Chương 19: Chapter 19: The Grave Awakens
The sun was already dipping below the horizon, casting a soft, dying light over the kingdom. We didn't have much time. Every minute was precious, the earlier the better.
I moved briskly, Agartha by my side, as we made our way to the royal graveyard.
Two diggers led the way, their shovels slung over their shoulders, while three soldiers accompanied us, each one silent, their faces grim.
Agartha and I exchanged a glance, her eyes calm but intense, silently assuring me that we were making the right choice. But still, doubt gnawed at the edges of our eyes.
As we reached the gravesite, the night sky had begun to bleed into shades of deep purple and black. The stars, faint at first, slowly started to twinkle like distant, watching eyes. The wind was growing cooler, and a heavy stillness hung in the air, as if the very earth knew what we were about to do.
The diggers wasted no time. They began their work, plunging their shovels into the damp soil. I stood back, watching the rhythmic sound of shovels scraping the dirt filling the air.
It felt like I was holding my breath. I could feel Agartha's panicking beside me, her fingers lightly brushing the pendant at her neck as if seeking comfort.
The hole grew deeper as the diggers worked under the dim light of lanterns. The shadows from the trees around the graveyard seemed to stretch ominously as the sky darkened further. This was not a good idea afterall. Maybe we could have waitied for daybreak.
"They're close," Agartha murmured.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the diggers struck the coffin. The sound echoed in the quiet night, and I felt a shiver run down my spine.
The soldiers stepped forward, helping to lift the coffin from the earth. The old, weathered wood creaked as it was placed gently on the ground before us.
In that moment, I couldn't breathe. There she was—my mother, Queen Sussana. Her body was wrapped in silken cloth, and though time had taken its toll, her regal presence still lingered. My heart ached, and I had to clench my fists to stop my hands from trembling.
"I guess this is it," I muttered, barely able to keep the emotion from my voice.
Agartha knelt beside the coffin, her hands gentle as she pulled back the silk, revealing my mother's body. Her face was serene, as if she were only sleeping, and around her neck—there it was. The stone, glowing faintly in the moonlight, fashioned into a delicate necklace.
Agartha reached for it, her fingers trembling slightly as she touched the cold, hard surface of the stone. At first, nothing happened. The air remained still, and for a brief moment, I thought we had come this far for nothing. But then—
The stone began to glow.
At first, it was a soft, pulsing light, barely noticeable, but then it grew, brighter and brighter, until it was almost blinding. Agartha's eyes widened in shock, her hand still gripping the stone as the light intensified. The soldiers stepped back, alarm spreading across their faces.
"What's happening?" I asked, fear rising in my chest.
"Put the corpse back into the ground!" Agartha shouted suddenly, her voice frantic. "Now!"
The diggers froze, unsure of what to do as the light continued to build. Agartha's eyes began to glow, matching the stone's eerie radiance. I stumbled back, shielding my face from the blinding light.
The stone's brightness grew unbearable, and just as we closed our eyes, there was a flash—blinding, white-hot, and then... nothing.
I blinked, trying to adjust my vision as the light faded. The stone—was gone. Agartha stumbled back, breathing heavily, her face pale.
But that wasn't the worst of it.
The coffin, which had barely been disturbed, began to shift. At first, it was just a slight movement, but then I heard it. The sound of something unnatural. Something... moving.
I turned, my heart in my throat.
My mother's corpse was rising.
"What in the gods' name..." I whispered, my voice trembling.
Her body, stiff and lifeless just moments ago, was now standing. The silk that had wrapped her fluttered to the ground as she took a slow, jerky step forward. Her eyes were open, glowing the same eerie light that had filled the stone.
"Agartha!" I yelled, panic gripping me. "What just happened?!"
She didn't answer, but her expression told me everything I needed to know.
"Run!" she screamed, already sprinting toward the castle.
Without hesitation, I bolted after her, the soldiers and diggers scrambling behind me. My heart raced in my chest as we tore through the graveyard, fear clawing at my insides.
Behind us, I could hear it—hear her—the unmistakable sound of my mother's corpse, dragging itself forward, faster now, as if driven by some dark, unholy force.
"This is wrong, this is so wrong!" I shouted, my legs burning as I ran. "What is that thing?!"
"Trouble!" Agartha yelled back, not slowing down for a second. "Big trouble!"
I dared a glance over my shoulder. My mother—or what was left of her—was moving faster, her eyes fixed on us, glowing like two burning coals in the night.
We had unleashed something far worse than we could have ever imagined.
As we sprinted toward the castle, panic surging through my veins, I noticed Agartha suddenly veer off course.
In a swift motion, she conjured a swirling ball of wind, a small tornado forming at her feet. With incredible speed, it lifted her into the air, propelling her away from the castle grounds.
"Agartha!" I shouted, my voice laced with urgency and confusion. "Where are you going?!"
But she didn't answer. In moments, she was gone, disappearing into the night.
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