Chapter 798 - 809
Across the hall, another passage contained a long, spiraling staircase descending downwards. Before everyone completely lost their bearings, they finally emerged from the oppressive, dizzying steps, entering another stone passageway.
The corridor was about fifteen feet wide, with a height similar to an ordinary room, and Lancelot’s party of seven found it slightly cramped as they walked through. Unlike other areas of the Dungeon, brass chandeliers hung from the ceiling of this corridor, softly illuminating the surroundings with a steady Magic Flame.
On both sides of the passageway, rectangular recesses were carved into the wall at intervals, each housing a quaintly styled Stone Coffin.
"These Stone Coffins... they seem to have never been opened," Bruto checked several coffins in succession before announcing his discovery to his companions, "The lids fit tightly without any gaps. Are we truly in an ancient tomb filled with the Undead?"
"Then what’s with these skeletons?" Tanya pointed at a corpse in the corner of the wall, "I’ve seen several bodies like this one already. Are you saying that after climbing out of the coffins, they knew to close the lids properly?"
"Well... the Church of Milko does offer such services, ensuring for a fee that the deceased are not disturbed after death," the young Isa said somewhat sheepishly, "The Church of Cranvo inherits from the previous Lord of the Dead, so they still provide this service. However, all members of the church have the duty to prevent any evil forces from desecrating the bodies of the dead..."
"Which means, ordinary people wouldn’t have the chance to be buried in a place like this," Alamir shrugged, "Moreover, under normal circumstances, people laid in coffins aren’t dressed in chainmail, holding a Longsword and Shield, are they?"
"You mean these bodies are other Adventurers?" Tanya caught on, "But... what killed them? I haven’t sensed any danger..."
"Before that Dead-Eye Tyrant appeared, I hadn’t sensed anything either," Lancelot shook his head, "Let’s all be more cautious."
The corridor took a ninety-degree right turn in front of the group, and after advancing a few hundred feet, there was a similar left turn. The group quickly realized something was amiss; the surroundings seemed to repeat, and the bodies lying around looked familiar.