Maggie. That was the name written on a silver nameplate nailed above the only bed present in the room. However, if you kept reading you could see that name was accompanied by a series of numbers as well: 08.1420. Be that as it may, the bed was empty. Just a quick look around and you could tell no one stayed there anymore. There was only a bed with white, spotless sheets and a little bathroom hidden behind a folding white door. Nothing more. But what piqued my curiosity the most was the fact that there was a closed window. A window with no handle. No personal belongings, no furniture aside from the minimum necessary, a locked window, a strange nameplate, and no one aside from me. A white, soulless room altogether.

I, myself, felt lifeless. Ah, this feeling again. I almost let it slip from my memory. I was not real. It was just a part of my consciousness roaming through someone else’s past life. In other words, I was the intruder. And this is reality. Or it was at some point in time.

I looked down at my hand. As expected, it was transparent. A long sigh escaped from my mouth.

- How convenient. - I said. Although I did not enjoy that sight of myself, I had to admit that it was quite useful. And necessary.

My transparency enabled me to act like your typical ghost from spooky stories. I was nonexistent on this plane of reality, hence I could move freely. Physical space could not restrict me whatsoever. Nonetheless, there was a limit to how much area I could access. After all, I was in a dream. The ¨type¨ of dreams one could not wake up from until the Lost Soul achieved their wish. But, of course, not just any. That would destroy the Balance. Some requirements had to be met for that wish to be fulfilled. And the limitations do not end there.

As a mere Drifter, I was only able to see what the Lost Soul wanted me to or, to be more precise, everything the soul remembers. Therefore, to accomplish my mission and keep my promise, I had to find all the missing pieces from the puzzle in these little fragments of memory.

- Now, where are we? - I asked, knowing perfectly well that no one would answer anyway. I tried moving around. The same sensation of floating from my previous dreams came to me. Nothing strange. Still, I felt that something was different. I was more sluggish than usual, which was not something to be worried about since I was already exhausted. But the very same atmosphere felt oppressive, as if somebody or something longed for me to be gone as soon as possible.

Not to mention that I couldn’t see the Lost Soul anywhere in that room, not even its trace. That had never happened before. Normally, there would always be a trace in the form of a golden trail made of smoke that would take me to its location.

- Could it be that this soul has not trapped itself in a cage of resentful energy? - I wondered aloud. - But that would be almost impossible. No soul I have encountered so far has been so pure to the point of being free from the Wrath Shackles. But the Golden Trace is not here, so this is the only explanation I can find. What else could be there? However, to come across such a pure soul is all but a miracle. I am so happy! - For the first time in a long time I could feel something else apart from the usual sentiments of hopelessness and sorrow.

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- Wait! If all of this is true … Then why does it need my help? It should have ascended by now. Logically speaking, there is nothing left for me to do, only if … Only if some other entity was trying to intervene and the soul was somehow bound.

- Oh, my God! - I could not help the shout that left my lips nor my hands from covering my mouth.

And it finally dawned on me. This would be extremely dangerous. If another entity could enter this plane of reality like me, of a pure Lost Soul, AND to bound it on top of that … The sole conclusion I could reach is that this entity is immensely powerful. After all, bonding with such a high-quality soul is no easy task. So, what creatures belonging to the dark side are most likely to be at this level? Surely there could not be that many. As far as my knowledge goes from what the Keeper told me, I only had to be aware of three possible threats: the Wrath Shackles, the corrupted form of the soul, and the spiritual energy of the Lesser Demons from the Underworld. But none of these three seemed to be the case.

- This is bad news. I have to investigate. - I said, convinced I could not find my answers just by going around in circles like this.

Just when I got myself ready to move on to the next area, I observed my surroundings had changed. The room, which until moments ago was as white as the first snow on a winter day, had now transformed into a solid ash-grey color.

- Shoot! Why is it starting so soon? - I cried. - This wasn’t supposed to be happening now.

Nevertheless, there was no time for lamentations. I had to move fast. Making use of my nonexistent physical body, I passed through the door next to the bathroom. I arrived in a long hallway that connected many different rooms. All the doors had the same color, a dark blue one. A series of numbers were written on each one of them. Big numbers drawn in white paint covered more than half of the door. I looked at the one behind me.

1420. It was similar to the one I found on that nameplate inside the room. On another door, in white numbers, was 1573. Did that mean the numbers had a special meaning? Perhaps they identified the occupants of the rooms. But it was strange to do so by numbers and not by name. Then maybe it was the number of the room itself? However, that couldn’t be either since the numbers didn’t follow an order.

- Never mind. I can’t dwell too much on this. I’m running out of time. - I said anxiously.

First and foremost, I had to find the soul. But I had no clue. Although, that inscription on the nameplate could be considered one. Still, it was a lead that took me nowhere.

- Think, Baka. What can you do right now? - I asked myself. - I could go through each room one by one. Still, it would take me too much time and it won’t guarantee I’ll find something useful. That won’t do. What else? What else is there apart from these doors with numbers all over them? - I reasoned.

After a short while, something about those doors was still bugging me. Numbers … numbers on the door? An idea was beginning to take shape in my head. Just to be sure, I checked three other bedrooms. They were all the same. A smile appeared on my face.

- Of course! Why did it take me so much to figure it out?! - I exclaimed. - There must be some of them that have got no number. Not all rooms here were allocated for the same purpose. So I only have to find a door without a number that resembles an office or something similar. Maybe I can try finding out more about the name and number on the nameplate I found earlier. Therefore, I might be able to discover something about the whereabouts of the soul. - I said. Albeit, I had to be fast. Time was not on my side at all.

Trying to be as calm as possible, I began exploring the hallway in search of a ¨clean¨ door. However, it didn’t matter for how long I was going, I couldn’t reach the end of the hallway. What was happening? Were there so many rooms in a single hallway?

- That couldn’t be, right? - I asked rhetorically.

But what I didn’t expect was dark energy pushing me back like a leaf in the middle of a storm.

- I’m afraid I can’t let you go further, Drifter. - said a powerful voice.

Damn. I was screwed.