A living shadow stared at me. A lingering spirit of the dead without any memory. I may be unarmed, but I reckon that I still have a good chance a winning thanks to something I picked up from Alford. 

[Cloak light]

Mana accumulates at my fists cloaking them in light. At that the shadow grows longer, taller, stronger. The spirit charges at me. Alas its in vain as with my punch the spirit shatters and turns to ash. The ghost exorcized.

 The technique is apparently something only passed down through the royal family so I'm not too sure why Alford decided to teach it to me, but I'm glad he did. I'd be toast otherwise. One problem though is that the technique becomes a lot less power efficient when unarmed. Basically I need a weapon if I'm going to keep this up.

From behind huh? I quickly dodge avoiding a lethal blow but I get slightly grazed. Seems like that shadow wasn't the only one. There's at least 20 of the fuckers. A horrible metalic taste spreads in my mouth.

*hack*

 One graze and my body acts like its on death's door. I wipe some of the blood from my mouth. Surely I won't get in trouble for staining the floor red right? I obviously can't take on all 20 at once so my only option is to run, but I'm currently trapped. The path without any ghosts leads to the entrance where I was left, which is a dead end since the door is locked. Looks like I have no choice

[Cloak light]!

Doing something stupid got me into this mess and doing something stupid will get me out of it. I cloak my whole body in my magic and charge foward.

BAM!

A good five of them shatter as I barrel through them. The taste of iron grows richer, but I have to continue on like a bull that's seen red. I am an unstoppable force and these shades sure as hell aren't unmovable objects! As I move further my vision darkens, my body aches. Soon enough I can't see shit, but that doesn't matter. Stopping here means death and I refuse to die here. Finally my body slams into something hard like a rock and I fall over in a heap. I struggle to get back up but that only results in me hacking up more blood. A sensation that is starting to become far to common overtakes me. My body finds catharsis in the feeling and finally,  I pass out.

---

I awake still blinded. Is this some kind of curse or something? I don't know how much time has passed but it seems like I've recovered quite a bit of mana. I cast a spell to alleviate curses and find that I can see again. Looking around it seems like I smashed through a wall while I was blinded. Why didn't the spirits follow and get me while I was vulnerable?

Behind the wall was a secret room that I'm now in. Inside was a corpse dressed in dusty preist robes, left with naught but bone and their material possessions. Scavenging the body I find a journal. This corpse seemed to have used it like a confessional. Every single one of their sins scrawled upon these pages long since turned yellow. They viewed themself as a fraud. He couldn't use light magic, but everyone thought he could. That lie ended up being the end of him as he was sent to clear this place out with a holy sword he couldn't actually use.

Said sword like against the wall. Its beautiful. A golden blade with gems decorating the pomel. Its inherent light must have been repelling the shades. I pick it up. It may be disrespectful to steal from the dead, but who can say no to a free sword? 

The sword seems to heal my wounds and I feel my magic go into overdrive. Yeah I can get used to this! 

*fwoosh*

Seeing me slowly step out of the room the spirits all grow in size. As the light grows brighter, the shadows grow longer. Unfortunately for them, when I'm done there'll be nothing left to cast a shadow.

[Cloak light]

[Pounce]

The power of the light imbued sword turns my normal sword art into an exorcizing explosion. I easily take out five of the ghosts. The remaining ten scatter. Hmm is it worth finishing off the rest of the spirits? With this sword I could probably cut down the locked door and escape.

---

As I finish of the final shade I hear a loud bang towards the entrance. 

"More prey?"

I make my way over and find the door to the outside open. Alford and some bodyguards stand there. The prince runs up and hugs me,

"Thank god you're safe! Let'sget you out of here."

"..."

Should I feel touched? I can't help but feel that he was far to late. He motions to his guards and they move into the building.

"I was looking all over for you. Thankfully a student reported lots of flashing lights in this old school house or we might've not been able to find you... but don't worry my men will clear out the place so no further harm can be done! You look relatively fine, but let's get you checked up just in case."

He may be a prince, but is this man enough to protect me from my enemies? When I look at Alford, a word comes to mind,

W E A K