Barta National graveyard
It was located outside the capital where people from the capital and its surrounding areas were also buried. This cetery was very old, so old that no one knows when it was built. Also, this cetery was very large in size, with thousands of graves.
A wall surrounded the graveyard. While it was only four ters tall and could not compare to the city walls, it was wide enough for people to walk on top of it. Heavy doors reinforced with iron were set into the wall, designed to withstand any attempts at intrusion.
Flanking the entrance were staircases on either side, leading up to watchtowers that provided a vantage point over the graveyard. Guards took turns keeping watch, their eyes heavy with fatigue as they scanned the grounds below.
Although it was a cetery, this place was protected by many guards. The reason for this was to prevent the theft of corpses. Necromancy was illegal in the Britannia Kingdom, punishable by death. But even then, there were many hidden necromancy groups who would steal corpses from ceteries whenever they got the chance. They were a group who tried to bring the dead back to life by going against the laws of nature. So guards were appointed in all ceteries to prevent the theft of corpses. Discover hidden stories at My Virtual Library Empire
The graveyard was lined with sconces enchanted with *Light* spells, so there was ample illumination despite it being nightti. Still, there were many shadowy places, and visibility was even worse in those places blocked by tombstones.
A spear-wielding guard absentmindedly looked out to the graveyard, and said to his yawning colleague:
"Tonight's quite peaceful too."
His colleague, a burly man with a scruffy beard, nodded lazily, stifling another yawn. "Yeah, too peaceful if you ask . Makes wonder if sothing's brewing."
The spear-wielding guard chuckled, leaning against the cool stone of the watchtower. "You're just jumpy, the only thing we have to worry about is the occasional drunkard trying to sneak in."
Before he could finish, the bearded guard suddenly fell silent, his attention drawn elsewhere.
Another guard, who felt easy about this, spoke up:
"Oi, don't scare —":
"Quiet!"
The silent guard looked straight at the graveyard. Following this, the other guards turned to look at the graveyard one after the other.
"… Didn't you hear it?"
"Co on, don't joke about this sort of thing."
"…Eh? Ah, oi! Look over there!"
One of the guards pointed to the graveyard, and everyone else looked toward the spot he was pointing at.
Two figures were sprinting toward the gates, their faces pale and eyes wide with terror. They were out of breath, sweat glistening on their foreheads.
"Open the doors! Hurry!" they shouted, panic evident in their voices.
The guards rushed down the stairs, their hearts racing. Before the doors could fully swing open, the two n burst through, collapsing to the ground but scrambling to their feet.
"What happened?" one guard demanded, concern etched on his face.
The newcors, still gasping for air, shouted in unison, "Close the doors! Quickly!"
A chill ran through the ranks of guards as they exchanged worried glances. Working together, they slamd the doors shut.
"What's going on? Where are the others?" a guard asked.
The two n exchanged fearful looks before one of them spoke, his voice trembling. "They… they were taken by the undead!"
"Undead? What are you talking about?" another guard scoffed, disbelief evident in his tone.
"This is the work of necromancers! They've raised the dead!" the terrified guard shouted, his eyes wide with fear.
The guard captain beca worried after hearing the necromancers' words. He gave his orders.
"…Oi, one of you go upstairs and take a look!"
A guard rushed up the stairs, but halfway up, he froze, his face drained of color.
"What's wrong?" the others called out.
"The undead! They're everywhere!" he shouted, his voice shaking.
The guards listened in horror as the sounds of screams and growls echoed from beyond the wall.
A massive horde of undead was approaching the gates, a sight so overwhelming that it left them speechless.
"Why, in such numbers…"
"Looks like it's more than one or two hundred… there should be a thousand of them… or more…"
The magical lights illuminated the grotesque forms of the undead, shadows writhing in the darkness. The stench of decay filled the air as the horde pressed against the gates, a mix of Zombies, Skeletons, and more fearso creatures like Ghouls and Wights.
The guards could not help their shivering.
Because the graveyard was surrounded by a wall, the undead could not attack the common folk as long as the wall held out. However, even if they mobilized all their guards, it was doubtful whether they could fend off such a massive horde of the undead. The guards were essentially normal citizens, and they had no confidence in wiping out these undead.
In addition, so undead could turn their slain victims into others of their own kind. If things went poorly, the guards might end up becoming undead themselves and attacking their fellows.
The undead surged against the wall, their mindless bodies pounding against the doors.
Thud. Thud.
The swarming, mindless undead had no sense of pain, and banged wildly against the doors. It was as if they knew that they could attack the living if they broke the doors down.
Thud. Thud.
Panic gripped the guards.
The sounds of repeated pounding and the constant moans of the dead ca from the other side of the door.
"Ring the bell! Ask for help from the barracks!"
Suddenly, a blood-curdling scream pierced the air. "Uwaaaaaaaah!"
A scream pierced the air. As the other guards turned to look, they saw sothing long and wriggly curled around another guard's neck.
A slimy, pink object—an intestine—had wrapped around the guard's neck, erging from the belly of a corpse, its insides crawling with worms.
"H-help !" he cried, terror etched on his face.
The writhing intestine pulled at the guard's body.
"Hyaaaaaaa!"
Before anyone could react, he was dragged down, his screams echoing as the undead closed in.
The guards stood frozen, horror-stricken, as they witnessed the grueso fate of their comrade.
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