“Oh, my god Nate are you OK? The doctors didn’t let me see you all day! Said you weren't fit to see anyone. How did your face get all beat up? Who’s your friend? Did you eat yet? Look, I found a recipe that the kitchen said they would make. It’s from Italy.”

  Not a minute had passed between when Nate had reached his hospital room and crashed onto the bed did Allison pop in. She’d been sulking from the last round of beratements delivered by Dr.Mei. The few days of silence had been a wonderful treat. All of the annoyance not with holding, it was a welcome sight to be visited by someone normal.

  His days were now being filled with ghosts, monsters, and necromancers. The singular normal person within this sphere of influence, she looked more fragile then before. It wasn’t just the way he looked at her, pale flesh, and slightly darkened eyes. Nate was growing closer to death, knowing it intimately. It seemed to radiate off her with an aura.

  Karah hadn’t gotten a break from being befuddled. Having that keen sixth sense she could feel it too. If it was a normal sickness she had told the girl to fuck off. This apparently was not one as she kept quiet. Nate knew there was more but didn’t push it.

  “You're asking too many questions.”

  “Just answer all of them.”

  He contemplated her for a moment. The gaze made her shift around in her seat. They were all still teenagers, at least Nate and Allison were. Given Karah wasn’t human Nate was unsure where she really fell. He decided to ask his own question.

  “How are you feeling?”

  “Fine, dandy. Are you alright?”

  “No, I really want to know. How are you feeling?”

  Allison’s face froze the excitement masking her sickness cracking. It was the look she would give the doctors. Karah looked between the two of them and stood. The motion cutting into the conversation.

  “I’m using your shower.”

  The two of them were left alone. Allison seemed to ease. They had only known each other a week and she didn’t have to tell him anything. Nate just let the time tick away. Their conversation with the doctors was on hold till after Allison left, and Karah in the shower meant it wasn’t happening anytime soon.

  “I’ve got one of those weird diseases. The ones that have spread after the bombs fell. I don’t like talking about it.”

  “That's fine. I was just worried.”

  “Thanks, you know I felt like I was going to go crazy here. After all these years they think I’ll only be here at most a few months. Isn’t that great, it will all be over. Just have to go through the last of it. With you around it hasn’t been as bad.”

  “Having you here to distract me has helped as well.”

  “I’m glad. Can you introduce me to your friend? If it's ok?”

  “Yeah, of course.”

  They never got back to the conversation with the doctors. Allison, Karah, and Nate spent the afternoon talking. He forewarned Allison of Karah’s double personality, and scolded Karah to be nice. Laughter filled the room that evening. Allison and Karah hit it off once she learned about her motorcycle travels.

  The stories were sometimes bland and other times filled with a passion for the wind through your hair and road at your back. The time slipped away and Allison seemed to brighten. It was astonishing what one good conversation can do to a person. Around nine she fell asleep on the couch. Snuggled up with Karah looking at photos of her travels.

  “I’ll take her to the room.”

  “Thank you.”

  Karah scooped the girl up. Even without her super strength she’d have done so easily. Light as a feather and oh so frail. Karah grimaced at the girl. Her weakness was so apparent, so clear. Contempt swam around with the good feeling she’d had with the pestering girl.

  As she laid her down a singular figure formed in the corner of Nate’s room. Robust and wearing a suit. A troubled smile spread across Wayne’s face. He’d been kind enough to postpone his arrival after viewing them having fun. Time was of the essence but they were young. Also Nate’s injury would have prevented them from leaving.

  “Teacher, I have successfully gained another contract. Did you bring what we discussed?”

  “I would have forgotten if I didn’t take some time before coming. I use it so little now that it was nearly swallowed up by a trash goblin. Dang things can't keep to their own workshop. Here.”

  Nate received the smooth circular disc. As most things he might encounter from the store rooms of the Grandmaster it had a clock face on the front. The numbers ran from one through twelve. Around the size of his palm, it was cool to the touch and decorated with golden trimmings.

  “With this you should be able to grade out anything below grade six. The Grandmaster says it once worked all the way to twelve but someone broke it. Don’t worry if you last long enough you’ll not even need the thing.”

  “Thank you teacher.”

  “It’s what I'm supposed to do.”

  Wayne didn’t want to give it away but he felt a surge of pride as he rubbed his nose. He was definitely impressed with his student. The Grandmaster surely wouldn’t miss something as simple as the measurement device. His face grew serious once more.

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  “I’ve got our transport secured. Are you ready to head to the store? You can rest as we travel.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Karah laid Allison down in the bed. Her lulling head had let slip a long strand of drool which now clung to her helper's arm. She gazed at the sad excuse of a human. Hand reaching down she hesitated around her neck. Ending her life here, after all the excitement, it would be a gift. A mercy if she’d ever been given one.

  As she hovered on the thought the girl shifted around in bed. Pain streaked across her face as she squirmed. The sheets balled up inside her fists. She was fighting the pain, fighting her sickness. Karah walked into the room nearly running into Nate. He was in a state of undress gingerly putting his shirt on.

  Wayne had brought in an old set of clothing. It barely fit Nate’s oversized muscular body. It was laughable to Karah how he could look like that and still couldn’t take her. Baffling only because she was raised like a human. She stepped forward ready to help him into the sleeve.

  Lights sparkled at his back as a girl now wearing a country style blue dress appeared. It went well with her white fur. That playful fox-like grin spread across her face. Taking the button up in her hands she helped him into the shirt. Karah would have pounced on her if Nate wasn’t in the way.

  “So we are to go get more family?”

  She spoke happily, her one tracked mind pissing Karah off even more. Wayne watched with mild amusement at their antics. The spirit that had appeared surprised him. Its energy felt much higher than had been speculated.

  “Yeah, also do you mind testing your grade with this.”

  Buttoning the shirt with his left hand he held out the disk to Lupita. With a grin she reached for the object. Swift as lightning Karah snatched the object. The wolf had no way to keep up with her if she wasn’t ready. Dealing out a victorious gaze Karah sat heavily on the couch.

  “I’ll go first. Want the good news first don’t you?”

  “Have it your way.”

  Karah stared at the thing for a long time before sheepishly looking up at Nate. A clear sign saying please help me not be embarrassed. Her budding rivalry with Lupita wasn’t ideal but he’d support her none the less.

  “I forgot, I have to help guide the monster's souls to reach it. Totally my bad.”

  This was not the case. Both the necromancers in the room were aware, with Lupita simply suspecting it was so. Still Nate did assist her. It was good practice for him. Reaching out to his connection with her, it had more and more begun to resemble the room within the spirit house. Pushing energy into the room he willed her spirit to invigorate. The resulting pulse within her caused the spirit energy to get sucked into the device.

  Slowly it ticked forward. The agonizing pace was only felt by Karah. She needed to be better, needed to be strong. It passed the first number, this was a given in her mind. It started to slow at the second sweat forming on her body. Feeling around for that same feeling Nate had extracted she fed it once more. Energy rumbled into it and stampeded the hand to a stop.

  “Grade three. It's impressive to find a monster of such quality Nate. She is as of yet to awaken her magic. I can see a grade four or higher to come.”

  At the man’s words her triumphant smile returned. In her mind there was no way that lousy mutt would be as strong as her. Even if she was, what potential could a ghost have? Nate received the grader and offered it to Lupita.

  “You don’t have to take the test if you don’t want.”

  “It is fine. I must know my strength and how far I must go to be strong enough for our family.”

  The way she said “OUR” was off putting to Karah. Hair stuck up straight on the back of her neck and goose bumps covered her arms. She was determined never to like this girl. The item fell into her hand. A soft glow emanated straight into the device.

  It turned quickly this time. Not a wasted second for this grading. It hit the third number and stopped teetering on the edge of going over to the fourth. Karah’s mouth fell open. This thing had said this week as paper wolf was her equal.

  “You did great Lupita. I’m proud of you.”

  “Thank you Nate.”

  “All set to take off sir.”

  “Take this and wear it. Those clothes all have minor wards to obscure your level, something similar to those you’ll find at the academy. The design can’t match up to theirs but it’ll have to do. This on the other hand will protect you.”

  Nate gratefully received the necklace from his teacher. A real sense of respect was forming within him, as well as an urge to pay the man back. It had been a long time since he’d been taken care of in such a manner. Donning the necklace he was ready to take off.

  “Thank you teacher.”

  Just as they were ready to leave Nate picked up his blood covered pants. Inside was a wad of cash handed over by Jeb at the start of the day's battle. If they were going to a store twenty thousand might come in handy. Fiddling around the pockets he pulled out a small red marble.

  “Where did you get that?”

  Nate froze as his teacher's voice was harsh and piercing. Cash in one hand and the red eye in the other. It was obvious which he was asking about. He offered the eye to the man. A swift hand took it. The teacher covered it with a black satin cloth.

  “It was in Lupita’s house after the spiritual world receded into her body.”

  “A Peacock eye.”

  “A bird sir?”

  “Sorry, no. It’s the eye of Argus Panoptes. In Greek myth he was a watchman for the gods. It might be another Necromancer but our enemy is recreating another Greek myth. I’ll take this just to be safe.”

  Far off hidden amongst the town's collection of homes. In the darkened halls of a house a single image appeared before being cut off. A room with two men one obviously older than the other. A small girl who had a visible frown line and the last a soft wolf girl. For an instant he had seen everything and he knew where they were.

  “So you have been hiding away within the hospital? I am surprised that people as great as you would work with a Pseudo-Necromancer like White. The man is beyond any help. Still thinks he's going to overcome the gap. What a fool.”

  Laid out in a garage was the overgrown body of the behemoth. Curled into a tight ball it rocked back and forth softly. A magic circle under the beast ridding the ground of its shaking and noise. The hooded figure stepped close and presented the hand mirror with the image.

  “Look Hercules. Don’t you see our next victims. We won’t have to wait on my pet to take care of them. Just you’d be enough, don't you think?”

  Looking over at the image the beast's eyes grew wide. Anger surged across its face and a large hand swung out at the Necro. With a boom it hit an invisible barrier. Ripples cascaded out from the impact but not a hair was moved from the Necro’s head.

  “Still in need of discipline, I see. Well, no matter. Working you over for a few days will be just fine. I’ll have you killing them in no time.”

  He grabbed out a cattle prod. Tapping the button, electricity arched between the prongs. Hercules curled into a ball once more protecting his face. Tears streamed down forming a small puddle. The energy arched through him as he writhed once more on the ground. The feeling becomes engrained after hundreds of times.

  “Yes, I’ll get you whipped into shape.”