Chapter 11: Shifting Shadows

Roen Kast leaned against the dais of the Crack Void Hub, his chest heaving like he'd just outrun a landslide. The hub's blue glow pulsed steadily now, a heartbeat in the mist, casting jagged shadows across the platform. The hum was almost calming after the shitshow on Windrock Island, but those damn whispers—traitor, failure—still scratched at his skull like a rusty nail. He shook his head, trying to shake them loose, but they stuck around, stubborn as bloodstains.

Liya sprawled a few feet away, her leg still bound in a ragtag bandage, her wild hair glued to her face with sweat. She was quiet for once, staring into the fog with a scowl that didn't fit her usual loudmouth vibe. The wind screamed around them, cold and sharp, but the whispers had faded—at least for now. Roen's grip on his warped sword eased, though his hands wouldn't unclench.

"Kid," Liya rasped, breaking the silence, "that thing on Windrock… what the fuck was it?" She swatted her arm, like the mist was crawling with bugs only she could feel. "I've scrapped with thieves, beasts, even a guy swinging a shovel, but that shadow? That's next-level creepy."

Roen let out a breath, watching it fog in the air. "Beats me," he said, keeping his voice low. "But it wasn't just wind or some Kast parlor trick. It felt like it knew me." He rubbed his temples, those red eyes from the cloaked figure flashing in his mind. Traitor. The word hit again, and he grit his teeth. "Whatever it was, it's not finished with us."

Liya snorted, though her grin was half-hearted. "Perfect. Just what I wanted—vengeful ghosts on our ass." She hauled herself up, wincing as her bad leg took the weight. "Well, we've got a castle that can move now, right? Let's haul this junk pile off this rock before it comes back for round two."

Roen nodded, dragging himself to his feet. The system panel flickered in his vision, cold and clinical:

System Notification: Crack Void Hub movement function unlocking in 10 hours, 58 minutes, 12 seconds. Structural integrity stable. Energy reserves: 72%.

"Ten hours," he muttered, raking a hand through his tangled hair. "Enough to catch our breath, but not much else." His eyes drifted to the floating stones linking Gray Mist Island to Windrock, now theirs. The hub's movement would give them legs—freedom to dodge or chase whatever came next. But ten hours was a long damn time with the Kast family's shadow looming.

Liya hobbled over, her sword scraping the ground. "So, genius, what's the move? Sit pretty 'til this thing grows wheels, or go poke the hornet's nest?"

Roen smirked, ignoring the ache in his ribs. "You're the one who loves poking nests, bug lady." She swung a lazy swat at him, and he sidestepped, chuckling. "But yeah, we need to know what's out there. System's picking up signals—700 meters out, closing slow. Could be scouts, could be trouble."

He peered into the mist, the wind tugging at his cloak. The whispers were silent, but the fog felt heavier, like it was hiding a blade just out of sight. His architect's brain kicked in—angles, choke points, exposure. The platform was solid, but the hub wasn't mobile yet, and they'd be fish in a barrel if another mech-unit showed up. "We need eyes," he said, voice firming. "Spot them before they spot us."

Liya's grin sharpened, all teeth and mischief. "Recon? My kind of party—sneaking, stabbing, no bugs allowed." She swatted her arm again, growling, "This wind's driving me nuts."

Roen rolled his eyes, but a plan clicked into place. "Detection Aura's only fifty meters—too tight. If we close the gap, I can map them early." He tapped the system panel, though it stayed mute. "You good to move?"

She thumped her chest, then winced. "Born ready, kid. Just don't ask me to hop more floaty rocks—my leg's screaming." She eyed the blood soaking through her bandage. "Need a better patch job, though."

Roen ripped another chunk off his cloak, tossing it to her. "Tighten it. We're not croaking from gangrene after beating a mech." She grumbled but took it, retying her leg with a hiss. He wrapped his own side, the pain keeping him sharp. Pain you could handle; defeat you couldn't.

They trudged down from the platform, the wind howling louder at the island's edge. The floating stones stretched into the fog, a lifeline to other islands, but Roen's focus locked on the signals—700 meters, lurking in the haze. The system's note hung there: hostile intent uncertain. That vagueness chewed at him worse than a straight-up fight.

"Kid," Liya said, quieter now, "you think that shadow's waiting out there?" She swatted her neck, muttering, "Or maybe it's these damn bugs."

Roen's jaw tightened. "If it is, we'll handle it. Same as the mech, same as the grunts." But those red eyes—cold, judging—prickled his spine. He wasn't wired for phantoms; he was wired for plans, for things he could smash or reshape. Still, he'd face it. No choice.

They stepped onto the first stone, the wind swaying it like a drunk. Liya cursed, clutching his arm, her bravado wobbling. "I hate this bridge," she growled, glaring at the drop below. "One slip, and we're mist chow."

"Focus," Roen said, though his gut twisted too. "Slow steps." They crept along, stone by stone, the mist thickening, the whispers creeping back—traitor, you can't run. He clenched his teeth, pushing forward.

Halfway across, the system pinged:

System Notification: Detection Aura range extended—100 meters due to hub linkage. Hostiles detected: 5 entities, 600 meters, moving erratically.

Roen stopped dead, the panel's glow bleaching his face. "Five," he breathed, "and erratic. Not soldiers—soldiers march straight." His mind spun—random paths, no order. Beasts? Or worse?

Liya's nails dug into his arm. "Erratic how? Wolves, or that shadow freak?" Her voice was taut, her chaos dimming.

"No clue," Roen said, stepping forward. "But we're finding out." The bridge dumped them on a small, bleak islet—rocks, dead trees, nowhere to hide. The mist thinned, the whispers grew, wrapping around them like chains.

They ducked behind a boulder, peering out. The system buzzed—red dots blinking at 100 meters. Roen's pulse hammered. "Close enough," he whispered. "Let's see them."

Liya nodded, sword up, though her hand shook. "If it's bugs, kid, you're solo," she quipped, but her grin was thin.

The dots jerked—wild, uneven, flickering in and out. Then, shapes loomed through the fog—humanoid, but off. Too-long limbs, twitchy like broken dolls. Cloaks dangled off bony frames, and their eyes—red, glowing—fixed on Roen and Liya with a predator's stare.

"Fuck," Roen hissed, his sword quivering. "It's them—the shadows."

Liya's nerve cracked. "What the hell? They're real?" She swatted the air, like she could shoo them off, but hit nothing.

The figures halted, 80 meters out, their whispers merging into one voice—gravelly, icy. "Traitor," it rasped, slicing through the mist. "You cannot hide."

Roen's blood froze. "System," he snapped, "what are they?"

The panel flickered:

System Notification: Entities identified—Kast Wraiths. Non-corporeal remnants bound to Kast family will. Hostile intent confirmed. Combat effectiveness: variable.

"Wraiths?" Liya's voice hit a high note. "Ghosts? I don't fight ghosts, kid!"

"Me neither," Roen muttered, but his brain clicked—non-corporeal meant blades were useless. They needed a workaround.

The wraiths glided closer—70 meters, flickering, eyes blazing. The system chimed:

System Notification: Crack Void Hub defensive pulse available in 23 hours, 59 minutes. Alternative: retreat or utilize environmental hazards.

"Environmental," Roen mumbled, scanning the islet. Rocks, trees, the drop below. His eyes hit a twisted tree, roots barely gripping the edge. "Liya, the tree—knock it down!"

She blinked, then grinned, feral and frantic. "You crazy bastard—love it!" They bolted to the tree, shoving hard. It groaned, roots popping, and with a last push, it crashed—smashing into the wraiths' path, kicking up dust and stones.

The wraiths hissed, their forms wavering, but kept coming—60 meters now. Roen's mind raced. "More—rocks!" They chucked debris, anything they could lift, but the wraiths phased through, unstoppable.

"Kid, this ain't cutting it!" Liya shouted, retreating. "They're not slowing!"

Roen's teeth ground. "System—options?"

System Notification: Kast Wraiths vulnerable to energy disruption. Crack Void Hub linkage may provide temporary interference.

"Linkage," Roen muttered, glancing back. The hub's glow pierced the mist, 100 meters off. "We lure them to the hub—fry them!"

Liya's eyes popped. "Back there? You're insane!" But she was already limping toward the bridge. "Come on, you spooky shits—follow the bug lady!"

Roen ran after her, heart slamming. The wraiths chased, whispers swelling—traitor, failure—but near the hub, their forms frayed, their eyes fading. The system buzzed:

System Notification: Energy field interference active—wraiths destabilizing.

"Keep moving!" Roen yelled, the bridge bucking beneath them. The wraiths faltered, their shapes unraveling, and with a final, ear-splitting wail, they melted into the mist, leaving nothing but quiet.

Roen and Liya hit the platform, collapsing, sucking air. "We… got 'em," Liya gasped, grinning faintly. "Ghosts zero, me one."

Roen laughed, rough and raw. "Barely." He checked the system:

System Notification: Hostiles neutralized. Crack Void Hub movement unlocking in 10 hours, 57 minutes, 02 seconds.

"Ten hours," he said, staring into the fog. The wraiths were toast—for now—but the Kast family wasn't done. Ghosts, mechs, whatever—they'd keep coming.

And he'd keep fighting. No other option.