Gadalik walked down the main street of his hometown, comforted by the familiar smiling faces at every turn. It reminded him of a simpler time, before he had even begun his work as a spook.

  The blue-eyed teen stopped at the outskirts of town, gazing out at the trail leading to his old house. He felt the nullifier around his neck, which let him live as a human instead by stifling his spook’s magic.

  And my witch magic, he added silently. I guess, given my mother’s witch-ancestry, and my father's pure spook’s magic, my life had no chance at normalcy.

  While the witch-spook hybrid was grateful for his powers, he felt stuck between his want for a normal life and his need to hone magic in order to protect himself and others. He glanced backward at the town, then felt uneasy as the residents were suddenly gone.

  That's when a shadow passed overhead, and his heart sank. No…

  He ran under the shade of the nearest building's roof, but as soon as he did, it vanished. He started for the next building but it too dissolved into thin air. Gadalik felt his heart pounding in his panic. What can I do…? It's only a matter of time before–

  The sudden cackle of a witch drowned out his thoughts. Before he had a chance to react, the rest of the scenery faded to black, and the chain of his nullifier was twisted tight around his throat.

  Gadalik awoke, crying out as he sat up, one hand clutching his neck as he panted desperately for air.

  "Bud?" he heard his father call from the neighboring room. "You alright?"

  Gadalik curled up tightly on his bed, hands trembling, and breathing hard. It was just a dream, he told himself. Except it was loosely based on a memory.

  A darker skinned man with a blue-violet mohawk and eyebrow piercings entered the room, knocking on the open door as he came in. "What happened?"

  His son sighed heavily, sitting up. "N-Nothing… It was a nightmare."

  "Want to talk about it…?" he prompted gently, sitting on the foot of the bed.

  "It was… Luna. I dreamed she captured me again…"

  The man softened. "I'm sorry… I shouldn't have let her get away."

  The teen shook his head. "No–it wasn't your fault; you were injured. And besides, we got away, too. That's all that matters." Gadalik's striped blue eyes flitted to the silver pendant on his nightstand.

  Gale followed his gaze. "You're going out with Mira today, aren't you? Will you be wearing the nullifier?"

  "I planned to, but after that nightmare, I don't think I will. I can disable my ghost sense now, so I don't really need to wear it… except maybe to stop myself from seeing invisible ghosts. B-But it's not like I'm going to a graveyard or anything! We're just going to an amusement park."

  “Hm…”

  “W-What…?”

  “Are you sure it's wise to go to an amusement park while you're still recovering? It’s only been a week since that ghost nearly gutted you.”

  “I've talked to Guinevere over the phone; she said it'll be fine as long as I don't do anything too strenuous.”

  “Guinevere? She's the witch who helped you on your birthday, right?”

  Witch? Gadalik hadn't considered that a woman who used healing magic would be referred to what others called ‘devils.’ She was first introduced to him as an enchantress, and despite knowing enchanters and witches were the same thing, the latter had historical notoriety. Maybe it shouldn't, he thought. Both my mother and Guinevere–and even Virniv, however twisted as his methods of helping–have always had good intentions, and they're all witches. So why do I feel so sick at the thought of calling myself one?

  “You okay, bud?” Gale asked with concern.

  “Huh?” His son snapped out of it. “Y-Yeah. I'll be fine.”

  “...Alright. Well, I hope you two have fun. Glacia and I will be here, so if anything does happen, just give us a call."

  "Will do."

  Gadalik dismounted his horse outside of a two story house in a village just hours from his own, and knocked on the door.

  The girl who answered it was wearing a black top tucked into a high-waisted dark red-and-black plaid miniskirt; just below that were thigh-high socks, and slightly-heeled boots.

  "Wow, you look great, Mira," Gadalik said honestly. He couldn't help but notice that the golden chain she wore for her spooks' work was missing. "You're not wearing your magic substitution?"

  She blinked. "Why would I? This isn't work." Now it was her turn to search his neck. "You're not wearing the nullifier?"

  "N-No; I have control of my ghost sense, so I don't need it."

  She hummed doubtfully, then shook her head to dismiss it. "Well, whatever. Are you ready to go?"

  "Yeah! I have everything accounted for." They mounted their horses and took off at a casual pace. "We can both get unlimited rides until closing, but we shouldn't stay that late since we have to factor in the time for the journey home. And–"

  "How can you afford all this?" she interrupted curiously.

  "I've saved up," he answered simply.

  "With how little you charge for being a spook? That must have taken you a lifetime!" she halfway teased him. “Honestly, I don't know how you can get by on your own."

  "I'm not exactly on my own. My mother–Glacia–came from royalty so she inherited her family's wealth, even if she's a miser. I'm lucky she takes care of the bare necessities for me."

  “Royalty?!”

  “It's a long story,” he sighed. “Basically her parents were… not the best rulers. They cared more about money than their kingdom, so when the neighboring kingdom visited Peakisa to betroth Glacia to their son, they saw the poverty and unhappiness of its residents, and offered to buy the kingdom instead. So her parents sold the Peakisa kingdom and fled here to Arcritta when they realized just how much the residents hated them. Poor Glacia was only seven years old at the time; none of that was her fault. Her parents didn't even stay with her for long after they built her house in the woods, too.”

  “What do you mean, they didn't stay?”

  Gadalik shrugged. “That's just what Glacia told me–her words.”

  “Huh. Well I guess, if her parents were so awful, that explains why she's so protective as a parent to you. Even though I apologized to her, I can tell she doesn't trust me–and I barely even did anything wrong to her in the first place!”

  “Well, you did call her ‘old…’ And you also called me a ‘devil.’ A slight against me might as well be one against her.”

  Mira tensed, and her silver stallion snorted and stamped the ground when it picked up on her emotional state.

  “Mira?”

  “I'm sorry… for calling you that. A devil, I mean,” she said quietly. “Again, I was jealous of your natural magic.”

  “I know… It's alright; you've changed a lot since then. And even without natural magic, I think you're a great spook.”

  She shook her head. “No–it wasn't just your spook’s magic that I was jealous of. Your dev–err, I mean, witch’s magic. Just having it in this part of the world is rare, especially in this day and age. You should consider yourself lucky.”

  Lucky…? To be a witch? He had a hard time not considering that combination of words to be an oxymoron.

  "Even still, you should charge more,” Mira went on, soothing her horse and taking the lead to the park. “Your real parents were well-known, and you have a pretty good record of helping spirits instead of annihilating them. I can tell you right now it's a lot harder to talk to a ghost that's trying to kill you instead of just fighting it to begin with, so why aren't you raising your prices? If I were keen on your methods, I'd be making it big!"

  "Is money all you care about?" he laughed, grateful for the topic’s circle back to their career.

  "Being a spook is work, so we should be paid for it," she shrugged.

  "Yes, but it's not just work; it's also an obligation. If we can help, we should, with or without pay."

  "That's easy for you to say," she retorted. "Your mother's rich."

  Gadalik stopped in his tracks. "You think that's why I'm not concerned about pay?"

  She continued a few paces before realizing he wasn't beside her, then turned to face him. "Well, yeah. If you needed the money, you wouldn't turn it down."

  He exhaled through his nose. "It's true I don't need it. But it's wrong not to help someone just because you're not getting paid for it."

  "It's wrong not to pay someone who helps you," she countered.

  "So you're saying that people who can't pay you don't deserve your help?"

  Mira narrowed her eyes, looking away. "Well… It's my choice whether to help them. And, believe it or not, you have a choice too."

  Her last sentence’s words struck a nerve. He glared at the reins in his hands, careful to to maintain composure so as not to upset his own horse. Everyone keeps saying I have a choice… but do I really? I can't even wear my nullifier in public because it's caused me to be attacked by a ghost like with Harry, and targeted by a witch like with Luna. Not to mention it makes me oblivious to potential threats like with Molly…

  "You shouldn't keep letting others drag you into their problems," she continued, drawing him out of his thoughts. "If there's one thing we spooks know all too well from our dealings with ghosts, it's that we only have one life. You should take control of your own life and let others take control of theirs.”

  "...I understand what you're saying…" he finally said, and the two resumed riding. "When I wore the nullifier, I got a taste of that freedom of choice. It has its own risks, which is another reason I chose not to wear it today… But aside from those, I liked not having to worry about everyone else. But…"

  "'But'?"

  "That's… taking the easy way out," he murmured. "I mean, it's easy to mind your own business, and leave those in need to get help from somebody else. But sometimes… there is nobody else."

  Mira seemed to consider his words. "How would we know if there is or not?"

  "That's the problem: we wouldn't know. But if someone suffers or dies because we refuse to help them… is that something you're willing to risk? Is that something you're prepared to live with for the rest of your life?"

  She narrowed her violet eyes at him, as if trying hard to understand his motivations. “It sounds like you're speaking from experience…"

  Gadalik fell silent for a moment. "Yeah… I am,” he admitted. “But this isn't letting my past traumas dictate my life. If we know someone else is there to help, then it's okay for us to leave it to them. And if it's something that it turns out we can't help with, sobeit."

  Mira seemed the least bit content with that answer. “You really have this figured out, huh?"

  "It took some doing… and some help from a friend of mine's father."

  "Your friend's father? What kind of company do you keep?" she laughed.

  "Heh. That does sound strange spoken out loud, doesn't it? He–Gavin–helped console me during a panic attack when I was visiting his daughter."

  "Panic attack?"

  He froze, regretting that careless revelation. “Yeah… But I haven't had one in a while. They range in severity, too–and he helped me with some methods to ground myself if it ever happens again."

  "You have some kind of disorder?"

  "I don't think so… They aren't random; they always have a direct cause–usually related to trauma. But that's only when they're bad. Most of the time they're minor, and just from my worries getting out of hand."

  "Huh. Well, don't stress yourself out. We should just have fun today, alright? Let's go on every ride!"

  He relaxed, relieved that she didn't seem bothered by it. "Alright," he chuckled.

  The park was populated by children rushing to their favorite rides and their parents wrangling them back. Teenagers hung in groups or as couples, laughing as one of the kids tripped.

  “Where do you want to start?” Gadalik asked his companion.

  “Maybe something casual, like the Rotor,” Mira said.

  “You call that spinning UFO ‘casual?’ Heh. I'd hate to know what you'd call the Teacups, then.”

  “Pfft! Teacups are for little babies. I’m here for whatever I'm tall enough for!”

  “That wouldn't be much,” he teased her.

  She laughed. “You're one to talk!”

  The duo went for the Rotor, and the closer they got, the more crowd thinned; there wasn’t even a line for it. The gate surrounding it was closed with a sign reading Out of Order posted on it.

  “What now?” he wondered.

  “We move to the next most casual thing: Bumper Cars!” Mira grinned when Gadalik shook his head with mock-disbelief.

  “Why do I get the feeling you'd have road rage?”

  “Ha! What better way to take that rage out than by wrecking cars into everyone?”

  “You've got a point,” he chuckled. “I'm game.”

  The wait times were surprisingly short. After the bumper cars, Mira practically dragged him onto every major ride leading up to the tallest rollercoaster in the park. At the peak of it, Gadalik took a moment to appreciate the view and the sensation of being at such a great height. He turned to Mira, hoping she was enjoying it too.

  The younger spook seemed to be more excited on the way down instead, and he couldn't help giving an amused smile at the look on her face during the drop: it was one of pure exhilaration.

  “That was awesome!” she exclaimed, stretching as she left their seat on the coaster.

  “Right?” he agreed. “I knew you'd have fun here. The peaks on these rides are always my favorite part. It reminds me of being on top of mountains.”

  “Mountains?”

  “Yeah. I love to hike and rock-climb as a hobby–just for fun, and because it's necessary to reach some haunted places.”

  Mira seemed interested in that, but changed the subject before he could ask her about it. “Ready for the next ride?”

  The second Gadalik stood up, he felt sick. He glanced down to find himself clutching his sore abdomen, and realized his injury was the cause of it. “I think I need a break…”

  She hesitated upon seeing his reason. “Oh, uh, alright. Come on, let's get something to eat, then.”

  The duo visited a food stand and took their seats at a small table outside of it with burgers and soda. Gadalik wasn't sure if he could stomach anything, but was grateful for the moment to relax.

  “How are you holding up?” she asked.

  “As good as I can be,” he said with a single-shouldered shrug. It was at that moment he realized Mira never let the silence last too long between them. He was about to ask her about that, but something got his attention: a stifled sobbing in the distance.

  "Gadalik?"

  "Hang on," he told her, following the sound around the corner. It was coming from a boy maybe twelve years old; he wore a baseball cap that covered his bowed head, the brim of which hiding his face. "Hey, there… Are you lost?"

  The kid didn't acknowledge him.

  Mira caught up. “Gadalik, what's going on?” she huffed impatiently.

  Her friend gestured to the boy in answer, ignoring the fact that it seemed to frustrate her more. The child looked up upon hearing what she said, then retreated a step when his sky blue eyes met the older spook’s, seeming almost horrified.

  “What's the matter?” Gadalik prompted. Why is he looking at me like that?

  “That's what I should be asking you,” Mira grumbled.

  “What?” He shot her a warning glare. I don't get why she's being so heartless; this kid is obviously in need of help!

  “Your name… and your hair…” the boy finally spoke, his eyes focused on Gadalik's striped green bangs.

  “Uh, what about it? Have you heard of me…?”

  “You're Karpritian…”

  “Well, yes... I am half Karpritian. Why does that matter?”

  “You need to leave…”

  “W-What…?”

  “You need to go!” he repeated, raising his voice to an otherworldly wail.

  That's when it hit him: the kid was a ghost, and without her necklace, Mira couldn't sense him unless he wanted to be seen or heard by everyone. She wasn't being heartless after all, he realized with relief that only lasted a moment. “But… I can help you,” Gadalik insisted. “I'm a spook, and so was my Karpritian mother, by trade. My father was a spook by blood and by trade, and so am I. I don't think my Karpritian heritage defines me, if that's what's bothering you–”

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  “What you think doesn't change what you are!” The spirit appeared increasingly more desperate to be understood. “You’re a devil–and being half-spook just makes things worse for you!”

  The witch hybrid opened his mouth to defend himself, then paused when his words registered. For me?

  By now Mira seemed to catch on that her companion was talking to a ghost. She watched the former curiously. “Who is it?”

  He shrugged slightly. “Maybe you're just scared because we're strangers…? You heard my name's Gadalik. This is my friend Mira,” he introduced them to the spirit. “What's your name?”

  “...Lurlon,” the kid muttered.

  Huh… Lurlon is also a Karpritian name. So what is his problem with me? “Can you tell me why you're here…?"

  "I've been waiting to ambush the one who killed me…”

  “What? Who?”

  “He called himself Teren… He was stalking us–me and my family. I was the first he picked off, and I know he'll go after my brother next.”

  “Why would he target you and your family?”

  “Because we're also devils.” Lurlon’s hat faded away to reveal his light green hair, and his blue eyes seemed haunted by knowledge someone his age should never have had to bear. “You have to leave, or else he'll kill you, too.”

  The blue-eyed spook let out a sigh, a bit relieved that Lurlon’s anger stemmed from worry instead of prejudice. But the knowledge that yet another person was targeting witches made his heart sink. Gadalik instinctively felt his neck to make sure he wasn't somehow wearing the nullifier, then moved his hand to his belt, gripping the handle of the knife sheathed on it. “You said you were waiting to ambush Teren… does that mean he's on his way here?”

  Lurlon nodded. “I warned my family after I became a ghost. I told them to come here–where he kidnapped me–to lure him out. As soon as they arrive, I'll kill him.”

  “Are you… able to kill?”

  “...What?”

  “Not many ghosts are powerful enough to physically interact with worldly things, especially the living.” The spook allowed his ghost sense to activate, trying to get a read on the spirit’s energy. “You're capable of moving small objects, like opening doors and stuff… but you won't be able to stop Teren on your own.”

  “But… I have to! Otherwise he'll kill the rest of my family when they get here!”

  “No–I’ll make sure he doesn't hurt anyone. You can still help, though; just tell me when you see him, and Mira and I will handle it.”

  Lurlon seemed astonished by his willingness to help. Then the ghost wiped his eyes and gave a determined nod. “I'll be on the lookout, then.” He flew up to get a bird’s eye view of the whole park.

  “Ugh, don't leave me in the dark, here! What is he saying?” Mira pressed.

  Gadalik breathed deeply to compose himself and gather his thoughts, then repeated the information back to her.

  "So this witch hunter will be here soon to kill another kid? Then what are we standing around for? Come on, let's use this time to prepare!"

  “Right.” The second he straightened up, though, he winced and held his wounded stomach; it felt sore from the sudden motion, if only briefly. The new stress of facing a killer didn't help.

  “Uh, you okay?”

  “It’s fine. I just keep forgetting I'm hurt… But that's because it doesn't hurt much unless I move too fast.”

  “Maybe you should sit this one out?”

  Her companion tensed. “Maybe,” he admitted, “but I can't. If Lurlon turns visible, it'll cause a scene by scaring everyone, and Teren would know he's there and escape, just to target them again later on. And without your necklace, you can't sense Lurlon while he's invisible… but I can. I have to be here to see him warn us about Teren before he and anyone else knows that Lurlon’s involved.”

  “I could go get my necklace–and my sickle. It's only a ten-minute ride from here to my place if River gallops. I could even grab a weapon for you to use, if you do think you're capable of fighting.”

  Gadalik glanced up at Lurlon, who didn't seem to have spotted anyone suspicious yet. “Alright. Thanks, Mira. I'll hang back here in case Teren comes while you're gone.”

  “Alright. I won't be long.” She waved goodbye before quickly making her way through the crowd of happy faces toward the amusement park’s exit.

  Gadalik remained standing there, alone and still holding his injury even after the soreness had subsided. Mira’s suggestion for him ‘sit this one out’ replayed in his mind. Am I really able to fight in my condition…? If Teren really does have a particular hatred for witches, he won't pull any punches against me… But I can't just standby and do nothing…!

  That's when Gavin’s words came back to him: ‘When was the last time you were a bystander?’

  The answer had been when Gadalik had witnessed the death of his parents. He had opened up fully about how he was scared his inaction would lead to more unnecessary deaths, if taking action could prevent that.

  ‘If helping others is your goal, you must help yourself first… which means accepting that some things can't be helped–at least, not at this time; not by you. You can't let your past traumas dictate your life.’

  He narrowed his eyes, on the verge of deciding to let Mira handle it. Just like with Lurlon, Gadalik was still helping in his own way by speaking for the ghost. It's okay. Mira is capable; she can do this on her own.

  “He's here,” the spirit shouted down in a voice only the spook could hear, pointing.

  Already?! But Mira won't be back for another fifteen minutes, at the least…! Gadalik felt that familiar sense of panic stir within him. No–now is not the time for anxiety…! “Lurlon, is your family here, too?”

  The boy double checked, then shook his head. “Not yet.”

  Then there's still a bit of time. He tried to calm down, then looked in the direction the ghost had pointed in. “What does Teren look like?”

  “He's kind of tall, and has long-ish silver hair… like, to his shoulders. And his eyes…”--Lurlon visibly shuddered–“...they're evil…”

  The teen softened, the horrors that the kid must have endured sinking in. Those eyes must have been the last thing he saw before his death. And he's so young… His sympathy for Lurlon slowly morphed into appall by the killer’s cruelty. It took all of the self-restraint he had not to confront the man when Gadalik spotted him leaned backward against a gate that enclosed the bumper cars. It was an older man who was partially propped on a cane, but didn't appear to have anything else with him. Then he remembered how the ‘fight’ on his recent birthday had ended badly when he had let his anger take over, and once again tried to calm down.

  “Don't just stand there where he can see you!” Lurlon warned him. “Hide!”

  “What? Oh–right…” I'm liable to end up one of his victims too, aren't I…? The teen shook his head, then took shelter behind a food stall, where he could still see Teren without standing out. He checked his watch. Mira should be here in ten minutes. If Lurlon's family hasn't arrived yet, they're safe for now. Hopefully Mira gets here before they do–

  “There’s my family,” the ghost reported.

  Oh. So much for that… He dismissed the sarcastic thought. New plan. “Alright. They're just coming in? In that case, I'm going to meet with them and explain the situation. I still need your help, though, okay? Please keep an eye on Teren for me; tell me where he is and if he's heading toward us. That way I can lead your family away from him until Mira comes back.”

  Lurlon brightened slightly. “Count on it!”

  The spook couldn't help smiling at that. “Everything will work out. I promise.”

  The two exchanged a more assuring nod, then Gadalik wove through the people until he spotted two adults with a boy who was younger than the ghost. The man's short green hair peeked out from under a cap just like Lurlon’s. The woman had hazel eyes with a lighter horizontal stripe through the pupils; her hair was long and ash brown, albeit with a darker stripe from front to back down the middle… Like mine, he connected the dots. The stripes show she has Karpritian heritage, but isn't pure. Her husband looks pure, though… Their living son had similar hair in color to his mother’s, just with a greener tint, and shared the blue eyes of his father and brother. The three of them seemed somewhat on-edge; they were startled when they noticed Gadalik's approach. The parents immediately positioned themselves between him and their child.

  “It's okay–I’m Gadalik, a spook… off-duty. Did you have a son who recently passed?” he asked just to be safe.

  “Yes, but we're not interested in hiring a spook to get rid of his ghost,” the man said. “We've been through a lot… We don't need spooks trying to profit from our loss.”

  “Th-That isn't why I'm here! I just met Lurlon and he told me everything,” he explained, and they seemed to relax some. “Teren is near the bumper cars right now. Lurlon’s keeping tabs on him, and I have backup on the way to help take Teren down. Until then, it's safer for you and your kid to keep your distance from him.”

  The adults exchanged a wary look before finally facing him again. “...Alright.”

  Eight minutes, Gadalik counted down. “This way.”

  “Are you a witch too?” the boy asked after a moment of awkward silence. His mother immediately shushed him, but her husband couldn't suppress an amused chuckle.

  “Half. Does your family practice?”

  “No. We've made sure our kids know our history, but for the most part we all just want to live normal lives,” the man answered. “Not many people here in Arcritta even recognize Karpritians–not that every Karpritian is a witch. We thought it would be safe for us here…”

  The spook felt that pang of sympathy again. He forced it down and decided to refocus on learning more about the situation afoot. “Did you know Teren before all of this? Like, is there a personal reason he's been stalking you?”

  “No… But after Lurlon warned us about him, we did some digging on Teren. He is a normal human, with no magic, and he doesn't use spell tags either. But he does have an arsenal of weapons from ancient times used during the witch hunts–and apparently he's descended from a long line of witch hunters as well.”

  “He murdered our sweet boy just because of the magic in his blood…” The woman bit back a sob, and her spouse rested a comforting hand on her shoulder, despite also seeming saddened by the reminder of their loss.

  Gadalik felt his eyes well up. Then he wiped them. I can't get emotional, too… I have to stay on task. “What kind of weapons…? I didn't see any on his person… Unless you count a cane, but he's older, so that's not unusual.”

  “I'm not sure if has any with him; most of what Lurlon told us about were in a place Teren had taken him to after he was kidnapped…”

  So maybe fighting him here won't be so dangerous after all, he thought with a sliver of hope, then checked his watch. Five minutes.

  “Run!” Lurlon cried out, and the spook turned toward his voice to see Teren had found and began following them discreetly.

  The older man walked with the cane, as expected, and if Gadalik hadn't known better, he wouldn't think Teren was any threat.

  “Everything okay?” the grieving parent asked before she followed his gaze and froze.

  “Keep going,” Gadalik instructed quietly. “I've got this.”

  After making sure the family was out of harm's way, the spook moved to a nearby vending machine, pretending to be indecisive about a drink and fighting not to express being bothered by how close Teren was getting. When eventually the older man was about to pass him, Gadalik turned to stop him.

  “Excuse me, sir! Could I get your opinion?” the witch hybrid asked with a friendly smile. All I have to do is stall him until Mira gets here.

  Teren’s dark eyes studied him for a moment so short that Gadalik was almost convinced he had imagined it.

  No… He definitely took notice of my hair and eyes. Maybe I should play into that…? It's better that he targets me instead of them. “I'm new here and haven't heard of these snacks,” the teen lied. “Do you have any suggestions?”

  “Hm.” The man approached the machine. Gadalik stepped away to give him room, and to avoid getting close, although he didn't want the latter reason to appear obvious. “My eyes aren't as sharp as they used to be. Can you come here and read them off to me? I'll stop you at the good ones.”

  Once again, he was taken aback by how kind the old man sounded. How rude would it be to refuse an aging man with a cane and poor eyesight? Luckily my eyesight is great, and I can read from here. “I was thinking about the Galaxy bars since they have caramel inside. But the Sniggers bars have peanuts, so it’s a hard choice.”

  “I see, I see. Yes, I'm quite partial to caramel, myself. But that's only because peanuts are too hard to chew,” Teren chuckled. “Here, allow me to buy you both so you don't have to choose.” Before the younger male could protest, he put the coins in and selected both, as well as a second Galaxy bar. “That one’s for me,” explained with a grin. He bent down rather easily for someone his age, moving his cane from his right hand to his left before reaching into the machine with his right hand to retrieve them when they dropped. He lingered a little too long, as if trying to find where the chocolates landed. Then he pulled them out and offered two to the teen.

  What now? I can't just decline after making a big deal over it… “Oh, that’s very kind of you, but since you bought them with your money, I can't possibly accept them.”

  “Nonsense. It's no trouble at all,” Teren insisted. When Gadalik couldn't think of an excuse in time, he placed the candy bars on top of the vending machine. “They're there if you want them, lad. Or you could simply give them to the family you were just with.”

  Something about that suggestion raised a red flag for the spook, but Teren turned away and took a seat at a table by a neighboring food stand. Gadalik watched him for a moment longer before catching himself and turning to the candy instead, carefully picking them up and inspecting them. He didn't know what he was looking for exactly, but when he flipped up the plastic flap on the wrapper, he noticed a small puncture in it and the chocolate itself. At first he thought maybe it was a natural tear, but the second one had the same thing in the same place; they had been tampered with.

  His mind wandered back to what Lurlon’s parents were saying about him having the tools of a witch hunter. Poisons were the most discreet way to kill off unsuspecting witches back then… But where did he get the poison out from just now? He never reached into a pocket or anything, if he even was the one who poisoned these… Gadalik shook his head. No–I can't be fooled by appearances; he definitely is the one who poisoned them. The fact that he suggested I give them to Lurlon’s family proves this, since he's after them too.

  “Something the matter, young man?” Teren asked, his voice pulling the one in question back into reality.

  “N-No! I'm fine. I think I'll save these for later. Thank you,” Gadalik said, pocketing them in his dark gray shorts. My only goal is to stall him until Mira gets here. As long as he stays put, everyone's safe. He checked his watch. One minute.

  He looked up at Lurlon, who had been staring at Teren the whole time while the latter ordered food. Although the ghost’s plan was initially to kill him, the kid seemed too scared to move or risk drawing his attention in such close proximity. His blue eyes were widened in a manner suggesting he was suppressing his fear, staring past the old man into perhaps a flashback.

  “Well?” Teren prompted. “Why dilly dally here? Go on, have fun. This is an amusement park, after all. Just don't let those chocolates melt in your pocket!” he laughed.

  Yes, I'm sure you're eager for me to eat them and die, the spook silently retorted, then got an idea. “You know, I'd love to go have fun, but I'm waiting on a friend. Her name's Mira,” Gadalik said loud enough for the ghost to hear. “I'm not sure if she knows where to find me, though, so I don't want to stray too far.”

  The boy came to and picked up on what his ally was implying. “Is she back? I'll bring her to you,” he managed to say before flying off.

  “Ah, I see,” Teren said, unaware that the spirit of the young witch he had hunted was ever present. “In that case, why not have a seat with me while you wait?”

  Great… What's he planning now? “My view of the entrance is better from here,” the teen said with an assuring smile he hoped didn't look as forced as it was.

  “Suit yourself.” The older man received his order of a burger and fries, then sprinkled some salt from one of the packets that came with his meal on the latter, flashing his teeth in a knowing grin at Gadalik when he noticed the witch hybrid was still watching him.

  Knowing what? he couldn't help but wonder. There's no way he would guess we are after him… right?

  On cue, Lurlon returned with Mira following close behind; her violet irises were focused on the spirit that she was now able to listen to thanks to the golden onyx-stone pendant around her neck as he explained the situation to her on their way. She was still in her casual outfit, but with the addition of her short red-violet hooded cloak, which concealed the kusarigama on her hip.

  Mira found her companion and waved purposefully with one hand–the motion lifted her cloak enough to reveal a sword sheathed near her sickle. “There you are!” She ran to him. “Sorry I'm late. Are we still going through with our plans?”

  “If we can,” Gadalik replied. He thought for a moment, then faced Teren. “Actually, can I take you up on your offer to join you there?”

  “Of course! You and your girlfriend,” the man invited them.

  Girlfriend…? For a second he was taken aback by that label. He enjoyed Mira’s company, but this wasn't meant to be a date. Does Mira think that, too? Scared, he glanced at his friend, who merely laughed it off. He let out a relieved sigh.

  The two sat next to each other across from Teren. She covertly passed him the sword under the table, then looked between the ghost and the spook, trying to piece together how they planned to deal with this seemingly-harmless murderer.

  I'm trying to figure that out, too, Gadalik silently admitted. Finally, he decided to confront him. “We know who you are, Teren… and what you've done to that child you kidnapped. We're here to put a stop to it.”

  “Oh?” Teren asked with disingenuous surprise. “Which child? I've kidnapped hundreds.”

  The spooks were shocked by his nonchalant confession. Mira leapt to her feet and forthwith drew her sickle, as if impulsively intending to enact Lurlon’s plan.

  Teren didn't seem fazed. “Now, is this the right place to murder a helpless elder?” he laughed, gesturing to the few people in the crowd who were startled by Mira’s sudden reaction.

  She growled, frustrated. “If they knew what you did, they'd help me end you,” she hissed. When his only response was a hearty chuckle, that made her angrier. “Is that how you get your kicks? By picking out helpless kids?!”

  “Not just kids, and they're far from helpless,” he explained, the corners of his mouth falling into a more serious frown. “They're devils… just like your boyfriend here; wielding magic that has threatened humanity for centuries.”

  “Threatened humanity? How?” Gadalik asked calmly despite the ‘boyfriend’ label nagging him on top of the man's actions. He had taken a loose hold on his friend’s cloak to restrain her.

  “As if you don't know… Your use of human blood in evil rituals is worse than anything I've done in retaliation. But two can play that game…” Teren lifted his cane and pushed the handle slightly up in what felt like slow motion; something small and shiny was hidden inside it. That's when the younger man realized the poison must have been stored there as well.

  “Look out!” Lurlon screamed, using all of his limited strength to shove Gadalik.

  The rescue came a fraction of a second too late; Teren had out a tiny metallic weapon that shot something straight past Gadalik’s face, grazing his cheek with nothing more than a slight sting thanks to the ghost knocking him out of its direct path.

  Confused, the spook brought his hand to the tiny cut, catching the blood leaking out of it on his finger… only for more to steadily trickle over it, running down his jaw and forming an ever-bigger droplet under his chin.

  “What was that?” Mira demanded the ghost.

  The answer was shown to them before the kid could reply; the small projectile was swiftly reeled back to Teren’s weapon by a thin wire: a vial-like item, with a tip resembling a syringe, that had filled up halfway with the witch-hybrid’s blood from just that small graze.

  “Get away from him, as far as you can!” Lurlon told his allies.

  She grabbed her friend and rushed toward the exit, but the crowd hindered their speed. They could distinctly hear Teren’s laughter in the distance.

  “What's going on? I've never seen a weapon like that… and I mean, he's human, isn't he? He can't make blood pacts, so I don't get why he wants my…” Gadalik’s sentence trailed off when he suddenly began to feel warm.

  “Ugh! We don't have time for these stupid people in our way!” Her violet eyes darted in a desperate search for an alternate route to take, then spotted the Rotor. “This way!”

  The broken down ride had nobody around it, allowing them a clear path and a place to hide. She let go of the other spook to climb the ten-foot-tall gate, jumping down on the other side and beckoning for him to do the same.

  Gadalik grabbed a hold of the chain links to comply, but realized he was somehow too weak to climb. The strength in his extremities seemed to be slowly sapped as the warmth increased to a heated sensation. Still, he managed to kick off the ground and pull himself up a few feet–until he was too lethargic maintain his grip and fell.

  Mira scowled. “What's the matter with you? I thought you said you climbed mountains as a hobby–there’s no way a little fence should be an issue!” She paused with concern when he slumped to the earth, too weak and pained to keep standing. “Your cheek… It's foaming… What did he do to you?”

  “It's the same thing he did to me,” Lurlon spoke up, tears of helplessness falling from his eyes.

  “You mean Gadalik’s going to die?!”

  “No–it won't kill him… but Teren will, since Gadalik’s defenseless…”

  The cloaked girl climbed back over the fence to check on her companion. “How do we help him, Lurlon?”

  “I-I don't know…”

  The witch-hybrid felt like he was on fire, almost as though his body were a wound someone had coated in salt.

  Wait… He remembered the packets Teren had received with his lunch, and that sly expression as he had emptied one. Salt has been used to ward off witches in the past… Is he using it to harm them through their blood…? That's unheard of…!

  Lurlon audibly gasped, and Gadalik barely managed to lift his head enough to see why: Teren casually strode toward them, twirling his cane like a bored majorette. When Mira readied her sickle, he laughed and lifted the vial.

  “You should think twice about attacking me if you want your boyfriend to live,” he warned her.

  “What?” She turned to the ghost. “You said it wouldn't kill him…!”

  “It won't,” Lurlon insisted, then blinked with realization.

  “Lurlon?” she tried again when he didn't elaborate.

  “He's bluffing to scare you… because you can kill Teren.”

  “Really? In that case…” Mira stood her ground and spun her kusarigama on its chain in preparation to throw it. “Looks like you're not just a killer, Teren; you’re a liar, too.”

  The witch hunter scoffed. “Is that so? And just what do you plan to do with that sickle? Ruthlessly kill a poor old man in public?”

  She narrowed her eyes into a frustrated glare.

  Gadalik couldn't stifle a pathetic whimper. I don't know how much longer I can tolerate this burning…

  Something in Lurlon seemed to snap from his killer’s words. He let himself become visible, and his voice audible to all. “You're not a poor old man,” the spirit hissed, slowly drifting toward Teren, who seemed petrified. “You're a murderer…”

  “You…” the man breathed, retreating a step. “But you…?! I killed you! How are you here?!”

  “I’m here to drag you into the afterlife with me...”

  “N-No…” Teren began to hyperventilate. “How many others are there…? How many more ghosts are around me right now?!”

  “It doesn't matter,” Mira spoke up, “because all of the ones you've killed are waiting for you to join them in the next life to enact revenge.”

  “No… You're lying. Witches will burn in hell like the devils they are! I've fed their hearts to hounds, and I've burned their corpses to ash! There is no way their spirits would survive!”

  “Lurlon’s here, isn't he?”

  “No! No, this can't be! I did everything right…! I…” Teren leaned his full weight onto his cane with one hand and dropped the vial to clutch his chest with the other.

  The glass shattered on the ground, and instantly Gadalik relaxed as the burning sensation ebbed.

  “Was I wrong…?” the man muttered to himself. “If the ones I killed weren't witches, then…”

  “No… They were witches,” Lurlon said, “and so was I. But the myths you've heard… and everything else you were taught about us… It's all wrong.”

  Gadalik swallowed hard and sat up, able to truly listen now. Even though his mother had witch heritage, that part of her life and his heritage had been shielded from him until only months ago. All he knew of witches came from the books he used for research–which all stated the same things as Teren. Was I wrong, too…?

  “All my family wanted was to live our lives in peace,” Lurlon vented. “That's all any witch has ever wanted…! But people like you think that just because we can do bad things with magic, then that's all magic can do… Meanwhile you're the ones killing us off!”

  “No… I've seen it with my own eyes–the ruin you've brought to our land! Your flaming spells have burnt our crops; your earthquakes wrecked our homes! Your lightning struck us one-by-one! I've seen you devils kill hundreds of powerless humans with your vile spells!”

  “That was after you guys killed thousands of us!”

  After? Gadalik felt mortified by that revelation.

  “You're wrong!” Teren cried, shaking his head in denial before doubling over, panting and clutching his heart. “Witches are devils… The hunt began to end your wicked blood pacts with humans… You tricked humans into corrupting themselves with your magic…!”

  “What humans used their pact magic for was their choice…”

  “You're wrong! You're wrong! You turned them evil–all of them! You're all evil…” The old man collapsed.

  By now more bystanders had gathered and tried to help both Teren and Gadalik, but the spook felt too weak and exhausted to keep himself awake after the pain he endured. To make matters worse, he found blood had seeped through his shirt from his healing scar; the strain on his body must have reopened it. “Mira, I…” he began to ask for help, but everything went black.

  Gadalik opened his striped blue eyes to find himself in a hospital room for the umpteenth time. He sat up, wincing from the pain in his gut, but was otherwise fine.

  "You okay?" Mira asked from his bedside.

  He jumped, not having realized she was there. "Y-Yeah," he stammered, then coughed into his hand. "What happened? With Teren, and Lurlon, I mean…"

  “Teren had a cardiac arrest and, well… he didn't make it.”

  He sighed heavily and let himself fall back against the pillow. "And Lurlon…?"

  “He reunited with his family and let them know they are safe now. After that, he moved on.”

  "I'm sure he can rest in peace now," he murmured.

  “Yeah.”

  There was a moment of silence as they processed the day’s events. What Lurlon had unveiled about witches' skewed history really made him question everything he thought was factual.

  "I see what you mean about never catching a break from work, though. It must be hard not being able to see the difference between ghosts and the living."

  Her companion shrugged indifferently. "I'm used to it… But I guess you aren't, huh?” He sighed through his nose. "I'm sorry, Mira… This wasn't a good first outing for us."

  "Are you kidding? It was perfect!"

  "W-What…? You mean the rides, or us, or…"

  "Everything. Dates–err, outings–are supposed to let us get to know each other. If this is a typical day off for you, then I'd say I know you a lot better now. I'd like to go on another… ’outing’ when you're better again, if you'd be up for that. Hopefully the next one won't have any interference.”

  “Wow... I-I mean, yes! I'm down. But… are you sure?” He couldn't help feeling honored that this didn't deter her.

  "Yes, I'm sure,” she laughed, amused. “So… do you have any money to cover your hospital visit?" Mira teased him half-jokingly.

  "I got my mom to invest in insurance for me and my dad, because we get hurt so often. Don't worry about it," Gadalik chuckled.