Running around the fields of barren soil as it turns into a fertile soil with fresh living grass an flowers, Claire seems to enjoy using her ability too much. While it adds souls back to the afterlife, her mana is almost depleted from overusing her ability colorful humanity. Almost all the barren soil was purified.
"Claire, I know you're enjoying so much but isn't it time to go inside the city?" Felia suggests as she might faint based on her tired but hectic gesture.
"I'm sorry. I just felt like touching this and that made me feel happy."
"So how can we get inside?" Olivia speculates the situation at the moment in order to address the problem at hand with a overwhelming solution. They all both look at the large steampunk city, as they are all lost of words expressing how grand and astonishing the location was, it is like to be admired by a proud founder who built this place.
"So what's our first move, Claire."
"We should ask the guard of this city first."
"What if they denied our entry, what should we do?" Suddenly a telepathy call from a nearby city occurred at Claire's mind.
"Hello Claire. Where are you at the moment?"
"We are at the gateway of the place called ghost city."
"I see, so you are already here. No worries, just tell the guard you were sent by Hugo." Data-kun ends his statement
"Alright. We should head now."
"We need a plan first, Claire." Felia heaved as being confused by Claire's sudden resolve on an unknown situation.
They arrive at the entrance, as it appears to be a very tall male entity with his hidden face masked by his hood, covering his whole body as making him a mystery to unravel.
"Who are you?" The guard interrogates the three of them with suspicion.
"My name is Claire Valentine, these are my associates, Olivia Fear and Felia Millers. We were sent by Hugo." Claire perfectly tells the details about their appearance.
"So that's your purpose of entering the center of the abyss, the Ghost City. Perhaps I would need your signature in this papers before I let you all in." The guard finally agreed on letting them enter the city. While writing all their signatures to the agreement, the guard notices the far away fields. "How can that be? Who did this?"
"Finally done, here's the papers, sir." Claire hands the papers over to the guard.
"Did you three cleansed the surroundings barren fields?"
"Claire did. Why do you ask?" Olivia then covers Claire with her cloak as she interrogates the guard's intention.
"It's just a shocking that people would purity them for about an hour. What surrounds the city is the lost souls who have no place in their world, which they ended up stacking all around the city. They're once called a forgotten souls, but purifying them may taint the user's soul itself. So I was in an astonishment."
"We better get going, for now I'll be back." Claire gives her farewell to the guard while the guard himself waves back with a dumbfounded look.
"Who is she?" He asked.
After entering the city, they first stroll around, asking where Hugo is located. Most of them guided them with a direction pointed at the same location.
"If you want to meet him, I'll be able to assist you."
"Really? You're a lifesaver!" Claire is pleased for the help but.
"That is for a price."
"We don't have any money." Felia intimidatingly groused at the cunning young ghost.
"You are friends with Hugo right? How about he lets me pay for my deeds if that's okay?"
"You greedy little bitc—" Olivia almost killed the young ghost.
"Well well. We can talk about the reward but for now, help us reach Data—I meant Hugo."
For over 10 minutes, they followed the young ghost. Soon, Olivia has a few questions regarding the young fairly handsome ghost.
"May I ask a few questions about you, young ghost."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember how you died?"
"Not really. I mean I was born here at the city. My father is a ghost and my mother is a human so practically, I'm half of my parents, isn't that a funny thing?"
"Where do you live?"
"Somewhere nearby."
"Do you have friends around here?"
"Yes I do. But they tend to make business first before fun. I actually disagree. How come working without fun isn't worth to do, am I right?"
For over 30 minutes has passed, it seems that they are somewhere they don't recall.
"What place is this?"
"The names Alfo. And now you are being raided by us." All of a sudden this nice fellow became a cunning fraud.
"It's an ambush! Prepare yourself Felia." They were cornered by a few people with unknown skills and abilities.
"You don't have to tell me twice." Both Olivia and Felia activated their skills and materialize their weapons as the eight of them cornered them. They prepare their weapons as initiating to attack.
One with a sickles lunges forward to block himself from the bullets came from Felia while the others surrounds them as performing a circle run. They have knuckles, small knives, and a spear, while the others have abilities such as fire magic, wind magic, dark magic, and light magic. But for some reason they wanted it to show it on purpose but not intently use it as a form of aggression.
Olivia covered Claire with her invisible cloak in order to flee while they distract all of them. Moreover, Olivia tried to shot Alfo with her handgun but somehow it pierced through like it was nothing.
"I'm half ghost remember? Are you really gonna focus on me. You might need to focus at your ally there."
Olivia gazes at Felia and it seems that Felia is being beaten up by four of them while the other three suddenly restrict Olivia's movements by pulling Olivia's arms.
"It seems the information gathered from you three are disappointing. To think we would finally face a worthy adversary."
Suddenly, Olivia laughs hysterically as she materialize a sharp spikes at her back as it penetrates the tall body of the one who restricted Olivia's arms from behind. It seems it worked, the guy from behind dies.
"It all makes sense now. Felia! Their weakness is at their hearts. Shoot them!" Felia then points her sniper at one of them and fires. It is dealt with a strong blast from both sides, killing one of them while the rest get blasted by the force of the shot.
Olivia then shoots at the desirable spot as most of them splattered all around the area, with blood gushes down to the drain except Alfo.
"That's truly amazing." Alfo praises both of them. "You don't want to kill me."
"Why not?" Olivia rants at Alfo. Alfo points down behind them seeing, another one of them pointing a gun at Claire. "How can it be? I just give Claire the invisible cloak. Why?"
"Olivia, you might lose Claire again. So are you gonna do as I say or let your ego run wild as I kill her." The mysterious guy points the gun at her neck. Regretting not to show any hostility, she raised her hands as kneeling down alongside Felia. Alfo walks to his the mysterious guy as taking the gun from him and shooting Claire with a loud bang. Felia and Olivia are in a deep despair as they are about to unleash an irreversible amount of bloodlust.
"It's a prank." The mysterious guy says to both of them as he himself sets all of it as a trial.
"What do you mean? You killed her." Olivia in a deep despair, she was so shocked that she didn't do much to prevent Claire's death, but.
"No I didn't. See?" Alfo shows the toy gun with a flag coming from the muzzle. "As I told you, all of this was just a show, a trial perhaps. Most of my comrades are formidable opponents, as well as good actors and actress.
"Trial?"
"It's a trial for Claire as well, if she had a worthy allies to back the goddess."
"Sorry, Olivia and Felia. He told me tho and I agreed. This is Hugo." Claire points to the mysterious guy.
"Declan Hugo, but you can call me Marsh."
"EHHH??!!!!" Felia and Olivia are surprised by the turn of events.
And so the shocking revelation continues...