The Ghosts We Made

Epilogue

The city moves on, as it always does. The vibrant pulse of life beats on, the ebb and flow of humanity surging through the streets like a relentless tide. In the wake of my sacrifice, a fragile veneer of normalcy settles over Intervale, masking the scars and wounds of recent events. But for me, the haunted detective, the man who lost everything in the line of duty, there is no moving on. Not with the weight of memories pressing down on me like an unbreakable chain.

I drift along once-familiar streets, a ghostly presence bound to the city that was both my refuge and my downfall. The rain falls through me now, an ephemeral veil of shimmering silver that no longer has any effect on my ethereal form. My translucent figure casts no shadow as I bear witness to the memories and secrets I have left behind.

The mournful wail of a saxophone drifts out from the Midnight Rose, the notes suffused with a melancholy that echoes the ache in my nonexistent heart. Under the awning, a couple sits nestled close together, their warm breaths mingling in the cool air. They remind me of Lily and myself, of the love we shared and the future we lost. It haunts me like a ghost from the past, whispering reminders of what could have been.

Lily, Morrison, and I, we're all part of it now—the unseen side of the city, the realm of ghosts and memories. Human or Fae, mortal or magical, we're all just insubstantial wraiths, playing our parts in some vast and unknowable game. We're the ghosts of our own hopes and fears, the specters of the lives we've touched and the choices we've made. In the end, it's these ghosts we make that linger, shaping the world long after we're gone.

Yet, as I stand here, a specter among the living, I realize my journey is far from over. Thanks to Seraphina's intervention, I am no longer just a mournful ghost. How the old girl pulled that one off is a mystery in itself. One that'll probably take more than one afterlife to solve.

But now, I have a purpose that transcends the boundaries of life and death. I am a spectral detective, tasked with seeking justice for the souls of the departed.

The restless spirits of Intervale cry out for vengeance, for closure, for peace. It is my sacred mission to answer their call. I will walk the shadowed streets, delving into the city's darkest corners and most closely guarded secrets. I will unravel the mysteries that bind the living and the dead, bringing the guilty to account, no matter the cost. For in this world of ghosts and magic, of love and loss, there is still a place for justice, redemption, and hope.

As the music swells and the rain continues to fall, I let myself drift once more, fading into the shadows of the city I once called mine. I carry with me the weight of my choices, the burden of my sins, and the bittersweet memory of the love I lost. A haunting reminder of the price we pay for the lives we lead.

But now, armed with a newfound sense of purpose, I embrace my spectral existence, ready to face the challenges that lie ahead. In this eternal twilight, this liminal space between life and death, I have found my calling, my reason to endure.

And so, I press on, a phantom crusader in a world of shadows, seeking justice for the lost and the forgotten...for the ghosts we made.

Word Count: 25,121