[Ritual of Veilsight]

  Evantra itched to try the ritual, but between leaving the hospital and returning home to Wisptown from Bastion – the outskirts – she hadn’t exactly had the opportunity to do so. She would have to wait a little longer. Besides, there were other matters to be dealt with.

  Evantra sat across from Carmen, the older woman’s face drawn by the tension of recent events. The basement of the church was bare, containing a meagre collection of dusty furniture.

  A single, dim, flickering light hung over the modest dining table where they were seated.

  “So, Noelle’s staying with us?”

  Noelle had taken up “temporary” residence in one of the spare rooms on the second floor of the church. It was bare, containing a kitchen, the dining area, a few bedrooms and the door to the veranda overlooking Elsecaller City.

  The dark circles under Noelle's eyes had only grown more pronounced since their return from the hospital she had been admitted into in the outskirt town of Bastion. The girl had flinched whenever Evantra met her gaze, to her confusion and mild impatience.

  Underneath it all, Evantra could sense a level of frustration within herself. Perhaps it was the way that Carmen coddled the girl, soothing her and trying to provide Noelle with reassurance on the ride back. It certainly wasn’t jealousy that underpinned it.

  “You’re fine with letting a total stranger waltz into my home?”

  Carmen’s face twisted into a grimace at the ice in Evantra’s tone. Then she watched the woman’s expression harden as she met her gaze unflinchingly.

  “Do not use that tone with me young lad—”

  “You do not use that appeal to authority crap with me, Carmen. We know nothing about her, and yet you’ve invited her to live under my roof?”

  Carmen let out a short sigh, averting her eyes.

  “She’s having trouble with her landlord, Evantra. Apparently, he’s practically kicked her out of the apartment she’s renting, and she doesn’t have a place to stay. Besides, Noelle’s a good person, you should learn to trust—”

  “Don’t pull that trust bullshi— crap with me. All that I know about her, is that she’s full of hot air, all talk and has no substance when it comes down to the bottom line. Just like practically everyone else in this town.”

  Carmen’s face fell, but eventually, she gave Evantra a level nod.

  “I understand why you would think that. She told me what happened down there. Still, Eva. I really believe she’s got a good heart. Do you trust me?”

  Evantra rolled her eyes in exasperation.

  “Oh, don’t start. I trust you. You and Millie are the only people in this stupid town that I would trust to ever have my back. But that’s for a reason. You come through, but not everybody does,” Evantra shook her head in exasperation as the woman watched on.

  “I trust you, but I don’t trust your judgment of people. You and Millie are both the same; you’re too trusting. I’m perfectly capable of trusting people! As long as they give me a reason to do so. As soon as they give me a reason not to, why would I ever be so dumb as to rely on them?”

  Carmen pressed her lips together, and her shoulders shrank.

  “Evantra, all I’m asking is that you give her a chance. Do you believe that people can change? Learn from their mistakes?”

  “Honestly? No. Most people are rotten. Cowardly, selfish, and self-obsessed—”

  “Then do you think all of your parents’ sermons were pointless? Just ‘hot air’, as you call it?”

  That got her.

  Carmen shook her head.

  “We can go on and on. I’ll leave it to you to decide if Noelle is worth trusting, but consider it a personal favour to me if you allow her to stay with us for the time being, ok?”

  Evantra’s eyes hovered over Carmen, before she eventually nodded. Carmen managed to muster a meagre smile of gratitude before her face fell once more.

  “Besides… we have more important things to discuss.”

  There it is… I know that tone.

  It was just a matter of time before we got to it.

  “Carmen… if this is about the sewers—”

  “Mierda, Evantra what were you doing down there? Hunting creatures with a gun?”

  Carmen threw up her hands helplessly as she shook her head.

  “I don’t know what to do. I’ve seen the videos like we all have. Of the Lost Territories. I’ve heard of survivors… becoming traumatised. Or obsessed. With becoming Ghostslayers. They all end up dead, Eva.”

  Two trails of tears fled from the corners of her eyes. The woman took in a deep, shuddering breath, raising her forearm to wipe away the tears. She was shaking, trying to steady her expression.

  Carmen’s eyes fell on her trembling arms, before Evantra shifted them under the table, away from sight.

  This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  “I had that from before the Veilsurge.”

  Her words rang hollow as she silently endured the woman’s gaze.

  Carmen was a force of nature.

  When she was met with obstacles, she obliterated them. Evantra had always admired her resilience in the face of the myriad challenges that seemed to interpose themselves in the older woman’s path. As scared as she had been when Lucas had been dragged into the Veilsurge, she had been on the verge of sprinting in there herself, armed with only her kitchen cleaver.

  Now, she looked distraught. Helpless.

  Because of her actions.

  Evantra felt nausea and guilt intertwine in her gut.

  “Carmen, I—”

  “Yesterday, you woke up shaking. Screaming like something had its hand around your very soul. Then, you told me the occurrence was common. Today? Your arm gets torn apart. I don’t know what to do, Evantra.”

  The woman let out a small laugh filled with despair, which carved into her chest.

  “You’re a grown woman. I can’t dictate your actions, and even if I did, I know that when you put your mind to something… there’s nothing that will change it. You’re like me. I see myself in you. Maybe that’s why I feel so helpless.”

  Evantra fought the urge to reach across the table, to take Carmen’s hands in hers and to tell her what the woman wanted to hear. To assure her, that she would take care of herself. Keep away from Veilcreatures, and to live the life that her parents’ envisioned for her.

  “Please give me your phone.”

  Carmen frowned, a brief flash of anger crossing her face.

  “What—”

  “Please, Carmen.”

  The woman slowly searched her expression as she handed over her phone. Evantra removed the battery from it, then proceeded to do the same for hers. She glanced towards the entry to the basement. She'd ensured that the church doors were locked, and that Noelle would have no chance of sneaking out into the garden to eavesdrop on them.

  “Something happened in the Veilsurge.”

  Carmen went rigid at Evantra’s soft words.

  “Carmen… what I’m about to tell you, it could endanger your family. I’m certain there are people out there who would want to cut me apart and study me, if they learned of it. Anyone that knows could be in danger.”

  For a moment, all was silent in the hall, but the low buzz of the singular, dim light framed above them.

  “Tell me.”

  “Carmen—”

  “Your parents looked out for me, you know. When we moved next to you. When Luis passed away, and I was left with Lucas. I was prideful, impulsive, and a pain in the culo.”

  The woman took in a deep, shuddering breath.

  “I didn’t thank them nearly enough, even for all their flaws.”

  Then, Carmen’s dark eyes steadied, and a familiar expression returned.

  Resolve, steel in her eyes.

  “There is no endangering ‘my’ family, not if it doesn’t include you. Idiota.”

  Evantra’s throat constricted at the woman’s words, and every breath that she attempted was like breathing through a straw. Evantra bit her lip, before exhaling.

  “The Veilsurge... It led to a lab in the UK. They were researching… something. I stumbled across what looked like… a ritual circle. A blood ritual.”

  Carmen’s breath caught, as she listened.

  “I think… they were studying the magical girl system… looking for a way to evolve it. At least that’s my best guess.”

  Evantra ran her fingers gently over her abdomen.

  “Something down there tore a hole through my stomach and flung me into the middle of it. There was a dead magical girl down there. I touched the soulgem… and I think I became a magical girl… but different.”

  Evantra closed her eyes.

  She heard a gasp as she activated [razor claws], Carmen’s eyes widening as she watched Evantra’s nails grow before her very eyes, sharpening into the long black claws that should have belonged to a Veilcreature.

  Carmen bit down a scream, lunging forwards as Evantra drew a short line across her forearm, creating a small cut.

  She activated [clot acceleration].

  She frowned, as the line of blood lingered on her skin, unchanging. Carmen looked at her in confusion.

  Huh… I expected there to be a more dramatic healing effect, hearing what the doctors were saying.

  Still, the sudden appearance of her claws had had the intended effect. She watched as Carmen took a slow step backwards.

  “Carmen. Don’t blame yourself, please. You know… that it’s something I’ve wanted. Ever since—”

  “I know.”

  The woman’s smile stretched into a painful smile.

  “You got your wish. A magical girl.”

  They sat in silence for a moment, and Carmen’s shadowed eyes were lost in the flurry of her thoughts. Evantra watched, every breath that she took, laboured and heavy. Carmen massaged her forehead, deep in her own thoughts. Minutes passed, until finally, Carmen broke the silence.

  “If you’re going to do this, you’re going to do this the right way. I’m going to lay down some rules.”

  No way. She’s just… accepting it? There’s no way in he—

  “First. No more secretly running into the sewers in search of creatures to kill. You let me know. Tell me what you get up to.”

  Evantra’s eyes widened in surprise as the woman rose, taking slow, menacing steps towards her.

  “Second. You don’t go at it alone. Supervision, if you can manage it. Collaboration. Do the Ghostslayers that you know, work alone? Especially organics like you with no cybernetics? I’ll let you off on this one once you’re [eldritch] rank.”

  Evantra’s eyes widened.

  “Carmen—”

  “Oh, don’t get me wrong, Evantra. If there’s anyone that can make it all the way to the top out of sheer stubbornness, it’s you. That is, if you don’t kill yourself rushing like a fool to some poor pendejo’s aid, because your sense of self-preservation is non-existent.”

  “I’m not that na?ve—”

  “Shut it. Yes, you can be ruthless and calculative, but you don’t fool me. Ironically, that all disappears whenever the Veil is involved. You may think people are rotten, untrustworthy, but that doesn’t stop you from wanting to save them from the Veil,” Carmen’s cold gaze drilled into Evantra’s own.

  Then, Carmen’s tone softened.

  “I can understand why. Still, this reminds me, that there’s something far more difficult that you’ll have to surmount, Eva.”

  Carmen’s eyes softened, she cast a brief glance towards the room Noelle had strode into.

  “I know I sound like a broken record, but you will have to learn to trust. You won’t always get the proof you need, and sometimes, it will really hurt. But you will need to rely on others if you plan to do this seriously. If you don’t, then it won’t be long before I hear about a pretty girl with trust issues found dead in the ruins of LA. At the very least, Eva? Trust that even though people make mistakes, they can change. I’ve certainly made a fair share of my own.”

  Carmen continued, her voice growing tender and soft.

  “Third. You visit them. How long will you make them wait? Hmm?”

  Evantra’s body went rigid, locking up, and she averted her eyes. Carmen advanced on her, poking her gently in the chest as she continued.

  “I don't understand… I thought you would—”

  “Refuse? Attempt to get you to put down your little magical girl wand and continue preaching?”

  Carmen scoffed, and Evantra felt her cheeks heat as the woman proceeded to laugh in her face.

  “I wasn’t born yesterday, Eva. If I handcuffed you to this desk, it wouldn’t be long before you bit through your own flesh and bone to throw yourself at the Veil. Part of me feels like I should just save you the trouble and put a bullet in your skull, at least that way I won’t be tormented by worry when you go chasing your death,” Carmen whispered, each word laced with frustration.

  Evantra averted her eyes.

  “I’m agreeing to this, because I know that there’s no changing your mind, stubborn ass. Still, you’re my stubborn ass. If you break my rules, I’ll do the Veilcreatures and ghosts a solid and bury you before they get the chance. Deal?”

  “Deal.”

  “And Evantra?”

  “Yes?”

  “Thank you.”

  As Carmen whispered the words, the heat in her voice vanished abruptly. Evantra looked at her in confusion, milky white eyes gleaming in the meagre light that encompassed the room.

  “For choosing to tell me the truth.”

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