Cautiously, George pushed open the sliding door that lead out into the hallway. Some confused ghosts and corpses were still murmuring and staggering away.
"Hey, Phinny," said Ezra, grabbing his skeleton, "I'm beside myself with terror. Get it? Beside myself!"
Leila had not even taken two steps out of the room when a transparent man wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "Leila!"
Smiling, she looked up at the ghost's face. Unfitting of the aristocratic master, Paul was wearing a lopsided grin. There were just some things you could not change no matter what form a person took. George Gracey, she had to admit, was handsome, but those striking blue eyes were unnerving. She wondered if Paul was having as tough of a time as George.
"How have you been?" she asked him.
"Jeezum crow, where to start! This Gracey guy is, like, the almighty master of this place so everyone is listening to me for once. It's awesome! And my voice isn't cracking! I don't have braces! I can't eat anything, but that's not the point." He titled his head to one side, concerned. "Are you all right? I didn't hurt you, did I? I don't remember what happened."
"We're fine." Leila looked behind her at George. "This is George."
"Hi," Paul greeted unsurely.
George looked at him, frowning.
"What?" demanded Paul.
"You're slouching," George said in a critical tone.
Paul consciously straightened up. "Yeah, well, you grew peach fuzz all over my chin!"
"Boys!" Madame Leota rolled between the two. "There are more important matters at hand."
"Yes, Leota," they both sighed, rolling their eyes heavenward.
"But Mom," whispered Little Leota, "what are we going to do?"
"The only thing we can do--" began Leota, but Leila cut in, "Hit him hard and fast and don't pull any punches!" She pushed up her sleeves. "Let's get this sucker." She strode out, and then stopped. She turned and looked at the others, who seemed to be in shock.
"Well, there's no point in standing around moping, is there? Come on! I want to get this finished in time to watch the Simpsons Halloween Special."
Shrugging, George trailed after her, holding Leota. Little Leota was right on his heels. Paul sprinted two inches off of the floor to catch up with Leila. Gliding just a little ahead of her, he turned to face her so that he was floating backwards. "You know," the boy in the ghost form said, "I always knew there was something a little odd about you, Leila."
"Gee, thanks."
"It's why I always hung out with you. Remember when I met you? In preschool? All those kids kept calling you a freak because of your eyes and they pushed you in a puddle and you started crying?"
Leila nodded, rolling her eyes. It was not exactly the proudest moment in her life. "Yeah. And you were the only one who helped me up. Then that kid pushed us both down." She laughed. "And then I flung mud at you?"
Paul laughed too. "Yeah, that bully couldn't figure out why we weren't crying and we spent the entire recess playing in the puddle, and our moms--"
"They were so mad! Mom put those garbage bags over the backseat of her minivan and you rode home with me."
"And we took a bath together, and my mom took all those pictures!"
"Does she still have those?" Leila seemed completely oblivious to others around them as they looked on, unsure what to make of the trip down memory lane.
"Yeah! She shows them to everybody, too. It's so embarrassing! You know," Paul added thoughtfully, "you were kinda cute."
"Really?"
"Yeah...what happened?"
Leila tried to shove him and her hand went through him. George stepped up between the giggling teens. "Might I ask," he demanded, "where exactly are we going?"
Leila paused. She had not a clue. Actually, the new witch--as she now thought of herself--had just followed this instinct she had. It had led her to a set of grand double doors. Atticus's voice could be heard on the other side. Leila curled and uncurled her fists as the tips of her fingers tingled. Before he hand could grasp the doorknob, the door flew open, revealing a chaotic ballroom. Demonic little wraiths flew out of the organ pipes, snarling, biting, and chasing ghosts. The table had tipped over and the plates were broken and scattered across the floor.
"Ah," greeted Atticus upon sight of the heroes. He held the sword in his right hand and gripped the ghostly bride by her throat with the left. "I've been expecting you." Sophia clawed at his fingers. She disappeared and reappeared, hoping that materializing would free herself. "Such a shame her beauty had to go to waste. I was just offering her life in exchange for eternity with me. The little brat just doesn't seem to quite grasp"--he tightened his hold--"the situation. This time around, she can't die; but she can be exterminated." He brandished the blade.
"George..." she rasped.
"Sophia!" Paul and George cried at once. They looked at each other; George at Paul with confusion and Paul at George with guilt. "How do you know her?" George ask icily.
Somewhere in the back of the room, Ezra, Phineas, and Gus chanted, "Jerry! Jerry! Jerry!"
"Shut up!" Leila snapped at them.
Atticus laughed. "Poor little Sophia, you seem so confused. Let's roll the clip, shall we?" With a nod of his head Madame Leota floated up towards him, despite her protests.
Little Leota jumped up, wrapping her arms around the crystal ball. "Put momma down!" Against Leota's will, her face faded and was replaced with the image of Paul and George switching bodies. A hushed silence fell over everyone in the ballroom. Many ghosts had followed Leila, wanting to see Atticus fall at the hands of the teenage girl. Quite an audience had gathered. They looked from the mortal boy who was their true Master Gracey to the imposter.
"And if that wasn't juicy enough..." taunted Atticus. Once again, the scene swirled and changed. There, for everyone to see, was Sophia and Paul kissing in the attic.
"Geeze, kid," said Ezra, "we leave you alone for ten minutes and you lip-lock with the Master's former bride to be?"
"You," snarled Leila, turning to the trio, "I don't know who the hell you guys are, but no more commentary!"
"You..." began George, glaring with hatred at his former body.
"It's not like it seems," Paul began pitifully.
Laughing, Atticus dropped Sophia and Leota to the floor. Once again, Leila made a dive and grab for Leota. The mystic's daughter floated down safely.
Both Paul and George raced to the ethereal fiancée to help her. Shoving them both away, she pushed herself up. Nostrils flared, she turned first to George. "You! I don't know why you suddenly care! It's not like you so much as ever visit me. Not one word, not one kind word after all these years!" Tears filling her gray eyes, she turned to Paul. "Why didn't you say anything?"
He shrugged helplessly. "I didn't want to embarrass you."
Sobs filling her throat, she screamed, "It's a little late for that, don't you think?"
"I just love being petty," gushed Atticus. "But enough of this chatter. It's time to summon forth--" Leila jumped on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck in an attempt to strangle him. Quickly, he bent down, flinging her to the floor. "Do you think you can defeat me that easily?" He brought the tip of the sword right against her throat. "I can't be beaten by such crude--" CLUNK!
The warlock collapsed and the weapon slid across the floor. Standing behind the crumpled villain was Gus, beaming proudly and swinging his chain.
"Thanks," breathed Leila.
"Don't mention it," the little man grinned, showing off a mouthful of discolored teeth.
"Grab the sword!" yelled Leota.
Leila scrambled up, her sneakers squeaking on the wood floor. Upon touching the handle, she shrieked. "It stung me!"
"Exorcise the evil out, girl! So long as his magic flows through it, no good can touch it. Quick! He's stirring!"
As fast as she could, Leila spouted off a spell.
"Powers of darkness,
Be gone and dispell.
Remove from this weapon
The powers of hell."
Slowly, the steel blade rose into the air. The diamond became a blazing white. Good magic traveled downwards, pushing out the darkness, making the blade gleam brilliantly. The others watched, enthralled.
Phineas and Ezra hummed dramatically.
Gracefully, the sword began to descend. It landed, softly in Leila's arms. Then she fell under the weight. "Lil' help?" She dragged it over to the crystal ball, the tip of the blade painfully scuffing the floor.
"Only one person can wield the sword for the side of good," recited Leota.
From the dark mound came a moan as Atticus began to awaken. He sat up, growling. "No one will take my power from me! No one!"
Leota fired off a ball of magic at him, knocking him back. "George, get your scrawny butt here now!"
"Me?" he asked nervously. But he could feel an odd sensation, as if something inside him was stirring. The sword was calling to him. He had to have it! He had to stop this. It was his destiny.
He ran towards Leila. George, he thought, you've been a coward your whole life--and afterlife. It's time you finally set things right! He leapt, jumping onto the back of the crouched Atticus, and then springing down onto the floor. He slid over to the girl, stopping right next to her.
"You could have just gone around him, you know," Leila said as he took the sword from her.
Expertly, and just a touch smugly, he stood poised, ready for battle. "Yeah, but that just looked so much cooler."
"Fools!" snarled the dark wizard. "Did you think it would be that easy?" Purple flame burst around him, surrounding his body, obscuring him from view.
Leila's fists suddenly glowed with an intense green light. She was a member of the Order of Light now, whether she wanted to be or not. It was her job to protect the one chosen to fight. She looked at George. He was wearing a cocky smirk, but she knew he felt as unsure as she did.
Leota rolled next to Leila's feet and her daughter stood beside her. The young witch felt Paul put a ghostly hand on her shoulder. There was a general shift in the room as the ghosts gathered nervously behind her.
The force of evil magic knocked them back as it rushed through the room. Leila instinctively put her arm over her eyes as the room was bathed in an intense light.
"Look at it this way," said Phineas. "At least we can't die."
"I'm still alive!" cried Leila.
"Oh, right. Forgot about that. Good luck, kid."
Leila lowered her arm and looked up. And up.
"Crimanitley!" cried Paul.
"I don't think I have any crappy rhymes to cover this," the blond muttered.