Growing up in the slums of Porta Bora, he never had many options to begin with. Mother died young and his deadbeat dad only saw an extra set of hands. When Pops got locked up, the boy already knew the trade. Twenty years later and the man had nothing to show for it. A life of smuggling never afforded luxuries, no matter how big the score. Just surviving in the shadows long enough to make it to the next job took most of his resources.

The royal prima was supposed to be his big score. At long last, he’d finally be able to afford a real ship. Not a big one, but just enough to take on the open skies. The day had come for him to leave the Boreal behind for good. After all, why couldn’t he make it as a mage? Find a city somewhere far away and settle down…

These were the hopes and dreams of a man who spent his life taking from others, constantly on the run. He’d learned from his Pops’ example—he was better than him even. He never got caught, no matter how close it came. When the going got tough, he could always rely on his magic, at least to guarantee an escape.

Until one day. The man thought he was home free. The salt was in the bag, so to speak. Any other day, the smuggler’s well-honed scruples wouldn’t have let him anywhere near that glowing chamber, but he got cocky. Before even realizing it, he had fallen within the grasp of a spellcaster greater than any he’d ever faced.

It wasn’t even a fight and he’d been kicking himself ever since he got thrown in a cell. It had him wondering if dear old dad did something so similarly stupid all those years ago. Earth Vein was sure to offer him labor or death if he made it to port, and he wasn’t keen on either.

Now the very same witch who defeated him so effortlessly offered him a third path. The smuggler couldn’t let a chance at freedom slip by. She had to be high up enough that the job she was offering would pardon his crimes—else, how could she have just gone and broken him out of jail against the overseer’s wishes?

This was a once in a lifetime opportunity to correct his mistakes. He could be a better man than his father ever was. With each passing moment, he grew increasingly unsure he made the right choice. His stomach turned in knots and the very phrase ‘spectral combat’. Does she mean fighting ghosts? Why can’t she just say that?

This is the tale of a man born and bred to steal trying to make something more out of his life. Does he have what it takes to pass the test and become an exorcist?

This is a tale of redemption.

This is spectral combat.

“Are you sure this is a holy spell…? Triton asked as he nervously read the slip of paper he’d received.

“A sorcerer does not lie, now get in position.” The dim purple flame of the lantern she wielded began to flicker, “We’re going to start with a lesser shade. Let me know when you’re ready.”

A frown formed on his face as he looked at her from atop the platform. He wasn’t ready and shook in his boots just remembering the ghost of Yl’Gad. It won’t be like that… surely it won’t. “I’m as ready as I’m gonna get. Just do it…” He bent his knees and held the spear forward.

Despite her training instructions, the others watched as she performed this underwhelming spell, “Come forth, lesser shade!” When summoning, the mana corresponds to the creature summoned. A black ball of light that defied the senses descended on the ring opposite Triton. He scooted back a few feet, looking moderately regretful.

The black stretched out until forming a vaguely humanoid figure. The edges weren’t well defined and wisped away. Once its head formed it reached out for the smuggler and slunk towards him, gliding across the ground.

“Don’t let it get near you. Your shadow will only make it stronger and it’s hard to take back.” They were protected but it’s no use training for the best-case scenario.

“What the hell is this thing?!” Triton’s stance fell and he backed up until the edge of the platform. When he threw a fireball, it passed right through the shade. It responded to the light with a scream and receded, growing smaller. “Hah, I got him!”

The smuggler advanced, getting his spear ready again, when the shade regained its size as the fire sizzled out. He froze, now much closer to the looming shade.

“Have you forgotten the artifacts you’re wearing?” Cira instructed.

“Oh!” His eyes went wide and the glyphs across his cloak lit up. The shade hissed and shrunk back. Its form seemed agitated as it backed away, “Yeah, get out of here!” Triton stomped towards it.

“Don’t let it escape, fool!”

“Huh?! What do I do?!” He held the spear up as if to throw it.

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“Don’t throw it, you idiot, Kate is over there! Use the spell I made you. This is exactly what it’s for!”

“But… There’s no way that’s a spell! You made it up to mess with me!”

The shade had almost made it to the edge, where it could recede into a shadow below, “I assure you it’s a spell, now use it!”

The man quickly pulled a paper out of his pocket and looked between it and Cira, sweating bullets. If I fail, she’ll send me back to prison! I have to use the spell.

“Oh, great and incomprehensible one, grant this pitiful soul’s flame the power to entrap this spirit!” With a bright flash, golden flames appeared around the shade in a circle. The light and holy power caused its size to rapidly decrease as its screeches rang through the training hall. “Holy crap, it’s working!”

“Of course, it is.” Cira chastised him, “Now’s your chance!”

“Gah!” He stumbled forward, “So much mana… Dammit. Die, ghost!”

Triton managed to pick himself back up and unsteadily charge the shade. It continued to cry and shrink down in the holy flame, not even noticing his approach.

“Hyahhhhh!!” Triton stabbed it three times before almost falling over and catching himself on his spear. He watched the shade dissolve into light and then slumped to the ground, breathing hard. “I did it… I passed the test!”

He actually looked really happy for himself when he looked over at Cira. It warmed her heart seeing how excited he was to advance in his new career, but it pained her heart to speak these next words, “You have passed stage one of the test. Next up will be your standard phantom—”

“Just wait a second,” Lomp said, “Where are you summoning all these spirits from?”

“The target is pulled from a random location in the world.” She explained, “Summoning magic can often be quite unethical depending on the target. One could summon a sorcerer, for instance, if they knew how, and I may or may not appear.”

“Isn’t this plenty unethical already?” Lomp looked uneasy.

“I don’t want to torture spirits either, but they get to pass on. And the living get to live.” She turned back to the ring, “You ready for round two up there?”

“Wait!” He panted, “Can’t I take a break?”

“That should be fine… Lomp, why don’t you head up there? You seem to be done training.”

“Me?!”

“Come on down, Tito. We’ll get you some more mana.” She made some stairs and beckoned him over.

The weary smuggler stepped down and took a conjured seat. His eyes glazed over when Cira handed him an elixir. She managed to get Lomp in the ring for his first test. Nervous, but not shaking, he readied the Spectral Bident. After seeing him all uptight in his guard uniform for the past few days, she thought he looked funny in a dark cloak and holding a weapon. His eyes had a sharp focus to them.

“Come forth!” Another shade appeared, just like the last. Cira saw his legs shivering now, but the cloak immediately lit up. As soon as the shade started to turn, he advanced.

“Hyah!” With one clean thrust, Lomp pierced it twice from an impressive distance. The shade cried before quickly evaporating into light.

Cira started clapping, “Well done, Lomp! Seems like you could do that a few times before running out of mana, but it almost looked like you didn’t need it. Remember, in the cave, you’ll be able to use the prongs trap them against the wall.”

“What good is that if a single touch defeats them?” Lomp looked at her with an incredulous stare.

“I don’t know, Lomp, you’re the one that wanted the bident. I thought it was a nice feature.” She saw Chip sitting nervously with his wife, “How about it? Your weapon is a little closer range, but you looked like you’ve used one before when I saw your training.”

“Guess it’s my turn, Love.” He let go of Rosalie’s hand and stood up, “So I just gotta hit one of those ghosts? I think I can manage that.”

Cira took his seat next to the worried woman he left behind, “How are you holding up? Sorry to throw this all on the guy.”

“I trust him… And he says I should trust you… so I can’t complain. Our daughter will be cured, and so will everyone else.” Tears fell down her face and dripped into her lap, “I don’t know how I can ever thank you.”

“You don’t have to do anything, but I know Chip won’t be working for a while, so I wanted to give you this. It should be worth a little money.” She reached a hand into her sleeve and pulled out a pale blue bullion.

Rosalie’s jaw dropped and she started pushing Cira’s hand away, “I can’t accept that! Are you insane?! Is that mithril?!”

“It’s no problem, I’ve got a few ingots left in the forge. Good material comes and goes.” Cira pushed it back into her hands, “Three years is a long time. If there’s any left over, just use it for whatever you want.”

Chip was posing expectantly in the ring, so Cira brought her lantern up again and called forth a third shade.

The miner preemptively ran up while it was still forming and brought his axe down with a loud battle cry. It instantly puffed away into sparkling dust and he looked back at her with a smile, “See that?”

Cira sighed, “That’s technically cheating, but I’ll pass you for strategy. Come on down. That just leaves you, boomerang girl.”

“What about me?!” Nanri whined.

“Oh, we’ll get you after. I’m sure the spirit won’t stand a chance”

“Cira…” Rosalie said, crying next to her, “Why are you doing all this for us?”

“It’s just part of the job.” She stood up to let the ecstatic Chip regain his seat, then walked over to the ring to watch Kate’s trial.

The girl was ready by the time the shade finished manifesting. She let it creep toward her for a stride before a silver flash left her hand. The boomerang whipped through the air in a path through the ghost’s neck before returning in a matter of seconds. From the proximity of the wound, this shade didn’t even have time to scream before it turned into dust and light.

“I’m ready for the next one.” Kate lips were curled in a smug grin.

“If you’re so ready, why don’t you pick up all that aetherium for me?” She conjured a broom and dustpan in front of the girl, who stared at her with a blank look.

“If you have so much of it, why don’t you make the cure already?!” She shouted.

“Didn’t I already mention this?” Cira said, “There’s no point taking the medicine until I rid this island of deritium and clean the water.”

Lomp got a thoughtful look in his eye, “Does this mean you figured out what to do about the floods?”

“One step at a time, Lomp. One step at a time.” She looked back at the girl with silver hair who stood next to the platform, patiently waiting for her turn to come. Kate tried to stay obstinate but suffered under the witch’s earnest gaze. She awkwardly swept the aetherium up and left the stage in silence. “Get up there, Nanri. Let’s see what you’ve got.”