17

She flinched, and he sympathized. It wouldn’t be pleasant if the cults got to her. “Many Haunt died this way. To defend themselves and stop the slaughter of their families, some Haunt began assassinating any known charmers. Others searched for another way.

“They found it. One Haunt, a prospector, discovered a doorway between worlds. The world he discovered was a place of beauty, yet danger. Best of all, as far as he knew, it was unclaimed. He told his people about this world, which he called the Dark Lands, and many of them chose to leave Earth with him and settle there. The ones who chose to stay elected an ambassador, a man to serve as an emissary between worlds, should any of them ever choose to leave Earth. The Haunt who crossed over conquered the Dark Lands, and flourish there to this day.”