A shuddering wail tore into the still air, making Evantra’s vision tremble. She watched as the red haze around them darkened. Droplets of blood slowly began to rise from the corpses of the Veilcreatures splayed out around the road, converging into the sky above them. The shifting leaves of the oak above them rose into a crescendo as winds howled through desolate streets.

  Evantra felt a familiar chill wash over her skin, the hair on her forearms rising.

  Ghost.

  Her eyes roved their surroundings, even as the Ghostslayer and Demeteria’s operatives made for the Veilsurge. She watched as Jack helped prop up one of the Demeteria’s operatives who looked to have sustained some serious injuries. The Ghostslayer was helping him towards the tear in reality before he turned in his path back towards them.

  “Oi you two! Get in here,” Jack yelled, before helping the groaning man through the portal.

  Evantra felt a sensation burrow under her skin. The overwhelming temptation to stay and fight. The instinctive response to the fear she had drilled into herself every day since the day she had lost her parents.

  The day she ran.

  Evantra gritted her teeth, recalling Noelle’s words to her. The talk they had had after the memorial for Wisptown, when they first settled into their new home.

  Don’t be stupid, Evantra. Remember what Noelle said when we first moved to Bastion.

  Evantra forced every fibre of her being into submission, turning around back towards the Veilsurge.

  “NINA!”

  Evantra heard Ade let out an agonising cry. While they had been paralysed by the ghost’s scream, another yaoguai – this one taking the form of a large crane – descended upon the courtyard, picking up a small figure hidden in the bushes with its talons. It rose, with Nina, Ade’s little sister in its grip, trying desperately to free herself.

  Evantra cursed, knowing that any attempt to gun it down could endanger the little girl in its claws. He must have found a way to slip away from Cindy and back to the Veilsurge.

  “Ade, wait!”

  Evantra quickly halted the other man, who was limping from the gash in his thigh. There were tears in his eyes, and Evantra could relate to the gut-wrenching feeling that he was experiencing, seeing a loved one taken away by veilcreatures.

  It reminded her of the veilsurge back in Wisptown which started it all. Lucas, slipping out of her grip, at the mercy of the huge teethling swarm.

  “I’ll get her, alright? You’re in no condition to help. Go back to the College. Get Jack.”

  Seeing the man ignore her, Evantra’s hand curled around his arm.

  “Right now, you’re just going to be a liability. Go get help.”

  They watched the crane ascend over the row of buildings, bordering the street. Ade nodded to Evantra, his face pale as he winced from the pain of the gash in his leg. When she watched the man run back towards the Veilsurge she felt—

  Relief.

  Knowing that this time, she would have a justification for her actions. That she wouldn’t have to run, because she couldn’t.

  Evantra ran into the closest high-rise building, climbing up the rubble and attempting to cut directly through it to the next street. If she tried to go around, following the road, she had no doubt that she would lose the yaoguai.

  Arriving at the other side of the high-rise building, she set up behind a collapsed wall that obfuscated her silhouette from the veilcreatures. She adopted a prone position and activating [darkvision] to dispel the darkness.

  The courtyard beyond her was a deathzone. What had once been a small park bordered by high rise buildings had devolved into a land of blood. Pustules filled the air beyond her, rising far into the sky above. Lumberers walked idly down the streets, with drinkers scrambling to avoid their footsteps as they darted to and fro. Other, more unfamiliar forms of bloodspawn were also present. Evantra noticed what looked like a bipedal creature with long tendrils dripping from the shape that she assumed was its head.

  Then there were the yaoguai. There were other boar yaoguai about, dressed similarly to the creature Ade had battled. They were equipped with different forms of medieval weaponry – spears, swords, large hammers and shields. She noticed other yaoguai which took the form of other animals she recognised – one prominent one dressed in flowing yellow robes stained black with blood, with the head of a wolf. It wielded a large double-bladed spear that was taller than she was.

  All of them possessed the familiar tumour that Evantra had glimpsed on the boar yaoguai prior, located on various parts of their bodies.

  And at the heart of the congregation—

  “What the hell is that?” she whispered.

  A large tree dominated the scene. Roots spiralled out of the ground, extending in every direction and reaching the very ends of the park, before intruding into the streets and buildings beyond. The surface of the trunk and its roots were covered in pulsing black veins. Bulbous red fruit was visible across its branches, that had now extended high enough into the sky that the tree was approximately half the size of the high rise building she was standing in. She could see something pulsing beneath the thick bark of the wood – causing the outer structure of the tree to strain with each pulse.

  She still could see the crane yaoguai circling above the tree with Nina in its grip. It looked to be poised to land at the foot of the tree, in the midst of the swarm of bloodspawn and yaoguai.

  She looked limp, like she was… unconscious.

  Evantra felt a familiar feeling take root in her heart.

  The helplessness of seeing a threat so far beyond her that surmounting it was impossible. Caliburn, with their personnel, tech and resources that left her fate entirely at her mercy. The revenants that had defeated the megacorporation, carving through her mentor and the other Ghostslayers with irreverent ease.

  The same feeling that drove her to run towards ghosts. The ugly, writhing feeling that whispered softly into her ears, reminding her that for all the ‘potential’ she possessed, she was still weak.

  “Oi Dora.”

  Evantra jolted, hefting her backpack and turning towards the familiar voice from behind her. Gleaming yellow eyes blinked in the darkness, and Evantra watched as the Ghostslayer strode forwards with a grin.

  “Know how to handle a sniper rifle?”

  His sizeable forearms were open, which made Evantra realised that they had been cybernetics all along. Two long, gleaming orange blades burned with heat, extending downwards past his forearms from the recess within. The Ghostslayer threw a rifle towards her. Evantra caught it, recognising the familiar model.

  Jack winked, seemingly detecting the concern in Evantra’s expression.

  “She’ll be right, mate.”

  Then he leapt.

  Evantra’s eyes widened as the Ghostslayer landed. The ground beneath him buckled under his weight, concrete pavement shattering as he leapt forwards in a blur. Glowing orange blades swung like the scythes of the reaper, carving through the torsos and skulls of oncoming drinkers that immediately reacted to his presence.

  In his hands, the Ghostslayer’s twin pistols flashed, his flurry of shots landing in the pustules above his head. Evantra watched as pustule after pustule exploded, sending a hail of blood spikes through the streets and park in a chain reaction. Jack effortlessly ripped a car door from its housing, using it as a makeshift shield to block the spikes, before hurtling himself through the lines of bloodspawn like a battering ram.

  Evantra eyed the crane circling above, sighting it with her Izanami Veilseeker, the same sniper rifle she had used during her time with Caliburn.

  While the crane yaoguai had been planning to land in the area bordering the large, pulsing tree – it now seemed wary given Jack’s advance. Seeing the man’s skill, she had every confidence that he far exceeded every Ghostslayer that she had previously set eyes on in both skill and sheer firepower. But if she could make his job just the teeniest bit easier, she sure as hell would.

  [Stonerooted]

  Evantra activated her skill for a split second, eliminating her weapon sway before depressing the trigger. She watched in a mixture of satisfaction and relief as her bullet impacted its torso, a distance away from where Nina was held in its talons. Rather than releasing its prize, it slowly began to descend due to the wound she inflicted, just as Evantra intended.

  Evantra stared with a mixture of horror and awe at the speed at which Jack was clearing through the waves of creatures. He was like one man army – systematically cleaving and gunning down any bloodspawn that dared to face him. Wherever he walked, he left corpses in his wake. His reaction times were so fast that Evantra suspected that he had received a top-of-the-line implant to boost his processing power and an upgrade to his nervous system to make sure that his intent was translated effectively into motion.

  Evantra provided him with support, targeting the yaoguai a distance away that were steadily making their way towards him. First, she took out the wolf yaoguai – placing a shot through its skull, causing it to slump to the ground. The other yaoguai immediately took notice of her presence – and a pair of boar yaoguai began bounding in the rough direction of her vantage point.

  Shit.

  Evantra bit her lip as she watched the crane slowly descend. Jack was steadily making his way through it, making the entire ordeal seem like a literal walk in the park. If anything, she was more wary of the yaoguai that were approaching her position in an attempt to sniff her out.

  Stolen novel; please report.

  “Come on…”

  She held her breath, finger on the trigger, waiting for the crane to reach the appropriate height before she risked the shot. But before she could react, the ground beneath Jack’s feet erupted as a gigantic root erupted from the ground, lashing towards the crane yaoguai and Nina.

  Jack rapidly set his pack down, pulling out two metallic components from within. The motion was so quick that it was almost like he had been anticipating the sudden movement. Putting the metallic pieces together, he rapidly assembled a weapon that looked like a rocket launcher. He almost contemptuously swatted away the bloodspawn with an armblade, before raising the enormous weapon in the direction of the root towering above him.

  The air flashed with thousands of superheated pellets as the shotgun turret he had assembled carved through the root. Evantra gaped as a haze of blood erupted from the pellets’ path. Rather than being comprised of bark upon her first inspection, it looked like the body of the tree had morphed into something closer to flesh.

  Jack directed a precise round into the crane yaoguai’s skull, before snatching Nina out of the air with an augmented leap and grace that put even Guinevere or Lancelot to shame.

  Jack began to retreat to her vantage point.

  But Evantra knew that the yaoguai would reach her before he made it.

  She crouched out of sight, hearing the shift of rubble as the creatures began to climb the building to reach the floor she was on. The pair of yaoguai sniffed the air, eyes passing over mound upon mound of stone and dust, searing for their prey—

  The small boulder behind them shifted, and Evantra drove her [razor claws] into the base of each yaoguai’s skull. The bodies of the creatures locked up, before they fell to the ground inert. Turning rapidly around, Evantra let out a sigh of relief when she realised that Jack’s attention was still directed at the oncoming veilcreatures.

  “Nice implant. The claws,” Jack when he arrived. Evantra froze, realising that Jack had given the yaoguai a passing glance to discover their cause of death. He was cradling Nina over one of his shoulders, his other arm extended as he put round after round into the scattered drinkers that were pursuing him.

  But Evantra knew that Jack’s cybernetic yellow eyes weren’t fixed on the veilcreatures. Neither were they fixed on the flesh tree at the heart of the park, the ground around it beginning to split as more and more roots emerged.

  He was looking to the skies.

  Another wail was cut through the air, and this time, Evantra felt like her heart had stuttered to a stop for a second, a wave of pins and needles washing through her body. She could glimpse a dark red silhouette curving through the black thunderclouds coloured maroon by its approach.

  “Let’s get out of here.”

  ***

  A while later, they were seated at the fountain’s edge in the central courtyard of Rosewood College. The only injuries Nina had sustained were the cuts and serrations from being carried in the crane yaoguai’s talons towards the tree.

  In fact, upon awakening, she seemed disappointed at the fact that she hadn’t maintained consciousness, because she 'wanted to fight the veilcreatures'. Upon seeing his sister in good spirits and appropriately admonishing her, Ade left her with their mother, before returning to where Jack and Evantra were seated by the fountain. The young man constantly thanked the Ghostslayer, who only laughed and patted him on the back, waving away his appreciation.

  Jack himself was unblemished, managing to miraculously avoid all injury. The presence of the spectre was still at the forefront of her mind. Evantra was certain that they had only narrowly managed to evade it. Any longer, and they might have come face to face with the ghost.

  He had spared them some stims, one of which Evantra had used to close up the wound that the drinker had inflicted on her forearm, the gash across Ade’s leg and the injuries Nina had sustained.

  “Jack… how did you know we wanted to be Ghostslayers?”

  Jack grinned at Ade’s question.

  “Aussie intuition. Never failed me at the footy.”

  They stared blankly at the man as he chuckled. There was a momentary tinge of sadness visible in his bright, yellow eyes which disappeared as soon as it appeared. Jack smiled, directing a light punch at Ade’s shoulder.

  “Nah, I’m fucking with you, mate. I’ve seen you around downstairs. Besides, I checked the footage on my way over.”

  Jack grinned at Ade.

  “You went at the Veilcunts like you were after their blood with those fists of yours.”

  “As for you,” Jack said, turning to Evantra. “Saw you avoid the pustules. Any newbie would have taken pot shots at em. The big, fleshy horrors that they are, they’re begging to be popped. Besides, it’s not every day you see someone with a shotgun and backpack looking like Dora the fucking explora clearing out Veilcreatures.”

  Evantra coughed, adjusting her backpack and trying not to look as embarrassed as she was reminded of the reason underpinning the Aussie Ghostslayer’s nickname for her.

  “That’s kinda rich, coming from you,” Evantra said, gesturing towards Jack’s own backpack filled to the brim with weaponry.

  “Nice one,” he grinned in response, extending a fist which she bumped in amusement.

  “That was a spectre?” Ade said, shuddering as he cast a quick glance back at the Veilsurge. Demeteria had secured it, and seeing as they’d cleared out the Veilcreatures, they expected that it would dissipate in a couple of hours.

  “A tough bugger.” Jack spat to the side. “Spectres will twist the Veilcunts they inhabit into monstrosities beyond their natural form. The results ain’t pretty. What you end up with is anyone’s guess. That one likely got a hold of a bloodspawn – a powerful one in the skies. But if you think that’s the worst they come, you haven’t been to Japan,” he chuckled.

  “So…” Evantra continued. “The veilcreatures and the ghost were working together?”

  “Nah, mate. That little courtyard of bloodspawn was probably that spectre’s next meal!”

  Evantra and Ade exchanged a glance before turning back to Jack.

  “The spectre likely sniffed them out. Ghosts like to consume the living – be it veilcreatures or humans. Careful, they’ll suck the souls right out of ya,” Jack said with a grin.

  “And what about that… tree?”

  “Ah, yeah. A treant, probably from the Hanging Gardens. Bloodspawn can infect creatures like parasites. The treant looked infested to hell and back. Now the bloodspawn? They work symbiotically together. The crane was bringing Nina over to the tree to become its next meal.”

  “So… let me get this straight. Bloodspawn are like parasites. Then… the yaoguai we saw—”

  “Also from the bloody halls of Shangri-la. The same mythic realm as the bloodspawn.”

  “But… they look utterly different?”

  Jack nodded.

  “Rumour has it that the bloodspawn infested their world, and now they’re pouring into ours.”

  Evantra and Ade exchanged a silent glance.

  “Then… are there any yaoguai that aren’t infected? Are they sentient?”

  “If there are… we haven’t found them,” Jack shook his head with a grimace.

  The Ghostslayer slapped his thighs before standing to his feet.

  “Pair of ya should check in with the guild, get enrolled with the academy in Elsecaller City.”

  Evantra watched Ade’s shoulders sink imperceptibly, the cheerful look on his expression fading.

  “You’ve both got potential. Don’t let it get in your head that there aren’t legends out there that are organics like you two. Well… for the most part,” he said with a wink at Evantra. “It’s always the humble ones you should keep an eye out for,” Jack clapped them on the back, before heading towards Demeteria’s operatives.

  “He’s quite something… isn’t he?”

  Evantra smiled, nodding in agreement as they watched the Ghostslayer depart. The image of the Ghostslayer carving through waves of bloodspawn like a whirlwind of destruction had been burned into her mind.

  A goal for her to reach.

  Ade grinned, sticking out a hand which she gladly accepted.

  “Thanks. You saved that little idiot’s life too. Say… you ever met an Australian before?”

  Evantra shook her head, pausing to reflect.

  “Can’t say that I have… I guess it’s unsurprising, huh?” Evantra said, scratching the back of her neck.

  “It is.”

  Evantra and Ade jolted at the sudden whisper that emerged from behind them. They spun to find Cindy, Jack’s assistant, with her hands outstretched to them, holding two business cards.

  “If you hear about any Veilsurges leading to Australia, please contact us. You’ll be rewarded for your efforts.”

  “U-uh, sure.”

  They watched as Cindy rose, pushing her pair of sleek, black glasses up her nose bridge. Without so much as another word or glance, she walked back to where Jack and Demeteria’s operatives were standing. Evantra got the impression that Cindy was quite defensive of her Ghostslayer, as powerful as he was.

  Evantra watched as Ade ran his fingers through his dreadlocks, letting out a long sigh. With the departure of Jack and Demeteria’s operatives, he finally seemed to relax – a sentiment that Evantra could share.

  “So that’s his game,” Ade mumbled under his breath. “He’s looking for a way into Australia. He seems like a nice guy, I hope he finds it,” Ade said, pausing to shake his head.

  For all of his humour… I could sense an undertone of sadness.

  It’s clear that he’s proud of his heritage. Jack mentioned it whenever he had the opportunity.

  He must miss his home.

  But... That’s strange. Australia was lost in 2170. It’s been eighty years since then. He spoke as if he’d lived there.

  Then Ade relaxed, shooting a grin at Evantra.

  “But enough of that, think we’ll have a better shot at a scholarship after our “performance”? Saw your family scoping out the school as well.”

  Evantra shrugged.

  “Would be dumb not to give it a shot. Trying to get your sister admitted?”

  Ade grinned at the mention of his little sister. The same girl who had fearlessly lured the drinkers to where had been lying in wait for them. The whole time, she looked like she had been enjoying the experience.

  “I’ll take bets on how many days it’ll take before Nina gets herself kicked out. I’ll give the wild one two and a half days before she causes the next disaster and almost blows up the school.”

  Ade seemed to frown with concern, his thoughts running away with themselves.

  “Or maybe they’ll put her on the enforcer track, and she’ll become the next slayer to reach the ghost ranks.”

  “Both possibilities equally likely and just as terrifying, huh?” Evantra said, laughing as the troubled expression on Ade’s face only deepened.

  “Thanks for your help back there, by the way. It’s not often that you see someone that confident at throwing themselves at the Veil,” Ade said with a nod to her.

  “Speak for yourself? You saw that yaoguai and thought you’d throw yourself at it with your fists?” Evantra said, as she raised a dubious eyebrow. “Haven’t seen that strategy before, to be honest with you.”

  Ade frowned at her in genuine concern.

  “You mean to tell me there are problems I can’t solve with my fists?”

  Evantra frowned in response, giving the question the serious consideration it deserved.

  “No, you’re right.”

  They nodded in solemn agreement, having mutually arrived at the crucial conclusion—

  Fists were the way.

  Then, Ade seemed to hesitate, as if recalling something.

  “Was Jack right about you wanting to join the academy as well? Haven’t found many organics too keen on the prospect,” Ade sheepishly scratched his head.

  Choices, choices.

  Where do you draw the line between trust and idiocy, Mills.

  “I’ve… considered it. Haven’t made any concrete plans, though. Still have a long way to go before we can save up for the move and admission fee. How about you?”

  “Just the same on my end. Coach loves to find an excuse to quote my idiotic dreams right back to me whenever I’m knocked on my back in the ring,” Ade said, beaming at her, “so it’s nice to find someone similarly delusional.”

  Ade rose to his feet with a groan, gingerly massaging the thigh which had sustained the deep gash. Courtesy of Jack’s stim, there was hardly a mark left to signify its presence.

  “If you’re keen on some close combat training, you’re welcome to join us at the Training Grounds. If you’re interested in joining the Academy, I’m sure you’ve heard of it. We’re down in the lower sector, just ask around for the Delulu Dreamer,” Ade said, with an even, serious expression.

  “You’re messing with me.”

  “Came up with it myself,” he grinned. He extended an arm, and Evantra returned his with a fist bump, shaking her head at the exchange. Her eyes lingered on Ade’s back as Jack’s words returned to her.

  She recalled how Ade had fearlessly advanced to meet the yaoguai, heedless of the fact that its spear had sent them collectively hurtling back when it called the wind to heel. Dancing at the edge of death as he avoided its slashes, keeping it occupied and allowing them to gain a foothold against the bloodspawn.

  It’s the humble ones that you have to watch out for, indeed.

  Evantra turned her attention inwards, bringing up her interface.

  Ghostslayer Rank: Ghoul (Level 9)

  Catalyst: Darkstalker (level 1)

  · [Razor claws]

  · [Darkvision]

  · [Clot acceleration]

  Catalyst: Ionian Mimic (level 5)

  · [Conceal]

  · [Object mimicry]

  · [Stonerooted]

  Reserve catalysts:

  · Mistheart (Level 8)

  · Nimue’s Rose (Level 8)

  Rituals:

  · [Ritual of consumption]

  · [Ritual of Veilsight]

  · [Ritual of concealment]

  Veilsouls: 1,195

  Evantra focused, slowly easing out the Ionian Mimic catalyst. It felt like gingerly pulling out something lodged deep within her heart. Rushing it felt like it would make for a quick trip back to St Raphael’s, and Evantra was determined never to cross Doctor Isabella Chen’s path again if she had a say in it.

  All that was left was to check the skill she had gained.

  The same skill, tied to the very latest catalyst she had gained.

  A gift from a ghost.

  Patreon.