That very night….

A man wearing bright clothes and a woman in black suit stood in front of a large book shelf in the forbidden part of the monastery library.

“Here we are. This is the entrance,” Declan explained while looking at the rows of thick books in leather covers which he regarded as peak enjoyment.

On the other hand, Maven didn’t seem so motivated. “Hrmph, it’s full of boring books. Any thief will fall asleep instantly reading the titles alone."

“Hahaha, that's funny, Mave. If that’s how it works, then this library makes for an ideal defense system. Are you ready?”

Maven nodded, putting an arrow on her bow.

The robustly-built cleric then approached the shelf, checking the book titles closely. His hand reached for one book titled, ‘SAINT AMBROSIUS' ROSARY: ITS CRAFTING, CLEANSING, HISTORY AND MYSTERIES'.

Declan pulled that book out of the shelf. Concurrently, the shelf also got pulled and moved strangely, automatically, until the left side sank into the wall and halted at the tilt of forty five degrees from the previous position.

“Wow, now I get how you got the find the entrance for the first time,” Maven said.

“Yes, Father Nigel told me.” Declan then took the lantern with his left hand while wielding his trident on his right, then walked to the other side of the shelf. “Come with me, Mave.”

Maven quickly entered the secret room, then together with Declan closed the entrance slowly.

Declan kept walking through the tunnel and down the stairs. Maven followed behind him like a firefly coming towards a source of light, yet still alert with her bow and arrow in hand.

“From this point on we have to be careful and not to make much sound. We don’t want the undead to wake up.” Declan whispered. “Wait a second, Mave. Stand by me. I’ll give you a little protection just in case, the Mass Protective Field.”

Mave did as she was told. The priest gathered his energy and casted a spell, “Omnigalatr!”

A moment later, Maven felt her body being wrapped with a cool, and refreshing aura, redoubling her spirit. She saw Declan was also being wrapped by the holy aura, as if he was turning into an angel.

“This spell functions as an additional armor, lessening damage from physical and elemental attacks. Now that we’re ready, let’s go. We shall find the rosary,” Declan explained as he began to walk again.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

Maven nodded. She watched over her surroundings while she kept walking behind. Both sides of the stone wall of the catacombs were carved with holes that made them look like rows of shelves.

Yet what shivered her spine was the fact that the ‘shelves’ were filled with human bones and corpses banded in shrouds, some of which were already broken. Many corpses have already rotten so much, leaving only bones, while many others were in fact already preserved. Still, all these neglected corpses looked very gruesome.

Declan explained that the rituals of the ancient times were prone to ‘imprison’ human souls in their corpses rather than letting them to pass to the afterlife.

It was a secret that the presence of these catacombs was the main reason this castle was converted into a monastery. With hope that the presence of a holy place full of holy aura would dampen the evil force from the vengeful spirits. Also, to ensure that these catacombs will never be found and the living corpses dwelling the place won't escape to outside world.

“By the way Declan, if I may know, how many corpses do you think are buried here?” whispered Maven nervously.

“Judging from the areal size of the monastery and the dense layout of the catacombs, I think they can reach thousands.”

Maven shivered again. Her resolution to seek revenge has trapped her in this situation. Whether facing against thousands of living corpses or being hunted down by the Viperwolves, both options were just as deadly. Yet, for the sake of her plan, this horror wasn’t the greatest obstacle.

Besides, for some reason Maven felt safe near the man who was holding the lantern and his tri-trident adorned with a kind of perfectly round diamond in the middle, emanating the light of calming and saintly aura.

After passing several junctions and crossroads, Declan suddenly extended his arm in front of Maven’s face. “Wait. Ready your fire arrows.”

Declan ignited the torch on the wall near him with his lantern while the elf girl burned the oil-soaked cloth bandaged around the tip of her arrow on said torch. Now her arrow also functioned as a torch.

Maven stiffened as was her bow string stretched.

And then, from two directions groaning voices came.

Declan immediately put his lantern on an ‘unoccupied’ shelf and got ready, back to back with Maven. The big white diamond on the tip of his trident shone brighter to illuminate the tunnel.

“They’re coming. Let’s fight to the death,” Maven said.

Declan complied, “I trust my life to you. Here they come!”

A flash of light beamed from Declan's trident straight to the target. Said target’s head immediately rolled on the floor. Maven looked at the fallen head. It looked similar with those of the preserved corpses she saw earlier, hairless, with scarce teeth and empty eye sockets. It was a thousand years’ old zombie which resembled a living skeleton more than a corpse recently buried.

“Mave, don’t space out! More is coming!” Declan yelled.

The elf turned around. A horde of zombies were coming from the distance, advancing slowly. With that sheer number, one of them would surely seize the only two intruders here into their deaths.

Maven shot her flaming arrow, piercing right through the nearest zombie's neck. Next, she shot two at once and hit another two zombies in a rapid succession.

The fire began to spread, burning through three other zombies and they collapsed. Other zombies in their proximity couldn’t afford to dodge the fire and also caught it as well.