Bones keeps eating and from the size of the pile it is going to take him awhile. So I decide to use my time to continue practicing the slash form until he is done eating the bones. Once he is done I will check his status to see if anything has changed.

It ends up taking Bones around seven hours to eat everything in the pile. When he is done he looks quite a bit tougher, but no matter how I stare at him all I see is his name and level. Observe doesn't work anymore and when I try Lesser Dragon Sight nothing happens.

'Hm, how about Bones status!'

Name: Bones

Class: Skeleton

Level: 1

HP: 180/180

MP: 10/10

Strength: 20

Agility: 10

Endurance: 26

Intelligence: 1

Wisdom: 1

Charisma: 1

Toughness: 8

Skills: 3

Shield Basics Level: 1

Shield Bash Level: 1

Sword & Shield Level: 1

'So just from eating bones he gained eighty hit points and eight endurance. Wait, what is toughness? He got a new stat? And it's one that I don't have!'

"Good job, Bones!"

Bones clicks his jaw and it makes a happy sound and yet at the same time it is kind of creepy. It is the kind of sound you would hear in a haunted house, yet it is obvious he is happy that I praised him. It is obvious he is more than just a pet that you would see in an MMO game.

"Come with me, Bones."

Bones gets up and follows me out to the cave, I lead him to in front of the barrier. While he watches me I attack the barrier with the slash form. After a minute he starts attacking the barrier as well, we both practice on the barrier for the next two hours.

When I stop training for a minute to check on him I see that he already has the sword basics skill. That means he can learn skills on his own just like I do, he will be much more useful than I thought. As I am thinking of ways to train him I notice the sword and shield he is using are already showing signs of wear and tear.

I sit down and start checking my pouch for human made weapons that I haven't already melted down. In total I find six shields, twelve swords, three hand axes, and a war hammer. I pile them all up next to where Bones is practicing.

"Bones, practice until you have broken all of these."

Once again Bones makes that happy chattering sound at me as he continues bashing away at the barrier. I wish I still had some of the enchanted weapons to give him to use, but those should work for him to level up his skills a bit. I move away, sit down, and pull out the drake's skull.

The skull is the hardest of all the drake's bones, I hadn't figured out what to do with it until now. With some work and modifications I think it will make an amazing shield for Bones. So, I start very carefully carving the skull, I lose myself in my work and don't even realize it as almost a day passes.

Bones has gained a level!

'What? Oh, nice! So he can gain experience just from training?'

"Great work, Bones!"

Bones clatters happily and a quick look shows about half the weapons are gone. I decide to wait until he is finished before checking his status again, after all maybe he will gain another level. I go back to working on making a shield from the skull, I am trying to make it so the drake's features are part of the shield.

When I find that doesn't really work I instead decide to carve the drake's image into the shield. This is a lot more difficult than just carving out the shape, and it is something I have never tried before. Once again my focus becomes so complete that I am no longer aware of my surroundings.

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Void has progressed to level 2!

Void

Level: 2

Wis +4 Willpower +2 Weapon Speed +2

The mentality of a great swordsman.

'Huh? I didn't even realize I was using void! Besides, how is the mentality of a swordsman affecting my scrimshaw?'

Maybe I was so focused that it activated on its own, unless the chisels I am using are counted because they have blades. Either way if it helps me make this perfect then I am totally fine with it. As I work I am also trying to think of a way to use demonic power to enchant the shield.

I know how to enchant with mana, or at least I came up with a way, but how to do it with demonic power is the question. Maybe if it's a demonic ability, like if I try to copy my demonic body into the shield. That is a really good defensive ability and would be perfect for a shield.

As I continue working I decide that is my best bet, once the shield is done I will try experimenting with that as the goal. Oh, and if I can make that work then I could make him a sword and put demonic assault in it. That would be the perfect setup for Bones!

Then again there is another option as well, Bones has mana, not much but he does have some. If I can get him to release that mana then I could channel it and use it to enchant as well. That will be the backup plan if working with my demonic power doesn't work.

With that decided I take a quick look to check on Bones, he is almost out of weapons. So I focus back on my work, I need to finish the shield and carve a sword. Then I will take a stab at demonic enchanting. I want to make really good equipment for Bones.

When Bones breaks the last weapon he comes over on his own and sits down next to me. He proceeds to eat all the chips and flakes falling on the ground as I carve a shield out of the skull. He may not talk but his presence is somehow comfortable and reassuring, I find I am not so lonely now.