Ravan and Xian were unanimous on one thing Orion was taking one part of the double bed. The glaring contest wasn’t making the staff feel any better about their new guests. Note was still trying to decide what to do in his own head. Really the double-bed room was enough for them. Xian in bird form didn’t take up that much space. Somehow, they’d all crammed into his single person tent the night before. But Xian’s abilities weren’t meant to be common knowledge. What would the staff think if the three grown men somehow clown car’d into the same room. It would be best to take both rooms and leave it up to Xian if he wanted to sleep in feathers or not.

Note finished paying for the rooms and their meals before finally turning to his silently bickering team mates. The two looked to him innocently all unpleasantness wiped off their faces. The staff who’d witnessed the extreme switch felt a chill run down their spine. Note was drained from all the socializing he’d done today. Finding a table and sitting down without a word. Disinterested in the doe eyed look Ravan was trying to give; or Xian’s unblinking attempts at conveying his requests through glances. Note zoned out fully as food was served. When it came time to go up to the rooms neither of the two had yet to call dibs.

Note without a word took the single-bed closing the door on his companions. Two sets of stunned expressions stared at the door for awhile before turning to look at each other. Ravan with a huff went to the other room. He had nearly closed the door on Xian when he though of something. Xian would no doubt happily be shut out. He’d simply worm his bird butt into Orion’s room through the window. Ravan turned his wicked smile onto Xian. Grabbing hold of him tightly and dragging him into the room before he could sense danger.

Note awoke late the next day. He’d been so drained he’d barley hit the bed before he’d knocked out. He was rather shocked he’d slept so late, why hadn’t Xian come to wake him. Forgiving the turn of phrase Xian has always been an early bird. When Note went to their room to knock, there was no answer. Trying the door, he was surprised to find it unlocked. Peeking in the room looked like a war zone. The window had been barred shut with Ravan’s dagger. A chair was somewhat blocking the door, preventing Note from getting further into the room without struggling to moving it out of the way. Blankets had been turned into a nest in the corner of the room where Xian was sprawled out uncomfortably. How he was still sleeping was a mystery. His long legs sprawled halfway up the wall, his head hanging down at an odd angle.

Ravan had seemingly managed to keep hold of all the pillows while claiming the bed. He was curled up around one pillow. The other pillow was on top of him; like a sad sleepover guest who hadn’t been given blankets. Had the two really been unable to share even a single thing. Note wondered why Reign wanted them dead. Putting such a bad team together. Sure, they could get along enough to get things done. But as soon as Ravan got Xian alone the two were no better then pre-schoolers. Note debated abandoning them, going to seek out if their breakfast order still stood with their tardiness. The uncomfortable positions of the two was too much and Note eventually let pity win. Going over to the well guarded window and tapping the dagger.

“If you would move, so I can let some light in.”

The dagger seemed to consider his request a moment before unlodging itself and flitting over to where Ravan slept. The curtains were a bit tangled but soon enough Note had pushed them open letting the afternoon light leak in. Oh gosh, that’s the most parent move I’ve ever done. Note laughed to himself.

Groans of stiff-necked agony chimed out from two sides of the room. Xian closest to the window groggily reached out a hand to tug at Note’s leg. As if grabbing him would make the light go away.

“Good morning sleepy heads. We’ve slept in. My rest was quite peaceful, I don’t think I really need to ask about yours. Come down for food once you clean yourselves up.”

Note found his words too funny. When had he become the mature adult in the room. Xian’s groggy one eye at a time blink was adorable, as he looked around dazed. He unfolded himself from his corner. Trying to follow Note out quicker then he was capable, stumbling into something with every step. The little prince in the bed was trying to bury his face farther into his pillow. Note picked up one of Ravan’s discarded boots tossing it at him. Once he locked eyes with a death glare, he was sure he’d effectively gotten his team up and left the room.

The inn had no time restraints on their promised meal and started cooking a brunch for them once Note came down and apologised for being late. He was unawares the staff had been told about some alarming sounds coming from one of their rooms. The pretty and poised well rested young man had some of the staff exchanging coin. Having lost their respective bets on which of the trio had been at fault for the ruckus.

Xian was next to shuffle down; he had composed himself well his dark eye circles hidden by his slightly thicker than usual eye liner. Ravan was the most honest, stumbling down rubbing his aches and pains. His hair was a mess, he pleaded for Orion to help him with it. Xian watched on, as the pitiful act successfully had Note brushing and tying the rogue’s hair for him. A cocky smirk was thrown his way when Note couldn’t see it. Xian felt his appetite shrink before the food was even brought out.

With a later then planned start to the day the three quickly ate before setting out towards the abandoned house.

The property was outside of Ravloft down a stray path that had barley enough foot traffic to keep the grass parted. The outer wall of the property had crumbled in a few places. Note on habit alone walked to what remained of the front gate. Entering from there with Xian, Ravan had sauntered in at an earlier break. Peering at the two useless formality keepers from the overgrown garden. He began looking to see if any of the plants that were swallowing the crumbling homes walls were hallucinogenic or toxic. Perhaps that would explain the rumours.

Xian in a swift sound of wings began surveying the property from the air. Note heaved a sigh, his momentary superiority had faded. Pulling out his notebook he began making a messy layout on some grid paper. Marking points of note he wandered further into the ruins of the old home.  The inside was as despairing as the outside. Note was slow to test each step before he put his weight fully down on the aged creaking wood. After getting comfortable with the dingy house, Note’s map making grew quicker. Opening windows for air flow and pushing any closed doors out of the way to mark the rooms size. Ravan eventually followed him in and was beginning to look for any possible tricks sets in the home that might have gone off and startled the village girl.

Note came to the farthest building of the manor. It was separate from the main building. Looking in slightly better shape then the rest. Wings came down to land besides him.

“This one is different.” Xian’s voice held an edge.

One Xian’s order Note waited for Ravan to finish his sweep of the rest of the house. Ravan appraised the intricately carved door.

“Besides the lack of falling apart, I don’t see anything odd.” Ravan tested the door pushing it open.

The inside was truly out of place with the rest of the property. The wood of the floors looked freshly lacquered. It was a study room of sorts; dark wood shelves were disorganized but still neat. The plants outside had crawled their way to the window but hadn’t pushed their way inside. Xian and Ravan split, scanning each side of the room. Note marking the oddity in his journal was drawn to the window. He pushed open the window letting light and air into the untouched room. The plant vines happily fell onto the window sill.

“Has someone been living in this section. I’m not trying to downplay the stories. But could they just be that? Stories someone who wanted to live quietly here made up, to keep people out.”

Note leaned on the window sill looking out at the back of the property. The surrounding woods had long swallowed the back wall. A faint side path lead back to the main footpath of the outer limit homes. A shoe had been abandoned there, perhaps that’s where the girl had stumbled into these ruins.

‘Stories… Yes, they were stories.’

Note huffed sure they’d made fun of him, now they were agreeing with him. He looked at the sky. The wind had begun picking up and grey clouds now began to blot out the late day sky. It would start storming before they could make it back to town. Had Xian been so out of whack he hadn’t checked the weather. Within moments the heavens opened and rain fell heavily down. They had a few more hours of ‘daylight’ before they needed to not be in the haunted house. Does stormy darkness count? He’d received a lecture but hadn’t though to inquire about semantics.

One of the two had come to stand next to Note at the window. They both zoned out into the grey weeping sky.

“Orion!” Ravan hissed at him from behind.

Note hummed, “What? I’ve marked everything already.”

“Note come here quickly.” Xian’s voice was also behind him, a mildly panicked whisper.

…

Wait.

If they were both further in the room, who was standing beside him? Note turned his head, a pale figure was watching the rain. Their translucent hands rested on the window pane. Oh. Oh.

Note slowly backed away from the window. Once far enough back two sets of hands simultaneously yanked him back the rest of the way. They were close to the door now. Note felt like his team mates would toss him through it any moment.

The specter turned their head away from the sky, moving to face them. The pale form’s features were hard to make out. Perhaps they were barely there at all. The edges of the spectre seemed to fade into nothing, they had no distinct legs. Simply hovering, it felt as if the whole room was apart of them. As the sky grew darker more of its shape seemed to come into being.

‘Are you leaving?’

The doors behind them twitched.

Note looked to Xian, his brows were furrowed. Ravan was sweating as his hands dug into Note’s left arm.

As Note looked back to the … ghost? Spirit? Entity? He had the unsettling feeling it was looking directly at him. With his free right hand, he habitually waved in its direction. Xian’s hand clamped down tighter on his shoulder. The ghost’s head titled just slightly too much to be natural. Raising its hand, it imitated the motion.

“You can help me.”

A sudden blast of force ripped Ravan and Xian from him. Note was pulled forward as his friends were sent flying out the door. Before they could recover the door slammed shut. Leaving Note and the ghost alone in the room.

He could hear the two making a ruckus as they tried to break their way back into the room. The sound almost seemed to get farther away. The ghost floated over to the study table; a long cold tea pot flared to life. The pale face turned to Note.

“Sit please, we don’t have much time.”

Note felt the faint pressure of the entity’s eyes on him. This room was tied to them. He wasn’t sure how he knew that. A simple ghost shouldn’t have such abilities. This was something else and he wasn’t going to piss it off while it was somewhat playing nice. If tossing his friends counted as nice. He obediently sat down at the table. He politely refused the ‘tea’ he was offered. Eating a magical creature’s food was a rule he didn’t need to break today.

“You need help? My companions are much more skilled than I.”

“No. You. It must be you.”

Note took out his journal, “Do you want a message passed along then? I really can’t do much.”

The unblinking white eyes of the specter stared at him for a moment. Before looking down at the empty page. Its pale hand reached out and the page started to fill with words. The red ink Note tried not to think about as he quickly skimmed the words. The words seemed to be some ancient script, yet as he looked their meaning came to him. As if emotions and images were being directly broadcast into his mind. The spirit was sharing its story with him.

Who they had been, had long faded from their memory. Haunting the manor as it rotted away. They’d been alone so long. To watch their home- yes, they knew this had been their home- fall into disrepair. Their despair had only grown, they could only recall this study. How it had been, how it should be.

Some vagabonds had once tried to take shelter here. Something happened- something took over. Something scary. It hurt the strangers. White hair. When humans get too close, they’re in danger. Whispered a rumour. Keep people away. I steal from them. Their study started to return to normal. They don’t want to keep hurting people. Having their home back. The cost. When there is light it’s safe. When it’s dark, something else. Becoming something else. Becoming. Becoming. Becoming. Becoming.

Note winced as the message and emotions crashing onto the page and his mind became more and more frantic. Though the spirit outwardly looked as serene as ever. From what he could understand, perhaps this being had started out a simple ghost. Yet it began feeding on human’s life energy. Only demonic creatures could do that. Was it becoming a demon? It had suffered alone so long, its desire to hold onto its home had corrupted it. Perhaps if it wasn’t holding back, the whole house would be in perfect condition by now. With people having been left in worse shape then just a few white hairs.

Note pitied the poor ghost. They were losing themselves. Something malicious was trying to take their place. Their home would be back but they would be lost in the process. Seemingly done with their story the ghost removed their hand from the now full page.

“Honest, I’m very new to all this. I can’t help you. I can’t even dispel you.”

The spirit sat looking at him. Seeming to be peering into every nook and cranny of his soul. Note couldn’t hear his friends anymore. How much time had passed. With the rain it was unlikely to be a moonlit night. He’d be in danger soon.

“I can help. Let it be a trade.”