#23 Raiders of the Lost Tomb [1/2]
Author: Anonymous until reveals
Prompt#: 23
Title: Raiders of the Lost Tomb
Rating: PG
Length: 12.8K
Summary: None of the theories professor Huang Lei had about General Sun Hong Lei’s tomb included a demon
Notes: A great prompt I don’t feel I did justice to, but thanks to the prompter for it. Many thanks to my betas, O (who asked the right questions), S (who gave the right suggestions and said the right jokes) and G (for the feedback). But most of all, thanks to the mods for spreading the Showxing love.
The sound of the train as it entered the station was loud enough to drown Wang Xun’s voice. A big cloud of steam was coming from the locomotive at the front. It passed by the group of archeologists that were waiting on the platform to get on and head to their destination. A screeching noise was heard when the train did a full stop and Yixing covered his ears to mute it.
The guards on the platform started guiding the people who were getting off. The station was soon flooded with people that were coming to the city. Yixing and his group, on the other hand, were ready to depart and leave it behind.
Professor Huang Lei was the first to speak up. “Let's go, boys!” he said, while directing a helper from the station to take his trunk inside.
The man seemed to struggle, but the professor paid little attention to him. He was more interested in telling Wang Xun and Yixing about their destination.
“There's going to be a man waiting for us at the end of this trip. He will guide us to the mountain where the tomb is supposed to be.” He was excited and it could be heard in his voice.
Then, when the station helper came out, he gave him a small tip and put his fedora on top of his head. Wang Xun followed his boss’ action. They were both dressed in grey three-piece suits, whereas Yixing only had slacks and a white shirt. As a penniless archeology student, he had only enough to eat and not enough to spend on smart clothes.
“Wang Xun, bring in your trunk,” Professor Huang Lei reminded his assistant.
Wang Xun scrambled to his trunk, nodding quickly, with his lower lip trapped by his two front teeth. “Of course! Of course, professor!” The movement of his head made his glasses fall off.
Yixing was fast enough to catch them before they touched the ground and broke. “Here you go, Wang Xun,” he said, handing the glasses to his owner.
“Thank you, Yixing!” Wang Xun grinned at him widely. “You've got great reflexes!”
“Hop! Hop!” The professor said leaning over from the stairs at the door of the wagon. “We don't have all day! We have a General to find!”
Yixing lifted up his light trunk easily in his arms. He had very little inside and most were books and his notes from classes. Next to him, Wang Xun’s steps faltered as he tried to hold up his own luggage.
Once they found their compartment where the professor was waiting for them, Wang Xun plopped down on the bed in front of Huang Lei’s, leaving Yixing to pick one of the upper beds.
“The General is supposed to be near Yongtai Village,” Professor Huang Lei explained to the other two as they all settled in their respective spots. “I have found a contact who will guide us to the mountain where I guess the General is.” The voice of the professor reached Yixing’s ears. The man continued explaining the whole thing while Yixing and Wang Xun took notes.
“Excuse me, professor?” Yixing interrupted him, leaning over his bed to look at the man. His own round glasses threatened to fall down, but he caught them.
“Yes, Yixing?” The professor looked up at him. He was a man with a serious face, who seemed cold at first, yet his expression changed instantly back when Yixing had expressed the desire to study with him.
“How long will the journey take?” Yixing asked timidly.
“It won’t be long, boy. It’s one night and two days only.” The reply was accompanied by a sympathetic smile.
Yixing tried to hide his sigh from the professor and his assistant. It was going to be a long trip. The Professor continued with a detailed story of General Sun Hong Lei’s life, a man who filled history books with the stories of his battles won, yet whose tomb remained a hidden mystery. More than twenty-four hours of Huang Lei’s monotonous voice was going to drive Yixing mad, no matter how calm Yixing was in general.
After more than twenty-four hours of professor Huang Lei’s voice? even if it wasn’t as dull as Yixing expected it? and Wang Xun’s snores, Yixing was more than glad to get off the train. His body was sore; he’d had very little chance to move since they spent most of the trip inside their compartment.
Cracking his neck, Yixing plopped down his trunk on the floor of the station, as they waited for their guide. According to the Professor, he was a man that could be trusted, a reliable contact. Yet, the man that walked up to them had a smile on his face that spoke of mischief. He was hiding his eyes behind a pair of sunglasses. He wasn’t dressed as smart as the professor; he looked like a man who lived a much simpler life.
“Professor Huang?” He approached the group. Even his voice gave Yixing little to trust. “I’m Huang Bo!”
The professor’s reaction was one of joy, as this man was the one who would take them closer to the General. “Pleasure to meet you,” he said, extending his hand.
Huang Bo shook it energetically, flustering the professor. Then, he turned towards Yixing, who timidly took his hand. Yixing’s arm flapped violently as he introduced himself towards the man. When it was Wang Xun’s turn, Huang Bo told them to gather their things and follow them to a car waiting for them at the entrance of the station. Yixing glanced at the professor’s assistant, who dejectedly let his hand fall to the side.
“There are no Inns in Yongtai Village, so you’ll be staying at my home,” Huang Bo explained. The tone in which his spoke made professor Huang uncomfortable. Yixing saw him sit a bit straighter inside the car.
The ride was long. The noises coming from the car and the bumps in the ride didn’t let Yixing listen to the sounds of nature surrounding them. The scenery of the place was made of the trees that run along the path. When a patch of lower trees, appeared, Huang Bo pointed to a mountain behind them.
It wasn’t very high and Yixing wondered why they’d be the first ones to inspect it. Maybe the trip up was dangerous or difficult to climb. It did look beautiful in the landscape, fitting to the tomb of a General.
The mountain disappeared again behind the lines of trees and soon they were in the outskirts of a small village. The houses were shorter than the city’s, closer too. Yixing could imagine this being a place where everyone knows everyone and everything that happens can’t be kept secret for long.
“We’re here!” Huang Bo hopped off the car before it stopped. Wang Xun followed him and stumbled off to the ground. Their guide turned around, not paying attention to the man on the dirt and spoke again. “Get settled and get ready for a welcoming fest.” He showed them one more grin before he stepped into the house.
Like the rest of the ones around it, it was a traditional house with a black roof and a white wall. They crossed the wooden door to find a small courtyard. Several plants were scattered around the place. It looked cozy and different from Yixing’s small rented room in the city. He could see himself sitting on the stone steps that lead to the house, reading in the sun.
After they were done, Huang Bo took them to a small square in the center of the city. People had placed tables in the center, which were then covered with all different plates of food. It was a welcoming ceremony, nothing like any of the groups of archaeologists had expected. The people of the Village were surprisingly inviting. They guided them around the tables; a young girl around his age took Yixing’s hand in hers and lead him to a chair in the main table. She told him things rapidly in her own dialect that got lost in Yixing’s foreign ears. All he could do was blush and stutters a shy ‘thank you’.
The Governor of the village was sitting in the same table. He also spoke in dialect, but Huang Bo took the job of explaining them in the standard language what the man was saying. The professor was seriously nodding along, since they were being told about the mountain and how long they people of the village had known there was something there.
“What is there?” Yixing asked quietly, thinking that his question would get lost in between the sounds and noises of the party.
But Huang Bo’s attentive ears caught it. A smirk spread on his face before he explained. “Us, villagers, believe there’s something on that mountain. Sometimes from afar, we can hear sounds of voices that howl at night.” As the man spoke, the people around the grew quiet. “At times, they sound like laughter. At others, screams of pain.”
A woman near Yixing shivered after the last words. Yixing looked at his professor to find the man with pursed lips. It was clear he didn’t believe them. Professor Huang Lei was a man of science and rational explanations. According to him, from what Yixing could see on his face, up there on the mountain there was only one thing and one thing only, The Tomb of General Hong Lei.
They sat down on the same car as the day before. Protectively, Yixing curled his hands over the leather of the suitcase with his working elements, hoping the bumps on the way would not make a mess of what was inside. The path they were taking was the same one to enter the village. Once again, the lines of trees covered the mountain, until a clearing came where a side path appeared.
The car turned right brusquely causing Wang Xun to bump into Yixing. The man apologized while laughing cheekily. In front of them, professor Huang sat quietly staring ahead in between Wang Xun and Yixing, probably assessing the mountain. Years of studying about the General were concluding with the finding and excavation of his Tomb.
When they reached the mountain, the car stopped. The group of archaeologists got off. Wang Xun was in charge of carrying the heaviest equipment; Yixing would have offered to help, but a back injury from many years before stopped him from doing it.
Looking up, Yixing found the mountain towering above them, covered in bright green and a bit of white on top. Tall trees with their bright green bushes didn’t allowed to see anything else inside. The sun shined from the side of it, illuminating it all. It was a fascinating sight that left Yixing in awe.
“Let’s go!” Huang Bo’s cheeky voice spoke.
“How are we going to ascend?” The professor asked.
Huang Bo turned towards him with a raised eyebrow. “Our feet?” He replied.
Wang Xun’s whining made Yixing feel pity, but he didn’t say anything.
Huang Lei took off his fedora to pat down his hair and put it back on before saying, “Ok, then.” An expectant smile showed up on his face.
Yixing took his suitcase and followed the other two men, leaving Wang Xun to struggle alone a few feet behind.
The ascent wasn’t as difficult as they expected. Huang Bo kept telling them it wasn’t so much up. According to the professor’s analysis, the Tomb wasn’t at the top. But they weren’t exactly sure where. What they had to do was walk closely to the side of the mountain, step in between the tall trees, be careful with the roots above the ground ? a warning specifically for Wang Xun. The deeper they got into the woods, the darker it got. The sun could find only tiny spaces in between the branches to enter and lighten the way. Yet, as noon came, the air was fresh, since the sun was not burning down their necks. The three older men did sweat a lot more than Yixing; professor Huang had to wipe his face and neck often with a handkerchief.
There was a path, hidden in between the tall trees, that Huang Bo found after a while. Following it, they realized that it was a path done by men. A few trees had grown along the way, but it was easy to distinguish the way as they walked.
It didn’t take them much longer to find the entrance of a cave at the end of the path.
“I can’t believe this!” Huang Lei exclaimed joyfully. “We found it!” Although it wasn’t confirmed that it was the tomb, they all felt relief.
Venturing into the cave with only their gas lanterns to guide them through the darkness, the four men kept quiet. Their steps were as silent as possible, until Wang Xun bumped into a small rock and stumbled forward. Yixing’s reflexes were quick enough to prevent him from falling and breaking the lantern. Both men that walked ahead of them turned around to shush Wang Xun, who apologized quietly. The walk in the dark kept going for a few minutes. There was nothing to see aside from the cold stone walls of the narrow passage.
Huang Bo was the one leading the way. He walked by a smaller passage that came into view on their right. The professor followed him and so did Wang Xun. Yixing stayed back staring at the empty darkness of the narrow passage. Motionless in his place, he stared. There was nothing to see and the only sounds were the fading steps of his team. Yet, if he focused on it, he could hear something else, a hollow, echo-y sound, like the wind calling him. Attracted by this, he stepped into the passage. The last thing on his mind was that he was supposed to stay with the group.
The lantern did nothing to help his sight. All he could do was follow the sound, which became stronger the closer he got. The sound was constant, flowing in the air, enchanting Yixing and capturing his entire attention.
A stone on his way made him trip. He regained his balance, after a few unstable steps. When he lifted his head again, he saw it.
A short archway stood proudly in front of Yixing. Not too high, barely touching the stone above, it had wide columns with carvings around them. Like other archways in China, it had black tiles that ended in a curl. The opening in the middle let Yixing see the Altar with ceramic gifts on top and, further on, the burial mound.
Yixing had found the Tomb of General Sun Hong Lei.
He could shout in happiness. He could jump and celebrate. What he did was stay quiet, staring in awe at the result of years of professor Huang’s studies. Slowly, barely lifting his feet, he walked through the archway, placing the lantern on top of the altar. He paid little attention to it, as his eyes were focused on the light grey stone of the mound. Inside of it laid the General. Yixing stepped closer, letting his hand run over it. It was hard and cold, just like any other stone. Yet, it made Yixing’s heart beat faster than any other stone he’d ever touched before.
Following the trail of his hand with his eyes, he found carvings beneath the mound. In order to take a better look, he stepped back and went to grab the lantern, his eyes never leaving the mound. A sudden crash startled them and he turned around. Pieces of a broken ceramic laid scattered on the ground. Something that must have survived centuries was easily broken in a few seconds of distraction.
“Ayowei!” Yixing exclaimed, dropping to the floor picking up the pieces rushedly. A slight sting on his hand made him drop them. He checked his hand but the lantern was too far to see how bad the cut was.
“Ah! Finally! It’s been centuries!” An unknown voice spoke right behind him.
Slowly, Yixing turned around. The sight he found was that of a man in ancient clothing, sitting on the altar, stretching his arms up, bending to the sides. The man cracked his neck, and sighed, sounding relieved, before his eyes set on Yixing. The man’s thick lips thinned as a smirked formed on his face.
“Who are you?” The man tilted his head to the side as he looked curiously at Yixing.
“Zh-zhang Yixing,” he whispered stuttering.
“And what are you doing here, Zh-zhang Yixing?”
The man jumped off the altar and strutted around the place, leaning over to look at everything that caught his attention. He had long, black hair half tied up in a small bun on the back of his head. Yixing noticed his face; how his wide nose scrunched when he pointedly look at the vases on the altar, or how he squinted his eyes when his focus was on the carvings. His clothing was a traditional red robe that reached his feet, and from the slits on the side, he could see black pants. The man wandered around until he turned towards Yixing again.
“I asked you a question.” The man pursed his lips and walked up to Yixing. He was only a few inches taller than Yixing, but the way he leaned in made Yixing’s back bend backwards a bit.
“I’m? I’m an archaeology student,” he explained.
“A what? What is that?” The man leaned in even closer. It made Yixing extremely uncomfortable.
“Archaeology?” The man hummed. “I study ancient places, objects, like this site.” He gestured at the mound. “And you?”
“Oh!” The man was surprised. “Sorry. I didn’t introduce myself properly.” Then, he took a step backwards and bowed respectfully. “I am Zhi Xiang, the demon of Sun Hong Lei’s tomb,” he said with a cheeky smile on his face.
“A what? A demon?” That was definitely not what Yixing expected to find when he walked into this cave.
“Ah. Yes. I haunt, destroy a few things, scare wanderers off this mountain. That’s the usual for me.” He waved his hand around as he explained, keeping the other one on his back. “So, tell me Zhang Yixing… Did you come here alone?” The demon’s eyes turned darker and narrower. He stepped closer again, trapping Yixing against the altar. “Can I have a little fun with you, Zhang Yixing?” His voice became hollow, echo-y and it made a chill run down Yixing’s back.
Yixing gulped down. “Uhm… no?”
“Oh! Pity!” Zhi Xiang exclaimed and stood up straight again, leaning away from him “Hey,” he said looking at Yixing’s scared face. “I’m just playing with you. It’s been boring here. This man,” pointing at the mound, “is surprisingly insane and it gets tiring after a few years. Imagine centuries!” He raised up his arms exasperatedly.
“Is he a demon too?” Yixing looked at the stone.
“No, he’s just a spirit. An annoying one.”
“I can hear you,” came a new voice, hollow and distorted.
“I know you can hear me. We’ve been hearing each other for SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS!” Zhi Xiang exclaimed, stamping his palm on the stone repeatedly with each word. Any human would feel pain, but the demon showed no signs of it. “Be quiet!”
Thunderous, the new voice raised up. “You do not disrespect me! I shall punish you!”
Zhi Xiang laughed boisterously, lifting his hand from the stone and stepping away. The sound echoed in the stone walls of the Tomb. “I’m the demon here!” Then, he flourished both hands, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
“Let me out!” Echoed again the voice.
With a final wave, Zhi Xiang crossed his hands and then moved them back to the sides swiftly.
Quiet. Just a quiet echo of the previous noise remained, until it all became silent again.
“Better,” Zhi Xiang muttered. He ran his fingers through his black hair, which reached to his shoulders. “You wouldn’t have a ribbon, would you?” He asked, turning towards Yixing.
“Uhm... No.”
Yixing started stepping away, hoping to get his timing right and run away. A loud crack came from under his foot and when looked down he saw the problem that started it all. The ceramic laid there on the ground, reminding Yixing of his mistake.
“Ohhh…” Zhi Xiang spoke. Then, he clicked his tongue judgingly. “You broke my home.”
He narrowed his eyes at Yixing, slowly walking to him, clearly with the intention of cornering him again. But Yixing was faster, and dodged just in time. He ran away, feeling Zhi Xiang’s laughter following him close. He didn’t turn to look once; all Yixing wanted to do was run away from the demon and the spirit. His legs stretched as far as he could go. Strong sounds echoed in the narrow passage when his feet touched the ground. He didn’t care about making noise, even his breathing was harsh as he kept on running. Only once he was out to the main passage, right where he had separated from the group, did he stop to calm himself. With a hand on the stone wall and the other on his knee, he leaned down, trying to catch his breath.
“I just wanted to play, little sheep.” Zhi Xiang’s mocking tone came right from behind him.
Cold ran down Yixing’s spine as he stood straight and turned around to meet the demon. Zhi Xiang looked amused in the most dangerous way.
“Please, don’t hurt me,” Yixing begged quietly, lower lip barely jutting out.
“Oh! You’re adorable!” Zhi Xiang then pinched his cheek. Without Yixing knowing it, the demon trapped him against the wall quickly. “Little sheep, I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered, leaning in closer. Yixing couldn’t feel puffs of air hitting his face, even if he spoke so close to him. The demon didn’t breathe.
There was barely any light. Yixing had left his gas lantern back in the Tomb. All he could see was Zhi Xiang, because the demon was standing really, really close. And in the dark, the red lines in his eyes scared Yixing. A wicked smile spread on the demon’s lips.
Before Yixing could scream, hurried footsteps resounded in the stone passage. Zhi Xiang stepped backwards, slowly, unsurprised, with his eyes still on Yixing.
The first one to arrive was Huang Bo, followed by the professor. The light of the lanterns illuminated their worried faces. They were looking at Yixing, not paying attention to the demon who was quietly hiding in the dark shadows where the light couldn’t reach.
“Are you okay, Yixing?” Professor Huang Lei grabbed his shoulders and frantically searched for any sign of harm. “Where were you? Where’s your lantern?”
“I…” Yixing pointed at the narrow passage. “I deviated, professor, and I found?” He glanced at the wall behind Huang Lei. Zhi Xiang was not saying anything. “I found the tomb.”
A gasp was heard as Wang Xun arrived. “What happened?” He asked, panting.
“Where is it?!” Huang Lei didn’t hide the excitement from his voice. “Take us there!” He said, letting go of Yixing’s body.
Huang Bo listened curiously, a little bit of surprise showing on his face, as if he didn’t expect to find the tomb.
They all followed Yixing, who was too scared to turn around and check if the demon was still there. With the professor’s lantern in hand, he guided them through the stone, careful with his steps. He could see far away ahead a faint light that was probably his own lantern still on top the altar. The men behind him whispered excitedly. The professor kept repeating words like “years of research”, while Wang Xun only hummed in agreement. Huang Bo’s voice cam at random times, expressing his surprise about the tomb being real.
The gasps of the men behind him reminded him of his first shock when he’d found the tomb. It was impressive, although small. The professor stepped forward, passing by Yixing, and let his hands discover the carvings on the archway. Wang Xun followed with a wide grin on his face. Huang Bo took his time to get close, but when he found his wits again, he strutted forward to the stone behind the altar. The three men took in the sight of the General’s Tomb.
“This… this is amazing!” exclaimed the professor.
Huang Bo remained skeptic. “This is real?”
“Is he blind?” A voice that spoke close to Yixing’s ears gave him chills. He could feel the demon’s mouth when it moved. “Why can’t he believe his own eyes?” There was curl of distaste in his voice as he spoke.
“I don’t know…” Yixing murmured quietly.
“Mmm? Did you say something, Yixing?” Professor Huang Lei turned to him curiously. He looked only at Yixing.
When Yixing turned to his side, Zhi Xiang wasn’t there. When he looked straight ahead at the professor, the demon’s face was peeking from behind the man, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
“Nothing, professor.”
“Oh! What happened here?” Wang Xun asked, squatting down to see the pieces of ceramic left on the floor.
“Uhm…” Yixing started to think how to explain it, when he realized that all the men were motionless, in different positions, not looking at him. Time went still.
“So… What are you going to say, Zhang Yixing?” The demon’s voice came once again from behind him. This time, though, it wasn’t only his mouth what he felt. Zhi Xiang laid his hands on Yixing’s shoulder, inching closer and then rubbing down his arms. The coldest touch Yixing had ever felt made him shiver.
“I’ll tell them the truth.” His voice quivered a little.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” The demon walked around him until he was facing him. “What if the man, the one with the glasses, gets mad at you? I can help you, Zhang Yixing.” The mischievous glint in his eyes scared Yixing and told him not to trust him nor accept his help. “I can wipe their memory for you. I can do whatever you ask me to do, Zhang Yixing?”
Yixing bit his lower lip, before determinedly looking into the demon’s eyes. The red lines were even more intense. “Un-stop time,” he said.
The demon rolled his eyes and, sighing, twirled his right hand around.
“What?” Huang Bo was looking straight at him.
“I left the lantern on the altar. I wasn’t looking when I wanted to grab it again and i accidentally hit something.” His heart beat fast in his chest, waiting for the professor’s reaction.
The man looked at him quietly, lips tightly closed, until he spoke. “It’s okay, accidents happen in sites. Be more careful, Yixing.”
Yixing didn’t get enough time to let relief settle on his body. “You’re not entertaining me, Zhang Yixing,” Zhi Xiang whispered in his ear. This time the voice was an echo. When Yixing took a look around, the demon was nowhere to be seen.
“It’s pretty late,” the professor said, looking at his pocket watch. Yixing’s stomach grumbled since he hadn’t eaten anything all day. “We should head back home and come back tomorrow to study the tomb closely.”
Everyone agreed with the man and Yixing took his gas lantern before heading to the passage. Wang Xun took notes as he walked, describing the path towards the tomb for where they would return. Yixing was the last one to step out back into the woods. Another chill ran down his spine when he heard a soft whisper.
“Goodbye, Zhang Yixing.”
That night he dreamed of dark eyes and a wicked smile. It wasn’t a nightmare. He didn’t feel fear when he saw Zhi Xiang; all he felt was curiosity.
The following day it was easier to find the place. The hike up the mountain was less tiresome, since Huang Bo quickly recognized which path they should take, while Professor Huang Lei wrote on his diary as he walked, describing the characteristics that could help them in the future if they ever needed to get there on their own. Wang Xun was once again in charge of carrying most of their equipment, although Yixing helped him a bit more.
The woods were lively at that time of the morning. When Yixing remembered the events of the day before, he wondered if it had all been a dream. The mountain didn’t seem like the home of a demon and a spirit, as it was full of life, with nature enveloping the group of archaeologists. Yixing knew the tomb was real because the professor wouldn’t shut up about it. But Zhi Xiang’s existence, that’s what Yixing doubted the most.
When they stepped into the narrow passage and arrived to the tomb, all the objects and artifacts were there, along with the archway and the stone mound. On the floor, the fragments of ceramic still laid abandoned.
“Wang Xun, set the lighting,” Professor Huang Lei ordered. His assistant hurried to follow and started working on setting the complicated apparatus. “Yixing, help me clear the altar. Carefully.” The man then said, taking off his fedora and his topcoat. He rolled up his sleeves. Yixing did the same with his own and stepped in to help.
“What’s the big deal about this place?” Huang Bo spoke up. He was leaning against the archway looking around the cavern.
“Oh! This is General Sun Hong Lei, according to my theories,” Huang Lei explained as he grabbed vase and inspected it carefully.
While he said that, Yixing remembered the carvings he had found on the mound and wasn’t able to read. This time he grabbed a lantern with as much care as possible and squat down in from of the stone. There were a few characters carved into it, which Yixing read out loud.
???? (wén wu shuang qua´n)
“General Sun Hong Lei was a powerful man, an intelligent strategist. A man of pen and sword, as the words Yixing’s just read indicate,” came the professor’s voice from behind him. “See? Beneath them, there’s the General’s name.” Yixing’s eyes traveled lower and found the name.
“But who was he?” Huang Bo stepped closer as he spoke. And Yixing moved out of the way to let him read.
Wang Xun made a surprised noise. “Don’t you know him?”
Huang Bo glared at him, but before he could reply, Huang Lei continued. “Although a famous man in China’s history, the curious thing is that there were no records of his tomb. We have records of every battle he won and how, but none of where he was buried. I always wondered why.”
Huang Bo wasn’t the only one paying close attention to the professor as he spoke, so were Wang Xun and Yixing.
“Interesting story,” an echo-y voice whispered in Yixing’s ear, making him gasp loudly.
When the other three men looked at him questioningly, he coughed to pretend there was no demon standing right beside him. They focused once again on the professor, while Yixing could still feel Zhi Xiang's presence behind him.
"He came from a respected family of scholars," Huang Lei continued. "And surprised his family's and everyone's expectations when he pursued a career in military. A curious decision that historians haven't found an explanation to yet." The professor kept explaining as he walked around the stone mound, maybe hoping to find the answer written somewhere.
"If only they knew..." the demon spoke quietly.
Yixing turned to him, and after glancing at the other men who were busy discussing theories, he stepped closer to the entrance, hidden behind the archway. "You know?" He whispered as silently as he could.
The demon nodded, pleased with his secret. He didn't seem willing to give in and spill it.
"Please, tell me." Yixing put his hands in front of himself, ready to beg. That information might be useful to understand all the mysteries surrounding General Sun Hong Lei.
Leaning against the archway, Zhi Xiang pursed his lips and looked up, a very well done thinking pose. "What's in it for me?" His eyes then traveled down Yixing's body, making the young guy uncomfortable.
"Yixing!" Wang Xun's voice came from the other side. "Come and help me with this."
With one last look at the demon, Yixing turned around and joined the professor's assistant. They spend the rest of the day carefully brushing, cleaning and categorizing everything they found. Professor Huang Lei guided them through the task, excitedly telling them all about the materials, designs and use of everything they found. Yixing found that the demon was gone when he remembered to check.
"Let's take some of these with us," the professor told them, pointing at a small truck. "The broken pieces too."
When they left the cave, Yixing expected to hear Zhi Xiang's voice again. But the mountain was silent that evening.
During dinner at Huang Bo’s, the professor and Wang Xun kept discussing what they were going to do with their discovery. They couldn’t move the stone mound nor the archway. If they wanted to take anything back with them, they could only take the artifacts and vases, anything was that was easy to move.
“I don’t get how it was built,” said Huang Bo, while the group of archaeologists enjoyed the meal he had prepared for them. Huang Bo had proven himself to be a great cook. “The passage is too narrow to transport something like that.”
“Oh, well… it was common for tombs to be built inside. The separated materials were easier to transport,” explained Huang Lei.
“Oh! I see.” Huang Bo nodded.
Yixing swallowed the meat he was chewing on before he joined the conversation. “Building a tomb like that one would usually take a lot of time.”
They continued explaining to him all the theories about the construction of the tomb, but none of them could actually explain why there were no records of it saved. It still remained a mystery to them why the resting place of one of the most important Generals in the history of China was hidden near a far off village. As their conversation died down, Yixing’s mind went back to Zhi Xiang. Maybe the demon would have an explanation, he’d have to ask him the next time he saw him.
It didn’t take long. When they all went to sleep to their respective rooms, Yixing found his bed occupied by a now familiar figure dressed in a red robe. Zhi Xiang was on his back, with his arms under his head and his eyes closed. Before Yixing could say anything, the demon opened his mouth.
“So this is where you sleep.” It wasn’t a question. There was a hint of amusement in his voice that could be seen in his eyes when he opened them to take a look around.
Yixing nodded and closed the door, letting the demon get acquainted with the room and everything in it. Zhi Xiang took the chance; he jumped off the bed to lean over the desk and get a closer look at Yixing’s notes.
“That’s what I’m studying,” Yixing explained. He didn’t need to, but he felt that if he opened up to the demon, the demon would open up to him.
“The tomb.” Zhi Xiang nodded with pursed lips. “You draw well,” he then said and looked straight at Yixing.
“Thanks,” Yixing said. Slowly he stepped away from the door and sat down on his bed. The demon closed his notebook, moved it to the side and plopped on top of the desk, the same way he had done on the altar when Yixing met him. “May I ask… how you got here?” Yixing asked, trying not to sound rude. He didn’t know much about demons and didn’t want to find out the wrong way.
“Oh! Easy. The vase I’m bound to is here.” He had the same wicked smile as always when he said it.
“Ahhh…” So the vase had a magical connection with the demon. “So wherever the vase is is where you’re going to be. I thought you were bound to the tomb or the mound.” Yixing moved backwards until his back touched the wall, leaving his feet hanging on the edge of the bed. He looked far more comfortable than he felt.
“The vase has been in that cave for a long time. I haven’t seen the outside since?” He narrowed his eyes at Yixing. “Oh, little sheep, I see right through you.” Yixing felt sweat run down his back. He forced himself to stay still when Zhi Xiang hopped off the desk. “What do I get for this information?” The demon asked, leaning closer to Yixing, placing one knee on the bed.
Once again, Yixing felt cornered. “Uhmm…” He had very little to offer.
“Fun. Entertainment. That’s all I ask,” Zhi Xiang whispered dangerously. He was then crawling over Yixing’s over. “Or maybe just your soul,” he said, sitting right on Yixing’s lap.
Yixing’s body hurt from the tension. Too afraid to move, he stared straight into the eyes of the demon. There was light in the room so the red lines in his eyes were faint, barely visible.
“I’m- I’m not fun,” Yixing stuttered.
“Yeah, I can see that,” replied Zhi Xiang rolling his eyes and pulling away from Yixing. He laid again on the bed, with his legs over Yixing’s. “Can I get a foot massage at least?”
The request was so absurd that Yixing choked on air. “I’m sorry?”
“A foot massage, in exchange for information.” The demon threw away his sandals easily and wiggled his toes in front on Yixing’s face. His feet didn't look dirty, nor smelled bad, so Yixing went ahead and started working on it.
“So…” Yixing started.
“So,” said Zhi Xiang. His eyes were closed and his lips formed a very pleased smile, while Yixing kneaded his foot delicately. “What do you wanna know?”
Yixing thought carefully about what he would like to know first. There were many questions running through his mind, about the General and about Zhi Xiang too. He decided to take short steps. “How did you end up bound to the vase?” He asked quietly, his hands still at work.
“Oh… well, I was a free demon once,” Zhi Xiang explained. “But I got into trouble and was punished by the heavens to be locked in that vase. I would have had to wait thousand of years repenting, before I could be freed.” He sighed.
“Do you… uhm… live inside it? How does it work?”
“I don’t live inside it. But I just… stop… existing, so to say. Unless I’m released by the owner of the vase or someone else. I can speak through it though. That’s how Hong Lei and I had conversations. But after his death… well, I’ve been the one that controls it.”
Yixing’s fingers stopped. “Controls it?”
Zhi Xiang poked his hand with his toe, startling him. “Hong Lei’s spirit can’t exist without me.”
“So… now, he’s not conscious, or something like that,” Yixing wondered out loud, letting his hands focus back on their work. The demon’s feet weren’t smelly or sweaty. In fact, they only felt cold.
“Exactly.”
This was very interesting. If they could get Zhi Xiang to open a communication channel with the general, they’d probably get all the answers they were looking for. “And even if the vase is broken, you’re still bound to it…” Maybe he could get some sort of control over the demon.
“Not exactly.”
His hands stopped once again. Yixing looked at the resting demon on his bed. “What do you mean?”
“Zhang Yixing,” Zhi Xiang abruptly sat up straight and leaned in closer to him. His dark eyes glinted dangerously from so up close. “You released me, I’m bound to you.”
The words made Yixing’s mouth fall open. “But… but you said you were bound to the vase.”
“That’s also true. Since you broke the vase but not the seal, I can’t be fully free and I was accidentally bound to you.” The demon was smirking, pleased with Yixing’s reaction.
Something didn’t make sense. “Why did you come today and not yesterday then?”
“Actually, I did. But I didn’t show myself until you were sleep. What did you dream about yesterday night, little sheep?”
(part 2)
Prompt#: 23
Title: Raiders of the Lost Tomb
Rating: PG
Length: 12.8K
Summary: None of the theories professor Huang Lei had about General Sun Hong Lei’s tomb included a demon
Notes: A great prompt I don’t feel I did justice to, but thanks to the prompter for it. Many thanks to my betas, O (who asked the right questions), S (who gave the right suggestions and said the right jokes) and G (for the feedback). But most of all, thanks to the mods for spreading the Showxing love.
The sound of the train as it entered the station was loud enough to drown Wang Xun’s voice. A big cloud of steam was coming from the locomotive at the front. It passed by the group of archeologists that were waiting on the platform to get on and head to their destination. A screeching noise was heard when the train did a full stop and Yixing covered his ears to mute it.
The guards on the platform started guiding the people who were getting off. The station was soon flooded with people that were coming to the city. Yixing and his group, on the other hand, were ready to depart and leave it behind.
Professor Huang Lei was the first to speak up. “Let's go, boys!” he said, while directing a helper from the station to take his trunk inside.
The man seemed to struggle, but the professor paid little attention to him. He was more interested in telling Wang Xun and Yixing about their destination.
“There's going to be a man waiting for us at the end of this trip. He will guide us to the mountain where the tomb is supposed to be.” He was excited and it could be heard in his voice.
Then, when the station helper came out, he gave him a small tip and put his fedora on top of his head. Wang Xun followed his boss’ action. They were both dressed in grey three-piece suits, whereas Yixing only had slacks and a white shirt. As a penniless archeology student, he had only enough to eat and not enough to spend on smart clothes.
“Wang Xun, bring in your trunk,” Professor Huang Lei reminded his assistant.
Wang Xun scrambled to his trunk, nodding quickly, with his lower lip trapped by his two front teeth. “Of course! Of course, professor!” The movement of his head made his glasses fall off.
Yixing was fast enough to catch them before they touched the ground and broke. “Here you go, Wang Xun,” he said, handing the glasses to his owner.
“Thank you, Yixing!” Wang Xun grinned at him widely. “You've got great reflexes!”
“Hop! Hop!” The professor said leaning over from the stairs at the door of the wagon. “We don't have all day! We have a General to find!”
Yixing lifted up his light trunk easily in his arms. He had very little inside and most were books and his notes from classes. Next to him, Wang Xun’s steps faltered as he tried to hold up his own luggage.
Once they found their compartment where the professor was waiting for them, Wang Xun plopped down on the bed in front of Huang Lei’s, leaving Yixing to pick one of the upper beds.
“The General is supposed to be near Yongtai Village,” Professor Huang Lei explained to the other two as they all settled in their respective spots. “I have found a contact who will guide us to the mountain where I guess the General is.” The voice of the professor reached Yixing’s ears. The man continued explaining the whole thing while Yixing and Wang Xun took notes.
“Excuse me, professor?” Yixing interrupted him, leaning over his bed to look at the man. His own round glasses threatened to fall down, but he caught them.
“Yes, Yixing?” The professor looked up at him. He was a man with a serious face, who seemed cold at first, yet his expression changed instantly back when Yixing had expressed the desire to study with him.
“How long will the journey take?” Yixing asked timidly.
“It won’t be long, boy. It’s one night and two days only.” The reply was accompanied by a sympathetic smile.
Yixing tried to hide his sigh from the professor and his assistant. It was going to be a long trip. The Professor continued with a detailed story of General Sun Hong Lei’s life, a man who filled history books with the stories of his battles won, yet whose tomb remained a hidden mystery. More than twenty-four hours of Huang Lei’s monotonous voice was going to drive Yixing mad, no matter how calm Yixing was in general.
After more than twenty-four hours of professor Huang Lei’s voice? even if it wasn’t as dull as Yixing expected it? and Wang Xun’s snores, Yixing was more than glad to get off the train. His body was sore; he’d had very little chance to move since they spent most of the trip inside their compartment.
Cracking his neck, Yixing plopped down his trunk on the floor of the station, as they waited for their guide. According to the Professor, he was a man that could be trusted, a reliable contact. Yet, the man that walked up to them had a smile on his face that spoke of mischief. He was hiding his eyes behind a pair of sunglasses. He wasn’t dressed as smart as the professor; he looked like a man who lived a much simpler life.
“Professor Huang?” He approached the group. Even his voice gave Yixing little to trust. “I’m Huang Bo!”
The professor’s reaction was one of joy, as this man was the one who would take them closer to the General. “Pleasure to meet you,” he said, extending his hand.
Huang Bo shook it energetically, flustering the professor. Then, he turned towards Yixing, who timidly took his hand. Yixing’s arm flapped violently as he introduced himself towards the man. When it was Wang Xun’s turn, Huang Bo told them to gather their things and follow them to a car waiting for them at the entrance of the station. Yixing glanced at the professor’s assistant, who dejectedly let his hand fall to the side.
“There are no Inns in Yongtai Village, so you’ll be staying at my home,” Huang Bo explained. The tone in which his spoke made professor Huang uncomfortable. Yixing saw him sit a bit straighter inside the car.
The ride was long. The noises coming from the car and the bumps in the ride didn’t let Yixing listen to the sounds of nature surrounding them. The scenery of the place was made of the trees that run along the path. When a patch of lower trees, appeared, Huang Bo pointed to a mountain behind them.
It wasn’t very high and Yixing wondered why they’d be the first ones to inspect it. Maybe the trip up was dangerous or difficult to climb. It did look beautiful in the landscape, fitting to the tomb of a General.
The mountain disappeared again behind the lines of trees and soon they were in the outskirts of a small village. The houses were shorter than the city’s, closer too. Yixing could imagine this being a place where everyone knows everyone and everything that happens can’t be kept secret for long.
“We’re here!” Huang Bo hopped off the car before it stopped. Wang Xun followed him and stumbled off to the ground. Their guide turned around, not paying attention to the man on the dirt and spoke again. “Get settled and get ready for a welcoming fest.” He showed them one more grin before he stepped into the house.
Like the rest of the ones around it, it was a traditional house with a black roof and a white wall. They crossed the wooden door to find a small courtyard. Several plants were scattered around the place. It looked cozy and different from Yixing’s small rented room in the city. He could see himself sitting on the stone steps that lead to the house, reading in the sun.
After they were done, Huang Bo took them to a small square in the center of the city. People had placed tables in the center, which were then covered with all different plates of food. It was a welcoming ceremony, nothing like any of the groups of archaeologists had expected. The people of the Village were surprisingly inviting. They guided them around the tables; a young girl around his age took Yixing’s hand in hers and lead him to a chair in the main table. She told him things rapidly in her own dialect that got lost in Yixing’s foreign ears. All he could do was blush and stutters a shy ‘thank you’.
The Governor of the village was sitting in the same table. He also spoke in dialect, but Huang Bo took the job of explaining them in the standard language what the man was saying. The professor was seriously nodding along, since they were being told about the mountain and how long they people of the village had known there was something there.
“What is there?” Yixing asked quietly, thinking that his question would get lost in between the sounds and noises of the party.
But Huang Bo’s attentive ears caught it. A smirk spread on his face before he explained. “Us, villagers, believe there’s something on that mountain. Sometimes from afar, we can hear sounds of voices that howl at night.” As the man spoke, the people around the grew quiet. “At times, they sound like laughter. At others, screams of pain.”
A woman near Yixing shivered after the last words. Yixing looked at his professor to find the man with pursed lips. It was clear he didn’t believe them. Professor Huang Lei was a man of science and rational explanations. According to him, from what Yixing could see on his face, up there on the mountain there was only one thing and one thing only, The Tomb of General Hong Lei.
They sat down on the same car as the day before. Protectively, Yixing curled his hands over the leather of the suitcase with his working elements, hoping the bumps on the way would not make a mess of what was inside. The path they were taking was the same one to enter the village. Once again, the lines of trees covered the mountain, until a clearing came where a side path appeared.
The car turned right brusquely causing Wang Xun to bump into Yixing. The man apologized while laughing cheekily. In front of them, professor Huang sat quietly staring ahead in between Wang Xun and Yixing, probably assessing the mountain. Years of studying about the General were concluding with the finding and excavation of his Tomb.
When they reached the mountain, the car stopped. The group of archaeologists got off. Wang Xun was in charge of carrying the heaviest equipment; Yixing would have offered to help, but a back injury from many years before stopped him from doing it.
Looking up, Yixing found the mountain towering above them, covered in bright green and a bit of white on top. Tall trees with their bright green bushes didn’t allowed to see anything else inside. The sun shined from the side of it, illuminating it all. It was a fascinating sight that left Yixing in awe.
“Let’s go!” Huang Bo’s cheeky voice spoke.
“How are we going to ascend?” The professor asked.
Huang Bo turned towards him with a raised eyebrow. “Our feet?” He replied.
Wang Xun’s whining made Yixing feel pity, but he didn’t say anything.
Huang Lei took off his fedora to pat down his hair and put it back on before saying, “Ok, then.” An expectant smile showed up on his face.
Yixing took his suitcase and followed the other two men, leaving Wang Xun to struggle alone a few feet behind.
The ascent wasn’t as difficult as they expected. Huang Bo kept telling them it wasn’t so much up. According to the professor’s analysis, the Tomb wasn’t at the top. But they weren’t exactly sure where. What they had to do was walk closely to the side of the mountain, step in between the tall trees, be careful with the roots above the ground ? a warning specifically for Wang Xun. The deeper they got into the woods, the darker it got. The sun could find only tiny spaces in between the branches to enter and lighten the way. Yet, as noon came, the air was fresh, since the sun was not burning down their necks. The three older men did sweat a lot more than Yixing; professor Huang had to wipe his face and neck often with a handkerchief.
There was a path, hidden in between the tall trees, that Huang Bo found after a while. Following it, they realized that it was a path done by men. A few trees had grown along the way, but it was easy to distinguish the way as they walked.
It didn’t take them much longer to find the entrance of a cave at the end of the path.
“I can’t believe this!” Huang Lei exclaimed joyfully. “We found it!” Although it wasn’t confirmed that it was the tomb, they all felt relief.
Venturing into the cave with only their gas lanterns to guide them through the darkness, the four men kept quiet. Their steps were as silent as possible, until Wang Xun bumped into a small rock and stumbled forward. Yixing’s reflexes were quick enough to prevent him from falling and breaking the lantern. Both men that walked ahead of them turned around to shush Wang Xun, who apologized quietly. The walk in the dark kept going for a few minutes. There was nothing to see aside from the cold stone walls of the narrow passage.
Huang Bo was the one leading the way. He walked by a smaller passage that came into view on their right. The professor followed him and so did Wang Xun. Yixing stayed back staring at the empty darkness of the narrow passage. Motionless in his place, he stared. There was nothing to see and the only sounds were the fading steps of his team. Yet, if he focused on it, he could hear something else, a hollow, echo-y sound, like the wind calling him. Attracted by this, he stepped into the passage. The last thing on his mind was that he was supposed to stay with the group.
The lantern did nothing to help his sight. All he could do was follow the sound, which became stronger the closer he got. The sound was constant, flowing in the air, enchanting Yixing and capturing his entire attention.
A stone on his way made him trip. He regained his balance, after a few unstable steps. When he lifted his head again, he saw it.
A short archway stood proudly in front of Yixing. Not too high, barely touching the stone above, it had wide columns with carvings around them. Like other archways in China, it had black tiles that ended in a curl. The opening in the middle let Yixing see the Altar with ceramic gifts on top and, further on, the burial mound.
Yixing had found the Tomb of General Sun Hong Lei.
He could shout in happiness. He could jump and celebrate. What he did was stay quiet, staring in awe at the result of years of professor Huang’s studies. Slowly, barely lifting his feet, he walked through the archway, placing the lantern on top of the altar. He paid little attention to it, as his eyes were focused on the light grey stone of the mound. Inside of it laid the General. Yixing stepped closer, letting his hand run over it. It was hard and cold, just like any other stone. Yet, it made Yixing’s heart beat faster than any other stone he’d ever touched before.
Following the trail of his hand with his eyes, he found carvings beneath the mound. In order to take a better look, he stepped back and went to grab the lantern, his eyes never leaving the mound. A sudden crash startled them and he turned around. Pieces of a broken ceramic laid scattered on the ground. Something that must have survived centuries was easily broken in a few seconds of distraction.
“Ayowei!” Yixing exclaimed, dropping to the floor picking up the pieces rushedly. A slight sting on his hand made him drop them. He checked his hand but the lantern was too far to see how bad the cut was.
“Ah! Finally! It’s been centuries!” An unknown voice spoke right behind him.
Slowly, Yixing turned around. The sight he found was that of a man in ancient clothing, sitting on the altar, stretching his arms up, bending to the sides. The man cracked his neck, and sighed, sounding relieved, before his eyes set on Yixing. The man’s thick lips thinned as a smirked formed on his face.
“Who are you?” The man tilted his head to the side as he looked curiously at Yixing.
“Zh-zhang Yixing,” he whispered stuttering.
“And what are you doing here, Zh-zhang Yixing?”
The man jumped off the altar and strutted around the place, leaning over to look at everything that caught his attention. He had long, black hair half tied up in a small bun on the back of his head. Yixing noticed his face; how his wide nose scrunched when he pointedly look at the vases on the altar, or how he squinted his eyes when his focus was on the carvings. His clothing was a traditional red robe that reached his feet, and from the slits on the side, he could see black pants. The man wandered around until he turned towards Yixing again.
“I asked you a question.” The man pursed his lips and walked up to Yixing. He was only a few inches taller than Yixing, but the way he leaned in made Yixing’s back bend backwards a bit.
“I’m? I’m an archaeology student,” he explained.
“A what? What is that?” The man leaned in even closer. It made Yixing extremely uncomfortable.
“Archaeology?” The man hummed. “I study ancient places, objects, like this site.” He gestured at the mound. “And you?”
“Oh!” The man was surprised. “Sorry. I didn’t introduce myself properly.” Then, he took a step backwards and bowed respectfully. “I am Zhi Xiang, the demon of Sun Hong Lei’s tomb,” he said with a cheeky smile on his face.
“A what? A demon?” That was definitely not what Yixing expected to find when he walked into this cave.
“Ah. Yes. I haunt, destroy a few things, scare wanderers off this mountain. That’s the usual for me.” He waved his hand around as he explained, keeping the other one on his back. “So, tell me Zhang Yixing… Did you come here alone?” The demon’s eyes turned darker and narrower. He stepped closer again, trapping Yixing against the altar. “Can I have a little fun with you, Zhang Yixing?” His voice became hollow, echo-y and it made a chill run down Yixing’s back.
Yixing gulped down. “Uhm… no?”
“Oh! Pity!” Zhi Xiang exclaimed and stood up straight again, leaning away from him “Hey,” he said looking at Yixing’s scared face. “I’m just playing with you. It’s been boring here. This man,” pointing at the mound, “is surprisingly insane and it gets tiring after a few years. Imagine centuries!” He raised up his arms exasperatedly.
“Is he a demon too?” Yixing looked at the stone.
“No, he’s just a spirit. An annoying one.”
“I can hear you,” came a new voice, hollow and distorted.
“I know you can hear me. We’ve been hearing each other for SEVEN HUNDRED YEARS!” Zhi Xiang exclaimed, stamping his palm on the stone repeatedly with each word. Any human would feel pain, but the demon showed no signs of it. “Be quiet!”
Thunderous, the new voice raised up. “You do not disrespect me! I shall punish you!”
Zhi Xiang laughed boisterously, lifting his hand from the stone and stepping away. The sound echoed in the stone walls of the Tomb. “I’m the demon here!” Then, he flourished both hands, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
“Let me out!” Echoed again the voice.
With a final wave, Zhi Xiang crossed his hands and then moved them back to the sides swiftly.
Quiet. Just a quiet echo of the previous noise remained, until it all became silent again.
“Better,” Zhi Xiang muttered. He ran his fingers through his black hair, which reached to his shoulders. “You wouldn’t have a ribbon, would you?” He asked, turning towards Yixing.
“Uhm... No.”
Yixing started stepping away, hoping to get his timing right and run away. A loud crack came from under his foot and when looked down he saw the problem that started it all. The ceramic laid there on the ground, reminding Yixing of his mistake.
“Ohhh…” Zhi Xiang spoke. Then, he clicked his tongue judgingly. “You broke my home.”
He narrowed his eyes at Yixing, slowly walking to him, clearly with the intention of cornering him again. But Yixing was faster, and dodged just in time. He ran away, feeling Zhi Xiang’s laughter following him close. He didn’t turn to look once; all Yixing wanted to do was run away from the demon and the spirit. His legs stretched as far as he could go. Strong sounds echoed in the narrow passage when his feet touched the ground. He didn’t care about making noise, even his breathing was harsh as he kept on running. Only once he was out to the main passage, right where he had separated from the group, did he stop to calm himself. With a hand on the stone wall and the other on his knee, he leaned down, trying to catch his breath.
“I just wanted to play, little sheep.” Zhi Xiang’s mocking tone came right from behind him.
Cold ran down Yixing’s spine as he stood straight and turned around to meet the demon. Zhi Xiang looked amused in the most dangerous way.
“Please, don’t hurt me,” Yixing begged quietly, lower lip barely jutting out.
“Oh! You’re adorable!” Zhi Xiang then pinched his cheek. Without Yixing knowing it, the demon trapped him against the wall quickly. “Little sheep, I’m not going to hurt you,” he whispered, leaning in closer. Yixing couldn’t feel puffs of air hitting his face, even if he spoke so close to him. The demon didn’t breathe.
There was barely any light. Yixing had left his gas lantern back in the Tomb. All he could see was Zhi Xiang, because the demon was standing really, really close. And in the dark, the red lines in his eyes scared Yixing. A wicked smile spread on the demon’s lips.
Before Yixing could scream, hurried footsteps resounded in the stone passage. Zhi Xiang stepped backwards, slowly, unsurprised, with his eyes still on Yixing.
The first one to arrive was Huang Bo, followed by the professor. The light of the lanterns illuminated their worried faces. They were looking at Yixing, not paying attention to the demon who was quietly hiding in the dark shadows where the light couldn’t reach.
“Are you okay, Yixing?” Professor Huang Lei grabbed his shoulders and frantically searched for any sign of harm. “Where were you? Where’s your lantern?”
“I…” Yixing pointed at the narrow passage. “I deviated, professor, and I found?” He glanced at the wall behind Huang Lei. Zhi Xiang was not saying anything. “I found the tomb.”
A gasp was heard as Wang Xun arrived. “What happened?” He asked, panting.
“Where is it?!” Huang Lei didn’t hide the excitement from his voice. “Take us there!” He said, letting go of Yixing’s body.
Huang Bo listened curiously, a little bit of surprise showing on his face, as if he didn’t expect to find the tomb.
They all followed Yixing, who was too scared to turn around and check if the demon was still there. With the professor’s lantern in hand, he guided them through the stone, careful with his steps. He could see far away ahead a faint light that was probably his own lantern still on top the altar. The men behind him whispered excitedly. The professor kept repeating words like “years of research”, while Wang Xun only hummed in agreement. Huang Bo’s voice cam at random times, expressing his surprise about the tomb being real.
The gasps of the men behind him reminded him of his first shock when he’d found the tomb. It was impressive, although small. The professor stepped forward, passing by Yixing, and let his hands discover the carvings on the archway. Wang Xun followed with a wide grin on his face. Huang Bo took his time to get close, but when he found his wits again, he strutted forward to the stone behind the altar. The three men took in the sight of the General’s Tomb.
“This… this is amazing!” exclaimed the professor.
Huang Bo remained skeptic. “This is real?”
“Is he blind?” A voice that spoke close to Yixing’s ears gave him chills. He could feel the demon’s mouth when it moved. “Why can’t he believe his own eyes?” There was curl of distaste in his voice as he spoke.
“I don’t know…” Yixing murmured quietly.
“Mmm? Did you say something, Yixing?” Professor Huang Lei turned to him curiously. He looked only at Yixing.
When Yixing turned to his side, Zhi Xiang wasn’t there. When he looked straight ahead at the professor, the demon’s face was peeking from behind the man, a wicked smile playing on his lips.
“Nothing, professor.”
“Oh! What happened here?” Wang Xun asked, squatting down to see the pieces of ceramic left on the floor.
“Uhm…” Yixing started to think how to explain it, when he realized that all the men were motionless, in different positions, not looking at him. Time went still.
“So… What are you going to say, Zhang Yixing?” The demon’s voice came once again from behind him. This time, though, it wasn’t only his mouth what he felt. Zhi Xiang laid his hands on Yixing’s shoulder, inching closer and then rubbing down his arms. The coldest touch Yixing had ever felt made him shiver.
“I’ll tell them the truth.” His voice quivered a little.
“Are you sure you want to do that?” The demon walked around him until he was facing him. “What if the man, the one with the glasses, gets mad at you? I can help you, Zhang Yixing.” The mischievous glint in his eyes scared Yixing and told him not to trust him nor accept his help. “I can wipe their memory for you. I can do whatever you ask me to do, Zhang Yixing?”
Yixing bit his lower lip, before determinedly looking into the demon’s eyes. The red lines were even more intense. “Un-stop time,” he said.
The demon rolled his eyes and, sighing, twirled his right hand around.
“What?” Huang Bo was looking straight at him.
“I left the lantern on the altar. I wasn’t looking when I wanted to grab it again and i accidentally hit something.” His heart beat fast in his chest, waiting for the professor’s reaction.
The man looked at him quietly, lips tightly closed, until he spoke. “It’s okay, accidents happen in sites. Be more careful, Yixing.”
Yixing didn’t get enough time to let relief settle on his body. “You’re not entertaining me, Zhang Yixing,” Zhi Xiang whispered in his ear. This time the voice was an echo. When Yixing took a look around, the demon was nowhere to be seen.
“It’s pretty late,” the professor said, looking at his pocket watch. Yixing’s stomach grumbled since he hadn’t eaten anything all day. “We should head back home and come back tomorrow to study the tomb closely.”
Everyone agreed with the man and Yixing took his gas lantern before heading to the passage. Wang Xun took notes as he walked, describing the path towards the tomb for where they would return. Yixing was the last one to step out back into the woods. Another chill ran down his spine when he heard a soft whisper.
“Goodbye, Zhang Yixing.”
That night he dreamed of dark eyes and a wicked smile. It wasn’t a nightmare. He didn’t feel fear when he saw Zhi Xiang; all he felt was curiosity.
The following day it was easier to find the place. The hike up the mountain was less tiresome, since Huang Bo quickly recognized which path they should take, while Professor Huang Lei wrote on his diary as he walked, describing the characteristics that could help them in the future if they ever needed to get there on their own. Wang Xun was once again in charge of carrying most of their equipment, although Yixing helped him a bit more.
The woods were lively at that time of the morning. When Yixing remembered the events of the day before, he wondered if it had all been a dream. The mountain didn’t seem like the home of a demon and a spirit, as it was full of life, with nature enveloping the group of archaeologists. Yixing knew the tomb was real because the professor wouldn’t shut up about it. But Zhi Xiang’s existence, that’s what Yixing doubted the most.
When they stepped into the narrow passage and arrived to the tomb, all the objects and artifacts were there, along with the archway and the stone mound. On the floor, the fragments of ceramic still laid abandoned.
“Wang Xun, set the lighting,” Professor Huang Lei ordered. His assistant hurried to follow and started working on setting the complicated apparatus. “Yixing, help me clear the altar. Carefully.” The man then said, taking off his fedora and his topcoat. He rolled up his sleeves. Yixing did the same with his own and stepped in to help.
“What’s the big deal about this place?” Huang Bo spoke up. He was leaning against the archway looking around the cavern.
“Oh! This is General Sun Hong Lei, according to my theories,” Huang Lei explained as he grabbed vase and inspected it carefully.
While he said that, Yixing remembered the carvings he had found on the mound and wasn’t able to read. This time he grabbed a lantern with as much care as possible and squat down in from of the stone. There were a few characters carved into it, which Yixing read out loud.
???? (wén wu shuang qua´n)
“General Sun Hong Lei was a powerful man, an intelligent strategist. A man of pen and sword, as the words Yixing’s just read indicate,” came the professor’s voice from behind him. “See? Beneath them, there’s the General’s name.” Yixing’s eyes traveled lower and found the name.
“But who was he?” Huang Bo stepped closer as he spoke. And Yixing moved out of the way to let him read.
Wang Xun made a surprised noise. “Don’t you know him?”
Huang Bo glared at him, but before he could reply, Huang Lei continued. “Although a famous man in China’s history, the curious thing is that there were no records of his tomb. We have records of every battle he won and how, but none of where he was buried. I always wondered why.”
Huang Bo wasn’t the only one paying close attention to the professor as he spoke, so were Wang Xun and Yixing.
“Interesting story,” an echo-y voice whispered in Yixing’s ear, making him gasp loudly.
When the other three men looked at him questioningly, he coughed to pretend there was no demon standing right beside him. They focused once again on the professor, while Yixing could still feel Zhi Xiang's presence behind him.
"He came from a respected family of scholars," Huang Lei continued. "And surprised his family's and everyone's expectations when he pursued a career in military. A curious decision that historians haven't found an explanation to yet." The professor kept explaining as he walked around the stone mound, maybe hoping to find the answer written somewhere.
"If only they knew..." the demon spoke quietly.
Yixing turned to him, and after glancing at the other men who were busy discussing theories, he stepped closer to the entrance, hidden behind the archway. "You know?" He whispered as silently as he could.
The demon nodded, pleased with his secret. He didn't seem willing to give in and spill it.
"Please, tell me." Yixing put his hands in front of himself, ready to beg. That information might be useful to understand all the mysteries surrounding General Sun Hong Lei.
Leaning against the archway, Zhi Xiang pursed his lips and looked up, a very well done thinking pose. "What's in it for me?" His eyes then traveled down Yixing's body, making the young guy uncomfortable.
"Yixing!" Wang Xun's voice came from the other side. "Come and help me with this."
With one last look at the demon, Yixing turned around and joined the professor's assistant. They spend the rest of the day carefully brushing, cleaning and categorizing everything they found. Professor Huang Lei guided them through the task, excitedly telling them all about the materials, designs and use of everything they found. Yixing found that the demon was gone when he remembered to check.
"Let's take some of these with us," the professor told them, pointing at a small truck. "The broken pieces too."
When they left the cave, Yixing expected to hear Zhi Xiang's voice again. But the mountain was silent that evening.
During dinner at Huang Bo’s, the professor and Wang Xun kept discussing what they were going to do with their discovery. They couldn’t move the stone mound nor the archway. If they wanted to take anything back with them, they could only take the artifacts and vases, anything was that was easy to move.
“I don’t get how it was built,” said Huang Bo, while the group of archaeologists enjoyed the meal he had prepared for them. Huang Bo had proven himself to be a great cook. “The passage is too narrow to transport something like that.”
“Oh, well… it was common for tombs to be built inside. The separated materials were easier to transport,” explained Huang Lei.
“Oh! I see.” Huang Bo nodded.
Yixing swallowed the meat he was chewing on before he joined the conversation. “Building a tomb like that one would usually take a lot of time.”
They continued explaining to him all the theories about the construction of the tomb, but none of them could actually explain why there were no records of it saved. It still remained a mystery to them why the resting place of one of the most important Generals in the history of China was hidden near a far off village. As their conversation died down, Yixing’s mind went back to Zhi Xiang. Maybe the demon would have an explanation, he’d have to ask him the next time he saw him.
It didn’t take long. When they all went to sleep to their respective rooms, Yixing found his bed occupied by a now familiar figure dressed in a red robe. Zhi Xiang was on his back, with his arms under his head and his eyes closed. Before Yixing could say anything, the demon opened his mouth.
“So this is where you sleep.” It wasn’t a question. There was a hint of amusement in his voice that could be seen in his eyes when he opened them to take a look around.
Yixing nodded and closed the door, letting the demon get acquainted with the room and everything in it. Zhi Xiang took the chance; he jumped off the bed to lean over the desk and get a closer look at Yixing’s notes.
“That’s what I’m studying,” Yixing explained. He didn’t need to, but he felt that if he opened up to the demon, the demon would open up to him.
“The tomb.” Zhi Xiang nodded with pursed lips. “You draw well,” he then said and looked straight at Yixing.
“Thanks,” Yixing said. Slowly he stepped away from the door and sat down on his bed. The demon closed his notebook, moved it to the side and plopped on top of the desk, the same way he had done on the altar when Yixing met him. “May I ask… how you got here?” Yixing asked, trying not to sound rude. He didn’t know much about demons and didn’t want to find out the wrong way.
“Oh! Easy. The vase I’m bound to is here.” He had the same wicked smile as always when he said it.
“Ahhh…” So the vase had a magical connection with the demon. “So wherever the vase is is where you’re going to be. I thought you were bound to the tomb or the mound.” Yixing moved backwards until his back touched the wall, leaving his feet hanging on the edge of the bed. He looked far more comfortable than he felt.
“The vase has been in that cave for a long time. I haven’t seen the outside since?” He narrowed his eyes at Yixing. “Oh, little sheep, I see right through you.” Yixing felt sweat run down his back. He forced himself to stay still when Zhi Xiang hopped off the desk. “What do I get for this information?” The demon asked, leaning closer to Yixing, placing one knee on the bed.
Once again, Yixing felt cornered. “Uhmm…” He had very little to offer.
“Fun. Entertainment. That’s all I ask,” Zhi Xiang whispered dangerously. He was then crawling over Yixing’s over. “Or maybe just your soul,” he said, sitting right on Yixing’s lap.
Yixing’s body hurt from the tension. Too afraid to move, he stared straight into the eyes of the demon. There was light in the room so the red lines in his eyes were faint, barely visible.
“I’m- I’m not fun,” Yixing stuttered.
“Yeah, I can see that,” replied Zhi Xiang rolling his eyes and pulling away from Yixing. He laid again on the bed, with his legs over Yixing’s. “Can I get a foot massage at least?”
The request was so absurd that Yixing choked on air. “I’m sorry?”
“A foot massage, in exchange for information.” The demon threw away his sandals easily and wiggled his toes in front on Yixing’s face. His feet didn't look dirty, nor smelled bad, so Yixing went ahead and started working on it.
“So…” Yixing started.
“So,” said Zhi Xiang. His eyes were closed and his lips formed a very pleased smile, while Yixing kneaded his foot delicately. “What do you wanna know?”
Yixing thought carefully about what he would like to know first. There were many questions running through his mind, about the General and about Zhi Xiang too. He decided to take short steps. “How did you end up bound to the vase?” He asked quietly, his hands still at work.
“Oh… well, I was a free demon once,” Zhi Xiang explained. “But I got into trouble and was punished by the heavens to be locked in that vase. I would have had to wait thousand of years repenting, before I could be freed.” He sighed.
“Do you… uhm… live inside it? How does it work?”
“I don’t live inside it. But I just… stop… existing, so to say. Unless I’m released by the owner of the vase or someone else. I can speak through it though. That’s how Hong Lei and I had conversations. But after his death… well, I’ve been the one that controls it.”
Yixing’s fingers stopped. “Controls it?”
Zhi Xiang poked his hand with his toe, startling him. “Hong Lei’s spirit can’t exist without me.”
“So… now, he’s not conscious, or something like that,” Yixing wondered out loud, letting his hands focus back on their work. The demon’s feet weren’t smelly or sweaty. In fact, they only felt cold.
“Exactly.”
This was very interesting. If they could get Zhi Xiang to open a communication channel with the general, they’d probably get all the answers they were looking for. “And even if the vase is broken, you’re still bound to it…” Maybe he could get some sort of control over the demon.
“Not exactly.”
His hands stopped once again. Yixing looked at the resting demon on his bed. “What do you mean?”
“Zhang Yixing,” Zhi Xiang abruptly sat up straight and leaned in closer to him. His dark eyes glinted dangerously from so up close. “You released me, I’m bound to you.”
The words made Yixing’s mouth fall open. “But… but you said you were bound to the vase.”
“That’s also true. Since you broke the vase but not the seal, I can’t be fully free and I was accidentally bound to you.” The demon was smirking, pleased with Yixing’s reaction.
Something didn’t make sense. “Why did you come today and not yesterday then?”
“Actually, I did. But I didn’t show myself until you were sleep. What did you dream about yesterday night, little sheep?”
(part 2)