Chapter 3: Survive (P3)

I hate ghosts. I mean, I don't have anything personal against them or anything but I just don't like the idea that someone I hated in life had a good chance of haunting me or just freaking stalking me. It irked me out.

Looking at the man…this ghost, I couldn't help wondering how many of his enemies he'd stalked, perhaps his killers-rightfully so, but scarier would be stalking that one woman who rejected him so long ago.

Another option would be that I was projecting, but that couldn't be it, he was likely a creep. Albeit, a dead creep that kept waving for my attention all while Sense Death was active.

Of course, I ignored him after confirming he was a ghost, but for whatever reason he kept bugging me until I couldn't see him…or maybe he still was.

"Brrh." A shiver runs down my spine at the thought as I skim through my spell list yet again, seeking an explanation. I got one.

[Sense Death.]

Allows the user to view the parallel realm of Death in ranges correlating with users proficiency and level.

That gave some explanation, but it left me with nothing to go by though. If I saw a ghost every time I used the skill, especially that creepy ghost waving and dancing around me, I wouldn't really want to use the skill and if I didn't use the skill that meant I'd be halting my journey to summoning undead ghouls to do my bidding.

I fall on my ass, groaning with my grumbling stomach. Halted progress also meant speedy starvation.

In the time I spent ignoring the ghost, I'd peeked out of the narrow path and into the rest of the cave, the bear was still pacing around, sniffing around it and quite obviously waiting for me to resurface.

Even if there were berries down there as I hope, I wouldn't be getting passed the bear and to them anytime soon if I didn't have some kind of protection. That's why I dreaded my only option; To survive I must parlay with ghosts.

[Summon Spirit]

Allows user to make an ethereal soul solid while retaining the various abilities or a lingering soul.

-Possession.

-Levitation.

-Communing with the Dead.

[Spell duration correlates with users proficiency and level.]

I could cast Sense Death and Summon spirit one after the other because of my larger than usual start at a mana pool.

If I could subjugate the creepy ghost and have him possess the bear, I could go on ahead with my initial plan when I chose Necromancy. I could slaughter the bear with my rusty short sword or I could hold it in place long enough to run past it to get the berries.

And all I had to do was get over my disgust.

Which was relatively easy to do given it stood in the way of my next meal. "Sense Death." I call, silently admitting I'd never get sick of the rush of mana casting a spell gave me.

My eyes clear up and the man comes into view. He was sitting by his bones, looking like something was eating him up inside.

I smile faintly as I direct a separate portion of mana to my hands and call out the next spell, "Summon Spirit." The blue changes to a sickly green and I lazily toss the ball of mana at the ghost, by now I have his attention and he was looking curious.

The ball doesn't touch the ground, instead it's sucked into him with vigour. He jerks as my mana fills up his ethereal body, giving him colour and making him solid.

"Wow…" he gasps. I smile at my success; I can hear him now.

"Hey."

"Hey…" he says back, staring at his own waving hand, "You made me solid. You can see me. Wait, you've always seen me, haven't you?"

I don't amuse his questions instead I got straight to the point as my stomach did with me on a constant. "I need your help."

"The names Anselm-" he offers a strong, lively handshake, "-it's very nice to meet you Wizard, I want to say Vexier the Great?"

"Call me Asher." I huff, getting impatient. The spell only lasted two minutes, no more no less and I was wasting time. I pick up my- or perhaps his- sword and wave it around a bit. "Again, Anselm, I need your help."

He chuckled, still feeling himself up with amazement, "Heh, anything you need Asher the Great."

"Just Asher please." Usually I wouldn't mind anyone calling me great, I mean, I was, but it just felt weird this time. "Now I need you to possess a bear, Anselm. Can you do that?"

He pauses, looking away from himself at last. Except he didn't have the ready to work look I wanted. "A bear? I just came back to life! I'm not going near that bear."

"What? You're not alive."

The shock that washes over his face makes me realize spitting that truth in his face with no remorse or shred of concern would only make it harder for me to get what I wanted so very badly.

"What do you mean I'm not alive?" he chuckles faintly, watching me with a twitching eye and a foot out and ready to sprint.

I take in a deep, exhausting breath. Why was I even still alive myself? "I can't bring you back to life yet…" I trail off wondering if I was really going to lie to possibly the only help, I could get right now This wasn't my fault though.

How could you be so dumb you don't even realize you're dead and then make a fuss about it when you're told you are!

His eyes shifted about me and the cave even more warily than before. I swallow down the little of my saliva and prepare my tongue to lie the best it could to him, not like he could do anything to me when he figured out, I wasn't actually going to do all I say I am.

"I just summoned your spirit from the spiritual realm-"

"Spirit world." He says still regarding me with a cold gaze.

"What?"

"It's called the spirit world. Spiritual realm just sounds dumb."

Look who's talking!

"Fine whatever, I summoned you from the spirit world and if you want to get resurrected for real, you'll want to help me."

"And what proof do you have? How am I sure you don't just want me to believe I'm dead so you can use me for hard labour or-" he gags a bit, his face scrunching up as he voices his thoughts, "Lecherous things."

I force down the vomit that threatens to erupt at the thought of doing such with him. Although, the hard labour did give me another brilliant idea.

I wave my hands and smile, hiding my long-term intentions for his soul. "No, you've got it all wrong. I am not lecher, but if you want proof that you are a spirit, just wait a few more seconds and you'll get it."

"A few more seconds? For wha-!" With brilliant timing, adding great effect to my point, the mana filling him up is exhausted and his transparency is returned with full force. Sense Death had expired as well so I couldn't hear him anymore either.

I force down the grin I feel threatening to burst out and I activate Sense Death again. I watch him, floating about again, looking thoroughly confused and upset. He looks at me and I smile lightly at him and wave. He begins talking, rapidly too, if the way his lips moved was any indication.

"Ah ah ah!" I press a finger to my lips and he shuts up, "I can't hear you right now but you can hear me clearly, can't you?" He begins to say something but then it hits him so he nods instead. Good, I was making some progress after all.

"I'll make you solid again, but only if you help me with what I need, and I mean immediately or else I'll look for some other spirit to resurrect." He nods hastily, the idea of losing his second go at life so frightening he falls to his knees, albeit in air and kowtows.

I watch him for a bit, purposely giving the impression that I was contemplating resurrecting some other unfortunate soul.

After a bit of fear stewing in his eyes and undoubtedly his stomach, I call out the spell and my mana yet again seeps into him, turning him solid.

Unfortunately, he was in air when this happened. "Thank you! Great Asher. Thank you!" he cries, crawling to my feet and laying kisses on it. Needless to say, it irks me.

"Enough," I pull my feet away and head out for the narrow passage, "It's time to go to work."