Chapter 4 — The Ghost Behind the Mirror
The breathing continued.
Slow.
Heavy.
Unnatural.
It seemed to come from every direction at once.
The five friends stood in the whispering corridor, staring at the second black symbol on the master seal.
Chamot was crouched near Moko's feet.
Her ears were completely raised.
She was listening.
Moko looked at her.
“You hear it too, don't you?”
Chamot didn't move.
She stared at the second prison.
Sizububu stepped closer to the master seal.
The second symbol was glowing brighter.
Tofu held the old iron key in one hand.
Rizu stood beside the freed little girl.
The first freed spirit remained nearby, still weak from the attack of the shadow creature.
The little girl whispered—
“It's awake.”
Moko swallowed.
“Who?”
The girl didn't answer.
Instead, she looked toward the seventh door.
The door that had released her.
Then she pointed farther down the corridor.
“The second prison is there.”
Everyone followed her finger.
At the very end of the corridor stood another door.
Unlike the others, it was not made of wood.
It was made entirely of glass.
And behind the glass was a mirror.
A very old mirror.
Its surface was covered with black cracks.
Moko stared at it.
“That's a door?”
The girl nodded.
Tofu walked toward it.
“Why is there a mirror behind the door?”
The first freed spirit spoke quietly.
“Because the prisoner is trapped inside it.”
Rizu's eyes narrowed.
“Inside the mirror?”
“Yes.”
Moko looked at the glass door.
“Then how do we free him?”
The first spirit shook her head.
“You must first make him look at himself.”
Moko frowned.
“That sounds simple.”
The spirit's expression became serious.
“It isn't.”
The breathing stopped.
Everyone froze.
Then the mirror moved.
Just slightly.
A ripple crossed its surface.
Chamot hissed.
“Fssss!”
Moko stepped back.
“Okay. I officially don't like mirrors anymore.”
Tofu glanced at him.
“You never liked mirrors.”
“That's not the point.”
Sizububu walked closer.
“What happens if the prisoner sees himself?”
The first spirit looked at the mirror.
“He remembers.”
“Remembers what?”
“His death.”
Silence.
The little girl lowered her eyes.
“He has been trapped there for a very long time.”
Rizu stared at the mirror.
“I can see a spirit inside.”
Sizububu looked at her.
“What does he look like?”
Rizu's face became pale.
“He looks like a boy.”
Moko blinked.
“How old?”
“Maybe fifteen.”
The mirror suddenly shook.
A faint voice came from inside.
“Don't…”
Everyone stopped.
The voice sounded young.
“Don't look at me.”
Rizu closed her eyes.
“I can hear him.”
Moko moved closer.
“We're not here to hurt you.”
The voice replied—
“Then leave.”
Sizububu said calmly, “We came to free you.”
The mirror became completely still.
Then the boy laughed.
It was a strange laugh.
Not happy.
Not angry.
Broken.
“Free me?”
“Yes.”
“You cannot.”
“Why?”
The boy whispered—
“Because I don't want to be free.”
Moko looked at the others.
The little girl lowered her head.
Rizu understood.
“He is afraid.”
The boy heard her.
“I am not afraid!”
His voice suddenly became louder.
The mirror cracked.
CRACK!
Chamot jumped backward.
Moko immediately crouched beside her.
“Easy.”
The cat stared at the mirror.
Then she turned away.
Moko blinked.
“Are you ignoring the ghost?”
Chamot walked toward the wall.
“Of course.”
She sniffed it.
Then scratched it.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Moko sighed.
“Not now, Chamot.”
Tofu smiled.
“Let her.”
Chamot scratched harder.
A small piece of plaster fell.
Behind it was another old inscription.
Sizububu wiped away the dust.
Five words appeared.
“The mirror remembers everything.”
Rizu touched the writing.
A sudden vision entered her mind.
She saw a young boy standing in a large room.
He was holding a small mirror.
Someone stood behind him.
The figure was hidden in darkness.
The boy looked terrified.
The dark figure said—
“Look.”
The boy shook his head.
“No.”
“Look at yourself.”
“I don't want to.”
The figure laughed.
The vision changed.
The boy was running through the mansion.
He was crying.
He reached the mirror room.
The doors slammed shut.
The mirror began glowing.
The boy screamed.
Then the vision disappeared.
Rizu opened her eyes.
She was breathing heavily.
Moko grabbed her arm.
“What happened?”
She looked at the mirror.
“He didn't die normally.”
The first spirit nodded.
“He was forced to look into the mirror.”
“By the keeper?”
“Yes.”
Sizububu looked at the mirror.
“What did the mirror do?”
The spirit replied—
“It showed him the worst thing he could imagine.”
Moko frowned.
“What?”
The spirit looked toward the mirror.
“His own death.”
A cold wind moved through the corridor.
The boy inside the mirror whispered—
“Please…”
Rizu stepped closer.
“Let us help you.”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because if you break the mirror, I will see it again.”
Sizububu understood.
“The mirror isn't just his prison.”
Rizu nodded.
“It's his fear.”
The boy screamed suddenly.
The mirror became covered in black mist.
Chamot's fur stood up.
A shadow appeared inside the mirror.
The boy began screaming.
“NO!”
Moko moved toward the door.
“What is happening?”
Rizu shouted—
“The keeper is here!”
A black hand appeared on the mirror.
The first freed spirit grabbed the little girl's hand.
“Stay back!”
The hand pressed against the glass.
Then a face appeared.
No eyes.
No nose.
No mouth.
Only darkness.
The Keeper.
The shadow creature stared at the five.
Its voice came from inside the mirror.
“You should have left.”
Sizububu stepped forward.
“You're the one controlling these prisons.”
The Keeper didn't answer.
Moko shouted—
“Why are you trapping the ghosts?”
The shadow turned toward him.
“Because they belong here.”
Rizu's expression hardened.
“No soul belongs in a prison.”
The Keeper's head slowly tilted.
“You don't understand what happens when the dead are free.”
Tofu held the iron key.
“Then explain it.”
The Keeper raised one hand.
The mirror suddenly changed.
A vision appeared.
The five friends saw the mansion as it had been many years ago.
The halls were filled with ghosts.
They moved wildly through the rooms.
People were screaming.
Windows shattered.
Doors slammed.
The ghosts attacked everything around them.
Moko stared.
“What are we seeing?”
The Keeper's voice echoed.
“The night the dead escaped.”
Rizu watched carefully.
Something was wrong.
She looked at the spirits.
“They aren't attacking.”
Everyone looked at her.
Rizu pointed.
“Look at their faces.”
The ghosts were terrified.
They were running away from something.
Not toward people.
Away from something.
Sizububu narrowed his eyes.
“Something was chasing them.”
The vision shifted.
A black cloud moved through the mansion.
The ghosts ran from it.
Moko whispered—
“The Hollow.”
The Keeper's voice became louder.
“The Hollow feeds on free souls.”
The vision disappeared.
The mirror returned to normal.
The Keeper looked at them.
“If the prisons open, the Hollow will awaken.”
Sizububu replied—
“Then why are you attacking us?”
The Keeper paused.
The silence was enough to answer.
Moko noticed.
“You don't want us to free the ghosts.”
“No.”
“Because you need them imprisoned.”
“Yes.”
“Then you're protecting the Hollow.”
The Keeper became still.
Rizu whispered—
“Or protecting the mansion from it.”
The Keeper's face turned toward her.
“You are clever.”
Rizu stepped forward.
“But you're lying.”
The Keeper's voice became colder.
“You know nothing.”
Sizububu looked at the first freed spirit.
She was fading again.
The black chain had appeared around her wrist.
Sizububu understood.
“The Keeper isn't controlling the ghosts.”
The first spirit stared at him.
“He is controlling the prisons.”
Sizububu nodded.
“He wants us to think that freeing the ghosts will release the Hollow.”
Tofu looked confused.
“But the Hollow is beneath the mansion.”
“Yes.”
“Then what's the real reason?”
Sizububu looked at the Keeper.
“You don't want the ghosts to tell us what really happened.”
The Keeper suddenly disappeared.
The mirror exploded.
CRASH!
Moko shouted—
“Get down!”
Glass flew across the corridor.
Chamot jumped onto Moko's head.
“Chamot!”
The cat clung to his hair.
The mirror behind the glass door shattered.
But the boy did not disappear.
Instead, his spirit floated in the air.
He was terrified.
Rizu stepped toward him.
“You're free.”
The boy stared at her.
“No.”
She looked at the broken mirror.
“Yes.”
The boy shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
The boy pointed behind them.
Everyone slowly turned.
The corridor was full of mirrors.
They had not been there before.
Dozens.
Hundreds.
Every wall was now covered with them.
And in every mirror—
the five friends saw themselves.
Moko looked at his reflection.
His reflection smiled.
Moko did not.
His smile disappeared.
“That's not me.”
Tofu looked into another mirror.
His reflection was crying.
Rizu looked into hers.
Her reflection had no eyes.
Sizububu looked into his.
His reflection was surrounded by ghosts.
Chamot stared into hers.
Her reflection was—
empty.
No cat.
Nothing.
Chamot froze.
Her fur slowly rose.
Moko noticed.
“Chamot?”
The cat didn't respond.
She walked toward the mirror.
Moko grabbed her.
“Don't look.”
Chamot struggled.
Her eyes were fixed on the empty reflection.
Rizu understood.
“The mirror is showing each of us our greatest fear.”
Moko stared at his reflection.
“What happens if we look?”
The boy whispered—
“You become trapped.”
The mirrors began glowing.
A voice came from every direction.
“Look.”
The five covered their eyes.
“Look.”
The voice became louder.
“Look at yourself.”
Moko closed his eyes tightly.
“Not happening.”
Tofu laughed nervously.
“Good plan.”
Sizububu shouted—
“Don't look at the mirrors!”
Rizu nodded.
“We need to break them.”
Tofu raised his hand.
“But there are too many.”
Moko looked at Chamot.
The cat was still staring at the empty reflection.
“Chamot.”
No response.
“Chamot!”
Her ears moved.
Moko grabbed her.
She suddenly scratched his hand.
“Ow!”
She jumped down.
Then she ran.
“Where is she going?”
Chamot sprinted through the corridor.
She ignored every mirror.
She ran straight toward the far end.
Moko followed.
“Chamot!”
She stopped at the last mirror.
It was different.
It had no reflection.
Only darkness.
Chamot stared at it.
Then she raised one paw.
The blue mark appeared.
The mirror began shaking.
Rizu shouted—
“That's the real prison!”
Sizububu ran toward them.
The boy's spirit appeared beside the mirror.
“Don't!”
Chamot touched the glass.
The mirror went completely black.
Then—
BOOM!
A wave of energy exploded through the corridor.
Every false mirror shattered.
The five friends fell to the floor.
Moko covered Chamot with his arms.
When the sound stopped, everything was silent.
Moko slowly lifted his head.
The boy was standing in front of the broken mirror.
He was free.
The black chains around his spirit were gone.
He stared at his hands.
Then at the five.
“I…”
He couldn't speak.
Rizu smiled.
“You're free.”
The boy began crying.
Real tears.
Not the ghostly tears they had seen before.
“I thought I would be trapped forever.”
The little girl ran toward him.
“You're free!”
The boy stared at her.
“You too?”
She nodded.
The two spirits stood together.
The first freed woman smiled.
For the first time, three spirits stood together without chains.
Moko looked at them.
“That's three.”
Tofu corrected him.
“Two.”
Moko looked confused.
“The first woman and this boy.”
The little girl had already been freed earlier.
Moko blinked.
“Right.”
Chamot walked over to the boy.
He looked down.
“Is she always like this?”
Moko laughed.
“Yes.”
Chamot sniffed him.
Then she walked away.
The boy smiled.
“She likes me.”
Moko immediately protested.
“She does not.”
Chamot turned around.
She looked at Moko.
Then at the boy.
Then she deliberately walked back to the boy.
Moko stared.
“Traitor.”
Tofu laughed.
But suddenly—
THUMP.
Everyone froze.
The sound came from below.
The Hollow.
The second prisoner looked terrified.
“It heard the mirror break.”
Rizu's smile disappeared.
“What did it hear?”
“The sound of another prison opening.”
Sizububu looked at the master seal.
The second symbol was turning white.
But something else had changed.
A third symbol had begun glowing red.
Moko stared.
“What's happening?”
The first woman answered—
“The third prison is waking.”
The second prisoner shook his head.
“No.”
He looked toward the ceiling.
“Not the third.”
Tofu frowned.
“Then what?”
The boy pointed upward.
“The third prison isn't inside the mansion.”
Everyone stared at him.
“Then where is it?” Sizububu asked.
The boy whispered—
“Under the forest.”
A sudden crash came from outside.
The mansion windows shook.
Birds flew from the trees.
Chamot ran toward the nearest window.
Moko followed.
Through the broken glass, they could see the forest.
At first, nothing moved.
Then the ground began to crack.
A line appeared through the earth.
Then another.
A strange blue light came from beneath the trees.
Rizu whispered—
“There's something buried there.”
Sizububu looked at the others.
The boy's voice trembled behind them.
“The third prisoner has been buried alive for a hundred years.”
Moko stared at the forest.
“Ghosts can't be buried alive.”
The boy looked at him.
“This one can.”
Silence.
Then the ground outside split open.
A hand rose from beneath the earth.
Chamot hissed.
The hand slowly disappeared.
A voice echoed through the forest.
“Five…”
The mansion shook.
“Come…”
Another crack appeared.
“Find…”
The blue light grew brighter.
“Me…”
Then everything stopped.
Moko looked at Sizububu.
“We're going outside, aren't we?”
Sizububu nodded.
Tofu picked up the iron key.
Rizu looked at the dark forest.
The first two prisons had been inside Rudrgarh Mansion.
But the third was somewhere beneath the forest.
And the Keeper had just revealed something much more frightening.
The prisons were not all connected to the mansion.
They were spread across the land.
Chamot jumped onto the window ledge.
She looked back at the others.
Her eyes were shining with excitement.
Moko pointed at her.
“No.”
Chamot tilted her head.
“We are not running into the forest at midnight.”
Chamot jumped down.
Moko sighed.
“She is definitely going into the forest.”
Tofu smiled.
“Then we better follow her.”
The five friends left the corridor.
Behind them, the newly freed spirits remained together.
But before Sizububu stepped through the doorway, the second prisoner called out.
“Wait.”
Sizububu turned.
The boy looked at him.
“Don't trust every ghost you free.”
Rizu stopped.
“Why?”
The boy looked toward the master seal.
“Because not every prisoner wants freedom.”
A cold wind passed through the corridor.
Then he added—
“Some of them want revenge.”
The lights went out.
Chamot disappeared into the darkness.
Moko shouted—
“CHAMOT!”
A mischievous meow came from somewhere ahead.
Moko sighed.
“Of course.”
The five entered the dark hallway.
Behind them, the master seal continued glowing.
Two symbols were white.
Eighteen remained black.
But the third symbol was now burning red.
And far beneath the forest—
something was digging its way upward.