Stranded Graveyard

Lucian stepped forward and stood shoulder to shoulder with Hakan.

The path had already come to an end. Ahead lay a vast space that could only be reached by jumping down.

Countless coffins lay scattered across the ground, while the roots coiled over them spoke of this place's age.

In the distance, a sapling of the Erdtree gave off a golden glow, illuminating a path.

Stone-brick steps stretched upward toward the gate of a desolate, lonely ruin. Four statues of veiled, handless women stood in sequence along both sides of the stairs, like guards scrutinizing those who approached.

"This is an ancient graveyard. There's no doubt about it."

Hakan said with certainty.

"Graveyards are dangerous. There are all kinds of guardian statues inside, and sometimes Those Who Live in Death that simply can't be killed."

"Normally, if there were only two of us, I'd never enter a graveyard."

"And as far as I know, there shouldn't be another exit inside one, either."

"But we have no other choice now. We can only go in and try our luck."

Listening to Hakan's pessimistic words, Lucian was secretly overjoyed.

He knew this place far too well.

Although the Cave of Knowledge, the tutorial cave made for gameplay purposes, was gone, this terrain and scenery were extremely distinctive. This was the first place reached after leaving the Chapel of Anticipation in the game—the Stranded Graveyard.

This graveyard could practically be called completely safe, because it was merely the passage leading deeper into the Fringefolk Hero's Grave.

Only now did Lucian understand why it was called the Stranded Graveyard.

After falling from the Chapel of Anticipation, they had arrived directly at the entrance to the sealed Stranded Graveyard. That was obviously unreasonable.

In the game, the part where the player drifted to the beach and then made their way to the Stranded Cave had been cut out.

Yet there really was a place in the game where one could travel from the beach through a cave to reach the Stranded Graveyard: the Seaside Ruins.

Everything made sense now.

Lucian suddenly remembered that there seemed to be something to pick up here, though he could not recall what it was.

"Hakan, there seems to be something over there. Could you shine the light for me?"

"Hm? Where?"

Lucian pointed toward an area beyond the reach of the torchlight.

Hakan extended the torch forward, revealing a skeleton before them.

Its clothes had long since rotted and split apart, but something on its body reflected the firelight.

Hakan stepped forward, picked the item off the skeleton, examined it for a while, then tossed it to Lucian.

"Huh, you don't want it?"

Lucian saw what it was clearly. A line of small text identified the item before him—the Sacred Dragoncrest Talisman.

"I've already collected enough payment. Take it. It should be a talisman that resists some kind of force, though its effect probably isn't very strong."

Lucian was a little surprised. This guy could even ask for extra money, yet at a time like this, he was unexpectedly generous.

Lucian did not refuse. Though the item was not particularly useful and he had not originally wanted it—his collector's urge had merely flared up—Hakan had generously offered it, so he accepted it.

After confirming there was nothing else nearby, the two jumped down one after the other, with the white wolf following close behind.

The warhorse posed more of a problem. A horse's legs were fragile, and jumping from such a height could easily fracture them.

So the two of them waited below with their arms outstretched, and after much effort, managed to help the warhorse land safely.

There was not much else to explore. They only searched briefly for a hidden exit, and after finding none, returned to the entrance of the Stranded Graveyard.

The burned-down candles lining both sides and the watching statues of women put considerable psychological pressure on Hakan.

"This looks like a graveyard of no small scale. We need to be careful."

Lucian nodded solemnly, putting on the expression of someone facing a formidable enemy.

Hakan stepped forward and forcefully pushed open the long-sealed graveyard door.

Cold white candles burned slowly, separating the graveyard from the outside world like two different realms.

Spiderwebs covered everything, and bones lay scattered across the floor.

Hakan carried his large curved blade on his shoulder and moved forward cautiously.

But after walking for a while and reaching the next chamber, they still found no traps or guardian statues.

This chamber held a wall shrouded in mist, with a small gargoyle statue in front of it.

Lucian knew that this was the entrance to the Fringefolk Hero's Grave, requiring two Stonesword Keys.

But what mattered more now was that a bonfire emitting a warm glow had appeared on the ground before Lucian—it was a site of Grace.

Lucian walked over and reached out to touch the warm flame.

Rather than a flame, it felt more like the lingering warmth beneath a lamp: warm and comforting.

A strange sensation rose within Lucian. He felt that he had formed some mysterious, ineffable connection with the Grace before him.

"Lucian, what are you... doing?"

Hakan watched Lucian suddenly reach out to touch empty air, unable to tell whether Lucian had fallen under some kind of dark spell.