Chapter 31 - The Ghost(7)

'The thing about modern technology is that telekinesis can still affect them. But if it's a mystical artifact, well, then it's a whole 'nother situation.'

Luckily, it wasn't–or he might have started cursing his luck.

The feedback his senses provided was perplexing, to say the least. Perhaps due to its technical components, he found himself at a loss when attempting to deactivate the device.

'Now I feel dumb. I hate technology.' Reve sighed in frustration.

But this was still okay. If he couldn't deactivate it, he could just crush it.

With his mind as a weapon, Reve delved into dismantling the device, ruthlessly damaging every component he could sense.

Suddenly, a small explosion erupted from the metal plate, causing the gravity chamber to retract. It emitted a powerful shockwave that sent him crashing to the ground.

Reve quickly picked himself up and hurried towards the holographic panels. Amongst them, he located the ones displaying the wall cameras.

'This is almost perverse. The captain has surveillance everywhere except the rooms. Hmm… Is that–' his curiosity piqued as he noticed something on one of the panels.

Ren and Calen…

They appeared to be in imminent danger!

Reve's eyes scanned the wheelhouse, finally fixing upon the microphone stand.

A smile adorned his face. "Perfect."

Advancing forward, Reve halted beside one of the lifeless bodies and crouched down. "Hey there, buddy. No need to pretend anymore. I can hear you breathing, you know? You know what? I'm not even trying to kill you anymore. Let bygones be bygones. I simply need your assistance with an issue. How do you feel about helping me?"

The supposedly dead man shifted his body, slowly turning to face Reve. His gaze filled with wariness.

Reve mirrored actions and locked eyes with the man.

Noticing the thin cut on the man's throat, Reve shook his head disapprovingly. "So, that's what happened. My pride is hurt. Telekinesis can be such a challenging ability to master. Nevertheless, you will die in about twenty minutes if you leave your wounds untouched. Help me, and I will grant you your freedom. You can save yourself."

"What do you want me to do?" The man asked with a trembling voice.

Pointing towards the microphone stand, Reve's smile widened. "I want you to scream into that."

"What?"

"I want you to scream your loudest."

The man hissed. "I heard you the first time."

"Apologies, I thought you didn't," Reve replied as he rose to his feet and cast a fleeting glance at the holographic panels.

Time was of the essence for Ren and Calen.

He hurriedly pressed the man. "So, what's it gonna be, my friend?"

"Fuck you!" The man spat, his mouth covered in blood.

Reve let out a sigh. "What a sad life. The choice was never truly yours."

With a sudden burst of ferocity, Reve lunged toward the man. If the man refused to scream willingly, he had other ways to achieve that. After all, Reve Amethyst had a knack for making others scream.

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Ren and Calen had been sitting still for half an hour.

The atmosphere in the inner hall had grown increasingly tense, and questions upon questions were hurled their way. Yet, they ignored them all, much to the frustration of the others.

"Hey, are you really not gonna tell us? I hope you rot in hell, you bastard," One of the passengers cursed.

"Why thank you. I'm from hell, and I'm indeed a bastard." Calen's lips curled into a sinister smile.

However, his smile quickly faded as he caught sight of a figure reaching the main entrance. In an instant, the figure vanished, but the hall's lights turned a sinister shade of red, blinking frantically.

A piercing alarm blared throughout the space. "Warning! Warning! System lockdown initiated!"

Metal bars quickly descended, sealing off the main entrance and preventing everyone from forcing their way through.

The crowd erupted in echoes of confusion."What's happening? Why are we being trapped here?"

"I saw someone near the door but I didn't think much of it before."

"Why would someone do that?"

"We are completely trapped here."

Suddenly, the speakers lining the hallway erupted with the voice of Captain Havoc.

"Good afternoon, my beloved passengers. It is with great sadness that I announce our journey has come to an end. If I'm being honest, I never anticipated losing this many passengers before reaching this transformative phase of our journey. Alas, we encountered some unforeseen mishaps along the way, leading us to this very moment."

"Going forward, there-there is no going forward. This is where everything ends. This is where you carve your graves, not by my hands, but by the hands of nature. Know this, I take no pleasure in what's to come. It is not my desire, but the ordained path I must take to enliven."

"Enough rambling. I have prayed to Kathuk for your survival. It is now up to you. I have faced death many times and escaped. It is only fair you are given the chance to do the same. This is my final farewell."

Ren's frown deepened as the announcement ended. "Isn't that where Reve went?"

Calen leaned closer to Ren and whispered, "Heh, It seems Reve was right to suspect the captain. But I wonder if he died trying to find out the truth."

A shiver ran through Ren's body. "Knowing Reve, he is probably still alive… I think."

Amidst the anxious passengers, Sky stepped forward and took control. "Everyone, remain calm. Let's not descend into chaos. We must stand united if we want to figure out this mess, okay? There's no time to panic."

As the murmurs subsided, Calen's chuckles pierced the tense atmosphere.

The others looked at him with irritated expressions. "What's so funny?"

Calen grinned. "Oh, don't mind me. It's just that—you are all going to die. Starting with that timid guy at the end. Then, your little group. You make the most noise but you are merely normies."

Sky furrowed her brows, playing along. "Oh?"

Calen went on. "Beginning with the most vulnerable to the stronger ones, the Ghost will come for each one of you."

"And what about you?" Sky raised her brows.

"Well—"

Calen's reply was cut short as the ship jolted to a sudden halt. The lights flickered, momentarily plunging the area into darkness. When they brightened once more, an enthralling melody filled the air, accompanied by an impenetrable white mist that enveloped the hallway.

Ren's voice quivered with a mix of fear and excitement. "Finally, it is here."

Suddenly, the white mist turned crimson as horrifying screams echoed from all directions.