Chapter 4 – The Vanishing Ghost

A Hunt Without Prey

Eldermere offered nothing but frustration.

Ray spent days investigating, scouring the streets, questioning the locals, and following every lead he could find. But no matter where he looked, there were no signs of spiritual energy, no disturbances, and certainly no lingering presence of the ghost.

Just a town brimming with warriors-in-training—most of whom were too busy glaring at him to be of any use.

By the week's end, he returned to Miravale, where Emily waited impatiently.

"Well?" she pressed the moment she spotted him. "Did you find anything?"

Ray shook his head. "Nothing worth mentioning."

She groaned, rubbing her forehead. "So we're just stuck here waiting?"

Apparently, they were. Days passed, and the ghost never returned. It was as if it had simply ceased to exist.

Eventually, Ray and Emily found themselves in the office of Miravale's town head, their expressions unreadable.

"We're calling it," Ray said flatly. "Since the ghost hasn't appeared, we'll be leaving. And we won't be taking any payment."

The town head's brows knitted together. "But I thought you never failed a mission."

Ray's gaze didn't waver. "Once again, we're sorry."

And with that, they turned to leave.

The Black Fog Returns

That night, as Miravale drifted into uneasy sleep, a thick black fog rolled into the cursed street. It slithered through the empty air, coiling like smoke—twisting, writhing, shaping something new.

A beast took form.

The previous ghost had been a wolf. This time, it was different—a monstrous, goat-like entity with four massive horns curling from its head and three glowing eyes that burned like dying embers.

It stood there for a moment, breathing, shifting—then turned.

This time, it wasn't here for Miravale.

It was heading straight for Eldermere.

The moment the guards spotted it, it was too late.

The beast stormed through their defenses, sending men flying like broken dolls. Swords and spears clashed against its hide, but they barely made a dent. It roared, shaking the earth, and with terrifying strength, began tearing through the town itself.

Panic erupted.

"Somebody stop it!" a voice screamed. "It'll destroy everything!"

And then—

A single child, no older than six, stood frozen in the town square.

He had been playing a late-night game of hide-and-seek, unaware that the world around him had descended into chaos.

The ghost saw him.

It locked onto him.

And with terrifying speed, it lunged—

A silver blade spun through the air, cutting a perfect arc through the darkness.

It stopped mere inches from the ghost's skull, forcing it to hesitate.

A second later, Emily landed between the child and the beast, her hands glowing as she conjured a protective barrier around them.

"Hey there, big guy," she called out, unfazed by the monster pressing against her shield. "You know you're done for, right?"

The ghost's three eyes flickered—because suddenly, the air behind it had changed.

Something dangerous was coming.

And then—

Ray arrived.

He didn't say a word. He didn't give the ghost time to react.

Black flames crackled to life around his fist as he lunged forward, aiming to annihilate the creature in a single strike.

But before his attack could land—

A blinding white fog erupted across the town, swallowing everything whole.

A heartbeat later—the ghost was gone.

Ray exhaled slowly, lowering his fist. His irritation was almost palpable.

"Tsk. Someone's pulling the strings."

As the fog faded, the townspeople hesitantly stepped out of their homes. Some wore expressions of relief. Others… were furious.

"This is your fault!" a man spat. "Ever since you showed up, things have only gotten worse!"

Emily scoffed, arms crossed. "Oh? I thought Eldermere had the best warriors in the kingdom. Shouldn't this have been easy for you?"

A nearby guard let out a breath, rubbing his temples. "We're just trainees," he admitted. "Most of our real warriors were summoned by the king. The town's been left with recruits."

Emily frowned. "…Oh."

Ray, meanwhile, was already walking away.

Emily quickly followed.

The Hidden Truth

Back in Miravale, the town head was livid.

"Our plan failed badly," he grumbled. "I'm telling you, those Eldermere scum must be behind this."

The tensions between the two towns were reaching a boiling point. People were looking for someone to blame. It wouldn't be long before accusations turned to violence.

But Ray wasn't paying attention.

Instead, he pulled a small photograph from his coat and handed it to Emily.

She took one glance and stiffened.

The image was dark, grainy—but unmistakable. A figure, cloaked entirely in black, stood in the shadows, their face completely obscured. In their hands, they clutched the lifeless body of a goat.

Emily's eyes widened. "Wait… isn't that…?"

Ray gave a small nod. "I found them when we pretended to leave. The moment we were gone, this person appeared. They performed some kind of ritual using the dead goat, and then—" he gestured vaguely "—we know what happened next."

Emily let out a slow breath. "So that's why you borrowed my magic of perfect recall."

"Yeah."

She narrowed her eyes. "And why are you telling me this now?"

Ray leaned against the wall, smirking slightly. "Because I need you for something."

Emily crossed her arms. "That's new. What's the job?"

Ray's expression darkened. "Someone's been following us."

Emily blinked. "What?"

"They're good," he admitted. "So good that even I barely noticed."

Emily hesitated. "Then… how did you figure it out?"

Ray smirked. "Instincts."

She groaned. "You have to be joking."

"Nope."

Emily let out a heavy sigh, rubbing her temples. "Fine. I'll handle it. But you owe me another meal."

Ray rolled his eyes. "Tsk. Fine."

The hunt for the ghost was no longer just about spirits. Someone—something—was orchestrating this from the shadows.

And now, Ray and Emily were one step closer to finding out who.