I was invited to the town festival. The town square and the adjacent alleys were transformed into a horror themed carnival. Edgar was propped on my shoulder. He kept staring and barking merrily. The townsfolk waved as I walked by. I gave them a nod as I walked around. The mayor stared angrily till Tiberius stood in front of me and stared back. The rift opened a thorny branch extended out. Everyone hopped on the pavement and stood still. I took the crossbow that Blackwell gave me. I fired several shots and the six inch thorns launched themselves at the crowd. I pulled out a vial of black glitter and blew. The branch screamed before retreating. I took the gourd and started healing the injured. Mrs. Erebus used her magic to close the rift. Once everyone was healed I gave the gourd to Tiberius as I took Edgar for a walk. He shoved it into his inner jacket pocket as he walked not far behind. A few gave me a round of applause. I sat down on a bench near a stall called the poison apple. Children were happily eating salted caramel apples. They were shaking as they got the sugar rush. Stepdad came and asked me jokingly, "Sense a disturbance in the force master?" I explained that there is an intruder in the festival who has ripped the rift wide open. I am trying to summon Kage so I could ask him to spy on the troublemaker so the rift will shut properly.
He asked me what Kage looks like. I told him that he is a sentient shadow that keeps an eye on the rift. His job is to find the perpetrator once the rift was open. He thought I was joking so I grabbed the stringless bow and placed one finger on his forehead. It took him ten seconds before he jumped out of his skin. He looked everywhere till he saw Kage gliding towards us. He took several deep breaths as he listened to our conversation. He promised to find out. He was pleased that I sensed the presence. He promised to get me an answer by lunch. When he glided away I put my hand down. He was sitting still as a corpse. After a full minute he found his voice. He asked me if I see them all the time. I simply nod my head. He scratched Edgar's ears and walked off to tell the others. I was watching when a girl wearing a boarding school uniform sat next to me. She was followed by three others. They introduced themselves as Apple, Peaches, Mandy and Fleur. They wanted to be my friends. The sugar plum fairy nodded with approval. I gestured for them to sit. They asked me what I was doing. I explained that I am looking for subtle signs of Noir. It is the darkest magic that leaves a nasty residue on their body. I looked in the direction of the bed and breakfast.
That's when I saw a black smoke. I turned to the fairy and asked him to fetch me Zelmira at once. The girls came with me and a few adults came too. I flicked my baton as I got closer. The smoke got darker and denser. The air smelled like a burnt corpse and something mouldy. The ghosts were staring onwards. One was asking if they could eat her after we are done kicking her butt. The other ghosts were too furious to say anything. A woman in her fifties was stirring a rusted cauldron muttering words unintelligibly. When she saw me she shrieked and tried to run. I threw the baton and it connected with her ankle and she fell face first. Tiberius came and everyone to help him douse the flames and dump the contents in the cauldron. Because if it stays boiling then the rift will stay open. It will be seriously difficult to shut it up. One of the adults called for a fire hose. I told them not to use water since it is cursed fire. If he add water then the flames will spread out. It will stop when everyone and everything is burnt to ashes. Tiberius made a face, "So stopping it will be near impossible." I nod my head. Tiberius asked me what we should do. I asked him to get dirt and start chucking it on the flames. The dirt will absorb the spell and the fire will die out. Everyone ran as fast as they could and came back with a handful of earth. They surrounded the huge post and started throwing it and soon the fires died out. Tiberius asked me how I knew. I simply mentioned the grimoire. He gave me a thumbs up and Zelmira came in and asked her a few questions.
She explained that she was a pretend psychic. She saw the ability the guardians possessed. She wanted it but she couldn't wield the weapons so she decided to open the rift as revenge. She was the one who convinced the Bubbly Belle to open the portal. She is hoping to get someone else to do it. The purpose was to remove the guardian status so she can assume control. I made the mistake of telling Tiberius that the punishment for such atrocities was death by stoning. Everyone grabbed her and took her out to the town square while Obadiah and Atticus came wearing heavy duty gloves. Mrs. Erebus came with a vial of red liquid. Once the liquid was mixed in they poured it down the toilet. A ghostly figure jumped out and let out a howl before disappearing. I came downstairs and saw the ghost floating aimlessly again. Some were moaning or groaning or howling. They seemed uninterested in the situation below. Atticus escorted me to the town square where everyone had gathered. Everyone picked up a brick or a rock. The mayor yelled a few accusations before stepping aside to let the people punish her. Once she was dead they took her corpse and dumped in the asylum and walked away. I am guessing she is food for the wildlife. The cleaning crew cleaned the blood and the festivities continued. They served me grilled meat labeled as roadkill. Everyone promised to have weekly community gatherings so history can't repeat itself. They agreed to approach Tiberius or me for information.
As we were heading home I heard someone recite an incantation. Everything went black and when I woke up. Tiberius was standing over me. He asked me nicely why I had the shotgun. I told him that I am the guardian. He chuckled and introduced someone else as the guardian. I asked Mrs. Erebus if confusion spells or body snatching would lead to memory loss. The fake one tried to nudge them. Mrs. Erebus answered casually, "Confusion spells can be cleared with clarity. Body snatching would replace souls. The host will house the soul's memory." I grinned as I recalled, "Remember this Erebus. You told me that as long as I have this resin encased spider I would be safe. So far your protection pendant has failed twice. Last time my body was burnt badly before I switched back and was submerged in frigid waters to heal" Her eyes grew wider. She apologized profusely. I faced Tiberius, "When I told you about a vision I had as we left our first town hall meeting you went white as a sheet. You cut your wrist to open a portal so I could see Lissette. You asked me if I used the shotgun to shoot the conquistador. Your laugh was menacing. I was told that I could search everywhere but unless I get an invite from her I can't reach her that is unless you cut yourself. You rubbed your blood on the tree. And the markings on the bark began to bled to open the path. When I came back you laughed like I have never heard before or since. The day we first fenced I said you resembled Dracula from the old movies. You smiled enigmatically." He froze as did the others. I looked behind him, "Harkness when we met the second time you took me to where you were lobotomized. You said that I wouldn't like the answer you have. Which was I don't know. I found your body and gave you a burial. You came as you are now. You said you owe me a blood debt that you will pay till it is time for you to vanish." Tiberius stared blankly and asked me to describe Lissette. I did from head to toe. The residents of Tenebrae mansion stood still as the enchantment was lifted. The woman made the mistake of using a derogatory term for Lissette. Tiberius turned into Dracula as he turned around. One moment he was next to me. Then he was standing by the fraud and ripped out her heart. The other citizens snapped out of their trance too. Tiberius took the ember spider pendant and crushed it. Mrs. Erebus promised to find a way to protect me. Atticus was grinning ear to ear as he looked at the corpse. The residents gave me a hug as Edgar came barking. He cheerfully licked my face as we went back to the mansion.