At that very instant, a thunderous cry split the air behind Robin, sharp and venomous,
"…There you are, you crippled wretch!!"
"…?!" Robin stiffened, his body seizing in shock. His heart lurched against his chest, every beat pounding like a war drum, and his breath caught in his throat. But it wasn't the identity of the speaker that rattled him—not at all. He didn't even turn to look behind him. Instead, his gaze locked downward, his senses sharpened, and a heavy silence seemed to smother him.
"Shaaaakh?"
The single word, dragged out in confusion, rippled through the sea of specters. More than half of that vast, restless tide froze mid-sway, their twisted forms lifting upward in eerie unison, all staring toward the summit where the shout had come from.
"🎶🎶"
