"Fuck! Bastard!"
Two loud curses rang through the chamber, attracting the group's attention towards the forefront.
There, Alex was swiftly moving towards the white haired boy who looked enchanted and didn't notice the incoming uppercut that shook the heart of everyone present.
Grating, then followed with a jaw breaking crack sounds.
Then second to move was Flynn, completely throwing caution to the wind, his eyes glinted as he began to run forward before the remaining two could react.
Following was the pompous girl whose eyes widened realizing what it was on the Stone Slab.
'No wonder, he isn't stupid after all'
At first he found it suspicious about the white haired boy not uttering anything upon reaching the Stone Slab, but then noticing the moonlight hole above the ceiling; these suspicions were instantly vanquished by the relief of finding a way out. Not until Alex cursed out did he sense what was on the stone slab, before the remaining two could react.
'A Carved Scripture.' Flynn thought.
There were 3 types of Scriptures in the world.
Written Scriptures, Painted Scriptures, and Carved Scriptures being the rarest was the most valued due to how hard it was said to craft by Ancient Humans, barely few had existed by the time the Modern Humans found them, and almost never seen after the Reckoning.
How Scriptures came to be, no one really knew.Only that, after terms such as Relics and Artifacts came to existence. Scriptures came third, being the last change brought forth by the Reckoning. Because unlike other Historical Monuments which served as an anchor for Diabolical Creatures to manifest, Historical Art pieces not consisting of Sculptures, became a one time Technique Anchor or a Technique itself. Meaning it anchored one into the locked memories of the life they lived while facing their Tribulation to learn a random Technique they practiced. Sometimes it could be useless or extremely powerful in combat.
A Bearer with an Acquired Technique fared much better than one without, before reaching Marquise level at least.
Encountering one in opposition was dangerous if they used their Techniques which either came in Singular or consisted of a series of other moves.
And why was it highly sought for? Because a Scripture could only be used once, granting one Technique before completely vanishing, reappearing 20 years later.
Reaching the Stone Slab, Flynn's eyes shone with amazement as it reflected the gently glowing work of art under the moonlight.
Lions, Tigers, Monkeys, Elephants, Rhinoceros, Deers, and the birds of the sky such as Eagles and Falcons, as much as he could recognize, carved in a life like manner, very distinctive that even a child would make form of it, were carved into the Stone Slab to their finest details.
'Such fallacy, even with the Stellar Technologies of the current Society, no one would be able to craft such god-like wonder.' Flynn thought in amazement, as his eyes roamed the Slab, widening as it moved further, because then he came to realize the carvings of these animals hadn't been randomly depicted but a gathering that included even the aerial ones, all towards the peak of a cliff to the right of the Stone Slab. There a huge Giant Wolf was depicted, standing on its four hind legs at the edge of the cliff as it oversaw the animals. Then at its back.. A carved full moon, much bigger than the wolf, was resting at the right upper corner of the Slab. The vast soft glow that illuminated the chamber came from it. After having mysteriously made the passing moonlight from above pin-point towards it.
If only they had seen how it was earlier.
Zzzzzz! Zzzzz! Zzzzz!..
Startling the group, before Alex could send the White Haired boy rocketing towards the other side of the Chamber with a vile punch in his guts, everyone froze at the reappearance of the Carnivorous Swarm, feeling a sense of Horror dawn over them.
This time seemingly endless, more of them flew out of the large holes on the walls- which weren't there before- in an organized manner, much more like a colony.
Apparently somehow or rather someone had activated a trap, but there was no time to ponder. The group quickly reacted, their back against each other as they cautiously stared at the Swarm that seemed not to attack but instead wanted to gather their whole force before commencing.
' No way I am dying like this.. Am I ?' Asking a rhetorical question of which no one responded, Flynn's thoughts which were usually dead silent instantly became active, as his eyes darted continuously between the Swarm which were forming a circle around them while refusing to move further than the receding moonlight.
' Fuck it' throwing the Stone Slab a glance, not wanting to ruin such art piece he humped on it the next instant with rest of the group following after, apparently taking note of the Swarm's caution to Moonlight.
One…
Two…
Three…
By now the area covered in moonlight was only about one meter, with the atmosphere filled with trepidation under the lit red spotting eyes of the Swarm.
'Now it fucking feels like we are the focus of a stage highlight, Superstars about to be offered to a Swarm of Carnivorous Insects.'
'Fuck you Ancestors!'
Cursing at his Ancestors and bleak and bleak future, any moment from now they would be nothing but bones remaining, devoured in a seconds.
"Bastard!"
But suddenly there was a loud curse, not from Flynn but behind him just as the area covered by moonlight continuously receded.
A bit disheartened of his thoughts being discarded before his death, with a nonchalant look of someone who had submitted to fate he turned backward…
'One, two, three…'
'One, two, three…'
Glancing at Alex's clenched fist which seemed to have been grasping tight on to something, his pupils dilated and yet right under his gaze, Alex disappeared. A moment later, just as he stared dazedly into the empty space, where the gritting Alex had been, Amelia whose head turned slightly also disappeared. Leaving him and the pompous looking to stare at each other in horror
By now the area covered by moonlight was only about fifteen centimeter around them even after they squeezed their breath dry…
Then she disappeared.
Although more space was left for him, he almost couldn't move having tightly shut his eyes as the Swarm were so close to gnawing him.
'Wait, wasn't I the one who brought up these Teleportation stuff…'
Clenching shut both eyes as tight as he could, the buzzing sound of the entire Swarm like death's whisper. Flynn thought with a hint of wistfulness in his heart, as death took hold over him.
'I'll be damned.'