The village emerged from the fog like a forgotten corpse.
Kaito walked at the front of the small group.
Five soldiers followed behind him.
And Lilith—barefoot, her chains dragging across the dirt.
"I don't like this," one of the soldiers muttered.
Kaito couldn't blame him.
The settlement was… intact.
Too intact.
The houses still had complete roofs. Closed doors. Unbroken windows.
But there was no smoke rising from the chimneys.
No clothes hanging outside.
There was no… anything.
"Commander," another soldier called. "Look at this."
Kaito approached.
The soldier was pointing at a table outside one of the houses.
Food sat upon it.
Bread. Cheese. A jug of water.
But the bread was hard as stone.
The cheese was covered in black mold.
The water… had evaporated long ago.
"How long has this place been abandoned?" Kaito asked.
"Weeks. Maybe months," the soldier replied.
Kaito scanned the surroundings.
"But there are no signs of battle. No looting."
He turned toward Lilith.
"Do you feel anything?"
Lilith closed her eyes.
The fog around her thickened slightly.
After a moment, she opened them again.
They glimmered with something strange.
"There's something here."
"What is it?"
Lilith tilted her head.
"I don't know. But it's calling to me."
She began to walk.
Not toward the houses.
But toward the center of the village.
Kaito followed.
The soldiers exchanged nervous glances… but obeyed.
---
At the center of the village stood a small plaza.
And at the center of the plaza…
A church.
Small. Built of gray stone. With a bell tower—without a bell.
Lilith stopped before its doors.
"Here."
Kaito studied the church.
Something about it felt… wrong.
"What's inside?" he asked.
Lilith smiled.
"There's only one way to find out."
She pushed the doors open.
They groaned as they parted.
The interior was dark.
Cold.
Kaito lit a torch.
The light revealed empty pews. A dust-covered altar.
And on the walls…
Symbols.
Interlocking circles. Strange runes. Drawings that seemed to burn even without flame.
One of the soldiers stepped back.
"Commander… this is dark magic…"
Kaito moved closer to the symbols.
He studied them in silence.
"They're not just symbols," Lilith said from behind him.
Kaito turned.
Lilith was touching one of the walls with reverence.
"They're seals."
Kaito frowned.
"Seals?"
Lilith nodded.
"Like the ones that imprisoned me."
Her golden eyes gleamed.
"There was a summoning here. Someone tried to bring something back."
She paused.
"Something… that should never have returned."
A chill ran down Kaito's spine.
"And what happened?"
Lilith touched the altar.
"It went wrong."
She lifted her hand.
It was coated in black dust.
"Very wrong."
Suddenly, one of the soldiers screamed.
"Commander! Outside!"
Kaito rushed out of the church.
And stopped dead in his tracks.
The plaza… had changed.
Figures stood there now.
Dozens of them.
Human-shaped. Translucent. Like shadows made of fog.
They had no faces.
No voices.
They simply… existed.
The soldiers drew their weapons.
"Back! Stay back!"
But the figures didn't attack.
They only approached.
Slowly.
As if searching for something.
The cold deepened.
"What are these things?" Kaito asked.
Lilith stepped out of the church.
She looked at the figures.
And smiled.
"Echoes."
"Echoes?"
Lilith walked toward them without fear.
"Trapped souls. Without memory. Without purpose."
She extended her hand.
One of the figures approached.
It touched Lilith's hand.
And stopped.
Lilith closed her eyes.
She whispered something.
Too softly for Kaito to hear.
The figure… knelt.
Then another.
And another.
All the figures, one by one, knelt before Lilith.
The soldiers watched in horror.
"What… what is she doing?" one whispered.
Kaito watched in silence.
She's using her power.
But in a different way.
Lilith opened her eyes.
They shone intensely.
"They're mine now."
She turned to Kaito.
"Commander… I can control them."
She walked toward him.
"Imagine it. An army that doesn't eat. Doesn't sleep. Doesn't feel fear."
She smiled.
"Perfect soldiers."
Kaito looked at the kneeling figures.
Then at Lilith.
"Are they… dead?"
Lilith tilted her head.
"They're forgotten. There's a difference."
Kaito clenched his fists.
"Can you free them?"
Lilith blinked.
"Free them?"
"Yes. Give them back… whatever they lost."
Lilith stared at him for several seconds.
"I could. But—"
"Do it."
Lilith frowned.
"Commander, this is an opportunity. An army at no cost—"
"No."
Kaito's voice was firm.
"I will not build my kingdom on trapped souls."
He stepped closer.
"Free them."
Lilith looked at him.
Something flickered in her gaze.
Surprise. Confusion.
And… respect.
"As you command… my king."
She turned to the figures.
Raised both hands.
And spoke.
Not in whispers.
But aloud.
Clear.
"I release your names."
The fog around her exploded.
The figures began to glow.
One by one.
Their forms grew more solid.
Faces appeared—vague, blurred—
But human.
"Remember who you were."
The figures trembled.
Some collapsed to their knees.
Others raised their hands to the sky.
"And rest."
The light intensified.
Blinding.
Kaito closed his eyes.
When he opened them again…
The figures were gone.
Only the fog remained.
Slowly dispersing.
Kaito exhaled deeply.
"They're gone?"
Lilith nodded.
Her voice sounded… tired.
"Yes. They're finally at rest."
She looked at Kaito.
"Why did you do it, Commander?"
Kaito met her gaze.
"Because I won't be that kind of king."
He turned away.
"Let's return to camp."
Lilith stayed where she was.
Watching him walk away.
Then she looked at her hands.
They still trembled slightly.
I could have controlled them.
I could have had an army.
But he ordered me to free them.
She closed her eyes.
Who are you really, Kaito Yukimura?
A conqueror?
Or something more dangerous?
She smiled faintly.
Something far more interesting.
---
Back Inside the Church — Final Discovery
Before leaving, Kaito decided to inspect the church one last time.
The soldiers waited outside, tense.
Lilith accompanied him.
Inside, Kaito noticed something he had missed.
On the altar.
A book.
Old. Bound in black leather.
He opened it carefully.
The pages were handwritten.
In red ink.
He began to read.
"Day 1: We have begun the ritual. The seal is strong. We are safe."
"Day 5: Something is wrong. The symbols bleed. Not literally. But… they feel wrong."
"Day 12: The summoning worked. But what came through… is not what we expected."
"Day 15: It is spreading. People forget. Forget who they are. Forget why they're here."
"Day 20: Only three of us remain. The others… became shadows."
"Day 25: I am the last. I can feel it approaching. The Oblivion. It has a name. It has a form."
The final entry was barely legible.
"Vargun promised to protect us if we paid him. A lie. He sent this. He wanted the village empty. For his fortresses. Curse him. Curse—"
The text ended abruptly.
Kaito closed the book.
"Vargun."
Lilith looked at it.
"The Warlord?"
Kaito nodded.
"He did this. Or allowed it."
He placed the book in his pack.
"Another reason to stop him."
They left the church.
Outside, the fog had almost completely lifted.
The village was still empty.
But now… it felt peaceful.
Kaito looked toward the horizon.
"Let's go back. Adelheid must be worried."
They began the return journey.
As they walked, Lilith spoke softly.
"Commander… thank you."
Kaito glanced at her.
"For what?"
Lilith smiled.
"For reminding me that I can still release."
She paused.
"Not just bind."
Kaito didn't reply.
But he nodded slightly.
And they continued on.
In silence.
---
That Night — Main Camp
When they returned, Adelheid was waiting at the entrance.
Relief—and restrained fury—was written across her face.
"Commander! Where were you? You've been gone for hours!"
Kaito raised his hands.
"Sorry. We found something… complicated."
He showed her the book.
Adelheid read it in silence.
Her expression hardened.
"Vargun."
Kaito nodded.
"We have to stop him."
Adelheid closed the book.
"Then tomorrow we head for the mountains."
She looked at Kaito.
"But don't go off alone again."
Kaito smiled faintly.
"I wasn't alone. Lilith was with me."
Adelheid looked at Lilith.
Lilith smiled innocently.
Adelheid said nothing.
But the tension was palpable.
"Get some rest," Kaito ordered. "Tomorrow will be long."
He retired to his tent.
Adelheid and Lilith remained, staring at one another.
"What really happened out there?" Adelheid asked.
Lilith smiled.
"Nothing you should worry about, Commander."
She turned away.
"I just learned something interesting about our king."
She began to walk off.
"He's more noble than I thought."
Adelheid watched her go.
Then looked toward Kaito's tent.
Commander…
What's happening to you?
---
Far From the Camp — In the Mountains
In a dark stone fortress, a massive man sat upon an improvised throne.
Vargun.
Black beard. Scars covering his body. Eyes that had seen too much death.
A messenger knelt before him.
"My lord… there is news."
"Speak."
"A group is approaching. From the south. Approximately seventy people."
Vargun yawned.
"More refugees? Kill them if they don't pay."
"My lord… there's something different."
The messenger trembled.
"They have… strange women with them. One with silver hair. Another with chains."
Vargun frowned.
"And?"
"The men we sent to watch them… didn't return."
Vargun stood.
"How many?"
"Five."
Vargun growled.
"Then send ten. And if they don't pay… burn them."
The messenger bowed.
"Yes, my lord."
He ran off.
Vargun sat back down.
Staring out the window.
Toward the mountains.
"Seventy refugees…"
He smiled.
"Perfect. I needed more slaves."