Wailing Vault

As Heizen and others walked along the corridor, the temperature around them dropped considerably. The damp air and the scent of earth and decay filled their nostrils. 

Though the area was dark, the occasional dim light and the mana lamp made the visibility possible. 

"The place where we are going is Wailing Vault. This place is rich in wraiths and spirits. By killing them, you can get spirit stones." Bernard said while navigating the path. 

"There are many skeletons possessed by such spirit. So, the best way to kill is to use magic. Especially Heizen, your life magic is very damaging to them." 

Heizen nodded. He had heard of the spirit crystal. They were used in making mage arrays and very expensive commodities.

As they went deeper into the catacomb, they saw many ancient carvings on the walls. There were pictures of runes, or some ancient battle, or symbols, etc.

Heizen was also occasionally using his divine sense to scan the path. If there was any danger, he could promptly respond. 

The only thing to lament was that increased mental power didn't widen the range of this mythical skill.

So, one reason he came to this catacomb was to find the soul-related treasure. However, the absolute silence from the System was getting on his nerves. 

If the System was sentient, hearing his thoughts it would probably roll its eyes and scoff, "Hypocrite."

The team continued to tread the path cautiously. Though they were greeted by crawlers like Giant Spiders, Rats, etc., it didn't take long for them to reach the Wailing Vault. As the leader said, the outer layer of the Catacomb wasn't that dangerous. 

Wailing Vault got its name from the uninterrupted sorrowful cries that echo from the depth of its ruin. This vault was believed to be an experimental chamber of some Dark Mage organization. And the wails were said to be from those souls that were trapped within.

Heizen and his companions stood at the entrance of the ruin which opened into the vast chamber. The wailing and rustling were getting bigger while the temperature was getting low. 

The group became alert and entered the chamber. The moment they entered the ruin, their bodies felt a chilling sensation running down their spine. 

"Be careful and don't go too far from the team," Bernard warned and led the way. Since this place was already explored, they shouldn't encounter any danger. However, it was better to be cautious in such an environment. 

The Wailing Vault was supported by massive pillars while the walls were carved with some kind of dark and smooth stone. The floor was covered with broken statues and altars with unknown purposes. 

After entering the chamber for a while, they finally met their first opponent. 

"EeeeeekAhhhh" a shrill, eerie shriek shook the chamber. 

The wraiths and spirits were beings that used mental attacks. However, his passive Serene touch mitigated the effect almost instantly. While his companions weren't affected that much due to their strength. 

[Name: Wraithborn]

[Race: None]

[Level: 15]

[Potential: 2 Star]

[Skills: Phantom touch, Mournful cry, Possesion]

A semi-transparent dark silhouette appeared howling at them. Beside these wraiths, there were also other creatures walking towards them. 

[Name: Stoneclaws]

[Race: Monster (affected by spirits)]

[Level: 13]

[Potential: 1 Star]

[Skills: Rending claws, Stone skins]

The monster's eyes were red and its sanity was already extinguished by the spirit. They were possessed by the unknown.

[Name: Bone Golem]

[Race: None]

[Level: 15]

[Potential: 2 Star]

[Skills: Earthquake Slam, Vengeful Strike, Crushing Grasp]

Besides these, there were also many skeletons. They were possessed by wraiths and had uncanny abilities. Though they were weak, they couldn't be underestimated in a large number. 

After looking at their numbers and levels, Heizen and their companion got ready to fight. 

"Flame Strike"

"Swoosh," without waiting for anyone, Sophie instantly fired a spell and drowned the multiple wraiths instantly. Her fire affinity was the nemesis of these dark creatures. With few screams, they turned into ashes in an instant. 

"Arcane Barrier," Sarah also chanted the spell and placed the defensive spell on everyone including herself. Her spell had been promoted and it would last longer. 

"Explode"

"Boom," numerous skeletons possessed by wraiths were burned to crisp in the explosion. 

Bowen's archery was the most eye-catching here. Heizen didn't know where he got this archery style, he was firing the arrows and exploding them at the same time. 

Bernard was also using his warrior skills to kill the physical entities while providing support. 

Seeing everyone had started to fight, Heizen also geared up. 

"Ghost step." 

"Shoosh," he disappeared directly from his place. 

"Raging strike," a semi-circular white light flashed and the head of a level 15 Bone Golem dropped to the ground. 

"Swoosh," Heizen reappeared in his place. Everyone rolled their eyes at his antics. Heizen was satisfied with his display of power. 

So, the fight continued and the group steadily progressed. The enemies were numerous but weren't strong enough. Besides, as long as you didn't let down your guard to their mental attack, they weren't difficult to kill. 

If they were surrounded by large numbers of them, Heizen would use Elderwood's wrath to clear them. However, he was overshadowed by the "Inferno waves" spell of Sophie from time to time.

After fighting together, they started to trust their companion. So, fighting wasn't a chore to them. 

After killing all the monsters around the area, Bernard counted all the spirit crystals and divided them equally. By the time, they were finished, the day was already over. They even forgot to have lunch when fighting all the time. But the rewards were gratifying. 

"Let's go to the nearby camp. I saw a groove in the morning along our path." Bernard said. 

Since many people were exploring the catacombs, people have made temporary camps in a suitable groove. Spending the night there was relatively safer than on the ruins. 

Heizen was a few meters away looking at a ruined weapon beside corpses. Well, not one was usable. Hearing Bernard's words, he nodded and was about to return when the long-lost robotic sound appeared in his mind. 

[Ding!]

[Good Luck favors you.]

[Go to the depths of Wailing Vault to get Ethereal Crystals and a Soulstone Shard.]