ã€ŠI Was a Teenage Necromancerã€‹


 Prologue-The End

    ¡°I¡¯m really glad you could get together with me for a sleepover. We haven¡¯t done this since we were little.¡± Stephanie said, checking her now bright electric blue toenails under the lamp.

    ¡°Yeah, I guess. Just¡­ what do we do now?¡± Amber said, blowing on her blue nails. Stephanie had recently received Super AzureBerry Blue nail polish for her birthday.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± Neither of them had boyfriends or was crushing on anyone to gossip about, they¡¯d done their hair and nails, already had pizza for dinner, and had since run out of conversation topics. ¡°Wanna watch TV?¡±

    ¡°Sure. What¡¯s on?¡± Tuning in to a mindless late night talk show, Amber and Stephanie sat in bored silence, yet neither one was tired enough to go to bed yet.

    ¡°Is this it? Have both of our lives peaked so tragically early?¡± Amber said dramatically, flipping back on the bed with a sigh. ¡°Friday night and we¡¯re stuck in with nothing better to do than watch TV?¡±

    ¡°Maybe you should wait awhile before proclaiming life to be over. We can¡¯t even drive yet.¡± Stephanie pointed out.

    ¡°Hey, speak for yourself. You just turned sixteen, you can drive.¡± Amber said.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have a license yet. Dad¡¯s just started teaching me to drive.¡± Stephanie explained.

    ¡°Excuses!¡± Amber sniffed playfully, dismissing her friend with a wave of her hand.

    ¡°What about you? Why can¡¯t you drive yet?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m only fifteen!¡±

    ¡°Excuses!¡± Stephanie mirrored, and they both giggled. Stephanie got up. ¡°I have to go to the bathroom. Be right back. Oh, could you get some more soda? We¡¯re out.¡±

    ¡°¡¯Kay.¡± Amber got up and headed down the stairs to the kitchen. Retrieving the soda from the fridge, she hovered over a piece of chocolate cake or an apple. ¡°Hmmmm¡­ I¡¯ll be good.¡± Grabbing the apple, she turned then jumped as she saw something move out of the corner of her eye.

    ¡°Yaaah! Oh. Just me.¡± she muttered, staring at her reflection in the sliding glass door. Shaking her head, she turned into the hallway when she was grabbed from behind, a strange smelling cloth shoved onto her mouth and nose.Stolen story; please report.

    Amber tried to struggle and scream, but the arms held tight across her neck and face. Flailing wildly to hit her assailant, she felt everything start to go dark and numb. She tried to take a deep breath for the loudest scream she could, she at least had to warn Stephanie. Which proved to be her last mistake; now Amber slipped into a dull sleep. Distantly, she felt a sharp pinch in her chest, followed by a dull throbbing and spreading coldness. She knew she had to get up and do something about it, but lying down to sleep proved too irresistible. Growing ever weaker, the grey in front of her eyes faded to black.

    ¡°Aaaaauuuuughhh!¡±

    Startled, Amber jerked up to see Stephanie run up the stairs to her parents¡¯ bedroom.

    ¡°Stephanie? Wait, hold on! I think there¡¯s someone in the¡­ house¡­¡± Amber trailed off, confused why she didn¡¯t stop. ¡°Stephanie!¡± she called, even louder. Still nothing. Wait, why was she calling Stephanie? There was someone¡­ the pizza guy? Stephanie had to bring the sodas back to the room while Amber was in the bathroom¡­ no, wait, she was the one who was getting apples¡­ no, sodas¡­

    Amber groaned and rubbed her temples. Her head was so foggy, everything so jumbled up; it was hard to remember the last few minutes. She was pretty sure there was someone in the house, and then¡­everything went dark. What happened?

    It was then Amber noticed her hand. It was glowing with a soft yellow luminescence. Not only her hand her whole body was glowing faintly, a bright nimbus surrounding her.

    ¡°What the-?¡± Her bafflement was cut short when she heard feet pounding down the stairs, heralding Stephanie and her father.

    ¡°Stephanie, Mr. Garret-¡± Amber tried to say, but they both pushed past her without stopping.

    ¡°-your mother¡¯s calling the police right now. Kitten, are you absolutely sure-¡±

    ¡°Ohmygod, Dad! It¡¯s like the worst thing possible! She¡¯s lying there right now!¡± Stephanie said, tears in her eyes. ¡°There¡¯s no way! No way is this happening! But-¡± They argued down the hall into the kitchen, where Amber heard them both go silent. Except for Mr. Garret¡¯s ¡°Dear God!¡±

    Trembling, Amber followed them, a sick feeling dropping her stomach down to her feet. Despite the last few minutes being unclear, she really didn¡¯t think that they had pushed past her. A horrible realization dawned as she entered the kitchen.

    Mr. Garret, covering his shocked, open mouth with his hand. Stephanie, quietly sobbing onto his chest.

    And there, lying on the floor surrounded by a dark crimson pool was Amber, soaked in blood and completely lifeless.

    ¡°No¡­. It can¡¯t be¡­ no, wait. I¡­ but if¡­¡± Amber sputtered, staring at her corpse. ¡°No¡­ Mr. Garret.¡± She tried to get his attention by grabbing his shoulder, but her hand sunk right through it. ¡°No. This can¡¯t be happening. I can¡¯t be dead. I¡­ can¡¯t be a, a g-g-ghost.¡± The bleak truth crashed onto her like a wave, and she had to fight not to be swept away by it. Of course, her desperate struggle was a futile battle. ¡°Nooooooo!¡±

 Chapter 1: It Begins with a Death

    <blockquote class="messageText SelectQuoteContainer ugc baseHtml">

    A week and a half. That¡¯s how long it took until the funeral. Amber stood in a daze, watching the procession go by, carrying her mortal remains. She watched her uncle huff from the strain, his breath making fog from the cold. Normally it wasn¡¯t that chilly this time of year, but the last two days had brought grey skies and rain that chilled the air prematurely. Not that Amber could really feel it.

    It was strange, being a ghost. Amber always had a faint yellow glow, like an outline or an aura. She couldn¡¯t interact with solid objects at all, phasing right through them. She couldn¡¯t talk to people either, no matter how much or how loudly she screamed or cried or pleaded. No matter who; her parents, her friends, her teachers, Stephanie¡­ it was as though she were as silent and invisible as the air.

    ¡®Dead air,¡¯ she thought to herself as the pallbearers lowered her casket onto the winch.

    There were no real leads on who had murdered her. Amber¡¯s fist clenched. She wished she¡¯d paid more attention to the news; her death had dominated headlines, but primarily because it had been the fifth slaying in four months to rock the formerly sleepy town.

    Craven Falls had a serial killer.

    Amber had overheard about it when the police were examining the crime scene. The M.O. was the same as the other four times: a young female as the target, the victim grabbed from behind and chloroformed, stabbed to death by a knife, and a trophy taken as a gruesome souvenir. Amber had stopped listening at that point, partly because she didn¡¯t want to hear anymore, partly because her parents had arrived, hysterical, and she had gone to try and communicate with them. Futilely.

    She was startled from her reverie by her uncle¡¯s grunt sitting down. She turned forward again, because she didn¡¯t want to see her parents. She had spent most of her time as a ghost following them, but the last two days she had avoided them altogether. It was too painful. They may have been trying to put up a tough front, but it was as plain as day to Amber. They were breaking.

    ¡°We are gathered here today to honor the memory of Amber Harris, beloved by her father Rex Harris and her mother Kelly.¡± the pastor began. Amber ignored him, going up to the casket to inspect her body. It was a closed casket funeral, but as a ghost she didn¡¯t have to let that stop her. She put her head through the lid, her glow enough to illuminate the darkness.

    She decided the morticians didn¡¯t do a bad job, giving herself a once-over. She was obviously too pale, and her dark blonde hair was set down around her shoulders instead of her customary ponytail or braid, but Amber supposed stylistic choices differed from person to person, and it wasn¡¯t like she could complain anyhow. No matter how much she wanted to. Still, with her nicest dress covering the wound, she didn¡¯t know why her family didn¡¯t opt for an open casket.

    Glancing up at her parents, Amber ducked back down and grimaced. Maybe she did know why after all. It was probably the same reason she was avoiding them.

    Amber sighed. She was certain there was nothing worse than being a ghost. No one could see her, she couldn¡¯t touch anything, she couldn¡¯t eat, sleep, or use the bathroom. At night when everyone else was sleeping, she had taken to walking the empty streets. It was better than watching her father toss and turn fitfully, only to get up at random intervals to stare at a picture of her. Or better than watching her mother sleep, dead to the world thanks to the now empty wine bottle in her hand.

    Amber shook her head and pulled up just in time to hear the pastor say ¡°¡­though she was cruelly taken from us in her prime, we can rest easier knowing that her soul is in a better place.¡±

    ¡°No it isn¡¯t! I¡¯m right here, you dickwad!¡± She started kicking the pastor in the shin, her foot phased right through, but it helped her feel a little better. After that, she decided to make a nuisance of herself throughout the rest of the eulogy, making faces, singing obnoxiously, and dancing on her coffin.

    Eventually, the service ended and everyone drifted home. Her parents stayed longer, staring at the coffin in silence, but as the sun broke through the clouds and started to go down even they left. Amber stood beside her headstone as the cemetery workers lowered the casket and ill in her grave. After they had gone, she was completely alone.

    She stared at her grave and tombstone for hours, reading her name over and over, trying not to stare at the end date and failing miserably. Staring and reading the same inscription, ¡®Beloved daughter. Taken before her time.¡¯ until the last of the sunlight faded and the stars and moon came out.

    ¡°At least I¡¯ve got a good view for all eternity.¡± Amber muttered to herself. It was true; Amity Memorial Cemetery was on the edge of town, just near the woods. Her grave was on a small hill next to a tree with few other graves behind it, overlooking the lake which amber supposed must look quite lovely in summer. She sighed and sat on her gravestone. ¡°Really, I guess it could be worse. I had a good turnout for my funeral, a nice spot for my grave, and a big beautiful sky to watch. I mean, yeah, I¡¯m dead, but I¡¯m not burning in Hell or anything, so I guess that¡¯s a positive. It must be pretty bleak in winter, but spring¡¯ll be nice, and summer, and fall brings out so many pretty colors in the leaves.¡± A bright orange one detached and drifted down in front of her face. ¡°See? Not tormented, great view, no school or responsibilities, j-just me and myself enjoying the great outdoors. Forever.¡± Amber couldn¡¯t hold back her tears anymore. She slumped down and they flowed freely, glittering drops that vanished before they hit the dirt. ¡°This¡­this sucks. Why? Why did I have to die? Why did I have to stay here, all alone? Why can¡¯t I-¡±

    She was startled from her sobbing by the sound of approaching footsteps on the leaves. She turned to see a man in boots, black jeans, a grey hoodie, and gloves tromp up the hill, humming a jaunty tune. The hood was up so she couldn¡¯t make out who it was, but Amber was most perplexed to see him carrying a lantern and a shovel.

    The man stopped in front of a very old grave, breathing in a deep breath as a chill wind blew, like a person greeting the morning sun. He set the lantern down and began digging at the grave. Amber was starting to freak.

    ¡°H-Hello? Are¡­are you really doing what I think you¡¯re doing?¡± She thought about it for a second, then put her head in her palm as the man kept digging. ¡°Stupid. Of course he can¡¯t hear you, nobody can!¡± She sighed, her previous despair starting to return. ¡°Yup. Just gonna be like this for the rest of eternity. I¡¯ll be able to see everyone else, and no one¡¯ll be able to see me back. Some eternal afterlife.¡± Amber sat back on her headstone.

    ¡°Eh, probably won¡¯t be for eternity. I mean, you might move on before the world ends, right?¡± the man said, not pausing his digging. Amber blinked.

    ¡°Were-were you talking to me?¡±

    ¡°You see anyone else around?¡± Amber actually turned to scan the area before she remembered they were in a cemetery at midnight.</blockquote>

    <blockquote class="messageText SelectQuoteContainer ugc baseHtml">¡°You can see me!?¡± Amber launched herself at the figure, landing in a tackle-hug that knocked him to the ground. To her delight, she fell too, not phasing through him. She didn¡¯t know whether to start laughing or crying. ¡°You can see me! I can touch you!¡±

    ¡°Ow. Yes, we¡¯ve established that. Could you get off me now, please?¡± Amber looked up to see that he wasn¡¯t a man like she first thought, but a teenage boy. Green eyes glared through overlong reddish-brown hair at her.

    ¡°Oh. Sorry.¡± she apologized, letting go and blushing furiously. At least she thought she was. Her body temperature was always cold, and her arms and hands were always so pale now she could only image the rest of her was as well. ¡°It¡¯s just, you¡¯re the first person to see me since I¡­became a ghost.¡±

    ¡° I gathered, yeah.¡± The boy brushed himself off and resumed his digging. Amber blinked again. Here he was talking to a real live(?) ghost, and all he could focus on was the dirt?

    ¡°So. Uh. What¡¯cha doing?¡± she asked awkwardly.

    ¡°What¡¯s it look like? I¡¯m digging.¡± he grunted.

    ¡°Yes, I can see that.¡± she said, exasperated. ¡°But what for?¡±

    ¡°Grave robbing.¡±

    ¡°G-Grave robbing!?¡± Amber shrieked, horrified.

    ¡°Yeesh, keep it down a bit. I know no one else can hear you, but you¡¯ll drive me nuts if you keep screaming like that.¡± he said, never pausing his digging. The hole had grown quite deep and large in the short time he¡¯d been there.

    ¡°Why in the hell are you robbing graves!?¡±

    ¡°Because it¡¯s not like the authorities are just going to let me dig ¡®em up just cause I need to.¡± he answered calmly. Amber clutched her head and waved it around before her next question. Despite not being able to feel anymore, she was sure he was giving her a headache.

    ¡°And what do you need to dig up graves for!?¡±

    ¡°I told you to quit screaming like that. You¡¯ll wake the dead.¡± He said, giving her a cheeky little grin.

    ¡°And what do you need to dig up graves for.¡± Amber growled, much quieter.

    ¡°Well, it¡¯s because of my job. I-Oh!¡± His shovel struck something solid. ¡°Alright! I¡¯m glad it rained, made the earth nice and soft. ¡®Course, I couldn¡¯t do much digging for the last couple of days because of it, either. Wouldn¡¯t want to catch my death of cold.¡± Giggling at his own joke, the boy quickly removed the rest of the dirt from the ancient coffin, then with a quick, practiced stroke broke the lock with the shovel.

    ¡°This one¡¯s from the 1800¡¯s. I figure it¡¯s better to go for the older ones, it makes it easier to open the coffins. But when you do this you have to hope the bones aren¡¯t too brittle and rotted. It¡¯s really the luck of the draw.¡± He pried open the lid and rummaged inside. ¡°Yep, a bit too rotten to be complete, there¡¯s not enough meat on him to be useful by himself.¡± He picked up something and examined it. Amber bent down, and in the moonlight she could see him holding aloft a grinning skull.

    ¡°Ew! Gross, put that back! If you¡¯re going to look for jewelry, stop dismembering him!¡± she said angrily.

    ¡°Oh, he¡¯s what I¡¯m after, not any jewelry.¡± the boy said.

    ¡°Why do you want some moldy old bones?¡±

    ¡°I told you, it¡¯s because of my job. My name¡¯s Scott, and I¡­¡± He held the skull up, a grin as big as the one in his hand on his face. The skull¡¯s eyes suddenly lit up a brilliant toxic green, and the jaw chattered like a jackhammer. Amber fell back with a terrified scream as the boy grinned even bigger. ¡°¡­am a necromancer."

    ¡°A what? Eeeeek! Make it stop!¡± Amber yelled as the shull chittered away. The grin on the boy¡¯s face froze.

    ¡°A¡­necromancer? One who practices necromancy? You know, with the bodies and the dark magic and the whole ¡®evil overlord¡¯ thing?¡±

    ¡°What? I don¡¯t know anything about that! Please, make it stop, it¡¯s freaking me out!¡± Amber said covering her head.

    ¡°Seriously?¡± The boy dropped the skull, the glow and chattering fading as it hit the dirt. ¡°It¡¯s fantasy 101! The evil sorcerer, in league with dark forces beyond the ken of mortals raises up an army of dead bodies to serve him and sets them against the plucky and stalwart young hero and his noble, possibly quirky companions? How could you not know what necromancy is?¡± he asked, exasperated.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, I¡¯m not a fantasy nerd! It doesn¡¯t come up that often in casual conversation.¡± Amber said, trying to collect herself. Scott shook his head.

    ¡°Jeez. How inconvenient. Alright, I¡¯m going to assume you know what magic is, right? You¡¯ve read Harry Potter?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, kinda. I read the first few when I was a little, but I saw some of the movies later. Well, awhile ago. And I saw part of the Lord of the Rings movie, does that count?¡± Amber asked. The boy sighed.

    ¡°Just the movies, not the books¡­¡± he muttered. ¡°Anyway, remember Voldemort? The bad guy who had a ton of servants and used evil spells?¡± She nodded. ¡°Well, it¡¯s kind of like that.

    ¡°Necromancy, coming from the Greek ¡®Necro¡¯, which means the dead, and ¡®mancy¡¯, which means to divine, or finding out answers from a source.¡± he said, noticing her confused look. ¡°So ¡®necromancy¡¯ actually means the art of communicating with the dead, traditionally summoning spirits to answer questions. That¡¯s the classic definition, anyway. Nowadays, it¡¯s a catch-all term for the raising of bodies or spirits through magical means.¡± he explained.

    ¡°So¡­magic is real.¡± Amber said, wide-eyed and nodding slowly. Scott rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Yeah, but that¡¯s not the point you¡¯re supposed to be taking away from this. Through my studies and research I¡¯ve discovered necromancy is actually the branch of magic concerning the wielding and channeling of necrotic energy, kind of the opposite of life energy.¡±

    ¡°Uh huh.¡± she said, eyes glazing over. ¡°What¡¯re necrotic and life energy again?¡± At his sigh, she exclaimed ¡°Don¡¯t blame me, I¡¯m doing my best to keep up! It¡¯s just a lot to dump on someone at once, especially when I went my whole life thinking magic wasn¡¯t real.¡±

    You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

    ¡°Right, right. Sorry.¡± He planted the shovel in the ground and leaned on it. ¡°I forget sometimes most people aren¡¯t as well learned as me. In fact, I was one of them ¡®til I found the book.

    ¡°But anyway, necrotic energy and life energy are equal and opposite invisible forces that infuse all organic matter. Live energy is positive, light, heart, motion, growth, hope, that sort of thing. Anything that¡¯s alive is running on life energy, whether they know it or not. It ebbs and flows, but it¡¯s always there. It¡¯s the soul, if you will. Then there¡¯s the opposite. Necrotic energy is darkness, fear, death, decay, silence, stillness, despair, any other negative adjective you wanna throw on it. More like anti-life energy than anything else, it¡¯s basically the same thing inside out.

    ¡°For example, there¡¯s no way for science to bring someone back to life. That¡¯s because usually everything that humans know is based on the observable universe, and in actuality all medical healing is based on the cultivation and restoration of life energy, and once that spark of life runs out there¡¯s no way to bring it back. The body simply can¡¯t accept it anymore. But through the magic of, well, magic life energy can be turned into its opposite, which turns out dead bodies and spirits are amazing at receiving. Which means¡­¡±

    ¡°The dead can come back to life.¡± Amber said breathlessly. If she still had a heartbeat, it would have been pounding in her chest right now. Scott tilted his hand in a so-so gesture.

    ¡°Ehh, yes and no.¡± Amber¡¯s face and hopes fell. ¡°There¡¯s a couple of conditions on actually resurrecting the dead.¡± Her hopes picked up again.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. First, the actual spirit has to be around and willing to jump back in the body. Usually they aren¡¯t, they¡¯ve moved on. Which is a good thing if you¡¯re a necromancer like me.¡± She raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Oh? Why¡¯s that?¡±she said. He grinned at her.

    ¡°Check this out.¡± He popped the coffin lid open. Put the skull back, and rummaged in his pocket. Pulling out a piece of chalk, he drew a circle around the bones in the coffin, then started drawing strange sigils on the aged wood. Amber rubbed her eyes; the symbols hurt to look at, and she could swear they weren¡¯t only in two dimensions.

    ¡°There. It¡¯s a little sloppy, but the main thing is the circle, and I should be able to brute force the rest.¡± Scott said, finishing.

    ¡°W-What exactly are you going to do?¡± Amber asked nervously, but she was cut when he clapped his hands together and started to chant.

    ¡°Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha,¡± he intoned, over and over. He started to sweat as he focused as hard as he could on the coffin before him. Amber saw an unearthly toxic green glow emanate brighter and brighter from it, and a minute later with a cry of ¡°jslatmon HA!¡± the glow reached its peak and burst, leaving Amber blinking and the boy breathing hard.

    ¡°Whew. There you have it.¡± he said, wiping his forehead.

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Amber gasped when she saw the skeleton sit up in the coffin. Scott grinned again.

    ¡°The fruits of all my practice and research. That¡¯s what necromancers are after. When there¡¯s no soul to provide life energy, necrotic energy can be used instead. Now the corpse has the power to move again, And since there¡¯s no soul and I the energy used is mine, it becomes a mindless autonamaton completely under my command.¡±

    ¡°What? He¡¯s you¡¯re slave?¡± Amber said, horrified.

    ¡°Please. The only thing I¡¯ve enslaved is a pile of calcium and some vestigial protein in the shape of a human body. There¡¯s nothing in there to take over. His soul¡¯s long gone, I¡¯m just¡­repurposing the remains. That¡¯s why it¡¯s called reanimation instead of revivification. I probably could give him the semblance of flesh and a mind of his own if I put enough oomph into it. But he still wouldn¡¯t really be here, he¡¯d be more like¡­an echo, or a copy. A ¡®ghost¡¯ of his former self! Eh? Eh?¡± He wagged his eyebrows at her, and she stared at him in shock (and exasperation for the pun). ¡°You might as well accuse me of enslaving a remote controlled car.¡±

    ¡°Really? That¡¯s all he is to you? A mindless servant? That used to be somebody and you¡¯re treating his remains like a toy!¡± He stopped and considered a moment.

    ¡°I suppose you could look at it that way, yeah.¡± he admitted. ¡°But I do have quite a few uses for my undead minions to order around.¡±

    ¡°What possible reason do you have for making these¡­zombies?¡± A thought struck her, and her face turned murderous. ¡°Don¡¯t tell me you plan to dig up the graves of women and-¡±

    ¡°Whoa, whoa! Let me stop you right there.¡± he said, hands up and eyes wide. ¡°I love the dead, but I don¡¯t love the dead like I think you¡¯re thinking. That¡¯s just gross. I practice clean, wholesome, family-friendly dark magic rituals, thank you very much.¡±</blockquote>

    <blockquote class="messageText SelectQuoteContainer ugc baseHtml">

    ¡°Oh.¡± she said, slightly mollified. ¡°But then what do you actually do this for?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s a simple one, my dear! Just think about it. Once I have enough zombies, I¡¯ll have an entire factories¡¯ worth of manpower that¡¯s even better than slave labor! The dead don¡¯t need food, rest, or pay and they can work for eternity if their bodies last that long. Hell, they don¡¯t even need lights to see by. With so much production power at so little cost, I¡¯ll be able to manufacture just about anything for huge profits! I¡¯ll be rich!¡±

    Amber stared at him, slackjawed. That was the reason he was violating graves, human remains, and the second law of thermodynamics?

    ¡°You want to get cheap labor?¡± she asked, nonplussed.

    ¡°Pretty much. Although merely having actual minions is worth it, really. You haven¡¯t known real joy until you¡¯ve got an army of completely loyal servants waiting on you hand and foot.¡± Scott said, grinning. ¡°For example.¡± He scrabbled out of the pit, pulling the skeleton up behind him and handing it the shovel. ¡°Bones, refill the grave.¡± The skeleton nodded and went to work, tirelessly moving the earth back into the grave at a quick, steady rate.

    ¡°He does work fast.¡± Amber admitted. ¡°But what else is necessary to bring someone back to life?¡±

    ¡°Oh, right. Sit down and I¡¯ll tell you about it.¡± Scott made himself at home under the tree, and Amber sat back down on her headstone. Scott pulled a protein bar from his pocket and started munching while he explained.

    ¡°I already said you first need the willing spirit. You also need the body, at least mostly intact.¡±

    ¡°So, a body with damage done to it couldn¡¯t be revived?¡± Amber asked, her face falling. Scott laughed at her.

    ¡°Of course not! It¡¯d be a pretty pathetic magic spell if it couldn¡¯t take care of that. In addition to the body and the soul, you also need the right magical sigils and incantation. You see, the process involves reducing the material body into a special salt, which is then infused with enough necrotic energy to jump start the regeneration of the body. Add the soul into the mix to provide the necessary blueprint for the body¡¯s composition and voila! Instant resurrection.¡±

    ¡°So, you know how to do it?¡±

    ¡°Oh, sure. I mean, I¡¯ve never actually done it before, but it seems simple enough. And it¡¯s not like I could take only one shot at it, either. As long as I have the body and soul, I¡¯ve got everything I really need, no matter how long it takes.¡± he said. Amber swallowed hard, preparing to ask the question she¡¯d wanted to.

    ¡°So then¡­as I¡¯m a ghost, and am quite willing to come back to life, and my body¡¯s right here¡­do you think you might find it in your heart to possibly help a girl out?¡± she asked hopefully.

    ¡°Hmmm¡­I suppose I could. But why would I?¡± Amber stared at him.

    ¡°Why? Why? Because I¡¯m in a heap of trouble and you¡¯re the only one who can help! Isn¡¯t that basic human decency?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I get that, but it¡¯s also a lot of effort for no return. I do the ritual, you pop up again, you say thanks for the assist and go on your merry way. I raise bodies for profit and what you¡¯re asking isn¡¯t what I¡¯m going for here. What¡¯s in it for me?¡±

    ¡°What kind of person are you, you¡¯re being so selfish! Didn¡¯t you say it was a simple procedure?¡± Amber protested. Scott scratched his chin.

    ¡°Performing the ritual¡¯s no problem, but there are two problems here. One is that bringing people back is considered impossible, and I don¡¯t want the kind of attention that¡¯ll bring. The living have enough problems that bringing this into the world¡¯s just asking for trouble, for me especially. That¡¯s not happening. And two, It¡¯s not just about making a zombie that just needs to move around. We¡¯re talking some major magic here. It¡¯ll take a lot out of the necromancer who¡¯s actually doing it, and I have more important things to spend my time and energy on. So I¡¯ll ask again: what¡¯s in it for me?¡± he said. Glaring at her.

    ¡°Well¡­uh¡­¡± Scott shook his head.

    ¡°Thought so. It¡¯d be a waste of effort.¡± He got up and dusted himself off. See you later. Try not to degenerate too much, okay?¡± Noticing the skeleton was finished, he took the shovel back and they started walking away.

    ¡°No, wait! I-I can pay you!¡± she blurted out, waving her arms to stop him. He turned and looked at her.

    ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yes! Uh, well¡­I don¡¯t have any money, but my dad does! He¡¯s pretty well off, I¡¯m sure he¡¯ll be able to give you whatever you want if you really can bring me back to life.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm¡­¡± Scott considered, resting his chin on his knuckles.

    ¡°Come on, what do you say? I¡¯m sure he could pay for services rendered no problem.¡± Amber pleaded.

    ¡°Wait a sec. You¡¯re Amber Harris, right? As in, the guy who owns like five businesses in town and that big mansion on Crystal Lake Boulevard?¡±

    ¡°Six businesses.¡±Amber corrected sheepishly.

    ¡°That¡¯s great!¡± His eyes lit up with avarice once again. ¡°That means he¡¯s got money, but more than that probably even some warehouses, right?¡±

    ¡°Err, yeah, I think so.¡±

    ¡°Right! All he has to do is give me one of those.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°A warehouse!¡± Scott exclaimed animatedly. ¡°Think about it. Right now I have to sneak around with my spells, research and corpses. My parents wouldn¡¯t be too happy if they knew about any of this. But if I had my own private warehouse, an actual building of my own with plenty of space, just think of all the necromantic experiments I could do! I could probably even use it to start a manufacturing plant!¡± His eyes gleamed in the starlight, full of plans for the future. ¡°Oh man, if I play my cards right, I could be set for life. And the risk of jail time would be considerably lessened! I¡¯m pretty sure making corpses sit up and dance at least counts as desecrating a body, right?¡±

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m gonna have to slow you down a minute there. I don¡¯t know for sure if dad even has a warehouse he can give to you.¡± Amber said, and Scott considered the information.

    ¡°No problem. Worst comes to worst, I¡¯ll ask for fifty or sixty thousand dollars. A bargain when his only daughter is brought back from the dead. Okay miss Amber, you¡¯ve got a deal.¡± He stuck out his hand.

    ¡°O-Okay then.¡± They shook on it, Amber relishing the contact with something solid. ¡°Hey, I never told you who I am. How did you know?¡±

    ¡°Are you kidding? Your face¡¯s been everywhere for the last week. They even had a memorial for you at school.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°Oh. Wow. For me? Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, but I didn¡¯t pay it much mind, I¡¯ve got better things to do. But you¡¯d have to be blind not to notice.¡± He looked over at his skeleton. ¡°Hey Bones, let¡¯s get a move on.¡± He gave it the lantern to carry. ¡°You can hang at my place until I bring you back. I imagine it¡¯s a little lonely out here, plus I don¡¯t want anything to happen to you until I get paid.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m touched by your concern.¡± Amber deadpanned. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m dead. I thought the worst thing that could happen to me already did.¡±

    ¡°Oh no, there¡¯s a bunch of stuff that could happen to a ghost. But don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry! I¡¯ll be with you, so think nothing of it.¡±

    Now I am starting to worry, Amber thought as she followed the teenager and his skeleton. But she couldn¡¯t help but be grateful someone was looking out for her, even if he was loopy and greedy. Scott glanced at his watch.

    ¡°Yikes! It¡¯s three a.m., we gotta move! Hustle, people, hustle!¡± He broke out into a run, the skeleton clacking behind him.

    ¡°Wait, hold on! Scott, wait up!¡± Amber called, jogging behind him.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, you don¡¯t have to even breathe! Move those legs!¡±

    </blockquote>

    </article>

 Chapter 2-Dead Tired

    The alarm went off promptly at seven, and was just as promptly pounded with a fist coming somewhere underneath the tangle of sheets and blankets, making Amber jump. She watched it retreat into the blankets like the tail of a dragon.

    ¡°M-Morning.¡± Amber said nervously, eliciting a growl from the bed.

    ¡°Do you have any idea what time it is?¡± Scott grumbled.

    ¡°Seven o¡¯ clock?¡±

    ¡°No. Bedtime.¡±

    ¡°Scott! It¡¯s seven, time to get your butt out of bed mister!¡± his mother called from below. Scott grumbled again.

    ¡°How many times must I tell her before I get it into her head that I do not function in the mornings?¡±

    ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because of your nocturnal extracurricular activities?¡± Amber provided, and Scott groaned again.

    ¡°I am a night owl doomed to a family of morning people.¡± Reluctantly, he got up and stumbled out the door. ¡°Be right back. Honestly, I don¡¯t know whether to pity or envy you for being a ghost. Don¡¯t have to sleep, don¡¯t have to use the bathroom in the morning¡­¡±

    Amber paused to consider his words. Was it really better to be a ghost? True, having incorporeal traits could be useful, she supposed. But he didn¡¯t know how frustrating it was not to simply be able to touch something. To never be seen or heard, save by a loopy necromancer. Cut off from the rest of the world in a most cruel and decisive way, able to see and hear but unable to actually do anything.

    And she had been a ghost for less than two weeks. She shivered; if Scott hadn¡¯t offered a way out, Amber was sure she¡¯d go mad within a year. She shook her head. No, it sucked being a ghost. Last night had proved that once again. She had spent the entire night on the floor beside his bed. It was too dark to examine the room, and she didn¡¯t want to leave the only person who could perceive her.

    However, it was day now. Amber looked around the room, vaguely wondering what a teenage necromancer¡¯s personal space looked like. It was almost disappointingly ordinary: a TV in the corner, a bed against the wall, a bookshelf filled to bursting with comics and fantasy novels, a soaking wet bikini model licking her lips seductively from a poster. Nothing that she supposed she wouldn¡¯t find in any other fifteen year old boy¡¯s room. At that thought, she realized this was the first time she¡¯d been in a guy¡¯s room. Alone. With him.

    Amber¡¯s train of thought was derailed when Scott walked back in, yawning. She jumped and was silently glad she no longer had the ability to blush.

    ¡°Find something interesting?¡± he asked and started getting ready for the day, but paused before taking off his nightshirt. ¡°You, uh, mind?¡±

    ¡°Oh! Sorry!¡± Amber squeaked and turned to stare determinedly at the wall. ¡°Just¡­everything¡¯s so, well, normal, I guess. I was half expecting black walls, metal posters, and a bunch of candles and animal skeletons or something.¡±

    ¡°And precisely why would I have stuff like that? If I had other skeletons, I¡¯d put ¡®em to use.¡± Scott said, pulling a shirt on. ¡°I¡¯m just a regular guy, ¡®cept for the y¡¯know, raising the dead thing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess. It just doesn¡¯t, I don¡¯t know, gel together.¡± Amber confessed. Scott grinned.

    ¡°If you¡¯re looking for spooky stuff, it¡¯s not like my room¡¯s totally devoid of all that.¡± He reached into his closet and moved a box against the wall. There was a two foot hole in the back. ¡°I was about seven when my brother and I were fighting one time. Thing is, he slipped on something and made a hole in the drywall when he hit it. He freaked and made me promise to never tell mom or dad. I agreed because I didn¡¯t want to get in trouble either, and it seemed like a good place to hide stuff. You know, if I ever wanted to. Used to put odd shaped stones in it, pretended I was guarding magic gems when I was playing. But now I actually have something valuable to store in there.¡±

    He pulled out an ancient, well-worn book. Amber shivered, despite the fact she couldn¡¯t feel cold. The cover of the book looked almost like a human face, twisted into a demonic wail. ¡°Bound in human skin. Written in blood. This book contains all manner of methods of sorcery, how to bind and banish spirits and devils, and most importantly, instructions on how to raise the dead. Everything I ever needed to learn, came from this book. It tells of old gods, forgotten realms, and terrible prophecies of when the stars are right. Written around the fifth century by the mad Arab Abdul Al-Hazred, it is the only one of its¡¯ kind in existence, offering unholy knowledge and truths too terrifying for the sane to comprehend and the mad to forget. It is the Necronomicon.¡± If Amber could still feel, she would have felt her flesh crawling at the mere sight of that book.

    ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t doubt it. Where did you get such an¡­evil thing?¡± she asked nervously. Scott shrugged.

    ¡°From the library.¡±

    ¡°The LIBRARY!?¡± Amber exploded. For once, she was glad no one could hear her. Her shout would have deafened the neighbors.

    ¡°Yeah, darndest thing. Turns out the Necronomicon is a mild pop culture artifact, and you can actually buy fake copies online. This one was donated way back when so I guess they thought it was one of those. I was the first person to check it out. Of course, then I had to pretend to lose it, you know? But I think knowing the secrets of life, death, and everything between and beyond was well worth twenty-six dollars, don¡¯t you agree?¡± he said smugly. Amber deflated at his explanation.

    ¡°Whatever you say.¡±

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°Bye mom!¡± Scott called and waved back at the house. A hand waved back from the window. Citing the need to get to school early for a project, he¡¯d grabbed some coffee and a bagel on his way out, passing a harried-looking woman and what appeared to be a small mountain in the shape of a high schooler that could only have been his brother.

    ¡°Aww, shouldn¡¯t you have had breakfast with your family? I wanted to meet them. Err, kind of. Observe them, at least.¡± Amber said.

    ¡°Nah, have to get moving before I crash too hard.¡± He went over behind a storage shed and thumped on the ground. ¡°Doing okay down there, Bones?¡± he yelled into the dirt. A minute later a bony hand emerged, giving a thumbs up. ¡°Alright. Rebury your hand and we¡¯re good to go.¡± When they¡¯d all gotten back to his house Scott had commanded the skeleton to rebury himself about two feet under the dirt and stay there until further instruction. Amber was confused.

    ¡°Why go to all of that trouble of digging him up if you were just going to bury him again?¡± she¡¯d asked.

    ¡°Because I needed him to be reanimated, closer at hand, in an unobtrusive spot, and he won¡¯t get bored down there. Now shut up, I¡¯m trying to concentrate!¡± Scott had whispered furiously, dangling from a rope beneath his second-story window. Amber of course had merely phased through the wall and taken the stars. ¡°Stupid ghosts. They don¡¯t need to worry about sneaking in, they can¡¯t be heard at all.¡± he¡¯d muttered.

    They trudged along to school, Amber in the vaguely happy mood she¡¯d been in since discovering someone to talk to and Scott in a black cloud that didn¡¯t match the blue, sunny skies.

    ¡°I can¡¯t wait to see everyone again. I know they won¡¯t be able to see me, but it¡¯ll be good to check up on them. Especially Stephanie, she¡¯s been my best friend since forever. And there¡¯s Carla and Ivory and-¡±

    ¡°Hate to break it to you, but you just named like half the top clique.¡± Scott interrupted.

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°You know, the cool kids. The popular folk. The royalty of high school. The A-list. The¡­¡±

    ¡°I know what it means.¡± Amber deadpanned.

    ¡°Right. So in case you didn¡¯t know, I¡¯m not exactly part of the in-crowd. I won¡¯t be going near them.¡±

    ¡°Oh.¡± Her face fell. ¡°Okay, I guess. I¡¯ll just hang around them at lunch or something. Oh! Don¡¯t worry; I¡¯m looking forward to meeting your friends too!¡± Scott laughed mirthlessly.

    ¡°Yeah, don¡¯t hold your breath on that one. As the guy who plays with dead things, I¡¯m not exactly the most popular around. I¡¯m, not exactly¡­the, uh, best at social activity.¡± he said, his voice dropping and looking away.

    ¡°Oh.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, it¡¯s alright. I have hobbies to keep me busy, mostly raising the dead. Oh yeah, now that I think about it, don¡¯t wander off too far from me.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°To prevent your incorporeal degeneration.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°Degeneration?¡± Amber asked again, stopping in her tracks. Scott sighed.

    ¡°Degeneration. To gradually decay, to-¡± Amber gave him a light smack on the back of his head.

    ¡°I know what it means. So why am I going to do it?¡± she said.

    ¡°Right. So ghosts are by their very nature unstable beings. It¡¯s how they don¡¯t interact with matter like the rest of us do. Unfortunately, that means that sometimes the ectoplasm that makes up their bodies will basically run out and dry up. Which means¡­¡±

    ¡°I go poof?¡± Amber said, horrified.

    ¡°You go poof.¡± Scott confirmed.

    ¡°Aaaaaauuuugh! That¡¯s terrible! What can we do to stop it?¡±

    ¡°Not much, admittedly.¡± Scott said. ¡°There¡¯s a whole bunch of stuff in the Necronomicon, including ghosts, but even it doesn¡¯t have all the answers. There¡¯s no telling how much time a ghost has before its¡¯ power runs out and it¡¯s consigned to oblivion.¡±

    ¡°Oblivion? You mean¡­¡± Amber put her hand to her mouth, aghast.

    ¡°Yup. No moving on, no chance of resurrection. You¡¯re gone for good. The book said that strong ghosts, who were particularly obsessive or full of vitality when they were alive, could last longer, centuries even. You wouldn¡¯t have happened to have anything you were so passionate about you would give everything for it, and couldn¡¯t let the grave separate you from it?¡± he asked. Amber slowly shook her head. ¡°I see. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°I¡­I actually think I¡¯ve heard of that before,¡± Amber said, trying to think of anything else besides her imminent doom. ¡°Ghosts are supposed to look after or repeat what they did when they were alive, right?¡±

    ¡°Most of the time. I think it¡¯s what brings them back, that pure desire.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t have anything like that. And my afterlife expectancy just dropped because of it. This sucks.¡± She shuddered, and it looked like she was going to cry. ¡°I didn¡¯t ask to be killed. I didn¡¯t ask to be a ghost. I don¡¯t even know why it happened; I don¡¯t have any real unfinished business or anything.¡± She looked at him forlornly. ¡°I mean, I had some dreams for the future. I wanted to travel a bit. Go to college. Meet a cute guy. Have kids. Why did this have to happen to me?¡± The spectral tears began to slide down her face. Scott gulped.

    ¡°Well, the book doesn¡¯t say, but I¡¯ve theorized that non-obsessive ghosts do happen a lot more than we realize. But without a strong anchor to this world, they¡­don¡¯t have the strength to keep going.¡± Scott said, immediately realizing he said the wrong thing but too late to stop the words from coming out of his mouth. Amber buried her head in her hands and started sobbing. Scott was at a loss for words, and didn¡¯t know how to make it better.

    ¡°That¡¯s it then. I¡¯m gonna disappear.¡± Suddenly, Amber recalled what the young necromancer had said earlier. ¡°Hey, wait. You said there wasn¡¯t much you could do. That means you can do something at least, right?¡± His eyes grew wide and he shifted uncomfortably, trying to look at anywhere but her.

    ¡°Err, well, yes¡­ um, but¡­you see¡­¡± he sputtered.

    ¡°Tell me!¡± she demanded, and he sighed.

    ¡°To be honest, yes, there is something I can do. A couple of things we could try, in fact. But!¡± he declared, pointing a finger to the sky. ¡°The only method I know of and am willing at all to use, is incredibly powerful and not easily irrevocable. If worst comes to worst, I¡¯ll do it, but it¡¯s a step I¡¯ve hope I¡¯ll never have to take. I¡¯m only going to use it as a last resort. Got it?¡± This was the first time Amber had ever seen Scott look so serious. His emerald eyes were boring into her with such intensity they practically glowed.

    ¡°G-Got it.¡± Amber managed to meep.

    ¡°Good.¡± he said, mollified. ¡°Anyway, I want you to stick close by just in case. I¡¯d really rather not use it, but a deal¡¯s a deal and if there¡¯s no other way I¡¯ve gotta keep you around until I bring you back to life. That I can guarantee.¡±

    ¡°Gotcha.¡±

    The walk to school on a bright autumn day found two people grimly marching on. While one¡¯s mood was down, another¡¯s had lessened, but both were filled with resolute determination.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Things didn¡¯t improve much in school. Amid the hustle and bustle of lockers slamming, gossip being mongered, and classes in session, Scott trudged through it all like a crab on the ocean floor, never interacting with the fish above. Amber watched him through four periods, each of which he passed through disinterestedly taking notes. Since school started, she could count the words he¡¯d used to anybody, even the teachers on one hand. He couldn¡¯t even talk to her either, for fear of looking insane. When Scott said he didn¡¯t have very good social skills, Amber had no idea that he was basically a pariah.

    She sat down on top of a neighbor¡¯s desk and huffed. A few days earlier, the fact that he was writing on a worksheet through her would have bothered her, but Amber paid it no mind. She was worried a little bit; did he really have no friends at all? Even for a necromancer, that just seemed¡­sad. She stole a look at him, surreptitiously trying to read a book under his desk instead of paying attention to the math lecture.

    Her brow furrowed in concentration. She had seen him once or twice, of course. They had the same third period history class. It had given her a funny feeling to look at her own empty seat, and she hadn¡¯t dared to sit in it again. From what she could remember, Scott Brookhaven was always quiet and alone. He never spoke unless necessary, and only raised his hand to answer a question if nobody else did first. Most of the time, he had his head buried in a book, like he did now. But from what she could gather, his grades weren¡¯t great. Not bad, but not great.

    So if he wasn¡¯t just a meek little bookworm, what was he? Amber glanced at him again. There was no way this quiet, submissive Scott and the sarcastic, arrogant, cheerful Scott who loved to hear his own voice she had met last night were one and the same. Why such a big difference? Amber tugged her ponytail in puzzlement. Maybe, she reasoned, it was because it was she was a ghost. He didn¡¯t seem to particularly care what she thought or did, probably because she couldn¡¯t tell anyone else, so that might be it. She wondered if she could in fact recall him as anything more than a fleeting glance out of the corner of her eye, being ignored and unnoticed by everyone. Her eyes widened and she turned towards him. Was that it? Was the answer really so simple?

    Amber jolted from the desk when the bell rang. Everyone else was rushing to pack and get out of the room, but Scott was slow and methodical in his motions and so was the last one to leave. Amber trailed behind, wondering.

    She had nearly forgotten it was lunchtime when they headed to the cafeteria. Scott scanned the benches, searching for something but apparently coming up empty. He shrugged and got in the food line. By the time he paid for his burger and sat down at an empty space, Amber was almost ready to pull her hair out.

    ¡°Listen, I know you can¡¯t talk to me at school, but all this constant silence is driving me crazy.¡± He gave her a smirk, as if to say one day of talking to someone made her an addict. She bristled and smacked his head, making his hair flip up. ¡°Hardy-har, smartypants. My friends are over there. I can be back in a flash if I have to. Is it alright if I go over for a while?¡± Scott nodded. ¡°You won¡¯t be bored by yourself?¡± In response, he pulled out his book and nodded again. ¡°All righty then. See you.¡±

    She drifted over to where Stephanie and the others were sitting and eating lunch, standing at the edge of the table and leaning down to listen in. It wasn¡¯t very polite, but she figured it was compensation for having a ketchup-covered fry pass through her arm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, it was the craziest thing. I had the coupon for the dress, but for some reason the tag wouldn¡¯t come off and the staff was giving me a hassle because the coupon and the sale weren¡¯t supposed to stack together, but there wasn¡¯t any reason for them not to, so¡­¡± Ivory droned on, and Amber sighed with contentment. She really didn¡¯t know how much she missed the little things, like Ivory telling them about her latest shopping conquest, until it was gone. Carla, Ivory, Courtney, Bess, and Stephanie. Her friends. AS she listened to them talking about everything at once and nothing in particular, tears threatened to spill forth once more. Would she ever be able to talk to them again?If you stumble upon this tale on Amazon, it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    Amber looked over to Scott, still calmly reading his book while eating. If he really could pull it off, she would be able to be with her friends again. She turned back to the table, the group chatting away innocuously.

    ¡°Right. I guess it¡¯s settled then.¡± Amber said, nodding to herself. If he brought her back, she would be forever indebted to him, warehouse or no. She¡¯d only known him for a day, but to Amber he seemed so reserved and lonely. She resolved to help break him out of his shell, at least a little. He might not have friends now, but if he brought her back Amber promised herself he¡¯d have at least one.

    ¡°¡­so weird without her. I never thought she¡¯d be killed like that, you know?¡± Amber¡¯s head snapped up.

    ¡°Yeah, I never thought she¡¯d be a target for¡­you know, the Craven Falls Killer.¡± Carla said.

    ¡°I totally agree. Such a shame.¡± Ivory put in.

    ¡°Yes. Well. I suppose there¡¯s no helping some things. What happened has happened, and there¡¯s no changing that fact or any use trying to live in the past. So we should drop the matter and move on, okay?¡± Stephanie said curtly, punctuating her statement by getting up and tossing her tray. The rest of the group, Amber included, looked surprised and chastised.

    ¡°She¡¯s right. Amber¡¯s¡­gone now, so there¡¯s no more use going over it. It probably is for the best we try to put it behind us.¡± Courtney said eventually.

    ¡°Yeah, amber was Stephanie¡¯s best friend. If she doesn¡¯t want to talk about it, then she doesn¡¯t have to. And we all agreed to support her. Right?¡± Bess said, to a chorus of half-hearted ¡°I suppose so¡± and ¡°yeahs.¡± ¡°Good. Then the matter¡¯s settled. What are the plans for this weekend?¡± she added with an air of finality. Amber stood up and sighed. Bess was always the mother hen, trying to keep order in the group. She might seem bossy, but she was always looking out for the rest of them.

    ¡°Bess, Stephanie, you guys. I swear that I¡¯ll come back, don¡¯t you worry. Then everything will be back to the way it was. I promise. With one final glance at her friends, she went back over to Scott.

    ¡°Have fun?¡± he muttered, never looking up from his book.

    ¡°As much as a barrel of monkeys.¡± she quipped, and cast a longing look at them. ¡°They¡¯re a whole lot more fun then you are.¡± She laughed when he grunted, but sat in a chair next to him all the same. ¡°You know, it was good to see them, but it actually kind of hurt to be around them again. I guess this is just a case of so near, yet so far, huh?¡± Scott nodded. ¡°Then again, I don¡¯t suppose you¡¯ve had much of an issue with either side of my problem.¡± He shot her a flat look, then absorbed himself in his book again. ¡°Great. I can only talk to one other person in the world, and he¡¯s king of the grouches. Story of my afterlife.¡±

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Despite most of their schedules being different, it turned out that they shared the same English teacher as well, to their mutual displeasure. Not because of distain for one another, or even the subject itself; they both hated Mr. Grant. Of an advanced age temperamentally, if not temporally, his classes were rigid and dull, preferring to lecture at his students until they fell asleep. Whereupon he would turn red and begin shouting. However the average turnaround from being yelled awake back to bored stupor was 5.3 minutes. Amber sat on the floor, grimacing. If there was one good thing about being dead, it was not having to sit through Mr. Grant¡¯s classes anymore. Yet here she was, forced to follow Scott around for the day and whose class did he have?

    ¡°Story of my afterlife.¡± she sighed. She threw an annoyed glare at the young necromancer. He was getting out of paying attention by once again pretending to take notes while secretly reading a notebook on his lap. Amber decided enough was enough, and got up. ¡°Hey.¡± She poked him. ¡°Hey.¡± She poked him again. ¡°You¡¯re not supposed to be doing that in class. If I¡¯ve gotta suffer, so will you.¡± At her third poke, Scott frowned and his pencil finally moved on the notebook on his desk.

    ¡®What do you want?¡¯ he wrote, shifting it so he could see.

    ¡°I¡¯m being tempted to stay six feet under just so I never have to step into this class again. His lecture¡¯s putting me to sleep and boring me to death, and I can¡¯t actually do either! It¡¯s driving me nuts!¡± He shot her a dry look.

    ¡®Really?¡¯

    ¡°No! I¡¯m bored and lonely and scared because of everything going on, I don¡¯t want to have to deal with this on top of everything else! At least you can read a book, I can¡¯t even turn a page!¡± Amber shouted, throwing her hands up in frustration. She paced around the room, heedless of desks and students alike. ¡°I¡¯m sick of it! I can¡¯t talk to anyone-else-and just look at me! I¡¯ve been stuck in the same clothes for two weeks now!¡± She swept her hand at her outfit of loose t-shirt, sweatpants and socks Great for sleeping, not so much for nearly anything else. ¡°I¡¯m almost glad no one can see me. I just feel so sloppy, and there¡¯s not a damn thing I can do about it!¡±

    Scott waved her over with a finger, then began writing again.

    ¡°Huh? ¡®I¡¯ve been wondering about that, you¡¯ve never tried poltergeisting since you died?¡¯¡± She glowered at him. ¡°Please assume I don¡¯t have the same knowledge as you please, thank you.¡±

    ¡®I mean, have you tried moving things telekinetically, with your mind? That¡¯s what the Necronomicon says ghosts can do, at least.¡¯ Scott wrote. Amber¡¯s eyes widened.

    ¡°I can do that?¡±

    ¡®Theoretically. The book says ghosts can concentrate their ectoplasm in order to affect the material world. And changing clothes should be the same. Since you¡¯re made out of ectoplasm, you should be able to apply changes to yourself as well. I haven¡¯t seen you floating around, either.¡¯ If Amber¡¯s eyes got any wider they¡¯d fall out of her head.

    ¡°I¡­can do that? I can really¡­fly?¡± she asked in a small voice. Scott rolled his eyes.

    ¡®You¡¯re still thinking like you¡¯re a human. You¡¯re not right now, get over it. But until I can revive you, you might as well accept the good with the bad. You should practice, it¡¯ll keep you occupied. Now leave me alone, I need to rest. I didn¡¯t get much sleep last night, and I won¡¯t tonight either because I¡¯ll be digging up your body.¡¯ he scribbled out.

    ¡°You¡¯re going tonight? I could be alive again tomorrow?¡± Tears welled up in her eyes again. ¡°Oh, thank you, thank you!¡± Scott nodded and underlined ¡®practice.¡¯ ¡°Oh, right. I¡¯ll, uh, get started right away.¡±

    For the rest of class, only one student noticed the eraser making small, jerky slides on the chalkboard. Throughout the day, she worked on making things move.

    Soon after, the school day was over and the pair could finally make their way home, in considerably better spirits than when the day had begun.

    ¡°Did¡¯ja see the eraser, did¡¯ja see!? I could move it without touching it! This is great! I made pens roll, papers float, I could even move a chair a little bit! Haha!¡± Amber laughed, skipping along slowly. It seemed that she could do quite a bit with her newly discovered powers, but they took energy out of her, leaving her tired and weak.

    ¡°That¡¯s great, but don¡¯t push yourself. We don¡¯t want you burning out.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°I know, I know. Really, I¡¯m okay. But you have no idea how freeing it is, being able to actually do things again. It¡¯s exhilarating. And watch.¡± Amber closed her eyes in concentration. After a minute, Scott watched in fascination as her form rippled and shifted, morphing into jeans, boots, and a white blouse. ¡°Phew. Ta-daa! What do you think?¡±

    ¡°Pretty cool. It¡¯s gotta be convenient to change clothes just by thinking about it.¡±

    ¡°Yeah. All I have to do is picture what I want to wear in my head and try really really hard to become that image. It¡¯s a whole lot easier than trying to move stuff, too.¡± She looked up at the sky, then back to Scott. ¡°I, uh, I¡¯m a little nervous to try this next part out.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t be. The worst thing that can happen is you phase through the ground. It¡¯ll be fine.¡± Scott reassured her. She took a deep breath and tensed up.

    ¡°Okay. Here I go. One, two¡­three!¡± She straightened up, arms uplifted and pointing her face straight up at the sky. And stayed that way.

    ¡°You know, it works a lot better if you actually try to fly.¡± Scott deadpanned.

    ¡°S-Shut up! It¡¯s not that easy, okay?¡± Amber retorted, once again grateful she couldn¡¯t turn red.

    ¡°Ghosts interact with matter differently than actual objects. That includes air molecules, so get your butt off the ground.¡± Scott said, still calm.

    ¡°Okay, okay. Here goes.¡± She hunched over, her face scrunched up in concentration. After a minute, her feet left the ground and she hovered about a foot and a half in the air. Her eyes were still closed. ¡°How¡¯s that? Is it working?¡±

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you actually look and see?¡± One eye peaked open, then with a loud shriek she flailed her arms in the air, causing her to tilt forwards and phase her head through the ground, sticking there.

    ¡°You okay down there?¡± Scott asked, trying to suppress a laugh and failing. Amber¡¯s reply was inaudible, but he got the feeling it was not appropriate for innocent ears.

    ¡°Yeah yeah, laugh it up. Just get it out of your system now.¡± Amber said, floating up with her feet in the sky. With a bit of effort she righted herself. ¡°I don¡¯t see why you had me do this anyway. You¡¯re going to dig me up tonight, right?

    ¡°Mostly it got you off my back today, so I could concentrate.¡± he freely admitted. ¡°Besides, I thought you¡¯d like the ability to fly. I¡¯m pretty sure it¡¯s been a dream for everyone since the dawn of time.¡± Amber shrugged and tugged at her ponytail.

    ¡°I¡­uh, don¡¯t do well with heights. I¡¯m a little afraid of them.¡± Amber said shyly.

    ¡°So I¡¯ve noticed.¡± Scott said flatly.

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°Is the coast clear?¡± Scott whispered. Amber poked her head out from the wall.

    ¡°It¡¯s all good. I did a scan and everyone¡¯s asleep.¡± It was nearly midnight, and time to get to work. As soon as he got home, Scott had fallen onto his bed and didn¡¯t get up until his brother physically dragged him to dinner. Hot dogs, mac and cheese, and tense silence were served. Amber gathered that his parents were fighting over bills, sniping at one another over dinner. Scott and his brother tuned them out, apparently used to it.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it happens all the time. They¡¯ll make up, it¡¯ll be fine.¡± Scott reassured her, but Amber was still unsettled. Her parents never argued about money, and when they did fight it was behind closed doors.

    She shook her head and returned to the matter at hand.

    ¡°I watched everyone for at least three minutes. No one¡¯s going to notice. But does your brother know how loud he snores?¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it. We used to share a room when we were younger; I can¡¯t tell you how much sleep I lost back in the day.¡± Scott said, rolling his eyes.

    ¡°So your current schedule is nothing new, then?¡± she asked, too innocently.

    ¡°Ha ha.¡± he deadpanned, then slid the window open to toss a rope out. ¡°The door squeaks like all hell, so Mom¡¯ll notice right away. Found that out the first time I snuck out the hard way. The second floor window became easier than the first floor door.¡± He dug around in his closet and pulled out the Necronomicon. ¡°Should probably take this, too. I haven¡¯t memorized this ritual yet.¡±

    Making sure the rope was securely fastened to the dresser, Scott climbed out the window and slowly closed the glass with one hand, making sure to leave it open enough he could easily get his hand underneath to pull it up. Once everything was secure, he rappelled down the house as quietly as he could.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Amber! We gotta go!¡± he hissed as loud as he dared.

    ¡°No problem, it¡¯ll just take me a second to walk down the stairs and-¡± she started, but Scott wasn¡¯t having any of that.

    ¡°Amber!¡±

    ¡°Oh fine.¡± she huffed. Closing her eyes, she jumped through the wall, knees bent and completely focused on not falling. So much so she didn¡¯t actually descend.

    ¡°The sooner you get down, the sooner you live again!¡± Scott stage whispered.

    ¡°All right, all right.¡± Scrunching up her face in effort, she drifted down as gently as a dandelion seed in the wind. ¡°Happy now?¡±

    ¡°Ecstatic.¡± They set off down the street, Amber scouting ahead for people still awake, Scott muttering about girls that couldn¡¯t act like the proper phantoms they were.

    The trip was uneventful; Amber even began to find it enjoyable. The sky was clear and bright, a cloud drifting across a yellow crescent moon and stars dancing their light down. Of course, she didn¡¯t feel the cold that was making Scott shiver. Soon they reached the cemetery, Scott boosting himself over the wall while Amber merely walked through.

    ¡°Must be nice.¡± Scott muttered, dusting himself off.

    ¡°Trade you.¡± Amber shot back. Scott grinned.

    ¡°I¡¯ll pass. But it would be useful, just phasing through stuff. I try my best, but I¡¯m always afraid I¡¯ll leave evidence when I¡¯m up here. I haven¡¯t seen any guards yet, but my activities can¡¯t go unnoticed forever. I¡¯m sure the cemetery workers have figured out there¡¯s someone coming in late at night. I just hope they blame it on some kids or something.¡±

    ¡°Really? But aren¡¯t you a kid?¡± she teased.

    ¡°Ha ha. I¡¯ll have you know fifteen really isn¡¯t that kiddish, no matter how you look at it.¡±

    ¡°Oh? But a lot of people consider fifteen or even older to be kids.¡± Amber said.

    ¡°They¡¯re wrong.¡± he said with confidence.

    ¡°Then what would you call yourself?¡±

    ¡°A young adult.¡± He said it so proudly, with his nose in the air, that it made Amber crack up laughing all the way up to her grave. Scott cracked his neck and planted the shovel in the dirt.

    ¡°Guess it¡¯s time to go to work.¡± he said, starting a pile of earth. ¡°Wish I¡¯d brought Bones up here to dig for me. If I have a minion, I should be able to use him.¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°Are you crazy? Do you have any idea how hard it is to actually get your hands on a human corpse? I have to be very careful not to dig up a grave someone visits, is in plain view, or is tended regularly. With Bones, I only have four zombies buried in my backyard. If anyone finds out about them, there¡¯s a lot of questions I don¡¯t want to answer, doubly so if anyone sees them moving around. I can¡¯t risk it. Secrecy is a key part of my operation.¡±

    ¡°Ahh. I see.¡± Amber left him to his digging. Unfortunately, that left very little to do. She stared at the sky, paced around the growing hole, even took to practice hovering. She didn¡¯t want to break his concentration and slow down, but after what felt like hours, she couldn¡¯t take it anymore. It reminded her too much of her two weeks of solitude.

    ¡°So¡­read any good books lately?¡± she asked lamely.

    ¡°Only the Necronomicon. Scott said, wiping the sweat from his forehead. ¡°Actually, I haven¡¯t had time for my personal reading lately. I¡¯m either trying to catch up on sleep or going over my notes and experimenting.¡± Amber¡¯s brow furrowed.

    ¡°Experimenting?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. Like, two weeks ago I found an old mouse corpse. Now I know I can make a zombie no problem, but I wanted to test the incantations a bit. So I cut its head off and tried reanimating just that.¡± Amber made a face, and even Scott was looking green in the gills as he remembered. ¡°I know, total horror story. Not exactly the most pleasant of experiences, but we all have to make sacrifices for science. Anyway, I cut its head off and did the ritual, and it worked perfectly. I had a severed head yapping at me. Real creepy, but it worked. So then I tried to reanimate just one of its paws and tail, separately. It worked, but the strange thing was it didn¡¯t last very long. They moved around, even responded to my commands, but after about five, ten minutes they were inert again.¡±

    ¡°Wait, they responded to your commands? But they don¡¯t have ears.¡± Amber said, thinking hard on how this was supposed to work. Scott just shrugged.

    ¡°Got me, they don¡¯t have any brain to interpret the words either. I think it¡¯s because it was the fact that I reanimated them, but who knows for sure. So after that, I tried the rest of the body, and get this-the whole thing gets up and stays animated. I timed it and it lasted hours. Later on I tried sewing the head paw back on and glued the tail back. Guess what happened.¡±

    ¡°They got reanimated too?¡± Amber raised her eyebrow at this development.

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Scott threw his hands up in the air, protesting his lack of understanding. ¡°It¡¯s crazy, I have no clue how it works! I mean, the tail¡¯s not even attached to the rest of the body¡¯s cells, the glue completely separates it! But it still works. I eventually sewed the head back on, it¡¯s just a regular zombie mouse now.¡±

    ¡°Jeez. You could just reassemble a rotting mouse and it¡¯s no worse for the wear?¡± Amber said.

    ¡°Yup. Oh! And it¡¯s not rotting.¡± Both of Amber¡¯s eyebrows shot up at that statement.

    ¡°It¡¯s not rotting?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. As far as I can tell, the process of decay seems to stop as soon as I give it necrotic energy. And it stays that way. It seems like the magic constantly repairs and refreshes the bones and flesh to the state it was previously in, but I can¡¯t know for sure until I do more research and I just don¡¯t have time right now. My grades are slipping because I keep falling asleep in class and everyone keeps hounding me about it because they expect me to care.¡±

    ¡°And you don¡¯t?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°Of course not.¡± Scott said matter-of-factly. ¡°School is overrated and a waste of my time. My vocation lies in reanimating dead people, I don¡¯t see how high school is supposed to help with that.¡±

    ¡°Ahh. I guess not.¡± Amber said, biting her lip. ¡°I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m weird or not, but I always kind of liked school. I go to meet my friends every day, and homework at least gave me something to do after school at home. I never minded it, not really. I really liked math class, it was my favorite.¡±

    ¡°Why¡¯s that?¡± Scott asked, his head popping out of the hole. It was getting quite deep.

    ¡°Mmmm, I¡¯m not really sure. It was always the subject I enjoyed the most. I think it¡¯s because math is constant. There¡¯s always an answer, no matter how hard it is to figure out. Everything always comes together and works out in the end.¡± she said, a smile on her face.

    ¡°So, when you come back to life, do you want to be, like, a math teacher or something?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not sure. I¡¯ve thought about it, but I haven¡¯t come to any sort of decision on the matter. I could see myself doing it, though. You know, you¡¯re kind of lucky you know what you want to do with your life.¡± Amber said wistfully.

    ¡°I guess. Necromancy is-¡± The shovel hit something solid. ¡°Ahh! That¡¯s it, I¡¯ve got the coffin.¡±

    ¡°Really? Yes!¡± Amber pumped her fist.

    Scott rapidly cleared the rest of the dirt from the grave, then broke the lock with the shovel. Amber would have waited with baited breath, had she any to hold. He lifted the lid up to examine her body.

    ¡°Okay, let¡¯s see what we got here¡­wow, the morticians did a really good job here. Alright, everything seems intact.¡± Her body hadn¡¯t visually decayed at all, and Scott poked at it. ¡°Simple enough job, looks like. What was the cause of death again?¡±

    ¡°Ugh, don¡¯t remind me. I was stabbed.¡± Amber said, wrinkling her nose.

    ¡°Ah yeah, think I remember that. Welp, no problem here. We¡¯ll have you on your feet in no time.¡± he said. Amber let out a laugh and clapped her hands, hovering off the ground. Scott pulled out a marker and started to draw sigils on her body, starting with her head.

    ¡°I really can¡¯t thank you enough for doing this, Scott. I mean, you¡¯re kind of saving my life here.¡± Amber said. For the first time, she saw him smile, not a grin or a smirk. An actual smile.

    ¡°It¡¯s no problem. R-Remember, I¡¯m getting paid, so¡­huh?¡± Scott tilted his head in puzzlement. He had been marking a sigil on her heart, but there was a ton of stitching on her chest messing his lines up. ¡°Were you stabbed in the chest?¡±

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t remember that well, honestly.¡± Amber admitted. ¡°I think? I remember the police talking about chloroform, and the killer actually-ugh-taking something, like a trophy.¡± It really weirded her out talking about her own death like this, but Scott¡¯s eyes went wide. Suddenly he grabbed the dress on her body and ripped it open, exposing her chest. ¡°Hey! What the hell do you think you¡¯re doing!?¡± Amber screeched. Scott ignored her and stared at the mass of stitches on her chest over her heart. He swore.

    ¡°Tell me. Did the police say that your heart was taken?¡± he said curtly.

    ¡°I guess? What the hell is going on!?¡±

    ¡°It means the resurrection can¡¯t be performed. I can¡¯t bring you back without your heart.¡± he sighed, shaking his head. Amber went bug-eyed.

    ¡°WHAT!?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, this¡¯s messed up. What to do, what to do¡­¡± He started pacing back and forth.

    ¡°What do you mean you can¡¯t bring me back? I thought you said damage to the body doesn¡¯t matter!¡± she shouted, her arms in the air.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t but all of your body has to be there!¡± he snapped back. ¡°Especially the heart! It¡¯s one of the most important organs, especially when it comes to magic. I can bring you back no matter the state it¡¯s in, but it has to be there, along with the brain, eyes, skull, liver, and¡­¡± he suddenly trailed off, going pale and eyes wide with horror.

    ¡°What? What is it?¡± Amber said, looking around for danger.

    ¡°That serial killer¡­the one that¡¯s been in the news. Has¡­there been any mention of other body parts harvested from his victims?¡± he said in a small voice.

    ¡°Um¡­I don¡¯t think so. I caught the report of my death on TV, but now that I think about it there wasn¡¯t any mention of my heart being taken.¡± Amber said, frowning.

    ¡°Jeez. Oh jeez.¡± Scott started to hyperventilate, then focused and took several long, deep breaths to calm himself. ¡°Okay, first things first. I¡¯m sorry, but I can¡¯t bring you back to life right now. I¡¯m definitely going to keep my end of the bargain, but we have some work to do before that can happen.¡± He stopped pacing and stood up straight. ¡°Right. I have a plan. It¡¯s not perfect, but it should work. Will you help me?¡± Amber rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Of course! Duh! You¡¯re my ticket out of limbo; I¡¯ll do whatever I need to!¡±

    ¡°Good. We need to break into the police station.¡± Scott stated matter-of-factly. Amber stared at him for a moment, and then pinched the bridge of her nose.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what I expected, I really don¡¯t¡­¡± she muttered. ¡°Why do you want to break into the police station?¡±

    ¡°Because that¡¯s where the reports are kept. We need to find out if any other organs are missing from the victims, and the fact they haven¡¯t reported it means someone¡¯s trying to keep this quiet. I know it¡¯s going to be tough, but you¡¯ll be incredibly useful as a scout. If you go first, we should be able to avoid most problems. The real problem is the security cameras¡­¡± he trailed off, becoming lost in thought. Amber put her head in her palm and sighed.

    ¡°Scott.¡±

    ¡°¡­but then I suppose it wouldn¡¯t cover my face, maybe a mask¡­¡±

    ¡°Scott.¡± she said again, louder.

    ¡°¡­look suspicious as hell though, but-¡±

    ¡°Scott!¡± she shouted, jolting him from his thoughts. He looked up at her. ¡°We should break into the morgue.¡± He tilted his head.

    ¡°The morgue?¡±

    ¡°Yes. Not only will it be definitely less risky than the police station, it¡¯s guaranteed to have the information we need, and we won¡¯t have to shuffle through other stuff like traffic reports to get it.¡± She explained. Scott opened his mouth, paused, then closed it and nodded.

    ¡°I knew there was a reason I kept you around.¡±

    ¡°Yeah yeah. Fill in the grave and let¡¯s go, seeing me like this is freaking me out. And cover me back up!¡± she snapped, and Scott turned red.

    ¡°Aye-aye, ma¡¯am!¡± he saluted and got to work. The hole was quickly filled in while they discussed the logistics of the upcoming operation. Soon Scott patted down the dirt and they left for home. They were so wrapped up in conversation they didn¡¯t notice the glowing fingers crawl up on her gravestone, nor the head that reared up behind it.

    ¡°Well, well, well. The little necromancer returns...¡± it said, licking its chops.

 Chapter 3- Ghostly Goals

    ¡°Okay, so it¡¯s on Maple Street, so we can get there from Chestnut easily if we cut through the yards,¡± Amber said, her hand on her chin.

    ¡°No, that¡¯s the police station, we¡¯re not doing that one anymore. The morgue¡¯s on elm, I have to cut through the yards on Birch.¡± Scott said, checking the map on his phone. They were still planning their break-in of the morgue, and a rough plan was coming together. With that decided, Scott needed to get home quickly, as he severely needed sleep.

    ¡°That¡¯ll work, I guess. I never really thought I¡¯d be planning a burglary in my life, though.¡± Amber said.

    ¡°Well, technically you aren¡¯t.¡± Scott pointed out.

    ¡°Smartass. I suppose I-¡± Her foot stuck on something and she tripped, landing on the ground painlessly.

    ¡°Amber! Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I just tripped. My foot just caught on something.¡± She looked around, but there wasn¡¯t anything to stumble over. She frowned. ¡°Wait, I¡¯m a ghost. How could my foot-?¡±

    Both their heads turned to the sound of mirthless cackling from the path up ahead.

    From the ground floated up what was obviously a ghost. Stringy white hair was seen first, followed by a hard, boney face that was little more than skin stretched over a skeleton. She wore a tattered black dress covering her whole body, once elegant stitching and embroidery now in shreds and swaying in the wind. A blue glow effused her body, but her eyes were solid black and her smile was hard and crooked.

    Well, well. If it isn¡¯t our little boy who likes to play with dead things,¡± she croaked in a dry, raspy voice that didn¡¯t get much use. ¡°How¡­bold¡­of you to come to my graveyard tonight.¡± Scott gulped, then slapped a big plastic grin on his face.

    ¡°Edith! So good to see you. How are you doing tonight? Haunting well? Good? Good!¡± he said brightly, stepping in front of Amber. ¡°Shut up, let me do the talking, stay back and do not leave my side.¡± he whispered quickly.

    ¡°What, dearie?¡± The ghost was suddenly inches from his face, making him jump.

    ¡°Oh, nothing! N-Nothing at all!¡± he squeaked.

    ¡°Hrmm.¡± she muttered, floating back and drifting to his side. Scott shuffled around, always keeping himself between the old woman and the girl. ¡°What have we here tonight, little dearie? Another dead one to practice your little necromancy games on?¡± she hissed softly, and Scott shuddered. Amber bit her lip; who was this ghost?

    ¡°S-Something like that, nothing major, just a little project I¡¯ve been working on, all done now so I was just leaving gotta go see you!¡± he stammered quickly and tried to walk away, grabbing Amber¡¯s arm. Quicker than Amber could follow, the ghost was in front of them again.

    ¡°Not so fast, little dearie.¡± she crooned sickeningly. ¡°You¡¯re a naughty boy, coming back to my cemetery after I warned you away last time. This is my place, and I allow no trespassing, especially to naughty little boys who think they do magic.¡±

    ¡°And like I told you last time, I¡¯m not looking for trouble, but I need access to this cemetery too. Just let us pass, and I won¡¯t make good on my promise to exorcise you.¡± Scott said, far bolder than he felt.

    ¡°Insolent whelp! You think you can threaten me!?¡± she snarled, rising into the air, blowing bright with rage. Her eyes fell on Amber again, and she calmed immediately and a smile wormed across her face. Amber shivered. Millions of years of evolution had allowed her to instinctively recognize the look in the older ghost¡¯s eyes.

    Predator.

    ¡°Scott¡­¡± she moaned softly, when she spoke again.

    ¡°Normally I would teach you a lesson in manners, little¡­¡®necromancer¡¯. But I¡¯m in a good mood tonight, so I¡¯ll let you run along if you leave that little morsel at your side with me.¡± She stared down at them smiling greedily, her eyes never leaving Amber. Scott glanced at Amber, starting to tremble, and back to the ghost transfixed on her. He nodded to himself.

    ¡°Not a chance in Hell, old hag.¡± he said, stepping forward. ¡°She¡¯s my meal ticket, not yours.¡±

    ¡°You¡­you¡­!¡± Edith was shaking with rage. ¡°Mangy runt! I¡¯ll have your hide for this insolence! Tonight¡¯ the night I¡¯ll punish you! SHE¡¯S MINE!¡± The specter shrieked and threw herself at Scott, boney hands curled into claws, empty eyes blazing and howling like a devil.

    ¡°Not tonight!¡± He raised his hand and shouted ¡°Azmeion Zenket!¡± Amber felt a pulse shoot out, and the attacking ghost was blown back, tumbling through the air like a leaf in the wind. Screaming obscenities, she stuck her hand into the ground, her broken nails somehow finding purchase enough to halt her, though was still being pushed back by a 200 mph wind.

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­have¡­your head!¡± she spat out, even as her fingers made furrows in the dirt.

    ¡°See you in the next county, bitch!¡± Scott said. ¡°KET!¡± With a final screech, the ghost was lifted up and blown away, her claw like hands flailing to reach them and gnashing her crooked teeth.

    ¡°What was THAT!?¡± Amber screamed, scanning the distance for any sign of her. She turned to Scott but he was gone, legging it for all he was worth to the forest behind the graveyard.

    ¡°Less talking! Move now, that wasn¡¯t enough to stop her!¡± She flew after him, not stopping until they reached the relative safety of the trees.

    ¡°What was that!?¡± she asked again,

    ¡°That was Edith Warden. She was interred here 150 years ago, and she¡¯s been haunting the place ever since. Around here she¡¯s known as the Witch.¡± he said.

    ¡°The witch? Does she use magic like you?¡± Scott shook his head.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s strange, in a town as old as this one, in a cemetery as big as this, there have been so few other ghosts?¡± he asked. Amber tugged on her ponytail nervously.

    ¡°Now that I think about it, even when I was walking around town I didn¡¯t see any other ghosts.¡± she said nervously, a feeling of dread overtaking her.

    ¡°That¡¯s because of her. You know how I said ghosts usually fade away? There¡¯s a few ways to avoid that. One of the worst is for a ghost to¡­well, no easy way to say this¡­for a ghost to consume another, weaker ghost.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Amber said, her eyes wide in horror.

    ¡°Yeah. To stave off oblivion, a ghost can eat another ghost and gain its¡¯ energy. The problem is the weaker ghost still dies, and horrifically at that. Well, not dies, just gets obliterated in a different way. And the ghosts who win get stronger and stronger with each soul they consume, leading to an easier time with the next one, creating a very vicious cycle. It¡¯s not a pretty process, and the ghosts who think it¡¯s a good idea¡­are usually not very nice.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s an understatement!¡± Amber snapped, trying not to shake again. Scott looked down and shook his head.

    ¡°Damn it, this isn¡¯t good.¡± he huffed, and started pacing back and forth. ¡°I may be a necromancer, but that fact makes me as vulnerable to her as you. She can touch me just as well as any other ghost. I can touch her back, but her strength is greater. We¡¯ve had a couple run-ins in the past, but as long as she didn¡¯t actually attack, I wasn¡¯t about to press the issue with her.¡±

    ¡°C-Can¡¯t you do anything?¡± Amber asked, trying to hold back tears of fear. This wasn¡¯t fair! She didn¡¯t deserve to have her soul eaten!

    Scott snorted and gave her a hollow grin that tried to project confidence.

    ¡°Who do you think you¡¯re talking to? Push comes to shove, I¡¯m stronger. I¡¯ve got incantations that can do just about anything to a ghost. The problem is that it takes time to write out sigils and say words, and she¡¯s too fast. She can easily tear out my throat in that time. The spell I used earlier can only send her away, not hurt her. Another is you can exorcise a ghost, but only after it¡¯s been weakened. And after a hundred years of eating other ghosts, she¡¯s got strength to spare. Don¡¯t get me wrong, I can still win-¡± Amber looked at him incredulously ¡°-but I¡¯d rather not take a chance like that. That¡¯s why I didn¡¯t try to get her before now.¡±

    ¡°I see. We¡¯re screwed.¡± Amber said gloomily, and Scott couldn¡¯t disagree. ¡°How long do you think it¡¯ll take her to come back and find us?¡±

    ¡°She flies faster than a car and can travel in a direct straight line. We¡¯ve got like two minutes tops.¡±

    ¡°Okay, can we hide?¡±

    ¡°Not happening. She¡¯s obsessed with hunting down and eating other ghosts, and you¡¯re the freshest piece of meat around. Your ¡®scent¡¯ will draw her from miles away.¡± Amber felt like tearing her hair out.

    ¡°Can¡¯t one of your spells suppress that or something?¡± she asked desperately.The story has been illicitly taken; should you find it on Amazon, report the infringement.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know, maybe?¡± he answered, still pacing.

    ¡°Maybe!?¡±

    ¡°Hey, I haven¡¯t memorized every little ritual in this thing, okay?¡± he said, pulling out the Necronomicon and starting to page through it, looking for anything that could help. ¡°Even if it does, it¡¯s bound to wear off and Edith doesn¡¯t need to sleep or rest, and I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s relentless when she has a target.¡±

    ¡°Aaauuugh!¡± Amber exploded. ¡°How do you know so much about her, anyway!?¡± Scott grinned at her.

    ¡°Just because she eats all the ghosts she can find doesn¡¯t mean she can find all the ghosts to eat. I¡¯ve met a couple who¡¯ve been around and they filled me in. The ghosts in the know keep a low profile, so Edith usually only gets the slow, dumb or just plain unlucky, like insect ghosts these days.¡±

    ¡°Ew. Bugs have ghosts too?¡± She stuck her tongue out.

    ¡°Yeah, not very appetizing to me, either.¡±

    ¡°Well, how do they avoid her?¡±

    ¡°Usually by sinking into the ground really deep, but she¡¯ll sniff you out too quick. Honestly, she¡¯s like a wild animal at this point, leaving her lair only to hunt¡­¡± Suddenly, he snapped his fingers. ¡°That¡¯s it!¡±

    ¡°What is?¡± Amber said, bewildered.

    ¡°Her lair! I mean, her grave! If we can¡¯t banish her, we¡¯ll bind her instead!¡± He started flipping through the Necronomicon until he found a passage referring to the topic.

    ¡°Yeah! Says the ghost¡¯s grave is one of the best places to do it, ¡®cause their body¡¯s there and it already has a spiritual hole in their shape for them to fill. This can work!¡±

    ¡°Great! Where¡¯s her grave?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Down the path deeper in the woods somewhere.¡± Scott said, looking further into the shadowed forest. ¡°They buried her really far out, I think it¡¯s because she was executed for killing the children in her care or something.¡±

    ¡°Wha-? Really?¡± Amber said, a look of revulsion on her face.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know, don¡¯t care, not the point!¡± He grabbed her by the shoulders and looked her directly in the eyes. ¡°I have a plan, but it¡¯s very dangerous. But if we don¡¯t do something, we¡¯re both worse than dead anyway. Will you help me?¡± he asked seriously, his green eyes boring into her. Amber swallowed hard.

    ¡°I already said I¡¯d do whatever I needed to help you, Scott. What¡¯s the plan?¡±

    ¡°I need to find her grave and prepare the spell. I can¡¯t do that if she-¡±

    ¡°WHERE ARE YOU? I CAN SMELL YOU! YOU CAN¡¯T HIDE FOREVER!¡± Edith howled high up in the air, making them both drop to the ground. They saw her float through the cemetery, growling like a wolf.

    ¡°Crap, she¡¯s back.¡± Scott whispered, and turned back to Amber. ¡°If you want me to find her grave and us to have a chance of beating her, you need to distract her for a while, until I give the signal. Okay?¡±

    ¡°What!¡± Her hear whipped around to fix him with a glare. ¡°Are you crazy? I can¡¯t go face her alone!¡± she whispered harshly.

    ¡°It¡¯s either that or we¡¯re both dead twice over! Besides, you¡¯re the one she wants!¡± Scott shot back. Amber ground her teeth, but couldn¡¯t refute the logic, no matter how much she wanted to.

    ¡°Fine.¡± she relented. ¡°But you owe me.¡±

    ¡°Duly noted.¡± Scott nodded. ¡°You can do it. Go!¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± She tensed up, preparing to spring forward. And prepared. And prepared.

    ¡°Any day now.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t rush me!¡±

    ¡°Relax. I can help.¡± He put his hand on her back, and whispered gently, ¡°Azmeht Zenket.¡± She found herself tumbling like she¡¯d been shot out of a cannon out of the forest, head over heels.

    ¡°Augh! Hey!¡± Amber looked up to see the cannibalistic ghost in the air, looking down greedily.

    ¡°Hello, dearie.¡± she crooned. Amber looked back at the woods.

    ¡°You suck, Scott!¡± With that parting insult, Amber took off like a bullet, Edith cackling madly behind her as the chase was on.

    As soon as he had sent her away, Scott scrambled up and ran down the path as fast as he could, trying not to stumble or trip on the tree roots in the dark.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, c¡¯mon¡­come¡­on¡­¡± he wheezed, trying to urge himself faster. Digging up graves, casting spells, all this running, it was pushing him to his physical limits. His side burned, forcing him to a trot, but still he pressed forward. ¡°She¡¯s counting on you, you can do it, go.¡± He tried to motivate himself further, but he could go no faster. ¡®What use is the power over life and death if it can¡¯t help me run faster!?¡¯ he thought, having to stop and catch his breath. After a minute, he slapped his cheeks and pumped his legs forward again.

    ¡°Let¡¯s goooo!¡± The leaves scattered in his wake, endorphins racing in his blood to combat the mounting fatigue. After five full minutes he had to stop and take stock of the situation. The trail wind3ed through the forest, but he couldn¡¯t see any gravestones, or even any branching paths either. The ghosts who he¡¯d talked to said the grave wasn¡¯t far in, but he¡¯d seen no sign of it, and couldn¡¯t run forever.

    ¡°Damn it! Where is it!?¡± he cried, stomping his foot. Unbeknownst to him, the cliff behind him had loose, crumbling soil. As his foot landed, the dirt crumbled away, tilting him back to slam against and roll down the hill. He skidded to a stop on the ground; certain he¡¯d lost an entire layer of skin on the pebbles and rocks.

    ¡°Augh.¡± He spat some pebbles and what he thought was blood out of his mouth. He probed a cut in his mouth with his tongue. Yup, he¡¯d thought he¡¯d bitten his lip on the way down. Scott struggled to sit up, but smacked his head on a rock, causing a new burst of agony.

    ¡°Ahhh! Why?¡± Shaking his head to clear it, he finally took note of why his foot burned more than the rest of his body. It didn¡¯t seem to be broken or twisted, but gingerly putting weight on it elicited a hiss of pain. That was it; he couldn¡¯t run anymore.

    ¡°Damn it! Of! Course! Just when I needed to! Just as soon as I¡¯m the only thing that she can count on! Aaaaaugh!¡± he screamed at the night, hitting the ground. ¡°Look at the big, bad necromancer! Can¡¯t banish a ghost, can¡¯t find a grave, can¡¯t even bring a girl back to life! No! I get to trip, torn up and attacked by a bloodthirsty ghost! Then I hit my head on this goddamn¡­¡± He took a good look at the rock he¡¯d hit his head on. It was covered in dirt and moss, but even through that he could see how unnaturally smooth and oval shaped it was. ¡°¡­.stone?¡± He crawled over and started brushing it off. His disbelief turned to joy as he made out four inscriptions on it in the moonlight: Edith Warden. 1842-1881. ¡°Yes! Yes! In your face, you old bitch!¡± Cackling, he pulled out his chalk to mark the head stone itself and grabbed a stick to scratch sigils in the dirt. Paging through the Necronomicon to find the correct passages, he grinned and spent the next several minutes etching the necessary sigils and preparing the trap, whispering bizarre incantations in a dark tongue.

    Once that was done, he sat cross-legged on the grass, putting his hands together as if in prayer. It was time. Breathing deeply, he concentrated, letting the necrotic energy build up inside of him.

    ¡®I really hope he¡¯s having an easier time than I am.¡¯ Amber thought to herself as she tried to make herself as small as possible behind a gravestone. The Witch had put up a fierce pursuit, but ducking behind and through objects had allowed Amber to escape her sight for now.

    ¡°Where are you, dearie?¡± Edith called in a singsong voice, floating silently inches above the ground in a slow, deliberate sweep. She chuckled to herself. ¡°I can smell you, dearie. Come out and let¡¯s end this nonsense, shall we?¡± Amber peeked out from behind the marble only to duck back as Edith turned in her direction. The Witch chuckled and moved on.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hurt you, dearie. That nasty little necromancer, he¡¯ll have to be punished, yes. But not you. Never you, dearie. I could never hurt one so young and innocent. I remember what it was like to be a young girl, and a young ghost. So lonely. So afraid. So ignorant of what I could do. I could teach you, dearie. Show you all the ghostly abilities you have, how to use them to their full potential. Guide you. Help you. Be there for you. You¡¯d never have to be alone again. Never have to be afraid again.¡± Edith said, her voice drifting closer to Amber¡¯s hiding spot again.

    For one awful, irrational, black, slimy moment, Amber was tempted. Her new existence was hell; but wasn¡¯t it always said misery loved company? And who better to help than an older, more experienced ghost?

    ¡®The hell am I thinking!?¡¯ She came to her senses immediately. While she was talking, Amber had been tracking her voice.

    ¡°Liar!¡± she cried, sinking into the ground. She hated doing this. Complete darkness, able to feel nothing, not even a real sense of gravity to provide direction. She took off in what she hoped was the right direction and emerged what she thought was about sixty feet later. Sure enough, Edith was crouched over her previous hiding spot like a spider, scanning the area for any clue as to where she might have gone.

    ¡°I¡¯m not lying, dearie.¡± she said, speaking louder to be heard. ¡°I know how it is. How alone a ghost really is. No one but other ghosts can see each other. Why can¡¯t you see how much better it would be if we joined forces?¡±

    ¡°Ha! Alone is right! You just want to eat me!¡± Amber said, sinking and popping up in a different place again.

    ¡°Now who told you that, dearie?¡± Edith said as she moved to the previous hiding spot. ¡°All I want to do is ease my loneliness. All I want to do is help you. Not eat you, my goodness no.¡± Edith crooned, fooled once again.

    ¡°I¡¯m not alone! I have Scott! He already taught me way more than you ever could, and he¡¯s gonna bring me back to life!¡± Amber countered, repeating the process.

    ¡°Silly girl. What can a member of the living understand about the dead? What does he now of the emptiness and stillness of those left behind? What can he know? Dearie, it¡¯s that horrid necromancer boy who¡¯s lying to you. No one can bring the dead back to life. Such a feat is beyond any mortal, living or dead.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, probably would¡¯ve agreed with you before I saw him animate human remains last night, so I guess he knows what he¡¯s talking about!¡± She sank, floated away, and rose up to get her bearings, but this time the Witch was nowhere to be found.

    ¡°I have you, dearie!¡± Amber spun around to see Edith, grinning triumphantly. She tried to dash away but quick as lightning Edith¡¯s hands shot out and grabbed her wrists. Amber pulled, but her hands felt like steel vices.

    ¡°Let me go!¡± Amber cried, kicking at the evil ghost¡¯s midsection, but her torso felt just as hard as her hands. What was she made of!?

    ¡°Now now, dearie. Don¡¯t struggle so. I told you I could smell you.¡± Amber stopped struggling and looked at her in horror. All this time, she had only pretended to be fooled! ¡°A valiant effort, and I¡¯ve enjoyed the chase. But all good things must come to an end, even the hunt.¡±

    ¡°No! I don¡¯t wanna be eaten!¡± Amber cried, trying desperately to fly away.

    ¡°Hush, dearie. I really was not lying. After I consume you, you will not be alone anymore. You¡¯ll spend the rest of eternity within me. Giving me your youthful power. Strength. We¡¯ll catch more and more ghosts, just you and me, together.

    ¡°I fancy sometimes I can feel them, you know.¡± She said in a conspiratorial voice. ¡°They have gone to a better place. Inside me. Joined with me. Their strength, mine. As will yours.¡± She pulled Amber close, letting her pale blue tongue grow to lick the side of Amber¡¯s face. Amber trembled. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, dearie. In fact, rejoice! Rejoice, for all your pain and loneliness come to an end. Rejoice, for you join something greater than you could ever be.¡±

    ¡°Noooooo!¡± Amber wailed. Edith crowed triumphantly, rearing back to sink her teeth into Amber¡¯s ectoplasmic body.

    A silent explosion rocked the night, sending shockwaves that didn¡¯t disturb even one blade of grass but shook through the ghosts like thunder overhead. They both turned to see an enormous green flash dissipate.

    ¡°Scott! The signal!¡± Amber realized.

    ¡°What is that fool up to now?¡± Edith spat.

    Tuning to her captor, Amber steeled herself. She summoned up every last ounce of power and courage she could muster to release in one, final burst.

    ¡°Get AWAY!¡± She closed her eyes and shoved, throwing everything she could behind it. Edith squawked as Amber shone a fierce golden yellow and tossed her away like a toy.

    Amber suddenly felt drained. No exhaustion she had felt in her physical body could compare to this. When she pushed her away, it felt like the shove took part of her with it, leaving only¡­emptiness.

    It was then she noticed Edith getting up, growling like a wolf.

    ¡°No!¡± She pushed again, the general feeling of numbness that permeated her body replaced by void even more. The Witch was knocked away even further, but was on balance and charging after her. ¡°Gotta¡­get to¡­Scott.¡± she droned, flying as fast as she could towards the source of the flash, leaving a trail of yellow embers in her wake that winked out in seconds.

 Chapter 4-Hallowed Ground

    ¡°Pain! Yes! That was painful!¡± Scott grimaced as he tried to shake some feeling back into his limbs that wasn¡¯t white-hot agony. He¡¯d drawn as much necrotic power as he¡¯d dared, and let it overflow all at once. While she¡¯d have to be in the next state to miss that, it made his wounds ache and burn. But it seems it worked; a yellow light was headed straight for him through the trees, a pale blue one following at a distance. Scott frowned as he saw it, though. Something was wrong.

    ¡°Sco¡­tt.¡± Amber gasped, crashing in front of him. His eyes went wide in horror. Her legs were wispy, indistinct. Her body¡¯s form was fuzzy. And worst of all her yellow aura, normally a healthy sunset gold, was pale and dimming. ¡°I¡­made¡­it¡­¡±

    She was fading into oblivion.

    ¡°Holy hell! Amber! What happened?¡± He picked her up, only a torso with smoke pouring from her waist.

    ¡°She¡­¡± She pointed to the blue ghost behind her, screeching like a banshee. Scott looked up to glare at her, his eyes glowing green.

    ¡°A????? Z?????.¡± he said and waved his hand, his words as heavy as coffin lids slamming together at midnight. She didn¡¯t even have time to scream before she was blown away.

    ¡°Sc¡­ott¡­¡± Amber croaked, her form becoming fuzzier and fuzzier.

    ¡°Shhhh, it¡¯s okay,¡± he said, holding her head. ¡°You did good.¡± She tried to smile, but her right arm dissolved into light and vapor. Scott gulped. ¡°Listen. I didn¡¯t want to do it, but we have no choice. I can save you. Do you want to live, no matter the cost?¡± he asked quietly.

    ¡°Dun¡­wanna¡­die¡­¡± she managed, growing paler by the minute.

    ¡°Got it.¡± He turned and limped to the clearing next to the grave, so as not to interfere with the binding sigils.

    He gently laid her on the ground, then drew a circle around her with a stick. Muttering incantations, he marked four sigils in the cardinal directions, then drew a line to a circle at his own feet. Grabbing a rock, he used its pointed edge to rip open a wound from his earlier fall, letting it bleed. Dabbing his fingers in the blood, he painted a sigil on her heart, and pulled down his shirt to make the same mark on his own chest. Clapping his hands together, he began reciting the final incantation of the ritual.

    ¡°Orinous¡­orinous. Kalhoom fleigh z¡¯nasth. Aum. Aum. Col¡¯hastavaugh. Enteth¡­c¡¯ma fagoonist!¡± Scott slammed his palms on the ground. A metal chain sprouted from his chest, snaking through the air to attach itself to Amber¡¯s heart, making her gasp. His eyes glowed, and a green light filled the circle around him, spilling over to the circle around what was left of Amber and illuminating her from below. She rose into the air, the brilliant green light shooting up through the trees. Scott grunted as the green light seeped around the chain, crawling up and pouring into her. Amber shuddered; for the first time in too long, she felt her heart beating.

    The green light continued to fill her. It felt¡­tangy, for lack of a better word, like raspberry lemonade. She held her hand up and saw her fading yellow aura turn toxic emerald and much, much brighter.

    ¡°Waaah!¡± With a fwoomph her arm and legs sprouted again, along with a surge of energy that made her feel alive in every sense of the word. ¡°Ooooooooh yeah! Whoa! Good mornin¡¯, sunshine!¡± She turned to Scott, sparks bursting from her skin. ¡°What did you do?¡± He gave her a weak grin.

    ¡°Glad to see you back.¡± He slumped to the ground, exhausted.

    ¡°Hey! Hey! Scott! Hey!¡± She floated over and shook his body. ¡°Don¡¯t you die too! Hey!¡±

    Scott groaned and rolled over on his back.

    ¡°Jeez, give a guy a minute. I just reversed ectoplasmic entropy at the last minute. Let me catch my breath.¡±  She sighed in relief.

    ¡°Glad to see you¡¯re okay too. You big dummy.¡± she giggled.

    ¡°Yeah yeah. Our problems aren¡¯t over yet.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± He pointed up to the tree line, where a small blue spark was growing larger and larger. ¡°Yikes! Please tell me you can deal with her!¡±

    ¡°Nope.¡± Scott sat up and held his head. ¡°I¡¯m tapped out. Not to mention, I have a splitting headache. You go pull her into the trap.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Amber screeched. Edith had handed her ass not ten minutes ago. Scott gave her a wry grin.

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. You can take her. I have faith.¡±

    ¡°Wha? R-Really?¡± she stammered.

    ¡°You aren¡¯t running on your piddly little reserves anymore. I switched your gas over to premium. Now go smack that bitch down into the trap, and I¡¯ll close it on her.¡±

    ¡°I-If you say so.¡± she said nervously. She could hear the screaming getting louder. She crouched, and jumped to float up and meet her. At least, she intended to. Instead, she took off like a rocket, green sparks trailing behind her like a comet. ¡°Waaaahhhhh!¡±

    Speeding forward much faster than intended, Amber found herself unable to turn in time. Edith was leaping at her, her mouth stretched open a foot wide to sink into her ectoplasm. She barely had time to cross her arms in front of her face and close her eyes when-Unauthorized content usage: if you discover this narrative on Amazon, report the violation.

    WHAM!

    Her arm tickled. Amber opened her eyes to see Edit¡¯s jaws on her arm, gnawing on it like a hamster with a steel bar.

    ¡°Hey. That¡¯s creepy. Stop that.¡± she deadpanned, unable to properly comprehend what she was seeing.

    ¡°Mmmph muggmmph!¡±

    ¡°I mean it, get off!¡± Plucking her up like a misbehaving puppy, Amber gave her what she thought was a moderate shake that in actuality whipped her head and arms around with enough force to break bones, had she a physical body. Edith stared at her, incredulous.

    ¡°How? How are you so strong now? You haven¡¯t devoured the others like me. How could your strength eclipse mine!¡± Snarling, she swiped her hands at Amber¡¯s face, nails twisted into claws.

    Amber had once been batted at by a declawed cat. The sensation was similar.

    ¡°Look, this has gone on long enough. You aren¡¯t going to be eating anyone else¡¯s soul, ever again!¡± Still holding her, Amber reared back and punched Edith in the chest. Edith doubled over, spewing ectoplasm. ¡°Ew!¡± Amber brushed herself off. Edith glared at her, trembling in rage.

    ¡°You¡­you! I¡¯ll tear you to pieces!¡± she shouted, shrugging off Amber¡¯s supernatural grip with ease as she burned even brighter than Amber, a nova casting away the night.

    ¡°Uh-oh.¡± Amber meeped. With one hand, Edith grabbed her head and threw her back down to the ground. Before Amber could recover, Edith was on her again, raining clumsy but powerful blows on her. Amber could only cover her head and try to withstand the barrage, all the while getting pushed back.

    ¡®Not good.¡¯ she thought, trying to fight down her mounting panic. Eventually the hits ceased, both of their auras significantly dimmer.

    ¡°Little wretch, I don¡¯t know how you acquired so much power, but I have devoured hundreds over the years. My true strength dwarfs yours!¡±

    ¡°Crap!¡± Amber cried, flinching. Blue aura flaring up again, Edith slowly stalked forward, completely intent on Amber, who was giving ground inch by inch.

    ¡°Get clear, now!¡± Amber jumped away, and Edith turned to Scott, the other source of irritation.

    ¡°Maggot, you¡­¡± She broke off when she saw he was grinning and kneeling. With her spectral body so bright, it was easy to make out all the strange runes carved in a circle on the ground. A circle centered around her tombstone, and which perimeter she was currently in. ¡°What-¡±

    ¡°Say bye-bye! Angelogsten nckellath holm!¡± The sigils all lit up at the same time, causing a ripple like a translucent whirlpool to emanate from the tombstone.

    ¡°What have you done!?¡± she screeched. Against her will, her body was being dragged inexorably toward it, sucking her in.

    ¡°It¡¯s your final resting place. I hear old people need their sleep.¡± Scott said, grinning.

    ¡°You! Die!¡± She launched herself at him, breaking through the suction enough to take a fatal swipe at him. If it weren¡¯t for Amber. Tackling her with her shoulder, Amber slammed her back into the center of the vortex, howling and spitting curses at them as her body twirled and whirled around like water in a drain. With a final pop, her head was sucked into the stone. The lights faded, and both Amber and Scott let out a heavy sigh of relief.

    ¡°We did it.¡± Amber said. Scott gave her a tired thumbs up.

    ¡°Yeah, we did. Things should be a lot better in the cemetery from now on.¡± He frowned and bowed his head. ¡°Listen, Amber¡­I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± She tilted her head quizzically. ¡°For what? You mean this?¡± She grabbed the air in front of her, and the glowing chain reappeared in her hand.

    ¡°That ritual. I never wanted to use it. Do you know what it does?¡± he said despondently.

    ¡°Besides keep me from disappearing? And a huge energy boost? I feel great!¡± She grinned and stretched happily. Scott chuckled ruefully.

    ¡°Amber, do a backflip.¡± Without hesitation, without even thinking about it, Amber¡¯s feet left the ground, circled above her head and stuck the landing, a bewildered look on her face.

    ¡°But...I¡­?¡±

    ¡°The Chain of Spectral Binding. That¡¯s what the spell is called. A necromancer can link his soul to a ghosts¡¯. The upside is, the ghost doesn¡¯t fade away. The spirit draws power from the caster, becoming like a familiar. A necromancer is a living necrotic energy generator, so it¡¯s not strain on them at all. The downside is, since the lifeforce is linked, that means the necromancer has total control of the ghost.¡± he explained, screwing his eyes together in pain.

    ¡°W-What?¡±

    ¡°It means you¡¯re feeding off my energy, my power making up your ectoplasm. As such, I can move your body like an extra limb if I wanted. Less¡­scrupulous necromancers have used this method to enslave ghosts for centuries. But it was the only way to anchor your soul to this world. I can promise you I will never use that power. But¡­I have still done something despicable.¡± He gulped, on the verge of sobbing. He lurched over to her, and fell to his knees at her feet. ¡°I-I¡¯m sorry. Can you ever forgive me?¡±

    Amber stared at him in shock, trying to process everything that was going on. She tugged at her ponytail nervously, glancing from one side of the clearing to the other, desperate to look anywhere else than at the boy in front of her.

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­well, um¡­uh¡­argh!¡± she cried and stamped her foot. ¡°Look! This is¡­stupid! You¡¯re being stupid! Stop being stupid!¡±

    ¡°H-Huh? Stupid?¡± he said, taken aback.

    ¡°Y-Yeah! Look, this, um, isn¡¯t what I had in mind when I asked you to help me. But it was the only way to keep me around, right?¡± she said, looking down at her hand, fingering the chain to avoid eye contact. Eye contact was bad.

    ¡°R-Right.¡± Scott said bashfully. ¡°Unless you started eating other ghosts.¡±

    ¡°Ew. So not going to happen.¡± She shook her head. ¡°So¡­ I figure, as long as you don¡¯t, y¡¯know, start making like the Emperor to Darth Vader, you were just trying to uphold your end of the deal to bring me back. So¡­why don¡¯t we just forget about this stupid chain thing, and go back to how things were before? Just don¡¯t order me around, and it¡¯ll be fine. It¡¯s not, you know, an ideal situation, but as long as I don¡¯t bite it I¡¯m not going to complain. Stupid.¡± Hearing that, Scott broke out into a relieved smile. All the tension in his body drained out all at once, and he fell back onto the ground, laughing softly.

    ¡°I thought you said you weren¡¯t a fantasy nerd.¡± he said, holding a palm to his forehead.

    ¡°Idiot. Shut up. I¡¯ve seen Star Wars. Everybody¡¯s seen Star Wars.¡± she huffed. Scott just chuckled again. For a moment, they just stayed there, the pale stars competing with the moon, the last of the crickets chirping before autumn¡¯s final call.

    ¡°You know, I really do need to get to bed. You¡­wanna go home?¡± Scott said eventually.

    ¡°Yeah. It¡¯s been a loooong night.¡± Amber said, helping him up. He put weight on his foot, and winced. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡±

    ¡°Oh, nothing. I just fell earlier, did something to my leg. I¡¯ll be alright, it¡¯s nothing serious.¡± Scott said, limping along. Amber rolled her eyes and slung his arm around her shoulder, supporting him. ¡°W-What are you doing?¡±

    ¡°Helping you, duh. The sooner we get home, the sooner you can get cracking on getting me back all the way. Sound like a plan?¡± She smiled up at him, and he grinned back.

    ¡°Indeed it does.¡±

    As they marched through the woods and cemetery, Amber realized it wasn¡¯t her heart she felt beating again. It was the necromancer¡¯s beside her.

 Chapter 5-Infiltration

    ¡°Scott! Time to get up!¡± Rebecca Havenbrook yelled, knocking on his door. There was an indistinct groan on the other side, followed by a thump. Something shuffled towards the door, moaning. It creaked open, revealing a zombie.

    ¡°Good lord!¡±

    ¡°Uuugh.¡± it moaned. It was pale, disheveled, and clammy, looking like it spent all night on a slab. Or rolling in dirt. She put her hand on its¡¯ forehead, her mind already made up.

    ¡°You must feel terrible.¡± she said.

    ¡°Uunnn.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s it, you¡¯re staying home today. Turn around right now and get back to bed. I¡¯ll call the school and get some soup out for lunch when you wake up. Are you going to be alright while we¡¯re at work?¡± she said, concerned. Scott nodded gratefully, then practically fell back onto bed. ¡°Alright, I¡¯ll see you later, sweetie. Feel better!¡± She closed the door and shook her head. Poor kid. Looks like hell.

    Inside the room, Amber smiled at her departure.

    ¡°Your mom seems nice.¡± she said, to which Scott could only grumble indistinctly. ¡°You don¡¯t have to be such a grump.¡±

    ¡°Could you do me a favor and please use your ghostly abilities to obliterate the sun?¡± he growled, covering his head with a pillow. She pointed at the curtain, grabbing it with her mind and pulling it down.

    ¡°Does that satisfy his highness in blotting out the sun?¡± she asked dryly.

    ¡°That will do, servant.¡± he said. She smacked him on the head. ¡°Ow! That¡¯s the thanks I get for literally saving your soul?¡±

    ¡°Many thanks, O lord.¡± Amber said, rolling her eyes. ¡°May I be excused to attend my daily maidly duties, or is there anything else he requires?¡±

    ¡°Peace and quiet. I¡¯ve gotten¡­¡± He checked the clock. ¡°Three hours of sleep. I need more for the operation tonight.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I got it.¡± Amber said dejectedly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°Oh, it¡¯s nothing.  Know you need sleep, it¡¯s just I¡¯m going to be stuck alone doing nothing again.¡± She tugged on her ponytail; a mere two weeks of being unable to interact with the world had Left its mark on her. Scott buried his head under the pillow again.

    ¡°You idiot, I thought we covered this. You have enough physical presence to push a button now. Wait ¡®til everyone leaves, then watch TV or something.¡± he said, slightly muffled. She blinked.

    ¡°Oh. That¡¯s a good idea.¡± she admitted.

    ¡°I try.¡±

    Ten minutes after his mother had left, Amber concentrated and made the power button move on the TV in the living room.

    ¡°Huh. Natural remote control. Speaking of which¡­¡± She looked around and spotted the remote between the cushions on the couch. ¡°Aha!¡± Flexing her mental muscle, she spun it to the TV and managed to press the next channel.

    ¡°¡­now take the batter, and put it in the oven at-¡± Click.

    ¡°Accident or divorce, I¡¯m your lawyer!¡± Click.

    ¡°¡­several puppies, all at once!¡± Some morning talk show, people on chairs laughing. Click.

    ¡°¡­happy little trees,¡± Click.

    ¡°-hhh, who live is a pineapp-¡± Click!

    ¡°I¡¯d forgotten just how mind-numbing daytime TV was.¡± she muttered. She was about to change the channel again when she saw her own face on the news report.

    ¡°¡­the most recent murder of Amber Harris, alongside Christine Henderson, Yvonne Granger, Jennifer Jefferson, and Brina Taylor.¡± Each victim had their photo flash by, and Amber winced at how many there were. She studied the pictures. No one she knew personally, but she had seen Brina and Christine around school. She remembered their memorials. She had grown up with these people, and now they were gone. A thought struck her, and she shuddered; what if some of the other victims of the Craven Falls killer had become ghosts as well, and had run afoul of Edith Warden?

    She tried to take a deep breath to steady herself, but forgot she didn¡¯t have lungs.

    ¡°The victims had little in common besides age and gender,¡± the news report continued. ¡°Police have remained empty-handed so far, but hopefully that will change soon. We now go live to the Chief of Police for a debriefing on the situation.¡± The screen changes to a podium in front of city hall, where the bald, portly chief was issuing a statement. Amber recognized him as Courtney¡¯s father.

    ¡°I would like to advise all citizens of Craven Falls to remain on the alert until the perpetrator is brought to justice. I swear to you that we are doing all in our power to apprehend this criminal by whatever means necessary. With that in mind I hereby declare a curfew for all minors at nine o¡¯ clock for the foreseeable future.¡± he declared.

    ¡°Will this restriction be in place on Halloween?¡± a reporter asked.

    ¡°If need be. I hope we can catch him before that, but we¡¯re taking no chances. In fact, if they¡¯re not caught by then we might have to cancel trick or treating altogether this year. Of course, that¡¯s only if he¡¯s not caught. With that in mind, please address all questions to the new head of this case, Detective Margaret Cross. She will be happy to help you. Thank you.¡± He stepped down, and a dark-haired, tall woman with a hard face and even harder eyes who looked to be less than happy to be answering questions took his place.

    ¡°Thank you, Chief Mason. At this time, we have no solid leads, so we are urging every citizen to come forward with anything they know. Let¡¯s try to make the most recent victim the last.¡± she said in a cold, clipped tone. The reporters latched onto her like sharks, having basically admitted that the police had no idea who was behind the slayings. Amber sighed and changed the channel, tired of hearing herself referred to as a deceased victim.

    It was around one when Scott made his way down the stairs, yawning. He staggered his way to the kitchen and poured a bowl of cereal, his hair sticking up at funny angles.

    ¡°Finally awake. You look like crap.¡± Amber said, paging through a book. It had proven too difficult to hold it up, so she had laid it on the table and was flipping pages.

    ¡°Let¡¯s see how good you look after you dig a grave twice, run a marathon, take a dive off a cliff, battle an evil ghost and anchor another to the material plane.¡± he grunted, and started eating.

    ¡°Your mom left out soup for you, you know.¡± Amber said, her eyes drifting to the can on the counter.

    ¡°Is that a fact. Unfortunately, I don¡¯t like soup. You can¡¯t chew it, and it¡¯s too hot to drink. Plus, you always eat it when you¡¯re sick, so I think I¡¯ve developed an aversion to it because of that.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°So, how are you feeling? Up for the operation tonight?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m still tired as hell, but I¡¯ll be fine.¡± he snorted.

    ¡°Well, we have a complication with that. There¡¯s a curfew now for all minors, thanks to the killer. Nine o¡¯ clock, it said so on the news.¡±

    ¡°Great.¡± He yawned and cracked his neck. ¡°It¡¯s not like I was doing anything legal in the first place though, I guess. Just adds one more misdemeanor. I¡¯m going back to my room.¡± He paused, then smelled himself. ¡°Scratch that, shower first.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, you kinda still look like the walking dead yet.¡± Amber said innocently. Scott rolled his eyes.

    ¡°Ha ha.¡±

    Fifteen minutes later, Scott came back to his room clean, refreshed, and feeling alive again. The rest of the day was discussion of the break-in, and various methods of infiltration and ways to avoid the police. They were so engrossed in their activities they didn¡¯t hear the front door open.

    Clayton Havenbrook checked his phone as he absentmindedly went to the fridge. His mom had sent him a text telling him to see how Scott was doing.

    ¡°Like the dork¡¯s really sick.¡± he muttered, sinking his teeth into an apple. He knew his brother. He just stayed up all night again, working on whatever project caught his attention this time. Clay shook his head. Scott was always either making some model or sticking his head in a book. He never went anywhere or did anything, always too self-absorbed and thinking he was better than everyone else to be normal.

    Although he vaguely wondered if he should be worried; last time the geek had emerged from his lair, Clay could¡¯ve sworn he was bringing back the corpse of a rat back in. Wasn¡¯t that what psychos did, or something?

    ¡°With any luck, he¡¯s just taken up taxidermy.¡± he said to himself. He wouldn¡¯t put it past the little creep. Clayton went upstairs. ¡°Hey dweeb, mom asked¡­¡± he stared to call out, but paused at the door. He¡¯d often heard Scott muttering to himself in there, but this time there were pauses for a response, like he was having an actual conversation with a person. ¡°Weird.¡± He leaned closer to the door to listen.

    ¡°¡­no, you have to¡­¡± Pause. ¡°Well, I can¡­listen, we¡­do this together.¡± Pause. ¡°¡­look, Amber. I need you¡­¡± Clay¡¯s eyes went wide with shock. How? Did-did his creepy little geek of a brother actually have a girlfriend?

    ¡°Seriously? How the hell did you-¡±Clayton suddenly burst into the room.

    ¡°Yaaahhh!¡± Scott launched himself off the bed like a frightened cat, landing on the floor with a thump. ¡°The hell, Clay!? Don¡¯t scare me like that!¡± Clayton looked around.

    ¡°Who were you talking to? Are you really hiding a girl?¡± he asked, scanning the room.

    ¡°Get out! It¡¯s none of your business!¡± Scott snapped. Clay merely shrugged and put Scott in a headlock.

    ¡°Mom asked me to check on you, so that makes it my business. I knew you were faking being sick.¡± he said calmly as Scott flailed to get out of the grip. ¡°So? Where is she? She¡¯s gotta be desperate if she¡¯s reduced to dating you. Our little boy is growing up at last!¡± He wiped an imaginary tear from his eye, giving Scott the opening he needed to escape.

    ¡°I¡¯m not dating anyone! Jeez.¡± he said, pushing away. ¡°I was, ah-¡± he glanced to an empty spot in the room ¡°-talking, on¡­the phone!¡± He held up his phone. Clayton blinked. He could have sworn Scott didn¡¯t have his phone when he first walked in.

    ¡°You know it¡¯s off, right?¡± he observed.

    ¡°Oh, it is? Silly me, must¡¯ve hung up when you startled me, thanks for that you big jerk.¡± Scott said quickly, looking shifty.

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Clay slid his arm around his brother¡¯s shoulders. ¡°So who is she?¡± he leered, and Scott made a face. ¡°Easy, easy! I won¡¯t tell anyone, I just wanna know. Frankly, I¡¯m shocked that you scored a chick. Is she hot?¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s¡­a¡­friend.¡± Scott said slowly, glancing to an empty corner out of embarrassment. ¡°You might even say business partner, or even client. Everything totally aboveground, completely professional. Nothing going on at all. Please leave now, thanks.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh.¡± Clayton reached into his pocket. ¡°Never thought this day¡¯d come, but whaddaya know. ¡®Least it¡¯s not mom giving you this, she says she¡¯s too young to be a grandmother.¡± He put a condom in Scott¡¯s hand.

    ¡°The hell!? I just said-¡±

    ¡°Yeah, yeah, yeah. Do me a favor and keep it down at night, will you? The walls are thinner than you think.¡± He closed the door just before the condom could hit his head, thrown by a very irate and red-faced Scott.

    ¡°Not one word.¡± he growled to Amber, who was having trouble keeping her laughter in.

    ¡°And the Academy Award goes to...¡± she started.

    ¡°Shut it!¡±

    ¡°Oh c¡¯mon, it was funny.¡± Amber said, floating overhead.

    ¡°It was not funny.¡± Scott muttered, his red face concealed by his hood. His family had gone to bed early, so they had managed to sneak out before midnight. ¡°It was my brother trying to embarrass me.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what made it funny!¡± He scowled at her. ¡°Oh, relax. Your face¡¯ll stick that way.

    ¡°At this rate, it just might.¡± he growled, shivering in the October wind.

    ¡°Car.¡± Amber called. Scott dove into the bushes as the patrol car drove by, the headlights missing him. ¡°That¡¯s the third one in like an hour. They¡¯re really serious about this curfew.¡± Amber said, watching it round the corner.

    ¡°They¡¯re really trying to catch your killer. It¡¯s annoying for us, but I understand completely. If nothing else, it should help limit the victims, seeing as he¡¯s after teen girls, apparently.

    ¡°Yeah.¡± She tugged on her ponytail. ¡°Why do you think he¡¯s doing this, anyway? It¡¯s sick.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s what we¡¯re going to find out. I have a few theories, but let¡¯s just say that the one where he¡¯s just a garden variety psycho serial killer is the one I¡¯d prefer.¡± Scott said grimly.

    ¡°Ahh.¡± They proceeded on the darkened streets in silence for awhile, Until Amber voiced a concern that¡¯d been brewing in the back of her mind. ¡°Um, look. I know we have to avoid the police, but they¡¯re doing these extra patrols for a reason. What if,¡± she gulped. ¡°What if we¡­run into the killer while we¡¯re out here? I know he seems to be going after girls, and we probably won¡¯t but that¡¯s what I thought at first and now I¡¯m incorporeal!¡± Scott shook off her concern with a bark of laughter.

    ¡°I¡¯m not worried. I¡¯ve got an eye in the sky, for one.¡± he said, grinning at her.

    ¡°I¡¯m serious!¡± she said.

    ¡°So am I. In case you forgot my profession, I am a necromancer.¡± His green eyes began to glow softly.  ¡°I know the secrets of life and death. I have dark magics at my beck and call. If worst comes to worst, and let¡¯s hope it doesn¡¯t, with a single spell, with a single touch I can forcefully inject anything alive with my necrotic energy. I can mess you up pretty bad, could even kill if I put too much into it.¡±

    ¡°R-Really?¡± Amber asked, not expecting such a fearsome answer.

    ¡°Yup.¡± He looked down and away. ¡°It¡¯s, uh, it¡¯s not something I¡¯m entirely comfortable with either. But it is an option. The way I see it, it¡¯s like I¡¯ve always got a knife on me. Yeah, it can kill, but it¡¯s also a tool with uses beyond just that. So yeah, I¡¯m not really worried.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± she said, looking troubled. ¡°So, if we did get in trouble...¡±

    ¡°If my life were in danger, yeah. I¡¯m using it. If you met the Craven Falls killer, wouldn¡¯t you?¡± They walked in silence the rest of the way, Amber ruminating on what he¡¯d said.

    Soon they arrived at the morgue, and Amber pushed away those thoughts for now. It was time to go to work. Scott made sure his hood was up and his gloves were on. They sneaked around to the back door, sticking to the shadows.If you encounter this story on Amazon, note that it''s taken without permission from the author. Report it.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see any cameras. Should be safe. Okay, just like we practiced at home.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°I know, I know.¡± Amber looked at the lock on the door and concentrated. She had practiced all day for this.

    Since they had no idea of where to get a set of keys, Scott had come up with a solution. Amber had trouble moving large and heavy things, but small objects were no problem. The inner mechanism of a lock was small and light, after all.

    ¡°Almost¡­¡± She could feel her mind pick and probe at the gears and bits, trying to find which to push and which to pull, making it¡­click. ¡°There.¡±

    ¡°Good. Keep an eye out.¡± Scott gently opened the door and slipped inside, locking it behind him. It wouldn¡¯t do for any night watchmen, if any, to discover something amiss. They proceeded quietly down the hall, Amber floating far ahead to scout.

    ¡°Scott, there¡¯s a camera.¡± she said, peeking around a corner.

    ¡°Fixed or moving?¡± he whispered.

    ¡°Looks fixed.¡± she said, floating up to examine it.

    ¡°Can you, I don¡¯t know, lift it up or something? Just enough I can get through quick?¡±

    ¡°I can try.¡± Amber said. She grit her teeth and used all her telekinetic might to push the camera up and to the right, away from the corner of the hall, the plastic groaning under the strain. ¡°Go! Hurry!¡± Scott darted around the corner, sticking to the deeper darkness, away from the windows. With a sigh of relief she set it back.

    ¡°Made it.¡± Scott whispered.

    ¡°Good.¡± She floated off and reconnoitered through the walls. ¡°There¡¯s a lot of rooms with files. They keep the bodies downstairs. I saw some paperwork that had the borough¡¯s seal on it. I didn¡¯t see much else.¡± she said.

    ¡°Hmm. The paperwork that we want is probably up here, but that could take all night. Meanwhile, we know the evidence we really need is downstairs. Unlock the doors.¡± he said resolutely. Amber groaned.

    ¡°I knew you¡¯d say that.¡±

    Proceeding down into the body bank, the duo didn¡¯t note any other cameras and so felt comfortable enough to turn on the lights. Scott kept his hood up, just in case.

    ¡°Alright, where did you see those papers? We¡¯ll check those first.¡± Scott said, glancing around.

    ¡°Over there.¡± She pointed to a desk by a file cabinet. He picked the report up and examined it.

    ¡°Traffic accident. But this¡¯s definitely a police report. We¡¯re on the right track. Check and see if there¡¯s anyone around.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± She flew off to poke her head through the door, looking at a dark, empty hallway. ¡°Yup. Party central.¡±

    Back at the desk, Scott was having no luck with the reports. No matter how much he searched, the reports on the murder victim autopsies weren¡¯t there.  He started rifling through the drawers, and was about to give up and search the file cabinets when he noticed a manila folder stuck to the door, the very first in the drawer. He smacked his own forehead. Picking it up and reading the first report, a grin crept across his face.

    ¡°Bingo.¡±

    ¡°Find ¡®em?¡± Amber asked, floating over.

    ¡°All the recent victims, including you. Now then¡­¡± He skimmed the first one, then the next, then the third, a scowl growing deeper on his face with each one. ¡°Damn.¡± he said, tossing the reports on the table and cradling his forehead in his hands.

    ¡°What¡¯s the verdict? Not good?¡± Amber asked nervously.

    ¡°All the victims were killed in the same way. Chloroformed, stabbed and each had their heart removed.¡± he said bluntly, not looking up. ¡°Autopsies revealed nothing else. Nothing. I do not like this.¡±

    ¡°Wait-no other evidence? That¡¯s it? That¡¯s all the report said?¡± Amber said.

    ¡°Right. This¡¯s shady as all hell. Whoever¡¯s been doing this has been very good at covering their tracks. And why hasn¡¯t this information about the hearts been released to the public? It¡¯s not like the killer¡¯s been going unnoticed anyway. The police are covering this up. But why?¡± Scott asked, starting to pace.

    ¡°Those are good questions too, but what does this mean for the resurrection? Do you think we could get it back? Why do you think the killer is collecting them?¡± The last one was phrased more like a statement than a question.

    ¡°Hmm, well it hasn¡¯t confirmed it for me 100% yet, I¡¯m still holding out hope it¡¯s a deranged whackjob. Honestly though, I¡¯m not counting on it. It looks like-¡±

    The light in the upstairs hallway suddenly turned on.

    They both glanced up in horror, then sprang into action. Amber telekinetically hit the light switch for all she was worth, while Scott hurriedly scrambled to collect the reports in the folder.

    ¡°¡­.nks for doing this so late, Pete.¡± A deep woman¡¯s voice said, growing louder. Scott glanced around, saw an empty space behind a file cabinet in the back of the room, and dove to hide behind it. Amber looked around panicked before she remembered she was invisible.

    ¡°No problem, Maggie.¡± a man¡¯s voice said, and the door was opened. ¡°Just wish I knew why you had to do this at this hour.¡± A short, stocky, older man in a sweatervest and grey mustache came down the stairs, followed by an extremely tall woman in a suit and overcoat, sipping coffee. Amber realized she recognized the woman.

    ¡°Uuugh, don¡¯t remind me what time it is. I was in meetings and fending off the press all day. This¡¯s the first chance I¡¯ve actually gotten to go over the particulars of this case. It¡¯s all political nowadays, it¡¯s a circus.¡± she groaned, tossing back her long, dark hair.

    ¡°Scott, that¡¯s the detective in charge of the case, Detective Cross. I saw her today on TV, she was just appointed.¡± Amber whispered and Scott nodded, trying to remain unseen.

    ¡°Ehh, ain¡¯t it always.¡± The man, Pete, said dismissively, eliciting a snort of laughter.

    ¡°So, what have we got?¡± Detective Cross asked. Pete unlocked a door on the bank and pulled out a slab. Scott risked a peek to see. They were both absorbed in staring at the corpse of a young woman.

    ¡°Here we are. Brina Taylor, the fourth deceased. Sweet sixteen. The documents are in on all of ¡®em, but her parents were traipsing around China or something on vacation, and aren¡¯t back yet. Apparently they go camping in the remotest parts of the world, looking to ¡®find themselves.¡¯ They were notified Sunday, expect ¡®em day after tomorrow.¡± Pete said.

    ¡°Hn. Time and cause of death?¡± Cross asked, pulling the sheet down to see her face.

    ¡°Approximately 6:52 p.m. on Thursday, October first. She was forced to inhale chloroform, then stabbed in the chest with what looks to be a large kitchen knife, causing massive trauma. But take a look at this.¡± He pulled down the sheet from her chest. The detective swore, and Amber looked like she was going to be sick. There was a large, reddish-purple gap in her chest. ¡°The sick bastard carved out her heart while she was still alive. Death couldn¡¯t come quick enough. At least she was out when it happened.¡± he said, shaking his head.

    ¡°That¡¯s a cold comfort, Pete.¡± Cross said.

    ¡°All I know is I¡¯d rather go in my sleep.¡± he shrugged. ¡°The other four are all like this one. And get this-there¡¯s no forensic evidence.¡±

    ¡°What? Nothing?¡± Cross said, raising an eyebrow. ¡°I know they said there were no witnesses, but-¡±

    ¡°Nothing. Nada. Zilch. No prints, no DNA, not a hair out of place. The investigators went through each scene with a fine tooth comb, and came up empty.

    Hearing that, Scott and Detective Cross¡¯s eyes went wide. For Scott, that confirmed his suspicions.

    ¡°Nothing? Really?¡± she said, incredulous.

    ¡°Yup. No evidence whatsoever, aside from the bodies. Whoever¡¯s doing this ain¡¯t your average criminal. They¡¯ve gotta be one serious spook to pull this off.¡±

    ¡°So we have no idea who¡¯s doing this, no motive for why? And now even the how¡¯s being called into question. Great.¡± She sighed. ¡°I was pulled from the Carson case for this?¡± She stretched and cracked her back, then saw a head quickly duck behind a filing cabinet on the far wall. ¡°What was that? Who¡¯s there!?¡± She pulled out her service pistol and pointed it at the filing cabinet. ¡°Show yourself! Come out slowly, with your hands up!¡± Scott froze in terror, but Amber suddenly had an idea. She pulled the door to the hall open and slammed it as hard as she could, making both officers whip around to the door.

    ¡°What the hell?¡± Pete said.

    ¡°Pete.¡± Cross said quietly. ¡°I¡¯m going to check the cabinet. I want you to go upstairs, but be careful. I¡¯ll join you in a minute. If there is someone, don¡¯t be a hero, get out and call for backup.¡±

    ¡°B-But what about you?¡± he asked, trembling. She smiled grimly and held up her gun.

    ¡°If there is someone, I¡¯ll make them regret it. Go. Now!¡± she barked. Pete nodded and tore up the steps as fast as he could go. ¡°Now then, I¡¯m going to say this one more time. Come out or I shoot.¡± she said calmly, slowly approaching the cabinet. Amber was tearing her hair out trying to figure out a way out of this mess. Scott ground his teeth together; this wasn¡¯t how he wanted things to go, but there was a slim chance it could work out. He put his hood up. Alright, time to channel his inner Batman.

    ¡°Very well. I¡¯ll come out, but only if you don¡¯t shoot.¡± He stood up and came out, hands up. ¡°I mean no harm, and as you can see I¡¯m unarmed.¡±

    ¡°Scott! No! What are you doing!?¡± Amber screamed.

    ¡°Quiet.¡± he whispered.

    ¡°What? A kid? Just what the hell do you think you¡¯re doing here? Lower your hood.¡± Cross ordered, still pointing the gun at him.

    ¡°I think not. After all, I haven¡¯t seen any reason to trust you yet.¡± he replied coolly, trying to keep his rising panic down. Already his hair and back were soaked with sweat. Her face hardened.

    ¡°You¡¯re in a world of trouble, kid. I have no problem arresting you right now.¡± she said menacingly.

    ¡°Oh really? You¡¯re going to throw away the best chance you have of solving this case?¡± Scott said.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± Cross said, her eyes narrowing.

    ¡°Scott! Seriously! We have to get out of here!¡± Amber said, unable to keep calm.

    ¡°Do you know anything about the killer? What¡¯s your name?¡± Cross ordered.

    ¡°Scott! Please tell me you can get out of this!¡± Amber begged, nearly crying.

    ¡°Jeez! Yes, I can get out of this! That¡¯s what I¡¯m trying to do! Just shut up and watch already!¡± Scott said exasperatedly, turning to Amber.

    ¡°Hey, what are you doing?¡± the detective said.

    ¡°No, it¡¯ll be fine! Don¡¯t-aw man, don¡¯t cry! No, it¡¯ll be fine. No, I am taking care of it. Yes, it¡¯ll work! I¡­hey, that was a low blow. I AM smarter than that, and you know it!¡± Detective Cross watched in confusion as the boy argued animatedly with the empty air.

    ¡°Enough!¡± she roared. ¡°You¡¯re under arrest! Lie down with your hands on your head!¡± she ordered, and Scott finally looked back at her.

    ¡°Detective, I can assure you that everything is fine, and arresting me is probably the last thing you could want to do.¡±

    ¡°On the ground, now!¡± she repeated. Scott sighed.

    ¡°Okay, push the slab in. Detective, try not to freak, okay? And please don¡¯t shoot.¡±

    ¡°Huh? I said-¡± The slab with the poor girl¡¯s body on it suddenly slid into the wall and the door closed. She went white and it took every ounce of self-control she had not to fire on him. ¡°W-What the hell!?¡±

    ¡°Like I said, Detective; I¡¯m the best chance you have of solving this case. If nothing else, I can give you a motive for the Craven Falls Killer.¡± he said smugly. She looked at him hard for a long minute, then lowered her gun.

    ¡°I¡¯m listening.¡± she growled.

    ¡°Good. First thing¡¯s first, you should probably let that guy upstairs know you¡¯re all right.¡± he said, pointing with his thumb. ¡°He¡¯s bound to be worried about you, and I¡¯d rather keep things between us for now. We can talk properly in a minute.¡±

    ¡°And you¡¯re going to be here when I get back? I¡¯ve seen this movie before; the villain disappears when you take your eyes off him.¡± Cross said coldly. He smirked and held up his hands.

    ¡°How appropriate. But I assure you detective, walking through walls isn¡¯t one of my skills. I think we can help each other here. I¡¯ll stick around.¡± With a snort she climbed the stairs, never taking her eyes off his smirking face.

    ¡°You better still be here, in a talking mood.¡± she said, stepping through the door. As soon as she left, Scott let out his breath and collapsed on all fours, panting and shaking.

    ¡°You okay?¡± Amber said, kneeling beside him.

    ¡°Y-Yeah, now. That was tense.¡± he said, shivering. ¡°I n-never had a gun pointed at me before. By a cop, even.¡± He tried to give her a shaky grin.

    ¡°Hey hey, what happened to the big, bad necromancer? ¡®I have dark magics at my disposal¡¯? C¡¯mon, you faced down a ghost hell-bent on killing you and eating me just last night. You can do this. We can do this. I¡¯m here for you.¡± Amber said reassuringly. Scott gave her a small smile.

    ¡°Heh. You¡¯re right.¡± He sat back and took a deep, steadying breath. ¡°Just a case of nerves. I¡¯ve got magic, but that doesn¡¯t mean a bullet won¡¯t kill me. Let¡¯s make sure it doesn¡¯t come to that.¡± He gave her a sly look. ¡°I don¡¯t think you¡¯re quite up to pulling off a resurrection.¡± She chuckled.

    ¡°For sure. What are you going to do?¡± Amber asked. Scott rubbed his head.

    ¡°This¡¯s pretty messed up. I¡¯d much prefer it if nobody knew about necromancy, but there¡¯s no choice now. And if there¡¯s no choice, we might as well get the good with the bad. I¡¯d rather have the cops and their resources on my side rather than against. They can help find your killer and thus, your heart.¡± he explained.

    ¡°You really think he still has it?¡± Amber asked, and Scott dismissed her with a wave of his hand.

    ¡°I guarantee it.¡±

    Back upstairs, Detective Cross was muttering obscenities as she ran into Pete.

    ¡°Jesus, Maggie! What happened, are you alright?¡± he said as he saw her approach.

    ¡°Yeah, Pete. Turns out I overreacted. We have¡­rats in the building.¡± she said flatly.

    ¡°Rats?¡± he said incredulously.

    ¡°Yeah. I guess I¡¯ve been working too hard today.¡± she ground out. ¡°Why don¡¯t you go home, I¡¯ll lock up for you. As an apology. I should be fine.¡± He squinted at her.

    ¡°Rats, huh.¡± he said slowly. She nodded.

    ¡°There¡¯s a big one.¡±

    ¡°Is that so.¡±

    ¡°Yup.¡± Cross sighed. ¡°Listen, just go home. It would mean a lot to me.¡± She turned to go down again.

    ¡°Are you sure about this? I can help.¡± he called out, but she waved him off.

    ¡°I¡¯ll be fine. Besides, I may have a revelation and puzzle out a lead for the case. You never know.¡±

    ¡°Uh-huh. Just be careful. You never know with¡­rats. Let me know if we need extermination.¡± Pete said. She laughed.

    ¡°I think I can handle it. But thanks. If I¡¯m not back in three days, avenge my death.¡± she quipped and descended once more. Pete considered following her, but she didn¡¯t seem worried, just exasperated. He shook his head as he obeyed her request.

    ¡°Always, Maggie.¡± he muttered as he unlocked the door.

    Detective Cross looked down and saw the boy sitting against the wall, talking to empty space again. At least he was still there, she reminded herself.

    ¡°Okay, kid. It¡¯s officially too late o¡¯clock, I have had a very long day, and I don¡¯t have any patience left for any of this X-Files mystery bull. How did you move the slab? Are you talking to, I don¡¯t know, aliens or something?¡± she said, stopping about fifteen feet in front of him. He got up, Amber faintly hearing ¡°channel Batman, channel Batman.¡±

    ¡°So hasty, detective. Don¡¯t you trust me? After all, I¡¯ve kept my word that I¡¯d still be here, and well, here I am.¡± He noted that her gun was still out, if at her side. ¡°If we¡¯re going to trust each other I need some assurance that things will stay peaceful and we¡¯ll both walk away tonight.¡± She noticed him glance at her gun.

    ¡°No dice. Answer my questions.¡± she said, clipped.

    ¡°Then we don¡¯t have a deal. You can arrest me if you want, I¡¯ll just keep mum about anything I know about the killer, and any mysterious moving slabs.¡± He mimed zipping his mouth closed, lips turning up at the ends. Cross scowled, but put away her gun.

    ¡°There. Now answer me.¡± she said. Scott gave an internal sigh of relief.

    ¡°Much better. As a show of good faith to answer yours, I¡¯m an open book. Honestly,¡± he pointed to the girl¡¯s body in storage. ¡°I didn¡¯t. My lovely assistant did it for me. She¡¯s one of the recent murder victims. I found her ghost and bound it to this world to keep her from disappearing. For the record, there are no aliens.¡± Scott said. Cross narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°So, are you like a psychic or something?¡± Scott snorted.

    ¡°Wrong genre. You¡¯re thinking sci-fi, I¡¯m in fantasy. Or horror. I¡¯m a necromancer.¡± he said proudly.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°A necromancer. One who practices necromancy. From the Greek words ¡®Necro¡¯, which means-¡±

    ¡°I know what it means!¡± Cross snapped. ¡°Are you insane? Are you trying to tell me you used¡­magic to do all that?¡±

    ¡°What a relief. It feels good to have someone around who¡¯s so knowledgeable.¡± Scott admitted, giving Amber a sideways glance.

    ¡°Hey!¡± Amber protested.

    ¡°Stop kidding around!¡± Cross slammed the body bank, looking both furious and uneasy. ¡°This is serious! This is¡­I mean, this¡­can¡¯t be real.¡± She glanced over to the door her fist was leaning on, and took a steadying breath. ¡°Do it again. No, wait. Do something else. There¡¯s no way you could¡¯ve prepared something in advance, and the local cops wouldn¡¯t pull such an elaborate prank on me. Make her-I don¡¯t know-¡± The table caught her eye. ¡°Ah. Make her levitate the papers on the desk. I¡¯ve just looked them over, there¡¯s nothing unusual about them. Do that, and I might believe you.¡±

    Scott and Amber shared a glance, and Scott sighed and nodded.

    ¡°Go ahead, Amber. Seems she won¡¯t be satisfied unless we demonstrate you¡¯re, y¡¯know, here.¡±

    ¡°Alright¡­¡± Amber said nervously, floating over and picking up one of the reports. She waved it around a little, making Cross¡¯s eyes go wide.

    ¡°Is that better, detective?¡± Scott said smugly, watching her face as Amber picked up another paper, making them dance. Cross was white as a sheet. ¡°As I told you before, I am a necromancer. The dead are mine to command-¡± He broke off for a moment, then sighed and shook his head. ¡°Well, the dead are mostly mine to command, some others just to amicably suggest to. Either way, I have dark magics at my disposal, and am going to bring her back from death¡¯s icy grip.¡± His face, half-shadowed form his hood, grinned widely as she stared at him.

    ¡°N-No. This¡­isn¡¯t right. It¡¯s not real, is it?¡± She turned back to the papers, which were fluttering back onto the desk, unseen hands shuffling them in order. ¡°No, I have to be dreaming or something. I¡¯ve been working too hard.¡± she said, rubbing her head. ¡°Magic, whatever you¡¯re talking about, can¡¯t exist. That would mean everything we know is¡­wrong. There¡¯s been absolutely no evidence, ever. Yeah,¡± she smiled desperately, trying to hang on to her worldview. ¡°I don¡¯t know what¡¯s going on, but whatever trick you¡¯re using isn¡¯t actual magic. Just some kind of trick. Yeah. I don¡¯t appreciate being deceived, kid. You¡¯d better have a better reason for being here than this horsecrap.¡± Cross said, mentally switching from confusion to annoyance. Annoyance was good. That meant she could get angry at this crap. Being angry meant she wouldn¡¯t have to think about it too hard anymore.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I want the truth. Why you¡¯re really here. I don¡¯t have any patience for this delusion you¡¯ve got going on, that¡¯s for a doctor to decide. You¡¯re not a real necromancer-¡± Scott flinched ¡°And I don¡¯t have to coddle you. Tell me what¡¯s going on, or the consequences will be dire. Who are you, what do you know about the Craven Falls Killer?¡± As she went on, Scott grew more and more irked, twitching in barely contained anger. He was about to unload at her, but was struck by an idea instead. Amber watched in horror as a sickly-sweet smile blossomed on his face.

    ¡°So, detective. You say I¡¯m not a real necromancer, that I don¡¯t know what I¡¯m talking about. Fine. Fine. But how about this?¡± He pulled out a piece of chalk and made a circle containing a star on the floor.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± Cross asked as she watched him work. It had to be her imagination. There was no way the strange runes he was inscribing around it were alternating above the air and below the floor.

    ¡°Just a little demonstration. There¡¯s just chalk here, no holograms, no hallucinogens, no tricks of any kind. Merely step into the circle and you¡¯ll be able to see spirits, too.¡± She eyed it warily.

    ¡°Hell no.¡±

    ¡°Come now. Please allow me a chance to prove my claims. Besides, if you really don¡¯t believe in magic, then it¡¯ll be a mere waste of a minute. You stand there for a moment while I spout some gibberish, and that¡¯ll prove me wrong. C¡¯mon. What do you say?¡± Scott said. She stared at him, then huffed.

    ¡°Fine. I¡¯ve listened to this insanity this long, might as well go whole hog. It¡¯ll be your funeral.¡± She stepped into the circle.

    ¡°Excellent. Now, you might feel a tingling sensation. Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s perfectly normal, that¡¯s just your soul moving sliiiiightly closer to death.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± she started, but Scott was already chanting.

    ¡°¡­amholk, zenaii, chaga, chaga vemzikeon ulmetths ab cinaron keth!¡± He held up his hands, and the circle lit up a brilliant emerald green. Cross gasped at the sight, but her breath was stolen as green static leapt up and down her body to the circle on the ground. Scott continued chanting. ¡°Sebenza ustoreth ahkhan gemoth, youkan uminan bek a uthintal.¡± he said, and the glow faded away.

    ¡°What the hell was that!? What did you do to me? How the¡­how¡­¡± She stared at him. There, right beside him, coming into focus like localized static fading out was a transparent girl floating a few inches off the ground, illuminated by a soft green aura. Cross recognized her face. It was Amber Harris, the Craven Falls Killer¡¯s fifth and most recent victim. ¡°There¡¯s¡­a girl there¡­¡± she said dumbly.

    ¡°Indeed. She¡¯s been with us all this time.¡± Scott said, drawing himself up.

    ¡°Hello.¡± Amber said nervously, giving her a small wave.

    ¡°So, detective? Still think I¡¯m lying?¡± Scott asked smugly. Cross blinked.

    ¡°I¡¯d think we¡¯d better start at the beginning.¡± she said eventually.

 Chapter 6-Diabolic Designs

    An hour later, the detective was sitting at the desk, shaking her head and reeling at the knowledge she¡¯d been presented with.

    ¡°So. You¡¯re a necromancer. And behind all those disturbances at the cemetery.¡± She narrowed her eyes at him.

    ¡°I¡¯d appreciate it if you didn¡¯t arrest me for that, thanks.¡± Scot said nonchalantly.

    ¡°You do realize you¡¯ve already broken about fifty laws and I could put you away for a very long time, minor or not, right?¡± Cross said, and Scott snorted.

    ¡°I don¡¯t care about the second law of thermodynamics, what makes you think mortal laws fare any better?¡± he dismissed. ¡°Besides, I don¡¯t think you¡¯re that stupid.¡±

    ¡°Glad to see the newer generation has so much confidence.¡± Cross sighed.

    ¡°Scott, stop teasing her.¡± Amber said, and turned to the older woman. ¡°And, Mrs. Cross? Miss Cross?¡±

    ¡°Detective Cross.¡± she corrected.

    ¡°Right. Detective, I know this is hard to take in. I can still hardly believe it, and I died two weeks ago. But we need your help to catch the killer. It¡¯s the only way to get my heart back.¡±

    ¡°With which you¡¯ll use to do the impossible and bring her back to life.¡± Cross shook her head and looked down. ¡°Can you really do it? Really bring someone back to life?¡± she asked quietly.

    ¡°As sure as the stars shine I can.¡± Scott replied, grinning. ¡°I¡¯m probably the only one in the world who can. And I don¡¯t plan on making a habit out of it. As I said before, the only reason I¡¯m doing it for her is because she¡¯s paying me, and I¡¯m not in a financial position to refuse that right now.¡±

    ¡°Jesus, kid.¡± Cross downed the last of her ice-cold coffee, and grimaced at the taste. ¡°Okay. I hate to say this, but I won¡¯t arrest you for¡­anything you¡¯ve already done. They¡¯d probably laugh me off the force anyway.¡± she muttered to herself. ¡°Provided that you and the girl inform us of everything you know that pertains to the investigation, and promise that you won¡¯t go graverobbing in the future.¡±

    ¡°Right, I promise you won¡¯t find out about any more graverobbing.¡± Scott said and nodded solemnly. Cross opened her moth to protest, but closed it immediately, having got a sense of his personality over the last couple of hours. ¡®Stubborn as a bull and twice as arrogant. Ugh. Just deal with it later.¡¯ she thought to herself.

    ¡°Whatever. Right then, Amber. I don¡¯t suppose you got a look at the guy?¡± Cross asked hopefully.

    ¡°Sorry. I was grabbed from behind, I didn¡¯t really see anything.¡± she said sheepishly.

    ¡°Great.¡± Cross cradled her head in her hands. ¡°Even the victim doesn¡¯t know who this guy is.¡±

    ¡°I do have a question though, Detective Cross. My death was reported, but not the fact that my heart was taken. Do you know why that is?¡± Amber asked. Cross growled.

    ¡°That bugged me too. Turns out it was a joint decision by the mayor and Chief Mason. They decided to withhold that information, ¡®to prevent widespread panic among the populace.¡¯ Makes sense I guess, but I don¡¯t like it and I¡¯m not in a position to argue. And we still don¡¯t know why this Jack the Ripper knockoff is taking them, again.¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy.¡± Scott piped up. Cross and Amber turned to him.

    ¡°You know? Is this the theory you were talking about earlier?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°Right. Detective, didn¡¯t you wonder how there was no forensic evidence at the crime scenes? That¡¯s not humanly possible, even for the best assassins, at least consecutively like this. That means we¡¯re dealing with something not of a human power. The Necronomicon doesn¡¯t deal with just raising the dead. It touches on all forms of magic, including forbidden rituals to sacrifice hearts to otherworldly beings in exchange for power.¡± Both Cross and Amber¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°What? Really?¡± Cross said, and Scott nodded.

    ¡°A magical blessing from such a being would be able to take care of such trifles as not leaving any evidence. You must understand the heart is the most mystically significant part of the human body, despite being made out of mundane muscle. You can do a whole bunch of stuff, thaumaturgically speaking, if you get your hands on one of those. The real problem here is how many, and the targets who¡¯ve been marked for harvesting.¡± he explained.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°The targets? They¡¯ve all been young women¡­¡± Cross said slowly.

    ¡°¡­Between the ages of fourteen and nineteen, meaning they all qualify as young maidens.¡± Scott finished. ¡°The hearts of five young maidens can be used for some serious bad juju, but the fact that we haven¡¯t seen anything yet means they¡¯re cooking up something worse. There¡¯s more than the dead in the Necronomicon. It tells of strange, ageless creatures beyond this world and even the next. Ancient, twisted deities that have no difference between thought and form, to whom human souls are no different than playthings.¡± He shivered. ¡°And there is a race which desires to break into our reality, but lack the strength to do so. They have been passed down in human myth and legend, promising wealth, power, all manner of human desire in exchange for human sacrifice. They are the daemons.¡±

    ¡°You mean¡­devils are real, too? Not just ghosts?¡± Amber asked in a small voice.

    ¡°The daemons are, as a race, small, cowardly, and weak. Unfortunately, that means they employ lies, misdirection and manipulation more often than the forgotten elder gods. Save for a few archlords at the top of their hierarchy, they are small and weak enough to slip through the minor cracks of reality that separate our dimension from theirs that open from time to time. Of course, this can change. Say, if they partnered with a human that gathered the hearts of seven young maidens in an ancient and forbidden ritual to consume, thus empowering them on par with the Old Gods from before time. Fortunately, the ritual isn¡¯t widely known and has never succeeded. Any human who was foolishly stupid or evil enough to try to make a deal has always been stopped.¡±

    ¡°R-Really? How do you know, Scott?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°Simple. The apocalypse hasn¡¯t happened yet.¡± he stated.

    ¡°Wait, you said seven hearts were needed to sacrifice to the daemons,¡± Cross said, not liking where this was going.

    ¡°Which means there will be two more murders of young girls before this is over. And if the ritual is allowed to proceed, what¡¯s over is life as we know it.¡± Scott said grimly. ¡°So, you know, we should probably do something about that, yeah.¡± Detective Cross stood up, cursing.

    ¡°Did not sign up for any of this apocalypse crap. This is so stupid.¡± she muttered, massaging her temples. ¡°Okay. The top priority then is to prevent any more deaths. Scott, here.¡± She wrote on a piece of paper and handed it to him. ¡°It¡¯s my cell number. If you find out anything else, contact me immediately. I¡¯m unofficially making you a consultant on this case. Don¡¯t let anyone else know about this, this is strictly off the books. But if everything you say is true, I¡¯m going to need all the help I can get, and you¡¯ve proven you know more about this magic mumbo jumbo than I do. Now come on. It¡¯s getting late, and you have school in the morning.¡± She shot him a small smirk at that, and he sighed.

    ¡°Yeah yeah. Looks like another day of drowsiness ahead for me.¡± he complained.

    ¡°Think of it like going undercover. You need to keep up appearances. Now come on, I¡¯ll drive you home.¡±

    As they piled into the car and drove off, each of them was ruminating over the implications of Scott¡¯s explanation, all of them distracted as they drove on the deserted streets under a cloudy, starless sky.

    Monica yawned as she opened the fridge, scanning the shelves for a drink to slake her thirst this late at night.

    ¡°Orange juice no, too acidic. Milk? Nah, too thick for right now.¡± She spied a bottle of water, and dismissed it. ¡°Not enough taste. How about...¡± She picked up the ginger ale. ¡°Yeah, why not.¡± Taking a hefty swig, she hiccupped as she put it back. ¡°Ahh, that hit the spot.¡± She turned to go back to her room.

    She hummed as she made her way through the living room, in a good mood. She was turning seventeen next week, and her grades were good enough that her parents had been dropping hints about a car for her birthday. Suddenly and unexpectedly, she heard a knock at the front door. Monica paused.

    ¡°This late?¡± she muttered. She padded over to the door and looked through the peephole. There was no one outside. ¡°Probably just a raccoon or something.¡± she said doubtfully, and turned away.

    There was another knocking on the door.

    Monica looked through the peephole again, and still there was nothing. Staring to get seriously weirded out, she wondered what could be going on. Pranksters? Maybe a trash can blew over in the wind and was thumping against the door?

    Making sure there was no one there, Monica cautiously opened the door a crack to check. Like she originally thought, there was no one there. Breathing a sigh of relief, she closed the door.

    Out of nowhere, a gloved hand pushed its¡¯ way into the door to stop it. A figure dressed all in black shoved its¡¯ way past the frame, and tried to force a weird-smelling cloth into her face.

    ¡°Aaaaaaaahhh!¡± Monica screamed in terror and jumped back. Unfortunately, this allowed the figure to open the door completely. Monica saw that not even an inch of skin was uncovered, there was some blank black face mask covering the head.

    Of the Craven Falls Killer. He stormed forward.

    ¡°Nooooo!¡± She lashed out with a kick that caught him on the hip, strengthened by seven years of ballet lessons.

    ¡°Gurk!¡± he grunted and slid back, trying not to fall down. Monica ran as fast as she could up the stairs to her parents¡¯ room.

    ¡°Mom! Dad! Help me! Help!¡± She tried to open the door, but the knob wouldn¡¯t turn. Her parents never locked their door. Help me! He¡¯s after me!¡± She frantically pounded on the door, but there was nothing but silence on the other side. Panicking, she raced to her room, pausing only to overturn the small flimsy table at the top of the stairs toward the figure climbing them, buying her a few more precious seconds of time. ¡®Phone. Have to call 911.¡¯was her only thought as she laid her hand on her doorknob and turned it.

    The black figure emerged from her room as soon as she opened the door, grabbing Monica and holding the cloth on her mouth and nose. Everything started going black.

    ¡®No¡­why¡­why isn¡¯t anyone helping¡­¡¯ she thought before sinking into the darkness. She felt a dull pinch in her chest, and then she knew no more.

 Chapter 7- The Haunted Mansion

    Scott grunted as he sat down at lunch, tearing open a ketchup packet and viciously stirring it into his mashed potatoes while Amber watched, bemused. He had been irritable and cranky all day.

    ¡°But Mom, I¡¯m still sick, really. Cough.¡± he¡¯d said that morning, trying to convince his mother. She¡¯d looked him up and down. Besides the bags under his eyes, which wasn¡¯t unusual, he seemed fine.

    ¡°You know sick people don¡¯t actually say ¡®cough¡¯, right?¡±

    ¡°Dammit. Worth a shot.¡± Defeated, they¡¯d set off this morning.

    ¡°Calm down, Scott. The mashed potatoes never did anything to you. It wasn¡¯t their fault you had to come to school today.¡± she said.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the fact that I had to come today!¡± he said quietly, irritated. He paused. ¡°Well, not entirely,¡± he amended. ¡°It¡¯s the fact that I have to work with the-ugh-police now. We shouldn¡¯t have tried to break into the morgue last night.¡±

    ¡°Why? You said yourself that if it came down to it, you¡¯d rather have the police on your side than not, right?¡± she asked, an eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Hrn. That¡¯s only if worst came to worst, which it did. It was never my first choice. For example, that Cross woman. Did it seem like she was welcoming of the magical and¡­less savory aspects of this case?¡±

    ¡°Not really.¡± Amber said, frowning.

    ¡°Exactly. The police have all sorts of rules and regulations that they have to follow. And as I seem to need to remind you, necromancy isn¡¯t exactly neat and tidy and regulated. It¡¯s quite the ghoulish art. Effective, yes, but there¡¯s no law enforcement can approve of the way I go about business, and court on Earth that¡¯ll admit any evidence I gather. You certainly can¡¯t testify.¡± he said. Amber looked introspective.

    ¡°Then what would¡¯ve you done if we hadn¡¯t gotten caught, then? How would you¡¯ve found my heart without Detective Cross¡¯s help?¡± she asked.

    ¡°I¡¯m fully capable of conducting an investigation without police interference.¡± he said crossly. ¡°At least to find what we need. It would just be in my own style. In my original scenario, we would¡¯ve found the killer¡¯s hideout, snuck in, got your heart and left without confrontation. That¡¯s what I¡¯d hoped.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t answer me. How would you have found it.¡± Amber asked, starting to get irked herself. Scott waved his hand dismissively.

    ¡°A simple manhunt I can handle. I can animate anything that¡¯s dead, and the woods are full of squirrels, birds, and mice. I could just raise up an army of them and instruct them to reconnoiter for anyone or anything suspicious. They can get practically anywhere unseen, and as zombies they wouldn¡¯t tire or rest until they found something.¡± he said. Amber lit up.

    ¡°Wow. That¡¯s actually pretty amazing.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, except I can¡¯t do that anymore.¡± he said ruefully.

    ¡°Huh? What do you mean?¡±

    ¡°I told you, I have to work with the police now. Such evidence is inadmissible.¡± he said, frowning. ¡°What do you think Cross¡¯ll say when asked how they found the killer? ¡®Oh, an army of zombie squirrels found his hideout and we just followed them?¡¯¡±

    ¡°Ah, I see what you mean.¡± She looked at him nervously. ¡°Then¡­if you¡¯re right about the murderer killing girls for their hearts to sacrifice, then¡­what would you do if we actually found him?¡±

    ¡°Kill him either by forcing necrotic energy into his body or ripping him apart with zombies, reanimate the body, then have it perform ¡®suicide¡¯ in public, preferably by immolation in a parking lot or something.¡± Scott said coldly and without hesitation. Amber blinked.

    ¡°That¡¯s¡­oddly specific. You, uh, didn¡¯t come up with that on the spur of the moment, did you.¡± It wasn¡¯t a question. Scott nodded.

    ¡°Necromancy isn¡¯t very nice. It¡¯s the best way I could come up with to both eliminate the threat and ensure eyes didn¡¯t point in my direction.¡± Scott said, shrugging. ¡°Which¡¯ll make Cross suspicious as hell if it happens, and I¡¯m not going to use dark magic on good people.¡± He sighed. ¡°The threat is that serious. But involving the law, even tangentially, limits what I can do.¡± Amber shifted uncomfortably.

    ¡°Err, yeah, I guess.¡± she outwardly admitted, but inside she was secretly a little relieved Scott was tethered by the police¡¯s restraints. Even if she knew that the threat was dire, she still didn¡¯t want Scott to kill anyone. ¡°I just think that-¡±

    ¡°Hey, man.¡± A short, chubby, dark-haired boy in a garish dragon t-shirt placed his tray on the table and slid into the seat Amber was currently occupying. She looked down in consternation, and Scott had to suppress a snicker.

    ¡°Hey Brian. Long time no see.¡± he said, mildly surprised. Amber floated to the seat next to him.

    ¡°Who¡¯s he?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°Yeah, I was sick Tuesday, and you were out yesterday. What happened? Were you sick too? Didn¡¯t get it from me, I know that.¡± Brian asked, understandably heedless of Amber¡¯s curiosity.

    ¡°You could say that. I was dead tired, that¡¯s for sure.¡± Scott said amicably, with a grin. Brian raised an eyebrow, but shrugged it off.

    ¡°Yeah, I¡¯ve had those days too. So anything interesting going on lately?¡± he asked.

    ¡°In the last two days I¡¯ve bound my soul to another¡¯s, busted a ghost, snuck into the city morgue, got caught by the police, and managed to finagle a consultant job with them out of that fiasco.¡± Scott said, entirely straight-faced. Amber scowled at him, but Brian burst out laughing.

    ¡°Yeah, you are the weirdest person I¡¯ve ever met. So what¡¯d you do yesterday?¡±

    ¡°Mostly slept and played videogames, nothing much.¡± he said wryly, with a shrug. ¡°Nothing exciting, at any rate.¡±

    Amber watched Scott and Brian talk as they dug into their lunches. She smiled; it seemed he did have at least one friend to talk to. That was good. Her thoughts and eyes drifted over to the table where hers usually sat. Stephanie was bringing her food over now, bobbing her head as she softly mumbles song lyrics. Amber considered joining to listen in on them, but she noticed someone¡¯s elbow knock a milk carton over and Stephanie step onto it unawares, slipping.

    ¡°Waaahh!¡± Her tray and arms whirled through the air. Amber jumped up, but there was no need for whatever help she could give. The person behind her caught her before she hit the ground. Stephanie found herself in well-muscled arms, staring at the piercing blue eyes and immaculately-styled blonde hair of Leo Manning, captain of the football team.

    ¡°Um, h-hi t-there.¡± she said, blushing and stammering.

    ¡°Are you all right?¡± he asked, putting her back on her feet.

    ¡°Y-Yeah.¡± Stephanie managed.

    ¡°That¡¯s good. I do hate to see girls get hurt. Glad I could help.¡± He knelt down to pick up her tray and the remains of her ruined food. ¡°I¡¯m sure they¡¯d give you another if you explained.¡± He took her tray to dispose of it. ¡°Please, allow me to get this.¡± Every female within a fifty-foot radius¡¯s heart melted, including Amber. And she was missing hers. Scott gagged.

    ¡°Hey, wait a sec.¡± Stephanie said. ¡°Um¡­if, y¡¯know, it wouldn¡¯t be any trouble¡­would you, um, like to hang out sometime?¡± she said hopefully, blushing.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, go for it! She¡¯s cute! Say yes!¡± Amber cheered. She knew Stephanie had a crush on him for the longest time, and had encouraged her as much as possible to ask him out. Leo rubbed the back of his neck and gave her a bashful but winning smile.

    ¡°Gee, I¡¯m sorry, but I¡¯ve got practice through Saturday, and I¡¯m taking my sister to her piano lessons next week. My schedule¡¯s packed, doesn¡¯t look like I can do it any time soon. Thanks for the invite, though.¡± he said mournfully.

    ¡°Oh. O-Okay.¡± Stephanie said, crestfallen.

    ¡°I really am sorry. I¡¯ll see you around. I hope you have a good day.¡± Brushing his hair out of his face with a gesture that made every girl¡¯s heart skip a beat, he smiled and left. Stephanie went to her table and slumped over, feeling dejected but elated that he¡¯d spoken to her. Brian sighed.

    ¡°That total bastard.¡± He shook his head. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s got it made. I don¡¯t get it. What¡¯s he got that I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°Athleticism, good looks, straight A¡¯s since sixth grade, impeccable manners, a winning personality, a metric ton of self-confidence, a red convertible and perfect hair. I wonder why he¡¯s popular.¡± Scott deadpanned without hesitation or mercy. Brian sighed again, and the bell rang.

    ¡°You don¡¯t hold back, do you? I¡¯ve gotta get going, I¡¯ll see you later.¡± Brian said, dumping his tray.

    ¡°Later, man.¡± Scott did the same, and was about to leave when he noticed Amber still at the table, staring dreamily at Leo¡¯s disappearing wake with more than a few other girls. ¡°You coming, or just want to stare at Prince Charming¡¯s trail all day?¡± he said dryly.

    ¡°Mmmm? You say something?¡± she said, not looking away. Sighing, Scott grabbed the chain attached to his chest and shook it, making her jump and bringing her back to reality. ¡°Huh? What? I¡¯m here! Huh?¡±

    ¡°Clearly.¡± he said, rolling his eyes.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Bright sunlight shone in from the window, cold and high. Despite being obscured by clouds. Birds chirped and flew by, making shadows dance on the bed and the wall. Neither the light nor the movement bothered the woman on the bed. She didn¡¯t awake until her cell phone started incessantly ringing. Her hand fumbled to pick it up from her nightstand. Not even glancing at the caller ID, she held it to her head on the pillow with her eyes closed.

    ¡°I thought I said I wasn¡¯t to be disturbed this morning. I had a very late night working on the case. Who is this?¡± Detective Cross said testily. The person on the other end gulped.

    ¡°I-I¡¯m officer Pryce, ma¡¯am. I know you sent a memo out that you¡¯d be late today, but-¡±

    ¡°There is no ¡®but¡¯ here, officer Pryce.¡± she cut him off. ¡°I specifically requested that no one was to disturb me while I caught up on my sleep. You are exactly two minutes from turning in your badge. When I give an order, I expect it to be obeyed.¡±

    ¡°But, ma¡¯am¡­we¡¯ve found another victim.¡± he said, desperately. Her eyes snapped open, and she immediately recalled how many hearts Scott said were required for the sacrifice.

    ¡°How long ago?¡± she barked.

    ¡°Um, we won¡¯t know for certain until the reports get back from forensics, but the rough estimate is around one a.m.¡±

    ¡°Damn.¡± That was the time she¡¯d finally gotten home. If she¡¯d stayed out a little bit later¡­ ¡°Where¡¯s the scene?¡±

    ¡°41 Pennywise Lane. The parents are still in shock. We¡¯ve got a crew already here, but the senior officers decided it was best you knew right away, and they kind of volunteered me, so¡­¡± Pryce said.

    ¡°Well then. I¡¯m up now, so I¡¯ll be there in¡­¡± She checked the time. 9:03. ¡°An hour-no, forty-five minutes. Wait for me. And I want a copy of every single report personally, understand?¡± she snapped.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± She could practically hear him and the thought of it was the first good one she¡¯d had in a week.

    ¡°Good.¡± Cross hung up, stretched, and then got up to brush her teeth, muttering obscenities on the way.

    Exactly forty-four minutes and eleven seconds later, she stepped underneath the yellow tape around the open door. Cross took in the scene; cops everywhere, more tape over past the top of the stairs, sobbing coming from the living room, and a general aura of sullen despair. She spied a young man talking to one of the senior detectives, and scanned his nametag.

    ¡°Pryce, wasn¡¯t it?¡± she said, coming up from behind. He turned and immediately shot ramrod straight, the detective standing up more as well.

    ¡°Y-Yes ma¡¯am!¡± he said hesitantly.

    ¡°Good. Come with me and debrief me.¡± With a face that was rapidly turning chalk white, he followed her to the stairs.

    ¡°W-Well, ma¡¯am, honestly there¡¯s not much to go on. Around one a.m. the perpetrator entered the domicile, presumably went up the stairs, found one Monica Palencia, and, well, chloroformed her and removed her heart, same as the other ones. Leaving no evidence.¡± he explained.

    ¡°That¡¯s a load of crap and you know it. Of course there¡¯s evidence, there always is. This kind of sloppy investigating is why I¡¯m here in the first place.¡± Cross growled. Pryce merely held up his hands helplessly. ¡°Like the point of entry. Was it locked or unlocked?¡±

    ¡°Mr. Palencia insists it¡¯s always locked at night, and it was when they found it this morning, wide open.¡±

    ¡°What, really? And another thing. Her parents were twenty feet from her and they didn¡¯t see or hear anything?¡± Cross asked. Pryce shook his head.

    ¡°They insist that nothing was wrong throughout the night. June Palencia apparently has trouble sleeping, but she says she didn¡¯t hear a peep all night and I¡¯m inclined to believe her.¡± They came to Monica¡¯s room, where her feet were sticking out of the door. The rest of her body was inside, covered by a sheet.

    ¡°And let me guess. No prints, no DNA, no murder weapon, and no¡­motive.¡± Cross said, reaching down to lift the sheet up, grimacing at the sight. ¡°Look at this.¡±

    ¡°Ugh.¡± he muttered, but she ignored him.

    ¡°Her heart¡¯s been completely removed from her body. There¡¯s blood everywhere. But notice something strange?¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± He examined the body. ¡°Um¡­.no. I¡¯m sorry, but I don¡¯t see anything.¡±

    ¡°Not around the body, I won¡¯t have my officers acting stupid. Look around, at the room.¡± He scanned the room. Posters, a dresser, desk, closet, bed, some clothes scattered on the floor, a bookshelf, nothing out of the ordinary.

    ¡°I don¡¯t see anything.¡± he admitted.

    ¡°Right. And remember the hall and the stairs? Nothing unusual there, correct?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Pryce said, mystified. Cross raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Really? Nothing wrong with the picture? A serial killer rips out a girls¡¯ heart, and the blood only pools around the girl¡¯s body?¡± Realization dawned on him as he examined the spotless walls again.

    ¡°There¡¯s no blood stains.¡± he said breathlessly.

    ¡°None in the hall, either. We should be seeing a dripping trial, splatter on the door and wall, definitely in the hallway at least, if the girl¡¯s door was open.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s only in one puddle.¡±

    ¡°Even if the perpetrator carried it in something, we should still see more than we are. Mr. and Mrs. Palencia haven¡¯t touched anything? Moved anything? Seen any blood elsewhere since before we arrived?¡± Cross asked.

    ¡°No, they checked the body, yeah, but they called 911 right away. I¡¯ll ask ¡®em again, but I don¡¯t think they¡¯ve been up around here too much.¡± Pryce said, shaking his head.

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t think so.¡± she said dryly.

    ¡°But detective, how could this¡¯ve happened? How could the killer have removed the heart without it gushing everywhere?¡± he asked, looking at her like he was lost.

    ¡°I have no idea, but that¡¯s what we¡¯re going to find out. Double check with the Palencia¡¯s, then call forensics to test for residue and possible spray projection. I don¡¯ think the perp went to the trouble of cleaning up the remains around the room while leaving the body so obvious, but I want every possibility ruled out. But even more than that I¡¯m concerned that the killer seems to have no problem getting into homes and taking targets that way.¡± She looked down in introspection, but noticed him staring at her, a worried look on his face. ¡°Get to it.¡± she snapped.Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

    ¡°Yes ma¡¯am!¡± He saluted and left. Cross sighed as she left the room, making way for the photographer.

    ¡°Of course, the real question isn¡¯t how the killer did it. I hate to admit it, but looks like the kid really was right.¡± She checked her phone and leaned against a flimsy table near the top of the stairs. It was only going on eleven. Cross mentally cursed; she was tempted, but she wasn¡¯t going to pull him out of class. She wanted Scott¡¯s role in this investigation a secret, at least for now. She glanced at the officers milling around. The real question was how the blatant evidence, or lack thereof, could escape the notice of so many trained professionals.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°Finally.¡± Scott yawned and stretched as he and Amber made their way home. The clouds, lighter during the day, were growing darker and more ominous, threatening rain. ¡°Looks like I won¡¯t be able to go to the cemetery tonight. Eh, no point anyway.¡±

    ¡°So, Scott. Who was that at lunch today? He seemed nice.¡± Amber chirped happily. He raised his eyebrow at her.

    ¡°Brian?¡±

    ¡°Yeah! Who is he?¡± she asked. Scott shook his head.

    ¡°I¡¯ve known him for a couple of years now. We usually eat lunch together. I guess you could call us friends, but we don¡¯t really hang out that much, usually at school. Just why are you so, I dunno, happy anyway? He¡¯s not your friend.¡±

    ¡°I know, I know. It¡¯s just¡­I want everyone to have at least one friend.¡± She smiled at him, softly and sadly. As she walked, her feet unknowingly sank an inch into the ground. ¡°You know my dad¡¯s kind of rich, right?¡± Scott nodded. ¡°Well, it wasn¡¯t always like that. It was a really long time ago, when I was like four or five. I remember we had an apartment. We were happy there, a loving family. Poor, but happy. My dad wasn¡¯t satisfied, though. He wanted better for us, for me. So he got a loan and started a heating and ventilation store. It did really well, and we could¡¯ve moved to a house, but dad was worried that the store might fail and we would be stuck. So he gathered up some more capitol and started a carpeting supply store too.

    ¡°But managing two stores essentially by himself was too much. Mom pitched in, and through all their hard work they could expand. Home furnishings, appliances, gym equipment, they could expand fast. It was all thanks to their dedication and desire for a better life for all of us. We were able to move out of the tiny little apartment and into a brand new house.¡± Amber tilted her head back, and stared into the sky. She sighed.

    ¡°I think we were there for about a year. Then we moved out of town for a while. I had to transfer schools. But the commute proved to be too much. I think on average, they were only home about five hours a day. We moved back soon after, but they opened two more stores and were constantly moving back and forth between all of them. We were in the Craven Falls suburbs, at that point yet, but they thought it would be better to move to the city in a penthouse to be closer to the stores and spend more time at home. I had to change schools again. But that was really expensive, so they opened another business to try and cover extra costs, but it was too much work for too little money so we moved back to Craven Falls proper. I started going to our middle school that January.¡± They were crossing the bridge over the river, and Scott motioned her to join him looking over the side, so he could pay attention better without looking strange in public.

    ¡°Yeah?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Before then, I was basically alone. My parents tended to work in shifts, one of them either out or working on paperwork while the other slept. They traded back and forth, and I kind of got lost in the shuffle. They were around, don¡¯t get me wrong, I was shown love and attention, but it tended to come in short bursts. And by the time we moved back for real, I never had any friends. I had a lot of cool stuff, but no one to talk to, really. I remember sometimes on weekends when they were extra busy, I didn¡¯t actually speak from Friday night until Monday morning. There was no one to talk to, so¡­I didn¡¯t.¡±

    ¡°Wow.¡± Scott said, and amber chuckled ruefully.

    ¡°Trust me, there were good times, I wasn¡¯t traumatized or anything. But I had trouble making friends. I couldn¡¯t really connect with anyone, not if I didn¡¯t know when I¡¯d actually see the kids around me again. I tried the first couple of times, but it was too painful when we had to move again. By the time I got to middle school, I was surrounded by strangers despite it being my hometown. But that changed when I met Stephanie.

    ¡°We were assigned a group project, and she was in mine. It turned out we both had a crush on the same singer of a boy band, we got to talking, and we ate lunch together. Turns out I¡¯d forgotten my sandwich, so she gave me half of hers. I wanted to thank her, so I asked if she wanted to listen to their new album at my house after school. I can still remember how hard my heart was beating when I managed to screw up my courage to ask her. She said yes, and we listened to it all afternoon, singing and dancing badly. We hit it off, arranged to meet after school some more, and that was that. She¡¯s been my best friend since then. We¡¯ve had sleepovers, gone to the beach, camping, told each other everything. I was loved before, yeah. But I wasn¡¯t alone anymore. Eventually we moved to our house on Crystal Lake Boulevard, which is like only four blocks down from her house, and we were the happiest girls in the world.¡± Amber smiled and shook her head, remembering. ¡°Do you know what I did on the night I met Stephanie?¡±

    ¡°What¡¯d you do?¡± Scott asked, leaning on the railing.

    ¡°I cried. I was so happy, I actually cried. I¡¯d never really noticed before, but my loneliness started to turn me numb. Too many boring nights with no one to talk to kind of made me, I don¡¯t know, too used to solitude. But I felt so good after having Stephanie around for a while. I know it sounds silly, but you know how seriously kids can take stuff. It¡¯s just, I know how painful loneliness can be, and I don¡¯t want that for anyone. And, y¡¯know, you¡¯re not exactly Mr. Popular at school¡­¡± she trailed off, embarrassed to come out and say it. Scott waved her off.

    ¡°Hmmm,¡± he muttered, pensive. ¡°Well, everyone gets lonely sometimes. But I never really felt like that, I guess. I had a brother growing up, and he¡¯s annoying so I¡¯ve always craved solitude more. I guess it¡¯s just different strokes for different folks. And yes, I do have friends.¡± he said, mildly irked. She giggled.

    ¡°Well now that I know, I¡¯m happy.¡± she said, smirking.

    ¡°Whatever. Just because-¡± His phone buzzed. ¡°Huh?¡± Taking it out, he read the text message he¡¯d received. His eyes widened with horror, then narrowed as he swore loudly.

    ¡°What? What¡¯s wrong?¡± Amber said.

    ¡°There¡¯s been another victim. That brings it to six.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± she exclaimed. He started pacing back and forth on the bridge, cursing.

    ¡°She wants me to meet her tonight. Rrrg! This is not good.¡± He stopped pacing, considering his options. He nodded. ¡°Nothing for it. Hope they¡¯re around. C¡¯mon.¡± He started walking away.

    ¡°What? What¡¯s going on? Where are we going?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°You¡¯ll see.¡± was his reply, and he marched on in determined silence. He turned right on the road he normally turned left, and Amber was confused. They were headed to the old district of town, where there were plots of land that had held homes since colonial times. Ten minutes later, they stopped in front of a large, decrepit old mansion that had been abandoned since the sixties.

    ¡°Here we are. You¡¯ll like this place.¡± Scott said, grinning.

    ¡°And where is here, exactly?¡± Amber asked, looking at the ancient manse with a disapproving eye.

    ¡°Blackwell Manor. It¡¯s been here since the nineteenth century, and it¡¯s a minor historical landmark. Not officially or anything, but it¡¯s considered kind of a tourist trap for history buffs. Unfortunately, it¡¯s been abandoned since 1961, and with no one caring for it it¡¯s become decrepit and dangerous.¡± Scott explained.

    ¡°And we¡¯re going in.¡± Amber said glumly, seeing which way the wind was blowing.

    ¡°Yup.¡± He went to an innocuous seeming portion of the wooden fence and surreptitiously nudged a toe under a hole in the board and pulled. With a creak the board slid up, and he darted inside before anyone could see him. Amber just walked through the fence. ¡°Showoff.¡± he muttered.

    The yard was overgrown, with tall grass, dead bushes, and cracked pavement leading up to the foreboding porch. The grounds were littered with broken bottles, abandoned Frisbees and forgotten baseballs. Thunder rumbled as the sky darkened even more, giving the whole house an ominous and forbidding aura.

    ¡°I don¡¯t think I like this place. It¡¯s creepy.¡± Amber said, growing nervous.

    ¡°Hate to break it to you, but creepy¡¯s what you¡¯re stuck with for now. Being a ghost around a necromancer, and all.¡±

    ¡°But it looks like one of those haunted houses that used to scare me in movies when I was a kid!¡± she protested. Scott merely stared at her. And stared. ¡°Well, anyone would be nervous going in there.¡± She said looking down, glad once again ectoplasmic bodies couldn¡¯t blush.

    ¡°Yyyyyyeahhhh.¡± Scott said, getting back on track. ¡°We should go in. It¡¯s starting to rain.¡± He strode fearlessly up to the door, glanced around to make sure no one was looking, then used his shoulder to force the door open. They walked inside, the lightning making the shadows dance as the storm began to break. Scott closed the door with a drawn out squeak, making Amber glance around nervously. There was illumination from the windows, but the only thing Amber could make out was the furniture covered in white sheets and the twisted, demonic shadows that the lighting offered, making the house seem even more treacherous.

    ¡°Float a little higher, try to spread out your glow as much as possible. There¡¯s some holes in the floor, and I¡¯d rather not break my leg.¡± Scott said. Amber did, but at best she could only throw her light about three feet in front of them.

    ¡°Scott, I don¡¯t like this place. Why are we here?¡± Amber whimpered quietly, scanning the room for any sign of movement. She shuddered as she saw a spider climb up its¡¯ web.

    ¡°Why are you whispering?¡± he asked. ¡°We¡¯re here to meet someone. Hello, there!¡± he called.

    ¡°Scott! What are you doing? Someone could hear you!¡± she whispered harshly.

    ¡°That¡¯s the point.¡± he said, eyebrow raised. ¡°Hellooo!¡± He started walking up the stairs, each board creaking under his weight. He stared to use the railing, buy immediately took his hand off as he was reminded of how much dust there was. ¡°Hello!¡±

    ¡°Scott! Please come back! This place is really creepy, it really reminds me of a haunted house!¡± Scott paused and turned back to her incredulously.

    ¡°What? Of course-¡± He was cut off by a wailing from upstairs, rapidly becoming louder as it drew closer. Amber glanced around nervously. A bright blue light shot form the hall upstairs, barreled down the steps, and circled around the room.

    ¡°Eeeeeaaahh!¡± Amber shrieked. The bellowing grew louder, the ball bursting near the ceiling.

    It revealed a large, transparently blue old man, obviously not of the current time period. Dressed in a British Navy officer¡¯s uniform circa 1897, the buttons straining under his generous stomach, he had an enormous walrus-like mustache and a hand on his chest passionately, singing a note as loudly (and apparently as off-key) as he could. He held it as he floated down to ground level, where he took a bow to the stunned ghost and grinning necromancer.

    ¡°Nice volume, Captain.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°Indeed, harrumph! Some L¡¯etoile tonight, what what. Been far too long since I¡¯ve seen some proper Chabrier. Too long, I say!¡± He finally noticed Amber. ¡°What ho! Enchant¨¦, my dear!¡± In one motion, he swept his hat off, bowed on one knee, and took her hand to his mouth for a kiss. ¡°A pleasure, a divine pleasure to meet you. Jolly good, I say! Such a lovely young lass!¡± He turned back to Scott. ¡°Young master, I had no idea you were courting! Where did you come across this lovely flower of maidenhood?¡±

    ¡°Scott¡­¡± Amber gave Scott a sideways look, awaiting an explanation. Scott was having trouble holding back his laughter.

    ¡°Amber, I present to you Captain Phineas T. Blackwell.¡± he said, chuckling.

    ¡°Ho! Where are my manners!¡± Phineas burst out, bowing to Amber once again. ¡°As the lad has summarized, I am Captain Phineas Thaddeus Blackwell of Her Majesty¡¯s Royal Navy 1<sup>st</sup> class, at your humble service, what what!¡± he proclaimed, gesturing to himself grandly. ¡°And who might you be, lass?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m Amber Harris, sir. It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you.¡± she said, gently shaking his hand.

    ¡°Ho ho! Such a civil and demure beauty! Welcome to Blackwell Manor! Forgive the look of the place, haven¡¯t been able to touch a broom since I became deceased!¡± He floated over to Scott, leaned on his shoulder, and in what he thought was a whisper said ¡°Good show, lad. Haven¡¯t seen one like that since the courtesans of China or the beauties of Paris! Certainly more than my late Eunice, God rest her soul.¡± He briefly put his hat over his heart. ¡°But good to see a young lad in his prime getting down to brass tacks for some courting, eh, what what?¡± Phineas cuffed Scott¡¯s shoulder and gave him a wink. Amber felt like dying again.

    ¡°Sorry to disappoint you, but we¡¯re not ¡®courting¡¯.¡± Scott dismissed, rubbing his shoulder. ¡°Besides, there¡¯s currently the small factor of her being deceased as well that¡¯s a more pressing concern. Remember? How you could touch her?¡±

    ¡°Oh my word! Forgive me, Miss Harris! I had no idea as to your incorporeal condition!¡± Phineas said, bowing once more to her.

    ¡°Err, yeah.¡± she said hesitantly, overwhelmed by his sincere forthrightness and sheer volume. ¡°Being murdered sucked, but-¡±

    ¡°WHAT!¡± Phineas roared, drawing the saber at his side. ¡°Where is the repugnant rapscallion who has the audacity to lay his hand on a woman! I¡¯ll show him what for, I say! Tally ho!¡± He shot up through the ceiling. Amber blinked.

    ¡°Wow. He¡¯s certainly¡­energetic.¡± she said, and Scott sighed.

    ¡°The Captain¡¯s a great guy, to be sure. But I rarely have the energy to deal with him. And as you¡¯ve seen maybe not the quickest on the uptake. He doesn¡¯t know who killed you, either.¡± he explained, exasperated.

    ¡°So, uh, is he coming back?¡± Amber wondered.

    ¡°Yeah, he can¡¯t go too far. He died in this house in 1913, been haunting the place ever since. He¡¯s a bound spirit, can¡¯t go more than thirty feet from the premises, but he¡¯ll last as long as the house does.¡± Phineas came floating dejectedly back down, a blue chain stretching out to somewhere deeper in the house connected to his heart.

    ¡°Forgive me, lass. In the heat of battle, I forgot my soul cannot leave these grounds. I cannot be the one to avenge you.¡± He sighed, his mustache flumphing out. Amber smiled.

    ¡°That¡¯s all right, Captain. Just knowing that you would if you could is a great comfort. Thank you.¡± she said, and the old ghost puffed up again.

    ¡°Actually, that¡¯s why we¡¯re here today. Captain, have you seen the Simmons around? I have business with them.¡± Scott said. Phineas scratched his head.

    ¡°Hmm? I shouldn¡¯t think so. It appears as though that horrid Witch has gone to ground again, finally. They¡¯ve stepped out.¡±

    ¡°Who are the Simmons?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°Some of the ghosts around here that Edith wasn¡¯t able to get. When she came out, they sought shelter with the Captain here. As a ghost bound to the house, he has some leeway deciding on which spiritual entities get in or out. Not even she was strong enough to get through that.¡± Scott answered.

    ¡°Indeed! No monstrous Witch shall lay a finger on any of those in this house! I shall see to it!¡± he proclaimed. ¡°Miss Harris, should you ever need shelter from that harridan, I shall be happy to oblige you.¡±

    ¡°Oh, thank you, Captain.¡± she said gratefully. ¡°But that won¡¯t be necessary. You see, Scott and I actually managed to seal her up in her tombstone the other day. She won¡¯t be bugging you anymore.¡± Phineas¡¯ eyes went wide and he spent a moment just staring at her in shock and wonder. He turned to Scott for confirmation, and he nodded.

    ¡°WHAT? By JOVE!¡± he shouted at last, jumping into the air. ¡°You mean to tell me that a slip of a girl such as yourself met that witch in battle? And PREVAILED!?¡± Behind him, Scott had his hands to his ears.

    ¡°Y-Yeah. But I didn¡¯t do all that much, it was Scott who did the actual sealing.¡± Amber said, wincing at the volume. Phineas turned around and gave Scott a hearty clap to the back, practically bowling him forward.

    ¡°What ho, lad! Bravo! Jolly good work I say, jolly good! I never thought you had it in you! I guess there¡¯s something to that voodoo you go on about after all, what what! Bwa ha ha-ha ha!¡± he guffawed uproariously. Scott rubbed his shoulder.

    ¡°Yeah well, she decided to press the issue. I just pressed back harder. Anyway, do you think the Simmons will be back soon? I really gotta speak with them.¡± he said.

    ¡°Ah, of course. Tell you what lad, I¡¯ll see if I can¡¯t bring ¡®em back meself. After all, it¡¯s the least I can do for a hero who¡¯s freed us from that Witch¡¯s curse. If you¡¯ll excuse me, young master and miss. I¡¯ll be back before the kettle starts to blow!¡± He bowed again, and floated up through the ceiling and beyond. Scott gasped as he realized what Phineas was doing.

    ¡°Quick, cover your ears!¡± he said, stuffing his fingers into his. Amber hurriedly followed suit.

    Outside, heedless of the crackling lightning and pouring rain, Phineas surveyed the land and floated to the apex of the chain¡¯s length. Taking a deep breath that expanded his extensive stomach, mostly out of habit, he prepared his lungs, honed from years of commanding ships in the Navy.

    ¡°MR. AND MRS. SIMMONS! YOU ARE HEARBY SUMMONED TO BLACKWELL MANOR IMMEDIATELY! HURRY I SAY, WHAT WHAT!¡± he bellowed, putting the thunder to shame. He listened to the echoes bouncing around the town, audible only to a select few with satisfaction.

    ¡°Is he always this loud?¡± Amber said, swearing she could hear ringing. Scott rolled his eyes.

    ¡°You have no idea.¡±

    A few minutes later, Phineas floated back down.

    ¡°They have arrived. Miss Harris, I present to you the magnanimous Mr. and Mrs. Simmons!¡±

    Two ghosts hurriedly phased through the door, looking flustered. They looked to be in their thirties, but just stepping off the Leave It to Beaver set. The woman wore a long floral print dress with white gloves, and the man was in an old-fashioned suit with a handkerchief and a pipe.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on here? Why did the Captain call us back so soon?¡± Mr. Simmons demanded.

    ¡°Scott, you¡¯re here! We heard Phineas shouting at the top of his lungs, but you know where our graves are if you need to talk to us, I thought that horrible Witch had returned early-¡± Mrs. Simmons started, but Phineas interjected.

    ¡°Fret not, my dear! Rejoice! Rejoice, I say! These stalwart young heroes have managed to do the unthinkable and drive her off for good!¡±

    ¡°She¡¯s just sealed up. I couldn¡¯t exorcise her.¡± Scott said dourly. Mr. Simmons jaw dropped, but Mrs. Simmons was aghast.

    ¡°Scott! How many times have I told you not to get mixed up with her? She¡¯s too dangerous!¡± she scolded. He shifted uncomfortably.

    ¡°I know, I know. But it was either that or let the client get eaten.¡± He pointed to Amber, and they finally noticed the fourth ghost.

    ¡°Oh! How do you do. I¡¯m Judith, it¡¯s nice to meet you. This is my husband, Alfred.¡± She said, shaking her hand.

    ¡°A pleasure, though considering the state you¡¯re in, one I regret having.¡± Alfred said gravely.

    ¡°Uh, yeah. A pleasure to meet you too. I¡¯m Amber. Scott¡¯s working with me to help bring me back to life.¡±

    ¡°Ha! I never thought it possible, but if the lad can banish that woman than maybe he¡¯s not all talk! Perhaps I should consider making a comeback, what what?¡± Phineas said.

    ¡°Actually Captain, I have something for you to do too. Could you give Amber the grand tour of the manor? She¡¯s a fresh set of ears for tales from your seafaring days, too. I bet she¡¯d like to hear all about your time in Borneo.¡± Scott said smoothly. Amber frantically signaled no from behind Phineas, and Scott pointedly looked away from her.

    ¡°Capitol idea, lad! Come miss, the parlour is this way. And he¡¯s right, Borneo is a fascinating place! Why, I was once there leading a tiger hunting expedition, fearsome beasts, what¡­¡± he rambled on as he took her gently but firmly by the hand. She smiled and nodded, but shot Scott a dirty look behind the Captain¡¯s back as she was led off. He sighed and mentally apologized to his sacrifice.

    ¡°There. Now we can have a conversation at normal decibel levels, and we won¡¯t be interrupted.¡± he said, turning back to the Simmons.

    ¡°Scott, what¡¯s going on? Why did you want to see us so badly?¡± Judith asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s because of Amber, and you¡¯re some of the only ghosts around the area that can move around. Have you seen anything in the news about the serial killer that¡¯s been running around town?¡± he said.

    ¡°A little. Nothing much, though. Only what we¡¯ve been able to glean from the occasional television report, and we don¡¯t like to invade people¡¯s privacy too much.¡± Alfred admitted, taking a seat on a chair. He noticed he was still an inch above the surface, and surreptitiously sank down accordingly.

    ¡°Good heavens! Don¡¯t tell me you¡¯re going to get involved with this too!¡± Judith said, then gasped. ¡°Oh dear! Is¡­that why that poor girl is¡­¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± Scott said grimly. ¡°More to the point, he¡¯s got her heart. We need to find him and stop him if we want a chance of reversing the situation. He¡¯s killed six girls now, and the attacks started in August. You¡¯re out at all hours, have you seen anything strange? Anybody skulking around, looking shifty, out way past most?¡± The Simmons shared a worried glance.

    ¡°Well, no, we haven¡¯t seen anyone like that on our nightly constitutionals¡­¡± Judith trailed off, worried. Scott raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°But¡­?¡±

    ¡°While we were out enjoying the town since the Witch was gone, we did come across someone suspicious.¡± Alfred explained. ¡°We were passing a gym when we noticed someone staring at the window. He seemed to be fixated on a woman using one of the machines. I thought it was strange because he was standing outside, in the rain. But he was staring so intently at her he didn¡¯t seem to notice he was getting wet. We left soon after to answer the Captain¡¯s call, so he might still be there for all I know.¡± Scott¡¯s heart, upon hearing that, started racing, thundering the blood through his veins.

    ¡°Still there?¡± he cracked out. Alfred nodded.

    ¡°Oh no, you¡¯re going to go after him. If he is this horrible killer, then if you go to confront him he¡¯s sure to do something terrible to you as well! Please, just let the police handle it!¡± Judith pleaded, but Scott shook his head.

    ¡°No good, I don¡¯t have proof for a claim this serious, and there¡¯s no time. Amber! Captain, I need Amber! It¡¯s urgent!¡± he yelled, and the ghosts floated in from the kitchen.

    ¡°¡­of course, tigers are masters of camouflage. And this one was fast enough to slip away every time we cornered it! But he was a glutton, and couldn¡¯t resist a pit filled with fish, with some stakes at the bottom for dessert! Jolly good time!¡± Phineas laughed, dragging a tired looking Amber behind him.

    ¡°Sorry Captain, but we¡¯ve got a lead on our own tiger to catch. We¡¯ll stop by sometime later.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°Understand completely, lad! Fair fortunes to you!¡± Phineas said, saluting.

    ¡°Oh, do be careful.¡± Judith implored, wringing her hands.

    ¡°He had his hood up, so I didn¡¯t get a good look at his face. He was a big guy with blonde hair.¡± Alfred supplied, and Scott nodded as they raced out the door.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Amber asked.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain on the way. But we finally might be able to catch your killer.¡± he said, sprinting as fast as he could.

 Chapter 8- Looking for Leads in All the Wrong Places

    Scott¡¯s boot splashed in a puddle as he limped through town, puffing and wheezing. It had stopped raining, at least, but though the sun was fighting to come out, the wind was picking up to chill him to the bone.

    ¡°You doing all right there, champ?¡± Amber asked, running without effort.

    ¡°Stupid¡­running¡­too¡­much¡­¡± he huffed, having to stop and catch his breath. Hands on his knees, he wiped his forehead and saw they were two blocks away from the gym. ¡°Okay¡­ record¡­ time¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ll go check.¡± Amber said, and floated off to reconnoiter. There were plenty of people in the gym, but no one around staring in a window. She came back. ¡°I¡¯m not seeing anyone. If they were here, they¡¯re gone. If they were the killer, or just a regular old creep. Damn it, I wanna sock ¡®em one.¡± she said, punching her palm. The young necromancer checked his phone.

    ¡°It¡¯s only been about fifteen minutes.¡± he said, shaking his head. ¡°We have to be thorough. There¡¯s a chance he¡¯s still here, or the target moved and he¡¯s following her. Either way, they couldn¡¯t have gotten far. Let¡¯s check again.¡±

    After the pause to converse, he set off again a bit refreshed, Amber hovering behind him. They scanned the area as unobtrusively as possible. There was nothing out of the ordinary until they passed the gym itself, when Scott glanced over across the street. There, in the shadows of the alley between the doughnut shop and the laundromat, was a big guy in a black jacket with the hood up, bent over eating a doughnut so they couldn¡¯t see his face, but there was unmistakably blond hair spilling form the hood. Scott hurried past him and ducked behind the corner of the laundromat.

    ¡°See Amber, he¡¯s still there!¡± he hissed softly. ¡°This could be our chance.¡±

    ¡°Um, okay.¡± she said nervously, tugging her ponytail. ¡°So, what do we do now? How do we go about this?¡±

    ¡°Hmm.¡± Scott considered for a moment. ¡°Well, the first thing we do is try to find out who that is. You¡¯re way less conspicuous than I am, go and check out his face, see if you can memorize it for later. Then see if you can pull his wallet out and find an ID. If we¡¯ve got his name, Cross can track him down later if need be. If you need help, just call me and I¡¯ll provide a distraction.¡± he said. She nodded, and started to go, but a thought struck her and she turned back to him.

    ¡°Hey, Scott? If he really is the killer, and collecting hearts for a magic ritual, would he be able to see me?¡± Scott opened his mouth, blinked, and cursed.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. Crap! If he can, he could possibly do something to you if he realizes you¡¯re there. That¡¯s the rule; if someone can see you, they can touch you. This¡­could complicate things.¡± He closed his eyes for a moment, reformulating the plan. ¡°Okay, new tactic: go up and walk past, and just say hey or something. If he responds, we¡¯ll know he¡¯ll be able to see you. You¡¯re harder to damage in any case, and I can yank you out of there if I need to.¡± he said, holding up the chain. ¡°Just take it easy. Look casual.¡± She stared at him, nonplussed.

    ¡°I am literally glowing green.¡± she pointed out.

    ¡°Then¡­glow casual! You¡¯ll find out who he is anyway, let¡¯s get going!¡± He started to push her in front of the laundromat.

    ¡°Okay, okay, I got it! Sheesh.¡± Amber straightened up, then slouched over again, trying to look casual. She strolled up to the alley and tossed a ¡°¡¯Sup.¡± at the figure there. He was looking up at the gym again, so Amber got a clear look at him. She froze and gasped.

    ¡°What? What is it?¡± Scott muttered, peeking from around the corner. He was almost bowled over when Amber zoomed back, barely noticing him. ¡°Ooof! What¡¯s wrong? Did he see you?¡±

    ¡°No, I don¡¯t think so, but we¡¯ve got bigger problems than that!¡± she said, flailing her hands. ¡°Scott, its Leo!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Leo! Leo Manning!¡±

    ¡°What? Leo? From school?¡± he said.

    ¡°Yes! Oh my god, this¡¯s terrible! I thought he was such a good person! Stephanie has a crush on him! What if he really is the Craven Falls Killer?¡± she said, nearly hysterical. ¡°I, I never thought someone so nice and charming could be so, so¡­evil!¡±

    ¡°Yeah, well, you never knew there was a necromancer at school either, so you never know what someone could be hiding.¡± he said, peering around the corner again. ¡°We don¡¯t know for sure if he¡¯s the murderer or not, but he¡¯s still acting suspicious.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe this¡¯s happening.¡± Amber said, starting to slowly sink into the pavement. ¡°When they said he could steal any girl¡¯s heart, I didn¡¯t think it was literal! But he¡¯s acting like a total creep here. I don¡¯t know, he, he¡¯s just so¡­¡±

    ¡°Handsome?¡± Scott supplied sardonically, and Amber scowled.

    ¡°Not just that.¡± she said, embarrassed.

    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter what that pretty boy looks like, he¡¯s on the move.¡± he said. Leo checked his watch, then got up and left the alley, crossing the street to look in the gym¡¯s window. ¡°We have to find out what he¡¯s doing.¡± Scott said, his voice hard. He abandoned his hiding place and marched over to the gym too.

    ¡°Scott! Hey! Oh, I hate it when you do this!¡± Amber complained, and floated after him.

    ¡°Hey, Leo! My man!¡± Scott said, far too friendly, making Leo jump. ¡°What¡¯cha doing here? Looking to join? I would¡¯ve thought football practice would¡¯ve been enough exercise you would¡¯ve needed.¡±

    ¡°Oh, hello. Um, Scott, wasn¡¯t it?¡± Leo said. The necromancer blinked.

    ¡°Yeah. I¡¯m a little surprised you know me, you¡¯re sort of higher than me in the high school social hierarchy.¡±

    ¡°Ahh, don¡¯t say it like that, we just have different circles. We had a double lab in biology last year. It was the unit on anatomy, and we had to dissect worms, fish, and frogs. I remember everyone was grossed out by it, even if only a little.

    But you stuck out because you treated it like it was nothing. I was a little envious because I was feeling queasy, and you managed to make it seem like you were just doing dishes. I wish I could be that composed and mature.¡± Leo said with a small chuckle. Scott smiled and nodded, remembering the assignment, but deep inside he was a little irked at his super-positive attitude.

    ¡°So anyway, what are you doing here? See something you like?¡± Scott said, glancing at the window.

    ¡°Oh, err¡­ well, uh¡­¡± Leo stuttered, glancing around nervously and shifting from side to side. Scott narrowed his eyes in suspicion, and Amber tugged on her ponytail. ¡°Well, you are pretty quiet...¡± Leo murmured. ¡°Can you keep a secret?¡±

    ¡°Yeah? You don¡¯t have to worry about me, my lips are sealed; I know the value of discretion. But what secret could someone like you have?¡± Scott said. He had to seem as trustworthy and discrete as possible.

    ¡°Well¡­¡± Leo¡¯s eyes were once again drawn to the gym window. ¡°You see the woman at the bench there, lifting weights?¡± he said, pointing her out. The duo looked and saw a young woman who, while having a feminine face and was quite attractive on the whole, had a body built like, in Scott¡¯s opinion, a brick outhouse.

    ¡°Holy hell, her biceps are bigger than my head!¡± he said.

    ¡°I know.¡± Leo said dreamily. ¡°Her name¡¯s Evangeline. Isn¡¯t she just the cutest thing you ever saw?¡± Amber and Scott¡¯s gawking turned form her to Leo.

    ¡°Err, yeah, she¡¯s pretty hot, I guess.¡± Scott said noncommittedly.

    ¡°I have to say, this is not the direction I envisioned this conversation going.¡± Amber said.This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

    ¡°She¡¯s very loving and kind. Right now, she¡¯s training to become a professional bodybuilder.¡± Leo continued. ¡°She doesn¡¯t know her own strength, tends to insult people, is a brawn-over-brains type, is bullheaded and stubborn, and has been called a feral animal instead of a human being. When we first met, she threatened to break my arm.¡± He sighed, staring at her. ¡°She¡¯s just so adorable!¡± Both Amber and Scott were staring at him blankly. ¡®He was listing her good qualities?!¡¯ they thought at the same time.

    ¡°But anyway, we¡¯re kind of going out. She¡¯s my girlfriend.¡± Leo said sheepishly, grinning like a goofball.

    ¡°Oh. Uh. Um.¡± Scott blinked owlishly. ¡°Congratulations.¡±

    ¡°Thanks. But I¡¯d like you to keep it a secret.¡± Leo said. Scott raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Huh? Why?¡±

    ¡°The truth is, we kind of have a long-distance relationship. She lives in Canada, but comes back to visit family here every so often. We met last year at Christmas, and I fell for her, hard. The problem is she¡¯s twenty, and I¡¯m only sixteen. The age difference won¡¯t matter in a few years, but for now we agreed to keep things low-key. It¡¯s best if we¡¯re not seen together too much. I¡¯d love to shout it from the rooftops, but it¡¯s best that word not get back to my family, at least for now. Yeah?¡± he asked hopefully.

    ¡°I¡­see.¡± Scott said, turning back to the window to look at her. ¡°Hey, that guy-¡±

    Inside, they saw Evangeline chatting with a trainer, when a guy walking by reached out and smacked her ass. The trainer started shouting while the guy laughed, but Evangeline didn¡¯t waste time with words. She reached back and decked the guy in the jaw, lifting him off the ground and sending him flying fifteen feet. She would¡¯ve gone over and stomped on him if the trainer hadn¡¯t hastily interposed himself between them, hurriedly explaining the legal ramifications. The guy on the ground was out cold.

    ¡°How dare he lay a hand on my delicate little flower!¡± Leo growled, making Scott stare at him.

    ¡°Delicate little flower?¡± he said.

    ¡°I think that¡¯s a tooth. No, teeth.¡± Amber corrected, seeing what was on the ground.

    ¡°Anyway, I¡¯d better get in there and see how she¡¯s doing, try to calm her down. I have to say, getting this off my chest is quite refreshing. Can you promise not to tell anyone about my girlfriend?¡± Leo asked.

    ¡°Huh? Oh, sure. No problem.¡±

    ¡°Great! Thanks so much. It means a lot to me, I really owe you. See you around!¡± he said cheerfully and went inside, where he greeted her with a chaste kiss on the cheek. Evangeline grabbed him and lifted him off the ground in a crushing hug, and they started laughing. Scott and Amber started back home.

    ¡°Well. That was a thing.¡± Amber said, still trying to comprehend what she had just seen.

    ¡°Yeah. I think that¡¯s the first time the fabled ¡®girlfriend in Canada¡¯ turned out to be real.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°Guess if Stephanie wants a chance, she¡¯d better start drinking protein shakes and pumping iron.¡± Amber said, then realized something. ¡°You know, this means we still don¡¯t have any leads on the Craven Falls Killer.¡± Scott stopped in his tracks, realizing she was right.

    ¡°God damn it!¡±

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Detective Cross sighed and paced outside the cemetery gate, breath visible and mixing with the evening fog. Her watch said it was 11:23, which meant he was late.

    ¡°Damn it, kid. You¡¯re the one who wanted to meet here, lord knows why, and now you make me hang around here even longer in this depressing place. Alone.¡± She shivered, purely out of the cold, she told herself. ¡°God, this place gives me the creeps.¡± Cross looked through the bars at the tombstones. It was all too easy to see hands piercing up through the dirt, horrible rotting zombies coming to life to devour the flesh of the living; especially as now she knew such a scenario could actually happen.

    ¡°Hey, Detective.¡± Scott said, jogging up to her out of the fog, Amber waving happily.

    ¡°You¡¯re late.¡± Cross growled.

    ¡°Yeah, sorry ¡®bout that. My parents went to bed late, I don¡¯t want them to be involved in any of this.¡± he said nonchalantly. Cross looked like she wanted to chew him out, but logically knew she couldn¡¯t argue with him on this point. Amber came to the rescue.

    ¡°So, Detective. You wanted to see us? There¡¯s been another victim?¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Yes.¡± She pulled out a manila folder and handed it to Scott. ¡°This is a copy of the report, including all relevant pictures. It is highly illegal for me to give this to you, so destroy it after you¡¯re done looking it over.¡± She gave him a hard look. Scott nodded, then started flipping through the pages. ¡°I need you to take a look see if there¡¯s anything we couldn¡¯t see. This makes the sixth victim, and we¡¯re no closer to a suspect than when we started. Ugh.¡± Scott skimmed the files, instead examining the photographs with a careful eye.

    ¡°Hmmm. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s not much to go on, just from these pictures.¡± he said. ¡°I might be able to discern more if I could get to the scene itself-¡±

    ¡°Which you¡¯re not.¡± Cross interjected. ¡°There¡¯s no way I could justify your presence there.¡± Scott stared at her, then looked back at the photos.

    ¡°As I was saying, I might be able to see if there was any mojo happening at the scene, but honestly I don¡¯t think there¡¯ll be anything I could divine there either.¡± He paused, looking at two photos, one of the body and one of the whole room. ¡°But it¡¯s obvious that there¡¯s some kind of blessing involved. Nothing else is out of place, aside from the body. Chances are a human couldn¡¯t have taken care of everything in a short enough time period. I mean, there¡¯s no blood spray.¡± Amber made a face, but Cross huffed in frustration.

    ¡°Don¡¯t I know it. It¡¯s like the guys in this precinct never went through basic investigation. They didn¡¯t notice a thing off about the whole place.¡± Scott cocked his head at her.

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°I mean, they were standing around with their thumbs up their-¡± Cross was suddenly aware that her audience were minors. She coughed. ¡°Anyway, they were milling around until I pointed that out.¡±

    ¡°We¡¯re not children, Detective Cross.¡± Amber said rolling her eyes, but Scott looked concerned.

    ¡°And no one else thought the very lack of evidence was strange?¡± he said carefully.

    ¡°No. Why?¡± Cross said, not liking where this was going.

    ¡°Because blessings can¡¯t do that. At least, not from something that need hearts to power up. A general, ¡®nothing interesting is happening here¡¯ effect is the best it can do about that, certainly not hours after the fact, under people giving it close scrutiny. It just doesn¡¯t add up.¡± Cross¡¯s eyes narrowed.

    ¡°What? Are you saying the¡­force¡­behind this couldn¡¯t pull a Jedi mind trick on the scene? I thought that¡¯s what was happening here.¡±

    ¡°No. I¡¯m sure there are powers that could, but if there were the culprit would¡¯ve made a bigger move by now. Besides, if that were the case, you wouldn¡¯t¡¯ve noticed anything amiss, either.¡± Scott explained, pacing back and forth.

    ¡°I thought it was because I¡¯m not from here. I was originally working the Carson case over in Nahumville. I was brought in because of my expertise.¡± Cross said.

    ¡°No, that wouldn¡¯t have mattered to a blessing of that magnitude. It would¡¯ve affected the whole area of the scene. So, the police are affected, except for the newcomer. The blessing¡¯s not involved.¡± he muttered, wracking his brain for the answer. ¡°It sounds like¡­¡± He suddenly stopped and shuddered.

    ¡°What? Spit it out.¡± Cross demanded.

    ¡°Well, it sounds like mind magic. The officers there were enspelled not to see anything wrong, to be totally mystified by the situation.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°Wait. Are-are you saying that someone has tampered with the brains of my men?¡± Cross said, cold and hard. It would make the most sense.¡± Scott said, taking a step back along with Amber. The fury coming off of her was palpable. ¡°In fact, the more I think about it, the more things fall into place. Think. The murderer¡¯s been active since August. Even with a daemon¡¯s blessing, there would have been something to go on, at least. People would¡¯ve known things weren¡¯t adding up at the crime scene. The cops, for sure. But if we are dealing with a magic user, then he¡¯s been very clever. He¡¯s been using two spells: one to ensure no interference or evidence, and another to make sure the cops don¡¯t look too hard at what they don¡¯t have. It¡¯s brilliant, in a twisted way. But the fact that he was so thorough was his downfall.¡±

    ¡°Can it.¡± Cross snapped. ¡°How can we reverse it?¡±

    ¡°Ehh¡­kinda got me there.¡± Scott said sheepishly, and shrugged.

    ¡°What!?¡± Cross and Amber both yelled.

    ¡°Hey, hey, easy! Mental magic is complicated, there¡¯s very few udo buttons! Besides, I, uh¡­don¡¯tknowhowtodoit.¡± he mumbled, looking down. Cross grabbed him by his jacket and lifted him off the ground.

    ¡°What do you mean, you don¡¯t know how to do it?¡± she hissed Scott blinked.

    ¡°Wow, you must work out.¡± he said.

    ¡°All right, all right. Let¡¯s all just calm down.¡± Amber said, putting herself between them. ¡°We¡¯re all on the same side here.¡± Cross scowled, but set him down gently, with a mumbled ¡°sorry.¡± ¡°Now Scott, please explain.¡± she said patiently.

    ¡°Thing is, necromancy is just one field of magic.¡± he said rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment. ¡°Like biology and physics. Both fields of science, both interact with each other, but both very different. The Necronomicon doesn¡¯t go into much detail about the other studies of magic. It¡¯s got an overview, but the focus is the dead and beyond. I don¡¯t know any other spells, let alone how to reverse them.¡± Cross felt all the strength drain out of her at his words, and staggered to keep from falling over.

    ¡°Then¡­nothing can be done?¡± she asked hopelessly, a haunted look in her eye.

    ¡°Hey now, I never said that. I may not know the counterspell, but I bet the caster does. All we have to do is capture him and give him incentive to cancel it. Failing that, taking him out should do it, too. If I died, my zombies would fall apart.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°Rrrgh. That¡¯s great and all, but that just leaves us back where we started; we have no idea who or where the perp is.¡± Cross said, grinding her teeth. Scott cursed.

    ¡°You¡¯re right.¡±

    ¡°Um, actually, I¡¯ve been thinking about that,¡± Amber piped up, and they turned to her. ¡°Maybe we¡¯re taking the wrong approach. Earlier, when you left me alone with Captain Blackwell-¡± she scowled at Scott, who shrugged ¡°-he went on and on about hunting tigers in Borneo. He came across one and had the same trouble we¡¯re having now-they couldn¡¯t chase it or find it, it was too fast and good at hiding.¡±

    ¡°Who¡¯s Captain Blackwell?¡± Cross asked, confused.

    ¡°A ghost in the house on Raimi Avenue.¡± Scott supplied. Cross pinched the bridge of her nose.

    ¡°Right. Go on, how did they track it down?¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s the thing. He didn¡¯t. It came to them.¡± Amber smiled. ¡°All we need is some bait.¡±

 Chapter 9- Conspiracy

    "Thank you, ma''am." Brian said to the cashier, his tray loaded with chicken and potato salad, with three fruit cups for dessert.

    "You''re welcome. You sure have a healthy appetite." she said as she took his money and rang him out.

    "I''m a growing boy." he replied, taking his food and seeking out his usual table. However, there was something not quite usual about it today. Scott was lying face down on the table, his food untouched.

    "Hey, Scott?" Brian asked the young necromancer. If he had second sight, he would have seen Amber hurriedly shake him.

    "Huh? Wazzit? I''m awake!" Scott sat up abruptly, blinking in the light. Amber sighed; this was the third time today she had to wake him up. Their recent nightly activities were taking their toll. He had nearly missed the bell to change classes in history. "Hmm? Brian? Ahh, good t''see you."

    "You, uh, okay there dude?" Brian asked, sitting down and raising an eyebrow.

    "Oh, I''m fine, I''m fine. Why do you ask?" Scott said innocently, picking up a fork and beginning to eat his food.

    "You''re trying to eat soup with a fork." Brian deadpanned. Scott looked down to see his fork empty, the soup merely draining through.

    "Ugh." he grunted, dropping his fork. "I don''t even like soup. Yeah, sorry. I am a bit out of it." He leaned forward into his hand, rubbing his temples to make the sluggish pain go away.

    "Care to share?" Brian asked, placing some potato salad into a roll to make an impromptu sandwich. Scott took a quick glance at Amber, considering his options.

    "Well...I haven''t been getting much sleep lately." he said slowly, choosing his words very carefully.

    "Yeah, I noticed."

    "More than usual. It''s about...listen, if I tell you, you can''t tell anyone else, for any reason. It''s actually sort of a matter of life and death. Understand?" Scott said harshly, lowering his voice and staring at his friend as hard as he could, trying to impress upon him the sheer gravity of the situation. Brian gulped.

    "Y-Yeah, man. I get it. B-But what''s so bad that you need to swear me to secrecy for?" he asked nervously. Scott''s eyes shifted from side to side, trying to see if anyone was paying attention to them.

    "Scott, be careful. You know you can''t let him in on this.¡± Amber said worriedly, afraid her warning would fall on deaf ears. To her relief, he nodded slightly at her.

    "It''s about the Craven Falls Killer." Scott said softly, making Brian drop his fork in surprise.

    "What?" he yelped.

    "Shhh! Keep your voice down!" Scott hissed. He looked, but there was no one unduly disturbed by Brian''s outburst.

    "Sorry." Brian said, chastised.

    "Nah, don''t worry about it. Thing is, I, ah, obtained some info relevant to the case-information that could lead to an arrest." he said vaguely. "And it turns out I have knowledge of a sort that the police do not, about something of an unusual and not very well-known matter, which has made me something of an asset. I''ve been spending the last two days helping the cops with the investigation, sort of like a specialist or consultant. Strictly research only, of course, I get no details, nowhere near the heart of the matter. But yeah, I''ve been running around nearly ragged, trying to do anything I can." he finished, leaning back in his chair. Brian stared at him, trying to comprehend it.

    "You''re kidding. Right?"

    "I wish I was." Scott said, shaking his head. "I''ve been going through all the material I have, looking for anything relevant. I guess I shouldn''t have told you all that, but the stress is wearing me down. Nothing I said really violates the nondisclosure agreement, anyway."

    "You''re really serious. You''re really working the case!" Brian whispered excitedly, making Scott crack a small smile. Amber giggled. "You''re really important, you''re really doing something!"

    "Don''t make it sound like I''m actually a detective." Scott said. A vision of Detective Cross came to his mind unbidden. He gagged. "Anyway, my part''s as small as can be, kind of like a temporary internship. It should be over soon, anyway."

    "Maybe. But seriously! We''re teenagers! How did you even swing something like that in the first place?" Scott looked at him cockeyed.

    "I can''t tell you anything like that. I''ll be able to tell you when it''s over, okay?" He sat back, visibly more relaxed than Amber had seen him in days. Brian''s face fell.

    "Oh. Yeah. Guess so."

    "Hey, it''s not up to me, okay? But still, I''d appreciate you keeping this to yourself." he said, scratching the side of his head. Brian put his hands up and smiled ruefully.

    "I gotcha. My lips are sealed. Besides, who would I tell?" He chuckled sadly. Scott shifted uncomfortably, knowing Brian didn''t have any other friends, either.

    "Hey, this weekend I got nothing going on. Wanna come over and play some games?" he said, abruptly changing the subject. Brian brightened up immediately.

    "Sure!"

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°Mayor Whipstaff will see you now.¡± the secretary said, ushering her in.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Detective Cross said, sweeping inside. It had been hard to get this meeting on such short notice, but Chief Mason had pulled some stings. He had gotten her admitted to the end of his weekly meeting, and she wasn¡¯t about to waste this chance.

    ¡°Ah, hello, Detective.¡± the mayor said, standing up to shake her hand. Mayor Whipstaff was in his late forties, his slicked-back hair and immaculate mustache tinged with grey. Dressed in a severely pressed pinstripe suit, Cross could easily imagine him as a head of the mob during Prohibition. ¡°Good to finally meet you in person. How¡¯s the case going? Any leads?¡± he said, puffing on a large cigar.This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Richard, don¡¯t unload on her with questions first thing.¡± Chief Mason chided good-naturedly. ¡°Cognac?¡± He offered a decanter and a glass at her. She noted his was a quarter full. She waved him off.

    ¡°No thank you, Chief. Besides, that¡¯s why I¡¯m here today. Sirs, I have a request: I¡¯d like to bring in some of my men from the Nahumville precinct. We¡¯re, ahh, more used to incidents of this nature over there, and have more experience with them.¡± she said, mentally replaying the details she¡¯d hashed out with Scott three nights ago at the cemetery.

    ¡°Yeah, there¡¯s no way to prove their perceptions have been altered. There¡¯s literally no physical evidence, and they can¡¯t even tell something¡¯s wrong.¡± he¡¯d said.

    ¡°So I don¡¯t mention it at all. We play up the fact that a newcomer was able to spot things that the locals missed. See if I can bring any of my old boys over here.¡± she¡¯d retorted.

    ¡°Worth a shot, I guess. We¡¯ll start the operation tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°You want to bring in more men?¡± the mayor said, puffing his cigar. ¡°But why?¡±

    ¡°I realize this is unusual, but this is an unusual circumstance. The Craven Falls locals, no disrespect meant to them, are too close to the case. I¡¯m finding that they are¡­reluctant to suspect anyone from this town. The thought that it might be one of their own is distracting them, making them miss things. I¡¯m hoping a small retinue change will help alleviate the problems, and get those who remain focused again.¡± she lied smoothly.

    ¡°And how many is a small retinue change, Detective?¡± Mason asked, frowning.

    ¡°Twenty men, sir.¡± she said, staring straight ahead.

    ¡°Twenty!¡± both men laughed uproariously, while Cross stood stock-still, not even twitching. ¡°That¡¯s more than a small change, Detective. I¡¯m afraid there¡¯s no way I could justify the cost.¡± Whipstaff said, topping off his drink.

    ¡°Sir, I realize that it would be an overhaul, but that¡¯s my lowest projected estimate of what we¡¯d need. It would only be temporary in any case, and more like a personnel exchange-¡±

    ¡°Enough, Detective Cross.¡± Mason cut her off with a wave of his hand. ¡°There¡¯s no way I could justify such a drastic measure, for just one case.¡± She stared at him, trying not to lose control and start shouting at him.

    ¡°But sir! The public is living in fear right now. People are dying. This is the most effective solution that exists. I don¡¯t think the job could be done with things as they are!¡±

    ¡°Ahh, but isn¡¯t that exactly your job, Ms. Cross?¡± the mayor said, his voice and face hard, his eyes cold. ¡°To do your best to protect us from this terrible criminal running around? If you think that¡¯s the case, you¡¯d better let us know right now.¡± Taken aback, she looked to the chief for support, but he folded his arms across his chest and sat back with a disdainful eye.

    ¡°After all, Detective.¡± the chief said softly, almost bored. ¡°If you don¡¯t think you can, you¡¯ll be replaced with someone who does. Understand?¡± Cross stared at them, looking for all the world like she was trying to set them on fire with her gaze.

    ¡°Understood, sirs.¡± she ground out with barely constrained fury.

    ¡°Good.¡± They both relaxed. ¡°Don¡¯t look so tense, Detective. After all, we¡¯re cooking up a little something to help ease the tension for the town. Trick-or-treating will have to be cancelled this year, I¡¯m afraid, but we have something better; the whole town is invited to a Halloween party, right here in the town square! There¡¯ll be music, dancing, we¡¯ll set up a haunted house for the kids, the works!¡± Whipstaff said, almost giddy.

    ¡°It¡¯s wonderful, don¡¯t you think? The perfect thing to distract the townsfolk with from the recent troubles.¡± Mason said, a twinkle in his eye.

    ¡°Fantastic, sirs.¡± I¡¯ll save the date. Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have duties I must fulfill.¡± Cross turned on her heel and swiftly exited, trying to keep from shaking.

    ¡°How dare they¡­how dare they!¡± she growled when she was alone in the hall. ¡°Those bastards! Those pigs! They¡¯re using me as a pawn! Just brought me in for my reputation. It¡¯s all just¡­bread and circuses!¡± She slammed her fist into the wall, cracking plaster and making dust rain. ¡°I¡¯ll get them for this!¡± she snarled, ignoring the throbbing of her hand.

    Back inside the mayor¡¯s office, the two most powerful men in the city shared a chuckle over Cross¡¯s little display.

    ¡°So, Richard. What do you think her chances are of finding the Craven Falls Killer?¡± Chief Mason said, filling up his drink. Whipstaff smirked.

    ¡°That¡¯s a fool¡¯s bet, my good man. I don¡¯t care for her chances at all.¡±

    ¡°True.¡± They clinked their glasses together, and drank to that.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "I can''t believe how much you ate during dinner." Amber said, looking at Scott with concern. He had third helpings on everything, chicken tenders, mashed potatoes, corn, the works. Along with devouring his lunch when he was awake enough to eat it, he¡¯d even seemed to be losing weight. Amber was growing worried. "Are you going to be okay?"

    "Yeah, I''ll be fine." Scott said, lying down on his bed with his eyes closed. "It''s just doing all this takes a lot of power. It''s nothing I can''t handle, it''s just strenuous. I think it''ll do me good in the long run, even." he said philosophically. "But it''s kind of like lifting weights with my mind. Speaking of which, it''s getting to be that time. Mind checking in on my folks?"

    "Sure, no problem." Amber drifted through the door and down the hall, peeking her head through to his parents'' room. His father was already asleep, his mother zoning out watching TV, soon to join him. She walked through the walls into Claytons'' room, seeing him lying in bed as well, playing with his phone in the dark.

    "Looks like everyone''s down for the night, but your mom and brother are still awake, so we have to be quiet." she said, floating into the room.

    "Good." He got up and went over to the closet door. He opened it, revealing a decaying and skeletal zombie standing there in jeans and a button down blouse. "Sit down." he said, pointing to a spot on the floor, and it did so mechanically. "Uuugh." he grimaced, dreading what was coming next."

    "Hurry up, we have to meet with Detective Cross in ten minutes."  Amber said, looking away. She understood the necessity, but that didn''t mean the body didn''t creep her out.

    "Got it, got it." Scott unenthusiastically replied, rubbing his hands together. "Alright now. Sasach, tolarath. Sasach, tolarath. Sasach, tolarath." he began chanting quietly, frowning in concentration. Slowly, the skeletal body began to swell and fill out, glowing softly as ectoplasm infused it, temporarily reversing the damage time had done to it. Skin and hair grew and filled out, sunken cheeks puffed back up, eyelids slid down and opened, revealing a blank blue stare, a pale girl of seventeen from over a hundred years ago.

    "There." Scott said, sitting back on the bed, already feeling the strain start to set in. It was a strange sensation; nothing was wrong with his physical body, but he could swear there was a smoldering, almost burning pain in his muscles and his head. "Ugh. This spell was not meant to be used for so long." he muttered, rubbing his head.

    "You say that every time." Amber said absently, concentrating to style the corpse''s hair and straighten her clothes, borrowed from Detective Cross.

    The plan was simple. The Craven Falls Killer needed victims, so the three of them had decided to give him one. Scott had dug up a teen from 1908 and used his magic to simulate her appearance in life. Thus, Victoria Harford. The hope was to have her walk around town "alone", and when the killer struck Cross would be waiting in the wings to close the trap. Not a perfect plan, but with the killer only one heart away and no other leads, the best one they had.

    "Well I mean it every time." he grumbled, and stood up. "Victoria, let''s go." The corpse nodded and stood by the open window. Scott unceremoniously shoved her out.

    "Scott!" Amber said accusingly.

    "What? She''s not getting any deader. I''m not struggling with just waiting while she climbs down the rope, we were late last time." he said. She glowered at him.

    "No, you idiot. I just spent all that time fixing up her appearance, and you''ve ruined that work! Now I have to do it all over again!" He sighed, and looked out the window. Cross''s car was waiting for them down the block. It was time to go.

    "Just do it on the way, then. It''s not like she has to be perfect, anyway." he huffed, making sure the rope was secured correctly.

    "Hmph. I''ll have you know I take pride in my work." Amber said.

    "And you do very good work." he placated. "Now would you hurry up? We have a serial killer to catch."

 Chapter 10-Rotten Revelations

    On the dark streets near the cemetery, illuminated by the nearly full moon more than the unevenly-placed streetlights, a pale girl walked unsteadily all alone, shivering in her too thin jacket for October''s chill. Periodically, she stopped to scan the streets, as if looking for someone. An observer would have to be looking extremely hard to see the glazed, unfocused look in her eyes. Or notice the fact that her breath wasn''t turning white. In a parked car two blocks down, Detective Cross watched the zombie like a hawk through a pair of binoculars.

    ¡°Can¡¯t believe you managed to get it so lifelike.¡± she said, taking a sip of coffee. ¡°But her gait¡¯s still too unnatural.¡±

    ¡°Hey, Victoria¡¯s just fine. You wanted her to seem unsure of herself, this¡¯s what you get.¡± Scott countered, finishing a doughnut. They had stopped at a doughnut shop for what Cross had deemed were ¡°stakeout supplies¡±: a dozen doughnuts and roughly a gallon of coffee. The necromancer had already scarfed down six, and both he and Cross were downing the coffee like no tomorrow. Amber just shook her head.

    ¡°I wanted her to look like a half drunk girl coming home from a party that went too late, not lurch from side to side like a drunken cat driving a robot.¡± she snapped back.

    ¡°The correct word is ¡®pilot¡¯ a robot. Do you know nothing of anime?¡± he teased.

    ¡°No. I don¡¯t.¡± she said flatly. A moment of silence passed in the car.

    ¡°Hey. You were supposed to meet with the mayor today, for reinforcements. How¡¯d that turn out?¡± Amber said at last. Cross snorted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t remind me. That pompous¡­windbag threw me out and threatened to replace me if I couldn¡¯t find the Craven Falls Killer. Hmph. He and Chief Mason only brought me in because I have a reputation for being tough and fierce-¡±

    ¡°No, really. I can¡¯t see why.¡± Scott said. Cross took a moment to glare at him.

    ¡°But it turns out it was all a political maneuver, just a play to make it seem like they were doing their best to catch this guy. They¡¯re announcing a big party for the whole town on Halloween night. It¡¯s suspicious as all he¡­ck.¡± she said, still trying to hold her tongue.

    ¡°Detective, we¡¯re aiding you in an unauthorized, illegal sting operation. We can handle swearing.¡± Amber pointed out. Cross coughed.

    ¡°Anyway,¡± she said, cheeks turning red. ¡°They seem more into this party than trying to stop the killer.¡± She sighed. ¡°At this point I wouldn¡¯t be surprised if they had connections to whoever it is.¡±

    ¡°They probably do.¡± Scott said nonchalantly. Both women turned to face him.

    ¡°What?¡± Cross said.

    ¡°Think about it. They put on a show trying to catch the guy, but don¡¯t actually care, and they¡¯re both in the perfect position to bewitch an entire police force. Ten to one that one of them is actually the killer himself. My money¡¯s on Chief Mason.¡± he said.

    ¡°And how do you know that, you brat?¡± Cross snapped, worried that he might be right and beating herself up she didn¡¯t think of it sooner. Scott shrugged and took another doughnut.

    ¡°I don¡¯t, not for sure. Ooh, frosted sprinkles. But it does make sense, and in my experience people in authority either look the other way or use it to cut down people that they don¡¯t like.¡± he said, a trace of bitterness in his voice.

    ¡°Scott?¡± Amber said softly, looking concerned. ¡°Is there-¡±

    ¡°Hold on. Holy crap, look alive, people! We¡¯ve got a live one!¡± Cross suddenly said, throwing the binoculars in the back and starting the car.

    Two blocks down, a shadowy figure dressed all in black, with a blank mask covering its¡¯ entire head seemed to coalesce from the night itself, quickly approaching Victoria form behind, darting form shadow to shadow. When it was close enough, after looking around to see if anyone else was looking, it abandoned stealth and ran up to the ¡°girl,¡± tackling her into the cemetery gate with enough force to break it open, a cloth filled with chloroform over her mouth and nose. It dragged her deeper into the shadows of the cemetery.

    However, not fast enough. Cross¡¯s car screeched to a halt, the detective practically leaping from the car, her gun drawn on the figure hovering over the zombie with a knife, Scott following her close behind.

    ¡°Freeze! You are under arrest! Stop or I will shoot!¡± Cross shouted, keeping her glock trained on the figure while reaching for her radio. ¡°Drop the knife and surrender at once! Dispatch, this is Cross. I have a suspect at Amity Memorial, requesting backup, over.¡± she barked. The figure dropped the knife and slowly stood up, hands raised. Amber tried to swallow, but found she couldn¡¯t. She started to shake; this was it, this was the person who had taken her life and her heart, all for promises of power that would now never come to fruition.

    ¡°You! Murderer! Give me back my heart!¡± she couldn¡¯t stop herself from crying out.

    ¡°Dispatch, this is Detective Cross, requesting backup, over.¡± Cross said, growing worried. She had received no response, and there was supposed to be someone on call 24/7.

    ¡°I think it¡¯s time we find out who the infamous Craven Falls Killer is.¡± Scott said, his eyes narrowed but grinning at the victory. ¡°You¡¯re going to stay right there and not move, or she¡¯ll shoot. Understand?¡± he called out. The figure nodded.

    ¡°Rrrgh. I don¡¯t like this. Be careful, kid.¡± Cross said, tossing a pair of handcuffs to him, gun never leaving the figure. Scott caught them and nodded, approaching the figure slowly, illuminated by the headlights of the detective¡¯s car. He pulled the hands down and cuffed them behind the figure¡¯s back.

    ¡°Now then. Let¡¯s see who you really are.¡± he said. He reached up to the mask and pulled it off. Long blond hair spilled out, and she shook it out of her face Amber gasped, almost a scream.

    ¡°Bess!?¡± The bossy mother hen, always trying to keep the group of friends grounded. Who had insisted they always brush their teeth as kids. Who had always loved each and every one of them like a nurturing older sister.

    ¡°Dispatch, do you read me?¡± Cross barked into the radio, but this time it crackled to life.

    ¡°There will be no backup delivered to your location.¡± the operator said lifelessly, like a robot. ¡°By order of Chief Mason.¡± Cross¡¯s blood ran cold.

    ¡°Bess? Bess Clairfield? You¡¯re the Craven Falls Killer?¡± Scott said confused. This girl wasn¡¯t on his radar at all. She merely stared down at Cross, silent, expressionless, like a brick wall.

    ¡°Not exactly.¡± someone called out from deeper in the shadows of the cemetery. Everyone turned to the sound, including Cross¡¯s gun. Walking casually up to them, arms crossed coolly and confidently, in a designer blouse and a miniskirt more daring than Amber had ever seen her in, was Stephanie. ¡°You see, I¡¯m afraid you¡¯ve misunderstood, by my design. The Craven Falls Killer was never a man. And what¡¯s more, there was never only one.¡± She snapped her fingers, and from behind bushes and gravestones stood Carla, Ivory, and Courtney, all dressed in black clothes identical to Bess¡¯s, all wielding knives. All of them Amber¡¯s friends. Practically her family.

    ¡°W-What¡¯s going on? Who are you people?¡± Cross said, trying to keep her gun steady while glancing around at all of them. Unconsciously, all three of them drew closer together, a herd surrounded by wolves.

    ¡°They¡¯re Amber¡¯s closest friends. I¡¯ve seen them in school.¡± Scott said, rattled. How had he miscalculated this badly?

    "So you¡¯re the one snooping around past curfew." Stephanie said, the others arranging themselves in a loose semicircle around the trio. Ivory whispered a few words behind Bess and the cuffs dropped off.

    "Thanks." she said, picking up her knife and taking her place. Scott eyed them warily.

    "So it seems we were wrong. Turns out there were five Craven Falls Killers. You must be proud of yourselves for thinking up this little trick. But why? What possible reason could you all have for doing this?" he said, hoping he sounded confident. He had to keep them talking. The longer they talked, the more chances he, Cross, and Amber had to get away. Stephanie chuckled.

    "Trying to play dumb? It''s no use, you know. Carla could feel all that dark magic you''ve been throwing around for weeks. She''s especially sensitive to that kind of thing." she said.

    "Aww, thank you." Carla said. "But it was hard to miss all those negative vibes. Just what the hell were you doing? I had a headache for hours from whatever you did on Wednesday."

    "Look, everyone shut up! You''re all under arrest!" Cross shouted, trying to regain control of the situation.

    "Please. We''re holding all the cards here, you''re barely an afterthought." Stephanie dismissed, then turned back to Scott. "I''ve been trying for weeks to find out who''s been recklessly throwing magic power around. But once I received a little hint, it was easy to put two and two together. A pity, you two didn''t knock together a half-bad plan. But once I knew who you were Scott, it was easy to lay a trap. Isn''t that right?" she said, glancing at a tree. Scott frowned.

    "Wait, what are you-" he started, but stopped. From behind the tree, Brian stepped out along with Chief Mason. While Brian had a sullen look on his chubby face, the police chief seemed out of it, staring around blankly as if in a daze. "Wha-? Brian?"

    "Chief!?" Cross cried.

    "You, Brian...but, but-how? Why?" was the only thing Scott could get out.

    "I bet it was easy for you." Brian spat out venomously. "You look down on everybody, always think you''re better. You get to have the magic powers. You get a job with the cops. You look down on me and pity me, but you laugh behind my back!" He straightened up, going over to Stephanie''s side. "Well, I''m tired of taking your crap! ¡®Wanna come over this weekend?'' Pah!" he mocked, spitting on the ground. "Well, I''ve got a news flash for you: I don¡¯t need you anymore. I''ve got new friends now. And Stephanie''ll teach me super magical powers and I''ll help her take her rightful place in her new world."

    "Yes, indeed. I went looking for a minion, and found a partner instead. It''s so refreshing from the mind slaves Courtney''s so good at making." Stephanie said, smirking cruelly.

    "What? Teach magic? New world? What the hell is going on? What are you talking about?" Scott said, sweating.

    "And what have you done with the Chief?" Cross demanded, levelling the gun at her. Stephanie was unphased.

    "Oh, that''s simple." She snapped her fingers and a bag floated up to her. Scott¡¯s eyes bugged out. No sigils, no incantations, just a thought and a snap; it went totally against everything he knew about magic. She reached into the bag and pulled out a dusty old tome. ¡°Behold. The Libris Malefactorum Arcana. The book of magic. Everything you could ever want to know about starting your own coven of witches. Or summoning and making a pact with a daemon.¡± She said smugly, tenderly holding the book, caressing it¡¯s¡¯ spine like a lover. Scott gasped.

    ¡®That¡¯s it! That¡¯s how she¡¯s able to use the magic so easily! They pool, divide, and pass the power between them, creating a resonating effect and she takes the lion¡¯s share, not to mention whatever the daemon¡¯s giving them!¡¯ he realized. He swore, loudly.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°As for my new world, that happens next week.¡± Stephanie continued. ¡°I have plans, you see. Set in motion forces that are unstoppable. You see, I realized something when I found this book in my attic a couple of years ago. There is only one thing that matters in this world. Power. Plain and simple. If you have enough power, you can do anything you like. Obtain anything you want. Nothing can stop you. The police? Army? Man, computers, strategy, weapons? Right? Wrong? All useless.¡± she dismissed with a wave of her hand. ¡°When you¡¯re strong enough, and clever enough, you can decide what¡¯s right and wrong. And ultimately, the only way others have of making you submit to them is force.¡± Stephanie smirked. ¡°And if you have a greater force¡­¡± She swept her hand out, encompassing her coven, her informant, and the mindless police chief. ¡°Who can say you are wrong?¡± Scott and Cross gaped at her.

    ¡°On Halloween, I shall ascend to godhood, along with my followers. Aside from the unfortunate girls who have to be sacrificed, my reign shall be bloodless. The party is a catalyst in a ritual that will leave the whole town similar to our Chief of Police here, only actually with their brains intact. Isn¡¯t that right, Mr. Mason?¡± she asked sweetly.

    ¡°Yes¡­mistress¡­¡± he droned, as Cross stared in horror.

    ¡°Anyway, everyone will be perfectly fine. In fact, they¡¯ll be even better, seeing as they¡¯ll worship me as their Queen. Oh, there¡¯ll be no officially decrying it, but I wouldn¡¯t want it that way. After all, that would draw too much attention. This way, we can move on to Nahumville, and repeat the process. And from there, to Miskaton City, then Whichdun¡­¡± She smiled wickedly. ¡°I think D.C. wouldn¡¯t be too out of reach, don¡¯t you think?¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re insane!¡± Cross shouted, pulling the trigger and sending three bullets her way.

    ¡°Swvah.¡± Stephanie said, her eyes lit from within by a deep purple glow and holding her hand out, seeing Cross move before her finger twitched. The bullets impacted a translucent shield in front of her and hung there, as if frozen in molasses. ¡°How rude. I wasn¡¯t done.¡±

    ¡°S-Scott, please tell me y-you have something to get us out of t-this.¡± Cross whispered to the necromancer, trying to keep from trembling and failing. He gulped.

    ¡°Girls,¡± Stephanie said, ¡°show them we mean business.¡± The air was suddenly filled with hurried incantations, too many strange words to make out.

    Carla stepped back into a shadow and melted into it, disappearing. Bess¡¯s arm started leaking orange slime that covered and coated her knife, fusing it with her arm. The resulting amalgamation sprouted eyes and the serrated blade grew longer, another blade jutting out from her wrist, making a ¡®jaw.¡¯ It gnashed its¡¯ teeth together. Courtney tossed her knife to the ground, but that only made it more dangerous. The knife writhed and grew, elongating until it was a metallic snake made out of blades, hissing in a voice like a blade being scraped against metal. By contrast, ivory¡¯s knife was almost mundane. Lightning crawled and sparked along the blade, extending its¡¯ reach out three feet.

    ¡°Now then.¡± Stephanie said placidly. ¡°I have a proposition. The powers I and my coven wield are mighty and great, to be sure. But I¡¯m always on the lookout for new talent. Carla¡¯s been doing some divining and tells me you practice necromancy. While it does pale in comparison to our skills, power over life and death could be useful to our cause. Well, Scott? Will you join us? Say yes and I¡¯ll let the detective live as well.¡± They looked nervously at the display of magic menacing them.

    ¡°A-And what w-will you do if I say n-no?¡± Scott said nervously. Stephanie shrugged.

    ¡°Nothing.¡± Everyone stared at her.

    ¡°What?¡± Ivory and Scott both exclaimed.

    ¡°Oh come on!¡± Courtney said.

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious.¡± Bess said. ¡°I¡¯ve agreed with your decisions before, but this just seems foolish.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not going to force anyone to do anything.¡± Stephanie said, unperturbed. ¡°If he can¡¯t see the benefits of aligning himself with us, then he isn¡¯t smart enough to join us anyway. Then they¡¯ll have two choices: join us on Halloween anyway, or run away. He can¡¯t stop us, and no one will believe either of them. We have the police and the mayor under my thumb. We have superior magical ability and numbers. We¡¯re the winning side. So.¡± Stephanie turned back to Scott, who looked like he was a bug under a magnifying glass. ¡°I give you your choice. What will you do?¡±

    Throughout all this, Amber was silent. She couldn¡¯t find the words, even the will to speak while Stephanie was telling her the plan. She didn¡¯t want to believe it, couldn¡¯t comprehend this witch so casually describing such horrors and her best friend were the same person. Slowly, she drifted forward.

    ¡°Stephanie¡­no¡­¡± she moaned, eyes never leaving her friend.

    ¡°Amber?¡± Scott said, looking at her nervously. ¡°No! Get back! Amber!¡±

    ¡°Amber?¡± Stephanie muttered, looking confused, then realized why Scott was staring at empty space. ¡°Oh. Oohhhhh! I think I see what¡¯s going on.¡± she said, smirking. ¡°Ulmeths ab cinaron keth.¡± Her eyes flashed purple, and suddenly Amber stood before her, trembling. ¡°Amber! It really is you. I honestly never thought you¡¯d be hanging around as a ghost. Guess you had a little more resilience than I gave you credit for.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Amber asked simply. ¡°Why are you doing this? Why¡­why did you kill me?¡±

    ¡°Ah, Amber.¡± Stephanie closed her eyes and breathed in and out, like a parent readying to explain a difficult fact of life to a child. ¡°I really did like you, you know. You were my best friend, before I found the book and began forming the coven with the others.¡± Shining green tears began to slide down Amber¡¯s face. Stephanie reached out and tenderly caressed her cheek, smiling tenderly. ¡°Do you know why I never brought you into my plans, never initiated you into the coven with everyone else?¡± She shook her head. ¡°Because you were stupid and weak.¡±

    The words hit her like a slap, cold dread washing over her spectral body. Stephanie didn¡¯t let up there.

    ¡°You were my best friend when we were children, but that¡¯s all you ever were. You refused to grow up, always going on about how great a friend I was, following me around like a little lost puppy. I grew sick of it, sick of you. The others took convincing that the coven was for the best, but I knew you would never approve. You could never do what needed to be done. Too weak, clinging to your delusions that everything would be wonderful forever. You were too na?ve, and it seems not even your death has changed that.¡± Amber just mutely shook her head, too shocked for words. The other girls shifted uncomfortably.

    ¡°No¡­this, this can¡¯t be real¡­you¡¯re Stephanie, my best friend, we share everything¡­I-I loved you like my s-sister.¡± she stuttered. ¡°No! You¡¯re lying! I don¡¯t believe you!¡±

    ¡°Believe whatever you want. I honestly can¡¯t care enough to pretend anymore. You¡¯re a nuisance, and my life has been so much easier ever since I put that knife in your chest and took your heart during our sleepover.¡± Stephanie said coolly, as if discussing the weather. Amber¡¯s mind raced back to lunch a few days ago, Stephanie not wanting to talk about her in the slightest. Back to at her funeral. Where her best friend. In all the world. Never showed up.

    ¡°So, it¡¯s been fun catching up, but I have business to take care of. Guess I¡¯ll have to kill you again.¡± Amber watched helplessly as Stephanie raised her finger, purple energy pulsing and glowing brighter. She could dimly hear Scott and Cross shouting behind her, but her entire world was reduced to the girl in front of her. ¡°Goodbye, Amber.¡±

    Stephanie fired, the bolt of energy blowing a hole in Amber¡¯s side, shredding it into oblivion. She howled in agony as her soul was torn apart, but the pain vanished as she was forcefully reconstructed in an instant. Scott grunted and fell to a knee as the drain on his power saved her.

    ¡°Amber¡­¡± he muttered, panting heavily. ¡°Get back!¡± he ordered absolutely, and Amber could not disobey. The chain materialized, pulling her back like a fish on a line. He caught her with one arm, but she paid him no mind. All she could do was stare at her friend who had not only killed her and stolen her heart, but tried to erase her soul.

    ¡°So then,¡± Stephanie said, as if nothing had happened. ¡°What do you say, Scott? Want to join us? You have everything to lose, and the world to gain. I don¡¯t know about you, but I only see one real option here.¡± All eyes were on him, except for Amber. He glanced at the girls with weapons, at Cross, at Stephanie, and then at the girl in his arms. He took a deep breath to steady himself and nodded, deciding what he was going to do. He grinned.

    ¡°Gee, I¡¯m honored to be chosen for your little cult, I really am.¡± he said, getting to his feet. ¡°But forgive me if I say I¡¯m gonna have to decline. I saw how you treat your friends-¡± he glanced down to Amber ¡°-and believe me when I say that there¡¯s no way in hell, you crazy, messed up psycho bitch. Now get the hell out of my sight before I rip your soul out and crush it like a grape.¡±

    ¡°Ah well.¡± Stephanie shrugged, unconcerned. ¡°I guess there¡¯s no reasoning with some people. Carla?¡± The girl rose up out of the shadow of the gravestone next to her. ¡°Take me home. Well Scott, I¡¯m sorry you feel that way. Get in touch if you change your mind, although you don¡¯t have much time. As I said before, I¡¯m not going to do anything to you if you refuse. I¡¯m not in the habit of forcing others to do something they don¡¯t agree with. That goes for you too, girls. If you don¡¯t think just letting him go is a good idea, see if you can¡¯t¡­convince him. Ciao!¡± Stephanie waved as Carla wrapped an arm around her shoulders, both girls vanishing into the shadow of the gravestone. The remaining ones grinned and spread out, encircling the trio.

    ¡°We have you now. If you come quietly, you won¡¯t get hurt.¡± Bess said, trying to reason.

    ¡°Like hell we will!¡± Cross roared, firing a bullet at her. Her mutated knife-hand moved on its¡¯ own, the double blades snatching the slug out of the air. It bit down, both pieces of the caught bullet falling to either side.

    ¡°There¡¯s no need for violence, but we can if you insist.¡± Bess said dryly. The other two snickered. Cross growled and bared her teeth, but it was a fruitless gesture.

    ¡°Come now, Detective. You should know attacking with direct force like that won¡¯t work.¡± Scott said, eyeing the metal snake that was slithering closer, Courtney right behind. It hissed menacingly, mouth full of knives. ¡°We¡¯re going to lose like that.¡±

    ¡°Hah!¡± Courtney snorted. ¡°You lost before you even got here! But you are a loser, so I guess we can¡¯t expect anything different. I remember seeing you in class. I thought you were a nerd with all the reading you do, but you never got higher than a C on any test I saw. I don¡¯t think you have any friends, either.¡±

    ¡°He doesn¡¯t!¡± Brian called out from the safety of the tree line. Courtney blinked, then went back to insulting the necromancer.

    ¡°Yeah. What a loser. Too dumb to join us, and trying to fight us? Too stupid to live.¡± Scott bristled at her comments. Then grinned.

    ¡°Yeah. May be I am dumb. But answer me this: who¡¯s more stupid, the guy who brought backup, or the girls who forgot about it?¡± The others looked around in confusion, and Bess narrowed her eyes.

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± she said, moving to attack. The necromancer snapped his fingers.

    ¡°Victoria! Arise and defend us! Defeat them!¡±

    In the back of the group, Ivory suddenly felt something grab hold of her ankle. She looked down. Scott¡¯s focus had long since broken; she saw a half-rotted, skeletal corpse cling to her leg, staring up at her with black eye sockets.

    ¡°Aaauuugghhh.¡± it moaned.

    ¡°Yiiiiaaaaaah!¡± She let out an ear-piercing shriek and stabbed her weapon into the slowly-rising corpse, sending 10,000 volts into the body, which would have at very least incapacitated a normal human. Scott laughed. Corpses didn¡¯t use their muscles to move. The zombie grabbed Ivory by the throat with its¡¯ cold, boney phalanges, heedless of the witch stabbing it over and over, cooking what little remained of its¡¯ flesh. It squeezed, its¡¯ empty eyes staring into her wide, horrified whole ones.

    ¡°Ivory!¡± Suddenly Bess was there, chopping off the grabbing hand. As it fell to the ground, the Victoria corpse shoved its¡¯ now spearlike humorous at Ivory¡¯s face.

    ¡°No!¡± ivory threw herself to the side, and the zombie turned to Bess, clawing at her face with the other hand. ¡°Why won¡¯t you die!¡± Ivory shouted and cut off a leg while Bess removed an arm from the shoulder. The corpse merely reached up from the ground to grab at ivory again, making her scream and jump back. Gunshots sounded out again.

    ¡°Courtney!¡± Bess snapped back to her fellow witch. Courtney was being forced to hold a shield while Cross slowly retreated, firing at both her and the snake, keeping both at bay while Scott got in the car.

    ¡°Let¡¯s move!¡± he shouted, opening the driver door. Cross emptied the rest of the clip at the snake, then turned and ran to the car, darted in, and peeled out, zooming away.

    ¡°Damn it!¡± Courtney screeched, watching the taillights disappear around the corner. ¡°We had them! How could they get away!?¡±

    ¡°Whatever. It¡¯s over for now.¡± Bess said, turning back to the writhing zombie. ¡°Iganzif hatha!¡± The corpse burst into flames and fell still, soon to be completely destroyed. ¡°Are you all right?¡± she asked Ivory, who had her arms wrapped around herself and was standing far away.

    ¡°Y-Yeah. I¡¯ll be fine. J-Just caught me off guard.¡± Ivory said. She couldn¡¯t stop remembering the bones around her throat, closing in with inhuman strength, that rotten face coming closer and closer. She kept stabbing, and stabbing, and stabbing, and it still kept coming¡­she shivered.

    ¡°Well, what are we going to do now?¡± Courtney asked, grabbing her snake by the tail and yanking it back into an ordinary kitchen knife.

    ¡°Well, for the time being we should reconvene at Stephanie¡¯s house. We know where Scott can be found. We¡¯ve only got two days until Halloween, and we only have six hearts collected. Besides,¡± Bess¡¯s jaw set and she straightened up. ¡°I personally feel that the way Stephanie has handled things so far¡­I find myself questioning some of her decisions. Does anyone else here agree with me?¡± she asked quietly. Courtney and Ivory looked at each other, and were forced to nod.

    ¡°Yeah¡­I mean, the magic¡¯s great and all, but I just don¡¯t know about the whole daemon thing.¡± Ivory confessed.

    ¡°Hah! Like we need them!¡± Courtney snorted. ¡°I¡¯m good enough for the mind control spell all by myself!¡± Bess stared at her dubiously and sighed.

    ¡°Courtney, you¡¯d die if you tried to cast a spell that big at once. You know that, right?¡± Courtney grumbled and looked away. ¡°Look, it¡¯s been a long night, and no matter what, we need to talk to Stephanie. Let¡¯s just get to her house.¡±

    ¡°Great! We¡¯re leaving now, then?¡± Brian said, happily trotting up with Chief Mason in tow. All three girls stared at him. Bess blinked.

    ¡°¡­I honestly forgot you were here.¡± she admitted.

    ¡°Oh, yeah, of course.¡± he said, desperately trying to play it off. ¡°I mean, I don¡¯t know any kickass magic spells yet, so¡­yeah. But don¡¯t worry! Once I do I¡¯ll be the best wizard you ladies have ever seen! You won¡¯t have to lift a finger when I¡¯m around.¡± he finished with a greasy smile and what he thought was a seductive wink. Ivory blanched, Courtney gagged, and Bess merely let out a long-suffering sigh.

    ¡°Look, why don¡¯t you take Mr. Mason and bring the car around.¡± she said.

    ¡°Yes¡­mistress.¡± the chief said, and turned to get the police cruiser. Brian started jogging after him.

    ¡°Yeah, sure thing, babe! C¡¯mon, Mr. Chief, we can¡¯t keep these ladies waiting!¡± Bess put her head in her hand and wondered what she did to deserve this.

    ¡°Oh right, the murder.¡± she muttered to herself.

 Chapter 11-Midnight Run

    ¡°So, ahh¡­how you kids holding up?¡± Cross asked nervously. Comforting children¡­this was not her department. Comforting anybody wasn¡¯t her forte to begin with. Go out and catch the bad guys, sure. Avenge the fallen, no problem. But emotionally supporting a couple of kids? This was the type of thing she usually delegated to somebody else.

    ¡°I¡¯m okay.¡± Amber said in a small voice that said she very much wasn¡¯t. Scott, meanwhile, was almost beside himself.

    ¡°¡­who do they take me for?! I mean, yeah I can¡¯t throw fireballs or turn knives into snake monsters, but I can resurrect the dead! Only necromancy can do that! Urg.¡± He put his head between his knees and breathed deeply to avoid hyperventilating. ¡°Crap. This is not good. I can¡¯t do this. What made me think I could stop them? I¡¯m gonna fry. I¡¯m gonna get everyone fried¡­¡± Amber began to sniffle again. Between her bawling her eyes out every five minutes and Scott¡¯s incessant stream of consciousness muttering, Cross was at the end of her rope. Amber began sobbing.

    ¡°Lousy, rotten, no good magic books, why the hell does she have one¡­this is nuts. The daemons are going to invade, and I can¡¯t stop it¡­¡±

    ¡°Enough!¡± Cross roared, and slammed on the brakes. They both stared at her. ¡°I have had it with this crap! I do not tolerate this within my officers, I will not tolerate it from you two!¡± They leaned back and tried to make themselves smaller.

    ¡°But-¡± Scott started.

    ¡°No.¡± Cross cut him off with a glare, then took a breath to collect herself. ¡°Listen, I know this is a tough situation. If I had any choice at all, you wouldn¡¯t be involved in this. But as it stands, you¡¯re the only two I can really count on right now, so I need you to focus and have your breakdowns later.

    ¡°Amber.¡± The ghost girl flinched when Cross turned to her, and she tried to soften her gaze. ¡°Your friend betrayed you. That¡¯s terrible, and I sympathize. But she did more than that. She¡¯s betraying humanity, and she needs to be stopped. I need you to be brave and stand up to her, for us and yourself. Hell, you get to avenge your own death. If that¡¯s no motivation, I don¡¯t know what is.¡±

    ¡°But¡­she was my best friend.¡± Amber said sorrowfully.

    ¡°So?¡± Cross raised an eyebrow. ¡°Just because you¡¯ve lost your friends now doesn¡¯t mean you¡¯ll never make any more. You¡¯re in high school. I forgot half of my old friends at our reunion. Don¡¯t treat losing your friends like the end of the world. Having people you can count on is great, yeah, you couldn¡¯t get through life without ¡®em. But if they were the sole reason for your existence¡­that¡¯s not fair to them. Or you. Besides, you¡¯ve still got me and this guy pulling for you.¡± she said, pointing a thumb at Scott. Amber smiled softly.

    ¡°Yeah. I guess I couldn¡¯t ask for more than that.¡±

    ¡°And you.¡± Cross rounded on Scott. ¡°Calm down. It¡¯s not your fault this¡¯s happening. You need to pull it together and work with us so we can get through this. We can do this. Listen, we¡¯re low on options at this point. Do you know what a bug-out bag is?¡± He sullenly shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s a bag that Special Forces agents have, containing everything they need to survive on the run for awhile. I want you to go home and get one ready. Pack everything you¡¯ll think you need, nothing more: extra pair of clothes, toothbrush, any cash you can get together, anything you need for your magic stuff. Keep your cell phone with you, but I can get you a new one, they can be tracked. If worst comes to worst and we fail-¡± her knuckles went white on the steering wheel ¡°-we need to get out. The girls don¡¯t seem like they want to hurt the populace, so the people who know the most about this need to be able to inform others about the situation, and you¡¯re the only one who can actually prove this stuff really exists. I don¡¯t see them gunning for us tonight, so you should try to get some rest now, while you can. I know it¡¯ll hurt to say goodbye to your family, but if you want to save them you¡¯ll do what it takes. I can let you guys stay at my place in Nahumville, but we¡¯ll have to scram soon. Unless you think we have a chance at stopping them here?¡± she asked, hoping against hope he had a spell to make it all better.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± he exploded, nearly tearing his hair out. ¡±Here, there, it doesn¡¯t matter! If the ritual goes down and a daemon rises, there won¡¯t be anywhere to run! Daemons will pour in through the cracks of reality! The army might be able to contain them, but good luck trying to get them here in time! And that¡¯s no guarantee in the first place!¡± he shouted, nearly in tears from frustration.

    ¡°Why? What can the daemons do?¡± Cross asked calmly, letting him vent.

    ¡°Hah! Glad you asked! Daemons who can get into this dimension aren¡¯t much to write home about, kind of like an angry raccoon. Most are small, see? Like a foot tall. But if the bigger ones are allowed to fully cross over and manifest? For one thing, they¡¯re gestalt entities. Shapeshifters. Any form you can think of, including your loved ones. They can possess corpses, too. And with enhanced strength and durability, they can make a lot of those. They¡¯re also supposed to be able to use magic, but I don¡¯t think they have much power for it, save the archlords. Here, see for yourself.¡± he dug in his bag and pulled out the Necronomicon, flipping to a page concerning daemons, with a large, red, horned humanoid illustration. He handed the book to her, and Amber peered over her shoulder. They browsed the page, and Cross started to flip through the pages, frowning.Enjoying the story? Show your support by reading it on the official site.

    ¡°Kid¡­how do you expect me to read this? This¡¯s in ancient Sumerian or something.¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡± Scott said, puzzled. ¡°Really?¡±

    ¡°Yeah. I can¡¯t make heads or tails of it. It¡¯s all chickenscratch.¡± Amber confirmed. He leaned over to check.

    ¡°It¡¯s perfectly legible to me.¡±

    ¡°In what language?¡± Cross asked, suspicious.

    ¡°English?¡± Both Cross and Ambers¡¯ eyes met.

    ¡°Scott, think carefully,¡± Amber said slowly. ¡°How can you read this in a language that hasn¡¯t been invented yet?¡± He blinked, realizing she was right.

    ¡°Y¡¯know, I never actually thought about that.¡± he said, starting to get weirded out.

    ¡°I guess it¡¯s just a magic thig.¡± Cross said dubiously, rubbing the pages. ¡°And what is this made of? It doesn¡¯t feel like paper.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the pages are made from human skin.¡± Scott said absently. Cross yelped and tossed the book back to him. ¡°Anyway,¡± he said, double-checking the page. ¡°Daemons don¡¯t normally use magic spells, their power¡¯s usually the only thing that¡¯s keeping the pressure of reality from squeezing them back out again. But if the ritual goes off correctly, then that won¡¯t be too much of an issue.¡±

    ¡°I see.¡± Cross said, a sour look on her face. ¡°And that¡¯s what that girl wants?¡±

    ¡°Maybe. Maybe not. I know what the daemons want, I don¡¯t know what kind of deal she made. We know she wants to be queen of the world, but a portal for the daemons could either help or hinder that.¡± Scott said, growing more irritable.

    ¡°Right.¡± Cross leaned back and started driving again. ¡°So it¡¯s best to stop it now at ground zero. Hrmm. I have a few friends over in the Nahumville precinct who owe me some favors, I bet I could get them to help me out. If their help will be of any use. Rrrg.¡± She rubbed her temples. I¡¯d say it¡¯d be another sleepless night, but we¡¯ve had too many of those and we both need rest. I¡¯ll pick you up in the morning on the way to school. We¡¯ve got bigger problems than skipping class.¡±

    ¡°Right.¡± Scott said sullenly. Amber gave him a worried glance.

    Soon they had arrived at his house again, and Cross let them out a block away as usual. Scott climbed the rope up to his room in silence, then sat down on his bed in the dark and put his head in his hands.

    ¡°Scott?¡± Amber said softly.

    ¡°What?¡± he said without looking up.

    ¡°Are you alright?¡±

    ¡°Yeah.¡± he said woodenly. He got up and turned on the light. ¡°Guess I should get started on that bag.¡± He grabbed his book bag and started shoving clothes in, tearing opening his closet, his movements becoming jerkier and rougher as he started ripping his sock drawer apart. He violently threw a shirt at the bag but missed, and when he bent down to get it he smacked his head against the drawer. "Aaah!" He hissed in pain and kicked it in anger.

    "Scott, chill. There''s no need to get so worked up." Amber said, flinching away. She''d never seen him lose his cool like this.

    "Right. Yeah. No prob." he said, rubbing his head. He glared at the bag. Amber drifted over and put her hands on his shoulders, forcing him to look at her.

    "Scott. Calm down and tell me what''s wrong." she said firmly.

    "Wrong? Wrong? Why don''t you tell me what''s right?!" he nearly shouted, remembering to keep his voice down at the last minute. "There''s a freaking coven of witches out there who''ve mind controlled the city''s officials, they''ve got super-strong magical powers that are way more versatile than mine, and they''re one step away from bringing a daemon army down on our heads! They probably have the final heart already! And we''ve only got three people who know what''s going on, and two of them don''t seem to get how bad all this is! I am talking the end of freaking days, and no one knows!" he said, throwing his hands in the air and pacing nervously. "I''ve read about their home dimension, its hell! Literally!  Nightmares beyond description, horrors beyond comprehension! If they come through, you can kiss peace and safety goodbye! We''re doomed! Don''t you get it? Doomed!"

    Amber stared at him coolly. She had only known him for a few days, but she had learned much about him during that time, and her soul was linked to his. She could tell when he was holding something back.

    "And?"

    "And? And!?" He stopped pacing and stared at her, trembling and red faced. She didn''t know whether he was going to shout or cry. "And...I...I can''t stop it." he said in a small voice, finally breaking. "The Necronomicon doesn''t have a spell to reverse this, and I...I don''t have a plan. I don''t have a clue what to do. Everyone expects me to come up with something, but I''m drawing a blank! I can''t do everything, you know!" he said, exasperated, resuming his pacing in a circle. He felt like the walls were closing in on him.

    "I know. But you aren''t alone. We can figure something out together." Amber said, trying to be reassuring. Scott was muttering to himself, barely listening.

    "Gotta get a plan...gotta stop the witches...gotta stop the daemons...gotta...gotta..." He started hyperventilating. "I gotta...gotta..." His eyes darted around the room. "Gotta...get out of here." His eyes landed on the rope in the window, offering escape. "Yeah. Gotta get out of here!" He quickly scribbled a note on his desk and taped it to the other side of his door.

    "Scott?" Amber said, but he paid her no heed. The only thing he could focus on was escape. He opened the window. "Scott! Where are you going?"

    "Don''t know. Don''t care." he said, clipped. "But anywhere''s better than here. Gotta get out, least for awhile."

    "But, you need to rest! We have to meet Detective Cross in the morning. You can''t just take off-"

    "Shut up!" he cried, nearly in tears. "I just-I just can''t do this! Just leave me alone!"

    "Fine." Amber said, starting to tear up herself. "But I''m coming with you." Scott froze in terror. Amber, the ghost girl he''d promised...the world ending on Halloween...Amber, such a lively and friendly girl despite being deceased. Having her around for one more moment, a constant reminder...it was too much for him to take.

    "Arg! Don''t you listen? I said I''m getting out of here! God, I wish I''d never met you! Don''t follow me!" The last words he said weren¡¯t a suggestion. They were an absolute order, magically enforced by the spell binding their souls. She tried to move to him, but was forced to obey. She could only reach a futile hand out at his back. He swung himself quickly out of the window, so he couldn''t see the hurt in her eyes.

    He ran, ran away from the problems, ran away from his betrayal, ran from the ghost girl who once again was shedding spectral tears.

    "Scott..." she said mournfully, watching him disappear into the night.

 Chapter 12-Dark Designs

    The car ride back to Stephanie¡¯s house was full of awkward silence, each witch contemplating the path taken, the dark deeds already done, and the uncertain future where even more bloodshed might become necessary. Or at least, the girls were trying to ruminate, if it weren¡¯t for Brian¡¯s incessant yammering.

    ¡°¡­so Stephanie¡¯s all like, yeah, I can see some serious potential in you, y¡¯know, magically speaking. Only she didn¡¯t say y¡¯know.¡± he clarified, heedless of the fact no one was looking at him. ¡°And I¡¯m all, yeah girl, I can help you out with what you need.¡± He wagged his eyebrows at them. The only one who responded was the mindless Chief Mason, with a vague ¡°Hmmm.¡± Undaunted, he continued.

    ¡°So I¡¯m all, I¡¯m down with that, and that¡¯s how I joined up with you guys. Which turns out, of course, to be one of the best ideas in the history of ever, ¡®cause Scott¡¯s acting all, hey, I¡¯m so much better than you, I¡¯m working for the cops now on a top-secret mission, there¡¯s no time to look down on you anymore. I was all, oh that ain¡¯t right, didn¡¯t Stephanie say someone was going around, looking for her peeps? And so then I-¡±

    ¡°Here, mistresses.¡± Chief Mason said dully, to all the girls¡¯ welcome relief.

    ¡°YES! Uhm. I mean, thank you Mr. Mason.¡± Bess said, practically jumping out of the car. ¡°Wait outside so you can take us home.¡±

    ¡°Yes, mistress.¡± was all he could say. They piled out of the car and walked up the gravel driveway.

    ¡°Anyway, so I knew you guys could be in trouble, so I¡¯m all like hey Steph, there¡¯s this little bitch running around trying to take you down, you gotta put him down like now.¡± At this, Courtney lost her admittedly short and very frayed temper. She grabbed him by the collar and yanked him closer, staring down into his glasses.

    ¡°That¡¯s it! I¡¯ve had enough with your stupid talking. You are going to shut up. Right now. Or I am going to shove my knife up your rectum and turn it into a snake. And command it to start biting. Understand?¡±

    ¡°Heh. Got it.¡± He smiled nervously. She growled and pushed him away.

    They went in and saw Stephanie¡¯s mother on the couch, staring blankly at the wall. Since nobody needed her for anything at the moment, she was in ¡°off¡± mode.

    They found Stephanie in the attic, perusing the Libris Malefactorum Arcana while Carla greeted them. Bess quickly took her aside and whispered to her, and after a few moments Carla nodded. Ivory eyed the summoning circle carved into the floor warily; she¡¯d seen what popped out last time, and since her scare at the cemetery she didn¡¯t want anything else spooky jumping out.

    ¡°¡¯Sup, babe.¡± Brian said, bounding up to her seat. Stephanie held up a finger, and they waited until she finished reading.

    ¡°So, everyone.¡± she said, closing the book with a snap. ¡°How did it go? Is Scott on our side now?¡± The other girls glanced at each other.

    ¡°No.¡± Bess put forth. ¡°He¡­disagreed. Violently. And managed to get away.¡± Stephanie pouted at that.

    ¡°Such a shame.¡±

    ¡°Aw, forget that loser, babe!¡± Brian butted in. ¡°I¡¯m twice the man he is. So kinda speaking of which, when do you think you¡¯ll finally start teaching me all those cool spells like the girls have. Y¡¯know? Like you promised?¡± he said hopefully. Stephanie blinked.

    ¡°Ah, right, right, right.¡± Never let it be said I don¡¯t hold up a bargain. Now¡¯s a good a time as any.¡± she said, gesturing to the floor in front of her chair. ¡°Please, kneel.¡± He eagerly did so, and Stephanie turned through the pages until she found the spell she was looking for. ¡°Now, I¡¯m afraid with everything going on, I simply don¡¯t have the time to teach you everything you need to know.¡± His face fell, and she chuckled. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, that means I¡¯m going to expedite the process. This spell will allow the transfer of knowledge directly from the book to you, all downloaded into your brain. Voila! Instant magical knowledge and powers. Sound good?¡± He broke out into a wide grin.

    ¡°Whoa! No training needed? Sign me up!¡±

    ¡°Excellent. Let¡¯s begin.¡± She began chanting strange words from the Arcana. ¡°Xaxeemun cokthalqua. At em hoscht. Zivaa, zivaa, zivaa tum ahuels comzibsjimon. Atha. Kag¡¯ghta uhn cathortus.¡± She held up her finger, sparking with purple light. She pressed it to his forehead and it sunk in. ¡°There we go. How¡¯s that?¡±

    ¡°Huh. It kinda tingles.¡± he said, scratching his forehead. ¡°I don¡¯t really feel anything, though. I¡­¡± A strange blue tint came over his vision. Plaid starbursts floated in front of his eyes. He began to feel his individual atoms disassemble and reassemble in synchronization with the heartbeat of time, flowing from one space to another on the revolving planet.

    ¡°Well? How do you feel?¡± he heard her say, or maybe smelled her say, he couldn¡¯t tell anymore. Time lost meaning, concepts lost meaning; he could feel the burning rays of Betelgeuse and the mad, enlightened dancers around it. The icy, solid oceans of Neptune where unspeakable scribes lurked in darkness.  He saw the infinite void, into dimensions beyond the perceived three. He saw the truth.

    His eyes rolled back into his head as he started seizing violently, falling backwards and foaming at the mouth. He lay mostly still, save for an occasional twitch.

    ¡°Now then,¡± Stephanie said primly. What did you want to talk about?¡±

    ¡°Is¡­is he going to be okay?¡± Carla said nervously. Ivory was dry-heaving, Bess rubbing her back and muttering soothing words. Stephanie shrugged.

    ¡°Eh, maybe. I shoved an entire tome of magic into his mind. He may recover, he may not. Courtney, be a dear and slap a control spell on him, will you? He¡¯ll make a fantastic living reference if he ever wakes up.¡±

    ¡°R-Right.¡± Courtney said, moving to do as the witch commanded.

    ¡°Now. It doesn¡¯t take all of you to deliver a debriefing. What¡¯s up?¡± she said cheerfully. Bess stepped forward.

    "Well, Stephanie. I-the girls and I-have been doing a lot of thinking, and had a talk with each other, and we''re in agreement. We...lately, we''ve been having some problems with..." She coughed into her hand. "We''ve been having some issues with some of the decisions you''ve been making recently."

    "Issues? Really? What sort of issues have you been having?" Stephanie said, tilting her head quizzically.

    "Well...there''s the issue of just letting that guy go tonight. I mean, he only does necromancy, I know we have a wider magical base to work with. But don''t you think that just letting him go isn''t a good idea? What if he manages to get out of town and warn someone?" she said. Stephanie smiled, bemused.

    "Bess, you worry too much! So what if he does? They''ll never believe him, and even if they do, it''ll be too late to matter, and we''ll be long gone. Remember, one little town isn''t enough. If I am to rule, and you are to rule as my lieutenants, we have to spread our influence as far as possible."

    "I know, I know. But what if he and that detective manage to cook something up that''ll screw up the plan?" she asked worriedly, but Stephanie just laughed.

    "And what could he do? Throw some zombies at us? Make some spooky faces? Ooh, I''m shivering in fright." she mocked, dismissing Bess''s concerns with a wave of her hand.

    "Easy for you to say. You didn''t have one attacking you." Ivory muttered, shuddering at the memory. Stephanie gave her a sharp look, then turned back to Bess.This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

    "A zombie isn''t strong enough to stop us. You managed to cut it down easily enough, I believe? I wanted him in the coven, but it honestly makes no difference to the sacrifice whether he is or not."

    "Yeah, uh, about that." Bess cleared her throat, wincing. This wasn''t going to be easy. "The plan. With the...daemons. I know we said we''d support you, and I know I brought this up before...but are you sure this''s a good idea? I mean, I''m all for ruling the world, but having that thing around makes me uneasy."

    "Come now, that''s rude. Brxthilas has a name, you know." Stephanie chided. Bess glowered.

    "Yes. I know. I don''t care. He gives me the creeps, and I wish we''d never summoned him. I don''t like how he looks at us." She felt her skin crawl at even the memory of that predatory yellow gaze, even as small as he was, like he was eyeing up a juicy steak that he couldn''t wait to sink his teeth into. "And the ritual? With the hearts? Don''t you find that creepy?"

    "I suppose. But what would you have me do? Aligning with the daemons, getting at least one powerful one on our side, was the only way to proceed." Stephanie said smiling helplessly, shrugging as if to say what-can-you-do?

    "The actual hell!? What are you talking about?" Bess exploded, and the other girls shifted nervously as the conversation was approaching the heart of the matter. "We came up with the mind control plan! We''re the ones who formed the coven! We have the book! We have the power! We have the right to decide what happens next, not that thing! And I''ve decided I don''t like this ritual! It''s indecent, insane, and unnecessary. Sure, we won''t have as much raw power, but who cares? Our magical knowledge individually makes us untouchable, combined we could topple the world!"

    "Oh, Bess. It''s not that simple. Sure, we could do that. In...well, how long do you think that''ll take? Ten? Twenty years?" Stephanie asked. Bess snorted.

    "So?"

    "And what about after that? What happens in the twenty years after that, when we finally work up the power to enact the plan? Take over the town, then move around to do so to other places? How long will that take? Say we spend forty years building up the power and performing perfectly. How many years does that leave us to rule and enjoy it? Thirty? At most. During which we''ll still be vulnerable to the perils of age and disease. This book may have many things to teach us-" she held up the Arcana "-but immortality isn''t one of them. A contract with a daemon, however? That''s another story. I don''t know about you, but if I''m going to go through all this trouble, I want a little more out of it than thirty years of queen of the world." Stephanie finished. The rest of the coven shared a look; her reasoning made sense, if she was able to pull it off. And she had been right so far.

    "Well, I don''t care." Bess said, straightening up. ¡°It¡¯s not right and it¡¯s not safe. I mean, haven¡¯t you read any fairy tales? Heard of Faust? Humans tend to get screwed over when dealing with daemons, and I¡¯m not willing to take that chance.¡±

    ¡°Oh, you don¡¯t have to worry about that. Brxthilas would never consider it.¡± Stephanie chuckled. That little laugh was the last straw.

    ¡°Stop laughing! I¡¯m serious!¡± Bess shouted, stomping the floor and flashing with orange magical energy. ¡°If this is really what you want, I will have no part of it! Look at what you¡¯re doing! Before this, you and Amber were inseparable, even despite the coven! And a few weeks ago, you murdered her in cold blood!¡± She started to tremble. ¡°I¡¯m scared! You¡¯ve changed! Nothing used to be this¡­horrible! And I¡¯m worried about what will happen next. That¡¯s why¡­I¡¯m asking you to step down as leader of the coven.¡± Stephanie blinked, then smiled softly.

    ¡°And if I say no?¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll have to remove you. By force, if necessary.¡± She chanted in a strange tongue, and orange slime began to cover her body, growing eyes and sprouting tentacles that ended in red sucking mouths. ¡°The rest of the coven is in agreement on this.¡± Bess said simply. Stephanie looked over to the others, who all nodded reluctantly.

    ¡°I see. Well, if you really all feel that way, I suppose I¡¯m in no position to argue. I¡¯m a woman of my word, after all, and I said before I won¡¯t make anyone do anything they don¡¯t want to.¡± she sighed, as if mildly disappointed. Bess was taken aback, although greatly relieved and slightly confused there hadn¡¯t been a fight.

    ¡°Really? Well, okay. I¡¯m, uh, glad we could reason with-¡± Stephanie snapped her fingers. Bess¡¯s throat exploded, preventing her from breathing or pronouncing incantations. Bess collapsed, the others frozen in fear, as Stephanie pulled out her knife and with three quick incisions took out Bess¡¯s heart, heedless of her feeble struggles, which soon stopped.

    ¡°And there we have number seven. Just in time. Now then.¡± She turned to the girls, who flinched and tried to back away. ¡°Come now, there¡¯s no need to worry. The problem has been taken care of. I¡¯m never going to make someone do something they don¡¯t want to, but by that same token no one can force me to do something I don¡¯t want, like step down. Now, who wants to join me tomorrow morning, say, around ten, to begin the final preparations?¡± The girls looked at one another.

    ¡°M-Me!¡±

    ¡°I¡­I¡¯m in!¡±

    ¡°I¡­I¡­you¡­I¡­¡±

    ¡°Excellent!¡± Stephanie chirped happily. ¡°Now go home and get some rest, we¡¯ve only got a day and a half until showtime. I¡¯ll clean up here, so go on.¡± The girls clamored over each other to reach the door and fled like the devil was after them. Stephanie turned back to the room and sighed. ¡°Such a shame. She had such promise.¡± She snapped her fingers and Bess¡¯s body turned to ash. With a wave of her hand, Brian was swept into the corner, still twitching. She left to put the heart with the others and go to bed for the night, as if any other.

    Stephanie yawned and stretched as she made her way to bed. She had carefully sealed and labeled the jar that now contained Bess''s heart and placed it securely with the others in her basement. The ritual would work with the hearts consumed in any order, of course, but for maximum effectiveness they should be eaten in the order they were taken. She entered and closed the door to her room.

    "Heh heh, did''ja see their faces? Priceless! I couldn''t stop laughing! That''s some grade-A work, boss lady." A leering, grinning yellow-eyed face emerged from the darkness, turning on her bedside light. She smiled softly.

    "Brxthilas. Peering into our private affairs again?"

    "Of course!" the daemon chuckled, hands holding hi sides. Only about the size of a milk jug, flapping wings that couldn''t possibly support his own weight, Brxthilas resembled nothing more than a common depiction of an imp. Black, backwards curving horns, deep red skin, sharp white teeth and long nails with a forked tail. At least until he grew bored and shifted to a black-skinned, wide faced, skinnier, more lizardlike version with horns that pointed forward. Those were the shapes he wore the most, although by no means the only ones Stephanie had seen him become.  "I get so bored just waiting for showtime, and you guys are way better than any TV show. And hoo boy-you were great tonight!"

    "Why thank you." she accepted with a curtsey. "Now that I''ve properly motivated them, I don''t think we''ll have another repeat of Bess anytime soon."

    "Now that you got ''em crapping their pants! Ha ha! Ah man, that''d change in a hurry if they knew your real plans for ''em!" The beast guffawed again. Stephanie, as always, smiled serenely.

    "Come now, Brxthilas. I''m sure I have no idea what you mean. AS long as they follow and obey me completely until the end of time and beyond, they may live. It''s hardly my fault that the girls are considerably more...expendable than they believe themselves to be." she sniffed, making Brxthilas break out into peals of unholy laughter again.

    "The hell it ain''t! You''re the one who tricked ''em into joining this ''coven'' in the first place. Coven! Ha! Like that motley crew''s a real coven. It''s just that sort of twisted thinking that makes me love ya, boss lady."

    "Well, my dear imp." she said, giving him a grin. "If they didn''t take it upon themselves to do some research and discover that a true coven is made up of thirteen witches I can hardly be blamed for it, rather than the five we have now."

    "Four," he corrected. "And speaking of which, gimme gimme!" he said, fluttering around her and drooling. "Where are the hearts? We finally got all seven!" She playfully swatted him away.

    "Good things come to those who wait. In less than two days we''ll have a full moon on the Samhain, where the barriers of reality are at their weakest. You''ll feast then, and thus absorb the most magical energy you can get."

    "Hoo-ee! And I can''t wait!" he exclaimed, wheeling through the air, turning a variety of colors. Stephanie climbed into bed and checked the clock.

    "Ahh. It''s after one and I''m still not sleepy. Brxthilas? Can you do it again tonight? Tell me how it will be when we are ascended, until I fall asleep?"

    "Certainly, boss lady!" He sat on the air and cleared his throat, settling into the routine. "On Samhain, one night hence, all your darkest dreams and desires shall come true. I shall consume the hearts of seven fair young maidens in a ceremony older than Egypt, a forbidden act handed down in the shadows away from righteous eyes. I shall grow and become as the greatest fiendish charnel archlords to ever exist, and the skies will burn and the seas shall turn red, the stars themselves screaming with the pain of the tortured innocent. I will unleash a thousand of my daemon brethren upon this wretched place, and Armageddon shall begin! Lo, the human scum shall be erased and replaced with others of my kin, and we shall come to rid the planet of all those that oppose us, and those who embrace us shall become as us, as is the right destiny."

    "And me, Brxthilas? What of me?" Stephanie said sleepily, eyes half-closed.

    "You, noble princess, as our god-queen who gives us the key to the world, I will honor our pact and give you your heart''s desire."

    "Anything?" she said drowsily.

    "Everything! Tell, and it shall be yours, by right and by conquest. You shall become ruler of this throne, sister-daemon, and a thousand glittering cities of platinum and gold shall be naught but baubles in your..." he trailed off as he saw she was asleep. He chuckled. "Sleep well, boss lady. May the sweetest of your dreams bring a calamitous nightmare to this world." he said as he faded into the shadows once again.

 Chapter 13-Plan of Action

    By now, the sky had lightened to grey, but the sun had yet to truly rise up and burn away the early morning mist that crawled and winded through the trees. Birds chirped, but the sound was dull to Scott as he lifelessly tromped through the forest, feet moving on their own, with no set destination. Occasionally, he stumbled into a tree, but paid it no mind. He had other things to think about.

    He had no idea how long it had been since he ran away. All he had wanted to do was get out, get out and think, but even that was taken from him. For the last few hours, all he could see was the hurt in Amber''s tearful eyes as she resolved to stay by him, help him however she could. And what had he done? How had he repaid her? By lashing out at her. By running away from his problems like a coward.

    By breaking his promise.

    He had run mindlessly in the dark; however, completely unknown to him, his feet had somehow carried him to the vast woods behind Amity Memorial Cemetery, deeper than he¡¯d ever gone before.

    "Heh." he barked humorlessly. "Of course. Back to where it all started." It seemed for all his desire to escape, it was a necromancer''s fate to return to the graveyard. He could still remember the first night he''d snuck out, heart hammering and arms trembling with the strain of effort and both excitement and apprehension of what he was about to do; was it really possible to raise the dead? Academically, he knew the answer from previous trials on bugs and small rodents. But it was an entirely different matter when skulking about in the night, glancing for any sign of detection, digging in the hard earth for his unearthly prize. With the sigils drawn, the incantation recited, to see what had been dead move again...it was intoxicating. The feeling, the rush of defying the supreme natural order. All the possibilities now open to him. For Scott Havenbrook, the planets had aligned that night. The stars were right. Armed with the knowledge and might of the Elder Gods, it was his time to rise.

    ¡°And now look at me.¡± he muttered, hot tears streaking down his face. The only one in the world with the knowledge and ability, and he found himself lost and helpless. The early morning chill helped ease the heat on his face, but could do nothing about the burning in his chest. He stumbled and fell face-first into the dirt. ¡°Heh. Heh heh, heh heh heh.¡± He chuckled mirthlessly. He considered just lying there. Just give up and stop moving until he died of thirst or exposure. Silent and unmoving, like a dead thing himself. ¡°I wonder if this¡¯s what it¡¯s like for a corpse.¡± he considered.

    Yet, no matter how corpselike he might have been, his heart still beat, a constant tightness reminding him of his failure. No, more than that. His betrayal. He had promised never to use the chain, never force her to do anything. And when the first real problem came along and she¡¯d ticked him off, what had he done? But no, that wasn¡¯t right either. He hadn¡¯t felt truly angry when she said she was coming with him; he was scared. Frightened out of his wits. And, deep within his heart, he knew exactly why. Scott groaned. He doubted the dead had such worries.

    He reached out a hand, half dragging, half pulling himself up into a sitting position. There was a patch of grass with fewer trees around it, so Scott crawled over and sat down with his back against a tree. Evidently, this disturbed a feeding hawk, making it take flight. He looked over to see a dead crow, entrails on the ground, already gathering ants. The heart had been removed and half eaten. Scott shuddered.

    ¡°Seems like no matter how much I wanna, I can¡¯t get away.¡± he said to himself, sighing. ¡°Damn it.¡± If only he could come up with a plan! This was ridiculous. He thumped his head against the tree, mulling over the last few hours. Amber, the coven, Stephanie, the daemons, the ritual, the crow, eating hearts. He didn¡¯t know how long he just sat there, ruminating on his problem. The hawk¡­the daemon¡­Amber¡¯s heart being eaten¡­

    It clicked. Suddenly, it all clicked. His eyes shot wide open. Hurriedly, he took out the Necronomicon and flipped through the pages, frantically searching to see if one of the spells he vaguely remembered glancing at was actually there. The plan, forming as it was, relied on it as the key to victory. Just where¡­there. He devoured the page, and there the spell was, written in blood. The perfect spell for what he needed to do. His face lit up. He grinned, then began laughing. He had a plan. It was half-formed, half-baked, and all mad, but it was a plan. It could work. It would work. He had a plan, and he could use necromancy. The world was his for the taking. He threw back his head and laughed madly, laughing at his plan, laughing at the witches, at the world, and at the slimy tentacle gods that were surely laughing back at him.

    Gasping for breath, he looked around at the woods, at the dead crow, grinned, and got up. Dusting himself off, he barely noticed the blood and dirt as he pulled out his chalk and ripped out the rest of the bird¡¯s innards.

    ¡°Don¡¯t need that, fly faster without it.¡± he muttered as he drew sigils around a circle in the dirt. Whether they were holy or unholy, it was not for a mere mortal to decide. He placed the bird in it, and began to chant. ¡°Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha.¡± He clapped his hands, there was an emerald flash, and slowly, the crow sat up, flapping its¡¯ wings. ¡°Good. A crow. How appropriate. Now Mr. Crow, I need you to fly overhead. Help me find the fastest route out of the woods. But your job¡¯s not done there.¡± He checked his phone, and cursed. ¡°It¡¯s already time to meet Cross. I¡¯m gonna need you to fly around and look for her. Let me know when you spot her, okay?¡± The crow cawed, and he grinned. ¡°Perfect. Take flight!¡± He threw the avian corpse into the air, where it spread its¡¯ wings and after a rocky start rose above the treeline. Scott grinned widely and started running back. He jogged through the woods following the crows¡¯ path, but noticed a flash of movement out of the former of his eye. Slowing down, he could only stare in amazement.

    ¡°Well. Now I know the gods are laughing at me.¡±

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Detective Cross huffed impatiently and tapped her foot against the tire, anxiously checking her watch. It was almost eight thirty and Scott still hadn''t shown up, despite the fact he usually left for school half an hour ago. She ground her teeth and frowned; could she have been wrong, and the witches had attacked during the night? She looked up and saw with no small relief that Amber was floating over to the car.

    "Finally. I''ve been waiting too long already. Where''s the kid? Doing some last-minute packing?" Cross paused when she saw Amber''s face. "What''s wrong?"

    "It''s Scott." she answered sorrowfully. "He-he''s gone." She gulped, trying to hold it together.

    "Gone? What do you mean, gone!?" Cross barked.

    "Last night...when we got home, he started to go crazy. I think all the pressure was getting to him and he cracked. He jumped out the window and ran off. I haven¡¯t seen him since then." Amber said, hugging herself.

    "Ran off!? Now!? Cripes, this''s a nightmare! Rrrg." She had to take a moment to rub her temples. She had gotten more sleep last night than she had lately, but it still hadn''t amounted to much. It was entirely too early to be dealing with the antics of teenagers. "Great. That''s just freaking great. He was the ace in the hole. Great. Why didn''t you follow him? Not to be a pain, but he''s necessary for anything we can come up with."

    "I tried! Really, I did!" But," She tugged on the chain. "He said not to follow him, and no matter how much I wanted to leave, I couldn''t. I think the only reason I got out now to meet you is because I didn¡¯t intend to search for him." she said. Cross considered for a moment, her eyes closed.

    "Hmm. Well, that doesn''t leave us a lot of options. Great." She sighed, angrily. "I guess two will have to do then. C''mon, get in. We''ll get out of here and come up with something we can do on the way." She bit her lip. This was big; she would do what she could to stop the ritual, but Cross honestly didn''t see herself making it through this one. "If that''s what it takes, that''s what it takes." she muttered, eyes burning.

    "What?" Amber asked.

    "Nothing." Cross said, starting the car. "Let''s go."

    They drove in silence for a few minutes, both of them considering their bleak prospects. The air in the car was oppressive and depressing. Amber wondered how many would join her on the other side before it was over.

    "So." Cross said, finally breaking the silence. "Let''s review what we know. We have five girls, with magic powers, trying to summon a demon tomorrow night. They''re going to host a party that they''ll use to brainwash the whole town. They''ve already got the mayor and the police force, and we''re the only two who know about any of this. And you''re dead, so no one can see you."This novel is published on a different platform. Support the original author by finding the official source.

    "Yeah. Sorry about that."

    "Which means even if I try to call in backup from the Nahumville precinct, they won''t believe me. Hell, I wouldn''t believe me. I barely believe it now, and I''m living it." She moaned. "So it''s us against the town. Fantastic." Off in the distance, there was some indistinct shouting, too far for them to make out.

    "Maybe we can do something during the ritual to disrupt it. Like, I don''t know, drive a bulldozer through it." Amber put forth.

    "And just where would we get a bulldozer?" Cross asked wryly. "Besides, it''s much easier to set fire to something. I''m wary of doing that, though; they plan to do it at a party for the whole town, and I don''t want to put people in danger if I can help it." She straightened up and stared straight ahead. "What I''m thinking is trying to take ''em out before the ritual starts. Assassination."

    "Really?" Amber said, taken aback. In her wildest dreams, she''d never considered planning an assassination attempt against her closest friends.

    "Yup. And I''ll need your help to do it. My hand''s being forced here. There''s no option for due process with what the girls are doing, not in the time frame we have. We have to catch each one of them unawares. I hope we''ll be able to. I''ll gladly take any punishment later. If it comes to an actual fight, I''m not sure about my chances, so I''ve got to take them out as quickly and quietly as possible. Listen to me." Her knuckles went white on the wheel. "If-if for whatever reason this fails, there''s no way this ritual can be allowed to go off. You can move small objects. If worst comes to worst, get some lighter fluid. Start an electrical fire. Put rat poison in the refreshments, make sure they eat it." Amber''s eyes went wide.

    "But-"

    "I know, I know." Cross quickly cut her off. "I know. But if this danger is as real as the kid said, then one town is nothing compared to what''s coming. I need you to do whatever it takes to ensure the girls'' plan doesn''t happen, understand?"

    "But, I-"

    "Promise me." Cross stared at her, hard. Swallowing, with great reluctance, Amber nodded.

    "I promise. I''ll do what I can." She cocked her head. "Hey, do you hear-"

    Smack!

    "Aaaaagghhhh!" Cross and Amber screamed as a black bird slammed itself onto the windshield, squawking indignantly. Cross hit the brakes.

    "What the hell!?" Cross screeched. A moment later, a hand smacked the driver''s window too. There, sweaty and out of breath, was the exhausted teenage necromancer. "Kid!?"

    "You?"

    "What the-?"

    "You...car...running..." he gasped, about to keel over. His heart was hammering so hard he thought it would explode. He staggered over to the curb and collapsed to a knee. "Water?" he croaked. Cross parked at the curb and offered her water bottle. He greedily drank it down, then took a moment to catch his breath.

    "Hah...sorry ''bout that. Having the crow, ahh, get your attention, was the best thing I could think of while I was trying to catch up to your car." he managed at last.

    "I''d say it worked. Kid, what happened? Where were you?" Cross asked. While she was talking, Amber slowly drifted out of the car and stood on the sidewalk. Scott''s eyes locked on her, then looked down.

    "Uh, yeah. I''m, I''m really sorry about that. I, uh, needed to...get away for a bit. I think I thought of something, though. Should be fun." He glanced form Cross to the ghost girl. "Um, Detective? Could you, uh..." Cross looked at the two of them, rolled her eyes and sighed.

    "Right. Try to make it quick." She went back into the car. He turned back to Amber with trepidation.

    "Right. Uh, well. Um." he started nervously. She was staring at him blankly. Why was she staring at him blankly? It was messing up everything he was going to say. ¡°Okay, look. I will admit to being an ass. I-I was a coward, and taking it out on you was the wrong thing to do. I can¡¯t apologize enough, and especially for¡­breaking my promise never to force you to do anything.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± she said simply. Scott cringed.

    ¡°I was under pressure, I was really tired and low on sleep, everyone keeps expecting me to come up with something¡­but that¡¯s not the truth, not really.¡± She stared at him, and he sighed. ¡°That stuff didn¡¯t help, but they¡¯re just excuses. The reason I ran is¡­I was scared. Not of the coven, well not just them. I was scared of letting you down, again. I promised to bring you back, and all this crap happened, and¡­I don¡¯t know, I panicked. I try, I really try to be the guy who always knows what to do and can deal with anything, and¡­I couldn¡¯t be him when we needed it most. I made you a promise, and having you with me¡­I couldn¡¯t face you. You just reminded me constantly that I¡¯m a failure. I¡¯m trying my best, but¡­I¡¯m scared it¡¯s not good enough. We¡¯re all probably gonna die. I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    ¡°Scott¡­¡± She walked up to him, her face scrunched up and unreadable. He flinched, and turned away. She smacked him upside the head.

    ¡°Ow!¡±

    ¡°You are stupid and an idiot!¡± He suddenly found himself wrapped up in a hug, spectral tears evaporating on his shoulder. ¡°Don¡¯t you know how worried I was? Don¡¯t do that again!¡±

    ¡°Huh?¡±

    ¡°Moron! Don¡¯t just run off like that again! How many times do I have to say it before it penetrates that thick skull of yours?¡± She squeezed harder.

    ¡°Huh? I¡­huh? You¡¯re not mad about the chain commanding thing?¡± he asked. She rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Of course not! Okay, I¡¯m not exactly thrilled about it, but that¡¯s beside the point! You just ran off. The state you were in, anything could¡¯ve happened, and I couldn¡¯t have helped you. We have actual enemies out there, and I wouldn¡¯t have known what happened, and I was worried about you, dummy.¡±

    ¡°Huh? Why? I ran away from everything.¡± He said, confused. She shook her head.

    ¡°Because you¡¯re my friend, you idiot.¡± Amber said, softly smiling. Scott was gobsmacked.

    ¡°F-Friend? Really? You wanna be my friend? But¡­why? I¡¯m kinda not the best sort of person. I know I can be condescending, and prickly, and I don¡¯t really care about most other people, and I can¡¯t do anything else besides necromancy, and, well¡­ I¡¯m a creepy, moldy necromancer who goes out at night to rob graves. You¡­really care about me?¡± he asked quietly, his voice cracking.

    ¡°Yeah. I do. The people who I thought were my friends teamed up and killed me. You may not be perfect, and panicked and ran away, but you came back to try and make things right.¡± she said resolutely. ¡°Even if you¡¯re a creepy, moldy, graverobbing necromancer, you¡¯re still a better person than the people I know. Which, ahh, kinda doesn¡¯t say much about who I¡¯m friends with.¡± she laughed.

    ¡°Amber, I¡­¡± His chest was hurting again. But this time, it was a good feeling. He gave up on words and hugged her. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    ¡°Any time.¡± she said, smiling. A jogger went past them, giving him a funny look.

    ¡°What? You find something weird here?¡± the necromancer snapped. Cross honked the horn.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, time¡¯s wasting here!¡± she called out. Scott climbed into the passenger seat, Amber hovering between them. ¡°So kid, what now?¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad you asked.¡± he said, grinning. ¡°First, we go to your place so I can claim your bed. I¡¯d love to get started right away, but I¡¯m badly in need of sleep. My time in the forest was fruitful, I thought up a plan. I¡¯ll need some stuff, get it while I catch up on my z¡¯s. Oh, and call those guys from Nahumville, we¡¯ll need some minion-I mean, extra helpers.¡± he corrected. She glared at him. ¡°Never fear, I will reveal my five-step plan after I¡¯m rested. I also obtained a secret weapon. Ladies,¡± he gave them a wide, predatory, mad grin, his eyes glowing a toxic emerald green. ¡°It¡¯s time to show those fools just what a necromancer can really do.¡±

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "Morning." Clayton said as he lumbered his way down to the tale, pouring himself a bowl of cereal.

    "Morning, Clay. Do you know where Scott is? I called him and he''s still not down." Rebecca Havenbrook asked. He shrugged.

    "I saw a note on the geek''s door, said he had to get to school early to work on some dumb project."

    "Don''t call your brother a geek." she scolded mildly. "Hmm. School? This early? That doesn''t sound like him."

    "Sound like who?" Michael Havenbrook said, stepping into the room and turning on the radio. He headed directly for the coffee pot.

    "Scott. He didn''t come down yet and Clayton said there''s a note on his door saying he went to school already."

    "Huh. Weird." his father said, pouring a cup. Rebecca frowned.

    "Dear. This is your son. Show a little worry."

    "What? He''s got something he has to do, we should let him take care of it." he said.

    "And what if something happened? What if he''s in trouble and ran off somewhere?" she countered.

    "Personally, I think he took off early to meet his little girlfriend before class. ¡°Clay snickered. Both his parents fell silent and turned to stare at him, openmouthed.

    "Scott. Our Scott..."

    "...has a girlfriend?" Clayton laughed.

    "Yeah! I overheard him the other day on the phone. Oh, he tried to deny it, but the dweeb''s been holing himself up in his room and disappearing a lot more over the last few days." His parents looked at each other, mulling over this new information.

    "Huh. A girlfriend. I wonder why he didn''t say anything?" his mother asked.

    "Beat''s me." his father said, shrugging. "I had money on him being gay."

    "Mike!"

    "What?"

    "So, if it''s alright with you guys," Clay said, heading off the argument before it could begin. "I''m gonna head to Phil''s place for a Halloween party tomorrow night. Okay?" Rebecca frowned.

    "I don''t know, honey. They still haven¡¯t caught that maniac out there..." she said.

    "Aw, c''mon. I can take care of myself. Besides, what else am I gonna do? Go to that stupid town-wide party thing? Lame." Clay said, scowling.

    "Look, I''d rather you stay home if that''s the case. They cancelled trick or treating. I know it''s lame, we''re not going either-" Michael was cut off by an announcement on the radio, prepared by the girls.

    "-and that''s right folks! The first annual Craven Falls Halloween Party, and everyone''s invited! Bring your friends. Bring the kids, bring grandma, heck, bring her grandma out, all are welcome! We got hayrides, apple bobbing, local bands, free food, a bonfire, we got the works. Remember folks, come on out tomorrow night. Party starts at seven, but you''re wanna going to get there early!" the announcer said excitedly.

    "-but we''ll be leaving for the party at six, and it''ll mean a lot to us if you can be there. You don''t have to hang out with us, but I''d feel a lot better if you were there. Huh?" Michael blinked after a moment of disorientation, then nodded to himself. "Yeah."

    "Yeah, okay I guess." Clay shrugged. "I think I heard Phil talking about going to that instead, so whatever. Whoa, getting late. I gotta get moving. See you!" He threw his dishes in the sink and headed out the door, shaking a feeling that was similar to deja-vu.

 Chapter 14-Thin Line Between Genius and Insanity

    "A-Are you sure you''re sure about this, kid?" Cross nervously asked a yawning and stretching Scott. It was four in the afternoon, and he''d gotten up half an hour ago to lay out his plan. They''d taken it about as well as he expected.

    "What!? Kid, just what the HELL is wrong with your brain!?" Cross''d screeched.

    "Yeah, this''s insane!" Amber''d chimed in.

    "I agree. But allow me a rebuttal: do you got anything better?" he''d pointed out.

    "Relax, relax." Scott said, holding up his hands. "I got it all worked out. It''ll do the job, a whole lot better than that half-assed assassination plan of yours. We need a lot more firepower than that gun can provide. Just get the stuff I asked you for, your presence here isn''t required, it''ll be detrimental to what I''m trying to achieve." he reaffirmed.

    "But it''s my apartment!" Cross snapped.

    "And if it gets blown up by the time you get back you can bill me." he replied coolly. "Now shoo, shoo." Cross growled and gnashed her teeth at him, but realized she was only delaying the inevitable.

    "Fine. But if anything happens, it''s on your head!" She stormed out, slamming the door behind her. She stomped to her car and pulled out her phone. "Hey, Tommy. It''s me. Yeah. Listen, you know how I covered for you that time with the sergeant¡¯s cigars? Yeah. I''m calling in that favor. Round up as many guys as you can, tell ''em to meet me at the Amity Memorial Cemetery in Craven Falls tomorrow at five o'' clock. I know it''s Halloween. No, I need men here! You''ll find out when you get here. And be ready to rock. Yeah, there''s a situation. Gotta be off the books. Yeah...you''ll find out when you get here. Yeah. I know. You in? Good. See you later." She hung up and started the car, glancing at the list he''d made. She didn''t notice the black clouds and cold wind beginning to blow. "I hope you know what you''re doing, kid."

    Back in Cross''s apartment, Amber fidgeted nervously while Scott cleared space on the wooden floor.

    "S-Scott? A-Are you sure you know what you''re doing? It just seems really dangerous and...stupid."

    "Mad! The word you''re looking for is mad!" he replied cheerfully, pulling out his chalk. "But desperate times call for desperate measures, and I have no problem fighting fire with fire." He double-checked the Necronomicon, making sure the passages were right as he drew a circle imprisoning a five-pointed star on the floor, strange mystical sigils surrounding it on all sides.

    "But doesn''t this seem like the opposite of what we want to happen? I feel like this''s the opposite of what we want to happen." Amber said, eyeing the circle nervously. Already, there was a strange, unearthly aura about it that would''ve made her skin crawl had she still possessed it.

    ¡°Hey, hey.¡± he said comfortingly, finishing the circle. ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯ll all work out. Trust me.¡± She gulped, and glanced back at the circle.

    ¡°If you¡¯re sure¡­¡± Scott nodded, and cleared his throat, checking the book once again. There was no way this could be allowed to go wrong. He began to chant.

    ¡°Alzahmed, den, athlathakin. C¡¯etous, in¡¯a bakagauan et spirtous almehd houn. Alzahmed, den, athlathakin. C¡¯etous, in¡¯a bakagauan et spirtous almehd houn. Alzahmed, den, athlathakin.¡± The air vibrated, and the room began to shake and tremble.  ¡°C¡¯etous, in¡¯a bakagauan et spirtous almehd houn. Alzahmed, den, athlathakin. C¡¯etous, in¡¯a bakagauan et spirtous almehd houn! Come! I call you, by my power, come! Hastazemus!¡±

    The lights went out. No, it was more than that; the light seemed to be sucked out of the air, leaving only deep darkness behind. A foul smell emanated from the circle, charnel and putrid. A satanic red glow illuminated the eldritch pattern, and a strange, leathery smoke arose from its center. It billowed and swelled, unfolding into a ten-foot caped black mass with four ruby red eyes glaring forth with pure hatred.

    ¡°By my name I, Hastazemus, have answered your summons. Who has dared call me?¡± it spoke in a voice like oil poured over gravel. A cold, foul wind blew around the room, making both Scott and Amber shake.

    ¡°I-I have dared call you forth, Hastazemus!¡± Scott called out, suddenly very glad he wasn¡¯t alone.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± The daemon narrowed all four of his eyes. ¡°A mere human whelp and a ghost? For what purpose have you summoned me?¡±

    ¡°Straight to business. I like that in a daemon, don¡¯t you Amber? Very refreshing.¡± he said to her quickly, and turned back to the creature in the circle. ¡°Well, great Hastazemus, I won¡¯t waste your time. There¡¯s a coven of witches in town, trying to put some nasty mojo down on us. Think you can help us stop it?¡±

    ¡°Such aid is well within my powers.¡± he said, a hand slithering out of his cape to rub his chin. They saw it was solidly square, his whole face harsh angles and definitions.

    ¡°I think they have a daemon too, though.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Do not insult me, boy. I am more than a match for human spells, and whatever lesser being they have called. After all-¡± He grinned widely, bright teeth appearing in the black mass. ¡°If they had managed to summon one of our Archlords, you would not be alive to call me right now.¡± He chuckled darkly.  ¡°Very well. But since you know enough to call me, you know the services we provide are not free. We must strike a bargain.¡±This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

    ¡°Fair enough.¡± Scott nodded. ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m not signing over my soul or anything, though.¡±

    ¡°And what of hers?¡± the daemon said, pointing at Amber. She flinched, and Scott automatically stepped in front of her.

    ¡°No dice. No souls. What else can we do for you?¡± he said resolutely. The daemon grinned.

    ¡°A pity. Hmm. Well, if you¡¯re not prepared to offer a sacrifice, there is another option. Grant me a boon. A favor, to be fulfilled at a later date. An IOU, as you mortals say.¡± he said, smiling like a beast. The teens looked at each other. Somehow, Amber turned pale and vigorously shook her head.

    ¡°Got it. I agree to your terms.¡± Scott said. Amber groaned. Hastazemus grinned triumphantly.

    ¡°Excellent! We have a deal. Call upon me when you wish to vanquish your enemy. I await your command.¡± Chuckling, he receded back into the circle, and the light and normal air returned. Scott let out a breath he wasn¡¯t aware he was holding, and Amber fell to her knees through the floor.

    ¡°Well. That went well.¡± Scott said.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Cross returned an hour later, arms laden with packages, including a large brown bag that Scott¡¯s eyes immediately zeroed in on.

    ¡°Is that-¡±

    ¡°Yes. And it was more expensive than I originally envisioned, because no one in their right mind buys them!¡± Cross snapped. ¡°And that other stuff. I got the beans along with the filters, but I couldn¡¯t get enough chalk.¡± Scott¡¯s head whipped around to her, horrified. ¡°Relax. We have to pass by your school on the way, I¡¯ll just go in and ¡®borrow¡¯ the line drawer from there.¡± she dismissed, then frowned. ¡°I have to say though, I¡¯m a bit worried you know how to do this.¡±

    ¡°Come now, Detective. A quick Google search will tell you anything you need to know nowadays. Truly, we live in an age of wonder.¡± Scott tittered, stuffing everything into his backpack.

    ¡°Is it even gonna work?¡± she asked dubiously. Scott tilted his hand in a so-so gesture.

    ¡°Ehh, maybe, maybe not. It¡¯s really more of a backup solution, but I figure hey, why not? Give us as many chances as possible.¡± He slung the bag over his shoulder. ¡°Ready to go, Amber?¡±

    ¡°Coming! Just give me a sec.¡± she called form the living room. Cross leaned over and saw her practicing moving objects again, this time using a broom to sweep away the summoning circle.

    ¡°I take it everything went smoothly?¡± she asked the necromancer. ¡°There isn¡¯t going to be any¡­residue, or hauntings, or anything like that?¡±

    ¡°Nope, all good! He¡¯s waiting to come at my command, the circle¡¯s meaningless now.¡± he said cheerfully. Cross shook her head.

    ¡°I hope that doesn¡¯t stain. Alright, let¡¯s get you guys home. And get plenty of rest tonight, you¡¯ll need it for tomorrow.¡±

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°I¡¯m home!¡± Scott called as he opened his door. Seeing no one around, he pumped his fist victoriously and headed directly for the stairs. Amber sighed and rolled her eyes.

    ¡°Ahh, Scott. Welcome back. You¡¯re pretty late today, what kept you?¡± his mother said, coming in from the kitchen, toweling off her hands. Scott bit back a curse and smiled brightly and fake at her.

    ¡°Oh, y¡¯know, the usual. Homework, reports, basically this big project I¡¯m working on for¡­science class.¡± he said, hefting up his full bag. ¡°Almost done now, gonna present it tomorrow. So I have to put the finishing touches on it now, love you gotta go bye.¡± He started up the stairs, but his mother laughed and called him down again.

    ¡°Scott. It¡¯s all right. I know what you¡¯ve been doing after school lately.¡± Rebecca said, a twinkle in her eye.

    ¡°You do?¡± Scott asked, puzzled. She nodded.

    ¡°Yeah, I know about your little secret.¡±

    ¡°You DO!?¡± Scott yelped, nearly jumping out of his skin.

    ¡°Smooth, Scott. Real smooth.¡± Amber noted. He shot her a dirty look, then turned back to his mother.

    ¡°It¡¯s nothing to be embarrassed about, Scott.¡± she continued. ¡°I mean, it¡¯s not a crime to have a girlfriend. Frankly, your father and I were getting a bit worried, with you always holed up in your room.¡±

    ¡°Oh! Girl-girlfriend!?¡± He stared at her for a moment, then his hand met his forehead. ¡°I take it you¡¯ve been talking to Clay.¡± he said, eyes pinched shut.

    ¡°I may have. So what¡¯s her name? What¡¯s she like?¡± she asked excitedly, leaning on the railing. ¡°You should introduce her to us. I bet she¡¯d love to be asked to the Halloween party tomorrow, we¡¯d love to meet her there.¡± At the mention of the party, his eyes went wide.

    ¡°The party? You¡¯re going!?¡± he shouted.

    ¡°Y-Yes?¡± she said, taken aback at his outburst. He grabbed her by the shoulders. ¡°H-Hey, listen. I¡¯d really rather we not go to the party. I, uh, think it would be a bad idea.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± Rebecca asked, bewildered.

    ¡°Because¡­I¡­.know a better place to go!¡± he said, struck by sudden inspiration. ¡°You know Blackwell Manor, in the old district on Raimi Lane? Well, they fixed it up and they¡¯re gonna be hosting a haunted house that night! Y¡¯know, the place is supposed to be haunted¡­heh heh¡­¡± he laughed weakly. Rebecca looked unconvinced.

    ¡°Really? Sounds great. But we really should go to the party.¡± She frowned, as if finding something wrong with that statement, but couldn¡¯t identify what. ¡°I don¡¯t see why we should go out of our way like that.¡±

    ¡°You should, because¡­¡± He sighed, and debated internally with himself. After a moment, he lost. Eye twitching, he said ¡°If you do, I¡¯ll introduce you to my girlfriend.¡±

    ¡°Really?¡± she said, eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Yes. Nothing would make me happier.¡± he ground out in a flat voice, his jaw set. Amber was howling, beside herself with laughter.

    ¡°Well, if it means that much to you, I suppose we could. How¡¯s Saturday sound, bring her around for dinner?¡±

    ¡°Saturday sounds lovely.¡± he said, not willing to glare at his mother, but this close.

    ¡°Great! I¡¯ll let everyone know. Dinner¡¯ll be ready by six.¡± she said, giving him a kiss on the forehead.

    ¡°Thank you.¡± Scott said, stone-faced. ¡°Now if you¡¯ll excuse me, I have to go murder my brother.¡± He went up the stairs, then took a deep, calming breath and turned to the gigging spirit. ¡°I have a favor I must ask of you, should we live through tomorrow.¡±

    ¡°I gathered, yeah.¡± Amber said, infinitely amused. ¡°But you¡¯re not really not gonna kill your brother, right?¡± Scott looked shifty.

    ¡°I can bring him back, it¡¯s not a big deal.¡±

 Chapter 15-Arise!

    The sun crested over the horizon. The new day dawned, cold and bright. Halloween. The final showdown.

    ¡°Morning.¡± Amber said, shaking Scott awake. He groaned and rolled over, shielding his eyes form the sun. ¡°Hey, up and at ¡®em. Don¡¯t you have more stuff to take care of?¡±

    ¡°No.¡± he said, not opening his eyes. ¡°I did everything I needed to last night. The rest we can¡¯t do ¡®til we meet with Cross later.¡±

    ¡°But, what if the girls are on the move?¡± she asked worriedly.

    ¡°So what? We know their plan.¡± Scott said, yawning. I¡¯d be more surprised if they weren¡¯t busy with last minute preparations. They¡¯re running two major rituals tonight, the prep for that¡¯s gotta be crazy. Besides, they won¡¯t start anything until tonight. Full moon on Halloween night? Couldn¡¯t ask for better magical conditions, the barrier of reality¡¯s at its weakest.¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± she said absentmindedly.  Scott sat up against his headboard.

    ¡°Alright, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Amber tugged on her ponytail.

    ¡°Ahh, nothing. Not really.¡± He sighed and patted the bed. She sat down and he looked at her expectantly. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­it¡¯s really here. We¡¯re really going to move out tonight. And-¡± She gulped. ¡°We¡­might have to kill my best friend. My former best friend. I know she deserves it. I know that. I know we have to stop her, no matter what. I know that we¡¯ll try not to have any deaths tonight. I know all that. I just wish it hadn¡¯t come to this. Why me? Why Stephanie? She¡¯s killed so many. She didn¡¯t used to be like this. She knew how precious life is. Or at least, I thought she did.¡± She looked out the window, at a robin taking flight from a tree.

    ¡°And?¡± Scott said gently.

    ¡°I¡¯ve been thinking it over all night. What Stephanie did, is doing, is wrong. We have to stop her. I just hope we can stop her before something drastic happens that forces your hand. I¡­I¡¯ve found out personally how horrible death is.¡± She looked down at her glowing hands. ¡°I¡­I don¡¯t want her to go through this. I don¡¯t want anyone to go through what I went through. And I¡­¡± Amber stared helplessly at Scott. ¡°I¡­don¡¯t want you to go through that. Or Detective Cross. Or your parents, or mine, or anyone else.¡± she said quickly, the words pouring from her mouth faster and faster. ¡°I know I can¡¯t stop death, it¡¯s a natural process. But taking someone before their time, is so¡­needlessly cruel! How¡­how could I¡­ how could she¡­¡±

    ¡°Hey, hey. It¡¯s all right. I understand.¡± Scott said, taking her hand and giving it a gentle, reassuring squeeze. ¡°I know. I think I know better than anyone, even you maybe.¡± he said quietly. ¡°The necrotic energy¡­I can feel it. I can feel what it means. But I can also feel it when the dead rise again. It feels like¡­throwing off a sleeping blanket of darkness. That¡¯s the closest I can describe it. And it feels good. Like I¡¯m defying what is, in favor of what should be.¡± He scratched the side of his head, blushing lightly. ¡°Heh. This¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve tried to put this in words. But it¡¯s no less true for my lack of elocution.¡± Amber chuckled, and so did he. There was a moment of silence after they finished, both waiting for the other to say something first.

    ¡°But¡­what if the worst happens tonight?¡± she finally said, voicing the question that had been burning in her mind all night. They both knew she wasn¡¯t talking about the daemons.

    ¡°It¡¯s not going to happen. I won¡¯t let it. There¡¯s a lot that can happen, but I¡¯m not worried about that, because of one reason. Let me let you in on a little secret.¡± He smiled at her; not like in the past, wryly or actually a grin, just a pure, warm, confidant smile.

    ¡°No necromancer is scared of death.¡±

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "Alright. Everything ready?" Cross said, shivering in the chill October wind. The sun was technically still up, but it was only a matter of moments before it fell below the horizon. It was still bright though; the full moon hung in the sky, a beacon in the fading light ushering in an age of darkness. Despite the chill she felt an anxious energy run up and down her body, making her feet sweat. It was the thrill of danger before an operation, giving her an itching desire for movement. Scott and Amber glanced at one another, and nodded.

    "All set. We''ve got everything we need." Scott said, handing her the Necronomicon. "Here, keep this in the car. I''d rather not have anything happen to it while this''s going down." She took it and bit her lip.

    "Got it. Kid...are you sure you don''t want me there? I''m uneasy sending you in there alone." He chuckled.

    "I''m sure. You''re most needed for phase three, as well as transportation. I''m not old enough to drive. And you needn''t be so concerned. I''m hardly alone." He swept his arm to encompass the four rotting zombies freshly dug up from the yard they were standing in. "How''d the meeting go, by the way?" he asked. Cross snorted.

    "At first, about as well as you''d expect. Twenty cops, told to help stop some teenage girls from summoning some demons and causing the apocalypse? They laughed and nearly walked out on me. They changed their tune quick when I had the zombie march out in front of ''em, though." She smiled at the memory. The officer had nearly soiled himself when he realized it wasn''t a prank. "Thanks for telling it to follow my orders for awhile. Chris put a couple of shots in it, though."

    "So I see." Scott said, examining the bullet holes. "Wondered how that happened. Well, that''s it. See you soon, if we''re all alive. ''Cept for you, Amber." he coughed, and she gave him a half-hearted swipe upside the head.

    "Right. Lots of luck to you kids." She shook both of their hands, and got in the car. I''m off. I''ll be circling around. If you need me, call me."

    "Will do." Amber said, and they watched her drive off. "Here we are. Ready to go?"

    "Yup. Let''s go this." He cracked his knuckles and licked his lips. "Hastazemus, come forth! I summon you now!"

    They sky got just a bit darker and a foul smell wafted across his yard. Black leathery smoke shifted from the shadows, unfurling into the daemon.

    "Ahh, young master. It is time to strike?" he asked, unable to keep the wolfish glee from his voice. Scott nodded.

    "We have to go to 23 Lestat Avenue. Take us there, and we''ll raise some hell. Literally?" he asked, eyebrow raised. The daemon chuckled.

    "Most certainly, master. Now, stand in close." They huddled in, and he howled "Away!" Reality blurred, shimmering stars and black space folding and unfolding upon themselves, and in the dimming light they found themselves across the street from Stephanie''s house. They blinked.

    "This is...new. I know her house was big, but she didn''t live in an actual mansion before." Amber said, wide-eyed at the new property standing tall in the neighborhood.

    "They, uh, must''ve done some remodeling." Scott said.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "Is everything ready?" Stephanie said, gliding down the staircase in a long, dark purple robe with a black catsuit underneath it. She had spent the last half hour ritually cleaning herself, focusing her mind on the task before her. There were to be no screw-ups tonight. The girls stopped what they were doing and bowed, all dressed in similar robes.

    "Indeed. Everything has been prepared to the letter." Carla said, going over a checklist. "The circles have been drawn around the hearts in the basement, the sigils have been inscribed perfectly, and the fires have been lit in the braziers."

    "Everything''s ready at the party, too." Courtney put forth, smiling confidently. "I¡¯d say we got ninety percent of the town there already, and it only kicks off in an hour. The circle''s been drawn around the town square, and the idols have been placed in the four corners."

    "All our parents are there, too." Ivory said dully. Ever since Bess''s death, she had felt scared and numb. The only reason she hadn''t headed for the hills already was because she was terrified of what Stephanie would do to her.

    "Excellent. The sun is almost down, and the moon is full." Unseen, Brxthilas cackled madly and Stephanie smiled. "It is time to proceed. Carla, take Ivory and Courtney to the town square and await my arrival. I shall perform the ritual alone."

    "What?" Carla said, sharing a glance with the other girls. "You''re going to do the ritual by yourself?"

    "Yes? Is there a problem?" Stephanie said, cocking her head. "If everything is already prepared, then all I must do is recite the incantations and perform the sacrifice. Your presence is better suited for managing things at the party in my absence right now, and I will be along shortly. Is there an...issue?" Carla''s eyes went wide.

    "No, ma''am. I understand." Reciting a spell, she grabbed the other two before they could protest and sank into the shadows, Stephanie chuckled.

    "Well, Brxthilas? Shall we begin?" He popped into existence above her shoulder.

    "Hell yes, boss lady! I''ve been waiting too long! Finally, I-" Suddenly, he became alarmed as he sensed something. Close.  "Boss-!" The front door was kicked open.

    "Sup, bitches!" Scott called as he strode confidently through the door. "Make way, make way! Necromancer here coming through, ready to make some corpses and raise ''em after! Ready to-huh?" He looked around the spacious parlor, only seeing Stephanie staring at him. "Where is everybody?"

    "They have moved on to the main event." Stephanie sneered at him imperiously. I take it your presence here is not to join us?"

    "Got that right!" he grinned back, and shrugged nonchalantly. "Oh well. I was hoping for a live studio audience to watch you getting your ass kicked, but I suppose a dead one will do just as well. Boys!" Four zombies came in and surrounded him in a defensive diamond pattern. Stephanie laughed

    "Seriously? Do you think some moldy old bones are enough to stop me?"

    "Boss, I don''t think that-"

    "Impetuous fool!" she cried. "I''ll tear them apart with a thought and do the same to you. Watch!" She raised a hand and sent a bolt of purple flame at him. He grinned as a shadow reared up in front of him and absorbed it, reducing it to nothing. Four red eyes glared at her. Stephanie narrowed hers.

    "I see I''m not the only one with an interest in daemonology." she said. Brxthilas fluttered around her in panic.

    "Boss, this''s bad! I know him, he''s in the upper leagues! I don''t know what that kid promised him, but I can promise you I''m not in his weight class!"

    "And so what?" she said, shifting her gaze to him. "Are you just going to roll over and give up? I refuse. I''ve worked far too hard for this moment to be undone now. You forget my power. And the power of the girls. It will be enough. It has to be." Back below, Hastazemus growled to the necromancer.

    "This arrogant witch. She is to be struck down?"

    "Yeah. Kick her ass, will you?"

    "So I SHALL!" Hastazemus roared, unfurling his cape into four batlike wings, the top set large, the bottom two small, baring his fangs and four-fingered claws.  Eyes blazing, he shot forward, spinning his hands together like coiling rope to generate a wheel of fire. He threw it at her, but it was dispersed by a shield around her.

    "It''s not that easy!" Stephanie howled, running up the stairs, turning to face him as he wheeled through the air of the enchanted hall. "Tsathla!" A bolt of lightning shot out form her finger, which was easily deflected by a blow form a wing. The electricity arced along the ceiling and wall, scorching them.

    "Ha ha!" he bellowed, tossing back his head. "Foolish woman! You could never hope to defeat me!"

    "Like hell I can''t! Zab astouth!" She pointed her hands at him, and twelve glowing orbs of energy poured out, speeding towards the daemon. He dodged and weaved through them, but Stephanie grunted with effort and flicked her wrist, sending one of them to clip his wing and exploding against it. He howled as he fell, the others homing in and bursting on his body, smoke billowing through the air. Scott whistled.

    "Ha! How''s that!" Stephanie cawed, throwing her hands wide and clapping them together. "I call upon winter! S''shan do athtorahk!" The daemon was suddenly encased in ice, crashing to the floor. She descended the stairs triumphantly, conjuring a sledgehammer. Hastezemus wasn¡¯t finished, however.

    ¡°Nnnn. Graaaahh!¡± With a burst of strength, he flexed and shattered the ice, steaming as it flew away. She cursed and threw the sledgehammer at him with unnatural strength, and with a quick incantation turned it into a venomous snake. It flew through the air, hissing, and sunk its fangs into the daemon¡¯s forearm.This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

    ¡°How do you like that?¡±

    ¡°Venom is nothing compared to the might of daemons.¡± Hastazemus said, smiling cruelly as the snake combusted. Clutching his arm and grimacing, he ripped it of at the elbow. The blood dripping out coagulated into another arm, good as new. He grinned and threw it at Stephanie, who leapt away. Which was the proper move, as the daemon flesh exploded where she was standing a moment before.

    ¡°Boss, I don¡¯t know how much more I have to give.¡± Brxthilas moaned, panting and sweating with effort.

    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯ll destroy him!¡± she snarled, firing purple bolts of energy in a close pattern Hastazemus¡¯s way, which he merely flickered in and out of existence away from, laughing at her. ¡°Aahhh! I¡¯ve had enough!¡± She threw her hands in the air, drawing forth as much power as she could. ¡°Bas fintall p¡¯lyzmick athtawnas!¡± She swept her hands at the daemon, catching him off-guard at the content of the spell.

    ¡°Gurk-!¡± he got out as his form was suddenly changed into a frog.

    ¡°Got you, you four eyed freak! Now what do you have to say for yourself?¡± Stephanie said, cawing with delight. The frog laughed and bugled, morphing back into his daemonic form.

    ¡°Daemons can shapeshift!¡± Scott called helpfully from the sidelines.

    ¡°Such effort, all for such a waste! It seems there is much she does not know!¡± Hastazemus said, guffawing. Her eyebrow twitched.

    ¡°Shut up! Die!¡± She stomped her foot and said something undecipherable, telekinetically picking up a bookshelf and hurling it at him, which he easily shattered with one blow from a claw.

    ¡°Man. This¡¯s a good show. Wish I had popcorn.¡± Scott muttered. Hastazemus grinned and teleported over, holding a tub out to him. ¡°Wow, thanks!¡±

    ¡°Anything for my master.¡± he replied smugly, glancing over at the witch with one eye. Scott took it and ate some.

    ¡°Mmm. Perfectly buttered.¡±

    ¡°How dare you!¡± Stephanie exploded. ¡°Do not! Make fun! Of ME!¡± Screeching indecipherable incantations, her form blurred and divided, splitting off three exact clones. ¡°How¡¯s this! Four curses coming at you at once!¡± Hastazemus looked at her and grinned.

    ¡°Fool!¡± Suddenly, each Stephanie was surrounded by four Hastazemuses, glowering down at her. ¡°Four bodies, but only one consciousness to control them! Mortals can¡¯t coordinate enough in only three dimensions!¡± Each daemon rained down blows upon the Stephanies, beating each to a bloody pulp. They tried to form shield spells, but were smacked around too much to respond. ¡°Never try to outdo a daemon at their own specialty!¡± The Stephanies groaned and folded back into one, shacking, black and blue, barely able to stand.

    ¡°I¡­I think that¡¯s enough.¡± Amber said, wincing at the sight of her former friend.

    ¡°Do you surrender?¡± Hastazemus said. Stephanie spat out blood from her mouth.

    ¡°Never.¡± she hissed.

    ¡°Then you lose.¡± Scott said, behind her. Her eyes went wide and he placed a hand on her head. ¡°Sekh.¡± She screamed in agony as the necrotic energy shot through her, making her rot and decay form the inside out. He let go and she fell to the floor, twitching.

    ¡°I¡­I will never give up.¡± she groaned, trying to get to her feet, fury in her eyes. ¡°The¡­the town shall be mine. The world shall be mine! Leo shall be mine!¡± she cried, defiant. Scott blinked.

    ¡°Leo? The guy has a girlfriend, you know.¡± he said.

    ¡°Wha? Really? I thought he just didn¡¯t like me. Or was gay.¡± Stephanie said absentmindedly. Hastazemus took advantage of her distraction to chop her on her shoulders. ¡°Swvah!¡± Her shield was the only thing saving her life, as the blow drove her through the floor and into the basement. She groaned and fell limp.

    ¡°Wow. Pretty spacious.¡± Scott said as the daemon levitated them down. Hastazemus was about to move in to finish her off, but then noticed the circle she was lying on.

    ¡°What? Could it be-?¡± He scanned the room, taking in each sigil, the braziers, the circle, the runes on the walls. He glanced over and saw the seven hearts in glass jars on the table. He grinned.

    ¡°All right. I don¡¯t think she¡¯ll be any more trouble, so all we have to do is get some rope and-¡± Scott said, striding forward, Amber and the zombies close behind.

    ¡°Master.¡± Hastazemus interrupted, a black smile on his face. I believe she was about to carry out a very specific ritual.¡± Scott turned to him in horror.

    ¡°N-No! No way!¡± Brxthilas shrieked, flying in front of the larger daemon. No fair! I was the one who did the work, I deserve-¡± Hastazemus gestured and the implike daemon popped, exploding into black ichor.

    ¡°I know what my favor is to be.¡± he continued.

    ¡°Oh. Uh, can¡¯t¡­can¡¯t we talk about this?¡± Scott said shrilly, glancing about nervously. The daemon shook his head. ¡°Nooo¡­!¡±

    ¡°Master. By our pact, I declare that my favor is to consume the hearts of seven maidens and complete the ritual!¡± Hastazemus proclaimed. The magic circle began to glow a dark, daemonic red.

    ¡°No no no!¡± Scott cried, sweating. ¡°Guys, get him!¡± The zombies surged forward, Bones at the lead, but with a glance the daemon flung them into the wall. Chanting echoed throughout the basement, ghostly tongues speaking forbidden, unholy incantations as Hastazemus lumbered over, twisted off the top of the first jar, and tossed the heart down his throat.

    ¡°No! You can¡¯t!¡± Scott shouted, throwing himself forward, spells forming themselves on his lips, but he was tossed aside as easily as his zombies. The daemon slurped down another heart.

    ¡°Graaahhh!¡± Amber threw all her power at the daemon, and he swayed as if in a stiff breeze. He pointed a finger at her, and she screamed as her soul was shredded and reformed instantly. Hastazemus gulped down the hearts, the circle¡¯s glow intensifying, until he reached the fifth.

    ¡°Ahh. I believe this is yours, my dear.¡± He said, reading the label. He opened his mouth to have his tongue shear off the top, snake around the heart, and withdraw to devour it. ¡°Delicious!¡± He smashed open the other two, and consumed them both. The chanting ceased, and his eyes blazed white. The entire world held its breath.

    ¡°Yes¡­YES! I can feel the power!¡± He roared and flexed, tearing a hole in reality. Daemons of all shapes and sizes poured out, shrieking with joy, and flying out of the basement. After a minute, Hastezemus groaned and let go, collapsing the hole. ¡°Even now, it is a strain. But a few hundred daemons is more than enough for a start. Now our business is concluded, and I have other matters to attend to Like Laying waste to the town. Farewell, ¡®master¡¯.¡±

    ¡°N-No. I¡­I deserve the power!¡± Stephanie said, forcing herself to stand. The daemon glanced at her contemptuously, and blasted her through the roof, her only defense a quick shield spell.

    ¡°Foolish mortals. Brethren! To me! I declare myself king of this realm! Hear me, and obey!¡± Laughing uproariously, he spread his wings and took off, dancing in the sky with the others.

    Amber shakily floated to her feet. Scott groaned and sat up, rubbing his head. His zombies were squished, but their bodies cushioned the blow for Bones, at least.

    ¡°Least I still have one. You got it, Amber?¡± he said.

    ¡°Yeah, no problem.¡± she answered, trying to shake her disorientation off.

    ¡°Good. Phase two is complete.¡± He tried to grin, but grimaced in pain. ¡°Ow. Phase two has pain. A lot of pain. Why does phase two have so much pain?¡±

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    The moon gleamed in the sky high and bright above the town. Four burning, baleful eyes filled with hate and dark glee took in the sight, chuckling. Hastazemus sat in a throne on a cloud, his court a multitude of daemons of all different shapes and sizes cavorting before him, staining the sky red with their auras.

    ¡°Free! Free! Free to annihilate this pathetic world! Oh, sweet freedom to run amok!¡± a monkey-like daemon gibbered above the din, in a language harsh and more ancient than the sands of Egypt.

    ¡°What shall we do first?¡± a daemon that was purely a mouth called out.

    ¡°Crush them!¡±

    ¡°Seize them!¡±

    ¡°Burn them!¡± A cacophony of answers rang out, whipping each other into a terrible frenzy.

    ¡°Hold.¡± One said, louder than the rest. Its physical form appeared as a furry cube. ¡°There are many things that are to be done. We must provide a foothold here, so our lord may gather his strength to open a gate again. What say you, lord?¡± All senses turned to Hastazemus, smiling above the world.

    ¡°Can we not accomplish the same goal with different ways?¡± he bellowed, his voice like thunder. ¡°The methods matter not. The goal shall be achieved. I can feel the hearts within me.¡± He pounded his chest, and belched. More power surged up within him. ¡°I feel it. The power comes. Go! Go and erase the humans from this place. We shall wear their corpses as another skin, and spread from here to the four corners of the earth. Those humans who take up our banner shall be our slaves, toys to do with as we desire!¡± A cheer went up from the assembled daemons.

    ¡°And the portal? What of the Princes?¡± one called out.

    ¡°They will be brought forth in time. I shall shatter the dimensional barrier, and take my place among the venerable Archlords. The age of Hastazemus has come. This world shall wither and break. Sound the gong! Go! Destroy them! Destroy them all!¡±

    He laughed as the daemons screeched with joy and descended upon the town, spreading the sky¡¯s bleeding red stain in their wake. Hastazemus laughed; after all, the humans had allowed him into the world. And thus, their day of reckoning had come.

    -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°All right men, listen up!¡± Cross shouted in the fading light, military-sharp. They were gathered at the cemetery, around Amber¡¯s grave. The assembled men, all police officers, recognized her tone as not to be disobeyed at all costs. ¡°I know tonight will be difficult. I know it won¡¯t be exactly the work you¡¯re used to. I know we might not all make it through the night. But you men took an oath when you signed up, an oath to protect and serve! Well, now you have to protect and serve the whole damn planet! You must do whatever is necessary! I understand this is a difficult position we¡¯re in, but I¡¯ve been dealing with this crap all along already, and are you men going to tell me you¡¯re not as tough as a little old lady like me, are you?¡± she snarled.

    ¡°No ma¡¯am!¡± they answered, and she nodded, pleased, glaring at them with a fierce pride.

    ¡°Right! Any minute now, this town is going to be under siege. This is not your concern! That will be taken care of. Our job is simple: we are going to send aid to the town, then proceed to the town square and protect the citizens of this fair town like we do every day! Got it? Good! Any questions?¡± A younger officer raised his hand. ¡°Yes?¡±

    ¡°Uh, ma¡¯am¡­who¡¯s the kid?¡± he asked, pointing to Scott, who was kneeling on the ground, a towel on his head and eating orange slices.

    ¡°This, gentlemen, is the kid who is the lynchpin to the entire operation! We are here at his behest, to help him do what only he can do! You are to protect him with your lives, if necessary!¡± Cross barked.

    ¡°Wow, laying it on a little thick, aren¡¯t you Detective?¡± Scott muttered.

    ¡°I¡¯m sure she¡¯s just nervous. And to be honest, you are the key to everything here.¡± Amber said, handing him a water bottle. The men who saw it had their eyes go wide, a water bottle ¡°floating¡± up to his hand.  A couple officers finished unloading the car and wheeled the line markers up to them nervously. They kept glancing at their helper; understandable, since it was a walking skeleton.

    ¡°Good, the materials are here. Men, take one of these printouts an draw a circle around the entire cemetery. These markings must be inscribed exactly as you see on the paper. Make sure they are exactly at the correct points. Both Scott and I will be around to supervise. Understood?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, Maggie. I¡¯m looking at this thing, and it¡¯s making my head hurt. This, I dunno, don¡¯t feel right, like some kind of dark spell or something.¡± Tommy spoke up, giving the printout a once over and frowning. Scott grinned.

    ¡°Of course it does, officer. It¡¯s dark magic, plain and simple. But in this case, it¡¯s more¡­morally neutral than evil. In any case, it¡¯s better than being eaten by a daemon, right?¡± he said. The officers murmured among themselves uneasily.

    ¡°Enough! You have your orders! Get out there and do ¡®em, or else you¡¯ll have me on your asses!¡± Cross snapped. They saluted and dispersed, grabbing the chalk and getting busy with the operation. Scott and Amber stared at Cross.

    ¡°Yeesh. Hard to tell who they¡¯re more afraid of.¡± Amber said. Cross smiled confidently.

    ¡°Hey, Maggie.¡± A stocky, older man in a sweatervest said, coming up to her.

    ¡°Pete!¡± she cried, eyes lighting up. ¡°What are you doing here?¡±

    ¡°Came as soon as I heard you needed men for a job.¡± He said, clasping her hand and giving her a hug. ¡°Have to say, I never thought this¡¯d happen. I¡¯ve seen a lot in forty years on the job, but this¡¯s easily the freakiest¡­stuff I¡¯ve seen.¡± He said, glancing at Scott. Amber huffed. ¡°All this¡­magic and crap. Can¡¯t believe it¡¯s real. This¡¯s a game-changer, that¡¯s for sure.¡±

    ¡°Like you wouldn¡¯t believe.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°And nothing but a headache for me.¡± Cross said, rubbing her temples. ¡°It¡¯s been a nightmare. Anyway, I¡¯m glad you¡¯re here Pete, but¡­you¡¯re not exactly a young man anymore.¡± She grimaced, but he only smiled good-naturedly.

    ¡°I know. I can¡¯t help out with much, especially with this occult stuff. But I figure hey, a meatball sub never hurt.¡± He held up a bag and a soda.

    ¡°Food! Thanks!¡± Scott took the bag and slurped down the soda, but didn¡¯t open the sandwich. ¡°I¡¯ll need this for afterwards. Thanks. Pete, was it?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I-¡± There was a loud boom, like thunder. Everyone looked up into the sky. It was starting to turn a deep blood red.

    ¡°Oh no.¡± Scott said in horror. ¡°Alright, people! We gotta move! Get it done as soon as possible, they¡¯re on their way! You! No, you! That sigil isn¡¯t like that, the lines have to be curved to the left more, like this!¡± He went around the cemetery, making sure the circle was correct.

    After almost half an hour, it was done. The sigils were inscribed, the circle was drawn, and the police were baffled.

    ¡°Maggie, we¡¯re done with this. Now what?¡± Tommy said. She looked over the circle, checked the paper, and nodded.

    ¡°Now, you leave.¡±

    ¡°What?¡±

    ¡°You heard me.¡± Cross said sternly and glanced at Scott, who nodded. ¡°Our presence is no longer required here. We have to move to the town square and protect the partygoers. The whole town¡¯s there. I still have a job to do, but I will meet you there.¡±

    ¡°Then why did we go through all this trouble here?¡± he said, eyebrow raised. Scott spoke up.

    ¡°Because the coven¡¯s still running around, but we¡¯ve got an army of daemons breathing down our necks. But leave them to me. I¡¯ll, ahh, call in some backup.¡± Scott smiled, and Tommy shivered. He could¡¯ve sworn the kid¡¯s brown eyes turned green for a moment.

    ¡°Whatever, man.¡± He and the other cops turned and left, only Cross staying behind.

    ¡°You sure you can do this, kid?¡± she asked. Scott licked his lips and nodded.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been more sure of anything else in my life.¡± he said, slowly walking around the edge of the circle. His heart was pounding in his chest. ¡°This is what I¡¯ve been preparing for. What I was born for.¡± Almost in a trance, he was pacing the circle¡¯s edge and breathing steadily. The chalk, a plain uniform white, seemed to brighten and dim in rhythm with him. ¡°There¡¯s no one else who can do this. Would do this. I am a necromancer. I am ready.¡± He looked at Cross and Amber, his eyes glowing a brilliant toxic emerald green. ¡°Are you?¡± They both shivered. Taking no notice, Scott clapped his hands together and began to chant. ¡°Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha. Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha!¡± The ground began to shake. The air became heavy and thick. Amber and Cross looked around fearfully, but Scott tossed back his head and laughed, laughed like a madman. ¡°Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha!¡± He could feel the power reach down deep, touching them, filling them all. ¡°Ha ha ha! Yes! Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha! Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha! Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha! Yes!¡± The entire circle glowed as green as his eyes, the necrotic energy sparking form his fingertips. He let it flow through him, tossing it out onto the world and into the ground, laughing with joy. ¡°Yes! Arise! Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha! Arise! Rise up from your graves! I command you! RISE!¡±

    A hand burst up from a grave, boney and thin. The zombie, groaning, dug its way out. But it was not the only one. Scott looked to see them, all of them, bursting up from the ground. Moaning. Shambling. Rising.

    ¡°Yes! To me! Ha ha! I wake you from your eternal sleep! Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha!¡± A recently deceased elderly woman climbed out, shifting the earth, dirt cascading from her body. A tombstone nearly three hundred years old crumbled and fell as its owner dug out from underneath.

    ¡°Come forth! I, necromancer, use my mastery of the black arts to call you forth! Aztock, turath, neb emuu kashnoth serbaph jslatmon ha! Yes! Rise! Rise to do my bidding! Rise!¡±

    ¡°Scott, quit fooling around. We don¡¯t have much time here.¡± Amber said sternly, not sounding impressed. Cross merely checked her watch.

    ¡°Yeah, how long is this going to take? I have to get over to the others, you know.¡± she said.

    ¡°Shut up, I may never get the chance to do this again! Let me have this.¡± Scott snapped at them, scowling. He turned back to his horde and cackled madly again. ¡°Yes! Go, my zombies! Kill them! Kill the daemons! Kill them all!  Tear them all to pieces! Protect the town! Save the people! GO!¡± Scott laughed, laughed as the zombies shuffled off, in various states of decay, into the town.

 Chapter 16-Super Savior! Intense Violence!

    ¡°Riley, hurry up!¡± Vanessa called up the stairs, annoyed that her little sister was taking so long. ¡°We¡¯re already late! Mom and Dad are there already!¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m coming! Just gotta put the shoes on!¡± Riley called back down. The seventeen year old huffed; Riley had wanted to make her own costume for the party, and with her mother¡¯s help had been working on it all week. When Halloween rolled around however, they found she still wasn¡¯t done. She had been up in her room for the last three hours, frantically sewing and hot gluing her green and blue fairy princess costume together. Vanessa, being a Responsible Teenager, had volunteered to stay behind and drive her to the party later.

    ¡°You¡¯d better hurry up! I¡¯m leaving in five minutes with or without you!¡± Vanessa said, checking the clock on the wall. She twirled the brim of her black witches¡¯ hat; she would be in attendance as the Wicked Witch of the West, and her boyfriend was going as a flying monkey.

    ¡°I¡¯m ready!¡± Riley said, bouncing down the stairs, butterfly wings flapping on her back. While it would win no contests the dress, tiara, and wings were well done for a first attempt. Vanessa smiled. The eleven year old was so disappointed to learn that Trick or Treating was cancelled, but that only made her more determined to have the best costume she could at the party. And Riley looked adorable. The doorbell rang.

    ¡°Huh? The door? I thought everyone was at the party.¡± Riley said.

    ¡°Should be. I¡¯ll get it.¡± Vanessa said, crossing the living room and opening it. A well-dressed older man, perhaps in his forties, in a black overcoat stood on their porch. He smiled and removed his hat, revealing his greying hair.

    ¡°Good evening, and Happy Halloween, miss.¡± he said cordially. ¡°My, how lovely you look tonight. May I assume you and the young lass behind you are attending the party tonight?¡±

    ¡°Uh, yeah...¡± Vanessa said, unsure. ¡°Pardon me, but do we know you?¡± She pepared to slam the door.

    ¡°Well, no actually. I merely saw you from the window and decided to warn you to be cautious. There are many devils out tonight, all hungering for a treat such as yourself.¡± He smiled wolfishly.

    ¡°Yeah,¡± she said, skin crawling and thoroughly creeped out. ¡°I¡¯ll take it under advisement. Goodbye.¡± She quickly shut the door in his face.

    ¡°Vanessa, who was that?¡± Riley asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Think I¡¯ll call the cops though, he¡¯s-¡± The door clicked and slid open, and the man stepped inside.

    ¡°How careless of me, may I come in? I forgot to tell you my name. I am Grahglin, Infernal Count.¡± he said politely, exuding an air of menace. Vanessa jumped in front of her sister.

    ¡°Whoa! Why are you here? Get the hell out of my house!¡± she barked, but the man only grinned.

    ¡°Miss, I¡¯m afraid to tell you neither one of you shall be making it to the party tonight.¡± he chuckled. He licked his lips, and Vanessa¡¯s eyes went wide when she saw it was thin and forked, like a snake¡¯s. ¡°I did warn you, there are many devils out tonight.¡±

    ¡°Raaaahh!¡± Vanessa grabbed an ashtray off the coffee table and swung it with all her might into the stranger¡¯s temple. He stumbled, but didn¡¯t fall. He touched the side of his head, feeling black ichor drip down and heal instantly. He saw his fingers and laughed heartily, his face becoming sunken and shallow, pointed teeth elongating, ears stretching and lengthening.

    ¡°Wonderful.¡± Grahglin said as his hairline receded, eyed bulging out as his skin became a pale, sickly yellow. Riley screamed, and was scooped up by Vanessa as she bolted for the kitchen.

    ¡°Come on!¡± She left the laughing daemon behind and opened the kitchen door, silently cursing how much Riley had grown. She immediately stopped when she saw what was outside; Riley ceasing crying in shock.

    Zombies. A horde of them, rotting and shuffling around through the streets and yards. The dead, risen. At the sound of the door opening, the closest ones turned their heads to them, and started shuffling over. Vanessa shrieked and closed the door, hearing the daemon¡¯s footsteps slowly coming closer, humming a slow tune. Through the door¡¯s window curtains she saw the zombies approach and start to tap on the glass.

    Vanessa, sobbing along with Riley, seeing no escape, her adrenaline-fueled strength fading, sank down into a ball, curling around her sister.

    ¡°V-Vanessa, w-what¡¯s gonna h-happen?¡± Riley asked, tearfully, clinging to her sister. Vanessa hopelessly shook her head.

    ¡°Shh. D-Don¡¯t.¡± She gulped. ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. It¡­it will be over s-soon.¡± she sobbed. The daemon entered the kitchen.

    ¡°Ahh, indeed it will miss. Indeed it will. You are wise to see the truth.¡± he said, licking his lips and walking over, looming over them. ¡°Now then¡­¡± He reached down to take hold of Riley. The sisters screamed.

    The window on the door broke, a grey and pushing through and flailing wildly, the groans outside getting louder.

    ¡°What? What is this?¡± the daemon said, snarling. The door was blown off its hinges under the weight of the undead. ¡°What is this!?¡± Upon seeing him, the zombies descended upon him.

    As a necromancer, Scott had a passionate love of zombies. Undead with all their flesh rotted away like Bones were fine, in their own way. But had he been there, he would have given a loving entreaty on why fresher undead were better. Simply put, they had actual muscles. While skeletons were lighter and quicker, with necrotic energy animating them zombies could exert the full power of the muscles still on them to devastating effect. It is a well-documented fact that the human body has much greater strength than what is normally displayed, in order to prevent injury, and the dark magic allowed them to exploit that fact to the fullest. As the daemon was finding out.

    ¡°Curse you!¡± Grahglin grabbed one, and ripped it in half, but the two pieces started attacking anyway. He growled and his fingers snaked out, impaling them. But to no avail. They simply crawled up, ignoring the wounds, for what did it matter to the dead? Fists, feet, heads swung into him with enough force to shatter concrete. He snarled and retracted his hands, his raw strength every bit equal to theirs. But while he was more than a match for one, there were many more than one of them swarming over him, unkillable berserkers biting, bludgeoning, and mauling him. Shapeshifting was useless, they relentlessly grabbed and tore into him no matter his form; human, animal, tentacled monstrosity¡­his energy was depleting as his wounds accumulated.

    ¡°Wicked!¡± Riley screamed as Vanessa took advantage of the distraction to run them up to her room, locking and barricading the door behind her. ¡°Vanessa, look!¡± Riley cried out while peeking out the window.

    The daemon had managed to escape the house, seeking to gather his wits and his breath. Had Scott been there, he would have happily explained another facet of zombies; their normal unfocused, slow, shuffling gait was because they were mindless. When given an actual goal, say by an ambitious necromancer¡­the traditional ¡°slow zombies¡± could be quite swift indeed.

    The mob fell upon him in an instant like a pack of wolves, ripping and tearing him apart, spraying black blood everywhere. Vanessa, lifelessly tried to cover her sister¡¯s eyes, but she pushed the hand away. In moments, it was all over and the zombies rejoined the shuffling mass, the only remains of the daemon a patch of dead, burned grass where he had expired. He had left his mark on the mob, many with holes and dangling limbs. But it was no matter to the undead. They marched forth anyway.

    Vanessa shuddered, grateful and horrified at the same time. She felt like she was going to be sick, but Riley turned to her with shining eyes.

    ¡°Next year, I¡¯m gonna be a zombie princess!¡±

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°This is a bad idea, you know.¡± Leo said mildly, a small smile on his face. A fang pointed out, making Evangeline giggle. Hair slicked back, black cape flying in the wind, dressed in his finest formalwear, he was the picture of a classic vampire. She adjusted her horned helmet.Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

    ¡°Aw, c¡¯mon Leo. We don¡¯t get to go out that much. I¡¯m all for a comfortable evening in, but I really miss going out and doing stuff together.¡± Evangeline said as she wrapped an arm around his shoulders, bunching up her fur cape at an awkward angle. She had decided to take advantage of her incredible physique and attend the party as a Valkyrie.

    ¡°But everyone in town will be there.¡± Leo continued, absolutely no heat to his voice. ¡°Someone might see us. My family might see us, my sister can¡¯t keep a secret to save her life.¡±

    ¡°Exactly. Everyone will be there, it¡¯ll be a huge crowd. Who¡¯ll notice a vampire making out with a barbarian?¡± she said mischievously. Leo raised an eyebrow.

    ¡°Barbarian? I thought you were a Valkyrie?¡±

    ¡°Pssah. Valkyrie, barbarian, it doesn¡¯t matter. Tonight I¡¯m your northern muscle-bound goddess either way. Just as long as you know what to do with those fangs.¡± she said, licking her lips.

    ¡°I promise not to bite too hard.¡± he said, pleasant tingles running up and down his body. ¡®God, I love her.¡¯ he thought.

    The red convertible had to come to a stop at a red light, unlike his pulse. He breathed in the cool, crisp autumn air. Leo didn¡¯t know how things could be any better than this.

    Suddenly, there was an impact on the driver¡¯s side, making the car lurch. A flat, toad-like face peered over the door, staring at them with baleful green eyes.

    ¡°What have we here?¡± it croaked.

    ¡°Sir, what is going on? If you are uninjured, please step away from my vehicle. Though that is a very good costume.¡± Leo admitted in a stern voice. Evangeline gripped his arm. He turned to see five more creature round the corner. Two could be mistaken for realistic werewolf costumes, but one was a plain silver mask, walking on anatomically impossibly spindly, fuzzy black strands. Another was vaguely human-shaped, he guessed. It was wrapped in a dark shroud, visible body parts only seen in strange, unearthly colors when the light hit it at the right angle. The last was a feathered avian fiend resembling an illustration of a harpy Leo had seen in a book on Greek myths when he was younger, hideous and snarling. It glided through the air, landing on the street with the others.

    ¡°Those aren¡¯t costumes.¡± Leo said quietly.

    ¡°They look like trouble.¡± Evangeline said, narrowing her eyes and cracking her knuckles.

    ¡°Gzzaltias, what have you found?¡± one of the werewolves asked, forming up on the other side of the convertible.

    ¡°A pair of tasty morsels,¡± the toad thing said, grinning gleefully. ¡°Appetizers for the main course in the square.¡±

    ¡°Do you mean the party!?¡± Leo said sharply. The monstrous daemons laughed.

    ¡°Of course! Wanton destruction is pointless with no one to flee in fear. But we shall savor the cattle penned up in the village center later. Those are not your concern.¡± the harpy said, running a metal tongue over needlelike teeth. ¡°Come, brethren!¡± Leo and Evangeline heard more gibbering monstrosities approach down the street.

    ¡°I see. We must warn them.¡± Leo threw the car into reverse and hit the gas to the floor, peeling out. The toad daemon casually grabbed the fender and lifted the front up, keeping it from moving. The rear wheels smoked.

    ¡°Fools!¡± The werewolves howled with laughter, and the harpy ripped off the passenger door. It caught a boot to the face from Evangeline, making it stumble back.

    ¡°You want it freak, bring it on!¡± she snarled, bursting out and ramming her shoulder into the harpy and driving it into a store wall.

    ¡°Eva! No!¡± Leo howled, unbuckling and reaching for her. The toad daemon opened its¡¯ mouth and wrapped its¡¯ long, slimy tongue around him, lifting him from the car. ¡°Put me down!¡± He slammed his foot into the daemon¡¯s face, but the mouth only opened wider and wider. The tongue drew him closer in, and Leo realized with horror that the foul beast intended to swallow him whole. ¡°Please! No!¡± Time seemed to slow, the world losing all color as he approached the gaping maw.

    Without warning, the daemon was engulfed in a brilliant column of flame. Leo fell to the ground, the tongue loosening and severed. He looked around. The world really had grown grey and still. He saw, eyes wide, his beloved Eva frozen, grabbing a werewolf by the throat while trying to fend off the harpy and black threads of the mask. ¡°E-Evangeline? What¡¯s going on? Hello?¡±

    Six bright orange flames burst in the air above him. Leo ducked, then looked up to see the strangest sight yet.

    The flames hung in the air, then slowly spun in a circle, pausing when they replaced the previous one in the cycle. When the full rotation was done, the space between them seemed to warp and spasm, making Leo¡¯s eyes hurt. The bizarre warping ceased, leaving a blackness deeper than the night surrounding it. The darkness lifted, unveiling a floating, golden eye between the flames, staring straight at him.

    Be not afraid.

    Leo shook his head; the¡­being didn¡¯t speak, nor had he heard any voice in his head. It was as if the eye had twisted reality so Leo had the memory of the words implanted into his brain.

    ¡°H-Hello? Can you tell me what¡¯s going on, please?¡± Leo said, trying to keep calm. It wasn¡¯t easy under the eye¡¯s unblinking gaze.

    I am Lagdinras, Messenger of the great Zet-Mathaig, Protector of Order in the universe.

    ¡°Oh. Pleased to meet you, I guess.¡± Leo said uneasily. The eye was making his brain hurt; he couldn¡¯t decide whether it was flat like a picture, or rounded like a ball. He suspected if he looked at it from different angles it would change.

    You, the human known as Leo Manning, have been Judged by the great Zet-Mathaig, He who Arbites beyond the stars. I have interceded to destroy this foul daemon, not only because It was a being of Chaos and Disharmony, but because He has Judged. The concept you know as Time has been put aside for now so that I may speak with you.

    ¡°J-Judged? Am I in trouble?¡± Leo asked nervously.

    Yes, and also no. you along with the human race, is indeed in trouble. Daemons from Beyond have invaded this world, seeking to lay it to waste. Knowledge, forbidden to this world, has been unleashed upon it. The fabric of this World, of this Fate, has become twisted, and the time of the End may approach.

    However, fear not the Judgement of the great Zet-Mathaig, Wielder of the Purifying Sun. He has Judged, and found you¡­worthy.

    Leo couldn¡¯t be sure, but he had an impression the eye had smiled at him.

    There are Many, who have received His blessing. This is a solemn Duty that I ask of you, Leo Manning; once accepted, there can be no turning back.

    ¡°And, what do you need me to do?¡± he asked.

    What all beings of your Nature have done, when confronted with great Evil and danger. Rise up, and confront it. Drive it back. Protect those who need it. Uphold Order in the universe.

    Leo Manning. Beset by the forces of Evil. Will you stand against it?

    Leo gulped. He recalled all too well the hideous strength of the toad daemon.

    ¡°You want me to fight those monsters?¡± he said. He glanced over at Evangeline, frozen in fury, daemons clawing at her, hopelessly outmatched.  He smiled gently and nodded to himself. It seemed that his choice was really no choice at all. ¡°Yes. I will stand against them. I don¡¯t know how much I can help, but I¡¯ll see what I can do.¡±  He received a smiling, pleased impression from Lagdinras.

    Good. I suspected you would. But I do not ask you to do this alone. Behold! The boon of the great Zet-Mathaig, Scourge and Bane of all villainy! Leo, take up your sword!

    A small column of flame erupted in front of Leo. When it faded, there was a longsword there, floating in midair. It gleamed in the grey moonlight, straight and sharp. Leo grasped the hilt and lifted it. It wasn¡¯t nearly as heavy as he thought.

    ¡°Whoa. I hope I can use this well. I haven¡¯t trained in any martial arts or anything, and I never used a sword before. I don¡¯t really know how to.¡± he said sheepishly.

    Allow Me to educate you. The sharp part goes into the enemy. You are intelligent, you will figure it out. Now then.

    The holy Sword is your gift and burden. As long as you hold it, you must uphold Order. The Sword is unbreakable, for it is unyielding in its duty. It will always be sharp, for it is keen in its duty. It responds to your cause. Against mundane matter, it is merely a hard, very sharp metal. Against, say, one who abuses the young, it is the hardest, sharpest sword in existence. Against evils beyond that which humans are capable, it will CUT and BURN, reducing the magics they possess to as nothing.

    ¡°Wow.¡± he said. The sword was light, and sharp. He could feel it reaching into him, humming in his soul. In fact, if he wanted¡­

    Leo pulled back. The sword snapped onto his wrist, a sword-shaped charm dangling on a leather bracelet. With a flourish, the sword appeared in his hands again. Lagdinras emanated the pleased feeling.

    Excellent. You and the Sword are one. It will respond to your desires. Now, Leo. Away. Away with you, and save your people.

    ¡°Wait, Lagdinras. I have a couple questions. Why me? Why is this happening?¡± he asked, discarding his jacket, cape and fangs for battle. For the first time, the eye looked away, shifting form one side to the other.

    There is much that you do not know, or can understand. Or that I may know and understand. Fate has been twisted, turned on its¡¯ head. The other Gods have begun to stir. I can forsee great danger. You who are Worthy, do what you must. I advise you. Seek out the Necromancer. Against the natural order, he improbably seeks to prevent harm.

    No go. Do your Duty. Save the day. We shall meet again. May you find favor with the great Zet-Mathaig, He who Protects the cherished happiness of All with His many tentacles. Farewell!

    The eye closed and the fires faded away.

    ¡°I will do my best to protect everyone. Wait, tenta-what?¡± Leo said, but color and motion returned to the world. He glared at the daemons assaulting his girlfriend.

    ¡°Why is she so strong!?¡± the werewolf she was grabbing by the throat complained. The black threads tightened, and she saw the harpy swing its¡¯ talons at her face.

    Snick! Slash!

    The sword burned bright, cutting through their bodies as easily as air. The forms of the daemons fell apart and withered, fading away. Easily dealt with by the burning blade. Eva stumbled, not sure what was going on. She didn¡¯t care though as she was bent back as Leo swept her up for a kiss, muscles rippling and sword bright.

    ¡°Mmmph-Leo?¡± she said breathlessly. He gave her a winning smile.

    ¡°I¡¯ll explain afterwards.¡± The other daemons grew closer, hissing. ¡°Would you care to dance, my lady?¡± he said, a twinkle in his eye as he sized them up. She grinned and cracked her neck.

    ¡°You got it, lover-boy!¡±

 Chapter 17-Meet the Parents

    ¡°Could you hand me that box there? Make sure to mark it off the list.¡±

    ¡°You got it, Mr. Harris.¡± The young man said, handing him the box. Mr. Harris carefully checked the label and placed it on top of the others. The young man glanced up at the clock. ¡°Uh, Mr. Harris? It¡¯s after six thirty.¡± he said nervously. The rest of the workers had already left; it was just the two of them still left in the warehouse.

    ¡°Huh? Oh, you¡¯re right Brad. Thanks for staying.¡± Mr. Harris said absently. Lately he had been throwing himself into his work. It made the pain of losing his daughter, not lessened, just more¡­numb. ¡°Going to the party?¡±

    ¡°Yessir.¡±

    ¡°Ahh. Good, good. Thanks for reminding me. Jenny and I are going to go to it too. I think-I think getting out of the house a bit will help.¡± he said.

    ¡°Yeah. I hope it does, sir.¡± Brad said, biting his lip. Everyone knew about the Harris¡¯s loss of Amber, and how the boss hadn¡¯t been the same since. He just didn¡¯t seem to care about anything anymore, but no one knew how to talk to him about it.

    ¡°Go on, I¡¯ll close up here. Go enjoy yourself. I¡¯ll be along shortly.¡± Brad brightened and nodded.

    ¡°Yes sir! See you tomorrow!¡± Mr. Harris waved him off and sighed, watching the boy¡¯s departing back. He was only eighteen, fresh out of school and the future bright ahead of him. Amber had only been three years younger¡­

    He shook his head. There was no use dwelling on such dark thoughts now. If he hurried, he could get Jenny and himself to the party. He made his rounds, ensuring the papers were filed properly, all the boxes of appliances were in place, and grabbed his keys to lock the door. Just as he was about to put the key to the lock, a car screeched to a halt in front of it. Lights were flashing in the window, indicating its status as a police car. A tall woman and a thin kid, stuffing the last of a sub into his mouth emerged and came in.

    ¡°Good evening sir. I¡¯m Detective Margaret Cross, Craven Falls Police Department,¡± Cross said, flashing her badge. ¡°I formally apologize for this, but you and your warehouse have been deputized for aid in resolving the crimes of the Craven Falls Killer.¡±

    ¡°Wow, this¡¯s a big place! Tall, too! I think I¡¯ll like it here. Yeah, you were right, it¡¯s only like a couple miles from the cemetery! I¡¯ll take it!¡± Scott said, pushing his way past them to admire the space.

    ¡°Hey, wait! Who are-the police?¡± Mr. Harris said, turning to Cross. She nodded. ¡°Deputized? Um¡­I¡¯ll be glad to help, but¡­how is my warehouse deputized?¡±

    ¡°Glad you asked, Mr. Harris! It is Mr. Harris, may I call you Mr. Harris?¡± Scott slid between him and Cross, shaking his bewildered hand. ¡°See, we kinda need a large amount of space with walls, gotta draw sigils on the walls too for this one, it¡¯ll take awhile. But I like what I see, so I¡¯ll take ownership of it as recompensation-urk!¡± Cross grabbed him by the collar and yanked him back with a stormy expression.

    ¡°Kid, this¡¯s not the time for that!¡± she yelled at him, exasperated. He held up a finger.

    ¡°Au contraire. This is the perfect time for it, we have to explain anyway-yes, I know!¡± he said and rolled his eyes at empty space.

    ¡°Look, what the hell is going on!?¡± Mr. Harris snapped. ¡°I don¡¯t know what you want form me, but I¡¯m not signing over any of my warehouses to anybody! I worked long and hard to get where I am, so leave before I call the real police!¡±

    ¡°Mr. Harris, I can assure you¡­¡± Cross started, but Scott rolled his eyes as he listened to her platitudes and said what he figured would get the man¡¯s cooperation the fastest.

    ¡°How would you like to see Amber again?¡±

    Mr. Harris¡¯s attention snapped to him faster than a snake.

    ¡°What?¡± he said.

    ¡°You know, Amber. Amber Harris. Your daughter. The one who had¡­an unfortunate incident happen to her about a month ago? She told me you were pretty broken up about it. Yeah, I can bring her back if you want. All you gotta do is give me this warehouse in exchange. Sound good? We have a deal?¡± Mr. Harris recoiled as if struck, his mouth hanging open in shock.

    ¡°Kid, you gotta work on your sales pitch.¡± Cross muttered, her head sinking into her hand.

    ¡°How¡­how DARE YOU!¡± Mr. Harris roared, shaking with anger. ¡°She¡¯s GONE! How do you have the gall to come in here and suggest-!¡± His face was rapidly turning an unhealthy red. Scott turned and grinned as the sound of running feet came up and stopped outside the warehouse.

    ¡°They have arrived. Of course, you¡¯re an intelligent man, I suppose I shouldn¡¯t ask such an outrageous request without a demonstration.¡± He went over and threw open the door. The walking dead shuffled in, moaning and decaying. It was too obvious they weren¡¯t people in costumes, and this wasn¡¯t a sick joke. Mr. Harris¡¯s eyes went wide.

    ¡°You¡­but¡­how¡­¡± he floundered, and Scott grinned.

    ¡°Hi, my name¡¯s Scott Havenbrook, professional necromancer. Call me for all your necromantic needs. I¡¯d give you a card, but I don¡¯t have those.¡± He smacked his forehead as he remembered something. ¡°You! Third zombie from the back, get up here!¡± Pushing through the crowd, Amber¡¯s corpse stepped up to the front. Mr. Harris locked his eyes on her in disbelief.

    ¡°Amber¡­my, my sweet little girl.¡± he said quietly, moving forward as if in a trance. Suddenly, Scott and Detective Cross clapped their hands to their ears and winced.

    ¡°Ow. That was loud, you know.¡± Scott said, addressing empty space. ¡°Yeah¡­well, no, but¡­look, I raised the whole damn cemetery, of course your body¡¯d be with it!¡± he snapped. ¡°This won¡¯t affect things at all, we still have to beat the daemons, all this means is it¡¯s now on hand. Yes, that¡¯s right, but¡­¡± Cross merely pinched the bridge of her nose and shook her head, while Mr. Harris slowly approached his daughter¡¯s body.

    ¡°She¡­she¡¯s dead. But she¡¯s standing right here.¡± He turned to see Scott arguing with empty air. ¡°How?¡±

    ¡°Oh, that¡¯s easy. All I had to do was fill the body with necrotic energy, it¡¯s how I got my little group together.¡± he explained, straightening his jacket. ¡°But the job¡¯s only half-done in her case. She¡¯s a ghost right now, over there in fact. I got to know her a bit these last few weeks, and we struck a deal: in return for your secrecy, and the warehouse, I bring her back to life. What do you say?¡±

    Mr. Harris looked at Amber¡¯s standing corpse, at Scott, then at the keys in his hand.

    ¡°It¡¯s yours.¡± he said, tossing the keys to the necromancer.

    ¡°Yes!¡± Scott pumped his fist. ¡°Score! Who got a new lab? I got a new lab! Sweet!¡± He did a happy little dance of victory. Mr. Harris grabbed him by the shoulders, shaking and beginning to weep.This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

    ¡°Please,¡± he begged. ¡°Please, I¡¯ll do anything you need me to. I don¡¯t care if this is a dream or not. P-Please, give me Amber back!¡± He started sobbing. Scott glanced to the side and sighed, patting both Mr. Harris¡¯s shoulder and the air.

    ¡°Yes, yes. It¡¯s okay, everything will be okay. Unfortunately, I can¡¯t right now.¡± he said.

    ¡°What?¡± Mr. Harris¡¯s stomach dropped into his shoes. ¡°But you just said-¡±

    ¡°I know, but much as I¡¯d love to, I¡¯m afraid we have more pressing matters right at this minute.¡± Scott said with a wave of his hand. ¡°As a bonus, we¡¯ve avenged her death. But now there¡¯s a bunch of daemons running around town, if you go outside you might get eaten. Oh, bad idea to go to the party, too. Best just to sit tight while I take care of some things first.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Mr. Harris said, thoroughly confused. Scott scratched the side of his head.

    ¡°Yeah, it¡¯s kinda crazy right now. Speaking of which¡­boys, unload the car and start drawing the circles! We got work to do!¡± he hollered to his zombies, and they moved to obey. ¡°Not you, you stay back!¡± he called to the Amber zombie. ¡°Anyway, I have to stop the daemons from starting the apocalypse, so I have to give that my full attention right now. But rest assured, I will move the resurrection from the back burner to top priority as soon as I¡¯m done. I figure, worst comes to worst, you have to wait a day or two, not such a big deal. Right?¡±

    ¡°Yes, I¡­I guess.¡± Mr., Harris said, unbalanced. ¡°I¡­this is all just so surreal¡­¡±

    ¡°Tell me about it.¡± Cross muttered.

    ¡°Well, I can get the first part started, at least.¡± Scott said. He walked up to the Amber zombie, grabbed her head and snapped her neck. Cross and Amber cried out in outrage while Mr. Harris collapsed to the floor in a dead faint.

    ¡°What the hell!?¡± Amber exploded, swatting Scott on the head. ¡°Right in front of Dad! Why did you do that?¡±

    ¡°Hey, ow! I couldn¡¯t bring you back while the body was reanimated, so I-ow! Okay, I wasn¡¯t thinking, my bad-ow! Will you stop smacking me!?¡± he beseeched, holding his hands on his head.

    ¡°Fine.¡± Amber growled. ¡°But if you don¡¯t bring me back, I¡¯ll haunt you for eternity.¡±

    ¡°Truly terrible.¡± the necromancer deadpanned.

    ¡°Putting that aside, what is the next move? Why did we need to commandeer the warehouse? I know you said it was ¡®something big¡¯, but I¡¯d like to know before I crash the party.¡± Cross said sharply.

    ¡°Oh, right.¡± Scott said brightly, rummaging in his backpack. ¡°I sketched out the sigils and stuff for Phase Four earlier. Here, take a look.¡± He unrolled the paper on the ground, then went to direct the zombies in their work. Amber and Cross shared a glance, then read the title above the strange, unearthly rune and the accompanying composite sketch. Their mouths fell open.

    ¡°Holy¡­¡± Amber said.

    ¡°Nothing holy about his brain. It¡¯s rotted form too many cartoons.¡± Cross muttered. ¡°That¡¯s it, I¡¯m out. Don¡¯t blow anything up.¡±

    ¡°Will do! Good luck!¡± Scott waved cheerfully as she left.

    ¡°You¡¯re out of your mind, you know that.¡± Amber said flatly as the zombies quickly worked in concert to finish the circles and sigils, Scott¡¯s direction leaving them unable to deliver less than machinelike precision.

    ¡°I know. Isn¡¯t it wonderful?¡± Scott grinned as he directed the dead. In no time at all, they were finished and Scott directed them to stand in the main circle on the ground. He clasped his hands together. ¡°Behold, the fruits of my labor. This spell doesn¡¯t exist in the Necronomicon, you know.¡±

    ¡°Huh? It doesn¡¯t?¡± Amber said. Scott nodded.

    ¡°Nope. But the theory does. Magic requires some kind of medium to twist the natural energies of the universe to do what you want, unless you generate enough brute magical force yourself. The sigils and incantations are like¡­scientific formulas, I guess. Repeating them can give you the intended effect. I¡¯ve been tinkering with some different designs for sigils for a bit now, and this one¡¯s my magnum opus. It¡¯s time for the field test.¡±

    ¡°And you decided to do¡­this?¡± Amber said, sweeping her hands at the sigils on the walls and floor.

    ¡°Yup. Told you I was an anime fan.¡± He grinned and began chanting, willing the necrotic energy into the sigils, forming it into new directions.

    Toxic emerald green light poured out of the windows and cracks of the warehouse. Then with a great roar and crash, the roof exploded.

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°Hello?¡± Michael Havenbrook asked, knocking on the door of the derelict manor. It ominously creaked open, revealing a woman covered in blood and her shoulder half-shredded, as if she¡¯d been in a terrible accident.

    ¡°Welcome, transient visitors, to this house beyond the veil.¡± she intoned. The Havenbrooks all took a step back, and the woman giggled. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, it¡¯s part of the opening, and it¡¯s my job to deliver the line. Welcome to Blackwell Manor! Please, come in, come in!¡± She ushered them inside and frantically looked up and down the street. She saw two far away daemons look in her direction, a group of stumbling zombies not far behind. She quickly shut the door.

    Inside the Havenbrooks saw a small group of other people, others Scott had managed to persuade to come instead of to the party.

    ¡°Just more guys? When is the scary stuff gonna happen?¡± a boy in an Iron Man costume said.

    ¡°Billy, don¡¯t be rude. But he does have a point. How long until the festivities start? We¡¯ve been here for the last half-hour.¡± his mother said.

    ¡°Great costume though. It looks fantastic, and quite realistic.¡± Rebecca said, eyeing her form appreciatively.

    ¡°Thank you, madam.¡± Judith said. It was actually just how she looked after the accident. Before he¡¯d left, Scott had imbued each of them with as much necrotic energy as he could, and with the thinner barriers of reality on Halloween, the ghosts had no trouble being perceived by normal people. ¡°It looks like the guests have arrived¡­¡± She saw her husband¡¯s head pop out the wall above their heads and nod frantically. ¡°So let the night of horrors begin. As I speak, we have come under siege by horrible monsters from beyond. They assault us even now.¡±

    ¡°You! Let us in! I can smell you!¡± A small, multi-eyed daemon appeared in the window, batting at it like a fly. Something pounded on the door, making it rattle and shake.

    ¡°I saw that happen last year at the other haunted house.¡± Billy complained.

    ¡°Indeed, we are all doomed. We are merely insubstantial apparitions, we cannot protect you for long.¡± Judith continued, giving the door a nervous glance and trying to sound disaffected. ¡°Our only hope is the manor¡¯s first owner, Captain Phineas Blackwell of Her Majesty¡¯s Navy. Only he can save us. But how long can he last against these terrible horrors?¡± The knocking grew louder, straining the wood, and the daemon in the window began to turn red in irritation. She glanced up at the ceiling. ¡°I said, how long can he last against these terrible horrors!?¡± she practically shrieked, starting to tremble.

    Alfred Simmons floated down from the stairway, looking like he¡¯d been tossed through a meat grinder. Not too far off from what the car did, actually.

    ¡°Al, where is he? He¡¯s the strongest one here, we don¡¯t stand a chance without him! And he missed his cue!¡± she whispered fiercely. The guests began to shuffle restlessly, and he shrugged.

    ¡°Your guess is as good as mine. I looked, but he¡¯s not in any of his usual rooms. I wonder if-¡±His musings were cut short by a bugle call. Everyone, including the daemons, turned to stare. Even the knocking ceased.

    ¡°WHAT HO!¡± the captain roared and descended, eyes burning and saber drawn. ¡°What FOUL FIENDS DARE to come and assault MY HOME, and MY GUESTS? This will not stand! Into the breech, good men! TALLY HO!¡±

    He charged forward yelling, passing his saber through the window in a quick, vicious swipe. Daemons, being both material and incorporeal entities simultaneously, were affected by ghostly swords as well as real ones. The daemon let out an ¡°eep!¡± and was bisected, black blood staining the window.

    ¡°Whoa!¡± Clay exclaimed.

    ¡°I gotta say, they really went all out on the special effects.¡± Michael said, pleasantly surprised.

    The door burst open, revealing a massive snake-headed monstrosity, hissing serpents for arms slithering in and glaring at them all.

    ¡°Die, mortalsss!¡± he hissed.

    ¡°SALLY FORTH!¡± The captain swung his saber, but it was parried by the fangs in the serpent¡¯s mouths with a clang. ¡°What ho! You seek to outduel me? Pah! Rubbish! Stuff and nonsense! I was Her Majesty¡¯s fencing champion on the high seas! You wouldn¡¯t know a flunge from a riposte!¡±

    ¡°What are you talking about?¡± the bewildered daemon said, ducking and whirling around Blackwell¡¯s flashing saber.

    ¡°You shall not best me! Allow me to demonstrate a trick from my honorable Navy days! FIRE!¡± A cannon, possessed by and infused with the captain¡¯s ghostly power, rolled into the hall and fired. The snake¡¯s eyes went wide before it was ejected out the door, splattering into dark goo on the street.

    ¡°Wow! Cool!¡± Billy cried exuberantly. ¡°Way better than last year!¡±

    ¡°Indeed, young master!¡± Blackwell said, grinning. ¡°Now who¡¯s NEXT?¡± A multitude of daemons ran in, howling madly. ¡°Once more, EN GARDE!¡±

    ¡°Please, partake of some refreshments. Anyone thirsty?¡± Judith said brightly, wheeling in a tray of snacks.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯ll admit the geek was right about this one. This¡¯s entertaining.¡± Clay said, grabbing a handful of popcorn.

 Chapter 18-Attack on Daemon

    Thump. Thump.

    ¡°This¡¯s insane, you know. You¡¯re insane.¡±

    Thump. Thump.

    ¡°C¡¯mon, Amber. When you run with a necromancer, you travel in style.¡±

    Thump. Thump.

    ¡°You call this style?¡± Amber said, trying to sound cool and merely annoyed instead of freaked.

    Through the quiet streets of the sleepy town it walked, casting shadows on the roofs and blotting out the moon. It stood three stories tall, over many of the stores and residences they passed by. Thump. Thump.

    ¡°Arrgh! Will you get off!¡± the daemon said, ripping the zombie¡¯s arms off and tearing it open with a kick from its¡¯ spiked legs. ¡°There.¡± He spat on the wiggling remains, his comrades finishing up with theirs as well. ¡°Sheesh, how many of these things are we going to run into this night? This is ridiculous!¡±

    ¡°And they taste terrible.¡± the daemon that was a giant mouth said, trying to scrape the taste off on its teeth.

    ¡°You could just grow arms, you know.¡± the third daemon, a muscular cyclops, pointed out. The spiked one huffed in frustration when a shadow fell over him. He turned and looked up. And up.

    ¡°Guys¡­¡±

    There it was, a giant zombie, thirty feet tall with a horrible green ephemeral glow in its¡¯ eye sockets, glancing down at them. Looking closer, the daemons saw it was actually comprised of many different corpses, fused together in a nightmarish vision. Skulls, spines, ribs and other bones were clearly visible beneath its grey, stretched skin. Scott grinned madly from the right shoulder while Amber was clinging as best she could from the left.

    ¡°Hi there.¡± Scott said. The daemons shrieked and tried to bolt. ¡°Get ¡®em!¡± he commanded. The giant snatched up the cyclops and squeezed it ¡®til it popped like a tick full of blood in one hand, and smashed the mouth flat with its other meaty fist. His companions dead, the final daemon made a break for it, but the massive corpse¡¯s long strides easily caught up with him and the giant foot came down. The last daemon was no more.

    ¡°Eww.¡± Amber grimaced.

    ¡°Believe me, it¡¯s better this way.¡± Scott said as they resumed their trek forward. ¡°Fun as this may be,¡±

    ¡°You call being up this high fun!?¡± Amber said, and he sighed.

    ¡°As this may be,¡± he continued, ¡°We¡¯re just spinning our wheels here. We gotta find the source, Hastazemus, or all this is a waste of time.¡±

    ¡°But the zombies, and the giant we¡¯re on are protecting the town, right?¡± Amber said. Scott shook his head.

    ¡°Yeah I guess, but it¡¯s moot if he just opens up another hole and lets more through. We can¡¯t keep this up forever. I feel more of my zombies going poof. They¡¯ve weeded out the weaker ones, now only the stronger daemons are left. Our forces may not tire, but damage can slow them down and weaken them.¡± he said, scanning the area for the main daemon.

    ¡°Look, over there. Something¡¯s going on.¡± Amber pointed down a side street, and Scott turned the giant.

    ¡°Heads up!¡± A muscular woman dressed in furs hefted up a writhing black amoeba and tossed it into the air.

    ¡°Got it!¡± Leo jumped up and sliced it in two, flame flashing around his blade. ¡°Was that the last of them?¡±

    ¡°It better be, I¡¯m getting tired of not being able to hurt ¡®em.¡± Eva grumbled, crossing her arms in annoyance.

    ¡°Hey, it¡¯ll be okay.¡± Leo soothed. ¡°I would give you a sword too, but it¡¯s beyond me. We¡¯ve worked out a good system, right?¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± she pouted. Thump. Thump. They looked over to see the approaching titanic zombie. ¡°Whoa!¡±

    ¡°Get behind me!¡± Leo said, stepping forth with his sword held high, ready to attack.

    ¡°Whoa, hold on there!¡± The zombie came to a stop. Leo glanced up at the figures on the shoulders.

    ¡°Scott?¡±

    ¡°Leo?¡± They stared at each other, both too surprised to say anything.

    ¡°One question. Are you on their side or not?¡± Leo said at last, determinedly.

    ¡°Not. Definitely not.¡±

    ¡°Ahh. Soooo¡­you¡¯re the one responsible for all the zombies running around, I¡¯m guessing?¡±

    ¡°Yeah?¡± Scott answered, a puzzled look on his face.

    ¡°So I guess that means you¡¯re the necromancer I was told to seek out.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m the only one around, so yup.¡±

    ¡°I sort of chopped up a few undead on the way here, didn¡¯t know they were yours. Sorry about that.¡±

    ¡°¡¯S alright. No prob, I would¡¯ve made the same mistake in your position.¡± Scott shifted uncomfortably and turned helplessly to Amber. She shrugged.

    ¡°So, do you two...know each other?¡± Eva said, finding her voice at last.

    ¡°Kind of. He¡¯s a sophomore at my high school. We¡¯ve spoken once or twice, but we¡¯re not that close I¡¯m afraid.¡± Leo explained.

    ¡°Scott, what¡¯s Mr. Hottie McHeartthrob doing here? Is he part of the plan?¡± Amber said, leaning around the skull. Leo squinted up at her.This tale has been unlawfully lifted without the author''s consent. Report any appearances on Amazon.

    ¡°Mcwhat? A-Amber? Amber Harris? Is that you? Why are you all glowing?¡± Leo called up. Amber froze, then slowly creaked to look down at him.

    ¡°You¡­can see me? You heard me?¡± She gasped and her hands flew to her mouth. ¡°Oh god, you heard me!¡± She sank into the giant¡¯s shoulder, only the top of her head peeking out, mortified.

    ¡°Yeah, you¡¯ll have to forgive my associate; she¡¯s grown used to being unperceived, I think.¡± Scott piped up on her behalf. ¡°What I¡¯m interested in is how you can see her. She¡¯s an incorporeal ghost right now. Remember the third student memorial a few weeks back? Craven Falls Killer.¡±

    ¡°Oh dear. Yes, I remember. How unfortunate. So I suppose she¡¯s with you because you¡¯re a necromancer? You¡¯ve recruited her?¡± he said. Scott nodded.

    ¡°Wait, I¡¯m confused. There¡¯s a girl here?¡± Eva said, sweeping the area with her eyes.

    ¡°Yes, dear. She¡¯s a ghost, apparently. Which would explain the glow, and honestly does not even rank on the top five weirdest things I¡¯ve seen tonight.¡± Leo said, a tad worried.

    ¡°And back to the matter at hand, how can you see her? You couldn¡¯t before at school. And what¡¯s with the fancy sword? Didn¡¯t peg you for a renaissance faire reenactor sort of guy.¡± Scott said.

    ¡°Oh, this? I think the two are related. About an hour ago, this big fiery eye bequeathed it to me and told me to repel the daemons.¡± Leo said, shrugging.

    ¡°A big fiery eyeball gave you a flaming sword?¡± Scott asked, eyebrow raised.

    ¡°Yes. I know it sounds strange, but you¡¯re riding around on a titanic zombie.¡± Leo said, rolling his shoulder. Even if the sword weighed next to nothing, all the slicing he¡¯d been doing had been taxing.

    ¡°Touch¨¦.¡± Scott acknowledged.

    ¡°He¡­it¡­the eyeball said its¡¯ name was Lagdinras, and he was a messenger of Zet-Mathaig, whoever that is.¡± As soon as he heard the name, Scott¡¯s eyes went wide as saucers.

    ¡°W-W-What!? You¡­but¡­really?¡± he gasped, mouth flapping. He nearly lost his grip on the giant.

    ¡°Wow. I think this¡¯s the first time I¡¯ve ever seen you speechless.¡± Amber giggled, floating up to her normal position.

    ¡°You¡¯re kidding, right Leo? Tell me you¡¯re kidding.¡± he said, ignoring her.

    ¡°No, it all happened, there was fire everywhere and everything. Is it really that big a deal?¡± Leo asked. He wondered if he should be worried.

    ¡°Yes, it really is!¡± Scott exclaimed. ¡°Leo, the great Z-Zet-Mathaig is one of the greatest and most elder of Elder Gods! He¡¯s said to be older than time, protector of the universe, and said to be origin of the very concept of justice itself! You¡¯re one of his Chosen Ones, destined to fight against evils that crawl in the shadows of every world! Not a big deal? This¡¯s like¡­if you became King Arthur, the Red Ranger, and Superman all at once!¡± He flailed his hands wildly to make his point, and would have fallen off if the zombie hadn¡¯t reached up a hand to steady him. Leo blinked.

    ¡°Gosh. I never knew it was such an honor. I never thought I was anything special, really.¡± he said, smiling mildly and blushing. Scott stared at him, then put his head in his hand, wincing.

    ¡°Not a big deal, nothing special, huh¡­I guess that humility helps with the choosing¡­¡± he muttered, lost in a tangent.

    ¡°So, Leo!¡± Amber said brightly. ¡°We¡¯re all on Team Go Humans here, would you like to join us? The daemons that are left are all the stronger ones, but we have to go get the boss one, a daemon called Hastazemus, to put a stop to all this.¡±

    ¡°I would be honored, Amber.¡± he said smiling cheerfully, making her ripped out heart flutter. ¡°Do you know where this daemon is?¡±

    ¡°Unfortunately, no. Right now we¡¯re making some noise to try and draw him out.¡± Scott said, recovering his composure. Leo put his fist to his chin, considering. His torn and half-open shirt flapped in the breeze, and his heaving muscles gleamed with manly sweat in the moonlight. Eva found herself drooling.

    ¡°I see. So how about this then: we¡¯ll take the west half of the town while you take the east, eliminating as many daemons as we can. We simply split up to divide and conquer. We¡¯ll work our way out, that¡¯s sure to provoke some kind of reaction that we can track, at least. Whoever finds this Hastazemus first contacts the other, and avoids engagement until the others arrive unless necessary. Does that sound good to you?¡±

    ¡°Yeah, I guess.¡± Scott said, slightly miffed he didn¡¯t come up with the plan. ¡°How are we going to contact the other party?¡±

    ¡°I thought that was obvious.¡± Leo chuckled good-naturedly and pulled out his phone. ¡°What is your number?¡±

    ¡°Er, uh, okay¡­¡± Scott hopped on the giant¡¯s hand and it lowered him down, Amber drifting behind. He pulled out his phone and they added each other to their contacts. Amber looked over his shoulder and put her hand to her mouth, snickering.

    ¡°Call or send a text with the location if you find him. I¡¯ll do the same.¡± Leo said, giving him a firm handshake.

    ¡°Uh, yeah. Will do.¡±

    ¡°Good. I¡¯m glad you¡¯re on our side, and I look forward to working with you. Good luck my friend! Come Evangeline, let the hunt begin!¡± He saluted Scott, and raced off into the night, Eva right behind him.

    ¡°See ya, kid!¡± she tossed back. Scott shook his head and took his place on the shoulder, the giant resuming the march. He turned to the still snickering Amber.

    ¡°Something funny?¡± he said dryly.

    ¡°Oh, nothing really. Just the fact the first non-family number you put in your phone was his. Looks like you¡¯re on your way to being Mr. Popular yourself.¡± she said, smiling and giggling.

    ¡°Yeah, yeah.¡± he grumbled.

    ¡°I know girls who would kill you over that number.¡± she laughed. Scott grinned.

    ¡°Let ¡®em try. I¡¯m the master of death around here, and I say there¡¯s only one that¡¯s gotta go, and it¡¯s not me! Forward! Zombies, to me! We march on! Let the hunt begin!¡±

    The giant¡¯s glowing eyes flared and it roared, stalking forward with an even fiercer determination.

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    Cross parked and stepped out of the car half a block away from the town square. She greeted the other men, spread out in a rough semicircle.

    ¡°Hey, Detective.¡± Tommy said, drawing his jacket closer to himself. The wind had turned colder and was picking up. ¡°We were waiting for you.¡±

    ¡°Glad you did. What¡¯s the situation?¡± she growled, inspecting her gun and making sure it was fully loaded.

    ¡°The whole town¡¯s here, and I mean the whole town. I haven¡¯t seen something like this in all the time I¡¯ve lived here.¡± Pete said, adjusting his glasses. ¡°I was going to come too, in fact, until you needed my help. Don¡¯t know how they got them all here, either.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a magical compulsion. The coven issued messages containing suggestions to come, and if there were no pressing matters the people showed up. Least, that¡¯s how the kid explained it.¡± she said in a low voice, sliding the safety off. Tommy shook his head.

    ¡°I don¡¯t get it, Maggie. Why do you listen to that kid so much? He knows about this magic stuff, but why give him so much reign and plan this?¡±

    ¡°Because I didn¡¯t make detective by missing the obvious.¡± Cross snorted. ¡°He knows this town, is determined to protect it, and is the best thing we got against these witches. First time I met him he¡¯d snuck into the morgue looking for clues on the case. And despite his¡­quirks, he¡¯s got a good head on his shoulders. I looked over everything he came up with, and his plan is solid. Besides, it¡¯s the best chance we got with the time and resources we have. Do I like it? No. Can I work with it? Hell yes. That kid¡¯s gonna be something someday. Just not a cop. He¡¯d make a terrible cop.¡± she said, a small smile on her face. Tommy barked out a laugh and clapped her on the shoulder.

    ¡°High praise indeed. So how do we go in?¡±

    ¡°There should be four idols in the four corners, whatever that means. He said if we take ¡®em out the whole thing goes kaput. So if you see anything freaky or magic-looking, smash it.¡±

    ¡°And the witches? There should be some of them here, too. I understand they¡¯re young women, none over sixteen or seventeen.¡± Pete said with a frown. Cross¡¯s face hardened.

    ¡°They¡¯ve murdered at least seven innocent people, tried to feed hearts to a daemon and turn it loose on the town, brainwashed the mayor and the police force, and are trying to do the same to the rest of the town. Arrest ¡®em if you can, but¡­do what you need to above all else.¡± The officers nodded.

    ¡°Alright, you heard the lady! We¡¯re moving out! Hustle, hustle!¡± Tommy called, getting into position.

    ¡°Everyone locked and loaded?¡± She saw grins and thumbs up in the moonlight. ¡°Good. Let¡¯s roll!¡±

 Chapter 19-The Last Hour

    "Welcome, welcome everybody!" Mayor Whipstaff said into the microphone, stepping up on the stage. "I know we''re running late, some minor technical difficulties with the sound system. But let''s kick off what I hope to be the first annual Craven Falls Halloween Party with a bang!" The milling crowd gave a half-hearted cheer and applause. Many of them were still confused as to why they came in the first place. "Thank you, thank you. Well, we got a lot lined up for you tonight, folks. Kids, there''s an apple-bobbing booth over on the right, with a mega pack of candy as the prize, donated by one of our sponsors, our own Stanford Dentistry. Bet that''s just an investment, eh Denny?" The town''s resident dentist laughed and shook his head, receiving chuckles and a smattering of applause. "Now, I''ll be here all night, but you don''t want to listen to me all night. So allow me to turn you over to our first musical guest, a local band called Boris and the Spiders! Give ''em some love, folks!"

    The band took the stage to applause and howls. Drums and guitars sang in the night as Whipstaff got off the stage, Spotting Courtney with some technicians.

    "I have done as you requested, mistress." he said quietly as he came over. Courtney glanced at him in annoyance.

    "Fine, fine. Go...do whatever, okay?" she dismissed, then turned back to the tech crew. "So, the sound levels are okay now?"

    "Yes mistress. The broadcast of your will shall go off perfectly." the crew head said dully.

    "Good, make sure nothing happens to it from now until showtime." Courtney said, running fingers through her hair. It was just one thing after another; the sound system had shorted out twenty minutes before the party started, some of the refreshments had arrived forty minutes early and had to be kept chilled, the idols had reacted to the dark magic and tried to float away, and one of the speakers had nearly caught on fire.  Courtney felt like she was going to tear her hair out running around putting out fires (literally for the speakers).

    "Okay, you good? Good. Now go out there and do your jobs, you''ve got other things to do than bother me!" she declared.

    "Yes, mistress." the group around her mumbled, and shuffled off. Courtney sighed in relief, then shook her head and got a cup of punch from the refreshment table. Frowning at the noise of the band and the crowd, she slunk over to a quiet spot to take a breather. Carla slipped out of the shadows, making her spit punch and jump.

    "Ack! Stop doing that!" Courtney scolded, rubbing the punch out of her robe.

    "Sorry. But I''m finished on my end. How are things on yours?" Carla said.

    "Oh, just peachy." Courtney growled. "The idols keep reacting negatively to their placements and the speakers nearly caught on fire. I had to conjure some ice to keep the drinks cold too, and the tech crew keeps bugging me with the stuff that keeps popping up! It''s insane!" She rubbed her forehead. "I never knew this party would need so much work, let alone the ritual stuff."

    "I know what you mean. I''ve been shadowwalking all over trying to keep an eye on the party." She cracked her neck and looked down. "The ritual went off, you know. I went back and checked. There''s an ungodly daemonic aura everywhere, and the place is a mess, holes blasted in the ceiling everywhere."

    "So why hasn''t she called us yet?" Ivory said glumly, coming over and sitting down with a can of soda.

    "Don''t know. She''s probably off having some fun before getting down to business. You know how she is." Carla said, her face as expressionless as her voice. Courtney grunted and looked up at the stars.

    "So I guess that''s it, then. We''ve won. The only thing left is to spring the ritual here." she said.

    "Mmm." Carla nodded, while Ivory sipped her drink noncommittally.

    "You know..." Courtney started, then trailed off. Her anger, never far to begin with, began to coil and simmer. I just...mrgh. I don''t know. You just ever feel like...maybe this wasn''t such a good idea?"

    "Hrn. Maybe." Carla said flatly. "But it doesn''t matter now. We''ve made our choice. We''ll live like queens. It''s too late now. We can''t go back. We have to see this through to the end.

    "But when is the end, though? The end of tonight? When we conquer the world?" Courtney ground her teeth, crushing the plastic cup in her fist. "Or when we die? Or even then? Because with Stephanie, I''m not sure when the end will come."

    A shotgun cut through the noise of the party, even over the wailing over the singer. People started falling to the ground, yelling, screaming, and a stampede was imminent until one voice cut through the confusion.

    "Everyone back down! Remain calm! There''s no need to panic, we are here to protect you!" Cross shouted through a megaphone. The police with her fanned out through the crowd, guns drawn. "I repeat, do not panic! Everyone stay very still! We have it on good authority that the Craven Falls Killer is among the crowds tonight! We have identified the suspect and are moving in as we speak!" There was more screaming, but the citizens of the town were trying to give the police more berth to search. Courtney''s eyes narrowed and she drew her knife, but Carla held her back and shook her head.

    "No, the town isn''t ours yet. We should escape and regroup." Carla said.

    "Screw that!" Courtney snapped, wrenching her arm free. "I don''t care anymore!  But that cop bitch isn''t interfering with anything we do!" She charged ahead, heedless of the consequences.

    "Courtney! Damn it!" Carla cursed in her wake.

    "W-What now?" Ivory asked, terrified. Carla grit her teeth.

    "We stick together. It''s the only thing we can do right now. C''mon, let''s run some support and and damage control." She grabbed Ivory and with a muttered incantation stepped into the shadows pooled around them.

    Cross climbed up on the stage, using the microphone to address the assembled crowd and officers.

    "Everyone remain calm. We will shortly be asking you to return to your homes. To prevent a stampede, I must ask that you remain here until my officers can direct you to do so. Thank you for your cooperation." Mayor Whipstaff clamored up to the stage.

    "What the hell do you think you''re doing?" he hissed coldly. "I''ll have your badge and your head for this!" Cross regarded him, nonplussed.

    "Sir, you are currently influenced by an outside agent and are impaired in the performance of your duty. I ask that you please step down and let my men and I handle the situation," she said calmly, while the mayor bristled at every word.

    "You pathetic rent-a-cop! You are nothing but a walking pile of trash! The mistresses-"

    "Are suspects in several murder cases, along with conspiracy charges. I recognize that you are not in your right mind, so please allow me to do the right thing in your stead." she cut off, face as cold and expressionless as stone.

    "I will not stand for this! You and all the rest will belong to the mistresses before the night was over!" His face was turning red as he shouted, frothing at the mouth. "All glory to our overlords! You shall be ground beneath their heels! Your soul set aflame, consigned to be a contemptable slave for eternity! She must not be allowed to remain any longer! Get her!"

    The bewitched policemen tried to obey, but the crowd had moved closer and tighter to watch the mayor rant, and they had a difficult time pushing through. "Argh! You fools are useless!" Whipstaff glared at Cross, who had crossed her arms and was glaring right back. "All glory to the mistresses!" He raised his arms and charged clumsily at her.

    ¡°Pathetic.¡± she sneered, easily evading his hands. She raised hers and twisted her hips, driving a right hook into his jaw, lifting him off his feet and sending him tumbling off the stage. ¡°Ouch,¡± she winced, ¡°didn¡¯t mean to hit that hard. He okay?¡± The mayor groaned, trying to sit up but being restrained by Pete.

    ¡°He¡¯ll be fine, you just rung his bell.¡± Pete called up amid the applause and cheers from the crowd.

    ¡°Good.¡± Cross growled, spotting a girl in a purple robe rush out of the wings. ¡°I think the next challenger¡¯s here.¡± She cracked her knuckles.

    ¡°You¡¯ll never stop us! Die!¡± Courtney shrieked, and threw the knife into the floor of the stage. Muttering strange words, she snapped her fingers and the metal snake exploded forth to the gasps of the crowd. Courtney jumped up and landed on the snake¡¯s back. ¡°Ha! You¡¯re a fool if you think you can win against me!¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re an idiot if you think I didn¡¯t learn from last time!¡± Cross countered, blasting a bullet into the snake¡¯s fang to dent it. ¡°Guys!¡±

    Three officers with rifles and a shotgun opened fire, forcing the snake to abandon the attack to defend its¡¯ creator. Courtney howled in frustration and blasted curses at the cops, but Cross pulled her off the snake and slammed her into the stage. The snake wheeled around to face her, but Cross had her gun to the girl¡¯s temple. The snake hissed.

    ¡°Uh-uh.¡± Cross warned. ¡°Little girl, call off your monster. Your magic words aren¡¯t¡¯ faster than my trigger finger.¡±

    ¡°Screw that!¡± Courtney spat. ¡°You¡¯re a cop, you can¡¯t just shoot me.¡± Cross yanked and twisted her arm as hard as she could, making Courtney scream. The metal snake rattles its¡¯ metal scales, agitated.This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

    ¡°You seem to be under the misconception that I care.¡± Cross said, glowering at her. ¡°You are literally planning an apocalyptic genocide. We are beyond the law now. You will either call the thing off or I decorate the stage with your brains. It may attack me after that, it may not. I¡¯m betting it¡¯ll drop when you do though. So. You have five seconds. What¡¯s it gonna be?¡±

    Courtney tried to return her glare, but it felt like her shoulder would be pulled out. She swore loudly, out of options. ¡°Fine. Astosh.¡± she spat out, and the metal snake shuddered and collapsed into the knife again. The crowd applauded.

    ¡°Hey!¡±

    ¡°No-!¡±

    ¡°What the!?¡± Cross turned to see Carla flipping in and out of the shadows, yanking the guns out of her men¡¯s hands. Ivory nervously approached the stage, lightning sword in hand and trembling.

    ¡°I believe these are yours, Detective.¡± Carla said, shifting out onto the stage and placing the guns on the ground. ¡°Cstnith, cstnith eshumbrades.¡± A hand made out of night came out of Cross¡¯s own shadow and pulled her gun arm away, holding it down in a grip like a vice. ¡°Release her or the next one strangles you.¡± Cross¡¯s eyes narrowed to slits, but she complied.

    ¡°Finally!¡± Courtney cried as she scrambled to her feet. She rounded on Cross, burning with hate. You¡­aargh!¡± Losing the capacity for words, Courtney slapped her face as hard as she could. Detective Cross reached a finger to her tingling cheek, and smirked.

    ¡°That¡¯s all you got, you punk kid?¡±

    ¡°Rrrrrgh!¡± Courtney seethed.

    ¡°Calm down. We have the upper hand now.¡± Carla ordered. ¡°All we have to do is wait for Stephanie and Brxthilas. Ivory, try her cell.¡±

    ¡°Who made you the boss!?¡± Courtney snapped.

    ¡°Our boss did, in case you don¡¯t remember.¡± Carla replied coolly. ¡°When she¡¯s not around, I am to be in charge and carry out her will.¡±

    ¡°Hrmph. You¡¯re no Bess.¡± Courtney grumbled, but Cross smiled on the inside. She saw an angle of attack.

    ¡°Yes, Courtney. Obey your superior. It¡¯s what you girls are only good for, isn¡¯t it? I just bet you thought you¡¯d be on top. But it turns out that Stephanie girl will always be higher on the food chain than you.¡± she said smugly.

    ¡°What!?¡± Courtney snarled, rounding on her.

    ¡°Courtney! No!¡± Carla¡¯s eyes went wide, realizing what Cross was up to. She started forward, but Cross¡¯s grin only got wider.

    ¡°Best get used to it. You¡¯ll be her little bitch lapdog forever.¡±

    ¡°YOU!¡± Courtney exploded, unconsciously drawing magical energy in. Her eyes flashed white and flames poured off her body, igniting the band¡¯s instruments and rolling across the stage. Carla¡¯s concentration was shattered, and Cross dove off, getting only minor burns. ¡°YOU WILL PAY!¡± Courtney started screeching syllables in a foul tongue.

    The ritual had been designed to react to magical energy. The coven had intended to activate it with the sheer magical force of the daemon, and thus gain an army of slaves. To this end, they had placed idols in the corners of the town square. The idols were of the turtle, tiger, bird, and dragon, the four gods of Asian Mysticism. Normally their powers were invoked for divination and purification. But Stephanie had redesigned the ritual, placing them in the ordinal directions instead of the cardinal, twisting and corrupting the forces to brainwash a large population. The idols had reacted to the design before, without any power. Now Courtney was outputting as much as she could, and had nowhere near the daemons¡¯ strength to direct the ritual.

    ¡°N-No way!¡± Pete cried out. A twisting dragon, flaming bird, gigantic tiger and a large turtle made of stone burst forth into the air above the crowd, writhing and screaming.

    The circle on the ground lit up, and the whole crowd fell to their knees in unison, screaming and clutching their heads, all staring at the same point into nothing. Carla grabbed Ivory and Courtney and sank into a shadow.

    Cross grabbed her head. It felt like a crown of drills was trying to pierce directly into her brain. She moaned, but somehow was still able to move for now. She took aim at the creatures with her Glock, her vision blurring. With a prayer on her lips, she fired. The shot hit the dragon¡¯s head and exploded into plaster. The pressure on her head lessened, she rolled over and her hand brushed the shotgun. She picked it up and started blasting away, breaking the others into pieces, showering the crowd below.

    Once the creatures were gone and the pain faded away, she dropped the now-empty gun and breathed a sigh of relief until she noticed the whole crowd was staring at her dumbly, a soft aura illuminating every citizen. Cross groaned and pulled out her cellphone, hitting Scott¡¯s number.

    ¡°Yo, Detective. What¡¯s up?¡±

    ¡°The girls got away, but I think the ritual went off prematurely. There were these¡­creatures in the air, I busted em¡¯ up good. But now everyone¡¯s staring at me stupidly and glowing. What now?¡± She said, drained. The adrenaline was fading, and right now all she wanted to do was crawl into bed.

    ¡°Hmm¡­sounds like it only started, but the ritual collapsed. Can¡¯t be sure, but it sounds like the failure only managed to put the town in a suggestive trance. Tell ¡®em anything right now and they¡¯d probably believe it. How¡¯d you manage stay on your feet?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Don¡¯t know. Don¡¯t care. I¡¯ll meet up with you in a bit. Think I know what to do.¡± she said, and hung up. She cracked her neck and stretched, wincing at the pain. She picked up the megaphone, then climbed up onto the smoldering stage.

    ¡°Alright everybody, thank you for remaining calm during our little accident! We hope you enjoyed our live special effects show! Please feel free to enjoy the rest of the party until you go home in a couple hours! My men, to me please! Thank you and goodnight!¡±

    Given an order, the glow faded and the people got to their feet, dazed.

    ¡°Maggie-what the hell? What was that lightshow? It looked so real¡­¡± Tommy said, but Cross just shoved the megaphone in his arms.

    ¡°The ritual went off, but I managed to use it to make people forget about it. Now come on. We¡¯re not done yet.¡±

    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    High up in the sky, Hastazemus felt his stomach rumble and a new burst of power. The thir heart had been digested. He licked his lips in anticipation, but frowned. Magical energies flared and whorled around on the surface below him, but he couldn¡¯t get a lock on them.

    It was a strange sensation. Before, he could only sense things roughly a hundred feet away from him. But now the ritual was complete, his strength and senses had been buzzing and expanding, wider and wider. It was exhilarating, he could feel out for miles. However, he was having trouble adjusting; all these new sensory inputs were so confusing, it took a good portion of his attention to keep everything in order and make sense.

    ¡°My lord.¡± An emaciated, skull-faced daemon clutching a walking stick hobbled on the clouds over to him. I sense foul tidings. The human numbers below have not been decreasing, yet the daemons have. I feel great magics at work, and not of our origin.¡±

    ¡°Hmmm.¡± Hastazemus closed his eyes and concentrated. He tried to focus on the town, but his senses were working on reaching out. He could no more sense the details of the town than look up his own nose. Such control would come in time, but even his limited ability could see something was wrong down below. His eyes and wings snapped open, demolishing his throne.

    ¡°My lord?¡± the daemon asked.

    ¡°It is hard to tell. I must rely on my physical senses. I shall go and identify the issue, then...resolve it.¡± He said smiling, mouth full of fangs and growing more every minute.

    ¡°Yes, my lord.¡± The daemon bowed as Hastazemus flapped his mighty wings and descended on the town, burning as hot as a meteor.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°Gaaaaahhhhh!¡± Courtney howled, hands curled into claws and trying to tear the sky apart. ¡°Why!? Why did you drag me out of there!? I had her!¡± she snarled at Carla, crouched on the curb. Carla looked down the hill at the town square, seeing the glow fade after the idols were turned to dust. She shook her head.

    ¡°No you didn¡¯t. We failed.¡±

    ¡°What!?¡± Courtney screeched. Carla gave her the evil eye.

    ¡°You guys know what happened. Thanks to you being goaded by that cop, the mind control spell activated, and failed immediately without the daemon. We have to reconvene with Stephanie, see what¡¯s to be done now.¡± Ivory finished throwing up in the bushes.

    ¡°So¡­will we still have to fight?¡± she said, teetering over on unstable feet.

    ¡°Dunno. Maybe.¡± Carla grunted.

    ¡°You¡¯re damn right we do!¡± Courtney said, jabbing a finger at her. ¡°Forget about the control stuff! We have powers far beyond mortal men! I say we go down there and start blasting until they surrender the town to us!¡± Carla sighed and put her head in her palm.

    ¡°I don¡¯t have the time to explain all the ways why that is the stupidest idea I¡¯ve ever heard.¡± She said wearily.

    ¡°Up yours!¡± Ivory patted their shoulders.

    ¡°Uh, guys¡­?¡± They turned and looked at what she was staring at.

    ¡°Uuugh.

    ¡°Auugh.¡±

    ¡°Uuuuhh.¡± Zombies, a dozen, a score, a multitude of them crawled and shambled across the yards and streets, all heading to a singular direction.

    ¡°Zombies!?¡± Carla exclaimed.

    They must be more of that guy¡¯s work!¡± Courtney shouted, remembering how tough just the one was. Ivory shuddered and trembled, teeth chattering. ¡°He must be up to something! Let¡¯s get ¡®em!¡± Carla slowly turned her head towards her, disbelief and exasperation clear on her face.

    ¡°Are you for real?¡± she said. Thump. Thump. Far out, nearly half a mile away but still very visible cresting over the houses and trees, the zombie giant tromped onward, Scott laughing maniacally on the shoulder.

    ¡°Holy crap.¡± Courtney said breathlessly. ¡°Wow. He really went all out. Carla, Ivory, I know we can take him, but-huh?¡± She and Carla turned to see Ivory gone, blazing down the street as fast as her feet could take her. Carla sighed again and sank into the darkness, muttering incantations.

    ¡°H-Hey!¡± Courtney squawked indignantly. ¡°Ivory?¡± she called at the retreating back, disappearing around the corner. ¡°C-Carla?¡± She glanced around, then back at the zombies. She sighed. ¡°All right, then.¡± She opened her hands and mouth to summon up a couple fireballs. Carla, rolling her eyes, popped up and dragged her into the shadow. ¡°Eeep!¡±

    --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°There!¡±

    ¡°Got ¡®im!¡± Evangeline landed on the hapless spider daemon, making it collapse to the ground. ¡°Heads up!¡± She grabbed its¡¯ legs and swung it like a hammer throw. Leo took its¡¯ head off, then chopped the legs into pieces. The body parts melted into foul-smelling goo as the two collapsed to the street, panting heavily but smiling.

    ¡°How many was that altogether? Thirty?¡± Eva asked.

    ¡°Twenty-seven.¡± Leo said, leaning on the sword. He regarded her in the cold moonlight under the red sky, his perfect barbarian princess. ¡°You¡¯re beautiful.¡± he said.

    ¡°Heeheheheh.¡± she giggled, brushing hair out of her eyes and looking down. ¡°You¡¯re too much, you know that?¡±

    ¡°Maybe.¡± He used the sword to get up and held out a hand to her. ¡°But I fear I may not be enough. I¡¯ve recovered, we should get moving if you¡¯re good too.¡± She accepted his hand and they started forward again.

    ¡°So, tell me.¡± Eva said as they jogged. ¡°This whole¡­sword thing. What happens next?¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± Leo said.

    ¡°Well, after the daemons. If we beat ¡®em, do you give it back or what?¡± she said. Leo stared at the sword, a charm on the bracelet at the moment. He considered, recalling Lagdinras and his message.

    ¡°I¡­don¡¯t think so.¡± he said after a minute. ¡°You heard what Scott said, he made it out like it was a big deal. And¡­I get the impression that even if we make it through this, there¡¯ll be more to it. I¡­dunno. Just a feeling I have.¡± He shrugged as he turned the corner. Eva rolled her eyes and followed.

    ¡°Maybe, but you couldn¡¯t-¡± She bumped into his back. He was stock-still, tense. ¡°Leo?¡± She looked past him to see a ten-foot daemon, with four wings and eyes each, black-skinned, covered in spikes and sprouting more as they watched, sneering imperiously at them. Power radiated off him, making the hairs on the back of her neck stick up. She shivered. There could be no doubt.

    ¡°Hastazemus.¡± Leo said quietly.

    ¡°I see my reputation precedes me.¡± he said, grinning. Leo pushed his cell phone in Eva¡¯s hand and gave her a gentle smile.

    ¡°Eva, call him. Tell him we found him, first. And stay back, I don¡¯t want you in on this one.¡±

    ¡°Oh? You refuse help? Not wise, boy.¡± the daemon said. Leo turned back to him.

    ¡°L-Leo? Eva whimpered. This one wasn¡¯t like the others.

    ¡°Stay back, no matter what. It¡¯s too late to run, he¡¯s seen us. I¡¯ll do what I can.¡± He whipped his arm out and the sword flashed. ¡°Are you ready, daemon?

 Chapter 20-Necromancer vs. Daemon

    ¡°Kid! Kid, you gotta come help!¡± Evangeline screamed pleadingly into the phone, ducking as the brick wall she was using as cover burst apart.

    ¡°What!? Where?¡± Scott said.

    ¡°At the corner of¡­¡± She checked the signs. ¡°Fear Street and Transylvania Boulevard!¡±

    ¡°Got it, on our way! Zombies, ho!¡± She watched Leo grunt and pick himself up.

    ¡°I¡¯ll not be bested so easily!¡± he boasted, darting forward again. Hastazemus laughed heartily and started lobbing fireballs at him. Leo, used to dodging linemen, managed to evade the fiery missiles, tumbled past the daemon¡¯s grasping arms and sank the sword nearly up to the cross guard in his gut. Hastazemus¡¯s smile turned to a frown.

    ¡°I see that fool Lagdinras has found another patsy.¡± he growled. Grabbing the blade, he backhanded Leo away and pulled the sword out, grimacing. ¡°You know, a few hours ago this might have actually done some actual damage.¡± he said as he tossed the sword away. The wound started fizzing and closing. Hastazemus grinned. ¡°But I¡¯m afraid I¡¯m far too powerful now. You never stood a chance.¡± Leo groaned and tried to struggle upright. ¡°Hah!¡± Hastazemus¡¯s fist came down on the back of Leo¡¯s head, driving it through the asphalt.

    ¡°No!¡± Eva screamed.

    ¡°Just lay down and die. It¡¯s better that way.¡± Hastazemus sneered, then turned and grinned at Evangeline. ¡°Now, what do we have here?¡± He stalked over, cracking his knuckles. She shivered and started backing away slowly, but Hastazemus stretched out his arm to grab her by the throat. A new, separate hand sprouted from his wrist, tilting her tear-streaked face up. ¡°A little human girl. Or not so little, perhaps.¡±

    ¡°L-Leo.¡± she squeaked, before he clamped tighter.

    ¡°Silence. As conqueror, I have the right to do with my subjects as I will. And you, my dear-¡± He never finished the sentence. The flaming sword flew through the air, where Leo grabbed it, bringing it down and severing Hastazemus¡¯s arm. He caught Evangeline before she fell.

    ¡°Don¡¯t you lay a finger on her!¡± he roared, pointing the blade at the daemon, eyes and sword both ablaze. Hastazemus held up his stump and the arm regenerated.

    ¡°Oh really, and what will you do if I do.¡± he said dully, as if boredly reciting a script.

    ¡°I¡¯ll cut you into atoms! No one hurts my girlfriend and gets away with it!¡± Leo flexed, shredding the last of his shirt, the sword as bright as the sun. He screamed and leapt forward, swinging for all he was worth. Another Hastazemus appeared behind him and grabbed his leg, making him fall.

    ¡°It¡¯s too much, really.¡± Hastazemus said, sounding bored as he and his double started pounding on Leo¡¯s prone form, Eva watching in horror. ¡°This is why you should be slaves to us daemons. We are obviously the superior creatures. I am not being racist; it is merely an objective, biological fact. Humanity will slowly thrive under the yoke of our rule. All your stupid, outdated beliefs will be done away with, and your species shall eventually be as enlightened as ours. You understand?¡± he said as lifted Leo by his throat, dismissing his clone. Leo groaned. ¡°Pathetic.¡± He threw Leo¡¯s body into the ground hard enough to crack it. He turned on Evangeline once more, dusting off his hands. ¡°I do mean it. Your kind shall be taught our secrets as a slave race. Your kind shall become as us, and we shall conquer the rest of the universe.¡± Hastazemus looked at the shaking Eva, suddenly thoughtful. ¡°In fact¡­¡± He reached down and picked up his severed hand. ¡°I wonder. With my new power, could it be possible to graft my flesh to yours, for an instant conversion? No time like the present to find out, I suppose.¡± He advanced on her. She screamed and tried to run, but a burst of flame behind her nixed that idea. He chopped at her neck, collapsing her. ¡°Oh, do relax. One way or another, this will be over in a moment.¡±

    Gachunk.

    Eva saw the daemon pause and his four eyes narrow. Behind him, Leo leaned heavily on his sword, body feeling like it was on fire, breathing heavily and beaten, but not broken.

    ¡°I said don¡¯t lay a finger on her.¡± Leo growled.

    ¡°This ceases to amuse. But at least your talk is tough, I suppose.¡± Hastazemus said, folding his wings like a cape. ¡°But how can you fight, with a body that damaged? I count three broken ribs, a chipped femur, bruised spinal column, a fractured left humerous, and multiple bruises and lacerations over your skin, muscles, and organs. What can you do?¡±

    ¡°I can defeat you!¡± Leo declared. He pulled his sword out of the ground and though it made an unpleasant, warm oozing sensation in his chest, pointed it at the daemon. ¡°Prepare for death.¡±

    ¡°My, my.¡± Hastazemus created a sword made out of darkness in his hand, and hiccupped. A burst of energy and power rolled off of him, even Eva could tell. ¡°Then let us see whether you are right.¡±

    Without another word, the combatants charged at each other. Their blades crossed, struggling for dominance. Hastazemus had greater strength, weight, and momentum, but Leo had twice that in courage and determination. Still though, he was being pushed back, body to the breaking point.

    ¡°Yield, fool!¡± Hastazemus barked. Leo gritted his teeth and pushed harder. Slowly, too slowly, his sword was cutting through the dark one. He saw Eva, struggling to her feet.

    ¡°Never!¡± With a cry and burst of strength, Leo pushed and shattered the evil blade, cutting through both demonic steel and-the air?

    ¡°Die.¡± Leo whipped around to see Hastazemus¡¯s gaping maw, an orange light flickering in his throat. A massive stream of fire erupted out. Leo howled and did the only thing he could; slam his sword into it. Miraculously, the blade held, seeming to draw the flames and heat into it, only giving him minor burns. Unfortunately, that drained the last of Leo''s strength.

    Hastazemus grinned as Leo struggled to stay on his feet. His legs wobbled, his arms shook, and his eyes were trying to close. He had nothing left. The daemon thrust a kick into his chest, sending him flying down the street.

    "LEO!" Eva screamed.

    "Gotcha!" Leo''s fall was cushioned as he was caught by an enormous undead hand. "Easy now."

    "S-Scott?" Leo looked up to see the necromancer grinning down from the giant''s shoulder. He gave him a tired smile. "Glad to see you made it."

    "Hey, when this thing opens up, it can move." Scott said as the rest of the zombie horde caught up. He had the giant gingerly hand Leo off to the crowd, Eva beside him. "Good fight, man. Rest easy. I''ll take it from here." He stared coldly at the daemon and cracked his knuckles.

    "Oh ho?" Hastazemus said, eyeing up the monstrosity the necromancer and ghost were seated on. "I take it this is the method used to disperse my daemons?"

    "You betcha, brimstone-breath! You''re going down!" Scott declared, giving him a thumbs down. Hastazemus guffawed, scoffing at the very notion.

    "That is rich! You pathetic mortal, you don''t understand anything! You have no idea what you have unleashed! After all, anything you can do..." He unfurled his wings with a primal roar. Glowing with a dark red aura, Hastazemus grew, and grew, and grew, the ground trembling at the transformation, until he was four stories tall. He moved his knee and the second floor of a house was casually demolished. "I can do better!"

    "H-Hey, kid! C-Can you really fight that thing!?" Evangeline called out, cradling Leo and keeping his head up to see.

    "Just watch me!" Scott grinned, and jumped to his feet. "Behold! The fearsome true power of a necromancer! Hyahh!" He stuck his arms out, then circled them around, posing.If you encounter this tale on Amazon, note that it''s taken without the author''s consent. Report it.

    "What is this?" Hastazemus growled.

    "Oh my god, he''s really doing it." Amber muttered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "You''re not cool, you know!"

    "Take this! You ready, big guy?" The giant zombie leaned back and dug its fingers into its chest plate, ripping its ribs open. "Hoo-ha! Let''s go! Combine!" Scott jumped off the shoulder, sliding into the gaping chest cavity, the giant slamming its chest plate closed.

    Inside, it was dark and unpleasantly cool. He could feel the tentacles slither through the flesh. Scott grunted as they pierced into his wrists, ankles, and along his spine, the dead flesh merging with his own. His eyes glowed.

    The giant roared and its'' eyes flared. Suddenly, it stopped and held its hands up with previously unknown grace. It stared at them.

    "Cool. It worked!" it said. Deep and amplified by size, it was unmistakably Scotts''.

    "What on Earth-?" Leo said in bewildered wonder. Eva was speechless, and Amber drifted over to them.

    "Yeah, I know. I wouldn''t be surprised by anything at this point." she grumbled.

    "I...see." Leo said in a tone that said he very much didn''t.

    "See, I designed this thing so I could merge with it." Scott explained, dancing a little jig that made cars jump. "This way, instead of a mindless zombie trying to obey orders, I eliminate the middleman and make its'' movements much smoother and faster in the bargain. What do you think?"

    "I think you''re an idiot whose brain is as rotten as the zombies he commands!" Hastazemus barked.

    "Shows what you know! Let''s do this! Zombie Titan Mk. 1, launch!" The zombie avatar pounded its fists together and threw itself forward, guard raised.

    The daemon sneered and teleported behind it, raining thunderous blows on his opponents'' back. Scott grinned; even as connected as he was, even with the actual damage inflicted, there was still no pain. Zombies were such useful creatures. He reared a leg up and kicked back, twisting the daemon''s knee out.

    Hastazemus scowled and wrenched it back into place, healing it instantly. He began teleporting, over and over, whipping up whirlwinds with the amount of displaced air.

    "Ha ha! Try to keep up!" he said confidently, showing a mouthful of teeth. Scott''s avatar stood stock-still, calmly timing it out, then stuck an arm out. Hastazemus teleported there, the undead appendage embedded in his chest. "Hrmm." He narrowed his four eyes, as Scott used the opportunity for some free shots.  The daemon was unphased however, ripping the arm out of his flesh, the wound closing behind it. "I see you are not to be underestimated. Very well."

    "Uh-oh." Scott gulped. Hastazemus bellowed and held his hands up. Flames gathered there, a spherical inferno concentrating into a sun in miniature but still larger than he was.

    "Die, fool!" Hastazemus leapt up and hurled the fireball down, the heat melting the asphalt, making it bubble and warp. Scott couldn''t move quickly enough, and could only cross his avatars'' arms in front of his face to defend himself. He screamed as he burned.

    "Scott!" Amber cried out. When the flames died out, the zombie giant was kneeling on the ruined street, charred black.

    "I-I''m okay." Scott said unsteadily.

    "No you''re not!" Hastazemus snarled, punching him in the face. The zombie collapsed on its back, the daemon punching and stomping every last inch, slamming it harder and harder with each blow. The giant tried to struggle back, but the attacks were too fast and too fierce.

    "Why won''t you fall!" the daemon screeched and brought a double-handed blow down on the head, driving it through the ground. The zombie finally shuddered and lay still, hands dropping to the dirt. Hastazemus stood tall.

    "Dear lord." Leo said.

    "S-Scott...n-no..." Amber said in shock, tears in her eyes. "You...you p-promised..."

    "Ha ha ha ha ha! I have destroyed you, pitiful worm!" he shouted to the night, breathing heavily form the exertion. "Now none can stand against our might! Heh heh ha ha ha ha ha!" Hastazemus laughed uproariously, cawing his victory to the world. "Ha ha ha-"

    "Eh ha ha ha ha ha hee hee ha ha!" Another voice joined in laughing with him.

    "What!?" Hastazemus thundered. The chest popped open to reveal Scott, cackling madly. "You''re still alive?"

    "And well, thank you for asking! Ha ha ha!" Scott cried, disengaging and standing up.

    "The fool''s gone mad with fear." the daemon scowled, shaking his head.

    "S-Scott?" Leo said nervously. Scott had tears in his eyes and was clutching at his sides.

    "I-I can''t believe it!" he gasped between breaths. "I really can''t! You idiot! Ha ha!"

    "What are you talking about? I''ll incinerate you!" Hastazemus said, conjuring flame to his hand.

    "You don''t get it, do you? You''ve already lost!" Scott proclaimed.

    "What?" The flame went out. Hastazemus stared at his empty hand. He hadn''t dismissed it.

    "Here. This should tell you everything you need to know." Scott rummaged in his backpack and pulled out the Necronomicon, turning to a specific page. "Here we go." he said, holding it up.

    "But...that is merely a spell that allows a bound spirit to spread their intangibility to other objects for a short while. It has no potential for combat-" All four of his eyes widened in horror and locked on Amber. She shrugged and waved. "What did you DO!?"

    "Nothing much." Scott said, grinning. "Just replaced her heart with a cow''s, shaped to resemble a human''s by yours truly. Oh, and stuffed it as full as ricin as I could. Figured it wouldn''t do much, but every little poison helps, huh?" Hastazemus roared and clutched his rumbling stomach. "The whole other part? The big showdown, the final fight between necromancer and daemon lord? All just a distraction. And you fell for it beautifully. You''ve been dancing in my palm this whole time, little monkey." The daemon''s head snapped over to him.

    "You-!!"

    "Oh, but I should tell you who helped me through the details, as well as give me the lowdown on Stephanie''s plans and modus operendi." He pulled out a rock from his pocket and tossed it to the ground. ¡°Come on out.¡±

    Ectoplasm oozed out of the stone, coalescing into the frowning form of Bess, standing defiantly with her arms crossed.

    ¡°Bess!¡± Amber cried out.

    ¡°Yeah, it was me who helped him.¡± she admitted. ¡°I figured it was the biggest and best way to screw over Stephanie¡¯s plan, so I told him everything I knew about the rituals and daemons. I hate you all.¡± She drifted over to the others and sat down on the ground, Amber slowly reaching out a finger to touch her. ¡°Stop that.¡± she growled.

    ¡°So there you have it.¡± Scott grinned. ¡°All the spells I have, the time constraints, there was no way that we could¡¯ve beaten you or the coven in a straight up fight. So I incorporated our loss into our victory. It didn¡¯t matter which one ate the hearts, you or Stephanie¡¯s daemon. As soon as Amber switched those hearts, we won. Fear my genius.¡±

    Hastazemus groaned and fell to his knees as the fifth heart was digested, trying got replenish his depleted magical reserves. It felt like shards of ice were trying to stab their way out of him.

    ¡°I¡¯ll¡­kill you¡­¡± he gasped.

    ¡°Doubt it. Do you know what happens when a magic ritual as big as this one fails?¡± Scott asked innocently.

    ¡°Rrrrrrraaghhh!¡± Sweating bullets, the infernal creature began to shrink, but through sheer force of will managed to keep his size, forcibly digesting the sixth heart in the process for an energy boost. Scott laughed.

    ¡°Yes, yes! Put out more power! Use up everything you have left! Burn brightly, like a sputtering candle destined for darkness! Yes! More!¡±

    ¡°Shut up!¡± Hastazemus raised his fist to squash the necromancer. Scott spread his arms and fell back, into the charred meat and grime of the zombie giant. The chest bones linked together, shielding him from the blow. ¡°You can¡¯t hide in there! I¡¯ll tear it apart!¡±

    ¡°Rot!¡± With Scott¡¯s cry, the burned flesh shriveled up and flaked off like ash, leaving a charred skeleton with only enough tendons to connect it to a grinning Scott.

    ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± The giant skeleton rolled out of the way and sprang to its feet, much faster than before. ¡°Skeletons may not have the power of zombies, but they¡¯re much lighter. And bones are sharp!¡± The skeleton avatar swung its fist into Hastazemus¡¯s face, making him buckle. He began to bleed black ichor from all of his new horns.

    ¡°Guaugh.¡± he couched, spitting up blood. ¡°You¡­will¡­¡±

    ¡°Kill you, I know!¡± Scott said gleefully as a shin whipped into the daemon¡¯s neck. ¡°It¡¯s very simple! Sorcery 101!¡± he cried as he directed boney punches into Hastazemus¡¯s body. ¡°You don¡¯t! Call up!¡± Anything you can¡¯t!¡± The bone giant reared back with its right hand, Scott and its eyes shining a bright toxic emerald. It thrust, instead of punching, grabbing Hastazemus by the skull. ¡°Put down! Sekh!¡±

    Hastazemus screamed in agony, acid replacing his blood, his own power poisoning him and Scott¡¯s spell rotting his body away. After a moment, his body smoking, Scott let go and the daemon fell to the ground without a word. He was dead. It was done.

    The necromancer had saved the world.

    ¡°Yeah!¡± Scott shouted, his voice harsh from screaming so much, and the skeleton didn¡¯t have vocal chords to amplify it. ¡°I did it! My plan worked! In! Your! Face! Woo!¡± The skeleton pumped its arms in victory, then fell to its knees, releasing Scott. ¡°Ow. Whoo. Ouch. Every single one of my nerves is on fire. Ow.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say if that¡¯s the worst of our worries now, we came out ahead.¡± Amber said, drifting over. ¡°Listen, Scott¡­¡± she said nervously, glancing at the scowling Bess.

    ¡°Yeah, I know, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Scott apologized. ¡°But she said she wouldn¡¯t help unless no one knew it was her. Ordinarily I would¡¯ve refused, but we were in a bit of a crunch.¡±

    ¡°I guess.¡± Amber huffed, but smiled down at him. ¡°Well, at least-¡± Hastazemus¡¯s body began to bulge and glow dangerously. Scott paled.

    ¡°Oh crap, he¡¯s gonna blow! We have to get the last heart out of him!¡±

    ¡°Yaaahhh!¡± Out of nowhere, Leo sunk his sword into the giant daemon¡¯s belly, spewing entrails everywhere. The glow dissipated along with the rest of the body, leaving only Bess¡¯s heart faintly radiating light behind. Leo wearily picked it up and limped over to them.

    ¡°I take it this¡¯s what you¡¯re looking for?¡± he said. Scott gaped at him, then started chuckling, evolving into full-blown laughter. Leo joined in, and Amber followed, laughing as the red shade in the sky was drained away, leaving only a clear, crisp October night.

    Red and blue lights flashed as several police cars screeched to a halt on the scene, Cross leaping out of one, gun drawn.

    ¡°Alright, what¡¯s the situation? What¡¯d we miss?¡±

    The teens glanced at each other, then started cracking up again.

 Chapter 21-Aftermath

    ¡°Hey, Bess?¡± Amber asked to the other ghost¡¯s back, staring off into nothing as the sun¡¯s vibrant colors streaked through the sky. The battle had, throughout all its¡¯ stages, lasted about six hours. The rest of the time was trying to get organized and trying to put everything as back to normal as they could.

    The cleanup had been remarkably simple. Bluntly speaking, there wasn¡¯t one. After a heated discussion, which Amber would charitably call bickering, Scott, Pete, and Cross had decided there was really nothing they could do. The damage to the town was simply too widespread, and relatively too minor to actually care about. Some smashed windows, dented cars, destroyed fences, all could be blamed on a pack of particularly vicious Halloween vandals. The melted street was a case of a freak lightning strike, quite mysterious. And thanks to the whole town at the party, there were no witnesses to contradict the story.

    The police Cross had pulled in weren¡¯t local, and hadn¡¯t either wanted trouble or to be seen as madmen, so after the matter was settled they had went back home after being sworn to silence, too loyal or afraid of Cross to do otherwise. It wasn¡¯t a perfect cover, but as no one involved wanted the truth to be known, the public would have to accept the official report. And if people¡¯s memories during and after the party were fuzzy, that what people said and what they personally remembered didn¡¯t line up; well, that couldn¡¯t be blamed on the heroic detective who had exposed and captured one of the Craven Falls Killers, now could it?

    Rumors of packs of monsters, a zombie apocalypse, and a giant stomping through town circulating for weeks afterwards were completely dismissed, too outlandish for anyone to actually believe, a weird prank at best. After all, it¡¯s not like anyone had any actual proof, right? And really, it was completely ridiculous.

    Bess was staring at the rising sun, completely entranced. She had been doing nothing but staring at the horizon for the last several hours until Amber worked up the courage to get her attention.

    ¡°Hmm?¡± Bess grunted, not turning around.

    ¡°I just¡­¡± Amber started, but her voice gave out. What to say? What to do? Thank her? Curse her? ¡°I¡­¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not apologizing.¡± Bess interrupted. ¡°I¡¯m not asking for your forgiveness, either. I know the decision that we, that I made. It wasn¡¯t¡­the best, in retrospect. But. I made it, and I must stand by it. No matter what. What we did¡­you can¡¯t take something like that back.¡±

    ¡°No, I suppose you can¡¯t.¡± Amber murmured. There was a moment of silence between them, broken only by Scott directing the remaining zombies to rebury themselves in their graves and to try to clean up as much as possible along the way. Along with promising a very irate Detective Cross that he would in fact release control over them. Bess grunted.

    ¡°Still, though. We screwed you over. And not just you. After finding out what it¡¯s like¡­¡± She stared at her translucent hand, glowing a faint orange. ¡°I find that I can sympathize.¡±

    ¡°I just wanted you to know¡­I never hoped that you would find out what it¡¯s like to die. No matter what happened between us, you were my friend at one point.¡± Amber said. Bess finally turned to her with a sneer on her face, blinking back tears.

    ¡°You know, it¡¯s t-that kind of attitude that made you unfit for the coven. N-No wonder Stephanie made you a t-target.¡± She bit back a sob. Amber slowly walked over and stood beside her in the sunlight. Not close, not comforting, but there nonetheless. After a minute, Bess calmed down. ¡°So. What happens now? I get exorcised, sent on?¡±

    ¡°Afraid you¡¯re not getting off that easy.¡± Scott said walking up, yawning and sipping coffee. He really did not need Cross grousing at him after such a long night. So what if the bone giant couldn¡¯t be broken down into individual bodies anymore? That wasn¡¯t a consideration when he¡¯d designed the spell, and they managed to fit it into the warehouse just fine. It even helped put the roof back on. ¡°You¡¯re getting a nice, cozy cell for your troubles.¡± She frowned.

    ¡°But I¡¯m dead.¡±

    ¡°Not for long, you aren¡¯t. You forget my profession. I am a necromancer, the master of death. We got your heart, your body¡¯s waiting to be swept up in Stephanie¡¯s attic, and your soul¡¯s here too. I¡¯m afraid a little thing like a lack of a pulse won¡¯t allow you to escape punishment.¡± he said.

    ¡°Heh. Some might say I¡¯ve paid the ultimate price already.¡± she said bitterly. Scott shrugged.

    ¡°Yeah well, I¡¯m not one of them. And since it¡¯s my decision and not yours, I say you¡¯re coming back." Bess opened her mouth to argue, but Amber grabbed her hand and held it.

    ¡°Please, Bess. Don¡¯t you think there¡¯s been enough death, enough loss, enough mourning? You and I both know what means to die before our time. This is a rare, precious chance to actually take a little bit of the sadness and suffering away.¡±

    ¡°Hmph. Like the girls we killed or their families wouldn¡¯t be happy I was dead.¡± Bess grunted. ¡°Aside from mine, who I have no idea how¡¯d they react, who¡¯d be sad I was gone?¡±

    ¡°I would.¡± Amber said. Bess was taken aback.

    ¡°W-Wha? Really? But I-¡±

    ¡°Did some very bad things. And I don¡¯t think we could ever be friends anymore. But¡­after knowing what it means, I don¡¯t want you dead either. So live. Live, and repent. Maybe you can forgive yourself then.¡± Bess stared at her, open-mouthed. Then, she started half-laughing, half-sobbing.

    ¡°Fine.¡± she said at last. ¡°I¡¯ll take what¡¯s coming to me. I deserve it. Guess I¡¯ll spend my life in jail.¡± She sighed.

    ¡°Well, I don¡¯t know about that.¡± Scott said, sipping coffee. ¡°I¡¯ve been talking with Cross. The Craven Falls Killer is officially Stephanie Garret, as the ringleader of her little murder cult, delusioned into thinking she could perform a Satanic sacrifice for supernatural power. She¡¯s gotten away with the other girls, although I think they¡¯ve found Ivory. But anyways, while you¡¯ve done some reprehensible things, you¡¯ve had doubts, and contacted the detective after you¡¯d learned of the plot to start a fire at the party. That¡¯s the official story, at least. As such, you¡¯ll likely receive a reduced sentence, being a help to the case and all.¡± he explained.

    ¡°That sounds like a cover-up and abuse of power.¡± Bess commented dryly. Scott shrugged.

    ¡°Eh, it¡¯s close enough to what happened anyway for the masses to accept. You wanna tell ¡®em the truth?¡± he countered.

    ¡°You have a point.¡± Amber admitted, scratching the side of her head.

    ¡°Also, it should go without saying you¡¯re gonna stay in prison. No using your magic to escape. Cross¡¯s got my number on speed dial." Scott said, draining his cup. Bess gave a mirthless laugh.

    ¡°You know, after all of this, it didn¡¯t even cross my mind. I think I¡¯m even looking forward to prison a bit. It¡¯ll be good to get away from everything for awhile.¡± She turned back to face the sun. ¡°I have a lot to think about.¡±

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    Some time after the battle, after the wee hours of the morning had passed but before the dawn, Brian groaned and stirred.

    ¡°Ugh. My head.¡± He rubbed it and sat up, everything fuzzy. He saw the summoning circle on the floor. Once, it had seemed mysterious, significant, powerful. Now, it was just another mundane fact of life, like orange juice or the mailman. Of course a circle was necessary to twist diabolic energies into themselves, creating a current and forming an interdimensional whirlpool. He blinked.

    ¡°What the hell¡­¡± Bizarre concepts, incantations, and diagrams filled his mind. He could see it. He could see it all. ¡°Yes, yes! So simple! It¡¯s all so simple! Why couldn¡¯t I see it before?¡± He laughed, an amused chuckle at his former naivet¨¦.

    Unbeknownst to him, something else in the room smiled. His shadow, behind him, rubbed its hands together independently of action from Brian, and grinned with a wide, cruelly sharp smile. Oh, this was going to be fun. All the knowledge, all the power, finally in a vessel on the material plane¡­

    Brian unsteadily got to his feet, contemplating his new perspective on reality.

    ¡°There¡¯s so much. I know so much now. I can see into the depths of reality, pierce the veil of time. Atoms contain no secrets to me now. All is one, and one is¡­hey! I got taller!¡± Indeed he had. The process of shoving the entire contents of the Libris Malefactorum Arcana into Brian¡¯s brain had brought about physiological changes as well. He jumped up and down, enjoying his new height. ¡°Awesome! This¡¯s so cool! Whoo!¡±

    Behind him, his shadow¡¯s hand met its¡¯s forehead.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    ¡°Rrrgh. Ungrateful, pathetic wretches.¡± Stephanie said, shaking her hand and dismissing the shining oval she¡¯d been using to monitor the action since last night. She growled.

    The morning sunlight filtered through the trees. After Hastazemus¡¯s blow, she had been flown miles and had landed, hard, in the woods behind the cemetery. She had been knocked for a loop, and had decided she was in no condition to keep fighting, not after Brxthilas had been destroyed and all her hard work stolen by someone else.Unauthorized usage: this tale is on Amazon without the author''s consent. Report any sightings.

    ¡°This sucks.¡± she moaned, teeth chattering in the early November chill. After she herself had fallen, her one recourse had been to hope her minions had somehow managed to succeed. They had failed, of course. ¡°Stupid girls! I practically handed everything to them on a silver platter, how could they screw it all up so badly!?¡± Stephanie huffed, her breath turning white. She shivered. Her thin outfit and robe weren¡¯t suitable to survive the elements. ¡°Well, I won¡¯t be caught off-guard by Amber again. Ulmeths as cinaron keth.¡± Her eyes glowed purple as the spell that allowed her to perceive spirits took hold.

    ¡°I will have my vengeance. I¡¯ll get the girls and-oh. Guess I¡¯ll have to do it myself, then. Or, at the very least, screen better minions. The girls were too unreliable.¡± Wrapping the robe as tight around herself as she could, she started walking. ¡°Or maybe,¡± she continued, eyes narrowed ¡°that I shouldn¡¯t try to find minions. Perhaps making them instead would be better. Ow!¡±

    While thinking, her foot had hit a large stone in the clearing she had walked into. Stephanie rubbed her foot.

    ¡°What is this? It¡¯s covered in grime.¡± She vigorously rubbed the strange markings off the rock, revealing it to be a tombstone. ¡°Oh, just a gravestone. The hell? Why is it so far out form the cemetery? I¡¯m done here.¡± She turned and started to walk away. However, she stopped as she heard a chuckle behind her.

    Slowly, she turned to see a translucent old woman, thin and wiry, glowing blue and hair splayed in all directions. The rising ghost gave the girl a crooked smile.

    ¡°Hello, dearie.¡± Edith Warden crooned, and pounced.

    Stephanie screamed.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "Arrrryeeaaagghhh!" Courtney screamed, stamping her foot and clawing at the air in frustration. Carla sat on a rock by the side of the road, shaking her head and letting her get it out. "I can''t believe it! That little-argleblarg!" With a swift, violent motion and grunted incantation, a large gash cut through the meadow next to the street. Carla, ever vigilant, scanned the area but she had chosen well. It was an older road, and few really came this way since the highway had been built.

    "Feel better?" Carla asked, eyebrow raised.

    "A little." Courtney said, still fuming. "But-all that work! All that time! Just...wiped out!"

    "Just the way it goes." Carla said. She shivered in the breeze. The sun was shining warm and bright, but it was far too cold to be out in only loose robes and thin catsuits. "We lost. Best to deal with it, then rail against the past." She rubbed her hands together, trying to warm them.

    Courtney, however, was sweating form her exertions. She stomped over and looked down at Carla.

    "How can you be so calm about this!? We''ve lost! Stephanie''s probably dead, and the daemons haven¡¯t taken over the town." she said, gritting her teeth.

    "Because none of that matters now. The fallout from this is severe." Courtney''s brow furrowed.

    "Huh? What do you mean?" Carla let out a long-suffering sigh.

    "I mean, we can''t go back into town. Scott, Amber, and the detective won, and they know who we are. There''ll be an APB out for us. We are fugitives. Wanted criminals."

    "Oh." Courtney said in a small voice. For the first time, her irritation faded and she truly saw just how much trouble they were in.  "So...what do we do now?"

    "Dunno." Carla shrugged sadly. "I don''t know about you, but I don''t particularly want to spend the rest of my life in jail. But I''m really just not seeing a lot of options otherwise here."

    "Me neither." Courtney said, starting to feel sick. She started pacing, crunching on the fallen autumn leaves. Suddenly, she was hit by an idea. "Hey, I got it! We''ll skip town and run away!"

    "What?" Carla said skeptically.

    "Yeah! It''s simple; if we''re wanted around here, then all we have to do is leave! We can go somewhere else, get jobs, start new lives there! It''ll be great!" Courtney gushed, becoming excited at all the possibilities she was imagining. "I know it''ll be hard to be away from everyone, but this way everyone wins!"

    "...You do know we''re underage, have nowhere to go, have no money, and haven''t even graduated from high school yet, right?" Carla asked slowly, staring blankly at the other girl. "There are a ton of things wrong with that scenario. Have you really never heard of what happens to teenage runaways, even ones that aren''t wanted for murder? Squatting in crackhouses, disease, irregular bathing, victims of sexual assault, underage prostitution...need I go on? It''s not a pretty picture."

    Courtney slapped her head, making a noise between a sigh and a howl, then grabbed Carla''s shoulders, and looked her in the eye.

    "You idiot, we have literal magic powers. No one can touch us." she said. Carla blinked.

    "You know, you do raise an excellent point." she admitted.

    "Of course." Courtney said, letting go. "How much range did your shadowwalking reach now?"

    "Almost half a mile, triple that if I push it and don''t have to do multiple hops." Carla said, mulling over the implications.

    "There ya go. We can get out of anywhere we visit, if need be. And I can easily bewitch minds, so fooling people isn''t hard at all. What do you say about sleeping in a Hilton hotel tonight? I''ve always wanted to, but never got a chance." She held her hand out to Carla. Carla let out a bark of laughter, shook her head, and took it.

    "You''re out of your mind. But I suppose I''ve come this far by following crazy folk, so why change now?"

    "That''s the spirit!" Courtney grinned. "Also, these?" she said, pulling on the purple robe. "Kinda conspicuous. And quite unfashionable. Away they go!" She ripped it off and threw it into the meadow, Carla following suit.

    "Perhaps having more clothing would be beneficial, though." Carla said dryly, feeling her skin break out in goosebumps.

    "Ahh, shut up. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and the whole world is our oyster. Let''s go! Although, I''ve never really understood that expression. Have you ever seen oysters? They''re gross."

    They started walking, down the road west out of town, smiling and bickering happily in the warm sunlight. Eventually a passing truck that''d pick up a pair of female hitchhikers would drive by, spraying mud on two worn purple robes, grinding them into the dirt.

    ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

    "There you are. All set? Need anything else for the night?" the nurse asked as Leo, swathed in bandages, swallowed his medicine and shook his head. His injuries were serious, although each one was relatively minor. Cross had delivered him to the hospital shortly after the battle, citing him as a hit-and-run victim. Eva had stayed with him the whole time, but prepared to leave when his family was about to arrive. He had seen the look on her face, and couldn''t bear to send her away, reaching out a hand to stop her.

    "Don''t go. I know it''s not what we talked about, but after tonight I don''t care. I love you, and I don''t want to hide you away. Please. Stay." Tears in her eyes, she nodded.

    The resulting mess from that revelation to his mother and father wasn''t as bad as he''d thought, although Leo supposed the fact that he was injured and in the hospital helped. They were more glad to see him alive than anything. Of course, his sister didn''t care in the first place whether he had a girlfriend, older or not.

    "So, all set to bunk down for the evening?" the nurse asked, taking the tray. Leo smile and nodded.

    "I am, thank you for asking. I know it must be tiresome. Forgive me for the trouble." he said apologetically. The nurse shivered; the way his hair fell over his face, the way he smiled, making it seem like light glinted off his teeth...she was mildly cursing the fact he''d only be here overnight.

    "Alright, hon. Just ring the buzzer if you need anything." she said. Turning the light off as she left, trying to banish thoughts about spongebaths. Leo waved and leaned back into the bed, alone in the darkness. He stared into space for awhile, reflecting on everything that happened tonight. "Everyone''s gone, you know. You can come out if you want."

    Six flames appeared above the bed, wheeling around a kaleidoscopic void of space from which the giant eyeball emerged. It greeted him warmly.

    Well met, Warrior.

    Leo got the same pleased impression he''d felt earlier.

    "I was wondering when you''d show up. Hello, Lagdinras. I had a feeling you were watching." he said pleasantly.

    Indeed. It is by the Will of the great Zet-Mathaig, Master of the Light, that I am here, however it is my desire to see you as well. You have survived your first Crucible. Congratulations.

    "Thanks." Leo said, slightly worried he had called it his ''first'' crucible. The eye shifted slightly, to look at him form another angle.

    What troubles you, Warrior? The daemons have been vanquished, the town has been saved, and Justice has been upheld. There should be joyous Celebration, not uneasy Rumination.

    "Heh. You have a way with words. But you''re supposed to know everything, like past and future, right? Don''t you already know?" The golden eye focused out on him and stared at the ceiling.

    True, true. To a being such as I, Time has no meaning. I know, for you have already told me. However, just as I know does not mean you should not talk. What is the matter? Out with it.

    "Guess that makes sense." Leo said, feeling the eye''s gentle chiding pressure. "It''s just...not that I''m ungrateful, I''m happy I could help. But I can''t help but feel like just one piece in a larger, more complicated puzzle I can''t see or hope to understand. I was just handed a magic sword and told to go out and defeat the daemons. There''s just too much I didn''t know, too much I still don''t know. I can''t help but feel like there''s something else going on. I''d do it again in a heartbeat, but, I don''t know, it just feels like..." He trailed off, at a loss for words.

    You are buffeted by the unknowable winds of Fate, unsure where you are going or whether your Choice was correct. Nor if the decisions you will make will lead to a positive outcome. The ones above you seem to keep to themselves, cold and uncaring, thrusting you into a situation you are not sure you can handle, but have to anyway.

    Leo blinked. Lagdinras gave off a feeling like a sigh and drifted closer to the bed, seeming to shrink in magnitude.

    "Yeah, it does kind of feel like that." he admitted. Lagdinras gave off a smile impression at Leo.

    As your species would say, get used to it. I Myself have felt this way for the fifteen aeons I have been the great Zet-Mathaig, Hope of All Worlds'' Messenger.

    "How do you deal with it?" Leo asked quietly.

    I have Faith. Faith in the great Zet-Mathaig, Slayer of All that Crawls in Darkness. Faith in my fellow Messengers. And Faith in our noble Warrior comrades, such as Yourself. I have Faith in you, Leo Manning. You have joined Us of your own free Will. You are not the only one who feels this way. Know you are not the only one. We all have Doubt and Uncertainty. But we also have Each Other. And That, I think, is something to find comfort in.

    Smiling, Leo chuckled and nodded. He did feel better. Like the world was still spinning, but his feet were planted solidly on the ground, at least when Lagdinras put it like that. The eye radiated pleased contentment at him.

    Very well. I must go, Leo Manning.

    "Wait." The eye swiveled to focus on him. "I wanted to thank you. With this sword..." He brandished the charm on his wrist. "I had the power to protect the one I love. I am forever in your debt for that alone."

    It is as nothing. Rather, you have proved Worthy, as dictated by the great-

    "Yes, and I''m very grateful to him as well," Leo cut off, not up for another round of praise. "But actually, the other issue is about me. I..." He remembered what he had done, and what Scott had managed to do. "I wasn''t very much help. I know I did everything I could, I know I did well, but...I could do more. I can feel it. If I were faster, stronger, more skilled...I know I could have done better." His blue eyes stared into Lagdinras''s golden one, not an ounce of give in him. "I know there''s going to be more stuff like this in the future. Can you help me get stronger?"

    Ho. The new recruit is getting arrogant and greedy, demanding special training to do everything himself.

    "What? No, I-" Leo started, taken aback. His brain was suddenly filled with impressions of laughter.

    Learn to take a Joke, boy! You will Live longer! Any way, rest for now. Your injuries will heal within a week, so I have decreed. After that, we shall see about what can be Done. Take Care, Leo Manning. Hail the great Zet-Mathaig, He who holds Virtue up with His many Loving tentacles! Farewell!

    Space warped and Lagdinras faded away, leaving Leo in the dark once more. He settled into bed to sleep.

    "Hail Zet-Mathaig." he muttered as he drifted off.

 Chapter 22-The Stars Are Right

    "So...you''re really here, Amber?" her mother said, nervous and hopeful at the same time to empty space. Amber sighed.

    "A little more to the left, ma''am." Scott said. Mrs. Harris turned red and shifted, trying to perceive her daughter. Well, her daughter''s spirit. Her body was lying in the center of the floor, heart replaced, surrounded by a large array of symbols, diagrams, and burning candles.

    It had been a day and a half after the battle where Scott had defeated the daemon. He had gone home to sleep and hadn''t woken up, despite his mother''s urging, until noon the next day. But now the time had come to finally, finally, fulfill his promise. He''d wanted to do it right away, but he had to go to school.

    The rumors flying around about the party were simply insane.

    "Unff. Finally done." Cross sighed, entering the warehouse. She cracked her back and tossed back her coffee. She swore it had replaced her blood by this point.

    "Hey, Detective! They finally let you out to play?" Scott called out, grinning. She scowled. "Yeah. The paperwork for the incident''s been impossible. I spent the last six hours going over reports, and the previous four falsifying them." she said acidly, glaring at Scott. He shrugged and dismissed her.

    "It is what it is. You can always cop to what really happened if you want." She growled at him.

    "Never in my life have I done anything that would disgrace my badge, and I''ve had to do more in the last month than the average cop on the take has to in a year." The temperature of the room dropped a few degrees at her words, but the young necromancer was unaffected.

    "Eh. Pete agreed with me. Besides, we''re all alive for you to complain." he pointed out, and she couldn''t deny it. Cross shook her head.

    "Jeez. The strings I had to pull..."

    "Speaking of which, how did that other matter go? Did you pull it off?" Scott asked seriously, no trace of humor in his voice. Cross rubbed her head just thinking about it, but couldn''t help noticing the hopeful glances the Harris''s were sending her way.

    "It took a heck of a lot of doing, you know. You have no idea of the trouble I went through." Her lips turned up into a smile. "But I finally prepared a public statement. Amber Harris was in critical condition, but was not killed in the incident as first thought. However, to prevent the Craven Falls Killer from learning this and coming back to finish the job, she was taken into protective custody and publicly pronounced deceased. It was part of an effort to ensnare the murderer. I guess we''re lucky that Stephanie didn''t want anyone to know she was collecting hearts, it made the official version of events easier to swallow."

    Cross gave an involuntary shiver; thinking back to in her office, where she''d been weirded out at how normal everything seemed, knowing not two days before all those officers had been under the control of a coven of witches, working against her. She was looking forward to going back to Nahumville, where the criminal element used ''make him disappear'' as a euphemism, not a literal description.

    "Thank you, Detective Cross." Amber said politely. "When will you be transferring back?"

    "Tuesday." she snorted. "And it can''t come fast enough."

    "Aw, y''know you love us." Scott said, grinning cheekily. Cross let out a bark of laughter.

    "Listen, kid. I can''t say it''s been fun, but you know what you''re doing. Which does give me cause to worry, in fact. If I ever need your...services in the future, I''ll give you a call. I sincerely hope to never see you again." she said, shaking his hand.

    "And I wholeheartedly hope you¡¯ll never interfere in my business again. Good luck." Scott agreed, heartily accepting the shake. Amber sighed and shrugged, then gave Cross a hug.

    "Don''t mind him, he''s just stupid."

    "Hey."

    "So, you''re coming back tonight. When''s the other one doing the same? I have men waiting to take her into custody." Cross said, folding her arms.

    "Oh, she said she wanted to spend the day around her family, even if they can''t see her. I guess she''s trying to come to terms and spend some time around them before she can''t for a long time." Amber said solemnly. Cross raised an eyebrow.

    "And you don''t think she''ll try to get away?"

    "Nah." Scott said, grinning. He snapped his fingers and the spectral metal chains appeared, one connected to Amber, one stretching off into the distance. "Magic binding chain. When I call, she''ll come."

    "If you say so, kid." Cross rolled her eyes as Mr. Harris came up to them.

    "So, uh, Scott. Is everything ready yet?" he asked.

    "Yeah, just about. I wanna triple-check the sigils, but everything seems to be in order. I''ll begin in a minute." Scott said.

    "Thank you. We''re just a bit anxious, you see."

    "No prob. Thanks again for the warehouse, by the way." He eagerly rubbed his hands together. "Oh man, my own secret lab. Now I can really delve into the secrets of necromancy! Just think of all the experiments I can do!" Cross shuddered.If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

    "About that." Mr. Harris said warmly, smiling. "You do know I can''t sign it over to you, right?" Scott froze in horror, his heart skipping a beat.

    "W-What? B-But...but I''m..." Mr. Harris put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

    "I''m doing you a favor, son. Think about it. You''re fifteen, I can''t legally just give it to you for no stated reason. You don''t have a job, so you''d never be able to afford the quite frankly high taxes on the place either. Besides-" He cast a disdainful eye on the crumpled ceiling, full of holes. "I don''t think you could afford the repair bill for the roof."

    "Hey, we found a place in the woods to bury him." Scott tried to protest weakly, crestfallen. The man''s arguments made too much sense.

    "Don''t look so down, my boy." Mr. Harris said, giving his shoulder a squeeze and handing him a check. "This is for five hundred dollars, and you can come and go as you please after school and during weekends. You already have a set of keys. I''ll put in an office for you in the corner. When you''re eighteen and ready to work, we''ll talk. Sound like a deal?"

    Scott opened his mouth, thought about it, then sighed and accepted the check.

    "It''s not quite as good as I hoped, but I''ll take what I can get." he said, shaking his hand.

    "Alright, then. Ready when you are."

    "Okay." Scott clapped his hands together, checking the design. His eyes shone green. "It''s showtime."

    The assembled others instinctively stepped back as Scott paged through the Necronomicon. The air seemed to hum with anticipation. Amber drifted closer to Scott.

    "Guess this''s it." she said nervously.

    "Guess so." he grunted.

    "Took long enough, didn''t it." She tried to smile, but it looked wan and tired.

    "Mmm."

    "I''m kinda nervous, heh heh." She tugged at her ponytail. "You know, I''ve been looking forward to this for so long, now that the time''s come, I''m...I don''t know. Do you think that''s weird?"

    "Nah. It''s normal, I think."

    "Yeah. Y''know, now that it''s finally happening...I realize I''ll kinda miss this. Not being dead, of course, I meant-well, I think you get the picture, but sometimes you can be a little dense, I mean that I''m looking forward to coming back but-"

    Scott reached out and held her hand.

    "Amber. I know." Once again, she was glad she couldn''t blush form embarrassment.

    "''Kay. See you on the other side." She floated over to her body. "Go do that voodoo that you do so well." Scott grinned.

    "You got it." He glanced at the book, then raised his hands and began chanting. "Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Ael shith, tivam se ael nath! Follahl xerph''um estios! Ha! Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Ael shith, tivam se ael nath! Follahl xerph''um estios! Ha! Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Ael shith, tivam se ael nath! Follahl xerph''um estios! Ha!"

    The circle lit up a brilliant toxic emerald green, but that slowly gave way to a soft yellow glow the color of a setting summer sun. Amber''s body began drying up and dissolving into a granular blue powder. Mrs. Harris gave a frightful cry and started forward.

    "No!" Scott commanded, holding up a hand. "This is part of the process! Her body is being broken down into essential salts, which will reconstitute when joined with her spirit! Now, allaghvah, goochun esteros. Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Ael shith, tivam se ael nath! Follahl xerph''um estios! Ha! Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Ael shith, tivam se ael nath! Follahl xerph''um estios! Ha!" Backing away, they could only watch in amazement as the powder started to swirl and float, as if caught in an updraft.

    Scott and Amber gasped in unison as the chain released and fell, fading away. The blue salt began to stick to her. She smiled. It made her body tingle, the first sensation she had felt in too long. She began to sink to the floor, more and more of the salt covering her. Amber smiled at Scott one last time before her head was covered. Scott smiled back.

    "Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Allaghvah, goochun esteros. Ael shith, tivam se ael nath! Follahl xerph''um estios! Ha!"

    There was a bright flash.

    Darkness. Amber saw darkness.

    "Ugh. Wow. Huh?" She lifted her heavy eyelids, blinking in the light. Once the fuzziness cleared away she saw her parents, wide-eyed. She saw Cross, shaking her head in wonder. She smiled as she saw her own hands, not translucent or glowing, but real flesh and blood. She saw she was-

    "Naked!?" She covered herself with her hands, trembling and outraged. "Why am I naked!?"

    "Don''t blame me, it''s the spell!" Scott yelled back, pointedly facing the opposite wall, red as a tomato. "I don''t think it takes into account such, relatively, meaningless matters!"

    "Meaningless? You perv!"

    "I''m sorry, alright!?" Sighing, Cross handed Amber her overcoat.

    "Well, it looks like the show''s over and everyone pulled through." she said as Amber was swamped by her sobbing parents, who apparently were trying to crush her back to death with hugs. "Drop off the coat tomorrow. I''ll be waiting. See you." She tossed a tired wave behind her and left, smiling. The case was finally closed.

    "Mom, Dad, could you give us a minute?" Amber said eventually, once they had stopped blubbering how glad they were to see her again.

    "Huh?" Mrs. Harris asked. Amber tilted her head to where the necromancer sat, his back still turned to them. "Ah. Okay. Only a minute, mind you. Come, dear. Let''s warm up the car."

    "What? But-okay?" Mr. Harris said, being dragged off by his wife. Amber chuckled and padded over, taking a seat next to Scott.

    "Hey."

    "Hey." Scott said, packing the Necronomicon away and pulling out a soda. He took a sip and made a face. It was warm and flat. "So. You''re back."

    "Yeah. I don''t know how I can ever thank you enough." she said, but Scott waved his hand dismissively.

    "''Salright. I did it for profit, anyway." he said, leaning back on his hands.

    "And ended up taking on a coven of witches, the whole town, and a daemon army." Amber giggled.

    "What can I say? You just gotta roll with the weird things that happen when you''re a necromancer." he said smugly. Amber laughed, and so did he. After a minute, they both stared at the wall. This was it, he realized. She was leaving. "So I guess you''re going home. Everyone''ll be glad to have you back."

    "Yeah. Though, I think my circle of friends is a little diminished." she said dryly. She took a deep breath, steeling herself. "Since the position is open...you wanna...hang out sometime?" He turned and stared at her. This time, he saw her blush.

    ¡°But, y''know I''m not exactly one of the "cool kids." I''m just the extreme taxidermy enthusiast in the back of class." She sighed and playfully smacked his head.

    "I don''t care about that, idiot. I told you before. You''re my friend. That doesn''t change just because we''re not chained together anymore." Scott laughed and looked down, shaking his head. She contemplated for a moment. "Well, I don''t normally do this. But, the brave hero did manage to rescue the princess from certain death, so you deserve a reward." Amber kissed him on the cheek, a quick peck that froze him solid. She got up and hurried to the door, waving. "I''ll see you later! I''ll get mad if I don''t!" she called out, and left. Scott raised a hand to his cheek, and stared at the door for a minute before shrugging and getting up.

    "Huh. So...that happened." He shook his head. He could deal with it later. "Anyway!" Scott grabbed his backpack containing his tome of eldritch knowledge, locked up his secret lab, and went off into the night, whistling a jaunty tune. The necromancer grinned as he looked up.

    The stars were right.

 Epilogue-The Beginning...?

    "It¡¯s been too long since we''ve eaten here. I''m glad we came." Mr. Harris said. They had decided to dine out for Amber''s first meal back. She had slept until three in the afternoon, and hadn''t been hungry when she''d awoken. Now though, her stomach was audible.

    "Yeah, Le Joyise is the best. But I''m starving. Feels like I haven¡¯t eaten in a month." Her mother sighed, but Amber grinned at her own joke.

    "Well, I''ve decided to splurge. You can order whatever you want." her father said decisively. They were seated and Amber looked at the menu. Despite being ravenous, nothing she saw looked very appetizing to her. It was weird.

    Her stomach growled.

    "Hmm. I guess I''ll start with a salad-" Suddenly, when the waiter opened the door to the kitchen, a tantalizing odor wafted out, a scent that was too enticing to pass up. Her eyes widened and her nostrils flared, trying to drink it in. She rose, as if in a trance.

    "Amber honey, what''s-" Mrs. Harris said, but Amber was off, shooting into the kitchen faster than anyone could realize. When they caught up to her, the cooks were shouting and Amber was shaking, trembling at the sight of all the raw meat being chopped up, oozing blood and glistening in the light. She licked her lips.

    Then, a new smell hit her. The raw meat was tempting, but the new smell was heavenly perfection. She could no more resist the call than the inexorable pull of gravity. She raced through the kitchen and out the rear door.

    Her parents followed of course. When they went through, she had disappeared. However, there was movement in a nearby empty dumpster. Amber popped up, savagely gnawing on a half-rotted steak, looking very worried, though not as hungry.

    "M-Mom, Dad, I think I''m in trouble.¡±

    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------The narrative has been illicitly obtained; should you discover it on Amazon, report the violation.

    "Okay, all we have to do is cast the spell again, and it should be good." Scott said, checking the design on the floor of the warehouse. Cross stood nearby, this time equipped with a spare set of clothes for Bess.

    "Are you sure this will work?" Bess said, eyeing it warily. Scott spread her ashes in the circle.

    "He already did it yesterday." Cross said.

    "Yeah, everything worked perfectly." Scott said, when Amber burst through the door.

    "Scott! Explain!" she thundered, still chewing a strip of green steak. He blinked at her.

    "What? What''s wrong?"

    "What''s wrong is I apparently refused a five-course meal at Le Joyise in favor of dumpster diving for rotted meat!" She held up the steak. There was mold on it. "It''s delicious! And I feel so much better after eating it! Why am I eating garbage? Why does it taste so good?"

    Scott, eyes bugged out in shock, opened the Necronomicon to the page concerning resurrection.

    "I don''t understand, I did everything perfectly-" He stopped. He turned the page and read it. He turned back. Then slowly, hands shaking, he separated the pages that were stuck together. He read, then took a deep breath.

    "Okay. Remain calm. This is easily fixable. Totally my bad, and I am very sorry about this."

    "About what?" Amber implored.

    "I seem to have...resurrected you as a ghoul."

    "WHAT!" she screeched.

    "It''s a good thing we found this out before I revived Bess." he muttered, hand on his chin, and the ghost somehow paled.

    "So what are you going to do about this?" Amber said, trying to keep calm. Scott considered, then nodded his head.

    "We should start dating." he said plainly. Amber''s eyebrow twitched.

    "And why the hell should we?" she ground out.

    "So I can introduce you as my ghoulfriend! Eh? Get it? Eh? Eh?" Eye twitching, Amber reached out and grabbed the nearest blunt object. It happened to be a refrigerator. She hefted it up easily with one arm. "Kidding! Kidding! It was an accident! I''m sorry! I can fix this no prob! Eep!" He let out a squeak as she sighed and brought it down next to him.

    "You''re lucky you''re my friend. And luckier you''re the only one who can undo this." Amber said, shaking her head.

    "So no smashy?"

    "No smashy."

    "Good." he sighed.

    "But you do get a smack." she said dryly, and lightly smacked him on the shoulder, as she had before, when he deserved it. This time he was launched into the air and hit the ground, the world spinning.

    "Wow. You got a good arm." Scott said, dazed, as she rushed over horrified.

    "Ohmygosh I''m so sorry! Are you alright?" Cross sighed as the newly minted ghoul fretted worriedly over the necromancer.

    "Ugh. Teenagers." she muttered, planting her head in her hand.