Definitely weird. You beat Raa once but her guards didn't follow you into the catacombs, right? Usually the game puts you into the catacombs and oncy you're there you get a message to hold SHIFT to run away. I always just killed them and returned to Raa for the final battle. I wonder what happens if you avoid them and try to go back to Raa without defeating them. Is THAT what you did before you saved this?
Anyway, messing around with the Switches and Variables I was able to Edit your Save so that you can go into the Catacombs and Raa's guard will ambush you, then you can defeat them and continue on:
Save 28 - MEGA
This WILL be an ambush, so you might want to Cast Fury of Llavanya 2X then top off HP/MP at one of the arcane fires. They're faster than your MC and do significant damage. If you lose, you'll have to fight Raa starting off with 1HP.
The arcane fire that's normally in the entrance are of the catacombs... just disappeared, but you can always mummify yourself and go deeper into the catacombs to the next arcane fire to heal up.
ALSO weird... I actually lost my last soul shard to Raa whilr playing the Edited Save... and the Reaper didn't replenish them. The game just topped off my HP/MP and threw me back into the final fight with Raa... so afterwards I was walking around with 0 Soul Shards., I wonder what would happen if there was a Domina left to lose to or offer a soul shard... can I go NEGATIVE? lol