Samson drove home to his apartment that night. It was a cramped studio with a pullout couch for a bed that he immediately passed out in.

I wasn't given the luxury of sleep. I had no mortal needs, and while I could still eat for fun, I couldn't sleep my worries away.

I decided to be productive and spend my three points to get a stat to ten. My options were Domain, Power and Incarnate. Limits specifically held a bonus at level ten: removing an Anathema. This led me to believe getting one of the other attributes to ten probably held some substantial benefit as well.

When I sat down to review my Contract, I noticed it had already started writing a few sentences without prompt.

Congratulations! Due to your altruism, you have been awarded two extra points!

Name: Tristan MacLennan

Rank: Apprentice (Inherited)

Please spend 5 points below,

Power: 7

Incarnate: 7

Limits: 3

Domain: 7

Anathemas: Sacred Youth, Murder, Integrity,

Breaks: Magical Mortals, Variable Wishes, Gifted Incarnate, Philanthropic Reasoning,

Glad to see my goody-two-shoes Break was paying off. Considering everything that had happened to me and my only real options for upgrades was Power or Incarnate.

Power mostly because I want to see what the upgrade would even look like, and Incarnate because I had definitely been using Gifted Incarnate as my main Break since I started.

I knew the smart choice would be Incarnate, but I wasn't feeling very smart that night. Besides, I could always throw two points into Incarnate and then get one more from Samson's last wish, leaving me at ten for both.

After making my decisions, a familiar pulsing feeling burned through me as I adjusted to greater strength, speed and magic.

Congratulations! You have unlocked a Threshold Break for Power. Choose two options from below:

1. Variable Wishes II: increase the adjustable amount by one. You will be able to give someone five wishes or one.

2. Contract Amendment: your Incarnate can produce this Contract to negotiate deals on your behalf, able to grant much better benefits than using an outside Contact.

I stared at the paper in shock. How was I supposed to choose between such powerful options?

Variable Wishes is amazing for point growth, and gives me the ability to reward or punish masters at will.

However, being able to make my own deals and potentially grant wishes, among other benefits, with anyone I trusted was not a hard sell.

I almost circled one before catching my reflection in the window:

My face was still covered in the evidence of my cry session, as well as the numerous cuts and bruises that I hadn't gotten around to manually healing yet. I looked haggard and worn out.

And if I was honest with myself, I am worn out. The pacing of my new life was ridiculous: multiple-week long stretches of nothing, followed by a very intense few days followed by nothing.

I decided I would metaphorically sleep on this one, maybe get some advice from Samson as well, he seemed pretty smart for a ghost-hunting old stoner.

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For the next few hours I meditated and practiced breathing techniques. But I was never good at the hippie stuff like my brother, so progress was slow. I still did it though, for the same reason I fight with guns: to remember.

A flutter disturbed my rhythm and I opened my eyes. My Contact bizarrely sat on the floor in front of me.

You seem to have trouble deciding on this upgrade. Would you like a deal instead?

Umm is the Contract sentient? I wondered.

"Sure?" I said aloud.

Thank you for agreeing to the deal.

"Wait, I want to see the terms first!" I exclaimed.

Here are the terms you agreed to:

* You have received both threshold upgrades to your Power:

* Variable Wishes II

* Contract Amendment

* Your next Master will be malicious and immoral.

"I didn't sign up for that!"

The Contract did not respond. Not sentient then, probably. Just badly designed like I thought. I tried to return to my breathing exercises and eventually calmed down by the time Samson woke.

"Get out here Tristan, I'm making omelets."

"You realize I could just conjure us some? Food is an approved gift I can give."

"Hell no," he made a face at me "conjured food is so perfect it's bland. Plus, there's no love in it."

"Whatever you say man," I replied, sitting at the bar-like counter his kitchen had.

Samson had me beat some eggs while he deftly chopped vegetables at a speed that would see me losing fingers. After he fried them up he did have me conjure coffee despite his earlier complaints.

We sat down for breakfast and I had to admit, his cooking definitely had something conjured food didn't: too much garlic. But there was something to be said about eating a home-cooked meal with a friend, and that's what Samson was to me, length of time be damned.

"So," he said, "what's your plans for today?"

"What do you mean man? I know we have a pretty casual way of speaking to each other but you're still my Master, I have to go wherever you go."

"I wish you didn't."

"As you wish" I replied, snapping my fingers. I rapidly used my newest upgrade to give him another wish before I got sucked into my vessel.

"Not cool dude, that was your last wish! I had to give you a freebie because you're so well intentioned!"

"I figured you'd give me another," he shrugged, "and besides you need a break, I can tell. So, what's your plans for today?"

"I guess I could check in on my family? Secretly."

"Not gonna tell your dad you're alive and granting wishes?"

"No! They've been through enough. They don't need to have the wound reopened."

"I seem to recall a certain high someone telling me about his guilt after trying to protect his family by hiding info from them."

I glared at him. He smiled back.

"Knowing I'm doing something wrong doesn't mean I suddenly have the strength to do the right thing."

"That's certainly true, but how long are you going to keep doing the wrong thing to them?"

"Fine," I threw up my hands, I wasn't really angry at him anyway "I'll go see them. Thanks Sam."

"No problem, let me know when you've settled things and then I'll make my last wish."

"I'll make a deal with you as well Samson, you've earned it and I'd love to hunt monsters with you more often."

"No problem, now get out. You have places to be and it's not take-your-genie-to-work-day at the office."

---

I stood in front of the exact same mansion I made my vessel into. I'd changed into the clothes I used to wear: a faded band tee and skinny jeans. I couldn't afford the fancy suits I liked when I was a mortal.

After fighting familiars and ghosts, and watching a woman kill her own sister by drinking her blood, this is still the most nervous I've ever been.

My dad's adorable electric car sat in the driveway next to my brother's slick convertible, so I knew they were here. Now I just had to convince myself to walk in.

I slowly approached the door, then stopped.

What am I doing? They watched me waste away and die, they're better off without me.

I turned around but then stopped again.

They deserved to know the truth! I told myself, march back in there!

"I must be on something," said a familiar voice behind me.

I wanted to turn around but I just froze. I couldn't move even now. Tears streamed down my cowardly face.

"Tristan? Tristan MacLennan turn around." Dad urged, "he told us son."

I slowly turned around and gasped.

Dad always had a prosthetic arm and legs ever since we could afford them, but now they were solid gold. And so was his skin.