Episode 57: The Whispering Shadows
Venus and his crew wake up in the Black Fog Inn after the terrifying events of the previous night. The fog outside has thickened, casting an eerie, almost tangible presence over the village. They discuss their next steps over a somber breakfast, aware of the wanted posters with their faces plastered around the village. Ami, ever cautious, suggests they gather more information before making any moves, while Kira sharpens his blades, silently preparing for the inevitable conflict.
As they exit the inn, the village feels even more ominous. The fog seems to cling to them, whispering strange, unintelligible words as they walk through the narrow, dimly lit streets. The villagers they pass are unsettling—some smiling with a strange, eerie calm, others with vacant, hollow eyes. Venus feels the weight of unseen eyes on them, a pressure building in his chest that he can't quite explain.
The crew stumbles upon an old, decrepit library, its door barely hanging on its hinges. A sense of dread fills the air as they enter. Inside, the smell of mildew and decay assaults their senses, but they push forward, searching for any clues about the village's dark secrets. Dust-covered books line the shelves, and Kira finds a tattered journal that seems to detail the village's history. As they read, they uncover the grim truth: the village chief, a man named Daikan, sold his soul to a demon in exchange for power and wealth. He now plans to buy a city with the riches he amasses from sacrifices—sacrifices he carries out nightly to appease the demon Azoth. The journal reveals that Daikan was once an abused child, his tragic past leading him down the path of evil.
As they process this information, Venus notices a strange symbol etched into the walls—a hand resembling the one that protected him from the demonic entity earlier. He points it out to the others, but before they can discuss it, they hear voices outside the library. Villagers, armed with knives and driven by the demonic influence, have found them. Kira quickly uses the Black Mist Ring, altering its power to create a poisonous mist that causes the villagers to pass out. With the immediate threat neutralized, they flee the library, heading towards the village gate.