The man in the black coat stepped out of the darkness.
Ethan froze.
For days he had seen him from a distance.
On the platform.
In dreams.
In reflections.
Now the man stood only a few meters away.
Real.
Or at least, he looked real.
The station lights cast pale shadows across his face.
His coat moved slightly despite the still air.
And his eyes...
Something about his eyes felt wrong.
Not threatening.
Just empty.
Like someone staring through a window instead of at a person.
---
The gate slowly closed behind Ethan.
The metallic sound echoed through the abandoned platform.
His stomach tightened.
He immediately turned around.
The exit was still there.
Good.
He wasn't trapped.
At least not yet.
---
The man remained silent.
Watching.
Waiting.
Neither moved.
Neither spoke.
For several seconds, the only sound came from distant trains moving through the station.
Finally Ethan broke the silence.
"You sent the letters."
The man nodded.
"Yes."
His voice sounded strange.
Soft.
Yet somehow it seemed to echo from several directions at once.
---
"Who are you?"
The man looked away.
Toward the tracks.
Toward the darkness beyond them.
For a moment he didn't answer.
Then he spoke.
"I don't remember my name."
The response caught Ethan off guard.
"What?"
"I had one."
A faint smile appeared.
"Once."
A chill ran through Ethan's body.
The answer sounded genuine.
Not dramatic.
Not mysterious.
Just sad.
---
Ethan tightened his grip on the flashlight.
"You know what I mean."
The man nodded.
"I do."
His gaze returned to Ethan.
Then he said it.
"I am dead."
The words hung in the air.
Simple.
Direct.
Impossible.
---
Ethan wanted to laugh.
Wanted to call it a joke.
Wanted to say ghosts weren't real.
Unfortunately...
He had already seen too much.
The dreams.
The disappearances.
The sightings.
The letters appearing without explanation.
Deep down, a part of him already knew.
---
"You can see me."
The ghost sounded confused.
Almost curious.
"Most people cannot."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
The answer came immediately.
No hesitation.
No deception.
The ghost truly didn't know.
---
A train rushed through a nearby tunnel.
The noise briefly filled the station.
When it passed, silence returned.
The ghost looked toward the darkness again.
His expression changed.
The sadness disappeared.
Replaced by concern.
---
"They've noticed you."
Ethan frowned.
"Who?"
The ghost didn't answer immediately.
Instead he listened.
As if hearing something far away.
Something Ethan couldn't.
---
Then a sound echoed through the darkness.
Scratch.
Ethan stiffened.
The sound came again.
Scratch.
Scratch.
Like nails dragging across concrete.
---
His flashlight swung toward the tracks.
Nothing.
Only darkness.
Yet the sound continued.
Slow.
Deliberate.
Getting closer.
---
The ghost stepped in front of him.
For the first time since arriving, he looked afraid.
Not nervous.
Not worried.
Afraid.
A dead man was afraid.
That terrified Ethan more than anything else.
---
"What is that?" Ethan asked.
The scratching stopped.
The silence felt worse.
Much worse.
---
Then something moved.
Far below the tracks.
A pale shape.
Gone before Ethan could focus on it.
His heart skipped.
Maybe he imagined it.
Maybe—
The shape appeared again.
Closer.
---
This time he saw it clearly.
A hand.
Thin.
Gray.
Far too long to be human.
Its fingers gripped the edge of the platform.
---
Ethan stumbled backward.
"What the hell was that?!"
The ghost didn't answer.
His eyes remained fixed on the darkness.
---
More hands appeared.
One.
Then another.
Then another.
Dozens of them.
Crawling upward from beneath the tracks.
Slowly.
Patiently.
Like insects emerging from a nest.
---
The air grew colder.
Ethan's breath became visible.
Every instinct screamed at him to run.
And for once, he listened.
He turned toward the exit.
---
A scream echoed through the station.
Not human.
Not animal.
Something else.
Something ancient.
Something hungry.
---
The hands suddenly lunged upward.
The darkness exploded with movement.
---
"Ethan!"
The ghost's voice thundered across the platform.
"Run!"
---
The lights above shattered.
Glass rained from the ceiling.
The station plunged into darkness.
---
A pale creature emerged from below.
Its body looked twisted.
Wrong.
Like a human figure stretched beyond reason.
Its hollow eyes locked onto Ethan.
And it smiled.
---
The creature moved.
Faster than anything that size should have been able to move.
Ethan didn't even have time to react.
---
The ghost stepped between them.
The impact shook the platform.
A shockwave blasted through the station.
Concrete cracked.
Dust filled the air.
---
For the first time, Ethan saw the ghost fighting.
And for the first time...
The ghost wasn't human anymore.
A pale light erupted from his body.
Ancient symbols flashed beneath his feet.
The air trembled.
---
The creature shrieked.
The ghost staggered.
His form flickered violently.
As though he was already disappearing.
---
"Ethan..."
The ghost turned.
His voice sounded weaker now.
Far weaker.
"You are late."
"What?!"
"You should have awakened years from now."
The ghost smiled.
A tired smile.
A relieved smile.
---
Then he thrust a hand toward Ethan.
A blinding light erupted.
---
A blue screen appeared before Ethan's eyes.
[Compatible Soul Detected]
[Unique Class Available]
[Sorcerer System Found]
[First Sorcerer]
[Beginning Awakening Process...]
---
The last thing Ethan saw before losing consciousness was the ghost standing alone against the swarm climbing from the darkness.
Still fighting.
Still buying time.
Still smiling.
As if this had always been his purpose.