"Only time can judge us"

Matthos, Barney and Neva were having a hard time adjusting the RV. Motion sickness plagued Neva and Barney had a hard time sleeping as the ghosts they pass by follow them wherever they go.

"Can we stop for the hills?" Barney groaned

Neva distanced herself as she could see the ghosts too, and she hated seeing their phantom-esque complexion so much that she shouted a lot, demanding they leave. 

"I need my anito back, let's go get some ginger so they can stop" 

The burden of their third eyes, a curse for most who have it. Matthos had to take the salt and Holy Water away as those certain supplies were dwindling after Neva threw a tantrum and sprayed it on every ghost she saw.

Matthos was silent throughout the trip as he himself couldn't speak at all. Beside him was a body dressed in brown robes that resembled that of a Vicar's. It would've been great, if only it had a HEAD.

"Buddy, you still breathing?" Barney looked and shrieked.  Neva followed and fainted on the spot. The only thing that could be heard for hours were Matthos' whimper as he finally parked for gas and water.

"Oh thank Heavens!" Barney opened the door and bolted out with Neva clutching his arm as if she'd never let it go

Matthos gave the startled gasoline boy an apologetic look and followed the duo. Barney stretched himself conveniently to the direction of the store. The building looks old with its grey walls with plants at every corner. Only the store was left at a good state.

It was only dawn, so the ghosts were still visible. The clerk didn't look well either. He just had blank eyes that were trailing them.

"Fudge" 

Matthos held back a laugh as he knew she was already scared. It was her cursing that gave her away.

"We'll be fine. We're with Matthos, he'll know what to do" Barney tried to reassure Neva, only to sound like he was reassuring himself. They were in front of the beverage aisle when the lights started to blink

The clerk suddenly snapped back into reality as fears dawned on his eyes. Barney held Neva as Matthos tore a bag of salt and drew a circle on the floor.

"Superno creaturae, exaudi orationem meam" he started (Supernatural Creatures, hear my plea)

He beckoned Barney to grab Neva to the corner where the clerk was hiding

"Non possum te in lucem" (I cannot bring you to the light"

"Fatorum manet, non partem" (My destiny awaits, you are not a part of it"

"Et hinc, et nolite sequi" (So leave this place be, and do not follow)

Blue light covered the entire room, and the gasoline boy vanished outside

"He's not alive?" Neva said in disbelief

The lights went back again and the room felt less chilly. The store clerk looked like he was about to faint but decided against it. 

He was a teenager, from what Matthos could deduce. He had dirty brown hair that was probably bathed by sweat and not with water. His grey eyes showed relief 

"Who was that guy?" Barney asked the clerk

"I do not know, I'm just asked to work here. I know nothing about the guy. This is the first time the gasoline tank was used!" he exclaimed

"That's nice" Barney muttered in sarcasm

"I think he did the job well" the guy didn't catch his tone

"If I may be blunt sir, but what is your work? Can I apply?" he looked as if he couldn't spend another moment there, which would've been a waste of energy now that it was clean

"I'd rather you don't" he broke the news gently "My work is of a different kind, and from what you've seen, it isn't going well. You're safe now that this building is cleansed. Just don't play rock by dawn, it attracts them to leave their houses" he smiled and paid for everything they needed. 

"What is our work?" Barney asked himself as Neva hugged Matthos to the RV

"Our work is to do what nobody hasn't. Explore what is not seen by the naked eye and provide peace as barriers between conflicting sides" 

"You just quoted our parents' company vision" he huffed and rushed inside

To Matthos' surprise, the body was still there. He ushered Neva to stay behind, just so she doesn't throw a tantrum again

"What are you?"

"Necromancers, our mere presence gives life to those ones that are left parched of some sort" 

"Will we get to know what I am?" Neva looked hopeful to Barney, and sounded the same to Matthos

"That is it, we need to know more in order to say it" it caused Matthos frustration

"The reason why we're here is to find that out" 

"While we're at it, this must never be found out" 

Barney gave Neva a reassuring glance, but whatever he'd worked out on disappeared in an instant when the RV stopped

"Although you can run all you want, the curse of Wintertide shall always follow" 

That startled Neva and Barney. 

"What?" Barney hissed 

The sun was finally shining outside, and the body in front was already fading. Its presence, however, did not help as expected.

"I know what you're hiding, Neva" Matthos stopped the van as Barney looked at the girl in confusion. When they looked up, he was there. But his eyes didn't look like it was his

"You" Neva whispered that Barney grabbed her behind him

"Do sing, my dearest one. They may not be the first to die, but I'll make sure I include them on my list" the voice sounded so-malicious with it's tone sounding like bells of the rustiest sort

A cackling from nowhere could be heard and Matthos blinked 

"What the fuck?" he hissed as he felt himself off balance. He didn't have time to spare as the RV started again and he rushed to manipulate the wheel. He finally parked it for good before going back to the hall where the two were frozen. 

"What happened?" they said at the same time

"You may not believe this, but you said scary words in the voice of an old lady" Barney deadpanned "I knew you had it in you" he smirked

"Neva" Matthos didn't brace himself as Neva jumped to him and cry. They were in a very compromising position and Barney looked like he was about to burst in laughter. Leave it to Barney to find humor in a serious situation.

"I thought she'd take over your body" she sniffed, her leg around Matthos' waist and her face on the ticklish part of his neck

"Ahmm" he cleared his throat and gently pat Neva's back

"That's normal for us, you know. Spirits taking over our body. As we said, we're the barriers, and sometimes their vessels and portals to the world. A hard kind of work if you ask me" Barney answered for Matthos

"We will find an answer. As I said, this has to be hidden. As long as we hide it, your presence will only be confusing to others. If any person, I meant living human being, knew of this, they'd take you away. If they were close minded, either they'd kill you or put you in an asylum. If they were people like us, of the wrong kind," he put an emphasis on that word "They'd keep you on a cage, never to see the light."

Barney's smile became menacing. He knew what was being pointed out, and he knew what, or rather who he'd face if that happened

"Well, good thing we actually went to an academy, didn't we?" he humored and left Matthos to deal with Neva

This was the life they were born into, a life that they were forced to undertake with missions no man can completely comprehend. He read the message his mother sent 

"The legends are true. We are living on the rise of Winter-tide's Lullaby"