This was not as fun as I had imagined. As a kid, I had dreamed of going to haunted houses or spooky graveyards and finding ghosts. I hadn’t been afraid of ghosts, always figuring they were just people who had died. And just like I wasn’t afraid of random people, why would I be afraid of random ghosts?

  Maybe I still wasn’t afraid of real ghosts. Game ghosts, however, were fuckers.

  {Copperbeard} - @everyoneworldevent IMPORTANT! Everyone regroup. Do not engage the spirts. Do not engage them! We have lost two players.

  {Azilea} - What? Who?

  {Copperbeard} - Garth and Dax. But again, please don’t use this chat unless it’s an emergency.

  {Copperbeard} - Just got an update. Anyone with holy spells should be effective against the spirits. So far, nothing else has worked. They are impervious to physical, fire, or ice damage. Electrical spells slow them but do not seem to damage them.

  We stood around a bit unsure of what to do next. I petted Dekka, and she leaned her shoulder against my thigh. I couldn’t feel her; that was my dead leg, but I could feel the weight of her affecting my balance. Made me wonder how shadows had mass.

  {Copperbeard} - Everyone regroups at the centre of the main floor.

  He must have gotten questions about which floor was the main floor as he then posted.

  {Copperbeard} - The main floor is the one we came in on when we entered.

  I looked back at the little marble houses. Lavish accommodations for the dead. I could see why they might not want to leave. My spine prickled as we walked back, like many invisible eyes were watching me.

  There were no ghosts or spirits on the main floor. Only a single large mausoleum that we gathered around. It had stone benches and a cute little bridge over an oddly silent brook. The ambiance of calm contemplativeness was somewhat marred by the knowledge that we had lost two players.

  There were a few people gesticulating by the chapel thing we were milling around. No, they were gesticulating at the chapel. I wandered over to see if I could insert myself. Waiting around was boring. And I was good at puzzles, so maybe I could be helpful.

  Not being part of the chat they were having, it was kind of funny to watch. They pointed; their faces showed various expressions, from deep thought to what I think of as ‘idea face’ to shaking heads, to nodding heads, to more pointing. Finally, to some nodding.

  I eyed the stone tablet they were debating over. Or I assumed they were debating over. The tablet was set onto the back wall of the building. There were symbols carved into it and a basin sticking out at the bottom. The symbols looked like water, some dots, a hand and and an X.

  Pal, who had been one of the most vehement of the frowners and the pointers, sent me a private message.

  {Pallidaddy} - Hey do you and your healer want to come with me? I have an idea.

  {System Error} - I will have to bring my support necromancer, but sure.

  He looked at me like I might be crazy.

  {System Error} - My right leg will stop working without her near.

  {Pallidaddy} - Alrighty then, bring her too.

  I told my group we were going on a mission with the Paladin.

  {System Error} - Can we make a chat for all of us?

  {Pallidaddy} - I would, but I am already in the maximum number of chats allowed.

  {System Error} - There is a maximum? Anyway, drop one and we will invite you to ours. At least while we do … well, whatever it is you want us to do.

  {Pallidaddy} - 15 is the max, and yeah, that is a good idea.

  Group chat:

  {Pallidaddy} - Hey guys. I have an idea. Before we were called back, I got near one of the other chapels. I know it’s hard to see, but I think there might be one chapel per face.

  {Ayerelia} - Ok. And….?

  {Pallidaddy} - It’s likely a clue, or a way of dealing with the ghosts. Just like the last room had a way to deal with the mana drain. This room will have a way to deal with the ghosts.

  {Ayerelia} - Aren’t you quite the optimist.

  {Pallidaddy} - No, no. I just game a lot.

  Whoosh, he had totally missed her sarcasm. Then I saw the smirk on his face. Maybe he hadn’t, and just refused to engage. My estimation of the man went up, and it had been quite high already.

  We headed off, Ayerelia lighting the way. Pal leading and me guarding the rear. The path took us under some dead trees that hadn’t looked dead from a distance. Their trunks were gnarled, and their branches reached like fingers to the sky. Or where a sky should have been. From afar, the branches had appeared heavy with foliage, but as we got closer, I could make out thick vines that had strangled the trees and now used their skeletons for support as they spread out.

  Which was kind of stupid. There was no sun to compete with in here. Game, I told myself. Remember, it’s a game, and the rules are whatever the devs programmed it to be.

  The mausoleums were more dense as we made our way the centre of the floor. If we didn’t make eye contact with the ghosts, they didn’t attack. That didn’t mean they ignored us. More than half of them drifted after us as we passed, creating a long procession trailing in our wake. We were some macabre parade as we made our way through silent empty streets. Dekka stayed very close, not to protect me, but for me to protect her.

  {Rositilda} - There are a LOT of them behind us now.

  {Pallidaddy} - Don’t look at them. That seems to embolden them.

  {Rositilda} - There are too many if they attack…

  {Ayerelia} - Then we die.

  {Rositilda} - How is that helpful!

  {Ayerelia} - There is nothing we can do about it, so no point in worrying.

  I saw Rose mouth something at the elf’s back. If she was mad at Ayerelia, at least she wasn’t focused on our ghostly entourage. I had to admit they made my skin crawl; this was not how I imagined my first paranormal experience going.

  Ahead of us was the chapel, as Pal called it. I could see how he had come to that conclusion. It exuded ‘religious’ building without claiming a specific religion. There was a high pointed roof, abstract stained glass windows—many of which were broken — and a large symbol over the doorway. It was a stylized heart with what looked like a broom in the centre.

  The building was surrounded by a rusty wrought-iron fence, tall, dangerous looking finials topping the main posts, and a couple of imposing statues flanking the walkway to the open doors. One was a tall, imperious looking robed woman holding a book open before her; the other was a large man, also robed, holding a staff.

  Open door or not, I didn’t find this inviting; the architecture was giving a distinctly unfriendly vibe.

  {Pallidaddy} - Ayerelia, can you light up the inside without us losing light out here?

  She nodded. Her glowing light split, and a smaller, slightly more dim light broke away and drifted past the statues, over the stairs and into the building. I half expected the environment to react, but nothing happened other than now we could see rows of pews through the doorway.

  Pal made a hand gesture, in what I always thought of as a militaristic way of saying “follow me,” and headed to the chapel. It wasn’t until Pal and Ayerelia had passed the statues and Rose and I were beside them that they moved.

  Rose’s mouth opened in a silent scream of horror as the robed lady floated toward us, her ghastly bony hands reaching for the halfling.

  You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

  Pal turned, clearly reacting to the motion as he wouldn’t have heard anything. As he spun, he unhooked his shield in a smooth, practiced motion and, reaching over Rose, slammed it down, blocking the ghost.

  The white lady stopped, thwarted by the shield. Pal’s shield started to glow as he channeled his holy mana into it. The glow acted upon the ghost as if were a gale blowing her back. Furious, her mouth opened wider than humanly possible, and she fought against the current.

  I watched the other statue. It too started moving.

  {System Error} - Pal, you don’t happen to have a second shield.

  He looked over his shoulder. I am very sure the word he mouthed was ‘God dammit’.

  Knowing it wouldn’t do much, I swung my club at the ghost, anyway. There was the faintest resistance, as if I was swinging through something made of gossamer threads. The ghost kept coming, but where I had swung through had been momentarily disrupted, its essence swirling like milk in water before reforming.

  The specter was homing in on Rose. I snatched her away at the last moment. Not only did I want to protect my friend, I wanted to be able to walk out of here. It was almost upon us, mouth stretched wide enough to swallow even me whole, when it was hit by a pure golden light.

  The ghost recoiled as if stung. It and I looked to the source of the blast. Pal was holding the shield that was pushing back the female ghost in one hand and had shot a bolt of holy energy with the other. Ayerelia was standing with her back right to the shield. Dekka took that moment to bolt straight into the building.

  {Pallidaddy} - I am going to blast the ghosts. When I do that, everyone follow that dog!

  He sent that message then exploded with light. Beams shot from his hands, his eyes, and possibly other places, so I had to look away and looked at the male ghost instead. The beams of light shredded its form as the piercing beams of light riddled the form with holes.

  15XP!

  As soon as it fell to the ground like ethereal ribbons, I made sure Rose wasn’t still frozen in fear and we ran to the building. Once in a pivoted to make sure Ayerelia and Pal made it in after. Ayerelia was right on our heels, but Pal had tipped on the steps. The woman in white was right on top of him!

  Charging out there swinging my club, I called to Ayerelia to drag him in. My club did little damage. I hoped to distract it, and not die in the process. Ayerelia, to her credit, didn’t hesitate. She came right out after me and grabbed Pal by the strap that held his shield to his back and hauled.

  Shit, his shield was still out there!

  I narrowly missed the specter’s claw-like fingers as I ducked and swung again, managing to disrupt his arm and disabling his hand for a moment.

  {Rositilda} - get in- get in!

  Hoping Pal and Ayerelia were safely inside, I backed up as quickly as I dared up the stairs, my club never stopping, constantly swinging in patterns before me to keep the ghost back.

  He stopped at the threshold of the chapel, seemingly unable or unwilling to enter. Letting out a relieved sigh, I looked around. This place was giving old ‘simple church on the prairie’ vibes from old vintage TV shows. There were books and papers shoved in the back of the pews and an altar on a raised platform at the front.

  {System Error} - Pal you ok?

  {Pallidaddy} - I think so. Other than having almost no mana or stamina left. That was … quite the workout.

  {Ayerelia} - Putting the exercise in exorcism?

  I felt that giddiness from having been in danger and now feeling safe. I giggled.

  {System Error} - Gives new meaning to sweating with the oldies.

  {Ayerelia} Good one!

  {Rositilda} - Guys, I really don’t like ghosts. Think we are safe in here?

  I sobered a little.

  {System Error} - I think so. That ghost is pretty pissed. I think if he could come in here, he would.

  {System Error} - What about your shield?

  {Pallidaddy} - I don’t know if I have enough energy to power it. I doubt the ghost will hurt it. We can get it when we find a way to leave.{Rositilda} - Ok good. What do we do now?

  {Pallidaddy} - Find something. An artifact, an idol, iconography. Something in here should help with the ghosts.

  Thinking the same thing he had been, I was already looking. Everything in here was covered in a layer of fine grey dust. I flipped through the books that were in the racks in the pews. Were they a sort of bible or holy book? I saw nothing obvious. The pages were covered in cramped writing that I didn’t recognise.

  Walking to the door where the ghost raged and hovered, I held out the book. I am not sure what I was expecting. Perhaps more hoping, it would act like the Bible did in movies with demons, causing the ghost to flinch or shrivel. The ghost snapped its jaws at me, trying to get to me through the invisible barrier. I thrust the book out closer to it, just past the threshold. The ghost ate it. I am not sure how that worked. My club went through it but it could swallow the book. That didn’t seem fair. The book vanished, and the ghost looked as strong and pissed as ever.

  That was likely a book of hymns or something. Not a holy book. I went back to look at more things.

  Dekka was sniffing halfheartedly around a depression in the floor behind the altar, still in hellhound form. I went over and gave her some pets, looking at the odd spot on the floor. The spot looked like it should open, so I poked it with my toe. Must just be decorative.

  Dekka nudged me for more attention, and I stroked her head. How much can she feel of what happens to her shadow mech? She appreciated the attention and turned and sat on my foot. Her way of saying, ‘stay here, don’t go.’ I stayed put for a couple of minutes and watched the others.

  Ayerelia was examining some items along the wall. Rose found something and went to the door and just threw the item at the ghost. This only annoyed it further, and in its rage, it shook the building. Rose blanched and staggered back.

  We all braced, and I could feel Dekka vibrate against me. That ghost was scaring my dog! And my friend! I patted Dekka on the head and gently slid my foot out from under her butt. I walked around picking up random things. A sheet of paper with esoteric writing, a cloth that hung over the lecturn, a candlestick, another book - its cover was different- and then proceeded to walk toward the ghost. I took each item and brandished it at the specter.

  Nada. Ok lets go get more things. Pal came over with a scepter looking thing he had broken off the wall. The ghost didn’t like it and tried to avoid it when the paladin thrust it out. However, when Pal managed to hit the ghost with it, it seemed no more effective than my club.

  {Ayerelia} - This is odd.

  I walked over. She was holding a jar of what looked like water with a deep green stone pendant on a leather thong within. The glass jar looked somehow anachronistic in this setting. She handed it to me. I rolled my eyes at her but took it and went over to the ghost. It was raging at me, then when it saw the jar it drew itself up and back and looked very much like the statue it had been.

  I fished out the pendant and held it out before me to ward the ghost away like a cross before a vampire. The ghost’s face made a silent snarl but didn’t back away. I thrust the jade pendant at it again. The pendant swung with my fist, and a drop of water flew from it and hit the ghost. Immediately the ghost unraveled.

  It expanded again and came at me. I took a couple of my fingers and dipped them in the water and flicked them at the ghost. It began to melt like cotton candy dropped in a puddle.

  {System Error} - I think we found it. Should we tell Copperbeard?

  {Pallidaddy} - Already on it. He told me they have sent some to come help us and others to the other faces to see if they can find something in the other buildings.

  {Rositilda} - Why send them out? We have something that works.

  {Pallidaddy} - Likely this will only work for the ghosts on this wall. Six faces of the cube and six central religious looking buildings is likely not a coincidence.

  I agreed.

  {Ayerelia} - That isn’t a lot of water for all the ghosts out there.

  {Rositilda} - I wonder if it is like holy water.

  {Ayerelia} ?

  {Rositilda} - It’s plain water that has been blessed.

  {System Error} - The pendant?

  {Rositilda} - Maybe?

  {Pallidaddy} - Lots of water out there.

  {System Error} - You good to head out, Pal?

  {Pallidaddy} - Yeah, though I have almost no mana. If we can, I want to save it for healing if we need it.

  {Ayerelia} - What you don’t trust me?

  {Pallidaddy} - Heal thyself?

  {Ayerelia} - Good point.

  We moved out. This time, Pal took the rear. One of the items that had been thrown out at the ghost was a chalice and Ayerelia scooped it up. The parade of ghosts was still milling around when I saw they were blocking the water. That was ok we can clear the way.

  What I wouldn’t give for a super soaker right now.

  Flicking water at ghosts was the least badass way to fight them I could imagine; it was, however, highly effective. The jar was getting low, and I had banished a good chunk of the throng, but there were still a lot of them between us and the water. Movement caught my eye. At first, I had that stomach dropping moment of, oh fuck what now.

  However, it was not an of fuck but a fuck yeah!

  A bunch of players were running up the cobbled walk way brandishing their weapons at the ghosts. They must know that they could only disrupt the ghosts and not hurt them.

  Though that would work. We just needed the ghosts to not pay attention to us so we could get more water. We were putting a lot on the expectation that dipping the pendant in the water would turn the water into industrial strength ghost dissolver.

  The ghosts turned and began attacking the group that was taking swipes through their diaphanous bodies. Ayerelia ran for the brook, sliding and tripping down the bank. I dashed after her.

  {System Error} - Could we just hold the pendant in this stream and turn the whole thing into Ghost-be-Gone?

  {Rositilda} - Probably not. But try it AFTER you get rid of most of the ghosts.

  {Pallidaddy} - I agree with Rose. That is likely too easy a solution. But worth a try when we are safe.

  Ayerelia and I were standing in the stream. The water was flowing up over the edge of my boots, filling them with ice cold water. Scooping up a jar full of water, I dropped the pendant in for a moment. Then took it out and handed it to Ayerelia, whom I noticed was shivering. Her ends of her robes in the stream were swirling and being pulled downstream. She was going to have a lot of weight on her clothes, that fur trim was sodden.

  Spilling only a handful of the water, I scrambled up the bank. I glimpsed Dekka cowering behind Pal. Why was a dog afraid of ghosts? Did dogs have spirits they feared?

  My thoughts were cut short by a ghost flying between me and Ayerelia. Reflexively, I jumped back and flung my water at the specter.

  Nothing happened! I splashed the rest of the water at it. The water flew through, slowing slightly. Nothing happened?

  {System Error} - Guys! It’s not working!!

  {Pallidaddy} - I see that. Everyone, get back to the chapel. Try to bring more water. Don’t die.

  Spreading my fingers around to protect the jar, I plunged back into the stream. Thrusting it under water with one hand and keeping momentum, I grabbed Ayerelia with the other and half helping half dragged her out and up the other bank.

  {Ayerelia} - What the hell? Now we are on the wrong side!

  I just kept dragging her. She went along for a few steps and then pulled back.

  {Ayerelia} - What is wrong with you?

  {System Error} - Shut up and run.

  I didn’t want to have the HUD up, so I just ran and hoped she would be smart enough to follow. Yes, we were on the wrong side to go the fast way back. I would rather run farther around the back of the chapel to get to the entrance than take the more direct route through the crowd of ghosts.