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Ghosts. Some say they are the entryway to the supernatural. A sudden chill up a spine, objects moving on their own, temperatures dipping seemingly at random in rooms. Most don’t believe in them. However, there is a certain group of ghouls that live with one.
The lads sat around a table, UNO deck sat in the middle in a neat pile. It was maybe the only thing neat on that table, as cards were being passed and thrown around like nobody's business. With the amount of yelling going around, it was a miracle they didn’t disturb the animals in the forest. Dan, Brian, Kevin and Seán were in the metaphorical trenches, with Brian only having one card left.
“I swear, he’s feckin cheating! He’s using AI or some bullshit!” Seán accused, Brian feigning hurt.
“I’m wounded. Truly. Now play a card.” Brian grinned, leaning on the back of his hand, guarding his card close to him. Seán skimmed his hand, glanced at Brian, who just raised his eyebrows, and put down his card. Brian grinned and placed his final card down, causing an uproar.
“This deck is cursed!” Kevin said boldly, throwing his cards down and getting out Turg, his favorite lighter. He collected all the cards quickly and walked outside with them. Cards made wonderful kindling. Dan walked behind him quickly, not wanting to have to buy another UNO deck, Seán following behind, Brian watching from afar. He looked around. Strangely, Daithi had been uncharacteristically quiet as of late. Come to think of it, he wasn’t even present for tonight's activities. Generally he liked to spectate and give commentary, but he had been gone. Brian did a quick scan of the area, eyebrows furrowing when he didn’t see anything. Not even a trace of the ghost. Brian heard shouting from outside and saw the flames spike, then rushed outside.
Daithi floated into the foyer, hearing the pandemonium from outside. He held himself as he watched the four of them stand around the fire, Kevin grabbing more kindling while the others mourned the loss of another UNO deck. He can’t remember the last game he played with the lads. It was such a struggle to keep this form intact, like straining muscles constantly. The strength it took him to phase through objects, to even pick something up, was excruciating. The lads couldn’t imagine how he was tortured. Unable to feel, to participate in the minute games that caused chaos, laughter. He was forever an observer. He had been like this since the late 1300s, he watched castles crumble and the manor be filled with life before being abandoned, he watched each of the lads move in, he just watched time go by as he stayed the same. He was sick of it.
The lads all eventually moved inside, Dan waving everyone goodbye for the night as he shuffled to his room. He yawned and stretched, opening the door, planning to climb into his bed and fall into blissful sleep, but to his surprise, saw Daithi. Daithi sat on the bed, Dan closing the door.
“Daithi? What’re ya doing in here?” Dan asked, Daithi looking up at him. Daithi took a deep breath and looked at the vampire.
“I want you to give me a physical form.” Daithi said, Dan blinking a little.
“But, don’t you have one? I’m looking at ya.” Dan asked, Daithi sighing.
“That’s not what I mean. I want to be able to touch again…i’m the only one that can’t touch someone and they actually feel my hand. They just feel cold…” Daithi sighed. “And I'm sick of it. So I want a physical form.” Daithi explained, Dan straightening.
“I…I don’t think I-”
“You can. I know for a fact that there’s a spell for this sort of thing. I’ve been through the catacombs.” Daithi said firmly, Dan swallowing. He looked at his hands. “And I know you’ve been working on turning-”
“Alright, alright!” Dan interrupted, looking back at the door. He sighed and looked back at Daithi. “I can do it. But there’s a lot of things that could go wrong! You couldn’t ever turn back into a ghost, you would be trapped like that, you could lose your tether to this world, Daithi, I could kill you.” Dan ran a hand through his hair. He looked at Daithi. “Are you sure you want to do this?” Dan asked weakly, Daithi nodding.
“You know those spells like the back of your hand. You can do it. So please Dan.” Daithi asked him, a surprising weakness in his voice that Dan hardly heard. Dan nodded, poked his head out of his room, and motioned Daithi to follow.
The catacombs of the mansion were dark, Dan snatching a candelabra as they walked past and doing a simple fire spell to light the candles. Daithi couldn’t help but snicker a little.
“If Kevin knew you could make fire from your fingertips, you would never hear the end of it.” Daithi hummed, Dan smiling a little. Eventually, they were at Dan’s self-titled ‘spell room’. He plucked a key from his pocket, then unlocked the door. Inside was an extensive bookcase of spellbooks, candles strewn about, and a few crystals. Dan set the candelabra down and walked over to the bookcase. Daithi floated in and glanced idly at the items. He froze when he saw a wooden stake. He cleared his throat, Dan turning around, his eyes widening. Daithi motioned to the stake.
“Mind telling me what this is for?” Daithi asked, Dan snatching it quickly from behind Daithi.
“This…it’s nothing. Insurance if anything.” Dan said, voice trailing to a whisper. He looked away. Daithi took a quiet breath.
“Insurance for…?”
“If I decide that this body is too much to bear. Or…Or if I hurt someone I don’t mean to.” Dan breathed. His eyes were filled with sorrow. “I’ve read what can happen. If I run out of blood I could starve, wither up entirely. But if I got so desperate and I hurt one of you…” Dan didn’t dare finish the thought. Dan silently gripped onto the stake, then put it on the bookshelf. “But we don’t need to worry about that now.” Dan told him, turning back to the books. Daithi swallowed.
“We wouldn’t let you hurt Kev, if that’s what you mean.” Daithi said to him, Dan stopping, just for a moment. With a sigh, Dan nodded and continued his search for the book. He plucked one silently from the bookshelf, then skimmed the pages.
“Well. This is it. A spell that can give you a physical tether to the world.” Dan mumbled. “All you need now is a body to have it to.” Daithi blinked, then swore softly. He didn’t think of that! Dan looked at him. “You…You don’t have one, do you?” Dan said to him.
“I’ll find one.” Daithi told him. Dan chuckled a little.
“How exactly are you going to find a person that is going to let a ghost possess them?” Dan closed the book, crossing his arms over his chest. Daithi thought for a moment. He brightened.
“Who said it had to be a person?” Daithi hummed, glancing at Dan with mischief in his eyes. Dan raised his eyebrows in worry.
So, when the sun set the next day, the two set out into the night. Around 3 am, to be exact. Dan and Daithi were set out for the town a decent number of miles away. Daithi knew there was a clothes store there. So the plan was to borrow a mannequin so Daithi could have a host! Simple! The two walked through the forest, a bat landing on Dan’s shoulder. Dan glanced at it and sighed lightly.
“I don’t know either, ” Dan whispered, watching as Daithi sped ahead to the town. “I want to help him. I do. I just…don’t think this is the way to do it.” Dan mumbled, then pressed forward. And there the mannequin was. Standing in a store window, advertising a new, far too expensive, outfit. Dan’s nose couldn’t help but crinkle at the outfit. Why on earth pair orange and green together? But, that was beside the point. Daithi floated over to the door, took a deep breath, then phased into the lock. After a few moments of silence, the door was unlocked, Daithi popping out a few seconds later. Dan walked into the store, glancing around, then walked to the display case. He picked the mannequin up, then walked out. Daithi gave him a thumbs up, then the pair walked back to the mansion.
Dan took a quiet breath, placing the mannequin on the floor. He had taken those awful clothes off of it, and now it lay in the center of a circle of candles. Dan flipped the book open and sighed.
“And you’re sure you want to do this?” Dan asked, Daithi nodding.
“If not, we stole a mannequin for nothing.” Daithi hummed, Dan smiling faintly. He rolled up his sleeves, then tossed Daithi a stone. Daithi caught it and looked at it. Dan placed a similar stone on the center of the mannequin. Dan, upon seeing Daithi’s confused look, nodded a little.
“Think of this as a heart.” Dan hummed. “And, if need be, I could sever the connection between your stone and the hosts. Meaning you would be a ghost again.” Dan explained, Daithi nodding.
On the ground floor of the manor, Brian rolled his shoulder, descending the stairs from his room. When he had enough sense to fall asleep in a bed as opposed to at his desk, he would shuffle his way up to a room. He scanned the area quickly for any traces of hunters, or of Daithi, but nothing. He sighed and moved to the kitchen.
“Hey, have you seen Daithi around?” Brian asked Seán, who shook his head, fussing over a cup of coffee.
“Why’d you ask?” Seán hummed, taking a sip from his drink. Brain crossed his arms over his chest idly.
“It’s just I haven’t seen him around. Even when I scan the area it’s nothing.” Brian explained.
Then, the house shook.
A brilliant flash of purple came from the catacombs, creeping up the stairs. Brain and Seán snapped their heads to the light, rushing down quickly. They followed the light and the sound of…chanting? to a door, ever so slightly askew. And there was Dan, wings tore clean through his shirt, candles all around glowing purple as a stone was lifted into the air. His eyes glowed the same brilliant shade of purple, chanting in a tongue neither Brian or Seán could understand.
“Ad nay prae tum ister fah tum antay dayculum, vivahlos vivahlos meno non cordo meno…” Dan chanted, and with his voice coming to a crescendo, the purple vanished, the rock lowering into the palm of…a mannequin. Dan slumped over, wings covering him almost like a blanket. Then, the mannequin sat up. It touched its head, its hands, all over, throwing his arms up in excitement. It then turned to Dan in excitement, but froze when it saw him, motionless on the cobblestone floor. Seán rushed to Dan’s side, scooping him up. Brian walked to the mannequin, scanning it quickly. He took a step back when it registered in his system.
“What…what is it?” Seán asked, Brian swallowing.
“That’s Daithi.” Brian mumbled, Seán paling.
“No, that’s not…” Seán breathed, the mannequin nodding at him. Brian swallowed. He turned to the book that lay on the floor, and picked it up. Seán glanced over his shoulder. How Dan could read this was maddening.
“So…I think it gave Daithi a physical body…for fecks sake, is this in latin ?” Brian mumbled. Brian folded the corner of the page over to mark it, and Seán swore he felt Dan twitch, the four of them walking back up the stairs. They could talk this over where it wasn’t so darn creepy.
Dan was laid across a couch, head propped up with a pillow, Brain scanning Dan quickly.
“He’s still alive. Well, his version of alive.” Brian mumbled. “He must’ve just passed out from his little light show.” Brian said, then slumped down in a chair. Daithi sat down as well, Seán following suit.
“He…He was willing to help me.” Daithi spoke, voice distant and slightly muffled. “I had no idea that would happen to him.” Daithi said softly. Seán looked at him.
“Why do you want a physical body?” Seán asked, Daithi leaning back in his chair.
“Because I…It would be nice to be able to hold things without putting all my energy into it. When I was a ghost I had to focus so much on staying corporeal. But now that I’m physical I can do things! I can feel things around me, I don’t have to worry about being stuck in objects, it’s so nice to make an impact in the world again.” Daithi explained, looking at his hands. The room fell silent. All that could be heard was the wind whipping outside. Brain looked at Daithi.
“So…So are you permanently like this?” Brian asked cautiously, Daithi looking over and shaking his head.
“No. I’m connected to this stone,” Daithi held up the rock, which glowed a faint green, “and if I ever want to go back to being a ghost, Dan could sever the connection.” Daithi explained.
“Well, Dan’s out of commission until god knows when.” Seán said, standing. “So…now what?” Seán asked Daithi, who thought. Sure, he had a body now, and a lovely one at that, but nothing to do with it.
“I think you should put on something. Feckin freaking me out talking to a life size Ken Doll.” Brain said, Daithi looking down and chuckling a little. So, the lads made sure Dan was alright, then walked upstairs to find some clothes for Daithi’s new body.
Needless to say, when Kevin woke up at around 8 and saw a mannequin sitting in a chair, Dan passed out with wings sprawled out around him, with Seán and Brian seemingly not terrified, he was a little startled. He walked down the stairs and cleared his throat a little. Seán glanced over, then looked at the scene, then smiled nervously.
“It’s a long story. But, this is Daithi,” Seán motioned to the mannequin, who waved at Kevin, “and Dan is fine. He, I think , put too much energy into a spell and proceeded to pass the fuck out.” Seán explained. Kevin looked at Daithi, then at Dan, then at Seán, then blinked.
“This is somehow more weird than finding out that ghosts, vampires, werewolves and cyborgs were real.” Kevin said dryly, sitting down on the side of the couch, not intruding on Dan’s space. “So…we live with a mannequin now.” Kevin hummed, Daithi chuckling a little.
“It’s still me , I can just, ya know, have a physical impact on things.” Daithi told Kevin.
“Didn’t you already?” Kevin’s eyebrows furrowed, Daithi thinking for a moment.
“I did. It just…took a lot out of me.” Daithi said plainly. Kevin nodded a little and leaned back.
The hours passed. Dan was still out cold. Brian had tried to decipher what exactly was wrong with him, he had never seen Dan with wings before, but he couldn’t make out the text. Daithi was seemingly content with his body. He spent most of the day simply feeling around the manor, hell, he even dusted just to watch the cobwebs fall around him.
Seán, needing to get out of the house, decided he would venture into town for groceries. So, he walked to the town nearby, bags in hand, only to see police gathered around a small clothing shop.
“I don’t know how it happened!” The shopkeeper explained to the police. “Nothing else was stolen besides the mannequin and the clothes on its back!” He said, the policeman writing the information down. “I watched the footage, and the lock just seemed to open for the man!” The shopkeep was exasperated. The cop nodded.
“Can you give us a description of the perpetrator?” The cop asked, making the shopkeep nod.
“Yeah, he was tall, had pointed ears, and wore a suit with a cape.” Seán blanched a little, doing a heel turn and walking back to the manor quickly. This was bad. Very, very bad.
Daithi perked up when he heard the door open and close quickly.
“Seán! How was the town?” Daithi asked, Seán putting his hands on his hips.
“Well, Dan is now a wanted man.” Seán said, somewhat angrily. Daithi tilted his head a little at him.
“I’m sorry, what?”
“That store that you stole that body from had security cameras, and watched as Dan waltzed in and stole the mannequin with the clothes on it.” Seán explained. Daithi looked away.
“Look, I didn’t realize that it would be this big of a deal! We were in and out!” Daithi said to him. Seán pinched the bridge of his nose.
“It doesn’t matter that you were in and out. What matters is that you were seen. And that’s the only reason you, Dan and Brian don’t go into town. If someone sees you, they could alert hunters, and suddenly we’re exposed and vulnerable!” Seán said to him sharply.
“But we’re not vulnerable. You’re a werewolf, Brian can shoot feckin lasers from his eye. We’re safe.” Daithi snapped back. “Nothing is going to happen.” Daithi said, his voice cracking as he walked away. Seán took a shaky breath and ran a hand through his hair.
Daithi walked to his room and closed the door, then glanced at the stone that was tucked into his pocket. When it once glowed an emerald green, it was fading. Slowly, but surely. Daithi gripped it in his hand. He can’t be losing mobility. Not so soon. He shoved the stone back into his pocket and sat down on the bed. He clenched his hand into a fist, the digits cracking a little.
Brain sat, looking over Dan. It was the calmest Brian had seen Dan in a while. He was always flitting about the library, with his nose tucked into a book. He rarely slept around the lads, and Brian had to admit, it was a little sobering to see Dan like this. He remembers just a few months ago when he had first met Dan. A freshly turned vampire. Brian could have sworn in those first few days when he was still moving in Dan would longingly look out the windows at the city, before turning back to what he was doing.
He understood. Those first few days when he was…
Nevermind all that. What mattered is that Dan was seemingly ok. Brian was snapped out of his thoughts when he heard Seán sit down with a huff. Brian looked over and raised an eyebrow.
“It looks like someone just spit in your coffee. What’s up?” Brian asked. Seán sighed and looked at the cyborg. After a brief catch up on what happened in town, Brian let out a sigh and sat down in one of the other chairs.
“You don’t think anything is gonna come of it, do you?” Brian asked. Seán shrugged.
“I’m not sure. But what pissed me off was that Daithi didn’t even seem to care. He just told me that we’re safe and have nothing to worry about!” Seán threw his hands up in exasperation. Brian nodded. Seán glanced over at Dan and deflated a little. “I see Sleeping Beauty isn’t awake.” He muttered, Brian looking over and nodding once more.
“Yup. Can’t say I blame him. You saw what went on down there.” Brian hummed, Seán leaning back a little.
“I honestly didn’t know Dan could do that.” Seán said softly.
“I think there’s a lot Dan doesn’t want us to know about him.” Brian mumbled. Seán couldn’t help but agree.
Deciding to retire for the day, the two lads walked to their respective rooms, trying to find solitude among the fever of the two days.
Daithi couldn’t help but pace. How could his control already start to weaken? The spell should have made it last for a good while, not a day! Daithi emerged from his room and to the foyer, where the book sat. He glanced around and flipped it open, flipping to the dog eared page. Daithi winced a little.
“Oh, Dan is gonna kill them…” Daithi whispered, reading over the spell. There, written in the dark blue ink, was the details of the spell.
‘When the spell is read, it creates a tether between two objects. It is ideal for trying to form a connection with the supernatural, such as ghosts. It gives them a way to be connected to the real world. With a proper host, the spell should last a few months.
However, if casted improperly, the tether can weaken rapidly. If the following reversal incantation is not read in time, the tethered soul will be lost forever.
Et antay daytum entayah tahkay bayah ben, ah may ah tay ah tum ditum ’
Daithi snapped the book shut and looked at Dan. Still asleep. Daithi walked over to Dan and swallowed.
“Listen, uh, Dan, I don’t know if you intended this, but the spell is all fecked up.” Daithi spoke softly, yet shakily. “I can feel myself getting stiffer. I…I think I'm going to be lost.” Daithi whispered, looking at his hands. “So, um, if you wanna wake up, that would be great , if not I totally get it.” Daithi tacked on quickly, but still nothing. Daithi didn’t know what he was expecting. Some miracle out of a storybook? But, regardless, Daithi sat down in one of the chairs, watching Dan throughout the night. For a movement, a sound, anything.
Kevin rubbed his eyes, trudging down the stairs. He blinked when he saw Daithi, skimming through the book, swearing softly and closing it. Daithi looked over and swallowed.
“Oh, Kev, did I wake you?” Daithi asked softly, Kevin shaking his head no.
“Can you…read that?” Kevin asked Daithi, who looked at the book.
“Oh, sure. When you’ve lived here for as long as I have, you have time to decipher it.” Daithi said, only a bit bitter at the words. Kevin nodded a little, then looked at Dan.
“How long do you think he’s gonna be out for?” Kevin asked lightly, Daithi shrugging.
“I don’t really know. The last time this happened-” Then, Daithi’s voice cut out. The mannequin was completely frozen. Kevin looked at him and swallowed.
“Daithi…? Are you there?” Kevin asked, shaking his shoulder a little. Still nothing. Kevin swallowed. “Daithi, not the time to feck around, are you there?” Kevin asked, panic starting to creep into his voice. After a few moments, the mannequin jolted to life. It seemed to shake shuddery breaths, looking at its hands. “Daithi?” Kevin whispered, Daithi looking at him.
“It’s happening…god, not now…” Daithi said weakly. Kevin’s eyebrows furrowed.
“What’s happening?” Kevin urged, Daithi taking a nervous breath.
“The tether is snapping.” Daithi said weakly. “Get the others.” Daithi pleaded, Keivn nodding and rushing to the other’s rooms. Daithi glanced at Dan. Cmon, now would be a great time to wake up…
“Daithi! Kevin told us that you were dying, but we told him you can’t kill what’s already dead, but what’s happening.” Seán asked, Daithi turning to him. Alright, how to explain this without him dying in the process.
“My soul is connected to this rock,” Daithi pulled the stone from his pocket, which flickered a dim green, “and the connection is snapping. We need to read the spell to reverse the connection and I lose this body.” Daithi said quickly, making Brian blink.
“Why can’t you read it?” He asked. Daithi swallowed.
“If I could cast the spells on myself, I would have done this ages ago.” Daithi explained. “But I don’t have enough magic in me to do it.” Daithi breathed. Brain nodded, Seán rushing over with Kevin.
“What can we do to help?” Seán asked, Kevin nodding. Daithi thought for a moment.
“Candles. Dan uses candles. They’re in the catacombs, from that room you found us in.” Daithi explained, Seán nodding, Kevin pulling out his lighter as the two rushed down the dim hallway. Daithi tensed, his hand clenched around the stone. He practically shoved the book into Brian’s hands, who fumbled a little.
“I can barely read it! How do you-”
“You repeat after me until I can’t .” Daithi said firmly, laying down on the floor. Brian nodded weakly and flipped to the page he read from earlier. Seán and Kevin were back in record time, Seán laying the candles down in a rushed formation as Kevin lit them. The three lads looked at Daithi, who took a shaky breath.
“If anything happens-”
“Which it won’t.” Seán slid in, Daithi looking at him and nodding.
“I just wanna tell you guys you’ve made this…whatever this is, great to experience.” Daithi said weakly. His voice was barely there, Brian nodding and smiling a little.
“This’s gonna be easy.” Brain said, mostly lying to himself. He looked at the pages and then at Daithi.
“Et antay daytum…entayah tahkay….” Daithi started, his body becoming more and more rigid. The other three lads repeated the words, looking at the pages to try and make out something, anything to save their friend. But as Daithi’s voice slipped further and further away, and as the words became harder and harder to read…
Dan woke up.
The vampire sat up with a groan, his wings receding back into his body. Note to self, don’t do that ever again. He looked around and paled at the scene. There was Daithi, laying on the floor, candles surrounding his form, the other lads reading from his spellbook. He shot up, wobbled a little, then limped over to the other lads. Seán looked over in surprise.
“Dan! You’re-”
“No time! Give me the book!” Dan said hurriedly, Brian pushing the book into his hands. Dan scanned the words quickly then took a breath. “Et antay daytum entayah tahkay bayah ben, ah may ah tay ah tum ditum…” Dan chanted, his hair floating ever so slightly, iris’ flickering purple. He repeated the words over and over, until the stone from Daithi’s hand floated up, then Daithi shot out of it. The stone fell to the floor with a thud, Daithi taking weak breaths. He looked at the other lads, who looked right back at him. Dan let the book fall to the floor, steading himself on the chair to prevent himself from collapsing. Daithi looked at the mannequin, then the stone, then the others.
“I’m…I’m here…” Daithi whispered. Kevin nodded, never in his life thinking he would be so happy to see a ghost. Daithi smiled a little, letting himself feel his chest in relief, then blanched. “I’m so sorry I…I don’t know what I was thinking…” Daithi said weakly. Before the others could protest, Daithi floated away. Dan watched him go and sighed.
“Let me go talk to him.” Dan said softly. Brian furrowed his eyebrows.
“Don’t you think you should rest a bit?” He asked, Dan shaking his head.
“I’ve rested enough over the past…” Dan glanced at the three of them for an insight.
“You were out for around two days.” Seán said gently. Dan blinked and ran a hand through his hair.
“Jesus…” Dan breathed. “I messed up the spell. I should apologize to Daithi. Just let me talk to him. I’ll explain what happened to me later.” Dan plucked the book and stone from the floor, then walked up the stairs, a little wobbly at first, but then as graceful as ever.
Dan took a deep breath as he stood in front of Daithi’s room. He held the stone in one hand, the book in the other. He closed his eyes and knocked on the door. “It’s Dan.” The vampire spoke softly. After a few moments of silence, Daithi gave him permission to come in. Dan opened the door to see the ghost, despondent on his bed, the sheets remaining unmoved. Dan closed the door and sat beside him. The air was so thick Dan could swear if he bit into it, blood would be drawn.
“I’m sorry I fucked up the spell. I know how much this meant to you.” Dan started. Daithi swallowed and looked at his hands.
“It…I know you didn’t mean to.” Daithi said to him, Dan nodding a little.
“If there’s a way to make it up to you I-”
“Don’t. I…I was being selfish.” Daithi said. “We should have never done this in the first place.” Daithi breathed, Dan shaking his head.
“You weren’t being selfish for wanting to feel again. You remember how I was my first few days here. So enamored with becoming human again. I can’t imagine how you feel.” Dan looked at the specter, who nodded wordlessly.
“I just wanted an easier way to…to matter . I’m so tired of being a constant spectator, it’s so maddening to see life go by and you remain the same.” Daithi explained. Dan swallowed and looked back at the book.
“There’s got to be something that can give you something close to a tether.” Dan explained, flipping through the book. Daithi stopped him.
“I can’t let you go through another spell so soon. The last time you were out for so long it was after that attack. After Seán was hit with a silver dagger.” Dan looked away.
“I couldn’t let him…”
“I know.” Daithi finished. “And I'll be alright Dan. I know I will.” Daithi told him. He closed the book, Dan looking at him.
“I…Just, tell me if you ever think about it.” Dan told him. Daithi nodded.
“Promise.” Daithi smiled sadly, Dan smiling back at him. “So…Batman, thanks for saving my life.” Daithi hummed, Dan shrugging weakly.
“What else was I supposed to do? You’re one of my best friends.” Dan said to him, Daithi’s breath catching in his throat. “You’re with us Daithi. Through thick and thin.” Dan assured Daithi, who nodded and rubbed his eyes a little. Daithi looked back at Dan, and his ruined shirt, and stifled a little.
“Even if it costs you your entire closet?” Daithi asked jokingly, making Dan look back and swear softly.
“Aw damn, I liked this shirt too.” Dan mumbled, Daithi laughing. Dan smiled a little, then stood. He offered a hand to Daithi. “Cmon. The other lads are worried sick.” Dan hummed, Daithi nodding a little and standing, then left the room with him.
So, life returned to normal, well, as close to normal as it could get. It turns out, through manipulation of the spell, Daithi was able to connect his soul with the stone, no host needed. It put a lot less strain on trying to maintain a physical form constantly, as the stone helped channel his energy. Dan had explained, to the amazement of the others, that when he got too engrossed in a spell, his wings would sprout from his back to try and help the magic flow properly. The downside was, evidently, that it took a lot out of Dan to try and maintain the spell, his newly formed wings, and try to keep himself from imploding, so when he would finish the spell, it often meant taking a bit to recover. The lads were both fascinated by the idea, and also a little terrified. But, regardless, they never really brought it up again, they didn’t feel the need. Life, to their chagrin, moved on, but Daithi wasn’t so bothered by that anymore.
FIN