“Ben.”

  “Wraith.”

  Evantra and Benjamin stared at one another in silence, the monk’s initial mirth gradually fading as the seconds passed.

  “I’m sorry for how I treated you the last we spoke,” Evantra began quietly. “I pushed way too hard and took your honesty for granted.”

  Ben remained silent but nodded with a gentle smile as he listened to her words.

  “I knew… that if I asked the questions, I could probably gauge something from your reaction. I hope you can forgive me for it.”

  Ben nodded.

  “It says a lot about your character that the first thing you think to deliver to me is an apology. Especially after you have been rejected so unequivocally by Master Senju. He is not a man known for his tact,” Benjamin said with a hint of a smile as Evantra winced.

  Benjamin’s smile fell.

  The man fell into a deep bow, a grave expression replacing the monk's typical teasing and warm smiles that he offered so generously.

  “I have a lot to account for as well. I apologise for prying into your identities, when it was for you to give them freely.”

  Ever since they had first met him, Benjamin had appeared to them bearing no artifice. Where Noelle and Evantra had chosen to adopt avatars to practice caution when meeting him, Ben had appeared to them as he was, offering his knowledge to Noelle at no expense.

  “There are no hard feelings on my end either, for the record. I supposed I had it coming after what I put Doctor Isabella through…”

  Evantra smiled as Benjamin let out a small laugh like bells. Evantra felt like a load was lifted from her shoulders that she hadn’t realised was there.

  “But I have to ask… what are you doing here? Or do monks secretly get teleportation abilities?”

  “I enjoy lurking in the dark corners of megabuildings. There are no better places to meditate on the path to enlightenment…”

  Evantra grinned, but rolled her eyes at his antics.

  “Have you noticed?”

  “Hmm?”

  Benjamin gestured to the gym around them. The ‘Training Grounds’.”

  “This is a place of convergence. One of the rare few areas where boundaries are transcended, arbitrary categories that divide us are forgotten, where humanity unites in pursuit of a common goal. In other words…”

  Benjamin smiled.

  “It is no surprise that both Ghostslayers and Ghostslayer candidates congregate in Megabuilding A3. It is notorious for its Training Grounds, and the talents it attracts. In other words, Megabuilding A3 is not only a staging area for the families who wish to enter the relative safety of Elsecaller city, it is also the birthplace of many an aspiring Ghostslayer.”

  Evantra’s eyes narrowed.

  That was Noelle’s little secret.

  Just how much of this did she plan in advance?

  “I see… and where there are talents… there are Ghostslayers in need of a techie’s services?” Evantra guessed, to which Benjamin nodded.

  “Precisely.”

  “For a monk who has relinquished all semblance of Earthly desire… you certainly have a mind for business.”

  Benjamin bowed with a serene smile.

  “Om Vasudhare Svaha. As my elders used to say, may the ectocreds rain, hallelujah—.”

  “BEN!”

  A very sweaty and tired-looking Noelle Laurent enveloped the young man in a hug as he laughed.

  “It is wonderful to see you, Twig. Thank you for your persistence in reaching out to me. It is great to see that you are both safe and sound. For a moment, I thought…” Benjamin trailed off, and his eyes hardened.

  “Forget that! What are you doing here?”

  Benjamin caught Noelle up on what he had informed Evantra. From the way she was deliberately avoiding Evantra’s gaze, it seemed like her suspicions had been confirmed.

  There are layers to the onion that is Noelle Laurent.

  Short of the Megabuildings in Elsecaller… there’s no safer place to be than a Megabuilding that hosts a birthing ground for amateur slayers. Jack’s quick response time to the Rosewood emergency is simply a testament to that.

  Not to mention, Rosewood itself, an academy funded by Demeteria. One in which she could potentially leverage her knowledge of its staff or her connections to secure Tai and Lucas a place there.

  Most of all... her reaction when speaking to Tai and Lucas about the friends they’ll make at the College.

  “We have much to discuss. There is the matter of the important… item that you are in search of, yes? I would be all the more willing to assist, of course. I do have a few ideas which we could trial to discover it,” Benjamin said, while nodding. Evantra sat up straight at the mention of the trove seeker.

  Finding the artefact which gave her the ability to locate others would effectively trivialise the bottleneck that artefacts presented to her progression. Having the ability to freely source them would open up infinite possibilities for skills that she could unlock.

  “However… there is someone that I would like to introduce Wraith to.”

  “Oh? And Ben… call me Evantra. You can keep calling that one Twig, though.”

  Evantra and Ben shared a chuckle as Noelle flicked them off.

  ***

  “This… was where you wanted to take me?”

  Evantra watched as the group of elderly women and men moved in unison, mimicking the instructor’s movements as she gracefully executed the tai chi movements.

  This story originates from a different website. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  She was an Asian woman who looked to be in her seventies, with a full head of curly white hair.

  Large white pearls hung around her neck and she was dressed in leggings and an airy top as she executed the movements with grace.

  The instructor paused when she noticed Benjamin Noelle and Evantra’s attention. Evantra watched as Ben bowed to the woman with a smile, his eyes alight in his characteristic humour.

  “Miss Ha-eun. Apologies for the interruption.”

  The elderly woman broke out into a wide smile.

  “For such a handsome young man, you are welcome to interrupt my class whenever you wish. And who is this young lady?”

  “I’m Evantra. Nice to meet you. This is my friend Noelle.”

  “I was wondering if you were accepting other students,” Benjamin said. “I’m afraid that Master Senju rejected her on the spot in his infinite wisdom.” Benjamin shared a chuckle with the older woman as Evantra stared on in disbelief.

  She could see Noelle’s shoulders visibly trembling, and she got the distinct impression that she was enjoying this all immensely.

  Evantra’s eyes narrowed as she scrutinised the woman.

  But perhaps… it wouldn’t be a great loss if she didn’t accept me—

  “You shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, girl. It is a bad habit.”

  Evantra froze, her heart in her throat as Miss Ha-Eun smiled.

  “I accept her. Come.”

  Evantra’s eyes widened in surprise at her immediate admission.

  “I’m surprised that you haven’t put me through a test, Miss Ha-Eun,” Evantra said with a smile, hoping to recover after her faux pax, which the woman had easily seen through.

  “Oh, my dear. You’ve already passed it,” she said with a smile, as she resumed her place at the head of the group of people.

  Somehow… Evantra didn’t think it was a compliment.

  “Follow along as best you can.”

  Evantra attempted to emulate the older woman’s slow and steady movements, casting confused glances at Benjamin who merely smiled at her with a serene expression by the wayside.

  This has to be revenge for being an ass to him in the chatroom.

  Eat it up, Ben.

  No chance I’m sticking around here for long—

  “Tighten your core, Evantra. Shoulders back, activate your glutes. If you’re going to be a part of my class, at least pretend to be engaged.”

  Evantra froze for a second time, staring at the glib, elderly Korean woman continued in her movements, mimicked by her class. She blanked her mind, focusing solely on the motions on the off-chance that Ha-Eun had the mind-reading abilities that she was strongly beginning to suspect she possessed.

  Evantra was the youngest student present by a long shot, but she was beginning to feel like they were all considerably more fit than her. The slow, precise movements and the muscles that Ha-Eun forced her to activate with her split-second assessments of her form that Evantra couldn’t even detect made for a much more tiring workout than she expected.

  Evantra had lost track of time. Noelle and Benjamin were seated nearby, catching up as they chatted. Every so often, Noelle would glance her way, drinking in the scene and whipping out her phone to immortalise Evantra’s clumsy movements.

  Still, the exercises put her into a trance-like state, and for a second… she had felt at peace.

  Slowing down, deliberately focusing on her muscles and clearing her mind of thoughts as they arrived.

  For a fleeting moment, since the madness of Wisptown and the Veilsurge in Rosewood College...

  Evantra felt a small taste of serenity.

  Then, her thoughts returned to the Veilsurge.

  The youguai, the lumberer and the spectre that were all so far out of her reach, creatures that she couldn’t possibly stand up against.

  Amy.

  The way her arms continued to tremble from the wounds the drinker had inflicted.

  The ugly beast that was her helplessness reared out of its slumber.

  Evantra decided that she had had enough of peace.

  [Recovery]

  Evantra felt her muscles come alight, beginning to scream in protest. She felt like the air had turned to clay. Shifting her hands even by minuscule degrees made her muscle fibres groan in protest, lactic acid surging through her system as she desperately attempted to keep abreast of Ha-Eun’s movements.

  Evantra blinked sweat from her eyes as they traced down her forehead.

  She activated the skill for as long as she could before her heart began to stutter. Upon deactivating it, she felt a euphoric rush. It felt like someone was pouring chilled water from the heart of a glacier over her steaming muscles, and the pain and exhaustion from the exercises fled.

  After a few minutes passed, Evantra activated [recovery] again.

  She continued to the painstaking process again and again until the conclusion of Ha-Eun’s class.

  By the time she was done, she felt like she had wrung out every last bit of energy from her weary muscles.

  She straightened when she saw Ha-Eun approach out of the corner of her vision.

  “Senju may have rejected you, but you will always have a place in my class. I hope you’ll come again.”

  Evantra started as Ha-Eun appeared beside her, gracing her with a warm smile that she didn’t deserve.

  “I—”

  Evantra paused before fully turning around to face the instructor.

  “Thank you for having me, Miss Ha-Eun. I think… I will.”

  Ha-Eun’s POV

  Kim Ha-Eun watched as Evantra Wraithmarked faded into the crowd, wincing at the pain in her muscles brought on from the careful and considered exercises that she had progressed through.

  Ha-Eun's eyes narrowed.

  A woman faded from the shadows, stopping to stand at her side.

  “What a small world, don’t you think unnie? Careful, with all the attention you’re giving her, you’ll make me jealous.”

  Ha-Eun broke out into a hoarse chuckle as her hand lashed out, smacking the woman that had approached her, watching as her student moved smoothly to deflect it. The old woman’s eyes danced with mirth, and she made a mental note to thank Benjamin for bringing such a fascinating pupil to her attention.

  The Training Grounds attracted raw talent.

  Ghostslayers looking to be forged in the unforgiving flames of old, retired masters. Longing to re-experience that explosive moment that had kick started their ascents to greatness. Just as intoxicated and drawn to the electricity of possibility that hung in the warm, humid air as their students. Lamenting their retirements, forced or otherwise. At the heights they had failed to reach.

  Kim Ha-Eun was not one of those old masters.

  She turned to her student as the woman walked into the light.

  “Why do you think Senju rejected her?”

  Kim Ha-Eun smiled.

  “Us old farts specialise in teaching what we know. There was nothing for her to gain from his teachings, and Senju knew it the second he saw her. He specialises in those with flaws in their resilience, because throughout his own journey, he learned to fill the flaws in his own.”

  “And you?”

  “Don’t get smart with me, girl. You know full well what my specialty is.”

  “Yeah, yeah. You train legends like me.”

  “Shibal saekkiya. I teach tai chi and anger management. And the only way you become a legend is by dying as one, idiot girl. I didn’t train you to die. I teach you to live. But call yourself a legend all you want, and see what happens,” Kim scoffed.

  The older woman lightly tugged at her loose singlet as her old student beside her began to wave a hand exaggeratedly in front of her nose with a familiar smile.

  Senju, for all his flaws, knew his limits.

  He knew it the second he had seen the girl, just as Kim had herself. It was pointless for him to train students who were the polar opposite of him.

  Those with unshakeable resilience.

  Who fought as their skin burned, blood boiled and who begged for more.

  The reason she had accepted Evantra on the spot was because she needed no test to tell.

  Kim Ha-Eun recognised one of her own.

  “When are you going to speak to her? She’s hurt. You know she needs guidance, and soon,” Kim said to her student. She watched her student’s face fall.

  “I’m… giving her some time. I know what it’s like to go through what she has. And the offer I’m going to make her,” her student trailed off. “Isn’t one that’s idly taken back. I’m fairly certain that I know what she is. And once she’s healed a little, under your firm hand…” her student grinned, before her smile fell as quickly as it arrived. “Then, I’ll speak to her.”

  “You learned empathy, hmph. Miracles happen.”

  “Don’t say that unnie.”

  Kim Ha-Eun took a step towards her old student, gripping their arm.

  “And what about you. Are you ok?”

  For a moment, the older woman saw her student’s lips twitch into a sardonic smile. Eyes that held a fatigue that she herself was intimately familiar with.

  The exhaustion that came from railing against the impossible. Attempting to fight the Veil, to buy humanity hope and reprieve, only to get rebuffed again and again.

  No matter how powerful you became.

  “Ghosts. They’ve entered Eden. The other realms. The Veil is thinning, and it is becoming easier for ghosts to enter our realm. We’re getting closer to the edge with every passing day.”

  “You can always rest,” Kim said softly.

  Her student gave her a sad smile. A smile that made Kim Ha-Eun’s heart ache at the sight of it. Which showed to her, her student’s resolve and her reply to Kim’s suggestion.

  The same answer that Kim herself had given her loved ones when otherworldly creatures tore their way through the Veil to walk onto Earth’s shores.

  “Are you ever going to tell her that Santa Muerte named the Wraithkiller after you?”

  Kim Ha-Eun turned to her protegee and lashed out in a blindingly fast kick at the woman’s buttocks with unparalleled precision.

  This time, despite her student’s best attempts to evade it, she failed.

  “No, silly girl. Now go do your exercises if you’re going to be a pain in my backside.”

  The student grinned at her old mentor.