I had thought Luna would subdue Aria after ambushing and severely injuring her ghostly form. At worst, I expected an even match. But I never imagined Luna would emerge covered in blood.
Aria's ghost was truly terrifying - no wonder even that high monk had been helpless, choosing to sacrifice ten years of his life to seal her instead.
"Let's go! That thing's ghostly resentment is too strong. Unless Master or Eldest Brother comes, none of us stand a chance," Luna shouted as she climbed out.
"Run! Run! Run!" Stein hastily tightened his pants and was first to assume escape position.
The well's seal hadn't broken completely, but escaping now would likely be too late. Just then, Orwell stopped suddenly and pointed to the side. "Second uncle... second uncle is here!"
What the hell? After calling all night with no response, he shows up now of all times?
But Orwell wasn't lying. His tattoo emitted an eerie light that fell nearby, revealing a faint, translucent silhouette beneath its glow. Without this illumination, the figure would have been completely invisible.
"Sound Soul?" Luna murmured in surprise. "Impossible... Sound Souls can't be summoned or seen."
Her gaze fixed intently on Orwell's Equinox Flower tattoo, her expression utterly bewildered. "Tattoos of Gods and Ghosts... truly remarkable. This is already the second time they've defied my understanding."
The first time likely referred to the Three-Eyed Seeing Through tattoo I'd given her.
At that exact moment, Aria emerged behind me. She crawled spider-like across the well's mouth, her cloak spread wide. The golden seal light flared again. This time it didn't blast her back down, but she couldn't fully escape either - the seal still clung to its last vestiges of power.
"Waaaaah—!"
Aria's bloodcurdling ghostly wail made the entire graveyard tremble. Every grave shook violently, as if the corpses within feared her wrath.
"No need to panic yet," Luna said, though she kept her peachwood sword raised and a yellow talisman ready between her fingers. "This seal should hold for another hour or two at least."
Thank goodness it was Luna here. If it had been Stella, we'd all be dead by now. Even if she couldn't win, Luna's skills were formidable.
"Aria." The faint figure beside us spoke - Luís's Sound Soul.
Instantly, Aria dropped to the ground. Her hair fell forward, once more concealing that horrifying ghostly visage.
"Stupid girl, are you making trouble again?" Aria suddenly snapped, viciously turning toward Luna.
"Who's messing up? This really is Luís's soul. Can't you recognize him?" I said.
"Luís..."
Aria's voice softened again as she looked at Luís's Sound Soul. Her body slowly transformed from its spidery crouch to an upright position, floating at the well's opening.
"Aria, would it be alright if I married you later?" Luís's Sound Soul suddenly spoke.
I frowned and whispered to Stein, "There's something off about this soul. Why does it sound so mechanical?"
Stein explained that the Sound Soul wasn't a true soul, but rather a collection of memories - similar to a video recording. The words Luís spoke were all things he had said before.
Then we're doomed. While these words might touch Aria's heart, would they truly help her move on? I thought the Sound Soul could do more, but perhaps the monk miscalculated?
If the Tattoos of Gods and Ghosts didn't work, then the High Priest had made a mistake sending me to find them.
"Yes...yes it would. I've dreamed of this...Luís...sob...we'll be together in life and death." Aria suddenly began crying, but a ghost's wail was so piercing that Luna warned us to cover our ears to prevent bleeding from all seven orifices.
The cries of vengeful spirits carried terrible power. Ordinary people shouldn't listen carelessly - some ghosts use their voices to frighten victims to death or drive them mad.
Overcome with emotion, Aria tried to leap forward and embrace Luís, but the unbroken seal repelled her immediately.
"Let me out! Luís! Luís!" Aria screamed and struggled uselessly. As Luna said, the seal would hold for at least another hour.
"Aria, you've always been so kind and beautiful. You're my favorite girl, and I hope you never change." Luís spoke again, still with that unnatural tone - exactly like a recording. Stein was right; this Sound Soul held no consciousness, only memories.
Yet these words affected Aria even more deeply. She froze, then said shamefully, "I'm sorry, Luís...I can't be that girl anymore...I'm sorry...I have blood on my hands now."
"Aria, turn back! Thirty years have passed! I beg you, don't kill needlessly anymore! Let the past stay in the past!" Orwell suddenly threw himself to his knees before Aria.
Aria hesitated, staring confused at the kneeling Orwell. After ten seconds she whispered, "You're...Jonas?"
With Jonas now inhabiting the fool's body, Aria hadn't recognized him immediately.
Orwell nodded frantically and began pleading with Aria to abandon her vengeful path.
Aria looked down at her trembling hands and said quietly, "But I...I can't let go. I won't release this hatred. They all deserve to die! You think thirty years of hiding absolves them? Never! My resentment burns! None of them deserve to live!"