UNTIL DEATH UNDOES US

A swirling black portal hissed open above the cracked wastelands. Wind howled like a choir of tortured souls. Out stepped three figures cloaked in colored auras — Lord Rajin cloaked in blue, Lady Georgia cloaked in green, and Yoshi, glowing goldish yellow.

Behind them, Brianna and her mother, Lady Seraphyne, were gently pushed forward by unseen ghost energy.

Brianna blinked at the world ahead.

"What... is this place?" she asked softly.

Lady Seraphyne walked beside her with quiet steps. Her crimson cloak trailed behind her like a shadow of regret.

"This is Umraterra," she answered, her voice sharp and yet weary. "One of the forgotten ghost worlds — deep in the underworld."

The land was dead. Twisted black trees clawed toward an invisible moon. Rivers of mist flowed through broken bones and sunken tombs. The sky was a churning gray ocean, and the ground crackled with spectral energy.

"Does anyone even live here?" Brianna murmured.

Lady Seraphyne glanced at her daughter. "Live? The world is 'stay'.Not everyone who's dead is lifeless."

---

They passed scorched statues and shattered grave-pillars. In the distance, monstrous shadows crawled across the bone plains — Goblin Giants, grotesque creatures used in ghost raids. A low snarl echoed, and Brianna flinched.

"They don't come this far," Seraphyne whispered. "But don't let your guard down."

The Elders kept walking. Then, as the path narrowed through a canyon of collapsed tombstones, Brianna paused again.

"Am I... an heir to something?" she asked.

"We'll figure that out," Lady Seraphyne replied quickly, eyes forward.

"You always say that," Brianna pressed.

From behind, Lady Georgia floated beside her. "Why don't you just tell her the truth?" she asked Seraphyne, voice cool but pointed.

Lady Seraphyne said nothing.

---

They reached a high iron ridge. On the other side, flaming towers shimmered in the distance, surrounded by jagged spires of obsidian and floating archways.

Then came the howls.

A pack of Phantom Hounds emerged from the mist — skeletal beasts with blazing eyes and mouths that spewed violet fire.

Brianna gasped.

"Don't move," Seraphyne warned.

The hounds lunged.

" Yoshi,"Lord Rajin called to him. " Do you mind?"

Yoshi cracked his neck. "Oh, I've been waiting for this."

With a grin, he summoned a glowing yellow ethereal chain. He spun it once — then lashed out.

The chain struck a hound mid-leap, bursting it into a splash of purple liquid that hissed and evaporated on contact.

One by one, the beasts charged. Yoshi danced between them, chain flashing like a comet.

"Let's move," Lord Rajin commanded. "He can handle it."

They passed through the Gates of Terra Town, ancient and covered in spectral carvings. Behind them, Yoshi was knocked by a violet fireball from behind. He fell down with a thud a his yellow ethereal ghost chain vanished.

Thousands of red eyed Phantom Hounds closed in and stalked him.

---

Terra Town.

It rose like a forgotten empire — Gothic towers spiraling through layers of ghost energy. Floating lanterns lit the misty sky. Spectral citizens in flowing robes drifted down transparent bridges and walked along whispering walls.

"Welcome to Terra town," said Lady Georgia, "the heart of Umraterra."

As they entered, ghostly voices murmured from the shadows.

"What's that smell...?"

"Lost royal blood..."

"An heir has come..."

"You look gorgeous...can she be my soulmate...?"

"Help us overthrow the kingdom... we remember your mother..."

"You're powerful… beyond what you know..."

Brianna shivered.

"Don't listen to them," Lady Georgia said beside her. "Just walk."

They passed through the looming Soul Ledger Tower, etched with runes that glowed whenever new ghosts entered. The floating Ghost Bazaar shimmered with stalls selling cursed necklaces and bottled screams. A festival called The Night of the Weeping Bells was being prepared in the distance, tolls echoing like cries.

But none of it mattered now.

Brianna even spotted ghost children playing skull rugby and tug of screams in the streets. She wondered how being born in this world as a ghost child felt like.

She also saw predator like ghosts that kidnapped others and absorbed their life–form essence.

" Those are called the Lurkers. They literally kill and feed on weak ghosts for survival." Lady Seraphyne explained.

They finally reached the Royal Citadel.

---

Inside, one massive hall — equal parts courtroom and throne chamber — stretched under a dome of glass and ghost flame. On the obsidian throne sat King Xalor, draped in black armor that pulsed with runes. Beside him, her eyes glimmering with distaste, sat Queen Sytherra.

"Well, well," Xalor said, voice deep. "Lady Seraphyne. You've returned… and brought with you... an heir?"

Queen Sytherra curled her lip. "I wonder why you returned though. Wait,an heir?"

Lady Seraphyne stepped forward proudly. "Yes.My daughter — Brianna. And yes, she's yours too, Sytherra. Your niece. The only blood left that still matters. Bree, meet your aunt and Her Majesty."

Brianna bowed awkwardly. "Hi..."

Seraphyne gestured. "And that is your uncle — King Xalor.Well,not really related by blood, but he rules this realm."

Before she could respond, the court doors boomed shut. At the center, Judge Shivara, veiled and spectral, stood with a scroll in hand.

"You both stand accused," the judge intoned, "of illegally traversing into the realm of the living. Multiple times. This violates three Ghost Codes."

"Ridiculous," Lady Seraphyne spat. "I crossed for my daughter—"

"She's part human," snapped one ghost. "She doesn't belong here."

"She's also a Royal, born of our bloodline!" another countered. "You cannot treat her like a common soul!"

"Treason!" hissed a third. "Seraphyne lost her title when she fell in love with a human! She's a common soul and citizen,so is her daughter."

"Eradicate them both. Let them taste the Second Death." Another added.

The courtroom exploded in ghostly arguments.

Until — Lord Rajin raised his hand.

With a snap of his fingers, the ground shook. Silence fell like a guillotine.

"Enough," he growled.

The judge, Shivara,turned to the throne. "Your ruling, Queen Sytherra?"

She narrowed her eyes. "They're a threat to the governme...kingdom.Eradicate them."

"No!" Seraphyne shouted. " That's not fair!"

Xalor raised a hand calmly. "We'll do no such thing... yet."

Everyone turned.

"The mother," he said, "shall be jailed and monitored."

"And the daughter?" the judge asked.

King Xalor rose. "Let her prove herself. She will enter the Umraterra Annual Competitions — to test her strength, her soul, and her claim. If she is truly an heir… she'll survive."

Brianna's eyes widened. "You can't split us up!"

Ghostly guards stepped in. Seraphyne tried to fight, but phantom chains bound her.

"Don't touch her!" Brianna shouted, a wave of chaos energy pulsing from her chest.

The room trembled.

But Queen Sytherra stood. With one cold wave of her green-glowing staff, she fired a spell.

It hit Brianna in the forehead.

The girl crumpled, eyes fluttering.

" Go to sleep poor niece," Queen Sytherra said taking her seat.

Seraphyne screamed, "You will pay for this! All of you—every last one—will regret this!"

---

To Be Continued...