Chapter 8

I used every last bit of my strength but couldn’t move fast enough to avoid the hit. The impact crushed me to the ground, the pain sharp and overwhelming. Before the creature could land a second, possibly fatal blow, I barely shifted just enough to get out of the way.

Just then, out of nowhere, Baby lunged in and grabbed me by the collar with her teeth, tossing me aside. The girl I’d rescued earlier was suddenly there, pulling me farther out of harm’s reach.

I could tell she was terrified—trembling. I could feel it in her arms as she held me, and I could barely make out her face in the darkness.

She did her best to cover my wound—I was really bleeding fast.

The boar kicked one of the lights, sending it clattering to the ground. The sudden glow lit up, revealing the girl’s face.

"Kaysi," the girl said. What? How?

The girl I saved was Beck, my friend. I couldn't believe it.

"Well, simply put,  ' I-I’m a Waymaker,” I told her, pushing through the pain. “I’ve been training for a while… but it wasn’t enough. I wasn’t ready for this. I just… I had to help when I heard you scream.”

"Well, Kaysi, you saved me, so that is something."

Not without some consequences, I thought, as I winced in pain.

"Kaysi, for now, you have accomplished enough. You couldn't have had a more significant impact than what you did. All that counts is that you tried!"

Silence fell between us, and I felt myself slipping out, losing consciousness.

I heard her calling my name. Fading. Distant.

"Sorry, baby," I whispered. "Once again... I had gotten way in over my head."

I don’t know if I can bounce back from this one. It happened so fast, and I was struck down. I thought as I drifted into darkness.

I couldn’t even finish the job or get Beck out of harm's way. Baby even looked like she was having a hard time.

Was this it for me? 

In the darkness, I found myself standing in some void—an in-between place. A brilliant light glowed in the distance, and a voice echoed through me, calm, strong, otherworldly. The voice that sounded like an angel or God calling.

“Get up. Rise... And call the resting crane to soar.”

I opened my eyes with a jolt. Something was in my hand.

A feather? 

Obeying the voice's command. I held it up and shouted. "Rise, crane, and soar." 

Light burst from the feather, transforming it into a sword, its hilt shaped like a resting crane.

Without a moment's hesitation, he leapt forward, the sword glowing with ethereal energy. I slashed through the boar’s skull in one clean strike, splitting it in two down the middle.

"Yes, I did it!" I cried out in celebration. Filled with relief. 

I leaned against the nearest tree to take a seat, but my strength gave out, and I collapsed hard to the ground. 

Baby and Beck rushed to my side as I slumped my body against the tree. 

"I warned you to wait; you weren't ready, you fool." Baby said.

"I got my sword, though," I muttered, flashing a cheap, half-hearted grin. 

"It only emerged because you were in serious trouble and needed it. It chose you because you sacrificed yourself. I won’t pretend I’m not grateful—it helped. It was getting rough back there,” Baby admitted with a rare look of defeat. “I guess you skipped a few lessons now.”She said passively.

"Beck, please don’t look so worried. I could see you were about to cry. I am okay. I just got a little scratch," I said as I tried to stand…"Ouch." 

"Don’t push it,” Beck said, catching me. She slung my arm over her shoulder, supporting my weight. “I won’t tell anyone what really happened. I know you want to keep it quiet. I’ll just say it was a pack of wild boars in the area.”

"That would be the best idea, thank you." 

“No, Kaysi,” she said softly as we reached the hospital. “Thank you… for saving me.”

Finally, I let go of the tension, and everything faded to black.

When I woke up, I was in a hospital bed. Flowers and balloons filled the room. A nurse told me a girl who had missed me in my absence from school had dropped them off—along with a folder full of letters and handmade cards from my classmates.

One envelope stood out. The handwriting was familiar. The name on it was Evan.

That name pulled a memory to my mind—of a boy from my childhood.

In elementary school, the boys had a recruit in our game: a kid named Evan. He was a dark-haired, green-eyed boy who was quiet and sharp. He always wore a jean jacket that made him look like an outsider. He had this edge, like someone you didn’t want to mess with.

Just as I drifted in the memory and got lost in thought, the hospital phone rang. 

It was a beck and call. 

“Just calling to tell you to get better soon,” she said. “I stopped by earlier, but you were asleep. I’ll come by after school, okay?”

“Alright. Talk soon,” I said and hung up.

I thought again of Evan. I was sure I’d recently seen someone who looked like him at school. People change from elementary to high school… maybe that’s why I hadn’t recognized him right away.

Later that afternoon, Beck came to see me while I was in the hospital.

At the time, a nurse was aiding my wounds.

“Hey, Beck,” I said with a half-smile. “How are you today?”

"Ha," she laughed at my question. "You're talking about me. Are you okay?" She fired back. 

"Yes, they said, today might be my last day here in the hospital. It depends on whether I have healed enough. I had a couple of broken ribs and blood loss.

After physical therapy started, I have almost made a full recovery.

“Miss Moon,” the nurse chimed in, using my last name, “you’re looking pretty well. Just take it easy a little longer.” I will leave without getting the discharge papers.

 Beck vocalized after glancing at the shut door. "Now that we are alone... How are you feeling any better?" she asked as she raised her eyebrow.

"As I already answered that question, yes."

“I know, but when the nurse left us alone, I could tell you were just trying to be tough. I could tell she was trying to read me.

Beck let out a sigh in defeat. "Do you remember getting hurt last night?”

I nodded. “The boar. The Soulless. The fight.”

“I feel like I’m still missing something,” Beck said, eyes searching mine. “I need to talk about everything.”

“So ask,” I said. “I’ll fill in the blanks.”

"Okay, what was that thing? You called it... a Soulless?"

"Yes, that's correct." "They have no emotions; they are humans who have lost their way. They are the primal instincts of our spiritual selves."

"When someone dies, if that someone stays in limbo for too long, they get attacked by demons. They could be turned into soulless beings by this process. Soulless, removing their soul tie, can turn them to. Bad people turn when they die automatically because their ways damn them."

Her expression was one of disbelief and curiosity.

"I am a waymaker,” I continued. “ I can see spirits. My job is to stop Soulless from harming or possessing the people living. I can see spirits and have a sixth sense anytime they enter our realm."

"So, Kaysi, you help people here on earth?"

"Yes, I sure do. That is my main objective."

“Wow. I had no idea. So, how do you become a Waymaker?”

"Well, some are born as a seer of spirits, and some are trained as waymakers."

"I have trained for quite some time. Although I just unlocked and gained my full-born sword ability to attack. Before, I watched from the sidelines and used protection and repelling techniques."

"Also, that was technically the first official battle I was in, and I wasn’t very prepared."

Beck nodded slowly. “So, you really weren’t ready. That was not the best idea you had." 

"No, I do understand, but I had to help. I couldn’t just stand by and watch something bad happen to someone. And if I didn't react, you’d be dead.”

(At that moment, Beck's bag started to move.)