The chapel is a shabby affair. A far cry from the luxurious craftsmanship and long-standing foundations of the Adventurer’s Guild. Between Yuel and business, it’s obvious which one the townspeople of Tosa value more. However, that’s not surprising. Apparently, at least a third of the economy in this town is fueled by the adventurers who kill monsters and hunt down resources in the surrounding forests. Like Sines, Mud Boar pelts and meat are a staple. Additionally, there are Ursula Minors, some form of huntable bear which appears around here from time to time, as well as Shadow Antelopes which congregate in large herds. Since Tosa is within a week’s walk of Ravenmore City, the rustic items which can only be acquired out here in the wilderness can be shipped there for a profit. Otherwise, there’s no way Tosa would be able to maintain a population this size.

“Not much to look at. But holy water works the same as long as the grade is good.” Perideen comments while we enter the decrepit chapel. The walls were painted white once, but years of rain and wind have turned it a putrid shade of tan. Inside, things are quiet, and the old priest who’s sitting by a broken piano leaning on three legs, slowly walks over to greet us.

“Hello, Friends!” He says, but without any particular drive. It seems he’s just going through the motions, “Would you like to join the Order of Yuel?”

“Nah, just need some holy water.” Perideen blithely replies. Instantly, the faint light of hope in the old priest’s eye is snuffed out and he sighs.

“What grade? And how much?” He starts heading to the back of the Chapel. Since it’s so small, I can already see a shelf full of vials. When the sunlight coming through the broken stained glass window lands on them, the little glass bottles seem to sparkle. “I hope you’re not hoping to go into Tankenstein Graveyard with just the boy. The Holy Order hasn’t cleared it in many years, so only the Crypt Keeper knows how many undead have arisen in the Mausoleum.”

“Oh?” Perideen taps a finger on his chin thoughtfully. “That’s good to know. I’ll take the best holy water you have on hand. Say…ten vials should do?”

“I only have three Low Grade. Do you mind if the other seven vials are Ungraded?” The priest asks with a depressed face. Perideen nods.

“That’ll do. How much?”

“Fifty silver for the lot?”

“That can’t be market price…”

“Consider it a donation? I could help you and the boy. I do know how to perform Basic Blessing after all.” Our depressed priest’s face is so desperate that Perideen has a hard time defending himself from his predations.

“A Basic Blessing from you, won’t even last until we get to the graveyard.” The assassin is doubtful, but inevitably just coughs up the coins. “Whatever, we’ll skip the blessing. Just give us the holy water.”

“Thank you! Yuel’s blessings be upon you!” The priest doesn’t actually do anything, but we leave the chapel with what we came for. As we walk through town, Perideen hands me one of the Low Grade vials and all the Ungraded ones.

“Huh? Aren’t you going to keep some?” I ask, but he just shakes his head. Uncapping the last Low Grade vial, he draws his sword and begins to apply it along the blade.

“Don’t need it. They’re for you.” He replies. “You know how to use these?”

“Throw them at the undead to burn their sensitive skin, coat my weapon if I’m going to engage at close distance, and in the worst case, drink and apply it to wounds.” I recite what Glacia told me about fighting undead and Perideen gives me a thumbs up.

“Bingo. Look at that, you’re all set to become an exorcist when you grow up!” He chuckles as he sheathes his newly coated short sword. “In your case though, since you’re a mage, I’d recommend just applying one of the Ungraded vials to that dagger. Save the Low Grade for an emergency.”

“Okay…” While we walk, I work on coating Mephis’s dagger with holy water. Unlike on Earth, this stuff actually seems to behave a bit differently than regular water. It’s almost sticky, and sparkles in the sunlight. “Anything else we have to do?”

“Nope, it’s time.”

#

We march outside the town of Tosa as the midday sun reaches high in the sky. It’s an excellent time to enter the graveyard, since nightfall isn’t for a while. The annoying guard from last time isn’t on duty today. It’s someone else, but they all look the same in their mail-backed coiffes. He points us onto the path to Tankenstein Graveyard with a grunt and a warning.

“No one’s seen the Crypt Keeper for a few weeks, so I hope you aren’t looking for him.” He says with disinterest and lets us through. Our destination is about half an hour away from Tosa. Far enough that any rotting undead are unlikely to ever wander near town, even if they do somehow escape their coffins, but not so far that those who wish to visit their loved ones cannot walk there. However, it seems, in a small town like Tosa, without resources for more expensive burial rites which can help bless a grave to prevent the undead from rising, Tankenstein Graveyard has really suffered. With the exception of the Crypt Keeper whose job it is to maintain the area, no one really visits unless it’s to bury a new body. Those with money send the corpses of their dead to the newer graveyards in Ravenmore City, so only the poor and uncaring would subject their loved ones to this place. Without the donations of the wealthy, it comes to no one’s surprise that the undead are beginning to propagate here.

“Ugh, what’s that smell?” I sniff the air. There’s this thick cloying scent clogging my nostrils. It’s only getting worse the closer we get to the graveyard. Perideen looks over his shoulder for a second before pointing up ahead.

“That’s burnt Asha Tree. Helps cover up the rot. Pretty cheap, but doesn’t really do a very good job. Seems like Tankenstein Graveyard is doing even worse than I thought.” He wrinkles his nose and continues walking, but not before taking a bandana out of his pocket and wrapping it around his face. “I’d recommend covering your nose. It’s only going to get worse…”

It gets worse than this?

Feeling a little nauseous, I take out a handkerchief and do the same. Unfortunately, this particular clothe held some of the cheese we’ve been eating at one point. Let’s just say that the smells of the graveyard don’t mix well with it. But as the stench of burnt Asha Tree gets thicker, I’m grateful to have anything between me and the air here. Dear God…people really bring their dead to places like this? What the hell is the Crypt Keeper doing? Clearly, not his job!

“Here we are.” Perideen comments as the tombstones begin to come into view. Big, heavy, chunks of crumbling stone, they might have been pure white once upon a time, but I doubt it. Now many of them have become a stained shade of grey or even brown. If I was buried here, I might come back just to haunt my descendants for burying me in such a place. I never understood why people made such a big deal about how their home looks like when they die. It’s not like you can wake up to enjoy the space! But perhaps in the case of Tankenstein, the townspeople really should have considered paying a little bit more…

The entire area has this rather grim and ghastly feel that is only made worse by the nausea-inducing stench from the burning Asha Tree. A thin trail of smoke curls up into the sky from a small gray tomb-like structure. It’s basically a box made of stone with a thick dark square window carved into one side. Maybe big enough for one person to live a modest life in. That has to be smaller than a New York apartment on the inside. I guess the Crypt Keeper is single?

“There’s our destination. Not as bad as I thought.” Perideen points at it and sets off. I follow with a confused expression.

“Not as bad?”

“If the Asha Wood is still burning, that means that someone’s been home recently. The dead aren’t exactly going to keep the fire going.” He replies and I see his point.

“The Crypt Keeper?”

“Hopefully.” His tone expressing a complete lack of confidence in Tankenstein Graveyard’s staff, we prowl our way through the outskirts of the burial ground. While the gravestones here are definitely not fancy enough to be for the wealthy, they are at least recent additions. The ground has been freshly tilled in many places, and though there are not more than a few dead and rotting flowers here and there, it’s obviously a bit more well-kept. Based on the increasing smell and the worsening state of the tombs as we go deeper towards the Crypt Keeper’s dwelling, that won’t be the case for long. Whoever was buried inside the deeper parts of Tankenstein…if no one’s paid to have their bodies removed by now, they’ve definitely been forgotten. Heh…kind of feels like how I expected to be buried in my last life.

As we approach the Crypt Keeper’s dwelling, the smell of burnt Asha Wood reaches a fever pitch. The entire area is blanketed in a smog-like haze which reminds one of a dream. It clings to your clothes, tugs at your nostrils, and covers your eyes. You can almost imagine that it’s really holding you back with each step. Even though it should be impossible to smell anything through such a thick stench, the underlying tones of rotten flesh and disturbed graves still manages to break through from time to time. Tankenstein Graveyard…if there was one word to describe it, it would be ghastly. And if there was another, it would be lingering. Because that’s all there is here. Just ghastly things and lingering regrets.

When we get near the little rectangular structure, Perideen knocks on what could be called a door. It’s more of a thick piece of hardened wood that happens to fit the shape. However, there’s no reply. After a few moments, his faint smile turns into a frown as his eyebrows slant. When he goes to push on the door, it shakes for a second, and then falls to pieces without putting up a fight. Immediately, a thick cloud of black smoke billows into our faces. The inside of the room is revealed and I immediately start to cough as air from the outside moves in to replace what’s lost. Perideen has a stronger body than mine. Smoke is no barrier for a true Rainstopper Assassin. He steps in cautiously, and eventually beckons me to follow. As my stinging eyes water, I blink tears out until I can finally see what’s going on.

“Seems like someone wasn’t planning on coming back for a long time.” He has a remarkably clear voice as he points out the overflowing piles of white and black ash which spill out from the stone fireplace. The entire floor has been covered in what used to be split logs. Most people just burn enough to heat up the house, but the Crypt Keeper must have been trying to start a goddamn forest fire or something…

“W-What happened?” I open my mouth to talk and immediately regret it. I’m not as tough as Perideen, even through the handkerchief, the dusty ash in this place manages to get into my mouth. The resultant coughing is immediate and painful. Not fun at all. Damnit!

“Not sure…either he was really bothered by the smell or there’s some other reason…” My companion stops and I freeze as he draws his sword. There’s no noise, no little sound as the blade leaves its sheath on his back. It just jumps into his hand, and he thrusts me back with his free arm. Tensely, I pull on the future, but when I see why he’s done what he has, I let it go. That’s not a threat. But Perideen’s reaction speed is impressive!

*Tsss*

One of the various mounds of burnt Asha Wood crumbles away and the source of Perideen’s caution is revealed from behind the ashes. It’s a skeletal hand, a single black ring on the little pinky finger. Advancing, the assassin sniffs the air once more before sheathing his blade. Warily, he confirms that the stone house is empty and goes over. The wind from his passage blows away more ash and the whole body is revealed. Bending down, he looks at the ring on the remnants of the hand. Pretty much the entire body has been burnt away, leaving only charred white bone and a gruesome skull.

“Found our Crypt Keeper.” Perideen remarks. “See the ring? That’s the sign of their order.”

“What the hell happened to him? Was it an accident?” I say from outside the building. Though I desperately want to clear my throat with a drink, I think removing the handkerchief from around my face would be a critical mistake even this far from the inside of the room. Perideen shrugs, stepping around a bit more, but returns outside, eyeing the fallen pieces of the door. Now that we can see the other side, it’s obvious that the intense inferno inside has cooked the backside of the door. “How come he didn’t just leave? Maybe he locked himself inside?”

“No…I don’t think so.” Perideen squint, and faces the graveyard with concern. Now that he has cleared the inside of the Crypt Keeper’s dwelling, he searches for threats outside, but we’re alone…I think. “All that Asha Wood was intentionally put next to the fire. Either someone knocked him out and then tried to burn the body or…”

“Or?” I say it calmly and Perideen gives me a strange look. It’s like he expected me to have a different reaction. What, am I supposed to be afraid of a normie murderer with you around? If Romy’s anything to go by, we’re not in danger…we are the danger here!

“Or he was trying to send a signal out. All this smoke should have been visible in the sky. The people in Tosa, should have been able to see it. I’m guessing they did, but no one cared enough to report it.” He says. We leave the Crypt Keeper’s house behind and continue deeper into disorderly hodgepodge of tombstones. “Doesn’t explain why he didn’t leave after starting the fire.”

“Maybe he couldn’t go out.” I look around, remembering how Perideen was acting as he exited the building. “If something dangerous was outside, maybe he had no choice but to stay in there. Eventually, he got the idea to light a fire, but miscalculated how big it should be. Or he was running out of food and water so he had no choice but to go for broke.”

“All possible.” Perideen replies, but he doesn’t sound convinced. “Don’t see any signs of anything chasing him though. Crypt Keeping is a dangerous profession. You’re out here all alone, and if it’s an old graveyard like this, the undead are always a threat. But even in a place like Tankenstein, a Crypt Keeper should be aware of most of the dangers around here. Additionally, even if the rest of Tosa is full of hicks who don’t understand the threat of a potential Bloodfiend infestation, if there were signs, the Crypt Keeper at the very least would have been concerned. There’s something funny going on here, keep that holy water ready. Bloodfiend or some other evil, there’s something wrong here!”

Lovely. The professional is dead, and we don’t even know what killed him. And now we’re going deeper. Wish I had trained harder. Even with Glacia’s instruction, I still feel weak. My Intermediate Spells are strong enough to give me some confidence, but I can only commit to one at a time with my current casting speed. If I choose the wrong one…I’m dead. I daresay that my Basic Magic is probably very fast, with how much I’ve practiced Disguised Casting and Double Casting. But the power is lacking. If I meet an opponent like Romy or Gatoa…hell, even Perideen, they won’t feel threatened. Out of my current arsenal, only Earthen Icebomb really packs a punch, but it takes too long to setup, and it’s hard to get my opponent to go near it.

*Crunch Crunch*