The Black Coffin

In the desolate outskirts of the graveyard, it was hard to imagine that such a chilling place existed near Greywood Hall. Noah fixed his gaze on Calvus, who met his look with well-concealed emotions, giving away none of his thoughts.

Demon worshippers follow the voices of demons, heed their teachings, build altars for them, prepare secret rites, and harvest souls to offer to their distant masters in Hell. Noah knew they were everywhere, the very targets demon hunters were sworn to eradicate.

"You're still one now?" Noah frowned.

"No." Calvus looked out over the graveyard. "…I will no longer worship demons. I've committed unforgivable sins that brought me lifelong remorse."

"You reap what you sow."

"I know." Calvus sighed. "I regret the foolishness of my youth, and for years I've been tormented with no reprieve."

"To what extent did you go... communicating with demons? Preparing sacrifices for them? Or did you summon them?" Noah pressed.

"I dare not recount it." Calvus's face showed pain. "At first, it was just some... enchanting trinkets, then I couldn't stop myself from seeking more information about it, poring over books about it, questioning those who had encountered it. I abandoned my family, my property, and peaceful life, obsessed with its voice. And finally, I found a way to contact it and, as if possessed, followed every instruction it gave me. I… I couldn't help myself."

"Where is it?" Noah scanned the graveyard.

"Please follow me." Calvus led Noah deeper inside.

The trees were barren, surrounded by large clumps of flowers now withered and gray. No birds or beasts stirred, and the silence was only broken by the soft squelch of boots on the earth. Beyond the iron gates lay the gravedigger's cottage, with a band of hired soldiers standing guard, saluting Calvus with confused and uneasy expressions, as if their duty at this graveyard had heaped upon them undue stress.

Most people were buried hastily, without even a coffin, but this expansive cemetery was clearly owned by aristocratic families. Noah studied the gravestones with their inscribed names and birth-death dates.

"This land once belonged to the Loubet family." Noah read the surname on a tombstone. "How did you come to possess their graveyard?"

"When the plague ravaged the land, the Loubet family suffered heavy losses, their fortunes declined, generation by generation. Their last heir was killed by the Centurion Gang, and so his widow sold this plot to me for 2000 silver coins," Calvus walked with measured steps.

The plague... that was an event from one hundred fifty years ago, Noah reflected. Back then, the Lomenese had no cure for the dreadful contagion until physicians from the Montanian Empire brought advanced medical practices that saved the nation.

"Is the Centurion Gang still active?" Noah knew them as a notorious bandit group around Greywood Hall.

"They never rest. In many parts, their word carries more weight than Lord Reine's," Calvus shook his head.

After another minute's walk, Noah saw a strange black coffin at the center of the graveyard.

The coffin was not buried but stood upright on the soil, narrow and tall in a hexagonal shape, painted entirely in black, which made it particularly unnerving. Several iron chains were wrapped around it, securely locking it in place, appearing quite difficult to open.

"This is it? The demon…" Noah's brows furrowed.

"Yes… I implore you," Calvus spoke with sorrow, "demon hunter, this is what I beseech you to do. I will offer everything I have in exchange… just help me end this nightmare. Ever since I unwittingly summoned it into this world, it has haunted me…"

"Tell me everything you know, or I can't proceed."

"Firstly, I can assure you, I've severed all ties with the demon, reformed completely, though I lived under its shadow for many years. I have not followed its commands since, refusing to obey it."

"I don't believe you." Noah shook his head.

"Ah…" Calvus looked surprised, his face changing.

"The influence of a demon on a person's heart is long-lasting and persistent. You can't assure me that your current actions are entirely your own. Perhaps summoning me is also the result of the demon's subtle manipulation," Noah stated coldly.

Gladius approved, "You're getting to know demons better."

"… Is that so?" Calvus looked wearily at the black coffin, "Then, Mr. Demon Hunter, what should I do? If it intentionally made me call you, aren't you also in danger?"

"I'm not afraid of danger," Noah stepped closer to the coffin to examine its contours, "Being timid doesn't suit a demon hunter, does it? Keep talking."

"The demon referred to itself as the Prince of Voices. My first contact with it was in a shop, where I heard a small amulet emitting an entrancing sound. I bought it, and listened to it day and night, eventually hearing guidance in the sound. As I said before, I used all my resources to collect objects related to demons, and the voice's instructions became clearer. It instructed me to conduct a ritual to summon it from its realm filled with marvelous music, to bring beauty to this world… and I actually believed it."

"The realm filled with marvelous music… you mean boundless Hell."

"After it descended, the first thing it did was… take over my daughter's body. I was terrified, yet couldn't destroy it… she was my child!"

"Your daughter? Is she in the coffin?" Noah was shocked.

"Yes… I had no other choice… I tried everything. It made terrible noises, drawing countless calamities like birds, bats, and beasts to my house, heeding its commands. It could produce all manners of sounds, projecting its voice across the West Coast, causing innumerable troubles. It manipulated people with this ability, causing chaos. Many were deceived by it, lured in or murdered…" Calvus was in agony.

"How did you manage to confine it in the coffin?"

"What could I do? I needed to atone. I sought out the main cathedral in the West Coast, begged Master Pendra for help. He cast a Silencing Curse to block my house, then contained it, allowing me to take it somewhere else for confinement. That's why I came to Greywood Hall, to imprison it. When it was active, it used its evil power to send and receive voices, secretly establishing many organizations. For years, I've been battling them while trying to cut off the monster's contact with the outside… my daughter… I locked her alive in that coffin, and every time I think of it, I…"

"Master Pendra did the right thing." Noah vaguely knew of other chapel hunters' deeds but was not well-informed, "Imprisoning the demon is better than simply exorcising it, which would allow it to resurrect in Hell."

"But my power has limits, I can't watch over it anymore. I sealed the coffin, refusing to communicate with it. But the people I sent to guard it couldn't bear it. They kept hearing strange noises and one by one asked to leave. Initially, I changed guards once a year, then every three months, and now, every day they beg me to leave, unable to endure the noise from the coffin. What should I do? The situation is beyond my control; I can only seek help from a demon hunter again." Calvus gestured towards the guards by the gravedigger's cottage. The mercenaries returned his gaze with impatience, already frazzled.

"…" Noah pondered.

"Banish it, I can no longer imprison it," Calvus pleaded, "You're a demon hunter, you can do it."

The Prince of Voices… a demon that manipulates sound…

"Do you have any idea how to handle them?" Noah asked Gladius internally.

"The Prince of Voices…" Gladius mumbled, "Such a stupid name, but it's no god-demon; there's no such name among the god-demons. It must be a high-ranking demon… and its superior might be a sound demon, a music demon, a Lord of Shouts… who knows."

"You should know how to deal with them."

"Slit it open!" Gladius bellowed, "These noisy creatures have no status in Hell! Stab your blade into the coffin, hack whatever's inside in two, and the dispute's over!"

"We need to protect the girl who's been taken over." Noah murmured to himself.

"She sounds like she's become a vessel for the demon. Given how long her soul's been eroded, it's likely corroded to nothingness… just a shell… let me cut!" Gladius howled.

Noah glanced at Calvus.

"If you help me rid of this 'Prince of Voices,' I'm willing to support your cause, become your loyal companion," Calvus offered Noah his absolute concession, humbling himself.

"Lord Calvus, if I have to destroy this 'Prince of Voices,' it means killing your daughter, then..."

"Please don't… I beg you… please don't… she's my only daughter… isn't there a way to simply exorcise the demon, driving it away from her?" he begged.

"Is the Prince of Voices now free, able to affect those around it? How strong is it now?" Noah inquired.

"One of the mercenaries I hired couldn't bear the noise from the coffin, tried to smash it… but suddenly he bled from all orifices and died on the spot. I was terrified, and since then, I've never dared to touch it."

Is it that dangerous? Noah stared at the coffin.

Seeing Noah's changing expression, Calvus could only sigh, "If my daughter can't survive, then I must accept that fate. Please proceed, demon hunter."

"…I will try to find a way. But since the Prince of Voices can now exert such a strong influence, you must leave quickly… to avoid getting involved. I can't promise to spare your daughter, and if the situation changes, if even I'm not safe, then I'll have no choice but to kill her and banish the demon inside."

"Words cannot express my gratitude," Calvus bowed to Noah, then beckoned his people to leave the cottage, "Let us depart! Leave matters to the hunter lord."

Noah folded his arms and circled the black coffin. He heard no sounds with his ears; the coffin's lid fit tightly, leaving no seams for noise to escape.

"Go on!" Gladius urged. "I'm hungry."

"There are still doubts, let me think," Noah told it to quiet down.

Thud—Thud—

Suddenly, Noah heard knocking from within the coffin, a dull and infrequent sound, surely not made by a hand.

A chill ran down Noah's spine.

What could it be?