Chapter 18 – Whispers in the Windscale

The Windscale Hills were nothing like Kazuki imagined.

He'd expected gentle slopes and breezy fields.

What he got was jagged stone ridges, twisted trees that creaked like they whispered secrets, and a mist that refused to burn off even under direct sunlight. The wind howled across the cliffs like something alive—angry, mourning, or maybe warning.

"Charming," Kazuki muttered, stepping over a moss-covered skull. "Didn't think we were headed straight into the set of a horror movie."

Aria didn't respond.

She'd grown quieter the deeper they moved into the hills. She was on edge, and that put him on edge.

"You okay?" he asked.

"Too quiet," she whispered. "This used to be patrol land. I should've seen signs—scouting trails, markers, something. But it's all... erased."

"Maybe the wind took it?"

She gave him a look. "You don't erase a dozen Resistance signals with a breeze."

They came to a crumbled stone bridge arching over a dry ravine. Beneath them, the shadows were thick, unnaturally so, like the light didn't want to touch it.

Kazuki hesitated.

Something moved down there.

> [Warning: Unknown presence detected. Interference with Status Scan.]

> [Celestia: Hoo boy. I'm getting weird interference. Feels like a distortion. Be careful, Kaz.]

"I hate when you say that," Kazuki muttered, drawing his blade. "Alright. You ready?"

Aria's daggers were already in hand. "I was born ready."

They stepped onto the bridge.

Halfway across, the wind stopped.

Dead silence.

Then—

A whisper.

No, dozens. Hundreds. Slithering in his ears like serpents.

Kazuki staggered, clutching his skull.

> [Status Effect: Disorientation. Magic Interference: -10 MP Regen]

"Aria—!"

She was already slicing toward a shadow that wasn't there one second and was the next.

It had no form—just a vague, black shape, like oil and fog fused into a humanoid outline.

Kazuki focused, raising his blade.

> [Skill: Soulcut - Ready]

> [System Notice: Sword Efficiency Reduced. Target has no defined "soul."]

"Oh come on."

The thing lunged. Kazuki dodged, barely, rolling and slashing at it mid-move. His blade sliced through—but there was no resistance. No blood. No cry.

It simply reformed behind him.

"Not fair!"

Aria landed beside him. "They're not attacking—just testing. Watching."

"Great. Creepy shadow stalkers that study you before killing you. That's healthy."

Suddenly, the shadows pulled back. As one, they vanished, sucked into the ravine like threads on a spool.

Silence returned.

Then a voice.

"Impressive."

Kazuki and Aria turned, weapons up.

From behind a craggy outcrop stepped a tall man in a dark hooded cloak. His hair was silver, eyes sharp like shattered glass. An old rifle was slung across his back, and several crystal charms dangled from his belt.

"You held your own against a Void Wisp swarm," the man said. "Not bad. Most people just scream."

Kazuki narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

The man gave a crooked smile. "Name's Theron. I used to run this outpost. Or what's left of it."

Aria stepped forward. "Theron? As in Theron Malkeir, the Ghost of Glarion?"

He winced. "Haven't heard that name in a while. You must be from Ardent's squad."

Aria nodded slowly.

Theron gave a tired sigh. "Then I owe you both an explanation."

---

They followed him to a hollowed-out cave near the top of the hill. Inside, dim lights pulsed from enchanted lanterns. Maps littered the walls, marked with red Xs and claw-like scratches. Most of them were torn, burnt, or outright unreadable.

Theron sat, motioning them to do the same.

"The outpost was compromised. Two months ago, something started hunting us. Not demons. Not soldiers. Something else."

Kazuki leaned forward. "Like what?"

"We called them Void Wisps. Shadows that exist between moments. Born from broken magic and abandoned prayers."

"...That's poetic. And horrifying."

Theron nodded. "We think the Demon Emperor created them as a test—trying to weaponize reality fractures. The Resistance didn't stand a chance. We fell back. Some of us made it. Most didn't."

Aria clenched her fists. "What about Ardent?"

Theron's face darkened. "Taken. Not killed. Taken. Just like the others."

Kazuki exchanged a glance with Aria.

"They're experimenting," he said quietly. "Gathering people."

"For what?" Aria hissed.

Kazuki didn't have an answer.

But Celestia whispered something soft and cold in his ear.

> [Celestia: The Emperor's building something. A new kind of army. One that doesn't need to be alive.]

Kazuki shivered.

Theron stood. "There's one more thing you should see."

He opened a side compartment of the cave wall, pulling out a cracked tablet covered in runes. He handed it to Kazuki.

"What is this?"

"A prophecy," Theron said. "Or a warning. It talks about a soul from another world. One with the power to create, destroy, and twist fate."

Kazuki's eyes widened.

"It names him the Crimson Paradox."

And scrawled beneath the ancient runes, a newer inscription had been etched:

"Beware the False Demon. He will rise before the end, bearing chains of flame and words of lies."

Kazuki's grip tightened.

Chains of flame.

A demon lord persona.

This prophecy—was it about him?

Or something worse?