Far away across the broken rooftops—
Arin stood in silence, watching the Phantom Bazaar.
And he was smiling.
The wind moved slowly through the ruined market.
Shattered stalls lay scattered across the plaza. Torn lanterns flickered weakly, their pale light barely holding back the growing darkness.
Ghosts began to return—carefully, cautiously.
Some whispered.
Some stared at Rive.
Most avoided him.
Rive stood in the middle of the destruction, arms crossed, looking around with a tired expression.
"…You know," he said, "I feel like wherever I go, something tries to kill me."
Vikram dusted his shoulder calmly.
"That's because something is always trying to kill you."
"That is not comforting."
Behind them, Lysara stepped forward, her expression more serious than before.
"This is no longer a coincidence."
Rive turned to her.
"Yeah, I figured that out when the faceless nightmare tried to eat me."
Lysara ignored the comment.
"Come with me."
Vikram nodded immediately.
Rive blinked.
"That tone usually means danger."
"It means information," Vikram said.
"That's somehow worse."
They moved through the broken Bazaar and entered a narrow passage hidden behind a collapsed wall.
The deeper they went, the quieter the world became.
The noise of the market faded.
The air grew colder.
Finally, they reached an underground chamber.
Strange symbols were carved into the stone walls.
Faint blue flames floated in the air, lighting the room without heat.
Rive looked around.
"…This looks like a secret villain base."
"It's a safe room," Lysara replied.
"Same thing."
Vikram stepped forward.
"Explain."
Lysara leaned against a stone table, her eyes focused on Rive.
"What happened today was not random."
Rive crossed his arms.
"I was hoping you'd say it was just bad luck."
"No."
Her voice was calm.
"You are being targeted."
Silence filled the chamber.
Rive sighed.
"Of course I am."
Vikram nodded.
"Because of his soul."
Lysara smiled faintly.
"Exactly."
She raised her hand slightly.
"Before we continue, you need to understand something."
Her tone changed.
More serious.
More precise.
"The laws of this world."
The blue flames flickered.
The chamber grew quieter.
Lysara began.
"In the In-Between, not all ghosts are the same."
She drew a small circle on the stone table.
"This is a Wandering Ghost."
Rive tilted his head.
"Looks like a sad circle."
"That's accurate," she said.
"They have no purpose."
"No will."
"They slowly fade away."
She drew another shape.
"This is a Bound Ghost."
Vikram crossed his arms.
"That's me."
Lysara nodded.
"Ghosts with purpose."
"Tied by promises, emotions, or unfinished goals."
"They are stable."
"Stronger."
Rive nodded slowly.
"Okay… makes sense."
Then her expression darkened.
She drew a jagged shape.
"These are Devourers."
Rive's face hardened.
"…Arin."
"Yes."
"They consume souls to grow stronger."
"But every soul they eat…"
"They lose a part of themselves."
"Emotion."
"Memory."
"Humanity."
Rive looked down.
"…Yeah."
Lysara continued.
"Then there are the Reapers."
The air in the room seemed to shift.
Even Vikram straightened slightly.
Rive frowned.
"That sounds important."
"It is."
Lysara's voice lowered.
"They maintain balance."
"They hunt dangerous souls."
"They decide who remains…"
"And who disappears."
Rive blinked.
"So basically ghost police?"
Vikram sighed.
"That is the worst summary you've given so far."
"But correct," Lysara said calmly.
Rive scratched his head.
"I'm getting good at this."
Lysara continued.
"And then…"
She paused.
"…there are Monsters."
The blue flames flickered harder.
"These are not human souls."
"They are born from fear."
"From curses."
"From broken memories."
Rive remembered the Watchers.
"…Yeah, I've met those."
"They don't think like humans."
"They don't feel like humans."
"They only exist to consume or destroy."
Silence fell again.
Then Lysara looked directly at Rive.
"And finally…"
"Something extremely rare."
Rive sighed.
"Let me guess."
"That's me."
"Yes."
She stepped closer.
"You are a Hybrid."
"A Tri-Vessel Soul."
Rive looked away slightly.
"Yeah, I heard that part."
"But you don't understand it yet," she said.
"You are not just rare."
"You are valuable."
The word echoed.
Rive frowned.
"…I don't like how that sounds."
"You shouldn't."
Lysara walked toward the center of the chamber.
"There exists something forbidden in this world."
"A ritual."
Vikram's eyes narrowed.
"…Which one?"
Lysara spoke slowly.
"The Soul Anchor Ritual."
The air grew heavy.
Rive shifted slightly.
"That name sounds illegal."
"It is."
She continued.
"This ritual allows a ghost to…"
She paused.
"…return."
Rive froze.
"Return… where?"
"The living world."
Silence.
Rive's heart skipped.
"You mean… actually go back?"
"Yes."
"Not as a memory."
"Not as a shadow."
"But physically."
Rive stared.
"That's… insane."
Vikram's voice was low.
"It requires a catalyst."
Lysara nodded.
"A rare soul."
She looked at Rive.
"A Tri-Vessel."
Everything went quiet.
Rive took a step back.
"…You're joking."
"No."
Her voice was calm.
"Ghosts would sacrifice you to perform it."
Rive laughed nervously.
"…That's not funny."
"I'm not joking."
The reality hit him slowly.
"I'm not just being hunted…"
"…I'm being used."
Vikram stepped forward.
"That's why the Watchers came."
"They weren't just attacking."
"They were searching."
Rive ran a hand through his hair.
"Great."
"Fantastic."
"So now I'm a target for monsters, devourers, and ritual psychopaths."
"Correct," Vikram said.
"…I want a refund on this afterlife."
Suddenly—
The blue flames flickered violently.
Vikram's head snapped toward the entrance.
"…We're not alone."
Rive froze.
"You've got to be kidding me."
A slow clap echoed through the chamber.
One.
Two.
Three.
From the shadows of the corridor, several figures emerged.
Ghosts.
But different.
Their bodies were covered in dark markings.
Symbols carved into their very forms.
Their eyes glowed faintly.
Unnatural.
Unstable.
Rive stepped back.
"…Okay, those look like cult members."
Vikram's expression hardened.
"Ritualists."
Lysara's voice dropped.
"They found us too quickly."
One of the figures stepped forward.
Tall.
Thin.
Smiling.
"We finally found you," he said softly.
His eyes locked onto Rive.
"The key."
Rive pointed at himself.
"Why does everyone keep calling me that?!"
The ritualist tilted his head.
"Because you are the door."
Rive whispered, "…I hate that title."
The figure raised his hand.
Dark energy gathered.
"You will help us return."
Rive stepped behind Vikram.
"I would like to respectfully decline."
"I'm afraid that's not an option."
The symbols on their bodies began to glow.
The room grew colder.
Vikram stepped forward.
"Stay behind me."
Rive nodded immediately.
"Not planning to do anything else."
The ritualists moved.
Fast.
Too fast.
One of them appeared behind Vikram instantly.
Vikram blocked the strike, but the impact pushed him back.
"…They're strong," he muttered.
Rive swallowed.
"That's not good."
Another ritualist lunged toward Rive.
Before it could reach him—
The air distorted.
For a split second—
Rive's body flickered.
He vanished.
And reappeared a few steps away.
Everyone froze.
Rive blinked.
"…Did I just teleport?"
Lysara smiled slightly.
"Your Tri-Vessel instinct."
The ritualists' eyes widened.
"Even better," one whispered.
Rive pointed nervously.
"Okay, now they look more interested."
Vikram stepped forward again.
"Enough."
Energy surged around him.
"Nature Authority."
The ground cracked.
The chamber trembled.
"Stamina Destruction."
The explosion of power filled the room.
Two ritualists were thrown back instantly.
But the others stood their ground.
Their symbols glowed brighter.
One of them smiled.
"You cannot stop this."
"We have already begun."
Rive's heart sank.
"…Begun what?"
The symbols across the room lit up.
The walls.
The floor.
The ceiling.
A massive ritual circle appeared beneath them.
Rive's eyes widened.
"Oh no."
The air twisted violently.
Dark energy surged upward.
The ritual had started.
And Rive was standing at its center.