the fields, only then, when the heat became unbearable, they would take a break - to eat something up or to take care of other responsibilities. I knew that only then Eric would find a moment to leave the smithery and come to me. To cry out, to complain. To talk. To beg for forgiveness.

And I wasn’t mistaken.

He always was clumsy, maybe even more than me as a corpse, because of that I was able to hear him much sooner than “seeing” him.

Eric approached my so-called grave and sat on its edge. Only then sorrow crawled on his face.

“Aster… of all people. Why you? Why it had to be you… Is it because of me? First, my parents, now you… Why does everyone who ever cares for me die?”

Naive, arrogant Eric. Thinking that the world revolves around you. Thinking that you are special? That some kind of divine decided to curse you? Of all the people?

“I… am sorry, Aster. I helped the person that killed you! But! You have to understand! You were already dead! You had turned into a monster! And Lord Diederik promised to help the village! He will reduce taxes, lift hunting limits! Send materials to rebuild the broken parts of the village! He…”

Deep in my heart, I wanted him to beg for forgiveness. To admit that he did wrong. Even though I couldn’t forgive him, I wanted to hear his reasoning, to let him go…

.... But.

All I heard were excuses. Oh, poor miserable Eric. So poor his entire life. So hurt by what happened. He came here only because he knew he betrayed me and wanted to silence his conscience. There was not a single word uttered for my sake. No. All the time - me, me, me.

Eric. For your entire life, you were miserable. Like every weakling, you were looking for sympathy and protection of the stronger. In the very second, you noticed an opportunity to get yourself a stronger ally, you didn’t hesitate to backstab me. And in the second there would be a conflict between Diederik and someone stronger, you would bring up this matter, making him a murderer in the eyes of everyone around.

You treacherous dog!

Is his laments (mostly around how bad he felt while doing what was ) he got up and turned around, as if facing my shallow grave was too much. Without making a sound, I got up.

“But… at least, now you can rest, I keep on telling myself that as long as one of us doesn’t have to suffer it’s…”

His sentence stopped abruptly. Now, he also knows how it feels to be backstabbed.

He makes a few steps forward before turning around.

“Me, myself, I Woeful, woeful Eric. I was waiting for one honest: I am sorry. I was waiting for one: it’s my fault. For one: I shouldn't have done that. Yet all I heard are pointless excuses. Now, little lamb, tell me, what did Michael do, and if Liz’ is still safe. Do that and I promise that I will pull the dagger off your backs and each of us will go different directions.” My voice was quite similar to that which I had when I was still alive, but, this time, it had this unnatural echo, as if it was spoken by multiple beings, repeating the same sentence with some delay. Vicious and terrifying.

He stumbled and fell, luckily, he landed on his ass instead of his back, otherwise, he would just push the dagger further in, probably causing some more serious damages.

Poor fool kept on opening and closing his mouth, like a fish picked up from water, trying to comprehend what was happening.

“Yes, it’s still me, poor Aster. Aster who should be sooo grateful that a person he treated like a younger brother backstabbed him, letting his vengeance - the only desire that kept him here - slip through his fingers… I had a specific list of people I wanted to drag into the mist, you were not there, Eric…” “But… but… you were dead!...” “I still am, Eric, I still am.” “B-but! T-the rituals! You were burned! And put back into the earth!” “Ah, rites of flames were supposed to cleanse the impurity while rites of earth were supposed to work as a door to the underworld… what does it mean? Maybe, that fire had no impurity to burn? Maybe, that underworld does not wait for me? Maybe, that I still have something to do…” I slapped his face, bones of my fingers left long bloody scratch marks on his cheek “... is Elize safe?” “Y-yes! I-I don’t know the details, but L-lord Diederik once again offered that he would take her to his mansion. T-that she could use the l-library as much as she pleases, t-that he would give her place and time to murmur, and, w-when she is ready, she could work… as his assistant. T-that he can do only this much for the fiancee of the man who saved his life…” “Did she go?” “S-she didn’t want to… but, Miss Jagna, forced her… s-she said, that nothing keeps her in the village anymore… and, t-that she would have to move onward, instead of lamenting for the rest of her life…”

Of course. Jagna always put the wellbeing of her daughter over everything else. From her point of view, that was understandable.

“Now, that wasn’t so bad, wasn’t that?”

I asked with a calm, reassuring tone, patting the Smith’s apprentice’s head from behind.

“I told you what you want… you promised me that…” “I will take the dagger out, and we will go different directions… Yes. You see, I, for now, am going North… and you…” I twisted the blade inside of him, enlarging the wound, just as the hunter before did with my wound “... are going to the afterlife. Oh, and I pulled the dagger out because I will still need it.”

I patiently waited till he bleeded out, double checked if he was dead before cutting his body into numerous pieces. In the end, we don’t want him to become some vengeful undead who would chase after me, would we?