Pokémon BW: Rise of Clarity (book 3 of the HBoD series)

Chapter 58: Ghosts of the Past

"Look, I appreciate the theatrics, but really?" I sighed. "For me? What's this about?"

Allister appeared sheepish as he wrung his hands together. "You... have a ghost, correct? She's, uh... waiting for you. Inside."

I turned to stare at the house. Suddenly that pull again appeared in my gut. Drawing me towards it. But I also felt a chill. "What else?" I glanced back at the boy. "What else is in there?"

"I... I'm not sure," he shook his head. "I think... a trial... maybe? To test you?"

I hesitated. Part of me wanted to know why Mira had stayed with me all this time, and this would be my chance to finally ask. But... Who else? I wondered. Who else will I see inside?

Alex's hand slipped into mine, startling me out of my thoughts. She smiled warmly and I took a deep breath. "Alright. Fine. Lead the way."

Allister looked relieved. "Thank you. They... wouldn't stop pestering me. Ghosts can be seen. Sometimes. But they need others more in tune with them so they can interact with others. It's either that, dreams, or on the verge of... death. But it's... unstable connections, if you will. With me, you'll be able to talk to them without issue."

"Okay, but why here?" I asked as we approached the decrepit building.

"Certain places have a high affinity for spirits," Allister answered. "Allowing more to gather. Some who may not have been able to appear before... they can now." He rested his hand on the front door. "There shouldn't be any malevolent spirits inside, so don't worry about that."

"That's good," Alex joked, squeezing my hand reassuringly. Taking another deep breath, I nodded to Allister and he pushed the door open and we stepped inside. The inside smelled old and musty. Dust caked every surface and furniture was strewn about haphazardly. The doors on either side of the two staircases leading to the second floor were cracked and hanging off their hinges. Nobody had been here in a long time it seems.

"Where is-" I started, but the moment I blinked, she was there. As pale as the white dress she wore the day she died, Mira stood at the foot of the stairs, smiling at me.

"What are you looking at?" Alex asked me, glancing between me and the stairs.

"You can't see her?" I questioned, then looked to Allister for an explanation.

"They're here for you," he said. "Even I can't see whomever it is you're seeing."

"That's right," Mira's voice was soft. Young. Too young. "You've come a long way, Zeno."

"I-I'm sorry-" I started to say, but my throat seemed to close up.

"You did what you could," Mira said with a shake of her head. "I do not blame you for that. And you shouldn't blame yourself." She turned and strode gracefully over to the door on the right. "Come, Zeno. There is something we wish to impart upon you."

"'We'?" I found myself moving, my hand still grasped within Alex's as she followed me. But the closer I got to the door, the more the world became off tilted and unsteady. Then when I placed a hand on the door, my vision went black and I felt myself falling.

I howled with pain as I landed. Gritting my teeth, my hands shakily reached down towards my leg, feeling it broken. I lay back, panting and trying to fight through the agony. Through the haze of pain, I could see that I was now in some sort of cave in almost total darkness, moonlight shining down from a hole too far for me to climb in this condition.

"This-this is-" I clutched my throat, my eyes widening. I sounded younger. Glancing around wildly, it finally set in where I was. I knew this place. I had been here. Back when-