Saru walked toward his home, talking to the Speaking Spirit that floated silently beside him. He mustered his courage and asked directly:
Saru: "How did you come to this world from yours? And what exactly do you want from me?"
The Spirit, who had been hovering slightly above the street, gently settled down beside Saru and began to walk. Her blue eyes, which now resembled a young woman's, looked distant, lost in ancient time.
Spirit: "The matter is very old... 1300 years ago, or perhaps even more. A sorcerer performed a ritual and dragged me from the Spirits Realm into this human world. He was controlling the Threshold—yes, the method to open it. But I absolutely detested such manipulation. I was like a Queen in the Spirits Realm."
She lowered her voice: "That's why, the moment I arrived, I killed that sorcerer. His ritual was left incomplete, and my Threshold to return to the Spirits Realm either vanished or was blocked. Since then, I've been utterly alone and unknown in this world. No one could hear me, feel me, or see me."
She looked straight at Saru: "I searched for that Threshold across every corner of the world for the last 1300 years, but I couldn't find it. I wandered aimlessly, and today... I found you. You can see me, you can hear me, and only you can lead me back to that Threshold."
Saru took a deep breath, lines of confusion forming on his forehead.
Saru: "What do you mean by 'Threshold'? Is it a gate or a door? And how can I possibly help you find it?"
The Spirit gently placed a hand on Saru's shoulder. He tensed slightly but forced himself to remain calm. The Spirit's blue eyes sparkled.
Spirit: "Look, I am not of this world. The rules of this world are different for me, but the rules for your local spirits are similar. Based on what I have experienced—wherever there are many terrifying or spirit-infested places, a Threshold often begins to form."
She elaborated: "A place where the number of spirits is extremely high is where a Threshold is about to form. And a place that is terrifying but has no local spirits is where a Threshold has already formed. Humans understand the fear of these places better than the spirits do."
Absorbing this complex information, Saru reached his house. He suddenly signaled the Spirit to be quiet and whispered: "You need to leave now. We'll talk about the rest in the morning."
Just then, his mother, Reena, opened the door, looking surprised: "You're back, son! And who were you talking to?"
Saru stammered: "No one, Mom. I was just muttering to myself."
Reena ushered him inside. Saru instantly heard the Spirit's voice: "Your mother cannot hear or see me."
Saru entered the house nervously and closed the door.
Their house consisted of a kitchen, a storeroom, and a single bedroom, with the open area between them serving as the hall.
Saru took his food and started walking toward his room, only to see the Spirit pass right through the closed door and follow him inside! Saru wanted to object but remained silent in front of his mother, desperate not to reveal the truth.
The Spirit followed Saru into the room, saying: "Don't worry. No one can hear or see me."
Saru was now certain that no one else could perceive her, but he still didn't trust the Spirit. Keeping her in the house felt like a tremendous risk.
Saru sat on his bed with his plate of food and asked softly (making sure his mother couldn't overhear): "How many languages do you know?"
The Spirit answered calmly: "I have stayed in many places around the world for many centuries. I know many languages."
Saru instantly asked, intrigued: "Such as?"
Spirit: "Such as: English, Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese, Hindi, Russian, Tamil, and many more."
Saru was amazed by the answer. Finishing his meal, he said: "If I can be of use to you, I will try my best. But I am sleepy, and I am going to bed now. We will talk tomorrow morning about what we can do. And you must not do anything that causes my mother the slightest suspicion."
The Spirit nodded, her blue eyes gleaming. Saru lay down on his bed and went to sleep.