Paladin Wood stood on a tall light post in the center of town. The city council building was the best location to survey the town. Mawe was a quaint town in the knights' eyes. If not for the rampant spirits flooding the streets, congregating like they were people. His mouth twitched in a grimace.

  The valley which held the town made it hard to access. This difficulty had been one of the reasons it survived so well through the war. Bombing had been a constant threat but the only real one. Ground forces could only come from two directions. Paladin Wood remembered those days the lovely smell of oil and burnt flesh. He hadn’t served here but this place was no different than the others.

  Even forty years later he still couldn’t help but salivate at the prospect. Even as the corners of his mouth raised into a smile he rubbed at his chest. There on the right side of his Tabard was the insignia of his badge of wands. Five wands laid within the badge as if creating a fence around the center piece. A dove with a blade in its mouth. It was the Orders symbol and must be protected.

  Paladin wood fussed at the badge. In spite of his low ranking he was most proud of it. He’d spent long years worming his way out of the swords, finally he could see action once more. He could live and die in a blaze of glory.

  His handler wouldn’t allow that. We would certainly try. As his mind was wrapped in flights of fancy the telltale crackle in the air of change pulled his gaze. He’d expected another parade of demons, come to take some poor bastard's soul. It was odd that it would come during the day. Instead surprise covered his face.

  A large mound of spiritual energy clearly a point of transcendence built up into a single point. Light showered the day’s sky blocking out the light of the sun. Then all at once two large wings unfurled. The wings stretched toward the edges of the sky casting a cloud of darkness for only a moment. With a single flap they shot into the sky disappearing from sight.

  The incident left him half blind, as he tried to shake the spots from his eyes. He could already feel his communication device ringing on his hip. Clearly the handler had noticed the spike. Paladin Wood wondered what in the world could do such a thing. He was aware what should be able to do it but that location had been unresponsive.

  The transcendence location had been deemed a Queen class location. Being around since the war was a feat that most locations were not party to. Normally resolving on their own or being eliminated. During the war no one could spare the time to clear such a trivial place like this.

  “This is Paladin Wood of the 7th Battalion Five of wands reporting.”

  He spoke into the comms device. It went without saying he’d be deployed to search the location. The only Paladin within the town he was excited to be let loose. The dog of war himself made whole again. The final rider of the Pale horse.

  “Paladin Wood, we have confirmed a transcendence event near your location.”

  “Yes, Ma’am. I saw it with my own eyes. I can begin the investigation immediately.”

  The handler was a woman of some renown, one squire Lillie of the swords faction. She’d joined not long before his transfer. She was doing well and rose to the 3rd rank. Her voice was always flat and unfeeling. Paladin Wood thought it made her disarming.

  He always tried to fill his own with passion, to be a proper wand.

  “They have concluded it was a natural occurrence. Please stand down from any investigation and continue the Spirit Parade Investigation."

  At her words the communication device cracked in Paladin Woods hand. Steam rose from his whole body as he twisted and turned in place. A vile odor drifted into the air. Unassuming passers by began to gag in disgust.

  “That is unacceptable. This can not stand. That location has been dormant for 40 years. How can you say that it is within the order of the world? All must be within the sight of he who rules.”

  Anger mixed into his “passion” swimming around in his words as he talked back to the handler. Where he stood warbled with the sudden increase in spiritual pressure pushing out of his body. The mirage around him shimmered threatening to break.

  “Paladin Wood, I ask you to refrain from making decisions on your own. As a former Sword I believe you should know better than any. Calmly think through the situation …”

  Her words were cut off as the device exploded in his hand. His grip turned the leftover shards in his hand to a ball of plastic and metal. Ragged breaths escaped his lips. Panting like some wild animal he slowly calmed himself. Yes, that was the way to act as a wand.

  Accepting one's emotions and letting them consume logic. He needed to think out how they would properly consume him. Needed that step by step plan to let his emotions flow.

  He half smiled at himself as he pushed off from the post. Soaring through the air he angled to land once more on a light. His large frame looked ready to crush it. A small twirl had him land lightly. Down through the town he went until he loomed over the house. A one story home full of history. Out front a lost little lamb primed for slaughter and an ugly bag of bones.

  A crow flew by and did a once over of the area. It had been a moment behind him. The spiritual pressure being released from the crow was obvious. He was being watched.

  Paladin Wood praised himself for his profound thought of coming here. This must be no ordinary crow, maybe this was related to his task. That's how he would spin this; it was simply his task.

  Calming his desire to snatch the boy below and force him into the service. The practice was sadly repealed by the order of Pentacles. That branch had complained about the amount of clean up it involved. He settled in to watch. Excited of what the day would bring.

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  ***

  On their way to the next home Jeb probed Nate with questions. Searching for an answer to his previous mood change. Unable to pry the answer out of him they soon fell into a long silence. The rumble of the road peaking just underneath the sound of the old radio.

  With a wary eye Jeb drove the two of them to a building not far from where they had been. A more upscale residence that looked in disrepair. Nate’s first impression was that nothing was here. The spirit would have to be hiding itself within.

  Stepping out of the vehicle weapon in hand he looked back at Jeb who was all smiles. His anger grew seeing the man smile an odd burning that agitated the spirit swimming around his body. The whole ride over he’d split his time from counting his money, and fighting the unease of the work he was being made to do.

  Homes along Apple Trl were suited for those who were well off in a way that was still obtainable if one really tried. This house, as confirmed via the paper work, was a real two story. It lacked the grand windows which had adorned the prior residence but one could look past that given they’d been magic.

  Instead this home had much more going for it. Being a nearly modern building it was outfitted with state of the art solar panels that would make you money overtime. Even now if they were turned on Jeb would be making hundreds a day from just the electricity. The amenities did not stop there: a heated pool, theater room, and even a VR room. It was a dream house for most and a pauper residence for few.

  Red brick made up the outside of the building and the front door was an off white color. Jeb lowered himself from his lordly station to open the door for Nate. The lock was a finger print scanner which Nate found excessive.

  Inside the building Nate felt nothing. This building was worse for wear. It was probably slapped together like every other building built nowadays but lacked that haunted feel. True, he was not an expert but this place just didn’t speak of ghosts.

  Still he did his due diligence. Combing through the downstairs before with a bit of his own fear climbing to the second story. There was no beautiful Nun nor a child in need. He even went so far as to go into the attic. Of note was that he found some old boxes left by the prior homeowners. Nothing worth anything or with the same feeling as the bayonet.

  Stumped, he made his way back to Jeb. For a split second he thought it might be for the best he just told him he took care of the spirit. He could get away with it. Jeb didn’t have the sight. With a long heart cooling sigh he pushed the thought away. The spirit within seemed quite pleased.

  What example would he be to Teddy if he shook Jeb down for more money? He would be a rich example but a bad one. He needed to remember to be the parent that Teddy had lost.

  “Sir.”

  Jeb hadn’t taken to checking his hollow-phone while he waited. Either due to it still being lost or that he wasn’t looking to be startled again. Thus, his eyes had followed Nate all the way to the truck door.

  “How did the extermination go, Lad. Do I need to worry about any ghouls or goblins?”

  He spoke warm naturedly. It was odd to say the least. Nate felt the man lacked that fear he’d had at the first house. Even that chill that ran down anyone’s back when brushing with the afterlife was missing.

  “Well, I can’t take your money this time.”

  “Of course you can, you cleaned this place for me.”

  “No, sir. I didn’t find, hide nor hair of any spirit here. I think whoever you got your information from was wrong on this one. I’m sorry that I can’t do more.”

  Nate meant every word, he was no swindler. Even when he ran with his thugs, a promise is an agreement that is binding. He would never break his end of a deal nor use it to exploit someone. Even if that someone was Jeb.

  “Are you sure about that? Won’t change your mind later will you?”

  Jeb narrowed a single eye at Nate. The pudgy face made the whole thing disappear save for a small glint from the sun. Nate nodded with a heavy heart the loss of the money was sad. The relief of not having to deal with a spirit was fine compensation.

  “Then you pass.”

  Nate looked up at Jeb with a frown and a curled lip. Pass? Pass what? His own face grew discerning as his mind thought back to the nonchalance that Jeb had shown. Looking at the house and then back to Jeb , realization kicked in.

  “You tested me?”

  “Sorry, Lad. I just felt like I needed to know if what happened at the first one was the real deal. Glad I ain’t got to shoot you for trying to scam me.”

  His tone was jovial and good-natured. Nate figured he was being honest about shooting him. The lightness of his attitude infuriated Nate and for a second he thought about ending the man.

  [Do it.]

  In his mind came a whisper egging him on to finish the fat buffoon. His body shook with anger for a brief moment. Jeb leaned back into his seat. The fat man looked ready to bolt out of the door or to drive off in a moment's notice.

  Nate looked at his hand where blood was rushing out of the bayonet as it licked its chops to pierce the man. To rip and tear. To destroy everything and everyone. That voice had been the blade.

  He tossed the blade into the floor board. The motion startled Jeb and he nearly fell out of the truck. Nate stared at the bayonet from the open door, his face and body slowly working the anger out of him. His fishy spirit now shrunk a bit and swam with peaceful laps.

  “I think that things curse.”

  Nate was the first to take action, breaking the tension lingering in the air. Jeb looked down at the object, sweat poured from his forehead. He’d been carrying that thing around so long without knowing what it could do. Like a fountain blood began to pool at the tip and then surged out all over the floorboard.

  Blood by the gallons flowed out and then down the side of the truck. There was enough that anyone would believe a crime had been committed. It was a not stop flow powered on rage.

  “The box, quick.”

  His commanding voice pulled Jeb to his senses and he retrieved the wooden box. He was too much of a coward to even hand it over the bayonet so he tossed the box at Nate. Not expecting a box to be thrown at his head he nearly let the thing pass by him. His lithe hands swept out at the last moment catching the box as it hurdled toward the ground.

  A nasty expression on his face, he focused on the problem item. Opening the lid and praying internally he picked the bayonet up. The spirit swam quickly reacting to his intentions.

  [Kill. Kill. Cut. Slice. Stab. Blood. Blood. Blood. Blood. BLOOD.]

  It screamed in his mind as the spirit inside him wrapped around the thoughts cascading down on him like an avalanche. He felt nauseous and weak all over for a second. Then it was all gone. His hand once more empty as the blade fell into the box.

  The hand still throbbed some odd remnant of the blade's hunger. Closing the lid the pooling blood stopped. The two men looked at one another bewilderedly.

  Elsewhere their hidden observers watched with rapped attention.