Chapter 430 Unnamed Tracks — The Midnight Guest at Ravenhull
The footsteps stopped at the end of the inn's back corridor, beneath the shadows of the stone wall covered in red moss. Joanna immediately stood from her balcony chair, carefully parting the curtain of the night wind. Rui set her cup down, her body tensing as instincts honed in fear reawakened.
"Someone is down there."
"I know," Joanna replied. "They don't breathe like a human."
The lantern light flickered softly, creating a mystical atmosphere that heightened the tension. The stone walls appeared to melt where the footsteps touched—neither destructive magic nor anything of the sort; rather, it was a presence that defied explanation, as if time around it had halted, and the air grew heavier with each heartbeat that echoed. In the depths of that night, despite the silence, a tension began to creep in like whispers that could not be heard, bringing an urgent and mysterious feeling.
Joanna descended slowly to the courtyard below. Rui followed behind her, silent. In the middle of the corridor stood a figure in an overly long gray cloak, concealing its entire body. Its face was not visible—not hidden, but because there was none. In place of where a face should have been, there was only a thin black circle, like a shadow in foggy glass. The shadow seemed to move, as if alive with a concealed desire, challenging every sense that dared to observe it.
"You shouldn't be able to stay."
The flat voice didn't just lack echo—it seemed to speak directly to the bones. Each word that flowed from her lips scorched the wood around them, leaving a chilling legacy in the hearts of every listener. In the silence, the scent of slime and mold wafted through the air, as if the landscape stood on the brink between the real world and the realm of spirits, enhancing the sense of transition between the two realms.
Joanna stood tall. "We're not staying. We're just... pausing for a moment."
"Ravenhull holds no memories worth remembering."
"You come bearing a curse and an unresolved will."
Rui took a step forward, her tone harsh. "Who are you?"