Ethan blinked, trying to calm his breath. He looked at the six coffins in the room, then back at the mirror. He didn't understand why he had been chosen or what the glowing lights on the coffins meant. But the Sorcerer knew the truth and wasn't going to share it. As of that moment, Ethan was not aware of any of the details pertaining to the ritual, and the Sorcerer wanted to keep it that way.
"You will begin with the life of Soul 2," the Sorcerer said, pointing at the 2nd coffin. "You will see their past story in the mirror. Enter their story, fix their regrets, and ensure their satisfaction."
He didn't mention what would happen if Ethan succeeded—or the consequences of failure.
The Soul Navigator hovered closer; its glowing presence calm yet unsettling. "When you enter a story, you must play a role," it said. "But remember this: you can change their past only if you make the ultimate sacrifice. You must die at the end of each story to return here."
Ethan clenched his fists. Everything about this felt wrong, but what choice did he have? The Sorcerer's earlier words echoed in his mind: if he refused, he would remain trapped here forever. Worse, the Sorcerer had threatened to harm his wife and unborn child if he didn't cooperate.
"Fine," Ethan muttered through gritted teeth. "Let's get this over with."
The Sorcerer's lips curled into a cruel smile. "Good," he said.
"Then let us begin."
The Sorcerer raised his hand, prompting the Soul Navigator to use its magic to project Soul 2's story in the Soul Story Mirror. The mirror glowed even brighter, and the image of Soul 2's life began to form. Ethan braced himself, unsure of what awaited him next.
Here's a picture showing the current state of the ritual. You can refer to the Google Drive link or visit the art section on my Discord if you're unable to copy the link. You can also find the picture in the comments section below this chapter.
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mhg4-1UdG82OJXIwVqzS1RbpUc1ZT3sB/view?usp=sharing