Chapter 63: Dead Rising

Her small figure disappeared, as if she was never in the world to begin with.

The night swiftly transitioned into day, with the radiant moon making way for the blazing sun as the new day dawned. Throughout the day, everything remained seemingly normal, until the onset of night.

As the last sliver of sunlight vanished from the horizon, a peculiar disturbance rippled through the Holy Land's cemetery, akin to the sound of disturbed earth.

"Is someone desecrating the tombs?" A tomb guard dashed furiously towards the source of the noise, his seriousness palpable. It was an outrage that someone would dare to disturb the resting place of the Celestial Dragons. But his seriousness swiftly turned to terror.

The tomb guard's expression froze in horror as a hand burst through the earth and emerged from a tomb. A scream pierced the air as he stumbled backward, witnessing a sight beyond comprehension.

The fingers of the emerging hands cracked, revealing blackened skin, showing rot. The tomb guard, well-versed in the sight of corpses, recognized it as unmistakably belonging to the dead. What struck even more fear into his heart was the tombstone that had been breached—bearing the name of the Loxani Palace, who had perished in the haunted manor mere days prior.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, enveloping Mariejois in darkness, the tomb guard's eyes widened in disbelief. From the cracked tomb emerged a dense black vapor, coalescing into a figure—a seated figure resembling the deceased Loxani Palace. Pale and ashen, with bleeding eyes that were all white and bloodshot, he resembled a ghastly specter of the living dead.

Overwhelmed, the tomb guard collapsed, consciousness slipping away. Unperturbed, Loxani Palace, now a haunting apparition, floated from the cemetery with an air of indifference. Yet, the hands protruding from the earth remained frozen in their macabre pose, while within the coffins, the once-lifeless corpses stirred, their vacant eyes reopening to gaze into the abyss.

This chilling scene repeated throughout the cemetery, with corpses stirred from their slumber, souls departed their bodies to roam as lost spirits.

"Ghosts!" The visiting Celestial Dragons recoiled in terror, fleeing the scene in panic. Some even tumbled from their palanquin, sustaining injuries in their haste to escape.

Meanwhile, amidst the forest's darkness, Lucas, inhabiting the form of little Sadako, observed silently.

[Ping! Tomb Keeper Crowe is scared, fear points +1] [Ping! Celestial Dragon St. Ferdinand is scared, fear points +3] [Ping...]

A ripple of excitement stirred within Lucas as he watched the ghostly figure of Loxani Palace emerge from its tomb, preparing to depart from the cemetery.

Suddenly, a chilling gust swept through the forest, shrouding the stars and moon, casting ominous shadows.

"Strength lies in unity," a sinister chuckle echoed.

In the depths of the forest, the ghostly figure blended into the darkness, fading from sight. Further back, a multitude of spectral faces, twisted in terror, congregated atop tombstones. Their sheer number instilled a primal fear, evoking an overwhelming urge to flee.

"The Holy Land of the Celestial Dragons is on the precipice of becoming a haunt...," a girl's whisper, though seemingly absent, whispered softly, sending shivers down the spine.

Editor: I have no idea who this Loxani is… maybe it was mentioned in previous chaps, but it's been so long.