Ghosts [Job/Solo]

Job:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was time to get on the road again. Mori, after hunting, gathering, and feasting alongside the tribe within the forest of the old mountebanks of his temple, not daring reapproach his place of raising until his journey was complete would head back to the town that had directed him in the direction of the tribe in the first place. On his way, he passed by something he hadn’t exactly noticed on his way to the dense trees of the woodlands. It was a welcoming site to those familiar with it, but something about it struck Mori as completely ominous. It was a field of crops bordering the side of what looked like a 2-story inn. It looked eroded and unkempt, plant-life taking it over. The wind that blew across the fields seemed to blow around it. Thankfully it was far down the road, so Mori could completely avoid it.

Back to the town at last, Mori would be able to relax a little at an inn that of course, wasn’t the one he’d seen on the roadside. After walking in and speaking with the barman, he’d rent a room and head upstairs to rest his head for a bit. Almost as soon as he laid down upon the provided hay bed, closing his eyes with a sigh of relief, he’d hear screaming from outside.

“G-g-g-g-g-g-GHOST!” an almost comedic scream straight out of a modern cartoon would sound out before a loud “AHHHHHHHH!” after. Mori could only imagine this was the sound of someone turning on a heel and running in the opposite direction of whatever they saw as it seemed to fade away into the distance.. it was promptly followed by a loud clunk. The person ran into a wall. Although tired, curiosity is a defining trait of Mori’s, and he couldn’t help but throw his legs up and off of the bed, landing upon the wooden floorboards alone. Walking into the main hall of the tavern once more, Mori would notice a small gathering of people encompassing the saloon’s doors. All taking in a fresh frame of laughter, seemingly at the man who’d just run away. All probably believing that some person played some sort of silly prank on him.

Letting his arm leverage him, Mori would throw himself over the handrail of the catwalk and would land on the wooden floor below. With everyone in the tavern distracted by the yelling, no one would be able to turn and lecture the young monk about his acrobatic antics. Attempting to merge within the crowd alongside the rest of the paparazzi, Mori wouldn’t be able to budge. The conglomerative seemed almost like an impenetrable wall, and the young monk had no means of.. gently.. pushing in. That was when he’d feel the small tug of something pulling at his shirt. Turning around to see what could have been tugging away at the hem of his tunic, he’d immediately look down to see a child standing next to him.

“Sir, would you mind following me for a second? I need to show you something,” the child after saying this, would take initiative and grab Mori’s hand within his own and pull him in the direction of the back of the tavern. After passing through a door or two, Mori would find himself within a back alleyway, somewhere wedged between the inn and another building. The young monk wouldn’t exactly have a chance to object or complain, and would silently follow behind. “Would you be able to help my imaginary friend?” the boy would ask, finally letting go of Mori’s hand within the alleyway. Not being too familiar with children due to his upbringings, Mori could only nervously chuckle at the topic the child had brought up.

“I’d love to, but it’s dark outside, and I feel it’d be best suited to getting some rest now little one,” Mori would say, nervously closing his eyes and scratching the back of his head with one of his hands.

“Please? He’s in dire need of help and I’m n-” the young boy would say before something cut him off completely.

“I’m the imaginary friend,” and just like that, Mori would open his eyes and would peer around the alleyway a second time, noticing nothing more than he’d picked up the first time. The voice certainly didn’t exhaust from the child’s lips, but Mori couldn’t help but look at the kid funny. “I’m right here,” the voice would sound again, this time, much closer to Mori’s ear. Reflexively, this would make Mori jump back and put up a defensive posture, as if his body language screamed, ‘Don’t hit the face!’

The voice would chuckle slightly at Mori’s antics, but wanting to get to business, it would begin to explain the situation at hand, detailing the location and actions of the mage who’d resided within the abandoned inn; the one that Mori had passed by on his way to the village. With noone else to turn to considering there were no guards within the village and the sheriff ran and crashed into a building upon being approached by the invisible man, Mori was the man’s last hope. With grim acceptance, sad that he wouldn’t be able to sleep tonight, the young monk would accept the terms, especially if he was to be paid for the act.

Setting off, Mori would head back inside the inn and collect his things, leaving his bag within his room.. he was sure to return in less than a night’s time for his much-needed rest. After a goodbye to the young boy, the invisible man would lead Mori to the ruin of the mage who’d committed the magical phenomena. The ruin was implanted into the side of a large hill, one could describe it as an igloo with an entrance made of stone. There was a plume of smoke coming out of the top of the hill, signalling to all it’s location and someone or something’s presence within. On guard, Mori would tell the invisible man to stay outside as Mori handled what was to be within.

Almost as soon as the young monk had taken his first steps however, a loud voice boomed throughout the tunnel, “WHO DARES ENTER THE MIGHTY HOLD OF THE GREAT AND POWERFUL ANCOTAh-ah-ah-ACHOO!” the sound of a sneeze, following it a gust of wind blew from the depths of the ruin, Mori would have to fix his posture and lean into the wind to avoid being pushed out of the entrance of the cave.

“It is I, the great and powerful Mori, of the Xuán clan atop the jade mountains,” Mori would respond, his voice echoing through the cave just as loud as that of the mage’s.

“AH, AH, AH, TOO LOUD, MUCH TOO LOUD, BE QUIET, DO NOT SPEAK!” the voice would sound almost weasel-like in complaining. “What business do you have here?..” the voice would suddenly sound a lot closer to the young monk, Mori would guess that if he had his eyes closed, the wizard was standing at least 5 feet away from himself based on hearing alone. Keenly, Mori would realize that the mage was within similar circumstance to the invisible man who’d led him to the ruin.

“I-”

“No, stop talking! Don’t answer that, I do not care!” the man would yell once more, before the sounds of reeling up another sneeze echoed out. “AH-AH-AH-ACHOO!” Another powerful gust of wind flooded the tunnels, this time making Mori slide back a couple of feet, his sandals scraping against the rock entrance. It made a screeching sound as rock dust grinded against the pavement.. and with it, more irritation from the mage. “Much too loud! Leave before I disperse you into dust!”

Mori would lower his arms that were bracing himself from the sands that were picked up in the winds before saying, “No, I can’t, I need you to dispel your curse upon the villagers of the inn. It’s either that or you tell me how to do it myself and I will not leave until you fix this.”

“The curse?.. I didn’t curse them.”

“Then how did they end up the way they did?” after saying that, using his hands to speak so to say, Mori would look down upon his own arms.. and realize they had disappeared. Surprised, almost scared, Mori would flinch reflexively, just as he did within the alleyway.

“Oops, sorry about that,” Ancotar would say, noticing that Mori had disappeared, “I have the worst cold as of late. I need to rest and regather my strength, I feel all of my life force being sapped from my being.”

“It’s probably due to all the spells you’ve been casting nonchalantly,” Mori would respond, still opaquely trying to spot his arms in all their-invisible glory.

“Oooooooh, a spell-caster, are we?” the old man would state, clearly having his interest piqued, “then would you do me a favor and help me sleep? You know my situation, do you not?”

The young monk would nod his head at first and then realize that the old man couldn’t see him, “Yes, what would you have me do?”

“Knock me out,”

A moment of silence, “Seriously?”

“Yes,”

“Well, alright..” Mori said, approaching where he believed the old man stood. The old man would help Mori with the fine-tuning in regards to putting him in a choke-hold and making him pass-out. As Ancotar’s consciousness faded, he would slumber, and Mori, and the man outside of the ruin would return visible, alongside all those who resided within the inn who’d been affected.

Later, Mori would return to the village to be showered with praise.. to which he pushed aside to get some sleep.



-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Items:

Abilities Used:

W/C: 1620/1000

Magoi: 160/160
Stamina: 65/65