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墨書 Inktalez
A dark mass loomed over the two, accompanied by a sharp, piercing cacophony of "caw, caw, caw," which carried an unsettling hint of terror. Seven was knocked to the ground, still bewildered by the sudden turn of events. Thousands of black-eyed crows swooped down upon them, and in an instant, Second let out a horrific scream as his clothes were shredded to pieces, his back riddled with wounds that formed in the blink of an eye.
In a panic, Seven rolled over and pinned Second beneath him just as the crows dove again, their shadows filling the space around them.
Without hesitation, Seven tore off his coat, grasping one end and tossing the other into the fire. The moment the fabric touched the flames, it ignited. As the crows approached, Seven swung the burning coat like a fiery baton, creating a ring of fire. Several crows collided with the flames and were instantly engulfed.
The crows emitted even more anguished cries, their bodies ablaze like headless flies as the fire spread among them.
The flock became disoriented; chaos erupted as some crows crashed into others, disrupting their formation. Panic spread through the group; every creature fears death, even those that have long danced with it.
Seven continued to wave his coat, and the crows' screams grew more intense.
One larger crow screeched sharply several times before the remaining unburned ones began to retreat through a doorway. This larger crow was the last to leave, casting a venomous glance at Seven as if it possessed human-like malice.
A chill ran down Seven's spine, but there was no time to dwell on it. Hundreds of crow corpses lay scattered on the ground, some still twitching in their death throes, their cries low and mournful—though death came swiftly for them.
Second lay on the ground, his face contorted in pain. His back was torn open in several places, blood trickling from his head. He felt as if needles were stabbing throughout his entire body. Seven tossed aside the burning coat and lifted Second to carry him closer to the fire for protection against another attack from the crows.
Second's eyes widened in terror as sweat poured down his forehead like rain; yet he managed to suppress any groans of pain. Seven looked at Second's wounds, unsure how to proceed. Second cursed at him: "What are you waiting for? Hurry up and help me bandage this!"
With a choked voice, Seven replied, "Thanks, Second. I'll remember this favor."
A warmth spread through Second's heart despite his harsh words: "When did you become such a wimp? Hurry up!"
Seven wasted no time; he pulled out his dagger and heated it over the flames. "I'm going to start now, Second," he said before Second could respond. He pressed the hot blade against Second's back without warning. Taken by surprise and unprepared for the pain, Second let out a scream and cursed, "You idiot! At least give me a heads-up next time!"
Seven paused and retorted, "I can't act like a wimp."
They both burst into laughter—a strange sound given their dire situation.
Seven took a swig from the leftover alcohol and sprayed it onto Second's back. The burning sensation jolted Second's body violently; blood began seeping from his wounds. Quickly, Seven wrapped bandages around Second's injuries until he resembled a mummy. The intense pain had diminished significantly after that.
Seven was now bare-chested, his well-defined muscles giving him a rugged appearance. Second slowly stood up, and Seven rushed over to support him. "We should call Third to help you with that later," Seven suggested. Second responded with a slight nod.
After their brief exchange, silence enveloped them. Suddenly, a savory aroma wafted through the air. "How could I forget? The crows lying on the ground are already roasted," Seven exclaimed.
Both of them were indeed very hungry. Seven picked up a crow and used his dagger to prepare it. A perfectly roasted bird soon lay before Second. At this point, they didn’t care whether the crow was edible or not; having something to eat was already a blessing. They devoured two or three dozen crows in one go, finishing with satisfied burps. "Damn, it's been ages since I've eaten so heartily," Second remarked.
"I want to feast on meat and fish when we get out of here," Seven added. "I want to try all the delicacies of the world," Second replied. After their meal, they began to chat casually, laughter filling the air.
As they talked, an unsettling chill crept over them. Could it be that the crows had returned? They cautiously glanced at the entrance but saw no movement. Looking elsewhere yielded no discoveries either.
Exchanging glances, they both looked up simultaneously to see a blood-red coffin hanging coldly above them, isolated and eerie. It seemed that it had been obscured by the crows earlier, but now it was fully visible. They felt rooted to the spot as a shiver ran down their spines. What kind of trouble was this? A sense of helplessness washed over them as they regarded the coffin, which hung there with an air of authority, exuding an inexplicable aura of sanctity.
They raised their heads and weighed their options, thoughts racing through their minds. "This thing is definitely not good news; we should get out of here," Seven suggested. Second shared the same sentiment. They began to back away slowly, careful not to make any sudden movements that might disturb whatever lay within the coffin.
With cautious steps, they turned around, ready to make a run for it.
But suddenly, the coffin fell with a loud thud without any warning, startling them both. Despite the noise, the coffin remained intact. They stood frozen in shock at what had just happened, unsure whether to flee or stay put; ultimately, curiosity got the better of them.
After calming themselves down a bit, Second winced at the pain from his wound, his expression betraying discomfort. Seven also wore an uncertain look on his face. Gathering their courage, they slowly approached the coffin; with each step closer, their anxiety grew and the air felt colder. Yet they pressed on until they were nearly touching it. Unable to resist any longer, Seven leaned in closer.
"This coffin seems like a treasure—thousand-year-old wood! These local tycoons really have money!" Seven marveled. Everything here appeared valuable, yet nothing could be taken away. Sighing, he reached out to touch the coffin but was smacked on the hand by Second. "Don’t touch anything recklessly," he warned.
Seven withdrew his hand, realizing that living in this place required utmost caution! They circled around the coffin once more; its blood-red surface was so finely crafted that it reflected their shadows. The coffin measured about five feet long and two feet high, sealed so tightly that there seemed to be no way in or out. It radiated an aura of orderliness while also being visually striking.
"Could this be it?" Second said, pointing at the statue of the girl. Seven nodded solemnly. "How about we open it and see what's inside?" Second was eager to do just that. After a brief discussion, they prepared to take action.
Second picked up a metal rod from the ground, while Seven grasped a dagger and began to consider how to approach the coffin.
Using the dagger, Seven pried at the seam between the coffin lid and the coffin itself, slowly revealing a gap wide enough for the blade to fit in. He exerted more force, but the lid remained unmoved. Second inspected the coffin and discovered that it was sealed with nails. "It's nailed shut," he warned Seven.
Upon hearing this, Seven carefully examined the coffin and found that it was secured with over twenty nails. Second, having sustained an injury, couldn't muster much strength. "This is going to be tricky," Seven muttered.
"Why don't we just break the coffin?" Second suggested. The moment he said it, he regretted his words; Seven immediately dismissed the idea. Destroying a deceased person's coffin was a significant taboo. They sat on the ground, contemplating their next move. "I think we should just leave," Seven finally said.
But Second replied, "If we don't open it, I can't shake this feeling." After hesitating for a moment, Seven perked up again and said, "I feel the same way... so let's do this." They resumed their stealthy actions like tomb raiders, though neither had any professional knowledge.
After observing for a while, they decided to remove the nails one by one. Once they made that decision, they got to work. After some time, they managed to extract the first nail, creating a hole in the back of the coffin. They continued with the second and third nails until they reached the tenth nail. At that point, Seven pried again with his dagger and created an opening large enough for a fist.
Once pried open, the coffin did not emit the expected stench of decay; instead, a faintly elegant fragrance wafted out. After removing the eleventh nail, Second inserted his metal rod into the gap. Together, they applied force at a pressure point and flipped the lid off.
However, as they did so, they lost their balance and fell to the ground. They slowly got back up while feeling along the edge of the coffin. Seven had several small scratches on his bare torso, while Second leaned against his chest, breathing heavily. They both peered into the coffin and froze in astonishment as if their breaths had stopped; their eyes filled with disbelief as they forgot what to do next.
Inside lay a young corpse, remarkably well-preserved. If one didn't know it was a dead body, one might think he was merely asleep with his eyes closed. He wore an ancient garment with his hair tied up in a bun; his face bore an expression of serene tranquility, pale skin, and his eyes seemed to hold vitality—he exuded an air of nobility. Beside him lay a precious sword.
What astonished Second and Seven even more than these adornments was the man's appearance.
He looked exactly like Third. If it weren't for his ancient garment, they would have mistaken him for Third without hesitation. Both were now filled with uncertainty and remained trapped in disbelief at what they had discovered.
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