For nearly four hours, Marcus and his companions continuously attacked the barrier surrounding the sewer fortress.
The place was incredibly sturdy, having hundreds of protective enchantnts and an imnse quantity of mana to power its defenses.
Still, under the assault of eleven high level individuals that were nearly as strong as possible for their levels, it eventually reached its limit.
With a sound like glass shattering, the final barrier broke apart and the enormous structure could no longer keep intruders out.
After everyone ca back together at the entrance, Marcus went about disabling a few traps that were ant as a last resort to prevent outsiders from entering.
"And there we go." Marcus said once he disabled the final trap.
He then placed his hands on the large double doors and pushed them open.
They spread out seamlessly, and not a single squeak or creak could be heard despite how ancient this compound was.
"I was expecting sothing truly terrifying to be waiting for us, but it's just an empty hallway."
Mrazivý had been ready with her Dragon Eyes already glowing. Naturally every mber of their party had been anticipating that so sort of guardian would intercept them the mont they broke in.
Except all that they found was a large tal hallway with several doors leading into a multitude of rooms.
"Lilia, would you do the honors?" Marcus asked.
Nodding her head, she walked into the large corridor and placed her hands on the ground.
Her detection magic was more accurate than anyone else's so now that the enchantnts cloaking the outside of the fortress were disabled, she searched the area again.
"Every room but a large central chamber appears to be abandoned. There are all manner of tools and materials in them though. So of them are pretty ghastly." Lilia said, looking a bit sick.
She had uncovered several rooms that had dissected and mutilated bodies, piles of bones, and even a few living animals in cages that she could only surmise were being subjected to all manner of cruel experints.
At the very least, there did not seem to be any cognizant creatures among the few living beings in this laboratory.
"Got it. Then we don't need to worry about collateral damage. Let us make our way to where master of this compound is waiting."
Following Marcus' lead and Lilia's directions, all of them purposefully walked down the shortest path leading to their destination.
Along the way several traps slowed their progress, but Marcus dealt with them easily enough thanks to the skills he had cultivated in the special dungeon.
When they reached the door to the central room, they found it sealed up tightly. Surprisingly the entire place was made out of adamantine plated mithril. It was like a tough bunker, but nothing that Marcus and his companions could not break through.
Mrazivý brandished her sword and unleashed a few swift slashes that cut through the tal and created an entrance for them to walk through.
Inside the room a musty sll of rot wafted around and would have been unbearable if not for the air cleansing magic tools that all of them were carrying.
Once he walked through the doorway, Marcus saw that this place was so sort of large laboratory. There were all manner of magical implents as well as experintal subjects.
'Its like the workplace of that necromancer I fought in Loursend, but far worse.'
There were corpses and skeletons of all manner of people, monsters, and beasts stored in tubes filled with a vile-looking gray liquid.
Marcus could only think that this was the lair of so deranged, mad scientist that had long ago lost any semblance of sanity.
Of course, the owner of this place was in full view, not even attempting to hide herself.
At the other end of the room, everyone could see her fiddling around with several bodies and wicked magic tools.
The entire place was steeped in malice and the air was filled with necromantic energy. No shortage of abominable experints must have occurred in this place.
'Revenant Witch, level eighty-two. She is fairly strong, but she only has two unique skills that are not much to be worried about.' Mrazivý transmitted to everyone with telepathy.
While it appeared that the master of the city's underground was alone and disregarding Marcus and his party's presence, that was far from the truth.
Lilia had already detected that there were several dozen high level undead monsters lurking about in hidden areas waiting to strike.
"Ahem! Are you just going to keep ignoring us to continue working."
Marcus wanted to see what sort of reaction the Revenant Witch before them would have to being called out to. It was possible that her mind was so far gone that she could only continue to focus on the experints she was fixated on.
However, this assumption proved to be untrue as the Witch put down her tools and the bodies she was enchanting with necromancy.
She then turned around and faced the trespasser that had broken into her sanctuary.
A vestige of the beauty she must have had in life still lingered despite her skin having gray and rotted in places, her hair having beco a muted brown that looked like it would crumble to dust if touched, and her eyes being clouded over and almost pure white except for their burning red irises.
The robes she was wearing were clearly those of a high-ranking mage and reminded Marcus of the garnts that the archimages of Borealia wore.
Undoubtedly, she had been soone important before the tragedy that had befallen Houten a little more than three centuries ago.
"Why won't you die already you annoying pests? Gah! You're interrupting my worked and have ruined everything!"
The Revenant Witch swung her left arm behind her and shattered several glass containers on the laboratory table be in a manic fit.
While she still retained so intelligence and fragnts of her personality, she had clearly gone insane.
"Do you think you can do anything for her?" Mrazivý whispered to Marcus. She had seen him turn Alyna from a wraith into a spirit and save her from the burden of undeath.
"No, her mind and soul are probably too far gone. Even if I did return her sanity and made her a spirit, I doubt she would be able to continue on once she realized the weight of everything she has done."
Marcus understood why Mrazivý wanted him to try and bring back this woman's rationality. She would likely know what had occurred all those years ago when Houten's king at the ti turned this city into a necropolis.
Unfortunately, this was far different than when he assisted the undead controlling the Chelr Resort from the shadows. All of them had retained most of their ntal faculties and had not let becoming undead eat away at their souls.
It was only because of their strong force of wills and the skills that they had obtained using the Personal Status unique skill that allowed them to avoid being corrupted.
The sa could not be said for the Witch before them. She was unhinged and had delved into so of the darkest necromantic arts. There was nothing but a true monster left.
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