Tunnel Rat

There was business to be done in Section E, but Milo was anxious to get back to Genesis. He'd spent most of a week in the game, only coming out now and then to check on things. Once Kaminski was shut down, the amount of power being used by that area dropped nearly to zero. Milo did a thorough scan of the area before he went down there himself. Nothing showed on infrared or UV scans. His bugs were picking up no sounds and no transmissions coming out of the area.

He hadn't expected them to leave a guard or set up sensors. This was the Hab, and no one really cared about deserted warehouses or industrial centers. Milo dropped down into the area. He was dressed all in a dark grey metallic cloth. Faraday Sheets was a useful way to insulate areas from unwanted radiation of all types. They were routinely used to insulate high-tech equipment from picking up stray signals or uninvited visitors trying to enter the system through the airwaves. Milo had salvaged some of the bulky cloth left behind by others and constructed a cumbersome full-body suit out of it. If he wasn't sure about an area, he wore it before going in. Cameras would pick up just a blur, active scans would reflect off of it, and at best, someone might know they'd had an intruder but no other clues.

All the computers were gone, of course. The authorities would go through them with a fine-tooth comb. Likewise, all the pods. But what hadn't been taken was all the new cooling units, tubing, and distribution system. It was stacked up on pallets, ready for shipping. Good pallets too! The type that used small steel wheels with frictionless ball bearings. They were easy to move around on their own without the need for a pallet jack.

Some of the machinery could be used to upgrade the decaying systems in Section E. Milo also loved the idea of adding state-of-the-art cooling to his computer systems. Getting rid of heat was always a problem. It took him four hours to rig the hoists he needed in the ceiling of that area and in the nearest big drop. Then over the next sixteen hours, he absconded with 30 pallets of high-tech cooling units and hid them down in the bottom of the hab in a room he'd used for years to store his extra equipment.

A few months from now, someone would come to clean the area out. The theft might be noticed, and a report might be filed. They'd wonder how someone opened and resealed the doors, but mostly there would be an utter lack of concern. Someone stole something left in a hab for a few months? They had more important things to investigate.

He was happy to run over to Section D and visit his new offices. Just because he had the codes to the outer doors didn't mean he was going to use them. He'd rather it shows no openings except for deliveries. The two new clog eaters had arrived. He'd move them over soon. What he was more interested in was the huge assortment of cheese in a fake wicker basket sitting on the counter of the empty front office. It was just as good as it tasted in the game. Sadly, he didn't get any upgrades from eating a half pound of sliced cheddar.

He made sure the pod was working correctly, refilled the nutrient tanks, and headed back in.

Milo selected the second option on the log-in screen, which allowed him to appear on the steps of the Arcane Library, and appeared on the steps surrounded by the silent void. He quickly entered the Arcane Library. Cichol was sitting by the fire still. "Ah, the apprentice returns. What interesting thing have you brought me?"

Milo summoned his storage chest, which got a raised eyebrow from Cichol, and pulled out a burlap-wrapped bundle. Inside was the carefully cleaned and assembled skeleton of a ratkin. "I went back for my old pal, Malskitter, and found all of his pieces. I was originally going to use him for spell components, but then I saw some odd things about his skeleton."

Upon close examination, Milo realized that the skeleton had extra rib bones. The bottom rib on each side was shaped differently from the others and had runes carved into them. Those bones were also much older than the skeleton himself. One being almost petrified.

Cichol stood up, leaning heavily on his cane. "Oh? How interesting. If he knew, he'd be howling in rage. I like that."

The old Bonemancer kneeled down, running his hands over the bones and taking note of the two extras. "My, my, you certainly were a clever one. If only you hadn't let crippling megalomania and paranoia get in the way, you might have done something greater than become the slave of a damned overgrown lily."

Straightening, he looked Milo in the eyes. "This will do. I can think of several uses for this set of tinker toys. Come sit by the fire, and bring along that nice bit of Brie I see in your chest. We need to talk about your next spells. I see that you've managed to achieve level 4 in Bonecasting. That's a good start. But let’s add a bit to your arsenal."

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Milo spent the better part of two days in the library, discussing spell casting and learning the lore behind Bonecasting. Cichol explained that bones were an ideal substance to use for rune carving, a form of early spell casting. “It is said that in ancient times before the system was born, that spells could only be cast by a master of the ancient runes. Their tools were their bones and the bones of creatures they killed. They inscribed the ancient runes onto the bones, giving them a way to create more complex formations to harness mana.”

“In this later age, we have the System to assist beginning mages with spell casting, and the new runes are much easier to memorize than the ancient runes. We have traded power for convenience and safety.”

Milo liked safety but was curious about the ancient runes and what they can do. “Do you know any of them? Can you use them?”

Cichol smiled. “I knew you’d ask about them. You love puzzles and new knowledge, don’t you? The answer to that question is complex. I have encountered bones carved with old runes, my father had them, but neither he nor I was able to use them in spells. Almost as if the System didn’t understand them. They can be used to inscribe weapons or armor if used alone and copied perfectly, but that is the limit of my knowledge.”

“But it does bring us to our next topic, which revolves around our friend Malskitter. He managed to learn a complex ritual that I had known about but never used. Extra Rib is a complicated ritual and not a spell. I would not suggest it except for two things: You already have access to a rune-carved rib bone with considerable power. No need to make one and Malskitter won't be missing it. The second advantage is that I can assist with the ritual."

Milo looked over at Malskitter's skeleton. It was currently animated by Cichol and refreshing their cups of tea. "I'm curious, what exactly does the ritual do besides adding to my ribcage?"

"Yes, we should go over that. The base spell simply adds a modest amount to your health. It is the runes carved into the bone before we add it to you that is the greatest benefit. Normally, a Bonecaster would have to progress in rune lore some ways and then select and carve the minor runes he wanted onto the bone to gain some minor advantages. Or wait for a few decades and gain better advantages when he could carve more potent runes."

"Malskitter, for all his faults, had advanced to Tier 2 and added the second 'extra rib.' The first rib is of his own work, the runes carved into the bones of an elven mage. That rib would increase your mana by a modest amount, increase your INT by a point or two, and give you pointed ears.”

“The second I'm unsure of. It's quite old and mostly petrified. It could have come from many different races, but I note it is heavier and denser than that of a human. Few creatures had bones so dense. The runes carved into it may predate the System. What benefits they brought to Malskitter is unknown. He divulged none of his secrets.”

“Either rib has its advantages and may have surprises. It's up to you to choose one or forgo the ritual altogether. I'll let you think about that while. It isn’t a choice to make lightly. But while you ponder that, there are other spells you are ready to learn, and you should pick one to study.”

There are three possibilities: Grasp of the Dead, Whirling Bones, and Bone Whip. Each has its uses, and each has its drawbacks. Grasp of the Dead calls upon the spirits lurking just beyond the barrier of this realm. They reach from the spirit realm and restrain the victim, attempting to pull them down into the earth. Quite handy when you need to put distance between yourself and an attacker. It has the complication that it is a true necromancy spell and will add to your corruption. Whirling bones throws shards of bone into the air around you. They will interfere with arrows and darts thrown at you and do a small amount of damage to attackers. The downside of course, is needing room to use the spell, and it is not recommended inside the mineshafts you love. Finally, we have Bone Whip. This spell summons a weapon made of linked spectral vertebrae, ensuring that you are never without a melee weapon. Ideal if you are proficient with a whip. The spine can be as short as two feet or as long as 10."

Milo pondered the choice. He didn’t want to be a necromancer and chain souls to him. Just the opposite. Cichol was correct; the whirling bones would be very situational. He couldn’t see his whip, but he had an idea. “I will learn Bone Whip.”

The old man laughed softly. “I was wondering if you would see the synergy.” He handed Milo a book to study from. While he did so, part of his thoughts was on the ritual. Should he risk it, and if so, which of the two bones? An hour later, he had decided; it helped that he didn’t want pointed ears and always liked to experiment.

“Let’s see what secrets the old bone has to divulge.”

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