A good plan.

The old ghost's chuckle echoed softly through the cavernous interior of the peach fruit, a sound that was equal parts mischievous and grating. "Okay… I'll start teaching you right now. The faster you learn, the faster you can repay the favor you owe me," he said, his voice carrying a teasing lilt.

Kael floated nearby, his translucent form flickering faintly as he adjusted to the surreal sensation of being weightless. He narrowed his eyes, his voice flat. "Yeah, yeah. Where do we train?" His gaze swept across the spacious, dimly lit interior of the peach, its walls glowing faintly with an otherworldly amber hue. It was beautiful, but it felt alien—unnatural. He couldn't shake the unease that came with being untethered from the ground, from reality itself.

The old ghost straightened his spectral form, puffing out his chest with an air of self-importance. "First, I need to teach you the technique used for moving faster… It's called the Concept of the Wind." He paused for effect, his eyes gleaming with pride. "Trust me, only I can teach you this."

Kael rolled his eyes, already bracing himself for another round of the old ghost's endless self-aggrandizing. They hadn't known each other long, but it hadn't taken much time to figure him out. The old man loved the sound of his own voice, and every sentence seemed designed to remind Kael of how extraordinary he was.

"Leave yourself. Let the wind carry you," the old ghost instructed, his tone shifting to something almost wise, almost believable. He gestured grandly, as if summoning the very essence of the wind itself.

Kael tried. He really did. He closed his eyes, focusing on the faint currents of air that seemed to swirl around him. But no matter how much he concentrated, his instincts betrayed him. His body—or what passed for it in this ghostly form—stiffened, and he wobbled midair, struggling to maintain control. He lurched forward, then backward, like a leaf caught in a gentle breeze.

The old ghost groaned, smacking his forehead with a spectral hand. "Kid, listen to me. I developed this technique myself! No one else in this world can say that. At best, they improve on something that already exists. But me? No, no, I created this from scratch." He grinned smugly, crossing his arms as if daring Kael to challenge his brilliance.

Kael sighed, his patience wearing thin. "Can you stop bragging for once?"

"Bragging?" The old ghost gasped dramatically, placing a hand on his chest as if mortally wounded. "I'm not bragging! Oh, my… oh, my… this little lass doesn't believe me." He shook his head, sighing deeply, his expression a perfect blend of mock offense and theatrical despair.

Kael ignored the "lass" comment—he didn't have the energy to correct him again—and clenched his jaw. "So, what? I just have to keep flopping around until I figure it out?"

"Well, you can do that," the old ghost said, barely suppressing a laugh. "But the problem is, you can't fully grasp the Concept of the Wind here. The wind in this place? It's too gentle… too caring." He waved his hand dismissively, as if the very air around them was beneath his notice. "You need real wind."

Kael narrowed his eyes. "And where do I get real wind?"

The old ghost smirked, clearly enjoying himself. "Windfall."

Kael frowned. "Where's that?"

"My, oh my," the old ghost muttered, shaking his head as if Kael had just failed some grand test. "Windfall is a very nice place… I used to go there for vacations back when I still had a body." His voice trailed off, and for a brief moment, his expression darkened. A flicker of sadness passed through his eyes, a glimpse of something deeper beneath the bravado. But just as quickly, it was gone, replaced by his usual grin.

Kael didn't comment on it. Instead, he crossed his arms, his tone impatient. "Alright. Take me there, then."

The old ghost's grin widened. "That's the spirit! But first… about my payment."

"What?!" Kael's composure slipped, his voice rising in disbelief. "Didn't you already collect it?" He shot the old ghost an accusing look, his spectral form flickering with agitation.

"No." The old man shook his head, his sigh exaggerated. "That payment was just the entrance fee into my house."

Kael clenched his fists, his frustration bubbling over. "You are shameless."

"Shameless?" The old ghost chuckled, his laughter rippling through the air like a faint breeze. "Kid, shamelessness is nothing in this world. If you're not shameless, how can you survive?" He spread his arms wide, as if bestowing some great wisdom upon an unworthy disciple.

Kael fell silent, his gaze dropping. The words struck a chord, though he hated to admit it. Wasn't he the same? Killing people while invisible, lurking like a parasite, waiting for the right moment to strike? The thought left a bitter taste in his mouth.

The old ghost smirked, clearly sensing the shift in Kael's demeanor. "You seem to have realized that I speak the truth."

"This is the first time you've spoken the truth," Kael shot back, turning away to hide the flicker of vulnerability in his eyes.

The old ghost's laughter rang out again, rich and full-bodied, filling the space with an almost comforting warmth. For a moment, the tension between them eased.

"Did you even have a plan to escape the soul wraith?" the old ghost asked, watching as Kael inched closer to the entrance of the peach.

"No. We run," Kael said flatly. "Isn't that a good plan?"

"A good plan indeed," the old ghost mused, stroking his chin thoughtfully. "But we don't have to exit this space to get to Windfall. Every soul space is connected."

Kael frowned. "What does that mean?"

The old ghost grinned and strolled—or rather, floated—to the other side of the room. With a simple wave of his hand, the air before him seemed to split apart. A shimmering portal crackled into existence, its edges pulsating with eerie, otherworldly energy.

"This," the old ghost declared dramatically, "is the way to Windfall."

Kael's eyes widened, his earlier frustration momentarily forgotten. "What the—how did you do that?"

"I opened a pathway to Windfall space. Or, well…" The old ghost gave a self-satisfied smirk. "Let's just say I tore the barrier separating us." He puffed out his chest, clearly pleased with himself. "Aren't I cool?"

Kael stared at him, unimpressed. "You're insufferable."

"Still," the old ghost went on, completely unfazed by Kael's lack of enthusiasm, "I'm probably the only one who can do this."

He said it so matter-of-factly that Kael almost believed him—almost. But then the old ghost's grin widened, and Kael couldn't help but wonder if he was being played yet again.