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Cici’s hand trembled as she stood silently, wide-eyed, holding her breath. Jessica turned and then looked down at her shoulder, where Cici was pointing.

Jessica had fastened the Gold Alto Clef Charm to her jacket near the neck. The bluish light from the Chronicler’s Lantern shone on the fabric of her jacket and reflected from the gold surface. The beams cast distorted reddish reflections through the jewels. Jessica could just scarcely make out the faint motion of fluttering light around her Charm.

But there was something else there.

Pointing down towards the ground was the phantom image of a golden sword’s blade. It was nearly four feet long. The grip and pommel extended above the charm, and a crossguard was visible on either side.

“It’s coming from the Charm,” Shannon whispered, moving near Cici to get a better look.

“What is?” Jessica asked. “What do you see?”

“You can’t see it?” Ranko asked. “There’s a gold sword like right in front of you!”

Talitha adjusted her glasses, looking back and forth between Cici and Jessica. A wide beam of light was coming from the blue lens of the Chronicler’s Lantern and Jessica was standing right in the center of it. Talitha slowly walked behind Jessica, and the ghostly image of the sword disappeared. She continued walking, and as she passed Jessica again on the other side, the sword re-appeared.

“It seems to be only visible if you are looking in the same direction the Lantern’s light is shining.” Talitha pulled the Talisman from her hair and held it in one hand. Very slowly she crept towards the blue beam of light. As the glittering treasure entered the light, a huge bronze and wood Shield with a tree emblazoned on its face appeared. All of the other girls gasped, except Shannon, who frowned.

“What is it Ranko-chan?”

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ix girls ran along the damp, poorly marked road by the light of Cici’s crazily bouncing Lantern.

“So we sail all the way here on Goofy’s lit-up ship, get attacked by a bunch of guys with a magic rock, then we get put inside a Lantern, some wizard lady saves us and gives us a map to who knows where and now we’re on the lunch menu for a pack of wolves?” Ranko gestured with both hands as she ran and shouted. “I’ve just got one question!”

“Is this part of the museum tour?” Shannon shouted back with a sarcastic tone in her voice. Alanna was already grinning, as if expecting the question. Jessica started to giggle, then laugh, which made Cici laugh too. Ranko sputtered, trying to keep from laughing while trying to keep talking. She just shook her head.

“The creek is over that hill just ahead.” Alanna pointed.

“The map says it’s Silvermint River,” Talitha said as she ran along, clutching the map and key and trying to keep up with Jessica.

The road had straightened somewhat. The moonlight was no longer hidden by the tops of the trees. It shone through and illuminated the road much better. The girls hurried just a little faster as they approached the top of the hill.

This is such a nice place, Jessica thought. I wish we didn’t have to rush through it so fast.

Finally they crested the hill. The forest on the opposite side of Silvermint River stretched far into the distance. The dark trees were all roughly the same height, and had thick growths of leaves and branches. To Shannon, they looked like a beautiful painting of a nocturnal landscape. A tiny thread of road wound through them into the bluish hazy glow of the moonlit night.

“No bridge?” Ranko asked, noticing the road seemed to just end at the muddy edge of the stream. “Looks like we have to hop over on those rocks.”

Jessica heard something in the woods near the road and inhaled sharply. All she could see was clump after clump of wispy flowers growing around the roots of the trees. She was sure they were glowing, but she didn’t have time to stop. The girls raced down the other side of the hill towards the edge of the riverbank. The water gurgled past at a smart clip.

“Careful you don’t slip. This water is probably freezing,” Alanna warned, holding Cici by the shoulders and helping her guide her steps out on to the first wide platter-like rock. Cici gingerly stepped forward, holding her Lantern carefully.

Shannon looked back up the hill then she glanced up and down the river’s edge as Ranko and Talitha crossed. “If we get across the river, they probably won’t follow us.”

“I hope you’re right, Shannon-sama!” Jessica said, holding her hands out to either side as she lightly stepped from rock to rock.

Alanna was the last to cross. The moment her foot touched the opposite bank she noticed Cici’s wide eyed expression. Her face was almost white.

“Jessie…”

Jessica turned around. “What is it Cici-chan?”

“There’s a ghost.”

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