Free Web NovelChapter 8: Defiled Sanctuary
Every city in Eudroya maintained its cemeteries, but none were equal. Noble tombs stood as grand monuments under constant guard, while the public burial grounds on the northern outskirts of Tanchapel lay neglected and desolate.Run by corrupt officials who skimmed funds meant for maintenance, these grounds attracted thieves, bandits, and worse — grave robbers who preyed on the forgotten dead.Xander and Elyra approached the southwest entrance under the thin light of a crescent moon. They moved silently through the overgrown paths lined with crooked headstones and withered flowers. Xander had not come to plunder graves. The poor souls buried here had suffered enough in life; he refused to disturb their rest for mere coin, no matter how desperate their situation.His target was the cemetery’s lone official guard: an eccentric old man named Heiss. From the merged memories, Xander recalled this figure clearly. In the game’s early days, Grave Robber Heiss had become one of the first notable second-rank elite threats. Posing as a humble watchman, he stole valuables from corpses and sold the bodies to a hidden necromancer in the Hopeless Hills north of Tanchapel.The arrangement eventually granted him a forbidden grimoire, transforming him into a blasphemous Evil Spirit Sorcerer despised by righteous orders.At this point in time, Heiss likely had not yet fully converted. The grimoire’s acquisition was still months away. This window made him vulnerable — and valuable. Xander calculated their odds: a Level 1 Ranger with the tactical mind of a former Ruler of the Dusk, paired with Elyra.On the way, he had pressed her for details about her strength. The revelation stunned him. Elyra had reached Level 5 long ago but delayed advancing due to constant duties at Redoak Vale. Her capabilities far exceeded expectations.As a Level 5 half-elf Fighter, she possessed at least 120 Health Points along with potent racial and class advantages. She shared everything without reservation: her skills included Cleave, Parry, and Dual Strike. Her racial trait, Swordsmanship Proficiency, elevated her mastery by one rank. Combined with her existing progress, this made her a Master Swordswoman — a level of blade work that could dominate most evenly matched duels.Her class specialty, Tenacity, allowed her to fight through injuries that would cripple others. Her personal specialty, Accuracy, ensured strikes targeted vital points with lethal precision. Elyra was far more than a loyal butler; she was a formidable guardian. This boosted Xander’s confidence immensely for the confrontation ahead.---A faint candle flickered inside a small, isolated wooden shack deep within the cemetery. Creaking sounds and low grunts carried on the night air. Two shadows pressed against the window, peering inside in silent horror.Heiss, a tall, gaunt figure, was engaged in a depraved act with the corpse of a young woman. Her pale, lifeless skin showed no recent decay, suggesting she had died recently from illness. Pus leaked from empty eye sockets, yet Heiss showed no revulsion — only twisted satisfaction.’Devoid of all conscience,’ Xander thought grimly.Elyra’s face twisted with fury. Before Xander could signal the planned approach, she lost control. Her obsession with cleanliness and honor ignited into white-hot rage at the desecration.She kicked the door open with a thunderous bang.Heiss jerked upright from the bed, his twisted features shifting from shock to anger. "Who dares interrupt my ritual?"Elyra charged like a storm, longsword flashing in a powerful downward Cleave.The old man proved surprisingly agile, leaping clear of the strike. "Meddlesome half-elf! Since you’ve ruined this vessel, I’ll claim yours instead!"He thrust his left hand forward. A dark orb of flame hurtled toward her."Corrosive Fire!" Xander hissed from the shadows. The second-circle spell confirmed Heiss had already begun his dark path, though perhaps not fully advanced.Elyra twisted aside at the last moment. The corrosive projectile struck the wall, melting a gaping hole larger than a man’s torso. The brief evasion gave Heiss the chance to retreat into the adjacent living room, putting distance between them. Casters thrived at range; close combat favored Fighters.Heiss grabbed a thick spellbook from a hidden shelf. Elyra pursued relentlessly, but he unleashed Air Burst. A spherical shockwave exploded outward, hurling furniture and slamming Elyra to the ground despite her strength. She was a formidable warrior but lacked extensive experience against spellcasters.Heiss cackled, yellow teeth bared. "You’re finished! I’ll savor your body and soul."Xander, still hidden via Stealth and observing from the corner, focused on the black diamond ring on Heiss’s finger. He recognized it — an uncommon item allowing one instantaneous cast of a spell within the user’s rank, once every three days. The earlier Corrosive Fire had come from the ring, not raw power. Heiss was stalling to prepare something stronger.’He’s not yet a full second-rank Evil Spirit Sorcerer. Just a first-rank Conjurer leaning into darkness.’Low-level casters had limited spell slots — typically three life-saving options. Two were already spent. Xander waited patiently as Elyra recovered and pressed the attack again. Her longsword thrust straight for Heiss’s heart in a Level 5 Fighter’s committed strike.Heiss’s face showed panic. His spell wasn’t ready. He flipped to the first page of his grimoire and chanted rapidly. A thick, pale yellow aura formed around him — Inferior Mage Armor, a zero-circle defensive spell.The longsword slammed into the barrier, nearly piercing through but repelled by its force. Elyra’s wrist jolted. Heiss used the opening to finish his ritual.Eerie shrieks rose from outside. The ground trembled as dark shapes clawed upward from graves."Enjoy the Zombie Feast!" Heiss crowed. "Afterward, I’ll dissect you both!"Elyra glanced toward the window, fury mixing with alarm as undead began rising in numbers.At that exact moment, Xander struck. He had waited for the vulnerable instant when Heiss shifted focus to maintain the summoning — his Void Shift phase, when Evil Spirit Sorcerers were weakest."Your teacher never taught you that Evil Spirit Sorcerers are most exposed during Void Shift, Mister Heiss?" Xander’s cold voice whispered behind him.The curved dagger flashed. It sliced through the fading Mage Armor like paper and opened a deep gash across Heiss’s throat. Blackish blood gushed freely. The old man’s eyes widened in disbelief as his head lolled and fell.Xander emerged fully from the shadows, wiping his blade. He checked the corpse quickly for valuables, then looked outside with grim focus."We’re in trouble. These are Cursed Zombies! Bar the doors and windows — now!"Elyra moved instantly, slamming shutters and reinforcing the entrance. The wooden shack groaned under the growing pressure of shambling undead outside. Their moans and scratching claws filled the night air. What began as a targeted elimination had escalated into a desperate defense.Xander’s mind raced. Heiss’s death had triggered an uncontrolled summoning. The Cursed Zombies — stronger and more aggressive than standard undead, would not stop easily. With Elyra’s sword and his own stealth and daggers, they had a chance, but the numbers were mounting.
