The three of them stood outside the hay barn. Heidi pointed to the wooden wall of the structure. "I believe that for a first attempt, phasing through a wooden wall would be best. Dears, I'm setting you to work together on this. Gabriel, go inside and be ready to help Anya if she has difficulty."

Gabriel nodded and ran into the barn. Anya pressed the wall of the barn uncertainly. "I really don't know how I could phase through any wall, even a wooden one."

"Just try," said Heidi with a smile. "Focus on getting through to the other side. I'm sure Gabriel can help."

Anya took a deep breath and closed her eyes visualising Gabriel on the other side of the wooden wall. She leaned forward slowly, felt a barrier of resistance and then found herself breaking through it. She gave a start and opened her eyes. She could see the dingy interior of the hay barn and Gabriel standing near looking surprised. She was stuck half way through the barn wall. Her front half leaning forwards had phased through the wooden planks into the barn, but her legs were still standing outside...

She put her hand to her forehead and shook her head. "Ach no! I'm really not focused enough for this kind of thing."

"I'll help," said Gabriel and she held out her hands for him to clasp them, but his hands phased through hers. It was a strange sensation. She could feel his hands, but couldn't grip hold of them.

"Sorry dear," let me concentrate. She closed her eyes and willed her hands to be solid. "There that should do it."

Gabriel took hold of her hands and she attempted to propel herself forwards into the barn. She felt a sense of lightness through her body, but could not move forwards. "Please pull me when I say 'now', Gabriel." She closed her eyes and willed herself to become lighter and lighter. "Now." Gabriel pulled and she started forward much faster than she had intended to, cannoning into him so that they both fell into the hay with Anya on top, his beautiful face pressed against hers so that she was looking directly into his dark blue eyes.

"Sorry, sorry," she moaned, helping him sit up, feeling all warm and tingly inside.

He was blushing. "It's alright. Good thing you're so much lighter than you look." He winked at her.

She laughed and brushed the bits of hay away from his hair and clothing. "I can phase through walls! After a fashion." She put an arm around his shoulder. "Thanks, you're a great learning partner." They gazed at each other and she leaned her face closer to his. How pretty the rosy blush of his cheeks looked up close. She could have counted the freckles on his nose. They were about to lean closer still when they heard a piercing meow from the barn door causing Anya to look round. It was the black cat from earlier that morning which now sidled up to them. Anya exclaimed in delight as the cat rubbed up against her, purring.

Gabriel folded his arms. "That cat's the master of distraction. Heidi will be waiting to hear that you've done it."

Next Heidi had the idea that Anya could learn to defy gravity.

"Could I really fly?" Anya knew her voice betrayed her scepticism.

Gabriel looked up at the sky where a dove soared high overhead. "Don't go anywhere I can't follow."

She touched his arm in reassurance. "Don't worry, I never fancied flying. I can already climb rather well."

"And a good thing too. If you hadn't climbed in my window when she arrived," he shuddered.

Anya put her arms around him and stroked his back, feeling his warmth again and smelling the now familiar scent of his hair.

Heidi looked grave. "The evil spirit can fly, yes?"

Anya nodded at her over Gabriel's shoulder. "I'm afraid so, dear Heidi. I can only climb."

Anya demonstrated just how well she could climb by shinnying up the rough side of the barn and standing on top of the wooden roof. The planks did not even creak as she stood there, waving down and Heidi and Gabriel on the ground.

"Bravo!" said Heidi, clapping.

"You've made your point. Get back down, now?" Gabriel called up anxiously.

Heidi put an arm on his shoulder. "My dear, Anya is past being harmed by a fall from a barn."

Nonetheless, Anya couldn't bring herself to jump off, so she hastily scrambled back down the way she had come.

"The skill I need to hone now is my meditation." She glanced quickly from Gabriel to Heidi. "I need to be able to communicate with the departed better. My mother had a message for me, I know it. And I want to speak to both mum and dad again…" she realised her bottom lip was quivering. She hoped she wasn't going to break down crying again.

Gabriel put a hand on her arm. "Well then, that's much more important than phasing or flying. It's most important for Anya to be happy."

Anya swallowed and nodded, slipping her hand in his. "The Priestess taught me the importance of clearing my mind before meditation and the value of emotional support during. I really need someone to hold my hands during a session."

"You are absolutely right and we should both see how well we work with you," Heidi cut in.

Anya was a little disappointed when Heidi decided that she would try to help Anya first. They sat facing one another, cross legged on the hay covered barn floor with their eyes closed, holding each other’s hands. But Anya did not notice any difference compared to the times she had practiced alone in life, except that it felt better to be holding someone's hands. She willed and willed herself to reach her mother again, but she could hear nothing. Eventually they opened their eyes. "I could not find her this time," said Anya apologetically, putting her hand to her forehead. "I must need more practice."

As she hoped, Heidi suggested that she practice with Gabriel next. She had the chance to gaze into his dark blue eyes first and then think about how she would like to stroke his golden hair once she had closed her eyes. She felt a greater sense of calm this time, imagining herself floating upwards through an ocean of serenity… But still she could not hear her mother.

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Eventually she opened her eyes again. Gabriel had not opened his so she leaned close, feeling a sense of warm excitement again. "Gabriel…" she said softly.

"So, you dears, how did it go?" Heidi's strident voice rang out.

"I still can't find her," said Anya sadly. "Since I am dead, I should at least be able to talk to those who have also died."

Heidi plumped down beside them and stroked Anya's long hair. "Oh Anya, if only it were simple to get loved ones back… when my father died I was so emotionally affected… I gave up my aspirations to be an opera singer because I felt that I would never be able to go on stage again." Anya noticed Gabriel's azure eyes widen at this. She was about to speak, but Heidi asked with a note of urgency in her voice, "can you remember the message, my dear?"

Anya closed her eyes trying to remember. "Mum said the dread serpent rears her head each night. And that on the third night she will strike at the standing stones."

Heidi looked deep in thought. "The standing stones is the name given to a site nearby. Ancient stone blocks positioned in a circle. Very likely the site of a ritual in the distant past."

"Ach! The stone circle!" said Anya.

Gabriel scratched his freckled nose, also pondering the matter. "Could the dread serpent be the demon? The way she hisses…" he shuddered.

Heidi stood up suddenly. "It is perhaps most important that Anya contact her departed loved ones, but now the day draws to a close."

"The demon may be coming back soon." Gabriel was looking a little pale now, his freckles really showing. Anya put her arm around his shoulders. He looked up at her. "Anya must come and stay with us. Heidi, do you think you could at least make Astrid see her?"

"Astrid, I believe it is time you met Anya." Heidi had called Astrid to the farm house and they were now in the parlour, Anya and Gabriel standing to one side. Astrid glanced at her brother curiously before looking expectantly up at Heidi. "Now Anya is a little different, but we must make her feel welcome. She's been lost a long time and is very unhappy. I expect all my workers to make her feel welcome." Heidi beamed at Astrid. "But that won't be problem, will it?"

Astrid shook her head. "Absolutely not."

"Please hold out your hands and remain still, dear." Astrid nodded. Anya floated up to her and clasped her hands, gazing into her sky-blue eyes. Astrid gave a start and then a gasp. Heidi put a hand on her shoulder. "Can you see her?"

"Skinny girl with brown hair? No mistaking her. What's going on?" Her eyes were fixed on Anya's as though mesmerised.

"Where are your manners, Astrid? As Lotte would say," said Gabriel smirking.

"Uh… Hallo Anya, good to finally see you," said Astrid, her bright blue eyes still wide.

Anya beamed at her. "It's great to finally be introduced, Astrid. How was work today?"

"Oh mixed, being a milkmaid, gathering carrots and I had the pleasure of feeding a lambkin… erm…"

"You think I am a ghost, dear? Well, I am," said Anya with a sigh.

Astrid grinned, her white teeth a contrast to her very heavily freckled face. "Living out on the land is more exciting than I thought it would be! But don't babble to anyone about it, many are superstitious."

"Anya's really good," said Gabriel testily, "she has come back to fight a really evil ghost."

"And we must give Anya all the emotional support she needs," said Heidi.

The four of them left for the assembly hall. Outside the sun was setting.

Gabriel glanced nervously around. "We should be quick."

In the assembly hall, the other children were gathering. The black cat sidled up to them and greeted Anya with a chirrup, rubbing himself against her as she knelt to stroke him. "Settle down," called Heidi, clapping her hands, "I have an announcement of the gravest importance."

But at that moment there came a terrible shriek from outside. Gabriel jumped and glanced wildly around. The other children muttered in consternation as the oil lamps grew dim and a chill darkness pressed in around them. The cat flattened his ears and hissed and then gave a low growl and bolted.

The shadows coalesced in the middle of the room until a figure of pure darkness stood there, radiating malice. And then, just as Gabriel had described, she cast off her shadow wrappings like a snake casting off its skin and revealed herself: a woman with bone white skin wearing a cloak of the blackest shadow of all, the strands of her black hair coiling around her like snakes, her unblinking black eyes seemed to smoulder with a burning fire as she glared round the hall. She drew back her lips to reveal her teeth. "Greetings! I get the pleasure of killing you all."

Anya jumped in front of Gabriel. "Stay behind me." The other children screamed and began a stampede for the doors.

"Be gone, evil vision!" screamed Heidi, swiping at the evil spirit with a garden hoe. But it passed right through her as though she were a shadow.

The fiend lunged at her, swiping with claw like nails…

Anya hurled herself forwards, moving with such swiftness that she astonished herself. Heidi gave a cry as the demon slashed her bare arm, leaving ruby red cuts on her pale skin. "Vision, am I? When I tear you, do you not bleed?" She hissed and rounded on Anya who gave a cry of terror – for the evil one now appeared as a decaying horror, desiccated skin stretched tightly over a skull like face framed with masses of filthy hair, the lips pulled back so that her rotting fangs were bared, the empty sockets blazing with a searing fire.

"She is a mere psychic projection. Don't believe she can hurt you!" called Heidi.

Anya raised her arms and crossed them in front of her in a defensive posture the priestess had once taught her. The demon shrieked and slashed at Anya's arms. Anya felt a searing pain, but she had no blood to bleed. "You're a projection, I'm already dead," she said through gritted teeth and raised her fists to strike back, but the horror instantly transformed back into a shadow and swooped away, hovering above the crowd of other children who were still trying to escape.

The shadow hovered over a short, stocky girl and then lunged at her, enveloping her in darkness. The girl's eyes were now pitch black, with no iris or pupils. She moved with swift jerky movements towards a scythe, propped up in the corner. Anya glided towards her, catching her by the arms. She struggled with weird, spasmodic movements. Anya called to the others; "the demon has possessed her, please help me restrain her without hurting her!"

A pair of older identical twin girls with long, blond hair ran forwards and grabbed the victim's arms. "Don't hurt her!" urged Anya.

"We're not," said one of the girls. She had an unusually low voice for a girl.

"Wait, you can see me?" said Anya, puzzled.

"Of course," said her sister, raising a pale eyebrow.

Heidi hurried forward. "Anya, can you cast the evil spirit out? Poor Isolde is lost otherwise."

"Of course Anya can save her," said Gabriel who was looking at her expectantly.

Anya bit her lip. She had no idea what to do, but she must do something.

Isolde suddenly went stiff in the grasp of the twins. Her mouth fell open and demented laughter issued forth, followed by a hissing voice: "the weakling is lost already and soon I will be here in my fullest glory and the soil will become a blood marsh! I gained my power from carrying out human sacrifice in my world. I will gain much more power in yours!"

Anya gritted her teeth and reached for Isolde's forehead. She had to try. She phased her hand through the girl's head and suddenly the room swam before her.

She was now floating in a twilit void, the terrifying vision of the demon glowed with corpse light in the near distance. The fiend was floating above a bridge made of bones which reached nearly as far as Anya. The demon drew back her lips to reveal her fangs to their fullest extent.

"What you have seen thus far are indeed just shadows. I have almost completed the bridge to your world. Soon, very soon, I will arrive in your world and the Dread Disciples will lay waste to it. I am Disciple Phobia. This is my decree."

Anya could hear the querulous calling of Heidi and Gabriel and felt herself floating back… Her feet found a solid surface and she stood in the hall again, in front of Isolde and the twins who both gaped at her.

"Ohhh my head…" moaned Isolde. "What a nightmare… like I had a skull full of snakes and scorpions."

"I told you Anya could do it. No monster can stand against her. Three cheers for Anya!"

Anya beamed at Gabriel as the hall erupted in cheers. How good it felt to be loved. A light before the encroaching darkness.