Mages were still the most effective class against Undead opponents. As long as the aggro was not on them, mages could easily deal with Undead with their flame attacks.
But it would not be an easy task for the player holding the aggro. A Warrior might fare better with the class’s high defense and HP, but a Hunter taking the role of tanking the aggro would be in a very uncomfortable situation.
Ye Ci was experiencing such a thing first hand. She was forced to withstand the Black Skeletons’ attacks as she was worried that the monsters would make it past her to Spotless Autumn.
She could feel her heart in her mouth when her health plunged. She knew that she would be long dead had Fleeting Time not been healing her up from the rear.
The trio took a rest after defeating yet another wave of enemy, “I didn’t know that Gongzi You has talent as a tank.” Spotless Autumn chuckled.
Ye Ci remained silent. She had already grown used to the idiot who was Spotless Autumn.
But it did not mean that the other person in the party would let that comment slip, “I like that idea.” said Fleeting Time, “While we’re at it, why don’t you pay the repair fees for her equipment?”
Spotless Autumn immediately began to stammer. He looked at Ye Ci, then at Fleeting Time, and finally at Ye Ci again, “I have to pay? I’m sure Gongzi You is not that stingy right? Right?”
Ye Ci laughed at his words. She had originally thought to simply ignore the remark, but it was simply too good of an opportunity to miss. Spotless Autumn had always been a very stingy person. “Autumn, don’t you know what they call me?” she asked.
“What?” Spotless Autumn visibly gulped as he avoided Ye Ci’s gaze.
“They say that I’m a selfish person. Do you think I’ll let go of an opportunity to rob you?” teased Ye Ci. It was just an act, but Spotless Autumn was terrified.
“Don’t you think talking to him will lower your IQ?” whispered Fleeting Time as he handed Ye Ci a bottle of wine.
Ye Ci let out a laugh, “I think so too. But it’s not that easy to get rid of an idiot.”
Fleeting Time pursed his lips. He glanced at Spotless Autumn who was still yapping away about his poor financial condition and gritted his teeth. This was not the first time he felt the urge to kill the mage.
But while he was an idiot, Spotless Autumn was also a skillful player. Even when she was the best Sorceress in the game in her last life, Ye Ci was still forced to admit that Spotless Autumn was a top-tier player.
The trio was able to make it through the corridor without much of the problem.
Spotless Autumn looked up at the end of the corridor, and saw a large stone slab. It poked at it with his staff. The stone slab was movable. But a mage’s Strength was very limited. Even with his face red with exertion, he could not move the slab by even one bit.
He turned around, and saw the two Hunters observing his hard labor with their arms crossed in front of their chests. He was angry, but his anger was quick to dissipate when he noticed Ye Ci’s intense gaze, “Help, I do not have enough Strength.”
It was as if Ye Ci was waiting for that exact moment. She beamed at Spotless Autumn and patted him on the shoulder, “Ah, why didn’t you say so? How would I know if you do not have enough strength? I even thought that you’re trying to disarm some sort of trap. I would’ve helped if I knew!”
“Thank you…” Spotless Autumn was overcome by a feeling of sorrow. Gongzi You had always claimed that she was a Huntress in the game, and that she was not a girl. But her behavior stated otherwise. She was still as petty as a woman.
Fleeting Time grabbed hold of Ye Ci’s arm as she walked up to the stone slab, “I’ll do it.”
Ye Ci would of course not reject an offer like this, and Fleeting Time walked up to the stone slab. It did not even take him much effort to move the slab. Bright light shone down on Fleeting Time, coating his hair into a layer of white, “I’ll go up and and have a look. Stay here, I’ll let you know what I see up there.”
Spotless Autumn grumbled under his breath when Fleeting Time was out of sight, “How can you do this to me, Gongzi You? You’re bullying me with a player from a hostile continent…”
Ye Ci raised an eyebrow at his words, “Why didn’t you say that when he’s around?”
“I can’t win against him.” Spotless Autumn’s heart was filled with nothing but sadness. The only thing he could do was to curse Fleeting Time in his heart when memories of his suffering at the Hunter’s hands once again surfaced in his mind.
“All clear. You two can come up now.” came Fleeting Time’s voice when the two continued their small talk. They climbed up, and saw a cemetery.
Not many were buried in the cemetery. Despite its size, only a few tombstones could be seen.
“Not many are buried here.” said Ye Ci after surveying her surroundings.
“Yup. I counted only nine of them.” stated Fleeting Time, “There are no monsters in this place as well. It seems to be completely isolated. I took a quick look at the map. This cemetery is within the Ruined Cathedral.”
Ye Ci clicked open her map, but could not locate any cemetery in the cathedral, “Where in the Ruined Cathedral are we?”
Fleeting Time showed Ye Ci his map, and pointed at a hill behind the Ruined Cathedral, “The cathedral is built by the hill. And we walked through the corridor here.” he pointed at a spot on his map.
Ye Ci saw a hollow circle on the map that was not labeled. It was something that could be easily missed by players. And even if it was noticed, no one would be able to locate the cemetery without first noticing the secrets of the prayer room.
“So that’s how it is.” She looked at the nine tombstones. If these are the graves of the nine leaders of the nine Alliance races, then who buried them here?
She then remembered why the cathedral was abandoned. The Ruined Cathedral was the largest cathedral in the Middle Continent called the Glory Cathedral. It was said to be the place closest to the Gods.
But in Naga’s bid to destroy the religion in the Majia Continent, he sent waves after waves of minions to attack the cathedral. The monks of the cathedral and warriors of the Alliance clashed against Naga’s minions for days in defence of the Glory Cathedral, causing massive casualties on both sides, and forcing Naga to withdraw his forces.
As a final act of spite, Naga bribed one of the monks to assassinate the Archbishop of the Glory Cathedral, causing the collapse of the cathedral itself.
The members of the clergy residing within the cathedral began to leave. And when the last of its original inhabitants passed away decades later, the cathedral became the home to Dark Apostles and the Undead, as well as a good leveling spot for players.
It was said that the nine leaders of the Alliance died in battle against Naga’s army, but the location of their graves remained unknown. The Ruined Cathedral could very well be their final resting place. And to allow the heroes their final rest, the monks of the cathedral buried their bodies in this hidden cemetery, and placed the entrance at a seemingly insignificant prayer room.
“Ah, this is it!” exclaimed Spotless Autumn as Ye Ci was still deep in thought. She lifted her head, and saw the Sorcerer kneeling by a tombstone and was reading the words etched on its surface.
“Here lies the heroes of the Gnomes.” Ye Ci could see the words on the tombstone when she walked up to Spotless Autumn. He’s looking for the hero of the Gnomes?
Spotless Autumn brushed away the dust on the grave, revealing a small hole in front of the tombstone. He pulled a staff out from his inventory, and planted it into the hole. Spotless Autumn then stood up, and twisted the staff slightly. His movement was followed by a loud rumble from behind the tombstone.
To Ye Ci’s amazement, the soil behind the tombstone cracked open to reveal a sarcophagus.
Spotless Autumn was excited. He too in a deep breath and sighed, “Thank God, my quest is finally at its end.” and he proceeded to push open the lid of the sarcophagus.
Ye Ci and Fleeting Time, who were driven by curiosity, peered into the sarcophagus.
There were no remains in the sarcophagus. What lied within was nothing but a bloodied robe.
Does it mean that the leaders of the Alliance were not buried here? Is this merely their cenotaph? Ye Ci was stunned. And even Spotless Autumn appeared to be slightly disappointed.
The trio were quiet for a long time before Spotless Autumn finally broke the silence, “F*ck! Can the system not play with me like that! I thought I’ve completed the mission for sure! And this is what I get?”
A low voice rang out as he took the robe out from the sarcophagus. Ye Ci could not understand the language that was being spoken, but Spotless Autumn began talking to the voice in the same language with a grave expression on his face.
“What language is that?” Fleeting Time creased his eyebrows.
The language was very familiar to Ye Ci, as it was something that she learnt in her last life as a Sorceress, “It’s Ancient Gnomish, a language entirely different from the standard Gnomish we have now. You can only learn it by accepting certain quests.
“How do you know?” Fleeting Time stared at Ye Ci.
She was momentarily stunned. It was a language that she needed from her last life as a Sorceress as the Gnomes were the best mages of the land, and the only way she could learn high level spells from the Gnomish NPCs was by learning Ancient Gnomish.
Ye Ci opted to simply ignore the question, and at the same time, Spotless Autumn’s conversation with the voice had ended. He put the robe into his inventory, bowed at the direction of the tombstone, and walked back towards the duo.
