Edward's Family

"Only use your ability when absolutely necessary."

David advised as they headed back towards Manchester, matching Edward's pace this time instead of rushing.

"Hm... Do ghosts have night vision as one of their special abilities?"

Edward pondered, agreeing with David's caution about conserving their energy.

He knew reapers were their natural foes, and the danger of encountering them was always present; thus, he always kept his guard up.

It was already nighttime when they began their journey, yet Edward found he could see everything just as clearly as in the morning. William hadn't mentioned this ability when explaining their powers to him.

This piqued his curiosity, wondering if he had awakened another special ability. Observing David, Edward noticed that David also seemed to possess this ability.

Realising it might not be a special ability, Edward asked directly instead of searching for answers himself.

"No, this isn't a special ability of ghosts. It's an inherent ability of all special creatures. Don't think that ghosts and reapers are the only unique beings in this world. It's far more dangerous than it appears, and we ghosts aren't even among the strongest. We're more in the middle."

David explained, enlightening Edward once again. Despite his initial surprise, Edward had grown accustomed to accepting such information already.

This time, it took them about two hours to reach Manchester. Taking a steady pace let the both of them remain in good condition.

"This is the benefit of darkness. At night, the Yin energy in the world increases by almost fifty percent compared to the morning. So... Never mind, just think of it like getting a lot of 'fresh air' and not easily getting tired like during the day."

David explained, glancing at the brightly lit city ahead. Despite the city's lights, the surrounding darkness seemed ready to engulf it entirely, creating a striking visual contrast.

"By the way, where is your house located?"

David asked, shaking his head to clear random thoughts.

"My house is near Alexandra Park on Mayfield Street."

Edward responded robotically, his mind tense with worry.

"I've never been to that place, or maybe I've forgotten. Just lead the way, but let's avoid any impulsive actions, alright?"

David remarked, finally sensing Edward's tensed state and understanding how recklessly a 'normal' ghost might behave upon seeing loved ones.

He shook Edward forcefully to snap him out of his absentminded state.

"Don't worry."

Edward responded, his mind clearing from the anxiousness a bit.

"Let's go."

Edward and David then began their journey towards Edward's home.

"This is the start of Mayfield Street. We're about five hundred meters away from my home."

Edward said, his voice tinged with both anxiety and excitement.

Upon hearing they were nearing their destination, David immediately unleashed his special ability.

By communing with the elements, he could probe for any unusual energies nearby. His range extended up to a mile, allowing him to detect changes in the environment and elements.

But David's special ability also granted him a premonitory sense, alerting him to dangers beyond his 'Absolute' range.

Edward, despite his anxiety and eagerness to see his family, restrained himself from rushing ahead. He waited patiently for David's signal before proceeding further.

"I'm glad you were able to hold back and keep your emotions in control."

David said, though it irked Edward slightly. He was barely able to suppress himself and didn't appreciate this form of 'flattery' at the moment.

"I know, I know... I have good news. I haven't detected any reaper energies around this area. That means, there are no reapers searching for you, for the most part."

David added quickly, noticing the impatience growing on Edward's face.

Encouraged by the response he wanted, Edward hurried towards his home.

David also hurried to follow him. Despite the apparent safety here, he didn't want to regret it later if something unexpected happened.

After a minute or two, they stood in front of a two-story house.

"No lights? Wait, let me check."

Edward and David looked at the pitch-black house. Not wanting to waste more time David quickly used his special ability to check for any humans inside.

"Let's go, I know where they might be."

Edward said abruptly, not waiting for David to finish his exploration.

'What a waste of my special ability.'

David muttered a bit wronger but followed Edward firmly, confirming he hadn't detected any living humans in the house.

"Where are we going now?... Just let me know when we're about to reach that place, before rushing in."

David asked, but received no response from Edward. He simply shrugged to himself and continued alongside him.

About ten minutes later, they reached a main road.

"That is the funeral home where my grandfather and grandmother were cremated. If my family isn't here, it means my body is still in the hospital mortuary. Can you please check if there are a lot of people inside?"

Edward stopped at the side of the road and gazed ahead at the brightly lit funeral home.

Uncertain if his family had arrived, he couldn't see many people from where they stood. Despite this, he was confident that many friends and relatives would attend his funeral.

David had already used his special ability as soon as Edward stopped, checking for any nearby reapers.

So, now all he has to do is check whether there are many humans in that funeral place or not. David simply nodded in confirmation as he indeed found a lot of people there.

"Let's go."

Taking a deep breath, Edward stepped forward. He couldn't help but feel his footsteps were extremely heavy with each step towards them.

David silently followed him, reminiscing his own past in a similar situation. He understood the pain that Edward is feeling better than anyone.

Edward and David slowly made their way into the building, which resembled a mini mansion.

They walked through the main door. As soon as they entered, they found two people sitting in the hallway, their faces filled with sorrow.

One of them is a teenage girl who appears to be in her late teens, while the other is a young man in his late twenties.

Both are Edward's cousins, the children of his aunt who is his mother's only sister.

Elijah, nearly the same age as Edward, is not only a cousin but also one of his best friends. Sophia, the youngest in their family, is the most loved by everyone.

Edward used to always dote on Sophia a lot.

Upon closer inspection, there were many dried tears around her eyes. Everyone loved Sophia, but Edward was indeed her favorite brother of all. She never in her wildest dreams expected this day.

"Sophie! Let's go home, you need some rest for tomorrow's funeral."

Elijah said with a choked voice. She truly needed rest, or else she might faint and wouldn't even be able to attend the funeral tomorrow, the way she looks right now.

Sophia stubbornly shook her head, her eyes brimming with tears ready to spill at any moment.

Meanwhile, Edward felt an overwhelming ache seeing his little cousin in such sorrow. His own tears threatened to spill at any moment.

"Can you help me in any way, David?"

Edward closed his eyes, trying to hold back the tears, his voice choked with emotion. He wanted to shout at her for being so stubborn, as she usually does listen to him if he gets angry.

David, on the other hand, simply stood there without saying anything. It's not that he couldn't do anything here... he is a Tier 12 ghost captain, which granted him certain abilities. But he knew that it might create more chaos than help.

Not to mention the amount trouble that comes along with it. His silence immediately made Edward understand that David is either unable to help or unwilling to help.

But he didn't misunderstand David. He is already very grateful for David coming along with him, despite the risks.

"Let's go inside."

Edward said, taking one more look at his cousins, who looked sad and tired.