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Kaly and Christian stared at David and then at each other. Like two duelists about to draw their weapons.

What weapons do I have? What can I do?

“All you need to do is ask,” David said. “Just ask, Christian. Just ask us to help you.”

“Just ask?” Christian almost laughed. “Speaker to the Dead. All the dead. They’re--”

“Here,” David said with a smile and a nod. “We’re all here for you. Just ask.”

“NO!” Kaly screamed and lunged again.

At the same time, Christian said, “Yes, help me.”

There was the sound of glass shattering as the gem surrounding them broke apart. And the outside of that gem wasn’t black. It was blue-white. The color of the ghosts. Kaly screamed as the spirits struck him. Again and again and again. Lifting up into the air and holding him there. The ghosts pinned Kaly in place. Kept him completely in place. He was going nowhere.

David was standing there, still between Christian and Kaly.

“Thank you for letting me help, Christian,” David said.

Christian just nodded. His gaze was on Kaly. He was screaming, but the screams were silent. Behind him Christian could see not blank blackness, not whiteness, but the star-filled sky of the Ever Dark.

“I know you can’t forgive me,” David continued.

“But you want me to,” Christian murmured. “If I give you what you want, will you leave?”

“Do you want me to leave?” David asked.

Christian grimaced. “If you are truly sorry--”

“I could help you! I could tell you what I know!” David cried.

“David,” Christian said softly. “I am the Speaker to the Dead. Not just to you.”

David swallowed. “But…”

“Release me, David. Go to the Well of All Souls and make your choice whether to be reborn or go on to the Other Side,” Christian said, but almost gently.

David quivered. Christian waited.

“You just want to get rid of me,” David said.

“I want to be free,” Christian told him. “Don’t you want to be?”

“I--I don’t know what awaits me,” David confessed. “After all I’ve done, how could it be good?”

“I doubt whatever awaits you is so simple,” Christian told him gently.

“But it could be,” David said.

Christian felt a wave of sorrow for David. “It’s time, David. You’ve done your best to make amends. Now… now you must go see what awaits you.”

Christian didn’t know if he believed that David would really leave. Even now, he thought David might try to avoid fate. But David nodded. Surprising him.

“I am sorry, Christian. For everything,” David said.

Christian merely nodded. He did not feel the need to give forgiveness. “Goodbye, David.”

David turned, looking at something that not even Christian could see, and took a step forward. He then disappeared in a burst of blue-white light. Christian let out a breath he hadn’t known he had been holding for so long.