——— Mira ———
The next day came without having achieved any meaningful strategy. With Minho being so secretive, there really wasn't anything I could do except get grumpy.
But somehow… I felt sorry for him at the same time.
I couldn't quite put a finger on what it was, but the more I pressed, the more I felt that it wasn't a simple fear of ghosts that he had.
Well, I guess we'll find out.
It was another long day at school. Now that I couldn't even keep Minho invisible via Concealment Magic, Minho was drawing a lot of attention wherever we went. He wasn't in his usual aloof state either, looking visibly agitated all the time, maybe because of the arrangement with Celestine we had after school.
It didn't sit very well with me. My faith in him started to waver a little after seeing him be so weak, and his looking so fragile around the school didn't do any good for me either. My fearsome Demon might have been giving the impression to everyone now that he's in fact very vulnerable.
Stupid Minho.
Why was he like this?
And why wouldn't he tell me what was wrong with him?
With all these questions unanswered, we went to Celestine's mansion again after school.
It was an impressive training ground she bad in her backyard. It could probably fit at least ten of my family's circus tent.
"Are you ready?", Celestine asked us, standing outside the boundary that we have drawn, standing on the opposite end far away from us.
"Yeah!", I yelled out. Minho stood a little inside the boundary, still looking limp and spiritless.
This really won't do…
Think of something, Minho.
But well, I said it myself last night. Win or loss today doesn't mean much. It was more about finding out Celestine's ghost's capability and also testing out what Minho could do about it.
"Here we go."
Celestine snapped her finger and so it started with my Minho and the invisible opponent inside the boundary.
This really isn't fair, is it?
It seemed that Minho could sense the whereabouts of the ghost based on the 'chills' he said he got, but perhaps just proximity of it.
The 'fight' was long drawn and it looked like it could only lead to a stalemate as nothing happened. Celestine looked powerless to do anything as well, as she had no effective control of her ghost other.
It was then Minho made his first move.
First he spat out another weird device that looked like a bottle with a strange shaped cap on it. Then he unscrewed the cap to open the bottle, and let some water pour out of his mouth into the bottle.
He started to walk around slowly as if he was looking to get close to the invisible foe, and after stopping at one place and shivering once, he started to shoot the water out of the bottle that spread in the air as fine vapor.
Whoa? What is this? How is he vaporizing water like this?
Such magic existed and it was useful spell for watering plants, but I've never seen a device used for doing this.
Then it suddenly appeared.
Within the water vapor that briefly hung in the air, I saw a figure of a woman - a pale, ghastly looking woman wearing clothes not so different from Minho, with blood veins visible on her bare limbs and face. She had long unkempt hair and bloodshot eyes, except that her blood seemed to be blue.
It let out an other wordly squeal that was very harsh on the ears and both Celestine and I winced and blocked our ears.
"In the name of Jesus Christ, I command you to leave!"
Minho shouted and started to shoot the water at the ghost, who seemed visibly disturbed by it.
Extremely aroused, the ghost launched itself - or rather, glided itself to Minho and grabbed him by his throat, lifting him off the ground. Celestine and I gasped.
What was worse though was that I felt the choke as well, just like during our training back then.
This… can't be happening…
"It can touch things physically!", Celestine yelled in joy.
You sadistic bitch. Your ghost is choking my Demon… and me!!!
"Chant after me, Mira!"
Still choking, Minho asked for my support.
Easier said than done, but… this time it wasn't even easy to say while feeling the full brunt of the choke on my throat.
"Our Father, who art in heaven!", Minho gave me the queue and I repeated.
"Our Father… kek… who art in heaven!"
"Hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done,
On earth as it is in heave-"
How the heck am I chanting that many words while being choked?!!
As I failed to repeat after Minho, the ghost spoke in a broken voice that was split with both high-pitched squeal and deep growl.
"I. Can't. Leave."
It then threw Minho away, flinging him across the field.
My body didn't get flung away, luckily, but I felt every bit of impact as he landed on the ground.
Minho desperately gasped for air and started to shoot the water around, but the ghost disappeared again.
"WHY?! Why are you here?!"
Minho shouted to the invisible creature.
The ghost then re-emerged from the vapor again, this time throwing Minho away by pulling his hair.
ARRRGHHH. MY HAIR!!!!
My demon was getting his ass kicked, and so was I.
"I. Want. My."
It almost felt like the voice was ringing in my head and it was giving me such a strong headache I felt like cutting my own head off.
"Who are you looking for?! Who do you want?!", Minho stood up bravely and shouted.
"The ghost stood in the water vapor but started to fade again as the vapor settled to the ground.
"I just want to see my daughter… just once… I don't want to fight…"
With that, the ghost disappeared and Minho fell on his knees.
"Is… is she still there?", I yelped to Minho and he shook his head.
"She's gone."
"Gone for good?!"
"I don't think so"
I looked over at Celestine and she seemed deep in thought, then a grin appeared on her lips.
"Excellent. Thank you, Minho, and you too Minakong."
"Do you understand what happened?", I asked the mysteriously triumphant-looking girl as I approached her.
"Not quite. But it gave me some ideas. So thank you very much."
"It's your loss, Celestine. Your monster ran away."
"Maybe she did. I will accept the loss."
But that didn't seem to bother her. Her loss didn't mean anything here, and neither did the victory mean anything to me now.
"It's done for today. I don't think we need any further practice. I will see you out."
"Huh? Just like that?"
"We've seen enough, and Minho has suffered enough, didn't he?"
"But-"
"And you too, Minakong. You seemed to be in pain."
Dang it!
She saw that I felt Minho's pain. This wasn't a secret I wanted anyone to find out before I understood how and why it was happening!
Minho came to me though and placed his palm on my shoulder.
"Let's go, Mira. I think I've had enough too"
With nothing more to say or do, we left Celestine's mansion.
Nothing was making sense.
Frustrating…