Spirit Taming

Chapter 287: Guarded

"So, just for example…what would I look for if I was looking for something hidden?" Brad had realized that this was not at all his strong suit. He also wasn't as invested as Clark but he owed Clark. He had a sense of loyalty for Clark since Calrk had proven to him that he could do anything he said he would do.

"Details, that's it. There are details that might stand out. Like look here, there is dirt in the corner meaning there is airflow. Or here, there are some footprints left from other groups, they just walked right through here uncaring. Or here, there is a pile of people's trash so this is where some people stop to snack." Reese thought that he was on to something but Clark just cringed a little.

"The details are great, but if anything, I would say look for the opposite. If there are things hidden, they will be hidden where people pass by all the time and ignore. Or, they will be somewhere that people never go." Clark had these two ideas. He wasn't worried about beasts for the moment so he figured it was best for them to focus on these general terms.

"Can all three of you stop the lesson? The second answer Clark gave you was right. People never pass by this side corridor because it smells terrible. I think it was used for people to relieve themselves but the walls are in shambles." Maria had been doing actual detective work while the three boys had been stuck in their conversation.

"It's unsanitary and gross. I would say people have been doing this for a few years, if not, more. That makes it a perfect place for people to ignore. And since the stones are falling down here." Maria pulled a few of the stone bricks away to reveal that there were two walls at the start of the passageway. One in front of the other.

None of them wanted to ruin their shoes and track along the scent of a toilet with them. This was why some people would always create this kind of place in a larger dungeon. It would keep the smells and grossness in one place. But just like many things in life, people made mistakes. The main mistake was whoever chose this passageway as a dead end for this use.

"If anyone asks, we never went down here and we never touched anything." Clark felt like his skin was crawling with the smell but had accepted that this was what they needed to do. He had originally thought that they might spend a few hours examining this area. Luckily, Maria had been more logical than them. She had easily guessed a good place to look and even proven it was the right choice.

"The two walls are here because…?" Now Brad was even more lost. His focus was gone because Maria had already outdone him.

"Secret passageway or storage area. The second wall is the real wall while the front wall is a fake that is able to be moved easily. That's why Maria was able to pull the falling bricks out easily. They aren't actually solid, that wall is solid." Clark demonstrated again. With age, the wall had become even weaker. This helped them though.

After a few moments of pulling at bricks and keeping their eyes ahead so they didn't see the filth on the floor, the group had made progress. They were pulling pieces of the bricks away exposing the wall more and more. Their noses had become desensitized to the scent of filth which also helped their work move.

Clark had also thrown cloth to everyone to cover their faces to keep things a little safer for their health.

When the four of them found a section of bricks that wouldn't move, Clark looked at them and counted down. "Three… two… one… Pull!" The shout and sudden force caused the entire layer of bricks to tumble down. But what was revealed was well worth the effort.

The terrible smells and annoying grunt work had opened up the passageway. It was no longer dead ended but had an entirely new path to travel. But where that went, no one knew. The maps or any attempt to explore wouldn't have found this until it naturally fell down.

"This is it, let's go. Brad takes the lead so that we can defend things. I will make sure Lit can heal us from anything we just got from…yeah." Maria was taking the lead but shivered a little pointing out what they were leaving behind them. "And Reese can work with Brad as his attacker.

I will keep an eye around for anything dangerous." This was Clark's unspoken order for Devi to explore ahead of them.

For them, it felt too easy. They had found a secret passageway that had been hidden just because some idiot used it as a rest stop? There was no way they were that lucky. However, Clark tried to justify it in his head. He recalled how some of the luckiest people had realized some of the simplest things. The tiniest and easiest little things could be the biggest difference in the world.

The passageway was better kept than the others at the first floor entrance. This was because no one had damaged them. There weren't dusty footprints making the flood show exactly where the four walked. But the murals on the walls were much more vibrant. They showed worship of large buildings. Some even bowed to towers.

The most distinct feature was that the green color that every building was painted in made it appear as if the essence of a forest was right there waiting for them. Ahead, Clark felt that Devi was warning him. It made Clark take a defensive stance along with the others. Maria prepared her daggers to stab in to anything with any chance she got.

The large room that the passageway opened up in to was unique. It had the same murals but larger. They showed the insides of a temple and the methods of burial for a figure covered in green. The room held a few chests and some rotted away piles of what could have been tapestries.

None of it stood above what was in the center back wall though. Instead of a coffin, the process of burial seemed to be leaving a body on a throne to watch over their tomb. This basement had the exact same thing. The body was covered in rotted away clothes but they had once been green.

"If I had to guess this was once a priest of the religion these people held. He must have been buried here because he was going to watch over the artifacts of the faith." Clark could understand this. In his past life, some people did exactly this as well. It was interesting to see this ideology brought through dimensions in a way.

Not that Clark could rationalize dimensions or how he was even here in existence at all. This was all a bigger mystery than he could handle.

Furthermore, Clark was still focused on the warning that he got from Devi. He could feel that Devi was warning him, not of the priest's body, but of the thing behind it. "Stop, there's a beast here." The warning came as a spindly limb arched out from behind the priest's body.

'Rotten harvest guardian- ultra rare

The harvest guardian is a long lived species that is blessed by the true goddess of harvest. They normally grow and befriend farmers. Some will even bond with farmers freely to allow them to grow more forests, produce, and expand nature.

When this guardian of harvest lost its bonded partner, it was greatly hurt. It vowed to protect its partner even in death. The wooden body similar to a treant's body rotted and became thinner. The decay it carried can rot normal steel. It is very dangerous to battle without a healer present.

It has no chance for growth and will never accept another partner. This unflinching loyalty represents their strength. They will create spears of rotting wood to attack their enemies and are highly pain resistant. The best way to deal with them is fire. However, if there is no intent to harm their partner or nature, it may be acceptable to them for others to be in the presence of their partner…'

This was a lot of information but Clark understood one thing from it all. "Stop. relax and don't show it any anger or hate. Just follow what I do and let it watch. If it comes close to you, just bow your head in respect." The murals had told Clark everything. The entire process of this burial.

The entire reason that the priest's body was here. How could the rotten harvest guardian care if they were here for a singular reason?

"Come on, we are going to pay respects to this priest here. We are visiting his tomb. He watches over this place and we don't need to dishonor it."