Phantom Syndicate

by BluePhoenyx

Chapter 5: The creature

Mirage watched Spirit below her. They were in a house but she couldn’t place which one; It looked like the house she lived in with Spirit and Quill, but she could see Spirit in the living room from the top of the stairs, which was impossible in their home. She watched him as he faced off against a massive dark shadow that was against the wall. He was grinning as he looked back at her.

“Go on home and put the kettle on, Mirage. I got this.” Spirit told her, his voice sounded distant but it had the same ring of confidence and head-strong as ever.

Mirage started downstairs after him, but as soon as she stepped hoof onto the first step, they collapsed under her. She cried out as she fell with them. Time slowed to a crawl. She watched as Spirit turned towards her, then watched as the shadow wrapped around and consumed him. She screamed for him to run but the shadow enveloped him.She heard his scream of agony. She called his name but the darkness enveloped her as well.

****

Mirage screamed as she shot up in bed. She looked around frantically, trying to find something to grab onto to keep her from falling. Slowly she realized she wasn’t falling and that she was in a room, a hospital room to be exact. A gentle hoof touched hers and she jerked her attention to it. Quill’s familiar face came to view and she relaxed.

“Quill? Oh, thank Celestia,” Mirage panted, her face twisted with concern and uncertainty. “Spirit? Where’s Spirit?” She demanded.

Quill stepped aside to show a hospital bed behind him. Spirit was sleeping in it, his shoulder freshly bandaged. “He’s safe,” Quill answered calmly. “He’s got a fever though, he hasn’t woken up since Princess Luna found you and brought you back.”

“Princess Luna saved us?” Mirage asked.

“Yes, you dolt. What in Equestria were you doing in a graveyard at night? The Princess had to rescue you! Do you know how that makes us look?” Quill yelled.

Mirage ignored him and climbed out of bed, which she quickly regretted when the room spun and the floor slipped away beneath her hooves. Quill ran over to help, but she had already regained herself when he got there. She made her way to Spirit’s bedside and frowned as she watched him breathe in slow, shallow rhythms.

“Is he going to be okay?” she asked quietly.

Quill stepped over to her. “He’s got a high fever, and his wound was infected,” he answered. “But the doctors are confident he’ll make a full recovery. He just needs rest and medicine.”

Mirage nodded weakly. “Good. I’m glad.” She sighed. “I’m sorry, Quill, I should have forced him to go back but I’ve just...never seen him so... I don’t know, what’s the word? Not, vulnerable but...open.”

“It’s okay. He’s safe now,” Quill said. “You should get some rest yourself. Doctors said you nearly killed yourself using that much defensive magic”

“I am tired,” Mirage admitted as she made her way back to her bed. She stopped to look back at Spirit before she climbed in. “Thank the princess for me, Quill?”

Quill nodded and smiled as he helped her get tucked back into bed. He blushed a little when he realized what he was doing and quickly turned away. “Yeah, I will. I’ll be back later with some food okay?”

“Good, I’m starving.” Mirage chuckled. “How about a hayburger and a huge milkshake?”

Quill smiled at her. “Coming right up,” he said, then left her room to let her sleep.

****

Spirit walked down a long hallway that seemed to stretch forever. It was dark, with the walls painted a horribly grey-green color with a mahogany baseboard lining the bottom. He looked around, trying hard to place where he had seen the walls before. He paused in front of a door to his left just as it was materializing into the wall. Spirit nudged the door opened then stepped into the room. It was darker than the hallway was, making impossible for Spirit to see anything in front of him. He stepped forward a few paces, then tripped over something hard.

When he stood up, lights suddenly flicked on, blinding him for a second. Spirit raised a hoof to block the light from his eyes and allow him time to get accustomed to the brightness. When he turned to see what he had tripped over, his stomach churned in his stomach, making him heave and catch a sob in his throat. His sister’s body was laying in the middle of the floor, twisted, bloated and bleeding, with festering wounds that bubbled and fizzed. Her face was twisted in the agony and her mouth hung open in mid-scream, while her eyes remained wide open as if trying to desperately see her brothers coming to save her from her grim fate. Spirit distinctly noticed the lack of smell, but he was too preoccupied to let the question linger in his mind. Spirit screamed at the sight, just as the door to the room slammed shut. He dropped to his knees, letting hot tears spurt from tight-shut eyes onto his sister’s body. His sobs struggled painfully past the massive knot in his throat, making him hiccup with each rapid inhale.

“I’m so sorry,” he croaked. “I’m so sorry Lily, I sh... I should have been there...”

“Spir-it” A soft voice sang, her voice echoing off the walls of the empty room.

Spirit jerked his head upward and watched as his sister’s body twisted and untangled from its death pose. Her bones snapped back into place, cracking as she dragged herself to her hooves.

“Spir-it,” She sang again, her broken and unhinged jaw made each syllable sound distorted. “Why didn’t you save me Spirit?” Her words poisoned his ears and made his heart ice over.

Spirit leaped to his hooves. He tried to spread his wings to fly away from her, but his wings felt glued to his sides and his hooves felt like one-ton weights. Lily continued her agonizingly slow stride toward him, then reached a hoof out to touch him. Her eyes turned red and fangs grew from her mouth.

“Come play with my Spirit, it’s so easy to die. It’s just like going to sleep.” She hummed. Her hoof was just inches from his face.

Spirit clenched his eyes shut as he screamed. The world fell away suddenly and he felt like he dropped back down into his bed. He bolted upright, still screaming while he struggled against the bedsheets until he rolled off the mattress and crashed onto the floor.

Mirage was at his side in an instant. She used her magic to unwrap him from the blankets then helped him back into the bed.

“Spirit, it’s okay you’re safe.” Mirage cooed. She stroked his mane with a hoof to try and calm him down. “Take it easy.”

“What happened? Where am I?” Spirit gasped in desperation.

Mirage used her magic to bring over a small paper cup of water, then brought it to his mouth. “You’re at Canterlot Medical.” She replied while he drank. “You’ve been asleep for two days.”

“Two days?” he nearly choked on his water.

Mirage nodded. “You passed out at the cemetery, your Mark got infected and you had a high fever.” She opted not to explain what had happened after he’d passed out.

Spirit frowned. “Oh, I’m sorry,’ He mumbled. “I guess I just forgot about it”

Mirage smiled and brought over a bowl of warm vegetable soup. “It got a little cold, but it’s still good.” She set the bowl down on his lap gently, as if doing so might break him.

Spirit nodded his thanks, then lifted the bowl in his hooves to drink from it. They sat awkwardly, listening to the sounds of the hospital around them. Mirage finally spoke up when the tension became too much for her.

“Well, I was going to go to the market today. You should rest up, I’ll be back later” She babbled while she made sure his blankets were properly placed.

Spirit looked like he was about to argue something, but then he lowered his ears and turned away. He obviously didn’t want to continue the conversation and that made Mirage feel even worse.

“Yeah..okay.” He mumbled.

Mirage wanted to make him talk to her, wanted him to ask her to stay, or even just say he felt better and back to his old, cocky self. She hated seeing him so weak and wanted to help, but she couldn’t think of anything she could possibly say or do. Mirage submitted to his mood, and slowly left the room to tend to the chores she never really had

****

It was another three days before Spirit was well enough to walk around again. He and Quill took walks around the hospital to get his strength back up, and sometimes Bright Moon would visit and would help with wing exercises, but he seemed to be avoiding Mirage as much as possible. It was difficult considering she visited often, but the visits were quiet and awkward. They barely spoke, and if they did it was never about the night at the grave.

Mirage walked into his room in the afternoon on his fifth day at the hospital. She had his vest wrapped in her magical grasp along with some medicine. “Ready to go Spirit?” She asked, trying to sound cheerful.

“Ready as I’ll ever be I guess,” Spirit answered. He stretched his wings out as he spoke, then stretched his injured shoulder. The Ghost Mark had turned into mostly a scar thanks to the medication and doctors of the Canterlot Hospital.

Mirage floated the items over to him and let him put his vest on. Spirit remained quiet as he slipped his wings through the sleeves of the vest, making Mirage feel uncomfortable. She waited for him to say something but instead, Spirit walked right past her as if she wasn’t even there. Mirage frowned but followed him out of the room anyway.

Quill was waiting for them in the main lobby with Bright Moon by his side. Spirit walked up to them to greet them.

“Feeling better Spirit?” Quill adjusted his glasses again.

“Yeah. I’m ready to get back to work anyway.” Spirit replied.

Bright Moon sighed. “You sure you won’t come home with me? Silver Dust would make you feel right at home, and I’m sure mom and dad would feel better if we were together.”

“Thanks, Moon, but no. I’m going back home.” Spirit insisted. He moved past Bright Moon and out into the streets of Canterlot.

Mirage and Quill hurried after him, leaving Bright Moon alone. “Spirit,” Mirage called to him. “Spirit wait for us.”

Mirage made it to his side but Spirit wasn’t slowing down, making Quill gallop just to keep up all the way to the Canterlot train station.

****

Mirage sat on her place on the couch when they finally made it home to Bridle Falls. Spirit had, uncharacteristically, gone straight to his room and locked himself inside. Quill was working on writing several scrolls he planned on sending to princess Luna about his studies and being particularly quiet about it. Mirage thumped her tail, just to break the silence.

“Night is coming on soon,” Mirage commented.

“Mhm,” Quill replied, not looking up from his pen and ink.

Mirage huffed out the corner of her mouth to push back her forelock. “Any jobs tonight?” She asked at length.

“Just a couple of level ones” Quill answered her.

“Great” Mirage beamed. “That’ll get everyone out of this funk. What are they? White Mares? A screaming haunt?”

Quill scooted the papers over with a hoof. Mirage used her magic to bring them over and read them. She sighed then set them back down on the coffee table. None of the jobs sounded particularly fun.

She looked up at the stairs, hoping to see Spirit trotting down them, raving about some new method of ghost fighting or a new weapon some designer just released, but he wasn’t coming down. He had hardly spoken on the train and not a single direct word to Mirage. She couldn’t understand why he wouldn’t talk to her, he used to love their talks but now he hardly looked at her. Mirage gave up waiting for Spirit and instead, busied herself by checking on the weapons they would take out that night.

Their weapon’s room was the basement with racks and shelves lining every wall, each one filled with bombs, chains, and nets. She counted them all, then used a pen to write on a pad hanging by the door that they were short seven nets. The count hadn’t taken her long since their weapon’s room wasn’t very big, but it had distracted her long enough for the night to come.

Spirit had his vest on and was already prepped for a hunt when Mirage came out of the weapon’s room with fresh lavender wrapped around her horn and a new silver chain around her neck. She pulled her cloak off of the coat rack by the door and used the brooch Spirit had brought her to clasp it shut.

“Ready to go?”

Spirit looked her up and down and nodded. “Come on, let’s move out” He ordered. Mirage was a little taken aback by his abruptness but followed him outside into the night anyway.

With their new assignment from Princess Luna, came new duties. The other ghost fighters of their town were already on patrol, making sure the rest of the ponies got inside for the new curfew. Once everyone was inside and defenses were up, the hunters went to their clients.

Phantom Syndicate’s first client of the evening was an old mare terrified of shifting furniture. It didn’t take long for Mirage and Spirit to find the Tether; an old statuette she had bought at an auction. It was Bound, packed, and set off in just under two hours. Quill collected their payment then documented it in a ledger.

“Well... One down,” Quill mumbled then adjusted his glasses.

“That was easy. Spirit didn’t even need us.” Mirage chuckled. She grinned and looked at Spirit, but her smile faded as she realized he wasn’t paying attention.

“Where is our next client Quill?” Spirit asked. He looked up at the street lamps, listening to them hum with energy. The lights were meant to keep ghosts at bay, but in reality, they worked better as comforting nightlights.

“A unicorn on Fall Avenue,” Quill answered. “Says he’s been seeing shadows where there shouldn’t be and fresh produce rots the evening he buys them.”

“Right, probably a ghost that died from food poisoning or something.” Spirit surmised. “Be on guard.”

Mirage rolled her eyes a little then looked across the street as they walked. The will-o-wisps were floating through the streets like little dancing stars. She always liked to watch them, despite the potential danger they represented. The ones in the street were safer to be near though, they weren’t necessarily tied to a ghost of any sort, just the energy of the past that surrounded any area.

Fall avenue bordered Bridle Falls, acting as the bridge between forest and town. Many of the homes and buildings on Fall avenue were bed and breakfasts or lodges for hikers to rest after coming back from their trails. Just a hundred feet away the dense forest began with a good eight or nine trailheads starting at the edge of the street. Mirage watched the wisps float in and out of the treelines, mindlessly bouncing off the trunks as they did.

Something caught her attention just beyond the treeline.

It was just a flash of ghostly white and at first, Mirage thought it was a wisp but it didn’t move quite the same. It avoided the trees instead of bumping into them and had a direct path, straight towards them. As it approached closer, Mirage could make out the outline of a pony with some sort of cape floating around them, pushed by some type of wind that Mirage couldn’t feel. It came closer and Mirage recognized the unearthly fog the pony was made of and the pale white glow of a ghost.

“Spirit” Mirage whispered harshly. “Spirit look” Spirit paused and turned back to her, then followed her line of sight to the ghost as it continued forward, slowly and with purpose.

It was just about to break the tree line, giving Spirit a good look at the shape of the ghost; a beautiful young mare. her mane done up in curls and decorated with ribbons and gems, with all of it covered by a long white veil that trailed down her back and fell around her long flowing wedding gown. The gown trailed behind her, floating gracefully just above the ground as if floating carelessly in a tranquil pond. She had her head down as she walked toward them, so Spirit couldn’t make out any of her facial features but when she opened her mouth bubbles floated from it.

Quill quickly analyzed the ghost as she continued to approach and reached into his saddlebag for an old research book. He quickly flipped through its dusty yellow pages until he found a picture of a mare dressed in the same wedding gown with a hoof written description below.

“Rose Bell, died when she tripped over her wedding dress and fell off of the top of Bridle Falls while waiting for her stallion to bring the mayor to officiate their marriage. Hikers who stay out at night often claim to see her falling off the falls and never emerge. She’s considered to be as powerful as a level 2 but since she never leaves her spot at the falls and hikers aren’t allowed to hike at night she’s classified as a level one.” Quill read aloud.

“Then what is she doing here?” Spirit demanded. He used his wing to open one of the pockets on his vest.

“Maybe she’s looking for her stallion?” Quill asked.

It was a weak explanation at best, and they all knew better. Ghosts rarely left their places of death unless the events of their death lead them away from the area and even then not as far as she was, or they were attracted by a stronger ghost, or their Tether was moved. None of those reasons were particularly comforting to them.

Rose Bell had made it to the middle of the wide street and paused. She lifted her head up, showing cold, pure black, soulless eyes staring back at them.

“Why didn’t you save me, Spirit?” Rose Bell’s voice was muffled and garbled as if she were talking under water, but it was clear enough that Spirit could hear her.

His wings lowered with her words as if being brought down by heavy weights. Spirit felt cold as he stared at the mare, and watched her advance a little more. Her dress floated up far above her head, as if ready to wrap itself around Spirit and swallow him whole and blocking off his escape. Spirit couldn’t move from her even if he wanted to anyway; he was lost in the pools of blackness that had become her eyes. Blood began to pour from them, followed by an icy laugh that caused more water and bubbles to float into the air, then there was a brief moment of silence, broken by an intense explosion and a bright light. Magnesium fell in a white-hot shower around the ghost and Spirit, which didn’t seem to truly harm the ghost, but it did catch her attention enough so that she spun around with the train of her wedding dress passing just inches from Spirit’s face.

He snapped out of his trance-like state and looked past the ghost to see Quill holding another bomb. Mirage was beside him, her horn glowing with a prepared spell to combat the demon before her. Spirit quickly flew up into the air to hover above the ghost and opened a vest pocket again, preparing for aerial support with a silver chain net.

Rose Belle began laughing at them, the inequine noise made their blood run cold and froze them in their place. It sounded like massive stones grating against rusted metal, even muffled by the ethereal water she was drowning in, the noise made Mirage’s teeth ache. Rose Bell’s form began to shift and change into a taller, more grotesque creature. Her neck elongated much farther than any pony’s neck could possibly stretch, and boney, blood covered wings, ripped through her flesh, dripping ghostly plasma onto the ground below her. Her voice changed to the deeper, more guttural purr of a stallion when she spoke again.

“You three show me no fear” The ghost chuckled. “Not like those little fools that thought they could defeat me. I relished their faces as I killed them in their own friend’s bodies.”

Mirage felt her heart drop into her hooves at the ghost’s words. This was the creature they’d been warned about. She knew then that the ghost had taken over Rose Bell’s spirit and was controlling it. It seemed a fate worse than death did exist after all.

“Who are you?” Mirage demanded. She’d never tried to actually talk to a ghost, but this one was clearly waiting for a response of some kind.

The ghost laughed again, sending shivers down Mirage’s spine. “I am death itself” Quill took a step forward and the ghost turned on him quickly. “Not a step closer fool. I will rip your miserable beating heart from its chest and watch you slip into my realm.” Quill stepped back again.

Mirage looked up to the night sky to try and find Spirit but he wasn’t there. She looked at the empty sky for him, too afraid to imagine that maybe he had fled. He’d never run from battle before, in fact, he loved to fight, so where was he? Mirage noticed it out of the corner of her eye at the last second; the ghost had rushed forward and was now just a mere two inches from her. His long neck lowered, circling around the back of hers so his mouth was next to her ear.

“I can see into your heart. You are worried your friend has left you at my mercy. You fear he does not care for you any longer than you meant nothing to him.” The ghost hummed. Mirage could feel his ice cold fog making the air around her crystallizing into ice.

“I can see into his heart as well and know it is true. He does not care for you, he never did. You were merely by his side because he needed you. Unicorns are so powerful after all. That is why he always praised your magical advancements. He was pleased to see his weapon growing stronger.”

“No!” Mirage rebuked. Her horn sent a blast of magical energy, blinding the ghost and burning away the very edges of his fog.

He screamed and leaped back as the fire burned his muzzle. He panted from the pain and turned to Mirage. She had herself and Quill in a protective barrier again.

“You’re lying” Mirage continued, taking a step forward as she did.

“Then where is he?” The ghost argued back.

“Right here!” Spirit yelled.

He dropped from the sky and landed hard between the ghost and Mirage’s barrier. He held a hoof up, holding a bottle with some type of liquid silver inside it up. He tossed the bottle and let it shatter at the ghost’s feet, the liquid sprayed out of it and covered the ghost in thick globs of silver. The ghost screamed in pain as the liquid melted through him, creating holes in his unearthly image. His boney wings spread and carried him up into the sky, writhing in agony while he did. Mirage dropped her barrier and raced over to Spirit’s side.

“You came back!” Mirage gasped.

“Like I’d ever leave” Spirit chuckled. “Quill! Take his left, when I give the signal throw a mag bomb at him. Mirage stay center, blast him with everything you got. Move!”

Quill bolted left at the same time Spirit went to the right. He shot up into the air like an arrow and took out another bottle of liquid silver. Mirage’s horn glowed again and she nodded to Spirit. The ghost turned to Spirit as the silver melted away.

“You will pay for that!” The ghost screamed.

“Now!” Spirit called.

Mirage shot a beam of energy, at the same time Quill let loose his bomb and Spirit the bottle. The following explosion set the entire town in a bright light as if the sun had risen just for a moment right above them. It was so intense, and hot, that the trees and even pieces of the rooftops on the other side were set aflame. When the light finally faded the ghost was no longer there, with no trace that it had ever been there.

“Did we get it?” Quill asked. He fixed his glasses again so he could see properly.

Spirit’s smile widened as he dove down toward his team. Mirage trotted up to meet him with a bright smile on her face that made Spirit’s heart lift in his chest. Something flashed behind her, sending his heart straight to the pit of his stomach.

The ghost had returned, this time losing the image of Rose Bell and appear in his real form. He was taller than any pony Spirit had ever seen, with his long snake-like neck stretching back in an “S” curve and a hazy, sickly green coat that glowed with unearthly light. His long tail was more of a dragon’s instead of pony’s, which curved back around his hooves, which were cloven on the forelimbs and sharpened to deadly points. Sharp, serrated fangs grew from inside muzzle and dripped with an acid green liquid that hissed and fizzled when it hit the ground. He stood behind Mirage, reared back with forehooves ready to strike at her.

“Mirage!” Spirit screamed. He dove down after her, knowing he wouldn’t reach her in time with the ghost so close to her. That wasn’t going to stop him from trying.

Mirage turned back and screamed when she saw the new creature behind her. He fell onto her, his massive form blocking any escape for her. Quill desperately tossed a magnesium bomb at it, not sure what good it would possibly do.

****

Time stood still. Mirage’s eye’s shut tight as a white light enveloped her, sending a wave of warmth into her heart and soul. When she opened them again, everything around her was white and blank, like an empty page in a book.

“Where am I?” She questioned herself, but nothing replied to her.

She looked around to try and figure out if she could find anything to tell her where she was. Something in the distance caught her attention, it looked like a dark hole and she could just make out the line of trees. It had to be a way out. She had to try, she had to get back to her friends

“Don’t worry Spirit, I’m coming” She whispered while she galloped toward the opening in the void.

****

Spirit watched as a ring of light outlined the ground around the ghost as he descended on Mirage, then fell straight through the ring disappearing into the ground with Mirage under him. Spirit landed hard again, chipping his hoof on the paved road and taking out a good chunk of the road with his collision.

“Mirage! Mirage no! Mirage come back!” He screamed. He rushed over to the portal as it closed behind the ghost, his hoof just touching the very edge of the closing circle before it finally vanished. Spirit howled as he tried to dig at the ground as if he could just dig through and find Mirage buried under it.

“Spirit stop!” Quill called out. Spirit’s hooves were chipping with each attack of the ground and blood began to flow freely from them. Quill rushed over to him and put his hooves on Spirit’s chest to push him back. Spirit snorted and flicked his tail angrily like a wild animal but Quill wasn’t letting him budge. “Spirit she’s gone!”

“No! No, she can’t be!” Spirit yelled. He stomped his hoof again. Tears were flowing like rivers down his cheeks. “Please. Come back Mirage, I’m so sorry.”

“Get a hold of yourself Spirit!” Quill yelled. He slapped Spirit hard with a hoof, making Spirit finally look at him. Quill was crying as well and the heat of his tears was fogging up his glasses. “She’s gone you, idiot! Stop acting like you’re the only one who loved her!”

Spirit panted, watching Quill’s tears leak from behind his glasses. He turned his attention back to the ground where Mirage had vanished. He saw something glinting in the darkness of the street and walked over to it. Mirage’s brooch was laying on the ground, evidently having snapped off at some point during the battle. He picked up and held it close to his chest, letting the blood from his hooves drip onto it and mix with his tears.

“Come on Quill... We need...” Spirit paused when his voice cracked, but he struggled through it. “Need to..report to p-princess Luna.” He whimpered.

Quill wiped his glasses clean. “Y..Yeah...” he agreed, trying not to choke himself. He helped Spirit to his hooves and walked back home with him quietly.

Both of them ignored the town ponies coming out of their homes with the sounds of fighting gone so they could see what had happened...