The City's Cemetery

I was happy with the results of my sword training today. Even though I'm still quite lacking, the notification I got - [You have learned a new ability! - Basic sword mastery level 1] made me really happy.

My first ability!

From what I gathered from the forums, in this game, you can freely learn any ability and even combine them together.

Or you can create your own original one. You can also use any weapon and combine it with your abilities to create your own unique fighting style.

There are certain special abilities tied to one's class that can't be learned freely. However, even then the possibilities are endless.

And I also learned how to unlock your magic powers.

Apparently, everyone has dormant magical powers in this world, but to use them, you first have to awaken them. Very few people have a strong talent for magic which allows them to awaken their powers on their own.

Most people need the help of a powerful wizard who unlocks their powers. For a price, of course. Everything has a price here.

But it seems I lucked out. Although some players discovered a way to get an uncommon class, I didn't see a single post mentioning someone getting a rare or higher class.

There is, of course, a chance that they are keeping quiet about it, but even so, I will have a huge advantage. With this, I excitedly headed in the direction of the city's cemetery. It was some distance away from the city walls to the north of the city.

As I step through the iron gates, a sense of unease washes over me. The cemetery lies before me, a vast expanse of headstones, mausoleums, and crypts, all standing like silent sentinels to the departed souls that lay within.

The air is heavy with the scent of freshly cut grass, mingled with the faint odor of decay. The bright midday sun beats down on the rows of stones, casting long shadows across the dusty ground.

Creepy! No wonder no one comes here.

I take a deep breath and steel myself for what lies ahead. I need to search for the librarian's tomb. The clues should be here somewhere in this place of the dead. But as I take my first tentative steps, I can't help but feel that I am not alone.

The shadows seem to shift and move, as if alive. I hear the faint rustling of leaves and the soft whispers of voices that seem to come from all around. My heart beats faster as I realize that this place is not as quiet and still as it first appeared.

I walk deeper into the cemetery, my eyes scanning the headstones for any sign of the hidden tomb. The sun beats down upon me, but it feels like a chill wind is blowing through the graveyard. My footsteps echo off the stones, and the only sounds are birds' distant cries and the rustling of leaves.

Right, I should review the poem to see if I can get some clues out of it. I took the old page out of my pocket and read it.

Amidst the stones and graves of old,

A hidden tomb doth yet unfold.

Beneath the earth and roots so deep,

The librarian's secrets quietly keep.

Follow the twists and turns with care,

Through winding paths, beware of the snare.

The guardians of the cemetery doth sleep,

Their watchful eyes forever keep.

Look for the tree that stands alone,

Its branches reaching to the unknown.

For there, the hidden tomb will lay,

Unmarked and secret, hidden away.

Amidst the shelves of ancient lore,

The librarian's knowledge doth soar.

But take what you seek with utmost care,

For not all knowledge is meant to share.

So... a winding path, watchful guardians, and a lone tree—let's try to find any of them.

I look around, but all I see are endless rows of graves as far as the eye can see.

Hmm, this tomb is at least several hundred years old, so I should look further in the back. As I wander through the rows of stones and graves, I cannot help but feel a sense of awe and reverence at the scale of this place. But I am not here to mourn the dead, so I press onward.

With the poem as my guide, I begin my search. I follow the winding paths, my eyes scanning the trees and headstones for any sign of a hidden tomb.

Then, in the oldest part of the cemetery, I could see several statues. They must have been a grand sight one day, but now they look worn and covered in ivy. But their eyes were not closed, and I could feel like they were watching me.

The guardians of the cemetery may sleep, but their watchful eyes are always upon me.

Ugh, creepy!

I shudder and speed up. This means I'm on the right track. I can't wait to leave this place.

Even though it was supposed to be noon. It certainly didn't feel like it at all. The air was cold, and a thin mist rolled along the narrow paths. I don't want to imagine how this place looks at night.

As I searched, I came across a tree that stood alone, its branches reaching toward the sky. Could this be the tree described in the poem?

I approach it cautiously, my heart pounding with anticipation.

But there is nothing. No tomb or gravestone. The tree stands true to its name, totally alone in a small clearing with nothing but moss and grass.

But then it hit me. Of course! The poem says beneath the roots, so it's under the tree!

I searched the ground. I dug out the moss and grass with my sword, trying to see if anything was hiding beneath. Soon the clearing looked like a pack of boars had run through the place. Heaps of upturned soil formed a small mound.

And I'm standing atop it with a big grin on my face.

I found it!

Nestled among the roots was a stone plate connected to a rusty ring. A hidden entrance.

It was covered in vines and moss, almost invisible to the naked eye. I knew this was the entrance to the hidden tomb. What lies within the tomb, I cannot say. But I know that I am on the brink of uncovering secrets that have been buried for generations.

Taking a deep breath, I began to carefully move the vines away from the entrance.

Finally, the entrance was clear, and I lifted the cover. It was heavy, and moving it required all my strength. I could see the stairs leading down into darkness. With a trembling hand, I took the first step, feeling the cool air of the underground tomb wash over me.

The stairs led deeper and deeper into the earth until I was surrounded by stone walls and torches flickering in the shadows. I moved a few meters, but then I stopped. Wait... how come the torches burn when nobody had entered the tomb for centuries?

I suddenly got a bad feeling and quickly glanced around, but there was no one there. I then sighed and resumed walking in the dimly lit tomb corridor. I was struck by its ancient beauty. The walls were adorned with intricate carvings and symbols that seemed to hold some kind of powerful magic.

I made my way through the tomb, feeling as though I was being watched at every turn. But I was undeterred. I was determined to uncover the secrets that lay hidden within the tomb.

As I moved deeper into the tomb, I began to hear strange whispers and murmurs that seemed to be coming from the walls themselves. I could feel the power of ancient magic hidden within the tomb. I knew I was getting closer to uncovering the librarian's secrets.

I finally arrive in a small room, and I am amazed by what I find. The shelves are lined with ancient tomes and dusty manuscripts; the knowledge of the ages is contained within their pages.

Most of them are rotten, but some are still readable. I wonder what secrets they hide. Not that I have time to read any of them. This place gives me the creeps. But which one of them is the one the old librarian is after? I won't be able to carry them all.

In the center of the room lies an intricately carved stone coffin. Lying on a pedestal. Maybe it is inside. I don't like the idea of rummaging through ancient bones, but I need to find it. I lifted the cover, and a foul smell enveloped me. The smell of death and decay.

Ugh, I'm all for realism and all, but this is a little too much.

Inside was a skeleton. Well, that's not a surprise. What else would you expect to find in a coffin?

What was surprising, though, were his clothes. He was wrapped in a beautiful red robe. The cloth was soft to the touch, and golden threads were woven within. It looked brand new, not touched by the passage of time at all.

And then I saw it. A book that glowed with otherworldly light rested in his hands. Bingo!

I grabbed it and freed it from the embrace of the skeletal fingers clinging to it tightly. I then put the lid back on. Although the idea of taking the magnificent robe crossed my mind, I was hesitant to touch the skeleton too much. Who knows if there is some sort of curse for desecrating his grave?

Anyway, I have what I came for, so now it's time to hurry out of here before it gets dark outside.

I exited the tomb and returned to the small clearing, but something was wrong. Something was very wrong. The air was much colder and the shadows grew longer, and I was getting a weird feeling.

Crap! The sun is gone! I looked at the sky, and it was covered in thick gray clouds, a sign of a coming storm.