“Have you ever seen a ghost, Mr. Ed?” asked Misa.

“Never.”

It’s only been a few minutes after Misa arrived this afternoon. I’m currently preparing the rest of the bathroom for the summoning ritual. But the lengthy process makes it awkward between two people. Misa managed to break the ice by asking that simple question.

“I think I have,” she continued. “One time, when was a kid, in my grandma’s house. She had a basement, there. The place was littered with all kinds of things. I was playing in the living room and I heard a sound.

“My grandma was on the second floor, doing her usual knitting. I never understood why she liked it so much, but now I think I see the appeal. She used to make me so many things to wear. That time, I was wearing a nice beanie.

“Anyway, I went down there. But I couldn’t see, so I turned the lights on. I looked around and saw nothing. But when I turned the lights off, something moved behind me. When I turned around, I saw a shadow in the dark.

“I know it’s weird. I don’t know how you could see shadows in the dark. But that’s what it looked like to me. What do you think? Do you think I saw a ghost or was I imagining?”

While she was telling me the story, I began placing the items around the bathroom. There was no pattern to follow, all that mattered is where I put them to make the right atmosphere.

In any case, I was paying attention to her story. But I did not know what to think of it. Ghosts are a special kind of existence. They aren’t creatures, made of matter. But they aren’t exactly spiritual beings, like fay and demons are, made entirely of spirit. They are more like fingerprints, like the burn marks left behind on the floor by something that was burned to cinders.

“Maybe,” I began explaining. “It’s hard to tell with a single story. Ghosts require certain conditions to exist and roam around the world.”

“So, ghosts do exist…” she said, almost like she was expecting me to convince her, finally, that ghosts aren’t real.

“They do, but they are very tricky and shy. Most are. Those that aren’t are the ones we’re used to. All the urban legends of ghosts talk about evil or angry ghosts; few tell about playful ones, that trick or prank you. And the extreme minority are nice and helpful ghosts.

“For a ghost to exist, they need to come from people who are still attached to the living world in a sense. The conditions are not well understood, but they need to be emotionally attached; have someone or something linked to those emotions. And there needs to be some magic!”

At these last words, I stopped what I was doing and turned around to look at her. I waved my hands and fingers in front of me and make my voice sound melodic. Misa seemed a little amused by my intentions to make my explanation sound mysterious.

“Well, there needs to be magic present, literally and figuratively. What this ‘magic’ is,” I wiggle my fingers, “we still don’t know. Necromancers aren’t capable of making ghosts deliberately. What they can do is extract the spirit of a living creature and enslave them. That’s what we call a thrall -- a spiritual thrall.”

I continue my preparations, which were mostly done. All I had to make sure is that nothing was missing. I ran through my mental list of objects and began counting them, one by one. Wet dirt on the floor, a slash of rainwater, a bag of plants still containing the morning dew, sand. The placements of lit candles, the right kind of odors from aromatic oils. The list continued.

All that was left was to open the shower and close the circle.

I approach the shower and looked behind at the mirror; the stone was still taped to the glass. The water running, filling the bucket with water.

“You can stay outside and wait,” I began saying, “or you can come inside. But the door needs to be closed.”

“I want to see,” she said so with confidence.

“Then close the door behind you.”

She did so when asked and stayed put with her back glued to the door. Despite her confidence, bravery, and trust she has in me, her instincts still tell her to seek the wall, to have her back defended. Her experiences might have taught her that she could be jumped by surprise from the back, and the wall is what keeps her safe.

I don’t comment on anything and simply draw my will and power. I touch the circle with my piece of chalk and make sure to fill it with as much magic as I close the circle, finishing the preparations for the ritual. All that is left is to summon the fay.

I’ve been thinking about possible entities to be related to rain. There are several minor faery that are attached to the rain and the storms, but none of them will be of use. Things like elves and gnomes are intermediate in the class levels, but those would never oppose their masters unless I were to offer something big, such as my life or the life of others.

The names of great fay I had in mind are those I’ve heard before in stories from the Cabal, and my simple studies. I’m not good with history, and much less with fairy tales. I was never meant to summon the things in the mortal world even if I learned how to do it.

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After centuries of conflicts between the mortals and supernatural, especially after the escape of humans from Earth, and the eventual colonization of Sovail, the Faery have changed so much. Most of the names in recorded history are no longer useful, and the current ones clash with radera names as well.

I pick one from the three that come to the top of my head, the one that makes the most sense to me, and I hope I wasn’t mistaken in choosing this one. They are popular, but that also means they could be infamous.

I shut my eyes with force in preparation. The sound of the bucket being filled up makes me think of a leaking house. And with it, my mental preparations are complete.

“Galavant,” I speak once. “Galavant,” I speak twice. “Galavant,” I speak thrice.

I feel my mind strain and the magic in the room rumble.

“What was that?” Misa speaks behind me.

It’s not surprising she felt that, in a close space, so much magic moving so strongly can be easily perceived even by normal mortals. Wizards aren’t the only ones that are sensitive to magic but, in fact, everyone is. Every living creature can sense magic to a degree, but magic is generally imperceptible to most. Misa has had her first taste of magic that she can confirm.

“Galavant, Galavant, Galavant,” I repeat.

This one was stubborn. Normally, speaking their names three times should be enough, but this one wants me to go the extra mile. They might be doing it to keep appearances.

“Galavant, Galavant, Galavant. I swear if you don’t appear this time—”

The rumble subsided and a serene magical silence grew inside the bathroom.

Misa behind me made a ghostly wail and rubbed her arms. Goosebumps, I thought. I had them as well on my arms.

Nothing really happened besides the magical silence. It wasn’t silence; magic has background noise that is normally overshadowed by the natural flow of magic – like the bird and insect noises in a jungle, or the rumbling of traffic in a city. But magical silence made me aware of that background noise, like the ringing in your ears in a quiet place, except this one isn’t heard but felt – those were our goosebumps.

Then, like it was nothing, a person was bending down to sit on my bucket. The shower was no longer running and the water in the bucket rose to form a seat upon which this person sat.

“What a sad place was I summoned to,” Galavant spoke. “A bathroom, really? At least it seems clean.”

“Galavant,” I began. “From the Winter Faery. Are you under the Storm’s jurisdiction?”

“You want to speak my name another three times, young man? There’s only so much annoying you can be, and you still surpass it.”

“Galavant. Are you under the Storm’s jurisdiction?”

“What’s your aim here, human? To bring me to a place like this? I have you know you should have more respect for someone like me.

“Once and twice have I asked. Now, three times I ask, and you must answer, Galavant. Are you under the Storm’s jurisdiction?”

“Yes, I am, Wizard Avarez,” he spoke my name and I felt my body being tugged. “Can’t you take the hint! Stop annoying me with that rule I hate so much.”

I couldn’t have chosen a worse fay to summon. A person like this always gets on my nerves. They do things in the most roundabout way and can only be straight when you force it on them. But I cast the die and my fate was sealed. These are my cards, there’s nothing else for me to do but play them.

“I have questions that need answers.”

“I know you do. Do I need to remind you what must be done if I answer your questions or are you aware of the consequences?”

“Consequences?” Misa asked behind me. “You never said there were consequences to this, Mr. Ed.”

I ignored her and followed Galavant to answer his questions: “I am aware that a favor asked is a favor that must be paid.”

“A favor,” he chuckled. “A cute way to put it.”

“My nephew, Jaser Josemind, and the lady behind me, Misa Renstad, are being stalked by creatures. I have a suspicion that either you or the Rain’s jurisdiction are behind my nephew, but I’m not so sure about who is behind Misa’s case.”

“Impressive deduction skills, Wizard. I commend you for the efforts you’ve put into this with barely anything to go by.”

“What’s the price to answer two questions regarding this case?”

“Mr. Ed, is it really worth it if we’re paying something to these people? I doubt it’s money they want.”

“Look at the child,” Galavant addressed Misa. “So young, so naïve. Yet so brave and so smart. You will be a wise one in the future, young girl.”

“I may look very young, but I’m an adult,” she explained.

“Very naïve, indeed,” he continued. “It’s rather cute if you ask me. Don’t men love that about women? What do you say, young man? Isn’t she to your liking?”

“I’m not into women,” I answered straight.

“How unfortunate for you. She seems very attached to you.”

“I have—” I stopped myself from saying it.

“Oh? Sensible information it seems.” The fay smiled playfully. “Your tongue is too loose, child. So naïve, as well. You both are made for each other. How unfortunate is it that you two can’t be together. You’d make a perfect match.”

“Answer my question, Galavant.”

“How boring, Wizard Avarez. Is all you have in your head, work?”

“Galavant!”

“Augh!” It exclaimed in displeasure. “Damn the rules. I can’t have my fun with the mortals.”

Galavant stood up— No. Galavant was lifted by the water chair and crossed his legs royally.

“Two favors for two favors. The answers are not that important to me anyway. However, there is something I can get from this. Let’s put one of the favors aside, something tells me your intrusion might be of use to me. That shall take care of it.

“As for the second one. This is something that I shall ask later when the time comes. The conditions have not been met yet. I shall give you a proper favor from you when the time comes. Are you fine with my conditions?”

“As long they are not so extreme.”

“I can only ask for what I believe is fair. Any more and I’d have to give you a favor. And I wouldn’t give you one that is valued less.”

“Then we are in agreement,” I said and waited for me to ask him, crossing his legs again, changing the leading one. “Tell me what you know about the one stalking Jaser. And tell me what you know about the one stalking Misa.”

“These are not questions,” he protested.

“Do I need to reword them?”

Galavant sighed. “It’s unnecessary. I’m not so petty as to go for that. But you should be aware that others might not be as benevolent as me. Some take great offense to that.”

I swallowed my saliva. It made me a little nervous that the fay was so relaxed to let something, that could be taken as an insult, go with such uncare. Maybe the reason why he’s so popular is that he is easygoing despite his pompous attitude.

“Hear, hear, wizard. For the one to follow young Jaser is a servant of the Rain. An elf by the name of Caelv, tasked to monitor and force the young human to follow his end of the deal. He works under the watchful eye of the great fay Isidal. I’ll give you a bonus, free of charge, there might be a way to convince Isidal to stop what he’s doing to your nephew and the other humans. This you will know in time.

“As for the second question – this is going to be a problem for the both of you. For the creature behind young Misa is the demon Ssadassar. It may be of a lower rank, but I am not sure how you fair with demons, Wizard.”

Sweet Mary.

Disaster. Utter disaster.