The breeze stirred the trees with a gentle murmur, and a pale mist slid across the ground as if it were breathing.
Aleph, holding a flashlight, walked at the front of the group with a slow, steady pace.
[The mist contains fluctuating particles. Nothing seriously abnormal, but not exactly natural either.]
"Spirits or magical pollution?"
[Both are valid options.]
"This place is so creepy at night…" March 7th muttered, clinging to Aleph's arm. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Of course." Aleph replied. "Besides, if anything goes wrong, you can count on me."
"Can you or your demons even deal with ghosts?"
"No idea. Never tried."
"…So unreliable."
Stelle, walking beside them, kept her eyes on the path.
"Looks like a nice spot for a nap…" She said, ignoring March's "Seriously?" glance.
Guinaifen followed behind, recording with her camera.
"Welcome to a special episode of 'GuinaInvestigates!' Tonight are there ghosts in the Tranquility Garden? Get ready to screeeam~!"
Sushang sighed in resignation.
"Little Gui… are you sure you can't tone it down a bit?"
"What if the guards catch us?" March whispered nervously.
"They won't!" Guinaifen replied confidently. "I've got a map of the service routes and guard schedules—plus their patrol routes—courtesy of a fan."
"That's… concerning on so many levels." Aleph murmured.
...
"Halt. You're violating the Garden's security protocols."
Everyone froze in place.
Two figures emerged from the mist, walking with authority—one with short dark hair and a serious expression, the other more vacant-looking, a bell dangling from her belt.
And between them, a small green-haired foxian girl with a ridiculously oversized hat was trembling like jelly.
"I-I'm pretty sure we shouldn't be screaming! B-But we also shouldn't be here! What if we get attacked?! What if a ghost jumps out of a tree?! I didn't sign up for this!"
"Huohuo, calm down." Xueyi sighed. "They're not enemies. Though they are trespassing."
Guinaifen lowered her camera with a nervous giggle.
"Oops."
Aleph raised his hands with a sheepish expression. The situation felt disturbingly familiar.
After all, in both lives, he seemed to have a knack for nearly getting arrested.
"Can we explain?"
"There's no need. We already know why you're here." Hanya cut in, arms crossed. "The rumors have spread. It was only a matter of time before someone decided to come investigate on their own."
"So… it's true there's something here?" Stelle asked, tilting her head.
"…You should leave now." Xueyi said flatly.
Hanya stepped forward.
"I think it would be better to explain. Otherwise, even if they leave now, they'll likely come back out of curiosity—and that could end very badly. There's little chance they'll run into us again if things go wrong."
"People talk about ghosts, but what's actually been appearing are Heliobus."
March blinked.
"Helio-what?"
"Fire spirits once trapped in the Creation Furnace of the Artisanship Commission." Hanya explained. "When the Ambrosia Tree was revived and its roots enveloped the furnace, some of the Heliobus escaped and made their way here."
"They're drawn to human emotions." Xueyi added. "They possess people. But when they do, they become distorted. They feed on fear, anger, sadness. Then they devour what's left."
"Like throwing logs on a fire." Stelle murmured.
"Exactly."
Huohuo, still trembling, hid behind Xueyi and spoke in a low voice.
"O-One caught me once. W-When I was a kid… it almost devoured me. Hanya… saved me."
A flame floated up from Huohuo's tail.
It was bluish-green and shaped like a dog's face.
Rather cute.
"Tch! There you go again, telling that story like I'm some fairy tale villain, you coward!" It said, sounding rather annoyed.
"Because Mr. Tail is a villain! He ruined my life!"
"…Did it ever occur to you that your life was already ruined? I mean, you barely grow, and you're such a hopeless coward you'd never be able to make friends or find a partner anyway."
"Shut up, shut up, shut up!!"
Mr. Tail spun around to face the group.
"And what are you looking at? Show some respect! I could easily wipe you out if I felt like it. I just don't because it'd be too much trouble."
"AAAAAHHHHH!!!"
Guinaifen, Sushang, and March screamed in unison and lunged at Aleph.
Guinaifen and March grabbed onto his neck—not usually a problem… except that Sushang, who had far greater physical strength, did the same.
"G-GHOST!!!"
Aleph, buried under the panic of three girls on top of him, could only manage to say:
"H-Help… I can't… brea…the." Stelle quickly rushed to his aid.
Mr. Tail spun with a huff and a proud puff of his chest.
"Bah! Bunch of hysterics."
Xueyi ignored the chaos and simply turned around.
"Now you know. No ghosts, but definite danger. Don't come near the Garden of Serenity again until the area is fully stabilized."
"Huohuo, escort them to the exit." Hanya instructed.
The foxian girl paled.
"Me?! A-All alone? W-What if something attacks me on the way?!"
"They'll protect you." Xueyi said without stopping.
Huohuo looked at them with puppy-dog eyes full of fear. Aleph got to his feet, dusted himself off, and rubbed his sore neck.
"I'll protect you!" He said with a hand on his chest, ignoring the flat stares he got from both March and Stelle.
.....
Huohuo walked at the front with short, trembling steps, clutching her paper lantern with both hands. The light flickered with every shiver that ran through the foxian girl.
Stelle followed behind her. Her steps were steady, but she couldn't help glancing over her shoulder now and then, just to make sure Mr. Tail wasn't floating behind them like a vengeful spirit.
Aleph walked alongside March 7th, who leaned in slightly and murmured just loud enough for him to hear.
"Hanya's dead, tired stare was terrifying."
Stelle nodded silently.
That woman had the aura of a strict teacher who'd fail you just for breathing wrong.
Sushang walked in the middle of the group, trying to stay as close to Huohuo as possible without making it obvious.
Her eyes darted back and forth like she was expecting a tree to suddenly jump out and yell "BOO!"
...Stelle would be lying if she said she wasn't tempted to jump out and scare her.
At the rear, Guinaifen was chattering nonstop to Aleph.
"...I'm telling you, they might call them Heliobus, but I'm sure that's just what they call ghosts here in the Luofu. Look at the way they appear—the fog, the drama—this is straight out of an urban legend!"
"And the part where they consume you?" Aleph asked.
"That just reinforces their monstrous nature! They're like lawyers or corporate lenders!"
"Ghosts don't exist, brat." Mr. Tail's voice sounded grumpy from Huohuo's tail. "What does exist is your ignorance."
Guinaifen stuck out her tongue. Aleph smiled, while Stelle just sighed.
...
The group stopped after descending a flight of stairs.
The reason was simple: Guinaifen was gone.
"Huh?" Stelle halted, looking around. The sound of her footsteps echoed softly against the stone.
"Where's Gui?" Sushang asked, spinning around quickly.
"Wasn't she right behind us?" March looked at everyone.
Aleph glanced around and asked himself:
How had he not noticed?
Huohuo let out a small squeal and shrank like a cornered mouse.
"T-This is just like in the movies! One person gets separated and disappears and then...!"
"It's fine!" Aleph exclaimed, trying to calm her down. Stelle felt the urge to roll her eyes, seeing how Aleph's gaze barely strayed from Huohuo's ears and tail. "March, Huohuo, come with me down this hallway. Stelle, Sushang, check that side gallery."
Stelle nodded without hesitation.
"Let's go."
Sushang swallowed hard.
"Y-Yes!"
The two of them headed down a narrow corridor where moss crept along the walls, and the lantern light seemed dimmer.
In a dusty corner, right next to a crack in the wall, Stelle spotted a red flower.
It was Guinaifen's hair ornament.
She picked it up and held it between her fingers.
It was lying off to the side, as if it had fallen while she was running… or being dragged.
"Sushang." She called, but the girl had already stopped to check a junction a bit farther back.
Stelle stepped forward alone.
The corridor ended in a chamber.
In the center, she saw a mirror.
It was massive, the black frame glowing with a hue not unlike Mr. Tail's.
The glass, however, wasn't silver—it was a dull gold, as if it had been made from melted amber.
Stelle approached cautiously.
Her reflection stared back at her.
There didn't seem to be anything strange… but something about it felt off.
Was her hair really that messy?
After adjusting it a bit, she extended a hand and touched the glass.
Cold.
Nothing happened.
No energy, no vibration. She shrugged.
"Probably just some old decoration." She thought, turning to leave.
Then she felt a tug.
Two arms wrapped around her from behind.
"What—?"
The mirror glowed.
Stelle only had time to see her reflection—no, something identical to her—pulling her body into the glass.
Sushang appeared in the chamber's doorway just as it happened.
"Stelle!"
That was the last thing she heard before her body vanished into the mirror's golden liquid.
*************
Stelle woke up with a start.
The ground beneath her back was hard and dusty, carrying a dry scent of old wood and soot. She sat up, holding one hand to her head. There was no sound except the wind slipping through some distant crack.
She frowned.
She was alone.
The room was square, with walls covered in faded symbols and what looked like the remnants of incense long since burned away. Around her stood four doors—one behind her, one ahead, and two to the sides.
She walked toward the one on the right.
Nothing strange at first. The hallway was dimly lit, but not threatening. She moved forward, eyes scanning her surroundings.
But when she crossed the next door...
...She was back in the same room.
She frowned again. Tried the opposite door. Then the one on the left. Finally, the one in front.
No matter which way she went, she always ended up in the same place.
"Noticed it yet?" Said a playful voice, drifting in the air like it came from nowhere in particular. "Here, every path is a riddle."
Stelle turned, looking for the source. The voice didn't sound threatening. More like... amused.
As if it was enjoying the show.
"How fascinating..." It whispered, this time close to her ear. "You're different. So very different from the other humans I've seen."
Stelle clenched her fists. Something about that voice rubbed her the wrong way. That arrogant confidence.
It sounded like someone playing with their food.
...Or like Aleph when he wanted to piss off March 7th.
"The flames and wind spoke to me of you all. Powerful people. With a peculiar scent. A certain feeling..." The voice clicked its tongue, like it was tasting the air. "Spectacular."
A low, trembling murmur crept across the room.
"You drove off Phantylia? Ahh, I can taste the leftover conflict... heh... hehehe... You must be delicious. I can barely resist."
Stelle stepped back, but something was beginning to take shape in front of her.
"Mind if I take a little bite? Just a nibble? It won't be much, I promise. Just a taste. Nah, I'm lying. I'm gonna eat you whole."
The laugh that followed was sharp, erratic. Two formless creatures emerged from the shadows, like bodies made of smoke and bluish-green fire, with vaguely human faces that twisted and warped.
Stelle didn't wait for them to speak.
With her bat in hand, she launched herself at them.
...
It wasn't hard. Despite their threatening appearance, they were ridiculously weak.
Fire scattered with every swing. The bodies unraveled with wails that weren't quite screams.
"...Hehehe... So that was just your warm-up?"
The voice returned, right behind her. Something invisible touched her. It felt like hands reaching inside her.
Stelle stepped back, but it was already too late.
"Let's see what makes you so special...!"
Heat surged suddenly. A crushing weight pressed inward. She couldn't scream. Couldn't move.
Then the Heliobus's voice rang out again.
"...What... what is this thing...?"
The laughter stopped.
"What is this thing that feels like a burning star? Meh, whatever. I'm sure I'll be fine as long as I stay far enough... away... from it."
Stelle tilted her head, confused, as she sensed something strange happening to the Heliobus that had tried to possess her.
"Ah... AH! THERE'S ANOTHER ONE! TWO! AND... AND...!! WHAT IS THAT?! NO—NO, THAT'S NOT—!!"
The Heliobus's shrill tone shifted completely—from mocking to sheer terror.
"WHAT IS THAT?! WHAT IS THAT?! WHAT IS IT?! Why is it changing so much?! Stay back, stay BACK! How the hell did you come into contact with something like THIS?!"
Stelle couldn't help thinking one thing.
Hadn't she just been lying on top of Aleph not long ago?
Was that it? The strange sensation?
Something left behind by touching him?
"What does Aleph have inside him...?" She whispered.
She had to find out.
"Ahhh, I suppose I overreacted." The Heliobus's voice returned.
But this time, she saw the source. It looked like a giant pale-blue eye, with a dark cerulean iris and a purple diamond at the center. Like Mr. Tail, its body seemed to be wrapped in flames—except its fire was blue and black.
"I'll take your silence as a yes to letting me temporarily inhabit your body... hmm? What a strange human. It's almost like this body doesn't fully belong to you. Meh, whatever. I won't be staying long anyway, so let's get along while it lasts, yeah?"
...
"My name's Cirrus, by the way."
The voice now came from ahead. The Heliobus hovered nearby, its sky-blue eye half-closed in what seemed like a friendly expression.
"Don't worry, I've no intention of devouring you anymore. Not profitable. Your body would give me more trouble than benefit. Besides…" The eye lazily spun in the air. "You want to get out of this place too, don't you?"
Stelle stared at him in silence.
"This, according to the people of the Luofu, is a phantom lock. Doesn't matter how much you walk, run, or kick the walls, it all ends the same—you wind up right where you started."
Cirrus made a spiral in the air and floated up to her level.
"I don't want to stay trapped here either. But I've got my own reasons for not showing up before those judges from the Ten-Lords Commission—especially that woman with eyes as dry as bark." He rolled his eye as if mimicking a look of exasperation.
"So here's the deal. I help you get out of the labyrinth Furinox made, and you help me dodge the judges. You win, I win. Not bad for such a boring night, right?"
Stelle sighed.
There was nothing to lose. She was alone, surrounded by doors that led nowhere, stuck with an annoying, snarky Heliobus.
Even if he was lying, it was better than running in circles.
"Fine. I'm in."
Cirrus blinked. His eyelid opened and closed a few times, confused.
"Already? Just like that?"
"Would you have preferred a fight first?"
"…No. Just… expected a few more minutes of negotiation. Eh, never mind." He wobbled in the air. "What matters is you accepted. As long as I get what I want, the rest is details."
Stelle raised an eyebrow.
"Reassuring."
"You'll have to get used to it," Cirrus replied. "Come, there's something I want to show you."
*********
They walked together for a few minutes. This time, the hallway looked different.
Footprints were visible in the dust, and after a few meters, they began to see small fragments of paper stuck in the corners—folded, burned, held in place with wooden pins.
"From the fox-faced judge, I'd guess." Cirrus commented, spinning in the air without touching any of them. "She may lack presence and guts, but she's got a knack for detecting warped energies. She must've passed through here recently."
Farther ahead, they found a piece of parchment, carefully rolled and wrapped in cloth.
"A note." Stelle murmured, picking it up.
Cirrus floated beside her.
"Nighttime Tales from the Tranquility Garden – Scene 1, Part 2." She read aloud.
The General was in his mansion, lost in thought, devising strategies to break the enemy's siege, when suddenly a gust of wind came through his window.
> "It's rude for an uninvited guest to hide in the shadows." He said, standing up. "Show yourself. Quickly. Or don't blame me for being impolite."
A laugh answered him, and from the darkness appeared a figure made of fire, shaped like a floating eye.
> "I've heard tell of the exceptional skill of the Generals who serve the Lord Archer." Said the being. "Seeing you confirms that even those rumors fall short of reality. I came unannounced and interfered in your affairs, and for that, I offer my apologies. However, I came here to help you break the siege."
The General did not reply immediately. He simply frowned.
> "The Borisin troops are closing in, their goal is clear—they seek to wipe Luofu from existence. Before you refuse to hear me out, consider this isn't it nearly impossible for someone like you, whose troops are so few, to resist the enemy? Is it not as difficult as reaching the heavens?"
General Teng Xiao furrowed his brow.
The spirit introduced itself as Ignamar, and its desire was clear—his body and memories, in exchange for assistance.
> "Tonight at midnight, I will await your answer in the Tranquility Garden." The spirit said. "If you want a bloody battle, break all the vermilion vases in the room by the entrance. If you choose to reject me, leave them untouched. Do not touch the blue vases. To enter, knock on the door three times to the left, three times to the right."
Watching the spirit vanish, Teng Xiao murmured.
> "A mere malevolent spirit dares to covet my body and memories while mimicking the soul and voice of man. Leave. And I, Teng Xiao, will give you my answer in due time."
Stelle finished reading and silently rolled up the parchment.
"And this?" She asked, still looking at it.
"A clue," Cirrus replied. "It's not here by accident. Furinox is a theatrical idiot. Sometimes, you have to play along if you want to escape his maze."
Stelle frowned.
"The key to getting out… is in a story?"
"Exactly. Doesn't have to make sense. It just has to work."
They walked a bit farther. The architecture changed. The floor became more polished, the columns more ornate. At last, they reached a large door of black wood.
Stelle knocked three times to the left and three times to the right.
A voice echoed soon after.
"If the guest wishes to enter, they must observe proper courtesies. Otherwise, return from whence you came."
Next to the door, a side room. Inside, Stelle saw six vases on stone pedestals.
Three blue. Three vermilion.
"And now?" She asked.
Cirrus spun in the air.
"Now you make your choice."
*********
Huohuo was standing against a wall, nervously arguing with Mr. Tail while mumbling something about traps and faulty seals.
Stelle was about to step forward, but a familiar voice stopped her.
"A reminder, human. We agreed you wouldn't mention my presence to the fox judge."
Stelle glanced at him with annoyance.
"I keep my promises."
That also reminded her of something far more important she still had a score to settle with March 7th for stealing her raccoon-shaped cookies.
That kind of thing wasn't so easily forgiven.
"Could you not get distracted? We need to get out of here." Cirrus muttered, impatient.
Stelle ignored him and stepped forward anyway.
"Stelle!" Huohuo jumped when she saw her. "Thank the heavens! I was so scared. Have you seen Guinaifen? Or Sushang? Or that weird boy, Aleph?"
"What happened to them?" Stelle asked, curious.
"After Sushang told Aleph what she saw, he immediately jumped into the mirror. Sushang followed right after. I didn't want to be alone… so I went in too." Huohuo lowered her head. "I didn't think I'd get lost so easily…"
Stelle opened her mouth to respond, but instead, she heard her own voice say:
"Give it up. Guinaifen's probably already been devoured by the Heliobus. Sushang and Aleph are likely to share the same fate."
Huohuo stepped back in horror.
"Don't say that! No! If that happened to them, then I—! No, no! Besides… you… you're acting weird…"
"Cirrus." Stelle thought, furious. "Did that really happen to them?"
[Who knows? I'm just speeding things up.]
Huohuo hugged herself.
"But… if you're here, then we can find a way out. Right? Please… can I come with you?"
"Begging for help again?" Mr. Tail muttered, floating beside her. "Even as a judge, you're still a useless brat."
"I know!" Huohuo snapped. "I know I'm not cut out to be a judge! But… that's why I joined the Commission… to change… to be brave. Even if it feels impossible."
Mr. Tail growled.
"Why the hell did they seal me into a useless kid like you…?"
Huohuo pouted.
"And you! You're always boasting, but you didn't even realize we were walking into a trap. Who's the useless one now?"
Stelle clenched her teeth.
"Enough! I—!"
But once again, her voice didn't come out, and instead, Cirrus spoke through her.
"There's no point in you coming. You'll only slow me down. I'm going alone."
"N-No!" Huohuo cried out, tears in her eyes. "Don't leave me! Please don't leave me here alone!"
"Cirrus, you bastard…" Stelle thought. "You made her cry."
[Bastard? Oh, please. Aren't you the one closer to that both biologically and mentally?] Cirrus scoffed. [I've seen some of your memories, little Stelle. Isn't it a bit hypocritical to call me a beast when you dress up in fluffy ears to seduce someone you're almost sure is your older brother?]
"Shut your mouth." She growled, furious.
And as if that wasn't enough, her mouth moved "on its own" again.
"The Ten Lords Commission should really revise their recruitment standards if someone like you got in."
Huohuo's tears flowed harder. Mr. Tail floated forward, placing himself between the two of them.
"Oi! Only I—and maybe the other judges—get to talk to this useless kid like that! And even then, you—"
He frowned and sniffed the air.
"…Wait a second. I recognize that scent."
The tone shifted immediately.
"Cirrus, you dumb leech—still pulling your cheap ventriloquist tricks?"
"Ah? Well, well!" Cirrus used Stelle's voice to speak. "If it isn't the biggest leftover fragment of Ignamar. So, this is what you've been reduced to? Sealed into the tail of a crybaby brat? Reduced to a sad little guard dog? How pathetic."
"Watch your mouth!"
"Oh, sorry. Did I say 'guard dog'? No, no… I meant—you've been reduced to being part of one! Hahahaha!"
Mr. Tail growled.
"Laugh while you can. Once you're out of that girl's body, I'll devour you whole."
Cirrus made Stelle pretend to tremble.
"Oooh, scary. 'Mr. Tail' is going to gobble me up~ Such a big threat coming from someone with a name that sounds like a little girl's pet… Oh wait, that is what you are now! Hahahaha!"
"Tch." Mr. Tail clicked his tongue before leaning close to Huohuo's ear and whispering. "Hey, chicken—got any ideas?"
"Enough!" Huohuo suddenly shouted. "Stelle, look over there!"
She pointed at a dark corner.
"Huh?" Cirrus turned Stelle's body to look—and that's when Huohuo jumped and slapped a talisman straight onto the girl's chest.
A surge of energy exploded in silence.
Cirrus screamed.
Stelle felt a weight lift from her body. She dropped to her knees, gasping, as the Heliobus was forced to retreat and sealed inside her again, unable to control her.
"…Did it work?" Huohuo asked, trembling as she picked up Stelle's bat, ready to use it if she had to.
Stelle nodded.
"Thanks. Now… let's get out of here."
**********************************************************************************************
I was originally going to finish editing and upload this yesterday morning, but I had some health issues. So now that I'm feeling a bit better, I decided to finally post it.