Chapter 24: "Graves of the Forgotten"
Deep into the Dark
Captain Elara's team moved cautiously through the narrow, twisting caverns of the mountain. Their torches flickered against jagged walls as a cold wind swept through the tunnels.
Synoh led the front, flanked by Ursa and Meth, while the rest followed quietly behind. The deeper they went, the heavier the air became—thick with tension and ancient whispers.
Suddenly, Synoh paused, feeling a grip on his arm.
He turned.
Captain Elara was holding onto him. Her eyes remained firm—but there was a slight tremble in her fingers.
Synoh (thinking): Captain Elara… scared?
She noticed his glance and immediately let go, stepping ahead with her torch high.
---
The Light Ahead
After passing through a tight, almost suffocating corridor of stone, they came upon a strange light glowing at the far end of a small tunnel.
Ursa whispered: "That light… it shouldn't exist here."
As they stepped out, they found themselves inside a massive hidden chamber. The stone walls were carved with ancient runes, cracked and faded.
At the center stood a throne, draped in moldy banners… and beside it—a stone grave, engraved with long-forgotten words.
Everyone froze.
---
The Warning
A voice echoed from all directions—haunting and hollow.
> "You should not have come."
Captain Elara stepped forward.
> "Who are you?! What did you do to the missing villagers?"
The voice came again, louder this time, filled with malice and sorrow.
> "They were warned… just as you are. But they would not listen."
> "And those who do not listen… must learn."
Suddenly, the ground trembled. Dust fell from the cave ceiling.
Then—spirits began to rise.
---
The Ghost Army Rises
Ghostly figures materialized—men, women, and children in torn, translucent forms. Their eyes empty. Their faces twisted in grief and pain.
Ursa gasped.
> "The clothes… those are the missing villagers."
More ghosts emerged behind them—armor-clad soldiers, each carrying rusted weapons, their bodies pierced by arrows and slashes. Their armor bore an old insignia, long erased by time.
The entire chamber rumbled as the ghost army marched upward, phasing through the ceiling, leaving only a few behind.
The throne creaked.
---
The Ghost Knight Appears
A final figure rose from the shadows behind the throne. Unlike the others, he radiated power.
A Ghost Knight, tall and imposing, stood in front of the grave. His armor was ancient, blackened by fire, and his body riddled with arrows—some still embedded in his chest and back. His eyes glowed a deep, hollow red.
He stepped forward, dragging a broken greatsword behind him.
Meth whispered, horrified: "What… is he?"
The Ghost Knight spoke, voice grave and thunderous:
> "I am the protector of this grave… and the punisher of trespassers."
---
Chapter Ends On Tension
Captain Elara readied her weapon, casting a protective barrier around the team.
Captain Elara: "Everyone, stay together. Do not engage until I say."
Synoh (to Fel, telepathically): Fel… this guy…?
Fel: "He's not just a ghost. He's a Warden. A cursed soul bound to protect something sacred… And he will not stop."
The Ghost Knight raised his sword.
> "You have disturbed the dead."
He charged.