Destinies: Separate Ways

7th Fate: The Lonely Ghost Girl

Ina POV

It all started with the fire—the fire that not only took our friend's life but also took my best friend from me. If only I had remembered that Adzima was going to the toilet or had accompanied her there, things might have turned out differently. After that accident, I visited Adzima at her home and saw how devastated she was. As her best friend, I wanted to help, but I didn't know how. So, I decided to simply stay by her side.

However, when I went to check on her the next day, Adzima had already disappeared, leaving only a letter of apology. A month had passed since that accident, and the others had also left one by one without a word. I had always known we would part someday, but parting like this made me feel incredibly lonely. Now, I am left with no place to go and no one to turn to, haunted by the memories of our past happiness that might never return.
Ina:"Wherever you are, Adzima, I hope you are always doing well"
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A few weeks had passed since we all parted ways. I was sitting on one of the bridges in the city of Fantasma, lost in thought. I was so absorbed in my own thoughts that I didn't even notice when someone suddenly appeared beside me. That person then called out to me.
???:"Please don't do it. Whatever your problem is, ending your life is not the answer"
I immediately turned my head upon hearing the voice and saw a woman in her 20s sitting beside me. Her face was very pale, and she looked at me with concern.

Ina:"What do you mean? I am not going to jump, I just need a place to clear my thoughts"
She immediately breathed a sigh of relief after I said that, then she smiled at me.
???:"Thank goodness"
Ina:"Um... I'm sorry, but who are you?"
???:"Ah... I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you. But when I saw you lost in thought alone on the edge of the bridge, I immediately got worried, and I tried to stop you"
Sabine:"My name is Sabine"
Ina:"Thank you for your concern, Sabine, but I am fine, really, so you don't need to worry; I will never jump"

Sabine's face became serious again after hearing my words.
Sabine:"I am glad that you won't jump, but you are clearly not okay"
Ina:"What do you mean?"
Sabine:"I can see it in your face"
Sabine:"I know I'm just a stranger to you, but let me give you some advice"
Sabine:"If you are in trouble, it is better to let it out rather than keep it bottled up, it will only destroy you"
I went silent for a moment, reflecting on what she said. After a sigh, I opened up and shared my problems with her. Sabine listened intently and appeared quite surprised by the end of my story.

Sabine:"First of all, I'm sorry for your friend. I honestly didn't expect the problems you're facing to be this serious"
Ina:"Thank you"
Sabine:"Have you tried to find her? Your friend?"
Ina:"Yeah, but I don't have a clue where she went, so I still can't find her"
Ina:"Even if I manage to find her somehow, I won't know what I have to say to comfort her"
Sabine:"You don't need to say anything, just stay with her and show her that you will always be there for her, as her best friend and as her sister"
I thought about Sabine's words carefully, then I nodded.
Ina:"I will do that. Thank you, Sabine"
Sabine:"You are welcome, Inayah"
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A few weeks have passed since my conversation with Sabine. I am now in a meadow in Fantasma, sitting under a shady tree and contemplating my next steps. I suddenly recalled that Sabine had mentioned my name when we parted ways a few days ago.
Ina:"I never introduced myself to her, so how did she know my name?"
While I was deep in thought, a purple-violet object suddenly flew towards me at high speed. Before I could react, it struck me, causing me to lose consciousness. When I woke up, everything around me seemed normal, as if nothing had happened, so I assumed it was just a dream. I then left the meadow to search for Sabine.

I tried to find Sabine on the bridge, but she was nowhere to be seen. As I walked around, I noticed that nearly everyone who passed by bumped into me; I even narrowly avoided being hit by a car while crossing the street. Strangely, none of them apologized; they merely looked confused, as if they couldn’t see me at all. To escape the crowd, I eventually sat down on the riverbank and sighed, gazing into the river.

I was shocked when I couldn't see my reflection in the river. It dawned on me that I couldn’t see my own body either, as if everything had turned transparent. Panic set in, and as I panicked, I felt a surge of energy erupt from my body. The river water in front of me was pushed aside by the explosion of energy. Once the energy dissipated, my body became visible again.
Ina:"What is wrong with my body?"
I then remembered about my dream.
Ina:"So it wasn't a dream"
I sighed again and decided to think about this another time; for now I went back to looking for Sabine.
Ina:"I hope I can find her, at least"
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Several days have passed, and despite asking the residents, I still haven’t been able to find Sabine. I discovered a startling fact: some residents mentioned that Sabine was the name of a girl who committed suicide by jumping off a bridge. I was horrified when I saw a photo of her—it was the same girl I had met on the bridge. After learning this, I returned to the bridge, where I saw Sabine standing at the edge. Her body appeared slightly transparent, and her face was not only very pale but also had a bluish tint.

When she noticed me looking at her, she simply smiled. I approached her cautiously.
Ina:"Is the reason you tried to stop me from jumping because you already did it and now you can't pass on?"
Sabine's smile faltered slightly, and she nodded. Her eyes, though full of sadness, conveyed a deep sense of regret.
Sabine:"Yes, I don't want anyone else to make the same mistake as I did"
Sabine:"People say that everything ends after we die and that we'll go straight to the afterlife, where everything will be okay"

Sabine:"Sadly, that's not the case for souls who commit suicide. They can't pass to the afterlife immediately and instead remain stuck in this world for a long time before gradually fading away"
Ina:"I'm sorry. I will pray that you find peace"
Sabine:"Thank you, Ina, but it's already too late for me"
Ina:"That, how do you know my name? I have never introduced myself to you"
Sabine:"I know many things after I become a wandering spirit"
Sabine:"I also know about your abilities, Ina"
Sabine:"Go to Quatro, you will find people who can help you there"
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A month has passed since I followed Sabine's suggestion and came to Quatro City in search of help. Without a clear plan, I've spent the past month wandering aimlessly. Despite my uncertainty about what to do next, I’ve started to grasp how my abilities work. I can make my body invisible and create an energy barrier that not only protects those inside but also renders them invisible.

As I approached the city ferris wheel, I noticed a crowd of people and police cars on guard. Driven by curiosity, I made myself invisible to enter unnoticed. To my surprise, I saw Artha working on repairing the ferris wheel's machine, while Agus, with his hands turned to stone, was holding up a broken pillar. Soon after, Anjas ran towards another broken pillar, shouting at Agus.

Anjas immediately used fire from his hands to weld another broken pillar. Meanwhile, I saw a large bolt falling from the ferris wheel, heading straight towards a group of children watching the rescue. I quickly made myself visible again and created an energy barrier to protect them. Once Anjas finished welding all the supporting poles, Artha managed to repair the ferris wheel’s engine, and it began to move again. We swiftly evacuated everyone trapped inside. After the rescue, Artha and Agus took Anjas and me to a tower to chat, but before we could start, we saw a TV broadcast about Zalgo. Looking outside, I saw the Soul Devourers attacking and possessing the residents.

Artha tried to go out and help the residents, but Agus quickly stopped him, shaking his head.
Agus:"It's already too late, Artha"
Artha then pulled his hand away from Agus and punched the wall in frustration. Meanwhile, I just lowered my head in sadness.
Artha:"Shit!"
I kept my head down because, even in critical times like this, I still didn’t know what to do. Despite being surrounded by people I knew, I felt incredibly lonely. Maybe this was how Sabine felt as The Lonely Ghost Girl.