As the ground trembled, the Emperor's expressions turned dark. He glanced in the direction of the source of this disturbance. His expressions turned dark.
He already had a bad feeling about it, thinking that the attack was a distraction. And now there was a loud explosion coming from the direction of the Royal Tomb.
Usually, the Royal Tomb was useless for everyone. It was just a place where the Ancestors of the Elzeiran Royal Family were buried. That place held no treasures or anything of importance. The only thing there were the lifeless bodies.
As he thought about those bodies, his mind thought of something. "Impossible. She's sealed here. She can't be freed, so there's no way she would get here to steal the bodies."
"And even if she could steal the bodies, that's no way for that girl to turn them into an undead."
The Emperor kept talking to himself as he subconsciously walked towards the Eastern Side of the Palace.
The Shadow Guards were also alert. Most of them rushed towards the area where the Royal Tomb was established, only to be greeted by a wide hole on the ground, as if someone had intentionally destroyed this place.
The Shadow Guards looked at each other's faces. They knew that an intruder had entered the Royal Tomb. However, they couldn't chase after him without the permission from the Emperor.
Only the Royal Blood was allowed in that place. Even though the intruder broke the rule, they couldn't.
They wanted to rush to the Emperor to ask for permission. However, before they could turn, they heard footsteps from behind.
"What are you waiting for?" The Emperor's voice came from behind, his majestic robe fluttering with the wind.
He was accompanied by the Princess. The Shadow Guards were shocked to see him outside. It had been a long time since the Emperor stepped out of the Palace.
"We're going inside." The Emperor told the Guards as he calmly walked towards the hole in the ground.
"We can chase after them if you grant us permission. But you... It might be risky."
The Shadow Guards were also worried for the Emperor who had lost his immortality. Moreover, his sister was weaker than an ordinary shadow guard, so both of them were someone that they needed to protect.
None of the Shadow Guards wanted the Royals to take risks.
"You think I didn't try to tell him?" The Princess asked, rolling her eyes. "This time he's too stubborn. He wants to see the intruder himself."
The woman let out a sigh as she accompanied her brother. She didn't forget to tell all the Shadow Guards that their first priority was to protect her brother. Catching the intruder was the second priority since her brother was more important to her than a few dead bodies.
The Shadow Guards looked at each other, nodding. They accompanied the Emperor, for the first time entering the Royal Tombstone.
None of them knew what they were going to find on the other side as there was no mention about the Royal Tombstone anywhere. Only the Royal Family knew what that place was like. And now, they were going to see that as well.
*****
In the darkness, Karyk landed with a thud, his eyes adjusting to the dimly lit surroundings.
He found himself in a vast underground chamber, adorned with intricate carvings and statues of past rulers. The air was heavy with an ancient aura, and a sense of foreboding hung in the atmosphere.
As Karyk stood up, he realized that he had fallen into a hidden chamber within the Royal Tomb.
The chamber was filled with the tombs of the previous emperors and empresses, their resting places marked by ornate carvings. Each tomb was carefully crafted, depicting the achievements and legacy of the deceased ruler.
Curiosity piqued, Karyk approached one of the sarcophagi and traced his fingers along the intricate carvings. He was finally at the place where he wanted to be.
All the lifeless Ancestral Bodies of the Elzeiran Dynasty belonged to him. He could create as many undeads as he wanted from them.
Suddenly, he heard a faint whisper, a voice carried in the wind. It spoke of forgotten knowledge, tempting Karyk with promises of power and immortality. It was as if the voice was trying to lure him.
Karyk frowned in response. Although the voice couldn't control him, but he didn't understand how this was even possible? How were the dead speaking when they hadn't even turned to undead yet? Just what was this place?
For the time being, he didn't have time to think about it. One after another, he kept all the bodies in his spatial storage, leaving the conversion to later.
Within a minute, he had completely emptied the entire place. However, there were still some voices that he could hear. The voice looked more ethereal, as if they were just a figment of his imagination but there was also something real about them.
Frowning, Karyk followed the ethereal voice, his steps guided by an invisible force. It led him deeper into the underground chamber, where a hidden door stood partially open.
With a gentle push, Karyk entered a secret chamber, hidden from the eyes of all but those who possessed the Royal Bloodline.
.....
The Emperor and the Shadow Knights jumped down the hole on the roof, landing in the darkness safely.
The Shadow Knights landed behind him, safe on the ground. They waved their hands, bringing light to this dark place.
As the place was filled with light, the Emperor's lips twitched. He saw the entry place empty. All the bodies of his Ancestors were taken by the intruder.
His expressions turned darker as he looked at the passage leading into the distance.
"Don't tell me that person..." Without a second thought, he started running.
The Shadow Guards followed after him, wondering why the Emperor looked so worried suddenly. It was as if the entire world was falling apart. Was it truly just for a few bodies? Or was there something more here?
