Students who were older than high school students exited the Yorkdale Adult Learning Centre with smiles on their faces and probably their second or third coffee cup of the day. Gale leaned on the learning centre’s sign, half listening to Jacob and Mia’s argument about science.

“Old Finch Bridge is the obvious choice,” Jacob said, pushing his glasses up. “Three documented cases of paranormal activity in the last decade alone. Plus, the whole ‘cry of a dead mother’ thing whenever it rains.”

Mia rolled her eyes. “It’s a bridge. With cars. And joggers. And actual people around.” She tapped multiple times on the map she held up on her phone. “The abandoned school in Barrie has actual history. Fifty years of weird shit. Plus, no cameras or security guards to kick us out.”

“But it’s in Barrie,” Jacob whined. “That’s like an hour away.”

“You got somewhere better to be?” Mia crossed her arms. “Hot date with your anime body pillow?”

Jacob turned red. “That’s-I don’t-it was a collector’s item!”

Andrew exited the learning centre’s entrance door, dropping his backpack by his feet. “They still arguing about ghost hunting?” he asked, holding out a piece of chocolate to Gale.

Gale took it, unwrapped it immediately, and put it in his mouth. “For twenty minutes now.”

“The school has actual classrooms where kids died,” Mia continued. “One of them supposedly still writes on the chalkboard at night.”

“Bridge has a woman in white,” Jacob countered. “Classic ghost archetype.”

“Woman in white? That’s so basic.” Mia scoffed. “It’s like the pumpkin spice latte. Basic.“

Andrew laughed, then turned to Gale. “You’ve been quiet. Which one do you think is actually haunted? Bridge or school?”

Both places sounded like normal abandoned spots where teenagers told scary stories. Nothing like the asylum with its physical skin walker. Nope, definitely not. Hell if he was going to any of them. By chance any of them was that faceless tall ghost lady, how could he even defend his friends?! There was no way. Nope.

“Neither,” Gale forced a smile.

“Come on, neither isn’t an answer.” Andrew softly elbowed him.

“Real ghosts aren’t like the stories,” Gale’s smile faltered. “They’re worse.”

Mia and Jacob looked at each other.

“You talk like you’ve seen one,” Mia said, leaning closer to his face. “And it sounds like you’re scared.”

“Scared? No way. The dark hun-I mean, I’m not scared. No.” Gale looked away.

“Sounds like what someone who’s scared would say.” Jacob leaned forward to his face like Mia.

Gale didn’t reply.

“Wait, have you?” Jacob asked. “Seen a real ghost?”

“Gale,” Mia said. “What’s up with you today? You’ve been acting weird since you got here.”

Gale took a deep breath, swallowing the last bite of the chocolate that he tried to savour as much as possible. “Fine. Yeah. I’ve seen one.”

“For real? Like an actual ghost? Not just shadows or weird noises?” Jacob leaned back.

“They’re called spectral entities,” Gale whispered. “It dragged a security guard through the halls. His uniform was ripped. His head was twisted. Dead.”

“Spectral entities? Sounds just like a ghost to me.” Mia crossed her arms.

“Are you serious?” Andrew said. “I thought that was all just a school myth.”

“It’s not. And this whole ghost-hunting idea? It’s stupid and dangerous… and scary!”

“Hold on,” Jacob said. “If you saw something, why didn’t you get proof? A picture or video or something?”

“Because I was too busy trying not to die,” Gale hunched his shoulders, trying to look as small as possible. His hand went to his shoulder where the ghost had touched him inappropriately. Things that could be chopped? Not scary. Ghosts? Super scary.

“I tried to chop it up with my sword and it just went whoosh and whoosh. Nothing worked.”

“You fought it? With what?” Mia asked.

Gale gulped. “I just meant that you can’t fight against it normally.”

“If this shit is so dangerous, then why do you keep us in the dark?” She poked his chest. “You were the one that promised to tell us after I handed over those documents. So, why don’t you tell us what’s actually happening?”

Andrew stared at Gale. Jacob leaned toward him and stared with eyes that seemed to bore through his forehead.

“It’s… complicated,” Gale said.

“That’s not an answer,” Mia said. “We were there too. We saw that thing. It almost killed us. We deserve to know what’s going on.”

“I told you about Ollie, about Glory Industries and the stuff they do.”

“You told us the basic outline, the keep you in the dark version,” Mia said. “Not the real story. Not whatever you’re actually doing when you skip class or come back with bags under your eyes.”

“Hey, guys, calm down.” Andrew stepped between them, putting a hand on Mia’s shoulder. “Gale’s got his reasons.”

How could he even explain the fact that ghosts were just a minor thing and that there were things far worse than the ghosts that lurked in the shadows of the belly of the underworld of Toronto that he hunted? He couldn’t even begin to explain the shit he got himself into.

“Look, it’s getting late. We can talk about this another time.” Andrew looked at Gale. “We’re still friends, right? No matter what weird shit is going on?”

Gale nodded, smiled.

“Good.” Andrew pointed across the street. “Let’s cut through the industrial area. Shortcut to the neighbourhood. And then to the mall’s food court.”

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“You really need to practice that smile though,” Mia said, shaking her head while putting a palm on her forehead.

Jacob grabbed his backpack by his feet. “I’m starving. That chemistry quiz killed me.”

“You barely studied,” Mia said, but then she glanced at Gale. “This conversation isn’t over.”

“I know,” Gale said.

The four headed across the street, entering the industrial park and cutting through the loading docks of stores.

Jacob started telling a story about his chemistry lab, the earlier tension fading but not gone. Mia walked ahead, still angry. Andrew walked beside Gale.

“She’s not wrong, you know,” Andrew said quietly. “After what happened at the asylum and all.”

“I know,” Gale sighed. “But trust me. There’s things better left as not known.”

Andrew frowned. “That’s what my dad used to tell me. And then suddenly, my mom and the house are gone. Who could’ve thought that?”

“This is different.”

“Is it? Seems to me hiding stuff never ends well for anyone.”

Gale didn’t answer. Ahead, an empty loading dock gaped open. The industrial park was quieter than usual. Most businesses were closed, workers gone home. Only a few semi-trucks sat in the far parking lots.

“Food’s on me,” Gale offered, changing the subject. Ollie wouldn’t mind him treating his friends with the business credit card. Anything to get the topic off himself.

Andrew gave him a look that said he noticed the dodge but let it go. “You’re gonna regret that offer. Jacob can put away three burgers on a slow day.”

Passing the first loading dock, the tendrils tugged at his senses. Multiple ether signatures originating from the gaping loading dock to their right. He stopped, focusing on the information fed to him.

Hostiles.

“Hey! You kids!”

A man stood in an open warehouse door twenty yards ahead, one hand raised. He wore a dark jacket, his other hand inside it.

“Come over here a minute,” he called, smiling with his teeth. “Got something to show you.”

Jacob snorted. “Yeah, right. Let’s ignore the creepy drug dealer looking guy and get food. I’m starving.”

Mia nodded. “Seriously. What is this, a bad B-movie?”

Two more men came out from the warehouse shadows, flanking the first. They spread out in a triangle, blocking the path ahead of them. All three had their chests puffed out, probably trying to look tough. The tallest wore a blue bandana around his neck. The third had a scar through his eyebrow.

B-movie was right. What the hell are they wearing out in public?

“You kids see something you shouldn’t have?” the first man asked, stepping forward.

“Or maybe, looking to have some fun?” Blue Bandana added. He pulled something from his pocket, a small glass vial filled with purple liquid that shined against the sun. Grey grains floated inside the liquid. “Got something here that’ll make you feel real good.”

“Best feeling in the world. Promise. Mmmua.” The scarred man made a chef’s kiss, as if that would even look scary when he looked nothing like an Italian.

Gale’s muscles tightened. He knew that vial. He stepped in front of his friends.

“Stand back,” Gale put his left hand into his left pocket. “Keep walking. Now.”

Regardless, these were hostiles.

Andrew grabbed Jacob’s arm, pulling him backward. Mia hesitated, then followed.

“We’re good, thanks,” Andrew waved to the three men. “Just heading home.”

The scarred man laughed. “Don’t be like that. First hit’s free.”

Andrew walked away with the group, but his nose hit something invisible. He stumbled back, hands out, feeling an unseen wall.

“What the hell?” Andrew pushed against nothing, his palms flat against the invisible wall.

“Fuck, fuck, are we going to die again?” Jacob said, shoulders shaking.

Mia backed up until she stood by Gale. “What’s happening?”

The men laughed.

“Relax,” Blue Bandana said. “We just want to talk.”

Breath of the Void’s tendrils focused on the three ether signatures. All at least awakened. Threat level, minimal. To his friends though? They’d die to a sneeze of an awakened. One wrong move and someone he cares about might disappear.

“Leave!” Something snapped inside of Gale. “Now. Or you’ll regret it.”

The first man’s smile faltered, then grew wider. “Big talk from a little man. What’re you gonna do about it?”

Jackie did say that they were desperate on getting new victims. Didn’t think he’d experience this front row and centre.

Blue Bandana twirled the vial between his fingers. “Look, we’re not here to hurt anybody. Just offering a good time.”

“This stuff? Better than anything you’ve ever felt. Better than sex, sweetheart. Promise.” The scarred man winked at Mia.

Mia’s face reddened, stepping back. “Fuck you.”

“That’s the spirit,” the first man laughed.

Gale stepped forward. “You really doing this in broad daylight? Middle of all of a business complex?”

The men looked at each other.

“Nobody comes through here this time of day,” Blue Bandana said. “Besides, walls are up. Nobody can see shit.”

“Enough talk.” The scarred man pushed past his friends.

He moved suddenly, surprising Andrew and Jacob. He ran straight for Mia, opening the vial.

Time slowed.

Storage box interface opened in front of him. Immediately looking at the Weber blade’s icon. Gale grabbed the sword’s hilt as it materialized. In one quick motion.

Draw, turn, slice.

The scarred man screamed.

His hand fell to the ground, fingers still holding the vial. Gale caught the dust container before it hit the pavement, putting it in his pocket. Blood sprayed across the concrete.

“Holy shit!” Jacob yelled, stumbling back.

Andrew stood frozen. Mia covered her mouth with both hands.

The other two men pulled out their guns.

“Motherfucker!” the first man yelled, raising his weapon.

Gale didn’t hesitate. He threw his sword. The blade spun through the air, slicing through both of Blue Bandana’s hands. The man screamed, his gun and several fingers falling to the ground.

The first man fired. Gale ducked, the bullet going past his ear. His hand went into his pocket again. Weber pistol materialized into his right hand.

He squeezed, one shot. A quiet thwip, and the ray shot clean through the man’s hands and his weapon. The beam kept going, making a hole in the warehouse wall behind him.

The first man fell to his knees, staring at his ruined hands.

Silence fell onto the battlefield. Only the hostiles’ groans could be heard. The invisible walls flickered, then vanished as the scarred man’s head dropped to the concrete, passing out.

Gale dematerialized the Weber pistol back into storage. Walking over to his sword, he picked it up by its hilt, blood still dripping from its edge.

“We need to go,” he said, turning to his friends. “Now.”

They stared at him, eyes switching from his face to the sword beside him.

“Y-you just…” Jacob couldn’t finish. He looked ready to throw up.

“Later,” Gale said. “We need to move.”

“Did you kill them?” Mia whispered.

“No.” Gale wiped his blade on the scarred man’s jeans. “But they’ll bleed out if someone doesn’t find them soon. Cops will be here in minutes. Someone had to hear that shot.”

Andrew finally spoke. “What the fuck was that?”

“That was dust,” Gale said, pointing to the scarred man’s severed empty hand. “They were trying to dose Mia.”

“Not that.” Andrew pointed to his sword. “You. The sword. The gun. Jesus Christ, Gale, you cut off their hands!”

“Would you rather he dosed Mia with dust?” Gale asked. “She’d be dead in 3 days, crystallized from the inside out.”

Mia brought up a hand to cover her mouth. “That’s what would have happened?”

“If you’re lucky,” Gale said. “If not, it’s a week of pain before your insides grow crystals that poke your organs until they pierce through and through your skin.”

A siren wailed in the distance.

“We need to go. Different directions. You three head back toward the school. I’ll go through the warehouses and meet you at the usual diner,” Gale said.

“You want us to just walk away?” Jacob’s voice shook. “After seeing… that?”

“Yes.” Gale moved closer to them. “It’s for your own good.”

Mia stepped one step back as Gale came near. “You can’t just cut people’s hands off.”

“They were going to kill you,” Gale looked back at the street. “All of you. Maybe not today, but eventually. Aur isn’t a game, and it’s definitely not ghost hunting. It could kill you.”

The sirens got louder.

“Go,” Gale said. “Please.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep