Chapter 137: Blood Fountain’s Challenge Xin and the rest of the team proceeded to the next chamber, eager to finish the quest before the system would log them out.
The next room was the bedchambers. The room appeared to have once been a place of rest for the morticians who worked within these eerie walls.
Beds, drawers, and chests were scattered throughout, containing remnants of the past – gold pieces, robes, and old tomes that once belonged to the diligent morticians.
Each drawer was accompanied by a vase containing scrolls, but a quick inspection revealed that they held nothing more than commonplace spells that the group had already mastered.
There was no point in adding redundancy to their magical repertoire.
"Too bad," Yuzuro expressed her disappointment.
Rever tried to cheer her up. "They’re practically laid in there for the taking. Of course, they’re not going to be tier 9 spells."
Yuzuro only gave him the side eye.
Amidst the mundane items, they found a few curiosities. On a central table, there lay playing cards, a sealed letter, and a set of paper and quill.
Curiosity piqued, they opened the sealed letter and discovered a message within.
"To the master morticians of the Sun Bleached Mausoleum, The key copies you ordered are included with this letter of gratitude. It was an honor working with you, and I sincerely hope you consider this poor soul for your next employment as well. I have also sent an additional copy of the keys as a professional courtesy. Hoping to see you soon, Aidewel."
"Who’s Aidewel?" Rever asked.
"No one important," Victor answered.
Beside this note, they found a chilling message scrawled on a piece of paper: "Blood for the God of Ice and Death."
The room had only one entrance, the same way they had entered, with no other means of exit.
Victor’s surveyed the rooms and said, "There doesn’t seem to be anything of significance here. Let’s move on."
With a collective agreement, the group continued to explore the second map, encountering resistance along the way from the various creatures that inhabited the dark and ominous depths of the mausoleum.
With each step forward, they remained vigilant, and didn’t let their guard down
As Xin and the team delved deeper into the mausoleum, they soon found themselves facing a formidable pair of adversaries: a Shambling Mound and a Giant Wolf Spider, both lurking in the shadowy recesses of the underground chamber.
The Shambling Mound, a monstrous amalgamation of rotting vegetation and tangled vines, was a grotesque sight to behold. It surged forward with a lumbering gait, its massive form casting eerie, shifting shadows across the room.
Sludgy, decaying matter dripped from its amorphous body, leaving a noxious trail in its wake. The mound’s thorny appendages reached out with killing intent, resembling twisted, gnarled branches that sought to ensnare and crush its prey.
In stark contrast, the Giant Wolf Spider was a sleek and agile predator. Its hairy, dark-gray exoskeleton shimmered menacingly in the dim light of the mausoleum.
Eight long and spindly legs propelled it with alarming speed and precision. Its fangs gleamed wickedly, venom dripping in anticipation of a deadly strike.
With each movement, it emitted a low, threatening growl that sent shivers down the spines of every players who heard.
As the battle began, the Shambling Mound unleashed its wrath, swinging its thorny appendages with brute force.
Vines lashed out, attempting to ensnare and constrict its foes, while noxious fumes emanated from its decomposing form, causing discomfort to those who dared to get too close.
Meanwhile, the Giant Wolf Spider, with uncanny swiftness, darted across the chamber, its eight legs carrying it effortlessly across the uneven terrain.
It lunged forward with deadly accuracy, attempting to sink its venomous fangs into the flesh of the adventurers.
The chamber reverberated with the clash of weapons against the resilient hide of the Shambling Mound and the frenzied movements of the Giant Wolf Spider.
Xin and his team had no problem defeating these beasts but they had to suffer some HP casualties in the process. Nothing that Yuzuro couldn’t fix.
With every swing of their weapons every incantation of their spells, they fought to overcome the enemies that lurked within the mausoleum’s depths.
Room after room fell before their advance until they reached a chamber that stood out in stark contrast to the graves’ gloomy atmosphere.
While it appeared welcoming, the presence of stone benches hinted at concealed dangers that kept their guard up.
What truly dominated the chamber was a mesmerizing yet ominous sight — the blood fountain.
Its eerie, pulsating red glow seemed to defy the laws of nature, drawing Xin and the others toward it as if under a hypnotic spell.
With a sense of trepidation, they approached the fountain, their curiosity piqued.
As they did, the iron door leading further into the chamber creaked open when the animal-shaped keys were inserted.
Inside, they found a peculiar message etched into the stone wall.
The inscription suggested that visitors could uncover a hidden path by offering a single pint of their own blood to the mysterious blood fountain.
However, it also served as a warning, indicating that they should prepare themselves for the challenges that awaited them beyond.
"Another blood offering?" Rever remarked with a weary sigh. "They do seem rather fixated on blood here."
Victor nodded, his expression serious as he outlined the room’s intricacies. "This room presents a unique challenge. It’s guarded by magmins, and they won’t stir until the first drop of blood falls into the fountain."
He continued, "Our task is to explore the room swiftly to avoid triggering the magmins’ fiery wrath. As we do so, we must keep an eye on the blood pot at the fountain’s center as it gradually awakens a towering azer near the room’s edge. Behind this stirring azer, an elusive gate will materialize."
Victor emphasized the urgency of the situation, saying, "The key is to act quickly. Once the gate appears, we’ll have only a narrow window of opportunity to pass through and continue our mission."
Rever stretched his head from side to side. "So, in short, we need to move fast as soon as that gate shows up."