Suddenly.
The old Monk stopped tapping his wooden fish and let out a long sigh.
SHOO.
The long-burning candles in the main hall flickered violently, then, in an instant, went out one by one.
In a flash, the main hall was plunged into darkness, so dark one couldn't see their hand in front of their face.
"CAW—"
No one knew when a pitch-black Raven had perched on the hall's rafters. It wasn't until the candlelight in the room was completely extinguished that the Raven cawed, its cry shrill and bizarre.
"Since you're here, why not show yourself?"
The old Monk spoke to the empty doorway.
As if it understood human speech, the Raven on the rafters dove down and began to circle slowly by the door.
As the Raven flew, black feathers began to fall from its body.
First, one of the feathers twisted and squirmed in the darkness, transforming like flesh and blood into a second Raven.
The second Raven continued to fly, shedding more feathers.
