I went with this group of four toward the clearing I had seen when looking from the mountain.
We had not gone even a hundred meters when a small cut clearing appeared beyond the trees. It was surrounded by a barely visible blue barrier with a diameter of just over ten meters. I had not even noticed it from the mountain.
There were three people inside. Two were without helmets with swords on their belts and leather breastplates.
One had slightly graying black hair and a matching beard down to his chest with blue eyes. He wore an iron helmet bracers greaves and a breastplate with pauldrons.
When he saw the group he raised his brows.
"Nitl, what happened? Why did you return so quickly" he asked. The scout answered him. Apparently he was the captain.
"We are coming back. This skeleton" he turned and nodded at me "explained with gestures that three to four hundred goblins are moving toward us."
The two young ones gasped and the veteran frowned.
"Not good. You rookies," the veteran turned his head to the young warriors, "grab the barrier quickly — we are leaving."The two nodded before the words even finished.
They ran to the center where I noticed some kind of round metal orb. It was hollow inside and mostly open on the outside. It consisted of metal strips bent to form the shape of a sphere. In the center was a large blue crystal placed inside a smaller mesh sphere. The mesh sphere was held in place by several metal rods connecting it to the outer shell. Everything except the crystal was covered with strange runes.
Grabbing it the two carried it ahead of our group without difficulty. I did not see what they did but before they picked it up the barrier vanished.
The veteran approached Nitl.
"What skeleton is this" he asked nodding at me with his beard. In his eyes I did not notice hostility only curiosity. The girl answered him.
"We do not really know. He is intelligent despite the weakness of his body."
I shivered a little and glanced at her.
She shrugged looking straight into my eye sockets.
"What It is true. I have never heard nor in legends read of a skeleton ten times weaker than you having intelligence."
How did she even determine my strength? But that was not the most important thing. What would they do with me if I was the first intelligent one? Calm down... yeah breathe with bones. Anyway I can create dungeons. Logically they would not destroy me right away they would study me alive first.
But even if I wanted to ask those questions I could not. We were trotting toward their camp though for me it was already a full run. Even if we stood still I still would not be able to ask with gestures how she measured my strength.
Damn. Why can I not speak?
I began to click my teeth a little. Maybe I could learn the skill to talk? Why not. She somehow figured out my strength and I do not believe she did it without a skill or an item.
People started glancing at me but I ignored them.
I almost tripped. "What is this voice"
Whoa. "And what kind of rewards and for what"
"How many points do I have And how much will speech cost"
"Would you kindly beautiful lady tell me how I can get one more DP"
...
Okaaay I am shocked... a little. "No one came up with that before
Slackers... though I am the same.
But still 1 DP for a compliment... they must be REALLY BORED up there almost makes me pity them.
Without thinking longer I agreed. "I request status and the communication skill."
After I spoke I glowed faintly but apparently only I could see it since nobody else paid attention.
"So how did you measure my strength" The scout stumbled. The veteran snapped his head around at the unfamiliar voice drawing his weapon. The warrior did the same. The girl's eyes widened again. The only one who remained relatively calm was the boy.
Everyone stopped and turned looking for the source of the sound. The two young warriors who carried the orb noticed nothing and kept running.
The skeleton suddenly in the center of attention tried to raise his bony brow but failed and asked.
"What"