Avi watched, unable to move, as the girl slowly raised her hand toward the shapeless soul.
The air shifted. The room felt heavier, charged, as if something unseen had awakened.
The soul began to glow.
A soft white light spread through its fractured form, stitching together what death had torn apart. The trembling eased. The broken sound it made softened, turning into something close to relief. Gradually, the light intensified, then thinned, until the soul dissolved into the darkness, fading as if it had never existed.
Silence reclaimed the room.
The girl closed her eyes and stood still, breathing evenly. For a few moments, it seemed as though she was listening to something far away. When she opened her eyes again, there was calm on her face. Satisfaction. Quiet joy.
She turned toward Avi.
He had not moved. His body felt heavy, anchored to the floor. His mind lagged behind reality, struggling to accept what he had just seen.
"Hi," she said softly. "My name is Mira."
She studied him with curiosity rather than fear.
"What is your name?" she asked.
Avi dragged himself onto a nearby stool and sat down hard. His hands shook as he glanced at her, then back to the corner where the soul had vanished.
"Wh… what was that?" he asked.
Mira smiled faintly. "I helped her return to the Soul World."
She glanced toward the darkness. "She was upset. Confused. That happens when death is sudden. My job is to guide them."
"Your job?" Avi repeated.
"Yes," she replied. "I am a Pathfinder."
Avi frowned. "Path… what?"
Mira stepped closer, her voice calm, steady, as if explaining something ordinary. "Pathfinders exist between worlds. We see souls that cannot move on by themselves. We comfort them, guide them, and ensure they reach the Soul World safely."
Avi swallowed. "So you help the dead return."
"Yes," she said simply.
Her gaze dropped to Avi's shoulder.
The faint glow of the chakra mark reflected in her eyes.
Her expression shifted.
"So," she said carefully, "when did you encounter Yakshini?"
Avi stiffened. "Yakshini?" He nodded slowly. "Recently. I was about to die."
Mira tilted her head, studying him with renewed interest. "That explains it."
"Explains what?" Avi asked.
She did not answer. Instead, she gestured toward the corridor. "Come. Walking will help."
They stepped into the dim hallway together. The hospital felt different now. Thinner. Quieter. As if the walls were no longer strong enough to keep worlds apart.
Avi followed, his thoughts racing.
"What do you mean by role?" he asked again.
Mira glanced at him. "Yakshini never brings someone back without purpose. Pathfinders guide souls. Hunters destroy corrupted ones. Investigators track disruptions in the cycle."
She paused.
"And then there are those like you."
Avi stopped walking. "Like me?"
Mira met his eyes. "Chosen ones. Anchors between worlds. People who act in the mortal world while serving the Soul World."
Avi's chest tightened. "I did not agree to any of this."
Mira nodded. "None of us did. We agreed later."
They reached Avi's room.
Mira stopped at the door. "You should meet ASP Suryavanshi properly. He is an Investigator. One of the few who understands both sides."
Avi looked at her sharply. "The police officer?"
"Yes," she replied. "He will explain more than I can."
She smiled gently. "For now, go to sleep. Do not push yourself. The transition is always rough."
Avi hesitated. "Will I see you again?"
Mira stepped back into the shadows. "Soon."
Then she was gone.
Avi stood alone, heart pounding, mind overwhelmed.
Yakshini. Soul World. Pathfinders. Investigators.
And somewhere in the mortal world, an ancient book waited.
Outside, the night felt deeper than before.
Avi knew, with unsettling clarity, that his old life had already ended.
Morning arrived without comfort.
Pale light filtered through the hospital window as a doctor completed his final checks.
Questions were asked. Answers were written. The conclusion was simple. Avi was physically stable. Whatever had happened to him lay beyond medical explanation.
The doctor left.
Moments later, the door opened again.
ASP Suryavanshi entered, holding a thin file. He scanned the papers as he spoke.
"So," he said casually, "how was your night?"
Avi studied his face. Calm. Controlled. Untouched by disbelief.
"I met Mira," Avi said.
Suryavanshi's hand paused for a brief moment. Then he continued reading.
"And what did the doctors say?" he asked. "When are you going home?"
"Today," Avi replied.
Suryavanshi nodded. "Good."
He closed the file and finally looked at Avi. There was recognition in his eyes now.
"Go home," he said. "Rest. Do not leave the city. Wait for me."
"That's it?" Avi asked.
"For now," Suryavanshi replied.
He turned and walked out.
Avi sat in silence.
They knew.
And whatever he had become, he was no longer invisible.