6. The Name

The skeleton turned off the window, by simply thinking that it should go away. It vanished, letting him properly see the face of the necromancer. Damir just observed him while being quiet, waiting patiently for both to finish their exploration of the system, granted by Iltar.

- So – he said eventually, breaking his long-lasting silence. - Did you two decide what you are going to do?

- Yes, we are doing it! - Akichi said before his undead brother was able to respond. - I want my own isekai story! We already have a system, and we probably both are OP characters! We just need to unlock our potential!

The second skeleton sighed heavily, then he shrugged his shoulders.

- As much as I'm angry and confused about this whole thing, I feel like there is no other choice, but to go with it – he said, then quickly added: - But I'm not chasing any gods!

- You should start by picking your name – Akichi pointed out. - We don't even know how to call you.

- That's a good idea – Damir agreed.

- How I'm supposed to do that? I have no idea who I was, so how I'm supposed to choose who to become now? All I remember is a white room and this stupid field of blue flowers! - he snapped once again, growling at both.

- Blue flowers? - The necromancer asked surprised, ignoring the hostile reaction, then started even chuckling. - Oh, I know what is going on…

- What? What is going on? Explain! - the second skeleton demanded.

Akichi just stared in silence, switching his focus from one to the other, as they spoke.

- The memory of the field with the flowers is not yours – he stated.

- What? How? How can it not be mine, when I have it in my head?! - the skeleton growled out of frustration once more.

- Those flowers are called Corpsettes, and they grow only in places where a lot of dead bodies pile up, so you can find them in a cemetery, or, in this case, on fields where big battles transpired. To make your bodies, I had to dig up some remains. The memories you are thinking of as your own, are probably memories of your bones – Damir explained.

[Almanac has been expanded. Book of Berries has been unlocked]

[Book of Berries has been updated], flashed in front of both skeletons' eyes.

[Your 'Knowledge' – 'Botany' has increased by 5%]

The pop-ups flashed in front of the undead's eyes, but he ignored them completely due to strong emotions.

- Then why I don't have anything like that? - Akichi asked, rejoining the conversation. - All I have, are my own memories from my previous life.

- I can't tell you for sure – the necromancer started – but there is a chance your body was put together with bones of several people, while he is just one guy, or perhaps simply a less of a mix. There could be also a different reason. We are in a region that is a place a few kingdoms would gladly put their hands on, and battled for it a few times already. There is a literal graveyard outside. I went there to pick the weapons I gave you, as well as to dig some bones to put you two together.

Akichi nodded, showing his understanding before he spoke again:

- So I guess you will just have to use your imagination – He put his hand on his undead brother's shoulder. - I can help you if you want.

The second skeleton at first didn't say a thing. The information he just received, made complete chaos in his head. He needed a minute to return to reality.

- At this point, I don't care anymore. Just call me anything – he said finally looking at Akichi.

As the words left his mouth, another pop-up window briefly appeared.

[You received a new quest!]

- No! The name is important. We need to figure out something good – the wannabee samurai insisted.

- You chose something eastern, so maybe we should go with something western? - Damir proposed. - Like samurai and maybe… A knight? He already has a big sword. Knight inquisitor sounds nice.

He found his own proposition quite funny, but he didn't elaborate on the reason he was smiling so much.

As the two discussed, the second skeleton opened his 'Quests' window. There was a new entry there.

[Quest name: Pick a name!

Description: Chose a name for yourself!

Reward: +1 soul fragment

Status: Active]

Looking at the reward he wanted to roll his eyes, but he didn't have any. He quickly checked the 'Almanac' too, and next to the 'Monsteronomicon' tab, a new one appeared. It was called 'The Book of Berries'. He opened it to witness a bracket split into three categories: 'Name', 'Description', and 'Properties'. There was a single entry there.

[Name: Corpsette

Description: A blue flower growing only in places of mass burial. It possesses from seven to nine petals, a long, green, slim stalk with two long leaves growing alongside it from the base of the flower. The seeds are relatively small and black

Properties: None]

He scanned through it quickly, then he began listening once again to the argument the other two had, closing the window completely.

- Eastern? Western? I think we are from the same world, my necromantic friend – said Akichi.

- Maybe. It doesn't matter anymore – the mage shrugged his shoulders, then he changed his focus back to the second skeleton. - So... What do you think?

- I don't understand what you both are talking about – he pointed out. - Just give me some propositions.

- Inquisitor Vincenzo de la Rose! - Akichi suddenly said.

He was loud while modulating his voice to sound more pompous.

- Doesn't sound bad – Damir admitted with a smirk still present on his face. - I'm just unsure if it needs to be this long. How about just Vincenzo?

- Just Vincenzo it is! - Vincenzo yelled before Akichi was able to say anything.

And he was about to add a lot. He already had his index finger up in the air, but both, the finger and the owner of the whole hand, got discouraged, which made the finger wither like a dying flower.

[You finished a quest! Congratulations!], suddenly opened up in front of the second skeleton's eyes.

He quickly opened the proper window and was able to see the entry, which changed.

[Quest name: Pick a name!

Description: Chose a name for yourself!

Reward: +1 soul fragment

Status: Completed]

He switched to 'The Overview' and on the top, where the empty bracket used to be, next to the 'Name', now figured 'Vincenzo'.

- Now I have a name. What's next? - he asked, turning the window off.

- You two should come up with a plan – Damir pointed out.

- You know more about this whole world than we do - Vincenzo pointed out. - What would you do?

- You are warming up to our necromancer – Akichi pointed out, all happy.

- No. I'm just trying to be objective. I still don't trust him, but he is our only source of information – the second skeleton argued. - So… Enlighten us, mister necromancer.

- Damir is good enough – he said. - I told you about the gods, and about Necropolis, but I didn't really tell you about the land we are currently in. It's called 'No man's land' because there is nobody who formally claims ownership of this place. The two closest kingdoms are Navenia and Gorgas. Both already went to war over this place several times, but due to some complication, nobody ever actually won, and it became a stalemate for every party involved. This means you don't really have to worry about them. At least for now...

- So nobody lives here? - Akichi asked. - What about that fat guy?

- No. Plenty of people live here – Damir explained. - They just don't really belong to any major faction. You have plenty of criminals and exiles, who escaped to this place. There are also scavengers and bandits. They have their own villages, and camps all around. I know about a couple of them. As for Wybert Dunmar, he is a wealthy merchant who trades with people who live here, the scavengers and the bandits. He has big plans for this place, and those plans kinda involve you two, so you should put him on your priority list.

As he said those words, both skeletons saw a pop-up in front of their eyes, but only briefly.

[You received a new quest!]

- Status – they both said, and the semitranslucent, orange windows showed themselves in front of their eyes.

They switched to 'Quests' and noticed the same entry, below all the other, previous, ones.

[Quest name: Wybert Dunmar problem

Description: Somehow deal with Wybert Dunmar

Reward: Item - sword

Status: Active]

- I guess we now know what we should do – said Akichi. - I just got a quest to deal with that Wybert Dunmar.

- Me too – Vincenzo said.

- I'll get a katana as a reward – the wannabee samurai bragged.

- I don't want to be the bringer of the bad news, but you have no chances with that guy at the moment. We could ambush him here, but the outcome might be terrible for us. I think you should first pretend to be on the same side as him, and focus on getting more soul fragments. That should make you stronger. That's how the spell works – Damir pointed out.

- So what do you suggest? - Vincenzo asked.