Chapter 38: Whispers Between the Cracks
The wind in the Forgotten Valleys howled like a mourning spirit as the group stood at the edge of the cliff, gazing at the remnants of what once seemed like an abandoned ruin—but now shimmered faintly with an otherworldly glow. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across their faces, deepening the quiet tension that hung between them.
"It wasn't supposed to be here," Airi whispered, her breath visible in the oddly cold air. "This place… wasn't on any of the maps."
Riku took a slow step forward. Beneath his boots, the stone tiles vibrated slightly, pulsing with a heartbeat that did not belong to the earth. "This is older than the Ancients," he murmured. "It's like something that was meant to stay buried."
Kaito clenched his fists. "Then why can I hear… voices?"
No one answered. But all of them heard it—low, indistinct murmurs, like memories leaking from broken time. They stood in silence for a moment, listening.
Flashback - Two Weeks Ago
In the hidden chamber beneath the Bloom Archive, Riku and the masked historian known only as The Echo conversed under flickering light.
"The Forbidden Era didn't end," The Echo said. "It was sealed. The Bloom relics? They're not gifts. They're locks."
Riku frowned. "Locks to what?"
"To something no man or god was meant to awaken."
Present
The group descended into the ruins, one step at a time, the light fading behind them. Moss-covered walls bore symbols that shimmered faintly in different colors—matching the hues of their individual Bloom fragments.
Each step felt heavier, as if they were sinking into forgotten truths.
Riku's thoughts wandered. Was this what brother meant when he said the path would cost us our hearts?
Airi looked back at him, noticing his silence. "You okay?"
He forced a smile. "Yeah… just feeling the weight of the unknown."
She didn't press. She never did. But something in her eyes said she already knew he was lying.
Inner Monologue – Airi
He's changing. Every day, he feels further away—like he's carrying something he won't let any of us see. I want to help. But he won't let me.
Perspective Shift – Kaito
Kaito gritted his teeth. I trust Riku. I always have. But this place… something about it tugs at my soul. Like I'm supposed to remember, but I can't. Like I failed once already.
The chamber at the end of the corridor was shaped like a flower in full bloom. At its center, a floating orb shimmered with six rotating runes.
"It's reacting to you," Airi said, wide-eyed.
Riku stepped closer.
The moment his fingers brushed the edge of the light, a flood of visions crashed through him.
Flashback – Unknown Timeline
Burning cities in the sky. A figure cloaked in shifting shadows. Riku standing at the center, alone, watching his friends fall—one by one—by his own hand.
"Why did you betray us?!"
Airi's voice echoed.
But in the vision, Riku stood still, bleeding and broken.
"Because I had to. Because you wouldn't understand."
Back to Present
Riku gasped and fell to his knees.
"Riku!" Kaito and Airi ran forward, helping him up. His eyes glowed faintly with residual Bloom energy.
"I saw… pieces of a future. Or a past. Maybe both," he whispered.
He looked at them. And for a moment, his hands trembled.
"We're going to make mistakes. I'm going to make mistakes. And some of them… may cost us everything."
Airi shook her head. "Not if we stand together."
But Kaito didn't speak. His eyes were locked on a symbol behind the orb—one he had seen once before, in a dream.
The symbol of the city of Solisven. The lost sky capital.
And beneath it, another—a crescent moon intertwined with a blade. The mark of the Fallen Bloom King.
Mini Monologue – Riku
Everything's connected. Every thread, every pain, every choice. And someday, I'll have to become the villain in someone's story to save what matters.
Scene Transition
That night, around the flickering campfire near the ruins, the group sat quietly. No one joked. No one teased. They were past that now.
Airi finally spoke. "We need to decide what kind of future we want. Because this path… it doesn't forgive indecision."
Riku looked at the stars. "Then let's make one worth bleeding for."
Author's Note:
A big thank you to PhoenixMoh for the Power Stone! Your support fuels this journey. Let's keep exploring the echoes of the forbidden together.
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End of Chapter 38