The East gate was really only meant to be an obstacle for someone on the outside.

  The group of four, on their quest and in a hurry, had to cajole some people nearby to lock up behind them.

  “Come on people, we’re on a quest here.” Mark harangued a pair of men. “Just put the log back after we leave.”

  They shunned him and turned away.

  “Let me deal with this.” Francis patted Mark on his thigh. “Be right back.”

  From the others perspective, Francis walked over, had a quiet little conversation, and the two men jogged over towards the gate rather quickly. From Francis’ perspective though...

  “Listen here you two idiots. If you don’t help us out I’m going to do two things. One, you’re banned from the Cup and Crow. Don’t even think of sneaking in because I’ll know. Two, I’ll kick you in the nuts. Now that’ll be hard because you’re both much taller than me, which means I’ll need to break your knees first. So, be helpful and good citizens, please.”

  The two much more compliant citizens were quick to lift the log and even held the gate open as the four made their way outside.

  -------------

  This time the outside was much calmer than the last time. There wasn’t an immediate threat of skeletons. Sure the threat was out there, you could never truly be certain a skeleton wouldn’t attack at any time, but for now, it was clear.

  “Do you know what we should be on the look out for?” Mark asked as they trudged through the snow. Ahead of them was a depression which spoke of a frozen buried river.

  “I’m not sure.” Paul was walking with great big steps, each foot being lifted high over the snow. “But I’m certain that we’ll know when we see it.”

  The conversation devolved into a series of grunts and curses as the four of them descended into the depression. The thick snow allowed them to keep their footing on the frozen river. Keeping low, they travelled north. Occasionally they could hear the sounds of battle happening to their left off in the distance.

  The sounds reaching their ears was oddly one sided. The crunch of dry bones. An occasional shout. Things of that nature were barely audible as the snow muffled most of the sound. Curiosity did get the better of Francis though.

  “Just gonna...” Francis clambered his way up the side and kept his head low against the bank.

  What he saw, off in the distance, was a pile of bones. Pulsing writhing bones with multiple arms reaching up like little hairs against the backdrop of the wooden walls. From above the pointed tops came down a heavy looking rock. It smashed into the pile as the person heaving it threw it down as hard as they could.

  Pulling himself back down. “Yeah, we should hurry.” Francis rejoined the four. “I’m not sure they’ll hold out forever at this rate.”

  The group redoubled their efforts.

  ------------

  The river entered the northern forest. Trees towered overhead. The snow piled up above threatened to fall with a heavy shower of flakes at any moment. One hard shove or kick would cause a deluge of cold to fall down on them.

  Together, they moved through the trees as best they could. Stepping over the occasional root sticking up through the snow. Shouldering past underbrush and getting covered in snowflakes in the process. It was when they pushed through one of these bushes that things took a turn.

  Time Froze.

  Paul stared around at the suddenly stuck tableau. He could see countless snowflakes suspended in the air from a disturbed tree branch. Everyone else had been pushing through the bush at approximately the same time causing one particularly long throw of snow straight forward. His eyes traced along that elegant throw to finally notice the hulking brute of a skeleton already in a frozen charging motion aimed straight at them.

  Francis stepped under the branch he was holding up and immediately spotted it. “Shit, that things huge!” He unsheathed his hunting knife and dashed off to the right.

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  The skeleton brute came unstuck in time. Atop it’s skull were a pair of pointed horns. It’s torso extra wide and feet that ended not in toes, but hooves instead. Those hooves tore up the snow to reveal clumps of dirt as it ran forward. The horns lowered and it attempted to skewer Paul between his normal sized ribs. Paul was far from being stuck in place and flung himself to the side and ended up prone in the snow.

  Mark struggled to unsling his large axe. The bush he was in getting in the way the whole time. Eventually, but not fast enough, he was able to get both hands on the weapon.

  Tim took in a deep breath and pointed towards the large bone behemoth. “Burn with the power of [Sacred Flame]!” The red light flowed along the carved lines of their skin before causing a relatively small patch of bone to blacken.

  Paul scrambled to his feet, back against a nearby tree. The skeleton loomed overhead. “I think this is a Minotaur skeleton!” He edged his way back around the tree. As he looked to get out of arms reach, the Minotaur skeleton’s fist lashed out at head height. It’s speeding hand smashed into the bark, barely missing Paul’s face and tearing a chunk out of the tree.

  Francis rounded on the Minotaur and slashed his knife at the bone of it’s calf. A little chip came away.

  The Minotaur spun in place far faster than something that big had any right to be. A bunched fist came down at Francis who wasn’t fully able to get out of the way in time. His arm got clipped and the momentum behind the blow caused him to stumble back a bit.

  Mark pushed through the bush and ended up next to the Minotaur Skeleton. It’s back was wide and facing him. So he reared back and brought the blade down on one side of the rib cage. There was a splintering crack as the blade bit into bone.

  Tim joined up at Mark’s side. Their hand already extended and with a look of concentration. “Get filled with [Bull’s Strength]!” The purple magic coursed from Tim’s chest down their arm and into Mark’s back. The sudden surge of purple energy caused Mark’s arms and clothes to bulge outward as his muscles transformed themselves a full size larger.

  Paul flipped open his satchel and drew out a small burnt piece of wood. “You’re about to be struck by lightning thanks to my [Witch Bolt]!” Red rune rings flowed down his arm and embeded themselves into the wood. A bright blue jagged line cracked the air as it connected between Paul and the Minotaur Skeleton. Chunks of bone blew out and scattered themselves to the wind.

  Francis took the opportunity to jam his knife into a knee joint. The blade sank into the space between bones with some slight resistance. Even with nothing really being there, his blade found something to stick into.

  The Minotaur’s jaw opened wide. A silent scream paired with an intense flash of it’s red eyes. It’s hands changed from fists to claws. Those claws then lashed out wildly at Mark. He blocked one of those blows with the flat of his axe, but the other caught his arm and tore through the coat leaving a splash of red behind.

  Mark gritted his teeth and brought his axe to bear. The heavy blade sailed through the air in a wide arc. It chunked into the things arm with a resounding whack, nearly severing the limb above the elbow.

  Tim considered their options as the enhancement spell continued in their mind. Casting another healing spell would break that first spell. So the only thing they could really do to contribute at this moment was something simple. They choked up on their staff and swung with all their might. The sound of wood on bone left a resounding thwack sound in the air and a tiny fracture in the white bone.

  Paul held on firm to his burnt stick. Another pulse of bright blue energy snapped it’s way through the air and into the Minotaur’s bones. His mind frothed with the pain required to keep the spell focused on the towering beast.

  Francis’ knife darted in and out. It’s metal blade sinking home in various joints and joinings that were within his reach.

  The Bone Minotaur whirled it’s arms in a frenzy. The finger tips making a horrible whistling noise as they travelled at speed through the air. Those same tips scored grooves along Mark’s breastplate and almost knocked the staff out of Tim’s hands.

  Ignoring the pain of his open wound, Mark brought his axe up high. The heavy head flew downward at the Minotaur and he put every ounce of his strength behind the blow. The axe narrowly missed it’s horns and embedded itself in the collar bone of the skeletal beast.

  Time unfroze.

  The snow kicked up by their battle completed it’s arc. Sound returned to the world around them. The heavy breaths of them all coming in gasping pants. Up above, the sunlight peaking through the trees seemed to be ever so slightly brighter.

  The red light had left the Minotaur skeleton’s eyes. The bones themselves quickly disassembled themselves as whatever magic kept them together dissipated into nothing.

  “I think my arms broken.” Francis moaned. His hand still clasping a knife as he brought it up to gingerly touch at the other limb.

  Mark echoed his sentiment. “Feeling a bit down over here as well.” The axe resting on the ground, he turned his arm to get a better look at the cut.

  Tim let the [Enhance Ability] spell drop from their mind. “Let me get a look at that.”

  Paul shoved his burnt piece of wood away. “Heal as we walk guys, we made a lot of noise just now.”

  “We don’t even know where we’re going.” Francis complained through the pain.

  Paul was already moving. “Only thing I know is that these skeletons came from somewhere, and that this big guy.” His clawed and furry fingers drew a line from the pile of bones deeper into the forest. “Came from that direction.”

  They could see a clear path through the brush. Snow had been knocked off trees and bushes had been trampled. Whatever was causing this, was just a bit further in.