Chapter 4

Watching Charlotte fall out of the elevator, Toby ran to its border, and reached his hand outside to catch her with no success.

Although he reacted quickly, when he made it to the door all he saw was darkness.

Where did she go? She was right there. It's like she was eaten.

 Toby turned his head towards the clerk with bloodshot eyes.

Where. Is. my sister, he yelled in anguish.

The clerk shrugged and puffed out a breath of smoke.

I can't tell you. It's against the rules. Non-participants aren't allowed to intervene..

I don't care about your exam, he interrupted, with a harsh tone.

Take me to my sister, right now or…

Or else what brat.

Or I'll kill you!!

Kill me? Do you know who you're talking to?

Yes, you're the person who's butt I'm going to kick.

Oh really, then come, little squirt.

Toby charged towards the women and threw a wild haymaker, completely missing his target, and stumbled towards the ground.

The clerk laughed.

You want to kill me with a puny punch like that. Better luck next time kid. You're all bark and no bite.

Toby pounced back up, and continued throwing punches, but they whisked past her face as she dodged in between smoke breaks.

The clerk, tired of the kid's antics, countered with a punch after a few minutes, and he fell to the ground.

Listen, I don't have time to deal with your tantrums. I've got paperwork to do.

Toby slowly rose to his feet, leaving the clerk bewildered. What the hell... Obviously, I didn't put my all into that punch, but he shouldn't have been able to get up so quickly.

 Undeterred, Toby launched into another round of attacks, mixing in roundhouses and elbows, but he was inevitably countered once mortPlanting the kid on the ground, the clerk walked away.

This time I put enough force to knock out an adult. That should be enough to put the brat to bed, he's probably just stronger than the average squirt.

Reassuring herself before making her way to the elevator control pad, the clerk turned towards the boy once more and nodded seeing he was still on the ground. However when she was about to click the button, she heard thuds coming from the floor.

It can't be..

Toby got up again.

I've got to find Sis.

Like before, Toby kept attacking; he got rocked, but the boy kept getting up.

This created an endless, frustrating, loop for the clerk for the next thirty minutes. 

Repeatedly, she tried knocking out the brat with punches of various strengths, and she came to a conclusion.

This runt. He's not strong. Over the course of this fight, he's totaled up countless bruises and cuts. Several parts of his body have turned purple. His face is swollen like a balloon, yet he keeps getting up. He's a monster.

Once again, the brat was floored on the ground by another one of the clerks' punches, and knowing he was going to get up, she asked him something.

Brat, why do you push yourself so hard? I get that's your sister, but don't you care about yourself. 

Crawling up to his feet, Toby gave an answer stammering back and forth. 

I do care about myself.

Everytime I take one of your punches I feel like I'm going to die.

I question if this is all worth it, but then I remember the promise we made.

To always have each other's backs, forever!

The clerk shook her head listening to the brothers words.

I've met many stubborn people in the past who've claimed they'd do anything for their family, but I can say that you are the first I've seen to put action to words.

 Yes, that's true, but…

The clerk vanished, appearing behind the boy, and Toby fell flat to the ground.

Sometimes willpower isn't enough.

No, I've got to find Sis.

Groggily watching the clerk walk away, Toby's mind drifted back to a different time.

Eight years ago, in a plain white hospital room, Toby overheard a conversation between a doctor and his sister.

His mind was in a state of shock.

It can't be. There's no way. I can't… She can't…

The door opened with a soft slam breaking up the boy's thoughts, and Charlotte walked through with a flower basket.

However, She paused near the edge of the room.

Toby, you're awake.

Is it true sis.

Is Mom dead and am I…

Yes, it's true, during the accident you were both hit with a curse from that demon.

Toby cried in loud sobs.

Why, Sis? Why did this happen to us? We didn't hurt anybody. All we ever did was help people, did the wisps abandon us.

Charlotte ran towards Toby, and gave him a deep hug. 

I don't know bro. I don't know.

Toby yelled and screamed in anguish, shouting multiple times to the ether, Why? Why my mother? Why me?

Not knowing what to do, Charlotte continued to hug Toby, but then, he pushed her away. 

Stay away from me. It should've been you, and not her. 

Crashing towards the floor, tears welled up in Charlotte's eyes, not because of her brother's harsh words, but because she felt it was the truth.

If I hadn't done that then, mother would still be alive.

Lost in a hole of her self pity, Charlotte couldn't look at her brother, so she shifted her gaze all over the room looking for an answer.

She paused at the flowers she brought with droopy eyes, and remembered her mothers soft words.

I know you and Toby got into a fight today, but you have to make up. It's not good for siblings to fight. Next time, if y'all get into a argument, blow at a flower and apologize. Why you ask? Don't you know if you make a wish by blowing at a flower it's sure to come true.

Resolutely recollecting herself, Charlotte marched towards the daffodils she brought in, and picked one up.

Toby, I'm sorry, I won't do it again.

Pfff , she blew the daffodil through the window.

Realizing what Charlotte was doing, Toby's crying stopped, and he asked his sister to grab him one too.

Then, he blew a flower.

I'm sorry, sis, I shouldn't have said that.

pfff

Charlotte marched towards the basket again, and oddly picked up another flower.

Sis, what are you doing?

 I've got one more wish, but I need you to blow this one with me.

What is she talking about? Didn't we already apologize?

Repeat after me.

Slowly, Charlotte said the wish she wanted, but Toby couldn't speak. 

He was stunned by his sister's words.

Come on Toby. Don't you want our wish to come true, Charlotte said with a bright smile.

Toby teared up again, and spoke

I promise we'll always have each other's back, and find a cure for me no matter what it takes.

<End Flashback>

Toby slowly began to rise again. 

Back then, I was such a crybaby, and honestly, I still am.

 But, Sis, if you can hear me, I'm sorry. I can't give up now.

Firmly standing on his own two feet, Toby bit his finger and slid it across his arm. 

The ligament shone brightly, and a blue tattoo appeared along with a torrent of azure glass shards that shredded its exterior flesh.

What the hell is this boy doing? I thought he wasn't a weiser. Where's this incredible amount of aura coming from?

Toby looked the woman in the eyes with fatigue.

I'm sorry, but I have to do this.

He pointed towards the ceiling, and glass shards swarmed above him like migrating birds.

Awaken, blade of the executioner, Grandfall.

The swarming shards condensed in a bright light. 

Out came a curved Ice blue blade with a european handle and a wavy hilt.

The clerk eerily looked at the sword.

That's definitely a phantasm, but why couldn't I sense him earlier. Phantasms are the materialization of one soul through their spirit ribbon.

 As a high-level weiser, I should be able to sense his energy. That means one of two things could've happened. Either he has more spirit energy than me or he's…. An irregular. Why didn't he use his powers earlier? He would've been able to put up a better fight.

Thinking back to the moments before Toby summoned his weapon, the clerk's jaw fell and her cigar flew out of her mouth.

Don't tell me…those tattoos earlier weren't his spirit sigil. It was a seal. He must not be able to control it. That's why his fragments were inflicting damage on his arms.

This spells trouble. I've got to knock him out. Chaotic weiss energy doesn't just hurt the environment, but also the wielder. He might take out the entire building along with himself.

Both combatants readied for different reasons, charged at each other to fight, but they were interrupted by a large boom.

A large orange flare bursted into the sky.

That's Odyseus that means, Sis is okay?

Watching the spear shatter into shards, Toby was overwhelmed as he saw the silhouettes of flowers blowing into the summer breeze, and nodded understanding his sister's message.

Okay, Sis. I hear you loud and clear.