I couldn't believe my eyes as we all looked around the site. We were standing in the middle of a decrepit old house that looked as though it was abandoned several years ago. In the middle of the room we were in, which I guessed was once a living room, if you could call it that, judging by the reclining chair in the corner, and the sofa standing along the side wall, there was a pool of dried blood. It looked to me like the Maji Guard cleaned the place up already before we got here, though they didn't exactly do the best job of it.

     "Do you sense anything?" asked David, stirring me from my thoughts. I shook my head. I hadn't sensed a thing since we walked into this place. And that was exactly what was so weird.

     Normally, in a place like this, where clearly someone died violently, I would expect to see the spirits of the departed hanging around. They would have nowhere to go, bound to the place where they died in such a gruesome fashion. Murder is a heinous act, and it binds the spirit to this plane. But here, there was nothing, no spirits. I sensed nothing here. And that worried me.

     David caught on instantly to what I was so worried about as he looked at me, concerned. "Are you certain?" He replied, narrowing his eyes at me. "There's nothing here? There has to be something! There can't just be nothing. . ."

     "I know," I said, shaking my head. "And I've been looking, believe me! But I don't sense anything here. . . Nor can I see any spirits. . ." I sighed in frustration. "Honestly. . . I don't know what's going on. . ."

     David thought about this problem for a moment, then he seemed to get a thought. "Could something be blocking your abilities? Is that possible?"

     I narrowed my eyes as I stared off into space, pondering his question. It was something I had never considered. Could something be blocking my abilities? Honestly, I would welcome the respite normally; they're nothing but a curse most days. But right now, my sister needed my powers to be working. I looked around the place some more, then I stepped past David and Fleur, who was examining the blood herself; I wasn't really sure what she was doing. Walking into the kitchen area, or what I guessed to have once been the kitchen, I stopped as I looked around at the cupboards partially hanging from the wall, or fallen off entirely, and the pile of refuse and debris piled in the corner. Looking around, I felt a heaviness in the air. . . The kind I only sensed once before. Following it, I walked toward the doorway which led down into what I guessed to be the basement. Perhaps the original occupants once used it during sandstorms, common in this area. The heaviness grew with each passing step. It felt dark and foreboding, like an evil presence. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my head. I stopped as I grabbed the railing, feeling a wave of dizziness coming on.

     I shut my eyes as I thought back to the one other time I had sensed a presence like this. Quickly I turned back toward the kitchen and ran back to David and Fleur.

     "It's here!" I said, out of breath as I got back to the living area.

     They both looked at me as though I'd said I had seen a Dragon Lord. "What's here?" asked Fleur, unsure of what I meant. But I knew David should know, though he only shrugged.

     "David. . . It's here!" I said more forcefully, pushing him to take my meaning.

     Finally, he did as his eyes went wide as he started looking around the place as though there were an intruder in the house, grabbing a broken piece of wood from the floor to use as a weapon. I shook my head, unsure of what exactly he expected that to do. I turned to Fleur, who was standing there, utterly confused. "The other night, Zoe and I were attacked by some kind of black mass, a dark spirit, I'm not really sure what it was. . . but according to a book I read in the library, it was something called a 'Necro Spirit'."

     "I've heard of such things. . ." she said, looking at me with a raised eyebrow. "The Dusgelvan are heavily into occult practices, I do believe. . . Could this thing have been summoned by the ones who were after me?"

     I shrugged. I couldn't tell her, if I was being honest. It seemed to me that this spirit was after me, or perhaps my sister. . . I really wasn't sure. But the Dusgelvan, according to her, wanted her dead. . . I couldn't see how the two seemingly discrete events could be connected. Still. . . The fact that they were into occult practices did seem a little too suspicious to ignore. I suppose it could be possible. . . But I knew I would need to research Necro Spirits more before I could make a determination.

     Finally, David came back. "Ugh! I don't see anything. You're sure you sensed that thing here?" he said, seemingly a little disappointed. I only nodded. It was unmistakable. I might not have seen it, but I could feel it. It was here. Though it was entirely possible that it was invisible to us in that moment.

     I thought back to the last time I had encountered it, wishing to the Gods that Zoe were here as I did. I missed her so much that it hurt. I actually missed her insults and swearing. A tear fell from the corner of my eye, but I wiped it away as I forced myself to remember.

     The shadow moving through the darkness of our apartment. The heaviness in the air. . . Just then, the sharp stabbing pain in my head returned with a vengeance as I doubled over in agony. Fleur instantly went to my aid, but David seemed to suddenly sense something, as he charged flame and storm spells in both hands and looked around, prepared to attack at any moment. My vision blurred as I looked up at him, and the stabbing pain worsened. Before long, all went black as I collapsed to the floor, with Fleur screaming out to me as the last thing I could hear.

     As I came to, for a moment, I saw two Davids looking back at me. I shut my eyes as I winced from the pain that still stabbed at my brain, though it wasn't as bad as before."Don't get up. . . Just rest, Kairine," I could hear Fleur say. No problem. I didn't really feel like getting up at the moment, anyway. My head hurt too much. And her lap seemed comfortable, to be honest. "David went upstairs, I think. . . It seemed like he saw something moving that direction, but I honestly didn't see anything," she said softly. "Honestly, I have no idea what's even going on."

     So I wasn't seeing David before? Why did I feel as though I were seeing two of him, the very thought of which gave me both nightmares and heart throbs? Maybe my mind was playing tricks on me. . .

     "He. . ." I forced myself to say as I tried to crack my eyes open. "He needs to be careful. . ." My vision was blurry as I looked up at her, and I could hardly make out the outline of her gorgeously golden face. "This thing is dangerous. I think. . ." slowly, my vision returned to normal, and my heart almost stopped at the sight of her looking down at me. "I think it's somehow blocked my abilities."

     Fleur looked down at me, confusion painted all over her face. "How is that possible?" she said, as she looked up for any sign of David. "Has that ever happened to you before?"

     I shook my head. Nothing like this had ever happened to me before. This was a completely new experience for me. To be honest, I welcomed the respite from the curse that was my powers. . . Though in that moment I wished I could get up and go help David with all of my might. I shut my eyes as tears welled up in them. People I cared about needed help, and there was nothing I could do for them. The one time I needed my powers, something, whatever it was, whether it was a Necro Spirit or whatever, has blocked them.

     Finally, David returned with an expression of pure frustration and rage. I knew what that face meant. He couldn't find anything. "David?" asked Fleur. "Is that your name?"

     "Hm?" David responded as he turned back to face her. "Yeah, what is it?"

     "We should really get Kairine out of here. . ." Fleur glanced down at me with a concerned look. "It's not good for her to remain here. Let's just get out of here."

     "You can if you want, but if this thing's here. . ."

     Fleur shook her head. "No. It's time that we thought about what is really important," she pleaded. "Leave it alone, let us just get her out of here. . . Or don't you care at all about her?"

     Her last words shook him visibly as he took a step back; a look of complete surprise came over him. "Of. . . Of course I do!" he shot back at her. "Yes, of course I care about her. How could you possibly think I didn't?" he shook his head as he took his stand. "I just think. . . This thing, whatever it is, is after her! It needs to be stopped!"

     "And just what do you plan to do against a spirit with a stick and some magic?!" she fired back. "Do you really think that's smart, to be going head on into battle with something you know nothing about, armed with nothing but that? You need a plan!" She gently set my head down on the floor as she rose to her feet, glaring David down, electricity in the air between them. "Whatever this is has greatly affected her adversely, David. It is best to get her out of here, regroup and come up with a plan to deal with whatever this thing is!"

     He stood there frozen for a long time, seemingly unsure of what to say. Finally, he sighed as he nodded. "Yeah. . . I guess you're right. . ." he said at last, as his muscles relaxed and he dropped the stick he was holding. He moved over to pick me up off the floor. But I protested.

     "I can get up. . . Thank you, though. . ." I said, my cheeks flaring. The thought of him picking me and carrying me out of here flashed through my mind as I could feel a surge of emotions rush through me. No, let's not go there, thank you.

     Slowly, I pushed myself up off the dingy, creaky floor. I felt as though I could crash through it at any moment. It would be good to get out of here, I thought to myself. My muscles and bones complained with each push as a sharp stabbing pain shot through my head.

     As I finally got to my feet, I glanced at Fleur and then at David. "Are we good now?" I said to each of them. They both only nodded while glaring at one another. "We shouldn't be fighting. We're all friends here. . . but more than that. . ." I stopped myself. I didn't know if I should mention it, but finally I shook my head and sighed. "The book I read. . . It said that these Necro Spirits feed on negative emotions. It makes them stronger. And eventually. . . it can lead to possession."

     My last words hung in the air as they both looked at one another, and then at me. At last, David broke the silence. "Well. . ." he said, holding his hand out to Fleur. "Certainly don't want to feed the bastards. So truce?"

     Fleur cracked a slight smile. "Certainly," she responded happily. "'Tis best to let bygones be bygones. Now, shall we?"

     When at last we exited the broken down old house, I took in the fresh air and exhaled. I was so glad to be out of that heavy atmosphere and the mildewy laden air. Though the air outside in this part of town wasn't that much better, it was at least something. Turning back to David, I asked, "What else were you able to learn about the crime?" I shook my head in frustration. "Did you get any other information other than the location?"

     He seemed to think it over for a long time. "Well, it occurred last night, around late evening," he said finally, looking at me. "And the victim was a Dusgelvan woman; that's what struck me as odd. We don't normally see them here. Or really anywhere. Aren't they a really secluded people?"

     Fleur nodded. "Usually, they are. . ." she said. "However, I was visited by a pair of Dusgelvan men the other day. I don't know for sure what they were after, to be completely honest with you. But I believe it had something to do with my parents and their dealings. At least. . . That's all I can conceive of based on the facts at hand."

     I thought it over, thoughts running over and over in my mind. What time did Zoe arrive back home? It was around seven o'clock; I was pretty sure. David had just said that the murder took place in the late evening. . . But what time exactly? "David, what was the exact and approximate time of the murder?" I asked, stirring them from their deep conversation over Dusgelvan culture and the differences from Gelvaran culture. Normally I would be immensely interested in discussing that all day and night long, but we had a job to do at the moment.

     "Oh, uh. . ." he seemed to think it over for a moment. "Eight or nine, I believe. . . Why?"

     A smile beamed across my face. "They've got it all wrong!" I said, as excitement coursed through me. I knew I had just poked a massive hole in the Maji Guard's entire case. "She walked in the door at around seven o'clock. She was at home with me at the time of the murder!"

     "Well, what do you know? . ." said David, rolling his eyes. "The Guard arresting someone without even checking if they had an alibi first. Go figure. . ." he exhaled heavily. "You'd think they would learn after the first dozen screw-ups . ."

     I couldn't disagree, though I wouldn't go so far as to paint the lot of them as inept. I felt like that was going a little far. Based on my experience working with them last year, not all of them were fools, as he was claiming. Some of them I actually enjoyed working with. To go and claim that rotten apples spoil the bunch was not entirely accurate. Some are good and professional. And they tried their best to make the best decisions they could with the facts they had. I couldn't say for sure if this was one of those moments, though I did know that it was standard procedure for them to bring someone down to the station as part of the investigation. Establishing an alibi would certainly be on the list. Though it did seem strange that they never asked where she was at the time of the murder. Remembering back to what they said. . . They explained that someone had seen her near where the murder took place. None of that seemed to add up. Something felt wrong about this entire case. . .

     "But do you really think the Maji Guard will just let her go once confirm her alibi?" asks Fleur suddenly, echoing the same thought that was running through my mind. I honestly didn't have an answer for her. They weren't really known for giving up on a particular suspect once they had an axe to grind. 

     But even if they do, I couldn't leave it just like that. I started it, and I had to finish it. While I could get Zoe out of jail now, hopefully, it didn't end here. Not in the least. I still had to figure out who, in fact, commited this heinous act. And there were yet more questions now that were swirling around in my head. There was no way I could close this case. Not by a long shot.