The rest of the items had appeared out of nowhere. Alan didn’t know if he had blinked and missed it, or if it was simply a trick. He had long given up understanding spirits and all their uniqueness, and the one before him was a striking example that he had made a good decision.

The spirit moved almost as if time itself waited for it. Alan was sure it took less than a second, but its movements felt slow and deliberate. Its limbs moved unnaturally driven by life beyond that of the flesh, until finally single finger made of sharpened bone— there had been no fingers before— touched Rust’s corpse. The flesh became dust where it was touched, and the effect moved from there, eating away at the human until all but the ragged clothes were gone.

Something golden briefly flickered, but the spirit paid it no heed, and it melted away in the air. Alan had time to lament how things had gone now. It was a sorry end. No grand battle, no burial, no—

The spirit was gone.

Alan blinked rapidly and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He was finding it hard to remember what had just transpired as if a curtain had fallen over his mind. He knew Rust’s body was gone, he knew he had met a spirit, and he knew he had received something in exchange. However, the looks of it, the words it had spoken, and the very presence it exuded were lost to him. Had it carried away the corpse or eaten it? This lapse in memory brought with itself an instant relief. Like a cool breeze taking away the oppressive summer heat. Like a bit of sunshine breaking through the storm clouds threatening to drown all creation.

Alan stood silent, the three items hovering before him. This was not a trade he had expected, nor wanted. He was bothered by the veil thrown over his memories and tried to resist whatever was causing it. Yet, there was nothing to resist… It was irritating, to say the least. He had sworn to himself that no one would ever intrude upon the sanctity of his agency and memories. No one was allowed to touch his mind, and for all he knew it was very well protected. However, his trait had remained dormant, even though it was of the [ancient] tier. It was downright frightening. The spirit had spoken of something else too… but what? Why was it lost to him?!

“What… happened?” a weak voice asked.

Mayra!

Alan knelt down, ignoring the items and his own frustrations, and took the girl’s face in his hands. She was covered in cold sweat.

“Are you alright? Do you feel anything odd?” he asked.

Spirits were dangerous, and so far, he had not exposed others to them… At least not in such a manner and not in the Spirit World itself. Bonez was an exception.

“I think so? I… did I fall asleep?”

Does she not remember trembling, scared, and lost? It might be for the best.

“I had a—no, it’s nothing. This place is simply weird sometimes. We shouldn’t spend long here. Just let me get my things and finish healing, then you’ll be reunited with your patron, alright?”

Mayra nodded and yawned as if she was sleepy. Strange. She looked somewhat lost; her face more innocent than Alan had ever thought possible. Something sinister was usually lurking beneath the dark makeup and the uncomfortable presence surrounding the ‘witch’. Confidence veiled in old insecurities. Like a hidden knife, or a peak shrouded by clouds. Now all of it was gone, and she was but a young woman. Her thin dress was wet with perspiration and stuck to her body.

“Some time away from my patron might do me good. It’s kind of freeing… mind if I nap. I’m tired.”

Alan frowned. “I… I wouldn’t recommend it. Why don’t you eat some fruit? Just remember, we can’t take anything born in this place out of here, alright?”

Mayra nodded, half-listening. She made no attempts to move as her eyelids started falling. Was it the spirit? Alan was feeling fine.

I’ll have to take her out of here soon.

“Just sit here for a little bit. Please.”

She nodded again, and hugged her knees, letting her head rest on them. Alan was reluctant to allow her to sleep in the Spirit World. Who knew what else might happen? But then again, this was his own Domain. A sanctuary for him and his friends alone.

Alan turned toward the strange items still waiting for his attention. The little explanation he had gotten was not nearly enough for him to feel safe with them, but at least it was left untouched by the strange forces altering his mind. Wasn’t one of the items capable of destroying him? The shadow was pretty self-explanatory, and as he approached it and tried to feel it out the voices in his mind exploded. They had remained dormant during the spirit’s visit, and even after it had left. Now, though, it was like a bunch of hungry children screaming with desire in front of a cake they could not reach.

The reaction was a bit overwhelming. What was good for the voices, wasn’t necessarily good for Alan. Sure, he was the Scion, but… he was also a doubtful bastard sometimes. The wills residing somewhere in his psyche probably had their own goals in choosing him, and while they were so often helpful, they also scared him sometimes. Especially when he felt vulnerable after meeting one of the wonders of the universe.

Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.

But the spirit… the spirit had felt honest. Then again, it could’ve just been another compulsion. Would his abilities save him from it if the influence came from a spirit at the level of a god? It was so frustrating not being able to remember how it looked or what they spoke about. He only remembered the words concerning the items, and the little bit of trust he had felt despite the terrorizing presence.

A shadow, a magical boon, and a word.

The shadow was all fine, and it felt… friendly. It was a weird sensation. Almost like running into something so very similar, yet also different in ways he hadn’t imagined before. Tentatively, he touched it and felt the energy rush into him through his fingertips. It was gentle, and nestled in his chest where it slowly started merging with him. Like a candle flame burning at the surrounding wax, making it melt and become part of the whole.

Similarly to the piece of golden will trapped in his mind, the flame of shadow remained dormant, slowly melting.

How weird… a shadow of a spirit, added to mine to protect me. Would it benefit him in other ways? Perhaps studying it could help him advance even further.

He waited for a few minutes, but apart from having a few more wisps of shadows leaving his skin and swirling around, almost making it look like he was burning with black fire, there was nothing else going on. His mana was rushing to heal him once again, and the stored vital energy remained dormant, like a warm hearth in his chest.

So many forces, so little understanding…

The jar was different. There was something inside, and it was once again dark, but it was also solid and shiny—a precious stone perhaps? Or a piece of something. Alan almost started opening the jar before a sense of danger hit him like a crashing landslide. Cold sweat dripped down his forehead, and once again the excited voices of the shadows retracted, but this time in worry and fear. Their anxious hushed whispers were one of paranoia and impending danger.

What the hell did that spirit give me?

It was difficult to say. The jar looked simple enough, with a solid steel lid wrapped with strange twine that looked almost like human hair. The solid object inside it hovered and seemed to be obscured from sight. Blurry and unrecognizable. Alan’s imagination tried to fill the gaps, and now it looked almost like a lump or a piece of shiny coal, rather than a gemstone. Alan carefully wrapped it with shadows, before allowing it to sink into his inventory. This was certainly not something to tackle before he got an expert’s opinion. Perhaps Old Greyheart?

The last was the parchment. A yellowed thing that looked ancient. The scribbles on it were nothing short of an unintelligible mess, but the aura it exuded was overwhelming. It could be sensed upon touch, but a mere centimeter away, the parchment was just a piece of garbage—a newspaper someone had dropped in the sewers.

Alan looked at it for a while, then put it away too. Perhaps Enid could help as well and she was far closer than Old Greyheart. He wasn’t sure how to call on her, but he was sure she would appear someday. There was a friendship there, and the spirit was nothing but curious about humanity.

With all of that out of the way, Alan focused on healing all of the remaining damage. It took a long while, and he even took a dip in the pond, allowing the refreshing waters to aid the process. They almost seemed to infuse his mana with something additional, but it was still too weak to prove a proper resource.

Alan sank into meditation and allowed his conscience to move around his body and feel all the changes it was undergoing. Without trying to feel out the world surrounding him as he was always doing, he felt almost free. The relief was immediate and for the first time in a while, he felt at peace.

He didn’t know how long had passed when the water around him splashed and he heard a yelp. Startled, he opened his eyes only to be hit by a wave of water.

“Are you awake now?” Mayra asked.

She was nothing short of bubbly and joyous, with not a trace of her previous emotions remaining. What had brought about such change?

“I should be asking that. How are you feeling?” Alan asked. He was genuinely worried now.

Mayra giggled—an action that was very unlike her and frankly didn’t suit her countenance, then moved toward him. Alan frowned at that. The shadows moved around him, rushing toward Mayra, but she simply dodged them as if the water itself was air and offered no resistance.

“Come on now, Alan. Let’s play,” she said, her face in a cat-like grimace.

“This is not funny, Enid. Not at all.”

Mayra paused, then sighed and the skin shifted. The body filled out and elongated, and she still didn’t bother to put on any clothes.

“You’re such a buzzkill,” Enid complained, then sank into the water only to appear sitting on the edge of the pond.

“And you’re a creepy asshole. Seriously, don’t pretend to be other people I know. This shit is not funny.”

“Alright, alright. I’m just trying to liven things up.”

“Where’s Mayra?”

“She’s sleeping. I made her a bed of grass and leaves. What, you think I’d eat her?”

Alan shook his head and closed his eyes for a few breaths. The surges of panic were retreating slowly, leaving him feeling tired despite the long rest.

“What are you doing here?” he asked. “And how did you get in without me sensing it?”

Enid smiled, then threw herself in the water only to float on her back before him. “Come on now. I made most of this place what it is. You allowed me in, and gave me free right…”

Alan gasped. “Does that mean any spirit I’ve allowed to visit can enter as they please?”

“Don’t be ridiculous. This is your Domain. You can bar anyone, even me, though I’m way too fun to be around so you won’t do it.”

God, she will drive me mad.

“How was it?” Enid suddenly asked, her tone serious. “Meeting one of the harvesters.”

“You know?”

“Those are my plants around here, Alan. Don’t take it personally, but you need someone to watch over you. The Spirit World is a place where mistakes can lead to very, very bad consequences. And I’m not talking of mortal death.”

“So, why didn’t you come sooner?”

Enid looked at him incredulous. “And show myself before it? They do not take kindly to most spirits, Alan. They gather the lost souls, those who have the potential to go mad and turn evil. They’re a force of the world, and they do NOT listen to others. It’s the equivalent of what you’d call a judge, or Death. Human cultures follow similar patterns, so you should know what I’m talking about.”

Death?!

“So, you saw it all? The deal?”

“Well, no—,” she was suddenly upon him, hands on his shoulders. Her eyes shifted, turning dark green and turbulent, and the plants around rustled in worry. “You made a deal with it?!”

“Yeah. I killed a guy—I had to, really—and the spirit just knocked on the door. It—”

“You brought a person in here, just to kill them?!” Enid threw her hands in the air and walked out of the water. “Stupid humans! Fools, the lot of you!”

The leaves fell from the trees as if autumn had suddenly come.