Chapter 3: Manifestation at the Stairway to Heaven

Ace rushed down the winding spiral staircase that led to the underpass. The tips of his fingers grew warm as they glided across the handhold. That stairwell was actually a great photo spot and had quite a peculiar name: the Tree Tunnel. Anyone looking up from the bottom of the stairwell would be greeted by the sprawling crown of a yellow raintree. Ace placed a hand on his camera but quickly shook his head. There was a strange feeling in his gut urging him to hurry towards the underpass that would lead him to the nearest train station. 

The wisps of the setting sun hardly made an effort to illuminate the lower depths of the stairwell. Every step he took was one step closer to the ominous darkness that greeted him at the bottom. He kicked off the ball of his foot, skipping over the last seven steps entirely. 

Ace heaved a sigh of relief as the white fluorescent lights greeted him. He stepped forward but quickly realised that the distance between him and the underpass stayed the same no matter how many steps he took.

***

“Ah, ah… He’s gotten himself into some trouble.” Felix watched as the opening of the stairwell was sealed off completely by a thick layer of Cursed Essence. He leapt onto the ledge of the stairwell with ease and looked down. The Aberrant muffled screams could be heard, but the obstruction was impenetrable for a newly awakened sorcerer. 

“I’ll step in later.” With a contented exhale, Felix crouched down instead of helping out. He looked beyond the veil and caught a glimpse that made his heart still. It can’t be…

A sharp rebuke from a destination thousands of kilometres away mocked his hesitation. She just had to be watching him at that moment.

“You have the best eyes, and yet you doubt them? Father would be disappointed if he could see this.”

“Shut up.” 

***

A rank and pungent smell mixed with a tinge of sickening sweetness assaulted Ace’s nostrils. He dry heaved and his throat closed before his lunch could make its way up. Before he could even think about what the substance was, more rained down on him.

The surroundings darkened. Ace turned his eyes upwards just as the last sliver of light got snuffed out by the same gooey substance that coated him. 

I don’t wanna die, don’t wanna die! Hot tears streamed down his face as he tried to break free. He hit his rooted legs frantically, willing them to move.  JUMP, JUMP!

“ARGH!” Ace focused all his energy on his legs and prayed fervently that something would happen.

All of a sudden, he broke free. It was as if something had propelled him upwards, launching him to a height that he had never reached before. 

“HURGH!” Ace landed with a crash, knocking the wind out of him. The ground was uneven and he quickly realised that he had landed on the stairs. The rough and sun-warmed bricks were a welcome feeling to the ice-cold slime that reeked of death. With trembling hands, he fished out his phone and swiped desperately until he turned on the flashlight. 

The circle of light fell on the most grotesque creature he had ever seen. It emerged from the black puddle that had ensnared his legs just earlier. Its hands smacked the steps that he had landed on moments ago. Ace withdrew his legs and scrambled to get to higher ground.

The creature’s head was hanging by a loose strip of flesh attached to the neck. Its body was riddled with holes. The flesh had been eaten through by rot, exposing its insides. Some fell out and landed on the floor with a sickening ‘plop’ when it moved. An even stronger and pungent odour filled the air once again as it released a guttural groan and slowly turned its body.

Ace held his breath. His lips wobbled as he tried to bite back his frightened whimpers. He tightened his grip on the step his back was pressed against. 

All of a sudden, the brick he was holding onto glowed a bright blue. 

Then it shattered in his fist.

The creature flinched at first, and a screech pierced the air as it lunged at him. Ace screamed and chucked the fragments carelessly at it. The pieces made the creature flinch for just a moment. Whatever he conjured sizzled as it made contact with the creature. 

It’s scared of the blue thing! Ace had no idea how the brick managed to glow but he knew he needed something. He held his palms out in front of him. It eats it up! If I can… If I can…

The creature charged at Ace. He screamed and screwed his eyes shut. 

A familiar yelp echoed off the walls of the stairwell. 

Right before him stood Ollie, or rather, a copy of it. It had the same blue glow as the branch he had. Without a second’s hesitation, it leapt onto the creature and bit off the flesh that connected to the head. It swiped at the ball of fluff but Ollie weaved between its legs and tore off more flesh. The ball of fluff bounced off the narrow walls of the stairwell, barking furiously.

Howling, the creature slammed its fist down on Ollie, crushing it in one decisive blow.

Again! Ace thrust his palms out, but his mind was blank from the fear. The blue glow came out in sputters from his right hand. He could only crawl backwards, watching helplessly as the creature lifted its fist again.

***

There was a loud snap.

Ace touched himself gingerly but realised that his head was still attached to his neck. His eyes flew open when a terrifying screech shook the narrow space he was curled up in. This time, there was a wall of flames in front of him. The creature writhed in the flames, roaring in pain. Ace watched in silent horror as the skin slid off its appendages from the heat.

“Splotchy Boy! We meet again!” 

Ace snapped his head up. The man he had run into earlier was smiling at him. He’s really tall, Ace realised from his position. 

“The name’s Felix, and it rhymes with phoenix,” the man introduced himself with a smirk. “Nice to meet you!”

Ace yelped as Felix grabbed him by the collar. In the next instant, he was dangling over the stairwell. The bag with his camera and equipment slipped out of his grasp and fell into the darkness. MY CAMERA! Ace wanted to scream as he heard it land. 

“That’s fine, Leonhart can fix it!” Felix declared.

The creature stumbled back and crushed the bag. 

“Err… Did you get a receipt for that? Insurance?” Felix asked. 

“No!”

Ace squirmed, but Felix held him firmly by his waist like a loose jacket. His stomach lurched as he realised that they were hovering in the air. 

“Anyway, in front of us is a Cursed Phantom, our main course for tonight!” Felix quipped as though he were giving an impromptu lesson. “Would you like it flambéed, roasted or toasted?”

Before Ace could say anything, the phantom summoned even more of itself, its clones emerging from the black pool. They lashed out at Felix, who dodged them with ease.

“JUST KILL IT ALREADY!” Ace screeched.

“It’s no fun if it’s unseasoned,” Felix sighed and reached into his pockets. “Now, where are they?”

“You still have time to check your pockets?!”

“Don’t worry,” Felix patted his back, much to Ace’s annoyance. “I’m the strongest, even on rainy days.”

“HURRY!” 

“Ah, there they are!” Felix took out several hairpins from his pocket. “I modified my pants with more pockets, you can put so many things in them!”

A plastic bag smacked Ace in the face. “Hold on to this for me, will you? I bought it from Little India. A bit on the sweet side, but she should like it,” Felix instructed, jiggling the bag up and down. 

Ace snatched it without question. He wanted to live, not fall to his death or get possessed.

Felix brandished multiple hairpins and hurled them at the phantoms. They embedded themselves into the severed necks, each glowing a bright red as they slowly sank into them, the black slime around each sizzling. “I wish you a very un-pleasant Afterlife!” he cackled and snapped his fingers rapidly.

The hairpins burst into flames, each burning a different colour. One a brilliant green, the other lilac, another orange, then pink. Ace shrank away from the immense heat.

The phantoms crumbled and soon, nothing remained of them.

Felix descended and landed on the ground, releasing a satisfied whistle. He set Ace down on his feet, “Look at you, all beat up and shaking like a leaf!” 

“What was that?!” 

“If you want the specifics, that was a Resentful Spirit, a type of Cursed Phantom which are born when people aren’t ready to die. Usually harmless unless you provoke it or there is too much Cursed Essence for it to feed on,” Felix answered in a quickfire manner. “You probably offended it. They don’t like to be reminded that they are dead.”

The realisation dawned on Ace. His expression must have been a stupid one, as Felix let out a light chuckle. “The dog earlier. That was your doing, wasn’t it?”

A bubble of anger rose in Ace. “You were watching?”

“Ah, ah, ah. Anger is not good for the skin.” Felix shushed Ace by pressing a finger on his lip. A scent so sweet that it made Ace’s stomach turn wafted into his nostrils. He brushed him away and wiped his lips furiously.

Felix took out a small bottle of lotion and started to lather it on his hands. “I had to make sure you were seeing them,” he explained.

“Why?”

“Because only sorcerers can see them.”

Ace could only stare at the redhead in disbelief. “Did you put LSD stickers on me?” he spoke up, turning his elbows and sticking his tongue out to check for foreign objects.

Felix raised an eyebrow. “Do I look like I peddle drugs?!”

Ace gave him a look down. “Y-you look the part.”

“I swear if it’s the tattoo...” Felix pinched the skin between his eyes. “You know what, fine. Since you think I am a gangster, I’ll kidnap you. Gotta see the role to the end!”

Before Ace could react, he pressed two fingers to his forehead. “Have a nice nap,” Felix said. 

Ace’s eyelids grew unbearably heavy and he wobbled on his feet. The last thing he registered was the scent of sweet, sweet vanilla.