Ariel was driving across a city in Vespera.
Josh sat in the back seat going through his computer, Weber looking out as they rode in silence, the reflection of the window glass showing his dull face.
Ariel glanced at him for a moment but kept driving.
She wanted to ask how he was doing, but felt it might be a dumb question to ask right now.
They passed a graveyard, and Josh raised his head from his computer to look around for a second. He saw tears rolling down Weber's eyes as he stared outside, Weber's eyes glowing white.
"Weber..." Josh said, his eyes wide as he placed a hand on Weber's shoulder.
Ariel slowly turned to Weber and was taken aback.
"Weber—" Ariel was cut off as Weber grabbed her hand.
"Stop driving!" Weber yelled and turned back to see the graveyard getting farther away.
"Weber, what's wrong?" Josh asked, and before he knew it, Weber became intangible and slipped through the car door.
Ariel stopped abruptly and looked into the rear-view mirror. They saw Weber running towards the graveyard.
She immediately reversed the car and stopped at the gate.
Josh rushed out and upon stepping outside, the air smelled heavy and gloomy.
"How could anyone rush to a place like this?" Josh said, grimacing, folding his arms as he walked forward.
Ariel walked beside him, and they searched for five minutes without finding Weber.
"Is he running mad?" Josh muttered, then jumped when he heard the chirping of a crow in the distance.
"Or getting too close to the Abyss," Ariel said. They soon saw Weber on one knee along the path, talking to someone they couldn't see.
Ariel walked closer and looked around, but there was no one there.
"Don't worry, I'm here for you," Weber said.
Ariel held his hand. "We have to leave," she said solemnly.
Weber looked at her, his eyelids red from crying. "You know what caused my tears? I could feel their pain."
Ariel slowly squeezed his hand. "Please don't lose yourself to this again," she said. To her surprise, Weber actually stood up and wiped his tears.
"Let's go," Weber said and walked off, Josh unable to take his eyes off him.
They got back into the car, and no words were exchanged for an hour.
Then Weber cleared his throat as he looked through a map, any sign of melancholy gone.
"Alright, we should be reaching the studio we've got the interview at," Weber said, breaking the ice.
Ariel didn't respond, just kept her focus on the road.
Josh observed and cleared his throat. "Yeah, almost there. MAYBE a citizen of Vespera could enlighten us?" he said, looking at Ariel.
"Almost there," Ariel said tersely.
Then they reached the gate of a mansion and Ariel parked not far from it.
"We're here," she said.
Josh got out and stretched his arms and legs, Weber just watching him.
As they approached the gate, a tall man with bright brown hair, deep cheekbones, and clear blue eyes walked out hurriedly toward them.
Josh squinted at him.
"Hello. I'm Robert Daniel. You must be the ones who signed up as crew members?" Robert asked, looking between Weber and Josh, while Ariel remained in the car.
The plan was for Josh and Weber to find temporary work, and there just happened to be someone looking for crew members for his show.
"Yes, sir. I was curious, what might you need us to do?" Weber asked.
"Come on in, we'll discuss better inside," Robert said, and the gates opened. Josh went in.
Then Weber turned back and smiled, tilting his head as he waved to Ariel, which only saddened her.
Because in spite of what the Abyss was doing to him, he still tried to pretend to be happy.
"If only it didn't have to be this way," Ariel thought.
---
Weber and Josh had to hold back their amazement at the statues of Robert in different corners of the garden and the fountain at the center of the compound.
In the middle of the fountain stood Robert, an aura sculpted over his hand as though conjuring a mana blast.
"You're a mana user?" Josh asked.
Robert shrugged. "No. I wish I was, I guess. I'm not so after it though."
Weber nodded with a faint grimace, his eyes fixed on the statue of Robert wielding mana—the grandest sculpture.
'Not so after it, huh?' Weber scoffed in his mind.
As they went inside, they saw an open room with two staircases on opposite sides leading to the next floor.
As they walked upstairs, they glanced down and saw people with cameras and light stands running around.
They reached a couch, and Robert gestured for them to sit while he settled into a one-seater opposite their spot.
"You see, I need you people for something a bit unconventional," Robert said, interweaving his fingers.
"It depends—" Josh began, but Weber interrupted.
"We're down for anything!" Weber said with a wide smile.
Robert smirked. "That's the spirit!" Josh shot Weber a glare, but he couldn't blame him.
Not every day did a job seem so easy to get while paying well.
Robert picked up a remote from the table and turned on the TV.
"You see, I run a TV show about the paranormal. It's about finding ghosts and taking them down," Robert said, and the lights dimmed.
"Doing such can have consequences, you know that, right?" Weber said, his voice icy as he stared intently at Robert.
Robert glanced around, frowning at the flickering lights, but every time he looked closer, they stabilized.
Still, sweat coated his forehead.
"I wonder what's wrong with the lights..." Robert muttered, then straightened up in his seat.
"But most of the places we go that are supposed to be haunted? We don't see anything. Just quietness and loneliness. Nothing spooky," Robert remarked.
Josh nodded, thinking it over.
"So, where do we come in?" Josh asked.
Robert chuckled. "You see, the audience grew bored because we weren't meeting any ghosts," he said.
"Therefore, we need the audience to believe in us. And we'll do this by having you two act like you're being spooked by spectres," Robert stated.
Weber shrugged. "Sure." Josh said the same, but shot Weber a glance.
Knowing Weber, he wasn't going to waste time chasing ghosts as the Abyss told him to—he'd do something else.
Something that, if he wasn't careful, could expose them.
Robert stood quickly and clapped his hands together. "Great! We go out tonight! Meet me at the gate by 11 p.m."
Robert walked them out. Josh, walking beside Weber, stiffened when he saw Weber's gaze fixed on Robert, his eyes flickering white for a second.