"Everyone remain calm," the exorcist said as he grasped one of the bands of black beads he had wrapped around his left arm.
Taylor glanced back at him briefly and noticed his lips moving, but whatever he was saying was too quiet to decipher. Since he didn't seem like he was going to hurt Nikolai, he returned his attention to the problem before them.
His hands tensed at his sides, but he stood his ground, being the closest to the awakening banshee.
"Nikolai?" he asked calmly as the banshee's head slowly lowered and his eyes opened.
Yep, he's there now. One of his eyes is a different color.
"He's definitely there and has partial control," the exorcist noted, earning a nod from Taylor.
Both of the police officers had their hands on their guns at their waist, but Taylor quickly shook his head at them.
"If you shoot him, you'll kill them both."
His words didn't calm them enough to remove their hands, but at least they weren't drawing their weapons yet. He returned his attention to Nikolai, but something was off. He wasn't moving or trying to attack anyone. There was still a low rumble coming from his slightly parted lips, but he seemed unfocused.
"They're talking in their mind," the exorcist said, making Taylor look over his shoulder at him.
The man was smiling, seemingly much more at ease with the situation than anyone else.
"Your friend is very strong to be holding his own with this banshee. I gave him a little bit of help by draining some of his body's strength, which will handicap the banshee for the time being, but it will also help him hopefully calm Nikolai down some."
Taylor was skeptical.
"They aren't exactly friends. I don't think calming is the emotion that's occurring between them right now."
The exorcist chuckled quietly and smiled.
"It is very hard to understand a banshee because of their inability to handle their thoughts and emotions, but that banshee was clearly asleep when we entered his home. His territory. He's angry with us being here, absolutely, but he's also torn between that emotion and trying to understand why someone he had finally managed to trust enough to actually rest, allowed such people into his very limited space."
He... trusts Adoni?
That was definitely not something Taylor would have guessed judging from how aggressive he'd been with the poor guy.
"Tay... lor."
Blinking at his name, Taylor refocused and took a small step forward. That voice had sounded mixed, as if Adon had started speaking, but Nikolai had taken over at the end.
"Yes? Can I help you guys somehow?"
Adon nodded very slowly, as if he was getting permission for the movement before making it, then making sure that he didn't make any mistakes when executing the action.
"He's hungry and cold," he finally said, each of the words in his own voice this time.
Taylor hesitated, confused. He'd expected him to say that Nikolai was pissed and wanted them all to get the hell out of his house... but he said that he was hungry and cold?
"May I go retrieve some food and a blanket for you?" the exorcist said with a relaxed smile.
Adon appeared to be lost in thought for a moment before he nodded again. The exorcist took that conformation and returned it with his own nod before slowly making his way up the steps. Taylor watched him until he had disappeared up the stairs, then returned his attention to Adon.
They all waited quietly until the man returned a few minutes later with the thick blanket from the sofa and a plate of leftover pasta that he'd warmed up. He didn't hesitate to walk right up to Nikolai and offer both items, and shockingly, Nikolai allowed his baseball bat to dissipate before he took the blanket and wrapped it around his shoulders, then took the plate of food.
The exorcist turned his back and calmly walked away until he was standing beside Taylor, a smile still on his face.
"I'm sure you know why we are here after your discussion with Adon. We haven't touched anything, and don't intend to. We just wanted to see what had happened and verify that you two were really down here," the man said as the two police officers inched their way over to stand behind him.
"I know why you are here," came Nikolai's tired voice.
He made short work of the food that had been brought for him, then set the plate down on the floor behind him with the fork.
"You have found what you were looking for. Leave."
The exorcist nodded, but hesitated for a moment before rubbing the large black beads on his wrist.
"I'd like to ask you something before we go, if you wouldn't mind hearing me out?"
Nikolai didn't seem interested, but he nodded anyways.
"Would you be willing to have a wearable transfer device instead of a full possession? It would be akin to what your brother does with his fish bones, but as long as the human you wish to possess is wearing the item, you will be able to share bodies."
Nikolai's eyebrows turned downward and he lifted his lip slightly with a growl.
"I don't need to share what I already have."
The exorcist nodded again, but then gestured toward Nikolai's body.
"I'm sorry to say this, but that body might look like yours but it truly isn't. Not a single bit of it is you. You are a very powerful banshee and have cast a sort of illusion upon it, perhaps, without even realizing it?"
Nikolai's growling got deeper as his baseball bat began to rematerialize in his left hand.
"I promise that I am not lying. You can check it for yourself by simply touching your injured left side. There will be no physical wounds there, only images you are unintentionally projecting onto Adon's body."
Nikolai was having trouble processing and just seemed to be getting angrier, making the exorcist raise his hands and back toward the stairs, signaling for the police to follow.
"We will step outside. Please consider my words. Adon seems like he understands you, and I believe that he would accept such a situation, and it would be easier on both of you since you wouldn't be physically inside of his body all day and night."
Taylor followed the small group up the stairs after a short moment of hesitation. He knew that Adon could usually handle Nikolai, but he was worried that the banshee might get out of control again.
Have to put some faith in him. He can do this.
He hurried up the stairs and while the other three stepped out the front door to wait, he dropped down onto the sofa and watched the dark hole in the wall.
There was a long wait after that. No sound came from downstairs, and Taylor was about to go check on them after about twenty minutes when he felt a chill settle in his lap. It immediately stole his attention away from the previous situation, drawing his eyes in front of him. Faded, see-through ones stared back at him. There was also a tiny smidgen of a smile visible on his translucent face, drawing one onto his own as he reached forward and wrapped Caleb in a hug against his chest.
"Hey there, Kay."
Caleb nuzzled against his neck, the chill from the contact sending a shiver down his spine that he tried to suppress.
"Would that be the wraith?" came the exorcist's voice from the doorway. "Caleb, was it?"
Taylor felt Caleb's ethereal form shift in his lap before his head lifted to stare at the open front door.
"...sss."
He can still talk?
The exorcist seemed just as shocked and took a step back into the house, not quite paying attention. Thankfully, Caleb didn't seem to mind and simply remained where he was, watching silently.
"It's an honor to meet you, Caleb. I will do my best to help your brother and his friend... but is there something that I can do for you?"
Taylor blinked, a bit taken aback. What could he possibly do to help a fading wraith? Was there a way to save him?
Is there really a way to save either of them? They'll never have a real body again, or a life... does he mean kill them completely?
The idea had him uneasy, but Caleb seemed to think the offer through before slowly standing from Taylor's lap and making his way over to the chalkboard. Taylor watched him fumble with the chalk for several moments as the small writing utensil slipped through his nearly-invisible hand to the floor multiple times.
After a few minutes Taylor hopped up and walked over as the exorcist approached more slowly. Reaching up, he gently grasped Caleb's hand that had just picked up the chalk again, then helped lift the little white item to press against the black chalkboard.
"I'll help you. Just guide me, alright?" he said with a warm smile.
Taylor felt a faint chill against his right cheek before the hand he was grasping gently began to move. He focused hard on simply holding the chalk and letting Caleb guide his movements. The letters were definitely sloppier than when he could write them himself, but Taylor was more than happy to help in any way he could. When they finally finished after a tense five minutes, he returned the chalk to its place and took a step back to read.
CN Y GVE LTLE MRE TME IT TALR
When he actually pieced together what he had said, Taylor felt his face warm, then get even hotter when he realized that Caleb had actually kissed him on the cheek before they'd started writing.
The chuckle from the exorcist snapped him out of his embarrassment and drew his attention to the man that was now standing beside him.
"I've never heard of such an attached wraith. Well, except in cases of revenge, but he clearly just wants to exist for a little longer to be around you."
Taylor rubbed at the back of his neck and looked down at his feet, then back up.
"Well... um, can you? Can you help him at all?"
The exorcist was about to speak again when Nikolai appeared from the hole leading to the basement. He looked calmer, and as he straightened back up after stepping into the room, he seemed to even relax as his eyes met theirs.
His left hand lifted, then extended toward them before being turned upward. His clenched fingers then unfurled and unveiled a faded, silver ring.
"Can you make this my possession item?"
The exorcist calmly walked forward and examined the ring without touching it, then looked up to meet Nikolai's eyes again.
"Is this something important to you? Do you have a strong attachment to it and not want to lose it?"
Nikolai nodded, earning an excited smile from the other man.
"That should do perfectly then," the exorcist said as he sat down right where he'd been standing, then tapped the spot in front of him to signal for Nikolai to mirror his action.
He did as told, crossing his legs.
"I need you to hold out that ring just like you had been. You cannot grasp it, but you also cannot let it go."
He... can't hold onto it but it might be taken away?
Taylor scratched the back of his head, confused.
Nikolai didn't comment and simply focused on the ring as the exorcist began chanting quietly. His hand drifted to grasp several of his black beaded bracelets. Taylor watched silently as the atmosphere in the room began to get heavier and heavier. He was just feeling a chill settle into his right hand when he jumped at the abrupt thunderous noise as the ring in Nikolai's hand shot from his hand and embedded itself into the drywall next to the chalkboard.
The exorcist was shaking his head slowly.
"That item will not do."
Nikolai frowned as he stared at his treasured ring buried in the wall.
"Perhaps... something Adon values?" the exorcist queried.
Nikolai's right eye flashed slightly and he paused for a moment, seemingly unfocused. After a minute of tense silence he stood up and walked over to the counter where Adon's wallet and keys had been set. He fiddled with the items on the keychain for several moments before finally removing something.
When he returned, he sat back down and offered the item the same way he had offered his ring.
It... looks like a ring, but it also appears to have been part of a bigger item. It also looks like cheap plastic.
"What is the history for this item? Why would you want to hold onto it?" the exorcist asked, clearly curious, too.
Nikolai swallowed and licked his lips once, then looked to the side as he replied.
"It is the ring that had held the pacifier Adon had bought with his saved up money from chores when he was little. It was meant for his stillborn younger sister. He trusts me with it... I will not let it move from my hand."