Chapter 55: Chapter 55 Just some really heavy undead

When the sounds of combat faded away, Nathan turned back around, examining himself as he did so. He had no idea where his shoes were and his shirt was once again torn to shreds. At least his pants had fared better this time and he’d only lost the bottom half of the left pants leg. However, he didn’t think they’d be long for this world because he was covered with blood and corpse-goo, except for his head. Nathan clamped down with [Focused mind] to keep himself from dancing in place to get the gunk off. He was pretty sure that [Juggernaut's Wrath] was helping with that too. He took a moment to flick the worst of the pale gore from his hands before starting to swipe the most egregious bits from his arms and chest.

Then he looked up to see the Heirs examining the recent battlefield. Just like after the Stalker fight there was a look of elation on their faces. Nathan found himself smiling as well, half sharing in their glee and half proud of them. They’d survived another trial. They’d dedicated themselves towards being Adventurers and spent months training to live up to their parents. Now they had proof that they could, in fact, be competent Adventurers.

Then Stella looked over towards Nathan and wrinkled her nose before flicking him a cleaning cloth. “I’ve got your shoes.”

“Thaaanks. I appreciate it. My clothing budget is high enough as it is.” Nathan’s swiped the rag to get rid of the worst of the chilly goo, tucking it into his belt since he fully expected to get re-gooed later.

Then he nodded at Khachi. “That worked well, I think? One of us in front, the other behind, the one closer to the danger calls the fight?”

Khachi returned the nod. “Indeed. You suggested the mana source was down the central corridor? Let us go there. I believe you should lead the way once more.”

Nathan frowned for a moment. “We should at least discuss retreating. I think there is more here than Sudraiel expected. Mass animation of ghouls, and whatever those other bones can become? The right decision might be to retreat.”

The Heirs all adopted frowns. They didn’t want to retreat, and Nathan understood. But they were thinking about it.

It’s like teaching undergrads again. Half the battle is getting them to think about things.

After a moment, Sarah spoke up gesturing to the piles of corpses around them. “Yes, and we handled it without trial. Those extra undead are not animated yet. We should deal with this before it gets worse. Break the mana source and they’ll never animate, instead of being a danger to a follow-up team.”

Nathan nodded. “Yeah, I agree. Let’s go.”

Aarl cocked his head, before quietly asking a question. “Didn’t you say the right decision was to retreat? Why ask if you weren’t going to argue we should return?”

Nathan spoke over his shoulder as he clambered over the piles of undead to get back to the entrance room. “Because we need to get in the habit of asking the question aloud, instead of making assumptions that might get us killed.”

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The Heirs reached the entrance room and started proceeding down the central corridor, towards the probable source of death mana animating all of the undead in the crypt. This corridor was nicer. The stone was cleaner, the vaulted ceiling higher. The reliefs on the walls were higher quality - though the themes were the same. Lots of figures bowing religiously before a naga, or the naga leading an army of humanoids, or observing them building a grand structure.

After several hundred anxious feet Nathan saw that the corridor let out into a much larger room. The Heirs slowed down, creeping forward cautiously.

They emerged from the corridor, and Stella's light spilled out into the cavernous chamber beyond. It reminded Nathan of nothing so much as a cathedral. There was a wide central nave that stretched into the darkness. Rows of thick pillars marched on either side, beyond which were aisles with displays that reminded Nathan of reliquaries he’d seen in chapels.

Stella’s lights didn’t spread as far as they should. The slick feeling of death mana permeated the air, strong and invasive. It curled against Nathan's skin, seeking to invade his body. Khachi chanted a quiet prayer from behind. “Deiman, shield us from this darkness. Safeguard us through our trials. With your holy light we will banish this Evil.”

A golden glow shone from Khachi, pushing back the invasive death mana. Nathan took a few extra steps forward to avoid interfering with the spell protecting the Heirs from the negative effects of the darkness. The divinely generated mana spread further, revealing a towering but motionless form at the other end of the room. Nathan looked back at his teammates and reflected on the picture they cast.

Four adventurers, striding into darkness. Fire flickered from Stella’s hands, and Aarl’s greatsword glinted in the golden light shining from Khachi’s armor. Sarah had a javelin drawn and her eyes flicked to potential targets. It was impossible to miss their beacon of light, and so they stood straight and strode ahead resolutely, their footsteps ringing across the underground space. They looked like a proper adventuring party, equipped with all of the magic and tools needed to cast down the ancient foes before them.

They’re drawing a lot of attention, but they have to in order to deal with this miasma. I’m immune, and can probably be our ace-in-the-hole if the guardians of the mana source are intelligent. Hell, maybe I can sneak past them and jump on it.

So he hissed quietly to get the Heirs’ attention, then signaled his intention to creep up ahead and to the right. Khachi nodded, and Nathan slid off into one of the dark aisles on the other sides of the pillars. Close enough to be within easy rescue distance either direction, far enough to be outside of the bright light radiating out from the Heirs.

I bet if I dropped [Lecturing] right now I could pick up a [Quiet Footfalls] or something. Probably not worth it - stealth is useful, but only situationally and not something I’m focused on now. I know how to walk quietly with bare feet on solid stone. Balls of the feet, don’t slide. Maybe pick up stealth skills later. I know I can get through magical security after all.

Nathan stayed ahead of the Heirs and strained his ears and eyes for signs of motion or hints as to the locus of mana. With his back turned to the light from the Heirs, Nathan’s eyes quickly adapted to the darkness. He sunk into [Focused Mind], and even with the death mana in the air absorbing the light he was able to start making out details of the other end of the room.

Where the altar would have sat in a Catholic cathedral was dominated by a gray marble statue. Surprise surprise - it was a giant snake man. The naga’s lower body was all coiled snake, while where the head would be on a normal snake was a humanoid torso holding an enormous staff. The statue was big, reaching two thirds of the way to the sixty-foot ceiling so the face was lost in the darkness.

On either side of the statue were a series of shadowed alcoves where the aisles angled towards the central space. The death mana seemed to cling to those alcoves especially closely, hiding what was within. Nathan squinted past the magical darkness, seeing shadowed shapes within. Something about those shapes struck him as important. As the Heirs advanced and gave the light a better angle, Nathan could make out the figures inside. They were suits of blackened full plate, each of which was holding a bared longsword against their shoulders while a shield rested against their knees. One of the heads turned slightly, following the Heirs as they walked towards the giant statue.

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