A Monk and a Saint is one of the key quests in The Blood of Dawnwalker if you are chasing St. Mihai’s Broken Sword and the weapon’s eventual transformation into the Imbued Sword of St. Mihai.
The quest sends Coen across Svartrau City, beginning in the grim Middens before moving into Svartrau Cathedral, its courtyard, and an underground crypt where a very dangerous encounter with Mihai, Patron of the Cathedral awaits.
There are multiple ways to reach this quest. You can follow Anca’s questline, beginning with Echoes of Silenced Bells and progressing through Between the Words, or you can discover Night Terrors around Svartrau Cathedral. Both routes eventually connect to the investigation surrounding St. Mihai and his broken sword.
This guide covers everything you need to know, including Albertus’s exact answers, the cathedral route, St. Mihai’s symbol, the correct grave, the underground passage, Mihai’s attack patterns, the boss strategy, all major rewards and loot, and the path into Forge It Anew.
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A Monk and a Saint Quest Details
- Game: The Blood of Dawnwalker
- Quest: A Monk and a Saint
- Location: Svartrau City, Middens and Svartrau Cathedral
- Recommended Level: Around 22–25+
- Time: The direct route costs about 1 Time Unit, although the overall time investment can vary depending on your route and optional objectives
- Main Reward: Broken Sword of St. Mihai
- Additional Rewards: 1,000 XP and 1 Skill Point
- Follow-up: Forge It Anew
- Boss: Mihai, Patron of the Cathedral
The Blood of Dawnwalker is a time-sensitive RPG, so when you tackle this quest matters. The game was released in September 2026 and follows Coen, a young man caught between his human and vampiric sides while trying to save his family.
More Time-Sensitive RPG Guides: Knowing exactly how long a game’s story will take you matters just as much as knowing quest details. For more, read our breakdown of how many cycles it takes to finish Star Wars Zero Company’s campaign.
How to Start A Monk and a Saint
The most direct story route begins by progressing through Anca’s questline.
First, complete Echoes of Silenced Bells. Continue through Between the Words, which eventually points Coen toward Albertus and the mystery surrounding St. Mihai’s sword.
There is another route into the quest through Night Terrors.
If you discover Night Terrors around Svartrau Cathedral and investigate the strange activity surrounding the cathedral courtyard, you can be led directly into A Monk and a Saint. This is especially useful because the two quests overlap around the cathedral and St. Mihai’s crypt.
Quest Requirement for the Anca Route
If you are following Anca’s storyline, make sure Echoes of Silenced Bells is complete before expecting the Albertus objective to appear.
Once the quest becomes active, your first major destination is the Middens, the rundown district on the western side of Svartrau City.
Find Albertus in the Middens
Travel to the Middens and activate Focus Mode while exploring.
The district is dangerous, with hostile dogs roaming through the ruined settlement, but the real clue you need is written across the walls.
Look for the strange scribblings and glyphs covering the walls. Follow these markings through the Middens until they lead you to a house that is almost completely covered in them.
Enter the house and you will find Albertus, the monk Coen has been looking for.
Albertus is not exactly in a normal state of mind. Instead of simply talking to Coen, he requires you to use charcoal and provide the correct answers about St. Mihai’s history.
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Albertus’s Riddle Answers
This part is important because the answers need to be entered in this exact order:
- “Abelard the Sorrowful.”
- “Svartrau Plaza.”
- “His penance, the place of his redemption.”
- “Never once set foot inside it.”
- “St. Mihai, a great warrior, arrived at Vale Sangora.”
Get these answers right and Coen can complete the conversation and continue the investigation into St. Mihai’s sword.
This section awards 150 XP.
Before leaving Albertus’s house, search the surrounding books and loot. The route also points toward a Witchcraft Manual, so it is worth thoroughly checking the room rather than rushing straight outside.
Albertus ultimately reveals that St. Mihai’s sword is hidden beneath Svartrau Cathedral.
And that is where the investigation gets much more dangerous.
Investigating Svartrau Cathedral
The cathedral section can initially feel confusing because the route requires Coen to go upward before reaching the underground area.
If you are following the nighttime route, head toward the Cathedral Tower in eastern Svartrau City.
Climb the tower and, once you reach the top, turn south.
Your entrance into the cathedral is through the smaller southern tower.
Watch Out for Xanthe
As Coen enters the cathedral from above, a cutscene can trigger showing Xanthe, one of Brencis’s powerful underlings, performing a ritual inside.
Do not immediately drop down.
Stay on the upper levels and scaffolding to avoid alerting her.
It is technically possible to drop down and attempt to kill Xanthe, but this is not recommended if you are tackling the quest around its intended level. Xanthe is one of Brencis’s strongest minions, and fighting her early can turn this section into a much harder encounter.
Instead, keep moving carefully across the upper route.
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Find St. Mihai’s Symbol
This is one of the most important investigation steps in the entire quest.
Use Shadowstep to move between the cathedral’s upper platforms and scaffolding.
As you travel east, you will find several interaction points where Coen can inspect the cathedral’s frescoes.
The important one is the St. Mihai fresco.
The nighttime route uses the cathedral artwork to teach Coen what St. Mihai’s symbol looks like. Other cathedral investigation routes can provide the same information, so approaching the cathedral differently does not necessarily lock you out of the clue.
Once Coen knows the symbol, you can identify the correct grave in the courtyard.
And you definitely want to identify it before randomly checking the graves.
Enter the Cathedral Courtyard
Continue through the cathedral until you reach the exterior area.
A door leading outside is locked, but there is a key sitting on the barrels beside the door.
Take the key and open the door to enter the courtyard.
If you have not already completed Night Terrors, entering this area can trigger it automatically.
There are five soldiers guarding the courtyard, so clear them out before continuing your investigation.
Once the area is safe, it is time to follow the strange sound coming from below.
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Find the Howling Well
Head west through the courtyard.
You will hear strange howling coming from a well.
Interact with the well and jump down.
Follow the underground passage until you find a dead body.
Inspect it and investigate the note.
This investigation costs 1 Time Unit and reveals information pointing toward St. Mihai’s tomb.
You also receive 75 XP.
Continue into the next room, but be ready for a fight.
Several kobolds attack.
Defeat them and search the skeleton in the room. You can obtain the Noctis Scapulare Amulet here.
After collecting the loot, move the boulder blocking the way forward.
The underground route will eventually bring you back toward the surface and the gravesites.
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Find St. Mihai’s Tomb
Back on the surface, you will find five gravesites.
This is where knowing St. Mihai’s symbol becomes extremely important.
Look toward the cathedral.
St. Mihai’s grave is the second grave from the right.
Interact with the correct grave and follow the path into the underground crypt.
This is the entrance you have been working toward the entire time.
Before entering, make sure you are prepared.
Because waiting below is Mihai, Patron of the Cathedral.
How to Beat Mihai, Patron of the Cathedral
The crypt eventually leads Coen into the boss encounter against Mihai, Patron of the Cathedral.
Mihai has a large health pool, and his attack timing can be difficult to read, especially if you rely heavily on parrying.
The safest way to approach this fight is to pay close attention to his unblockable attacks and use those attacks to create your own damage windows.
This is not a fight where blindly attacking and trading damage is a great idea.
Let Mihai create the opening.
Then punish him.
Watch for Mihai’s Jumping Attack
One of Mihai’s major attacks begins when he draws his sword backward.
This signals an unblockable jumping attack.
Do not attempt to block it.
Instead, dodge sideways.
Once Mihai lands, there is generally a short opportunity to attack before he returns to his normal rhythm.
Use that opening, but do not get greedy.
One or two attacks are safer than committing to a long combo and getting caught by his next strike.
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Punish the Sliding Swipe
Mihai has another major unblockable attack where he slides across the ground with an unblockable swipe.
This is one of your best opportunities to deal serious damage.
During the movement, Mihai turns his back toward Coen.
Dodge the attack and immediately punish him from behind.
This is an excellent moment to use a Sword Art or Claw Art ability for a heavy burst of damage.
The key is timing: dodge first, then attack.
How to Handle Mihai’s Fog
Mihai periodically fills the arena with thick fog.
Once the fog takes over, visibility becomes extremely limited.
Resist the temptation to keep attacking blindly.
Unless you have a clear opportunity to land a Perfect Riposte, playing aggressively during the fog can leave Coen exposed.
Instead:
- Reposition.
- Stay defensive.
- Watch for Mihai to reveal himself.
- Wait for a safe opening.
The fog is designed to make you lose track of the fight, so staying calm is more valuable than trying to force damage.
Other walkthrough strategies similarly recommend treating Mihai’s fast lunges as attacks to dodge rather than relying on parries, particularly because of their speed and timing.
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The Best Strategy for Mihai
The fight becomes much more manageable when you stop trying to force the encounter.
Use this approach:
- Stay defensive against Mihai’s normal attacks.
- Dodge his unblockable jumping attack.
- Punish the recovery window after he lands.
- Dodge his sliding unblockable swipe.
- Attack him from behind after the sliding swipe.
- Use Sword Art or Claw Art abilities during the resulting opening.
- Avoid attacking blindly while the arena is covered in fog.
- Do not overextend after a successful counterattack.
- Focus on creating safe damage windows instead of trading blows.
The basic idea is simple:
Let Mihai create your openings instead of trying to force them.
That turns the fight into a patience test rather than a pure damage race.
Mihai Boss Fight Rewards
Defeating Mihai completes the main combat portion of A Monk and a Saint.
You receive:
- 1,000 XP
- 1 Skill Point
- Broken Sword of St. Mihai
The Broken Sword is the major reward because it is required for the next stage of the weapon questline.
But do not leave the crypt just yet.
There is still loot worth collecting.
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Loot the Crypt Before Leaving
After defeating Mihai, activate Focus Mode and thoroughly search the boss room.
Among the quest-related items you can find are:
- Broken Chains
- Worn Sheath
These items provide additional context surrounding Mihai’s fate and are relevant to the broader St. Mihai storyline.
You should also search the chests in the area for additional equipment.
The route includes the Black Winter Vambraces, so completely looting the crypt is worthwhile before moving on.
Do not make the classic mistake of grabbing the Broken Sword and immediately leaving.
Take a moment to search the room.
What Happens After A Monk and a Saint?
Completing A Monk and a Saint opens the follow-up quest Forge It Anew.
The Broken Sword of St. Mihai is not the finished weapon. Instead, it serves as the foundation for a larger weapon-restoration questline.
You will need to find the remaining sword pieces, take them to the appropriate uriashi blacksmith, and complete the restoration and tempering process.
The completed chain eventually produces the Imbued Sword of St. Mihai, turning the broken weapon recovered from Mihai’s crypt into a powerful legendary greatsword.
The full weapon route also connects to the Arbiter’s Blade achievement/trophy.
So, yes—the broken sword is only the beginning.
More Patience-Based Boss Fight Guides: Waiting for the right opening rather than forcing damage is a strategy that pays off in plenty of other boss fights. For more, check out our Screaming Mantis boss guide for MGS4’s most mind-bending battle.
A Monk and a Saint — Quick Walkthrough
Want the route without all the detours? Follow these steps:
- Complete Echoes of Silenced Bells as part of Anca’s questline.
- Progress through Between the Words to receive the lead on Albertus.
- Travel to the Middens west of Svartrau.
- Activate Focus Mode and follow the wall scribblings.
- Enter Albertus’s house.
- Pick up the charcoal.
- Answer Albertus’s five questions in this exact order:
- “Abelard the Sorrowful.”
- “Svartrau Plaza.”
- “His penance, the place of his redemption.”
- “Never once set foot inside it.”
- “St. Mihai, a great warrior, arrived at Vale Sangora.”
- Travel to Svartrau Cathedral.
- At night, climb the eastern cathedral tower.
- Enter through the southern tower.
- Use Shadowstep to reach the scaffolding.
- Inspect the St. Mihai fresco to learn his symbol.
- Reach the courtyard.
- Defeat the five soldiers.
- Investigate the howling well.
- Enter the underground passage.
- Inspect the body and read the note.
- Defeat the kobolds.
- Search the skeleton and collect the Noctis Scapulare Amulet.
- Push the boulder aside.
- Return to the five graves.
- Select the second grave from the right.
- Enter St. Mihai’s crypt.
- Find and awaken Mihai.
- Dodge his unblockable attacks and punish his openings.
- Defeat Mihai, Patron of the Cathedral.
- Collect the Broken Sword of St. Mihai.
- Loot the Broken Chains and Worn Sheath.
- Search the crypt for additional equipment, including the Black Winter Vambraces.
- Continue into Forge It Anew to begin restoring St. Mihai’s sword.
More Post-Boss Loot Checklists: Forgetting to loot a room after a tough fight is an easy mistake to make in any RPG. For more, read our Onimusha: Way of the Sword guide to all 5 hidden treasure locations and how to find them.
Important Tips Before Starting
Don’t rush the cathedral
If you are attempting the nighttime route, stay on the upper scaffolding and avoid dropping into Xanthe’s area.
Learn St. Mihai’s symbol first
The courtyard grave is connected to this investigation. Learning the symbol makes identifying the correct grave much easier.
Don’t discard the Broken Sword
The Broken Sword may not be the finished weapon you want, but it is an essential component of Forge It Anew.
Loot Mihai’s room completely
The Broken Chains and Worn Sheath can be easy to miss if you immediately leave after the boss fight.
Also check the chests and collect the Black Winter Vambraces.
Fight Mihai defensively
Mihai’s unblockable attacks are the heart of the encounter.
Dodge the jumping attack and sliding swipe, then punish the openings they create. Avoid overextending and do not blindly attack through the fog.
Use the nighttime route when you need the direct path
If you are short on time, the nighttime route can take you toward the essential Mihai encounter more directly.
The daytime cathedral route contains additional investigation opportunities and rewards, while the nighttime approach can get you to the core quest objective faster.
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A Monk and a Saint Rewards
Completing the quest gives you:
- Broken Sword of St. Mihai
- 1,000 XP
- 1 Skill Point
- Forge It Anew follow-up quest
The Broken Sword is ultimately part of the route toward the Imbued Sword of St. Mihai.
So if you are building toward St. Mihai’s finished weapon, A Monk and a Saint is the first major step.
From the creepy writings in the Middens to the cathedral scaffolding, the hidden grave and the crypt beneath Svartrau, this quest packs investigation, exploration and a serious boss encounter into one tightly connected route.
And when Mihai finally falls, you walk away with more than just another quest reward.
You have the broken remains of a weapon that can eventually become one of the most important pieces of the St. Mihai weapon questline.
Image Credits:
- Featured Image: Rebel Wolves / YouTube @ConCon
- Image 2: Rebel Wolves / YouTube @ConCon
- Image 3: Rebel Wolves / YouTube @ConCon
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