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Ratana lay purring soundly on her throne. Normally she would pose regally, like cats often do. But cats, even immortal talking ones, love to sleep. So that's what she was doing now. She was very satisfied with her life and everything in it. But something lately had been troubling her sleep, and she couldn't quite figure out what it was.
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Mirana smiled reasuringly at him, "He has no reason to be aggressive. Nothing can hurt him anymore," she shook her head, "And you aren't necessarily blind. The spirits will only show themselves if they feel like doing so. And sometimes it's difficult to tell if a creature is alive or dead here."

The elephant moved it's trunk toward Jack curiously. At first the extra limb passed right through him, but then it actually became a touchable object. Mirana smiled brightly at him, "I think he likes you."

Ratana's ear twitches at the sound of the door opening, and she stretches with a yawn. She looks at Darren and smiles, "You do know that ghosts needn't open doors when they can walk right through them," she teases, purring, "Can I help you with anything?"

"True," Ratana nodded in understanding, and pondered his request for a moment, "I suppose you may...though...it is a special sword somehow, right? I'm not sure a ghost could properly weild your everyday weapon," she paused and then added, "And take someone with you. Understood? It doesn't matter if they're living dead or even human, just don't go alone."

The commands almost sounded funny coming in such a child-like voice, but she could be mature when she wanted to. Especially when she was conerned for on of her subjects.

Jack nodded as his suspicions were confirmed. "So your a ghost," he said gently to the elephant. "I wonder how many other animals here are ghosts?" A shiver went down his spine as the trunk passed right through his abdomen. It wasn't an unpleasant feeling, just curious and new.
Jack reached out towards the trunk as it became tangible, but paused just before touching it. It wasn't that he was afraid; he believed what Mirana had said about it being safe. Jack was just a little stunned by the fact that he would be touching a ghost like it were still alive.
"How did it come to be here?" Jack asked, still staring at the elephant. Finally his hand dipped forward and touched the cool, rough skin. "This is strange," he admitted to Mirana as he began to pet the elephant. Despite how odd it was, Jack was grinning from ear to ear. "I should come back here more often..."


Adam lifted his head at the sound of conversation. He had been curled up on a windowsill in the dark hallway, gazing out longingly at the forest beyond the temple. He stepped down onto the cool cobblestones with bare feet, unfazed and unable to feel the temperature. Silent and invisible, Adam crept along the corridor, following the sound of the voices. Torches were lit just up ahead, signaling a room beyond. Adam peered around the corner.
Two people were standing at a window. Adam recognized the first as the leading spirit, Mirana. The second was undoubtable a living, breathing human. And that was when the familiarity of the voice hit him.
"Jack?" he gasped, darting back into the opposite room, pressing his back against the wall. Suddenly his eyes went dark and cold. Jack was the younger, weaker brother, and yet he still had life. Jealousy and rage bubbled up inside of Adam. He lost any happiness that the sight of his brother might otherwise bring him, instead being reminded that he could never leave this temple.
"I was cheated out of life," Adam said through clenched teeth, seething. These same words passed through his mind every day and every night. He stormed off, phasing through some walls until he reached the garden outside of the window. He had thought that going outside would make him feel less confined, but as soon as he stepped on the grass he knew it wouldn't, not this time. Adam turned to gaze again at his brother, this time through the window. He looked through the elephant in his way to get a look at Jack's face. Adam's fury grew when he saw how happy he was.
"He has peace. He has the happiness and freedom of a human." Adam folded his arms, leaning against one of the flowering trees to listen in on the conversation.

"Yes it is a very special sword, it would chose who can weild it and if you are the worng person it becomes so heavy that you cant even welid it." Darren looks away from the cat "I do hope it still allows me to weild it," he looks right back at the cat "one problem though, I dont know anyone in this castle, so I cant really ask someone to come with." Darren turns to see some guy standing at the entrance.

"Thanks" Darren turns around and starts to leave he looks at Milo as he leaves who in the world is this guy. After leaving the room he starts to dash down the hall way towards the front entrance. Once outside Darren starts to think about what to do "all right I can find my way to the village from here and from there I can find my way to the cave, should be a easy trip."

"I'm...not sure," she murmured in response to both of the human boy's questions. She raised an eyebrow when Adam finally showed himself...to her at least. He had always stuck her as cynical for some reason, and she wasn't quite sure what the best response would be seeing as Jack didn't seem to know he was there.

And the two of them were brothers. How interesting. She wouldn't have expected that. But now that she thought about it, they did look similar. She shook her head in amusment, and decided to talk back to him anyways.

"Excuse me a moment," Mirana glanced at Jack momentarily before locking eyes with the other spirit, "No I'm not afraid of being hated. If I were, I would be afraid of myself. Would you like me to stop?"
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Milo sighed heavily as he wandered the temple halls. Now if only he knew where to go. A map would be helpful, and he knew Ratana didn't trust him enough to give him one. Why couldn't he get easier jobs...

"This looks promising I suppose..." Milo mused, cocking his head at one of the outer shrines. He gently pushed open the door, and made his way down the corridor. It was dark in here, but a couple of ghosts near the back door were glowing, so he knew he wasn't about to run into any walls.

They glared suspicously at him, and one spoke, "You aren't about to die."

Milo just smirked, "I know. I just came to see the view. Mind if I take a look?"

The guard's eyes hardened, but they both stepped out of the way, unsure if he was a guest of Ratana's or not. He bowed politely, and began to make his way down the stairs to the chamber that held the crystal statues.