Cherreads

Chapter 41 - Chapter 41:Beneath the Drowned Cathedral

Quest Continuation: "Leviathan Fragment Hunt – Segment 2"

Location: Sunken Graveyard – Drowned Cathedral

Objective: Retrieve the second Leviathan Fragment

Optional Objective: Discover Cathedral's Forgotten Guardian

Danger Rating: Abyss Tier - High Threat

The mist curled around the Blackwake Forward Outpost like writhing fingers. Now fortified with runic obelisks, soul anchors, and a levitation ward system, it acted as a beacon of safety amid the crushing depths of the abyss-tainted sea.

Ethan Cross stood at the shrine's newly-cleansed altar, staring down at the uncovered mural.

"The Eleven Guardians… What if each held a piece of the Leviathan's seal?" he muttered.

Thalos Deepforge scratched his beard, runes flaring dimly around his fingers. "It's not just symbolism. If the Leviathan's body was fragmented, then each piece might've been entrusted to a champion or locked away in a vault."

Mira added, "Then the second segment is where the next guardian fell."

"Exactly," Ethan replied, pulling out the Vault Map Fragment. More lines now shimmered across its surface, revealing a waypoint below—a crescent structure labeled Drowned Cathedral.

New Zone Unlocked: Drowned Cathedral (Abyss-Touched Instance)

Environment: Flooded Templary, Hallucinogenic Aura

Status Effects:

Sanity Drain: -2 per minute (unless inside Safe Zones)

Mind Echoes: 5% chance hallucination per skill cast

Recommended Party Level: 50+

"Gear up," Ethan said. "This one's going to mess with our heads."

[Status Window – Ethan Cross]

Class: Abyssal Harbinger (Mythical)

Level: 50

Title: Fragment Seeker, Master of Verdant Mines

HP: 2,380 / 2,380

MP: 1,945 / 1,945

Skills:

[Void Rend]: Deals 857 + (INT × 1.2) Shadow Damage, applies Bleed (3 sec)

[Shadow Legion]: Summon 3 Abyssal Minions (25% of user's stats, lasts 20 sec)

[Grasp of the Deep]: Immobilize up to 3 enemies, 511 shadow damage

[Abyssal Shell]: Shield equal to 30% HP, reduces sanity loss by 50%

[Whispers of the Seal]: Passive. Increased drop rate of abyssal relics from sealed locations.

Relics Equipped:

Riftpiercer (Weapon – Epic): +15% against Abyss-tier enemies, can bypass armor.

Blackwake Crest (Accessory): +5 Sanity Regen, unlocks ancient sea dialogues.

Zone Entry: Drowned Cathedral

They dove below the reef line, their path lit only by the glow of soul crystals strapped to their gear. Ancient stone pillars jutted from the ocean floor like broken ribs, and ahead, the Drowned Cathedral emerged—half submerged, half floating in a warped gravity vortex.

"Looks like a temple built in defiance of gravity itself," Brandon murmured.

Inside, the water was strangely breathable. No air pockets, no bubbles—just pure pressure, pressing on their minds. Every sound was muted and stretched, as if time itself slowed.

[New Debuff: Mind Echo]

5% chance per skill cast to hear whispers of past guardians.

These may contain hints… or false visions.

As they moved deeper, the team encountered Mirror Wraiths, enemies made of reflective abyssal glass.

[Status Window – Mirror Wraith]

Level: 52

HP: 11,247

Skills:

Reflective Shatter (AoE DMG: 779 + 15% of incoming attack)

Echo Blink (short teleport)

Wail of Fractures (Confuses 1 player for 6 sec)

Ethan cast [Void Rend] → 883 Damage, bleeding effect triggered.

Brandon followed with [Titan Break] → 1,177 CRIT, shattering the Wraith's upper half.

Mira's [Aqua Purge] cleansed the Mind Echo debuff just before Thalos became confused.

"I don't trust any reflection here," Thalos muttered. "These things steal more than just appearance."

Event Triggered: Guardian of the Hall of Memory

Inside the sanctuary chamber, a statue wept black ichor.

[Guardian Encounter: Namorion, The Lost Cantor]

Level: 54

HP: 38,999

Skills:

Tide Requiem: Soundwave (AoE, 981 DMG)

Sorrow Echo: Sanity Drain (15 over time)

Cantor's Blessing: Heals himself by 2% HP when near relic-bearing players

Fight Highlights:

Ethan: [Grasp of the Deep] → 511 Damage + Rooted Namorion

Brandon: [Savage Cleave] → 1,363 CRIT, causes Namorion to stagger.

Mira: [Light Pulse] → Heal 1,088 + removes 1 Mind Echo

Thalos: [Rune Shatter] → 731 Damage, interrupts Sorrow Echo cast

Namorion's requiem wailed across the temple, nearly crushing their sanity meters. Ethan activated [Abyssal Shell], absorbing the next pulse.

Final blow:

Ethan → [Shadow Legion Swarm]

Total damage dealt over 10 seconds: 4,719, with 3 summons chipping away.

Namorion collapsed into a shadowy mist, revealing the Leviathan Fragment – Segment 2.

Quest Item Acquired: Fragment of Leviathan (2/11)

Effect: +3% damage to all abyssal beings

Passive: Grants "Fragment Hunger" – attracting stronger abyssal foes

A new mural shimmered into view behind the altar. It showed the Cantor facing off against a monstrous eel-like shadow. Below it was a name:

Gozrel – Abyssal Herald of Hunger

"He's next," Ethan said grimly. "Each fragment... each guardian... and one step closer to the full Leviathan."

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