"We need to contact the other five. I'm afraid something terrible is about to happen soon," Lionel said in all honesty, and everybody's faces paled in horror.

  "Nia, give your friends' numbers. Let us all call one of them," Phil suggested, and they each took charge of calling the remaining five while Lionel looked on silently.

  Nia had been alright. However, the spirit had marked Lauren, and if Mrs. Carlson hadn't contacted him quickly, the girl would have died soon.

  Lionel was scared for the other people. He didn't know how serious their conditions were. All he could do was hope for them to be fine or at least not be marked by the spirit.

  "Hello, am I speaking to Dave?" Sophia's call connected first, and she moved away when Brian's call connected as well.

  Even Jacob and Phil were speaking to someone while Nia was yet to speak to her remaining friend.

  Lionel smiled at her assuringly, but it was more like a grimace. His smile held no value in the situation they were in.

  "Pick up, pick up, pick," Nia chanted under her breath as she tapped her feet anxiously. She wasn't an idiot to not know what was happening. The situation was dire, and there was a high possibility her friends would die if they weren't saved in time.

  "Hello, Noel." Nia jumped in relief when the call finally connected. "Hi, Mrs. Lard. This is Nia. May I speak to Noel?"

  Lionel listened to Nia speak, and his heart dropped when he noticed the changes in Nia's expressions.

  "What? Is he unconscious? What happened?"

  Lionel gestured for Nia to hand over her phone to him, and she did it obediently.

  "Hello, Mrs. Lard. This is Lionel, an acquaintance of Nia's. May I know what's wrong with Noel?" he asked, dreading the answer.

  "Hello, I..." The woman hesitated, not knowing if she should disclose the truth to a stranger.

  "Mrs. Lard, please be frank with me. Otherwise, I won't be able to help you. There is a high chance your son might be in danger, and only I can save him."

  Lionel didn't beat around the bush and jumped to the matter at hand. Time was of the essence. The more they dawdled, the more difficult it would be to save the kids.

  His words managed to scare the lady, and she started speaking immediately.

  "I don't know what's wrong with Noel. He fainted all of a sudden in the morning. We have brought him to the hospital. But the doctors have been unsuccessful in finding what's wrong with him."

  "Which hospital, Mrs. Lard?"

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  "Hospital Hyacinthe."

  "I'll be there soon."

  Lionel ended the call and ran a hand through his hair in frustration.

  "Lionel, Lionel, Lionel." Sophia came running, her face devoid of any color.

  A moment later, even Brian, Phil, and Jacob joined them, and their expressions weren't any different than each other's.

  A terrifying feeling surrounded Lionel while he held his breath.

  "Lionel, this child, Katie, she's fallen unconscious. Today morning," Sophia said, barely managing to speak coherently.

  "Oh no! Ryu too fell unconscious today," Brian said, confirming Lionel's thoughts.

  "Sia too," Jacob added, and everyone's eyes moved to Phil immediately, hoping that at least one of them was safe.

  Alas, their prayers fell on deaf ears.

  "Will is at the hospital as well."

  "Fuck! Dammit," Lionel didn't hold back, letting out the curses in frustration. He didn't care that his professor was nearby. The situation was more complex than he had thought.

  "I'll have to go to them. Their lives might be in danger." Lionel stood up, his expression darkening as time passed.

  The previous night, he had sensed a strong, resentful aura in Lauren's room after he had helped her ward off the evil spirit. And just as he had assumed, the spirit was out of vengeance. It was out to take the other five kids' lives.

  "Mrs. Carlson, please take Nia to Mr. Wallace's house and stay the kids. These are for you in case something happens." Lionel handed her three talismans randomly and rushed out of the place, gesturing to the three men to follow him.

  "Where are they?" he shouted, sprinting towards his car.

  "Hospital Hyacinthe," Phil replied, and Brian nodded, confirming that the kid's parent he spoke to was at the same hospital.

  However, Jacob shook his head. "Sia's parents brought her back home."

  "Okay. Let's go to Hospital Hyacinthe first. I can see the three of them at once. How about the kid Mrs. Carlson spoke to?"

  "Let me call her." Phil didn't waste time and called his wife while Lionel started his car. To his surprise, Jacob took the shotgun seat.

  "Umm... what are you doing?" Lionel questioned, his brows contorting into a confused frown.

  "Accompanying you," Jacob answered, equally puzzled.

  "Why?"

  "Why can't I?" Jacob asked as if it was his right.

  Before Lionel could persuade him otherwise, Phil returned. "The child is at Corbin Hospital."

  "Shit!" Lionel cursed under his breath when he realized it would take him a lot of time to reach Corbin Hospital.

  "Mr. Carlson, would you mind..."

  "Tell me, Lionel. What do I do?"

  "While I go to Hospital Hyacinthe, please go to Corbin Hospital. I'll give you four talismans." Lionel handed him two Cleansing Talismans and two Blessing Talismans.

  "Use this on the kid first," Lionel said, pointing to the Cleansing Talisman. "And once the kid gains consciousness, throw this in the air." He pointed to the other Cleansing Talisman. "Keep the other two with you, just in case."

  Phil noted his instructions in his mind, ensuring he didn't miss anything Lionel was saying.

  "Don't worry, Lionel. Jacob and you go to Hospital Hyacinthe, while Brian and I will go to Corbin Hospital."

  "Thanks, Mr. Carlson." Lionel nodded and pressed on the accelerator.

  "Mind if I ask a question?" Jacob asked when they were halfway towards their destination.

  Lionel nodded, his thoughts too jumbled to reply to him.

  "When did you realize you had this power?" Jacob was curious. Although Lionel's powers were amazing, they still terrified him, and he wondered if his junior felt the same.

  "A few days ago," Lionel replied honestly.

  "Really?" Jacob asked in surprise, and Lionel nodded.

  "How did this happen? Did you see a ghost or something?"

  "More or less," Lionel replied. Wasn't Eryndor Valkorin, the man he met almost a ghost?

  If Eryndor Valkorin were to listen to his thoughts, he would roll around in his grave in anger.

  "We're here." Lionel's words put a halt to Jacob's questions.

  "Prepare yourself. Things might get a little dangerous," Lionel warned him. The evil spirit was in its vengeful mode. It could do anything to anyone.

  Lionel sucked in a deep breath before he stepped out of the car as he prepared to tackle the first evil spirit of his life.