Spooky Times in the Snow

Hard Mode

Tonight was a particular cold night, but unlike most it was filled with the cries and laughter of children and adults alike. Lanterns and all manners of pumpkins littered the streets where the stalls of the markets had been, and for some costumes were adorned. It had been the day of All Hallows Eve, for some a "sacred" day for them, but for this genin it was just another Tuesday. Looking onward into the village from the balcony of his apartment, Midori had let out a small plume of air from his lungs as he continued to listen to happy chatter of those excited to celebrate. From what he knew it was a day to some to ward off the evil spirts that refused to rest, but to others it had been the day where the veil between both the natural and supernatural were at its thinnest. Midori was not as religious as those in the village, but that was not to say he was not a believer in some sense. To him, this day was muddled and it was one he was better off just not celebrating altogether. Either way he found himself wanting to take a walk out into the village just to see how the others, the ones that did not mind that spiritual shift, went about it. He had already been dressed in his white pants and black boots. As he walked out of his room he grabbed the long white jacket he was known for wearing off of the coat rack and throw it on before fastening it. Looking at his mask, he would decide to grab it and fasten it to his outer belt and head out. As he closed the door behind him, a few kids would run past him dressed in all manner of attire, and he could have sworn he had seen one dressed as the Hyogakage which only made him chuckle lightly.

The crunching of snow beneath his boots would soon follow as he began to walk into the village, more specifically toward the market area of the village. There most of the festivities had been taking place and among them would be food. His hands at the moment had been firmly placed inside of his pockets as he walked, the dark green eyes simply scanning his surroundings and taking in what all he had been seeing about him. It was refreshing seeing the villagers be happy about something and content enough to let their guard down, but it was not a luxury that he could afford. Midori walked passed several food stalls offering all kinds of oddities, but most of it was the same food they had offered normally just in a festive form. As he passed the food stall he came across the oddities and festive items. Pumpkins, masks, wands, fake Katanas and shuriken. Even lanterns littered some of them. They had been of all makes and designs even some that you could decorate on your own. It was one stall however that caused him to pause and not even he could fathom why. He was passing it and got less than six inches from it when it felt like he heard something call to him. Turning on his heels to perform an about face, he looked at the lantern and leaned down slightly for a moment to inspect it humming to himself as he did.

"What are you...."

576 WC

As dusk set in, the hustle and bustle of Hyogagakure's streets typically was dying down. However due to the time of the year, the evenings were much more lively in celebration of the Hollow's Eve festival. And so, decorations could be found riddled all throughout the village. Glowing lanterns were suspended across the fronts of buildings, lining and lightning the streets with ethereal blue flames of Frostfire. They casted an eerie glow which created somewhat of a spooky ambiance. With snow and ice alike, sculptures were meticulously carved into the shape of spirit like figures accustomed to Hyogagakure folklore including Frost Phantoms and Yukigakure Yokai. Separately the snowmen made by children were modified with ominous changes to give them a scary vibe, including glowing red eyes and grotesque features. Between some buildings in commonplaces were frozen icicles woven into the shadow of webs, with decorative spiders attached to them. The  villagers themselves, accustomed to the military wearing Reikonmen, opted for masks of their own, donning haunting masks of various designs. Though the culture suggested the masks were to wane off dark spirits, most wore them simply as a decoration and coupled with costumes that matched the look.

This had been Sakaiza's first time in the village during this type of festival, as at this time last year he was in the Land of Hot Springs. And its respective village Yugakure, was notorious for promoting and upholding traditions which glorified dark spirits, rather than repelling them. It was somewhat of a polar opposite or a stark contrast of where Kai stood today compared to where he was a year ago. But it was nice, as his own people here in the Snow seemed to be enjoying themselves. It truly was a time of prosperity, growth, and celebration. And although the Wretched's demeanor showed no signs of this, the man felt warm and happy inside. It felt nice to know his people were thriving.

As he made his way through the Blood Market, adorned in his Ghost Shell and mask, Sakaiza took in the surroundings of the area. His presence was much more known and recognized now, so as he meandered through the market he would be greeted with bows and waves alike. Everyone was rather welcoming, including the owners of the food stalls which unanimously offered him free samples of they promoted during this time. Had he been off duty and simply passing the time, he surely would have indulged in the festive food and drink. However his attention was captivated when his eyes fellow upon Midori, who seemed allured by a stall in particular. Deciding to pursue the Genin, Sakaiza made his way over and observed the boy who at this point was inspecting a lantern. And as Kai grew closer, he too could hear a faint humming from the source of light. His eyes would flash, revealing his Meigan beneath his mask, which carefully studied the lantern's chakra profile. Astoundingly it gave off some sort of sentience, with an otherworldly essence.

"Midori," Kai would say in somewhat of a hushed tone to avoid alarming any others in the area. "I think you've found yourself a trapped spirit."

WC = 528
+2 Yuumei Stacks

The young Oda Tsumura was about to leave his home in the Yuki district with one objective in mind: food. More specifically, festival street food. Oda could smell from his doorsteps the almost irresistible smell of dumplings and waffles coming all the way from the Blood Market. As usual, the night was cold and snowy, but Oda wasn't bothered at all by this. Actually, the severe cold weather of Hyogagakure didn't bother the young Oda at all, as he actually found ot quite mild.

Perhaps his long-lost Yuki bloodline helped to protect him from the cold, but until he could control Ice as his father said his ancestors could, Oda wouldn’t be so sure. The only reason he usually wears robes and scarfs is to not stand out as a crazy person walking in a Kimono and wooden sandals in the snow.

An that’s what Oda would be usually wearing, but since his last encounter with Lord Sakaiza in the library, he got delivered into his doorsteps a majestic brand-new Shells of the Phantom Frostweavers, or SPF, the official armor-set of Hyoga’s shinobi forces, alongside his own custom Reikoneman mask, and the Halloween festivities seemed like the perfect place to wear it for the first time.  Oda couldn’t believe the Hyogakage’s generosity in purchasing such a sick looking and high-end armor to a mere rookie Genin, so he was more than thrilled to parade around in his new armor. He fastened his masked to his outer belt and went to the festival area.

The young genin swiftly walked towards the Blood Market area, eager to taste some festival street food. He approached the epicenter of the festivities at the market area, stopping at every food stall on the way to grab a bite, from Ramen to dumplings. After a few good minutes of non-stop eating, the young shinobi finally had his belly full, so now he was just wandering around, taking a look at the Halloween oddities and paraphernalia being sold around. The stalls had every kind of item: pumpkins, masks, costumes, trinkets and decorations of all sorts. Oda was a genin for mere 2 weeks now, so he had pretty much little to no ryo to spend in any Halloween stuff, so he would be able to buy just a single item to take home. What would that be, the indecisive ninja wasn’t sure yet. As he wandered around searching for the perfect item to buy, he would notice that there was another shinobi there, wearing a much more adorned Shells of the Phantom Frostweavers, one that Oda recognized from back at the library a few days ago.

Without a doubt that sick looking armor belonged to none other than the second Hyogakage himself, Sakaiza. The young genin started walking towards is kage’s direction, as he was standing near a stall selling some spooky objects. As he approached Kai, he realized that another of his recent acquittances, Midori Terumi, was also there, gazing upon some item.

- Lord Second, Midori… a pleasure to meet you aga…  

Before Oda could finish his sentence, he heard a chilling faint humming or whispers coming from something in that stall. Oda couldn’t identify what this almost ethereal voice was speaking, as its words sounded incomprehensible, as if it was spoken in a foreign language. He came closer to the stand, without finishing his greetings to Sakaiza and Midori, and place his eyes on the same item that Midori was inspecting from close range: a pumpkin lantern. Somehow, Oda was pretty sure that the ethereal whisper was coming from that ordinary looking lantern. Before he could also lean down closer to the mysterious item, a strange looking hunchbacked man with a big black hat hiding most of his face approached the trio.

- Nice stuff, eh? If you want to buy that beautiful lantern of mine, I can make a very special price for y’all…he he – the weird man said to the 3 ninjas.

---

WC: 660

The full moon was the biggest it had been since Jupiter arrived in Hyogagakure and assumed the role of archbishop. Under its light his chrome armor glistened in a silver hue as he meandered through the crowd. The chromed out crown of thrones on his head, and the cross on the chain around his neck and on his gauntlets distinguished him from the majority of the festive crowd. However, he was amused when he ran into a couple of children who had managed to do a good job of imitating his unique armor set. When they held out their baskets in front of the archbishop, Jupiter gave them a warm smile from behind his helmet-mask. He leaned down to pat them on their heads, then raised an open palm toward them and their parents in a gesture of blessing. "Frost be upon you." He told them, and when they lingered longer, he added, "Winter is coming."

It had been a few days since he gave his first speech to the people of Hyogagakure as Archbishop. His compatriot had appointed him, and instructed him to win the hearts of the masses. He was no stranger to public speaking, and had never had any qualms about sharing his spiritual beliefs. Playing to his strengths, he had delivered his best speech yet. As to how it played out, he did not remember as he had helped himself to plenty of wine keeping in theme with the festivities. He sipped from his metal flask as he continued on his walk through the village. It was all fine and dandy until his newly healed ears picked up on a distant, spiritual echo. It was an ominous and otherworldly presence that caused him to stop in his tracks and listen close. He had sensed a vibe, a bad and terrible vibe.

When Jupiter followed the eldritch trail, he ran into the trio of Midori, Sakaiza and Oda in a little stall stocked with curious goods. The voice in his head spoke louder, and his eyes searched for its source in the physical plane. "⬧︎:cancer:︎❖︎:scorpius:︎ ❍︎:scorpius:︎:mailbox_with_mail:︎:mailbox_with_mail:︎:mailbox_with_mail:︎ :droplet:︎:v:︎✞︎☜︎ :bomb:︎☜︎" His ears twitched, listening to their conversation as he stood behind them as he identified the lantern to be the source that he was drawn to. When the shopkeeper made his appearance, the archbishop interjected himself into the conversation just as the vendor chuckled.

"Best I can do is 44 ryo."

---

Jashin's Curse (skill)

WC: 403

It took him a moment to acknowledge the presence of Sakaiza, to the point when his brain had finally processed what had been going on, the green eyes shrunk for a moment. He was usually so keenly aware of his surroundings but his perplexity of the matter caused some lapse in his judgement and situational awareness. His eyes would once again return to normal as he looked back at the lantern and processed what his Kage had told him. A trapped spirit.... He had no true dealings with the supernatural so obviously this was outside of his realm of experience but it would seem that Sakaiza had a hand in it however. Pulling back from the lantern and now seeing two others join them, one he knew the other not so much, he would tilt his head in the direction of Kai and ask him," Do you have knowledge on the supernatural that you don't mind sharing with me? I am unfamiliar with these kind of things, surprisingly enough," it was not that he had no stock or did not believe in it. It was simply his mind was not on those kind of things. He would wait for an explanation from Sakaiza, if given one, and nod as he listened to each word. For a moment he was surprised until the Merchant looked at the quartet then rubbed his chin. What was once a haggling event turned into a smile on his face as he waved the price to the side and allowed the group to take the lantern. At this time the sun would begin to fully set and something within Midori caused him to do the unthinkable. Reaching to into his inner coat pocket he would pull out a small zippo like lighter that he would use to light the inside of the lantern itself.
'
From what he could tell there was no true "way" to light the lantern it would begin to consume the flame and as if wanting, it began to light. Midori watched for a moment before seeing a shadow play in the recesses of his peripheral vision. At first he did not want to accept what he had been seeing, but once it had fully manifested into what looked like a person, his curiosity was now piqued immensely. Inside of the fire though, he could make it out. The form of a being, though ephemeral, had been sitting within the flames as if trapped. That was his assumption, but even with an hypothesis one could being to test it. Holding the lantern high, Midori would take the first steps in figuring out what had been going on with this mysterious lantern.

The one inside peered at the group before locking eyes with Midori, seemingly curious but also helpless with its current situation. The spirit of the lantern would begin to regale the group with its story advising it was once a denizen of this very village. Its soul was now bound to this lantern as its permanent fuel source as a result of a blood curse that was put upon him. While there was nothing the group could do for him presently, he did ask that they go and peruse his old home to see if there had been any traces of what could help assist his torment and possibly end it. Midori had been skeptical of it all because some of the details did not add up to him, but when dealing with the supernatural, some things would not add up. He was not against the idea of going to the specter's home, but he did wonder what the others thought about the situation. If they were in agreeance of the spirit's plea then they would begin to head out, but before they did he would hand the lantern over to Sakiaza," You seem to have a better understanding of the supernatural and its workings than I. It would make sense for you to hold onto this in case something happens," accepting his current handicap with the supernatural, he would defer it to someone who could potentially find out more about it as the group continued forward.

695 WC /// 1,271 TWC

When Midori posed the question about the supernatural to Sakaiza, the Wretched gave the boy a sharp nod. "Aye", Sakaiza began. "The Temple of my people has quite a number of...supernatural...aspects about it. But only a select few can experience and comprehend them." His words were somewhat cryptic, but it was because it was difficult for the man to explain the Yuumei entity and spirits associated with the Land of the Abyss.

Shortly after he began discussing with Midori, his peripheral vision caught a glimpse of none other than Oda nearing him. Oda was a genin which recently partook in a series of job risk assessments alongside Kai, Midori, and Travin. And although initially he seemed somewhat reluctant to voice his ideas before anyone else, Oda's willingness to display his wit and creativity was eventually proven. The genin showed significant intellectual prowess, as did Midori. The two of them could truly make a dynamic duo, assuming their physical abilities also complimented each other. But for the moment there were some other pressing issues. And so as Oda greeted him, Kai would simply turn his face in the direction and offer Oda a nod of acknowledgement as the genin simultaneously heard the sound which too piqued the Wretched's interest.

As luck would have it, Sakaiza's brother would now be approaching the scene, who was first to address the odd looking merchant which looked to sell the lantern to the now quarter of shinobi. The clean faced man bore a black hat, along with a matching black trench coat with golden buttons. The trench coat was open, revealing the lavish decorations of a satin vest overtop a white button down blouse, all accentuated by golden accessories. His pants too were black and nothing out of the ordinary, but a trained eye for fashion could note that the quality was far superior than anything typically seen in the Land of Snow. This man clearly was one of grand fortune, potentially a testament to the wares he sold and the profit he earned. And so Jupiter's mere offer of 44 ryo was humorous, albeit potentially insulting to the merchant.

However the merchant, with somewhat of a devious smile, waived the price of the lantern and seemingly gave it over to Midori without another word. From there, he would tend to his own business and occasionally glance at the group of men investigating the lantern. And then came an explanation from the spirit housed within the lantern. It described its predicament and suggested the group go on to explore his home, and potentially bring his spirit to rest. Sakaiza, who was often subject to complete missions of various level of oddity and complexity, thought nothing of a spirit sending them on a quest. After all, a lot of his driving motivation and progress as a shinobi had been from the compelling force of Yuumei. Thus when Midori suggested that he be the ghost whisperer, Kai would grab ahold of the lantern's handle. It had a rope attached to it, when the Wretched effortlessly fastened to the belt upon his waistline. And as it suspended from his hip, the spirit would begin describing the location of where his former home was.

Facing his group, Kai would simply say. "The spirit, 'Nier', says his home is on the Northwest side of town in the residential district. Describes it as 'the last house on the left'."

The Second gave no other words and simply started to depart from the Blood Market. His pace was relaxed yet purposeful as he paraded by the lively festival games and decorations taken place throughout the town. Eventually the group would walk by the Storm Academy, which the lantern spirit Nier, began letting out a somber tone of humming. Should any of the group ask the spirit about his sad tone, he would go on to explain his background as a shinobi and the Storm Academy reminded him of his past. Though the Wretched would not be the one to ask, as he was mainly interested in speaking with the spirit about his home. His home that the group of four would arrive at within mere minutes. It was a house in pristine condition yet humble magnitude. Even though it was abandoned it appeared to emit a presence of life itself, which Sakaiza was sure that Jupiter would be able to innately sense. Turning to the man before the group even considered entering, Kai would ask, "Brother, what do you feel about this place?"

WC 751. TWC = 1279

Oda would keep staring at the mysterious lantern, completely mesmerized by the ethereal voice coming from it. It was when an unknown man offered mere 44 ryo for the lantern that Oda’s hypnotic state was broken. The genin turned around to check the man who just arrived, and for his great surprise, it was no other than the Archbishop himself, Jupiter Yamanaka. Somehow the same mysterious pumpkin lantern attracted both the Hyogakage and the Deputy Kage to the same little stall. And even more strange, the odd looking salesman simply waived the price of the lantern and just gave it into Midori’s hands without a single word, before turning his back on the party carrying on with his business.

As soon as Oda’s fellow genin would hold the lantern, which didn’t seem to have a fuel reservoir of any sorts, the pumpkin would just lit itself out of nowhere, and from the supernatural flame, the same voice Oda was hearing as an ethereal whisper before became much more clearer and the fire took the shape of what appeared to be a man, somehow trapped into that pumpkin. What the f… Oda thought with himself. The young genin wasn’t much of a believer in the supernatural at all, being highly skeptical about things he couldn’t see or strike with his sword. But a spirit was manifesting itself from within a simple pumpkin lantern, right before his eyes – and not only his eyes, but the Kage and Deputy Kage’s eyes as well.

Hyoga’s leaders seemed less surprised than Oda and Midori about the spirit manifestation, something that was confirmed when Kai said about having prior experience with the natural, citing The Temple of his people. And then came the explanation from the spirit housed within the lantern, who told the tale of its demise and pleaded with the group to go on to visit his old abandoned home, in an attempt to find something that can help him get his freedom from that pumpkin and go to his eternal rest in the afterlife. Nier, was his name, and although his voice sounded really weird and spooky, hard to comprehend, his words felt very sincere and desperate, which made the young genin willing to take on this quest to free the tormented spirit. His peers also seemed to have accepted the mission, and Kai was assigned as the ghost whisperer, fastening the lantern’s rope into his belt and heading towards Nier’s old house as the spirited whispered instructions into the Kage’s ears.

The group headed towards the residential district, cutting through the festivities. Eventually, they would pass in front of the Storm Academy, the place where Oda just recently graduated from and got his title of genin, a place he was very fond of. It seemed that the spirit also had some memories from the place ad its whispers took a very somber tone. Oda would side with the Hyogakage in an attempt to talk with Nier.

- You were a Hyoga Shinobi, right? – Oda would deduce by the spirit’s wail - You must have also studied into the academy… right? You sound so sad…

- Yes… yes… a long time ago… I was a shinobi… I have… such great memories from this place… my first kunai… my first Surface Walking tree climbing… - the Spirit replied, with his faint and ethereal voice, still hard to understand, but filled with nostalgia and regret.

- I feel you, Nier…

The group would soon arrive at the spirit’s old house. It was just a magnificent house, that even abandoned was still somehow in pristine conditions… and it seemed to pulse with something weird… something Oda could feel but couldn’t explain… something that attracted the young shinobi to the inside of the house. As Kai would convoy with Jupiter about the spirit’s old place, the still mesmerized Oda would simply keep walking towards the door. Before he could push the heavy wooden door, it just wide opened before he could place his hand into it, as if the house was inviting the genin inside. Oda could not see a thing in front of him, as there was just total darkness ahead, and it appeared that the light from the outside that should be entering through the open door was somehow blocked outside. Still, he juts kept walking into the absolute darkness, attracted and hypnotized by something he could no comprehend or resist.

---

WC: 732
TWC: 1392

As the herd moved like sleepwalkers toward the house, their faces seemed slack, eyes empty. Jupiter hung back, his gaze locked on that sinister lantern. It flickered, casting jittery shadows like it had a nervous twitch, and he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn’t just giving off light, but it was sucking in something too. The air around it felt wrong. Its gloom pressed on his skin like he was walking through cobwebs no one else could see.

He stopped, his body screaming at him to keep going but his mind drifting his attention towards a striking monument. They were passing the academy, and Jupiter let his thoughts wander there for a moment. He remembered the time he took part in the Chuunin Exams back in his old village, and allowed himself to smile behind his mask. Then he noticed that the group had moved on without him, drifting toward the house like moths to a flame. He hurried to catch up, a gnawing sense of dread taking root deep in his gut once again the closer he got to the lantern. The closer he got to Nier, the worse it became. He could almost feel an actual, physical weight on his chest. His heart pounded.

And then, experimentally, he slowed his pace. The dread slipped away, just a bit. The air was still thick, still wrong, but his pulse evened out, and his head cleared. He let the group move ahead, feeling the relief wash over him in cool waves. But as soon as he picked up the pace to close the gap again, the cold, clutching dread returned. His stomach lurched. That lantern. There was something in it, or tied to it. Something old. Something that wanted to be felt. He scratched at his beard, watching the flickering light dance from different angles, testing its reach without ever getting too close.  That alone set Jupiter’s teeth on edge. Distrust was too mild a word for what he felt—this was pure instinct. When Kai broke the silence, asking for his thoughts on the house, Jupiter raised his hand, shielding his eyes like the sight of it might burn.

Both Kai and Oda had started talking to the spirit. It set a wary Jupiter’s teeth on edge. Distrust was too mild a word for what he felt. When Kai broke the silence, asking for his thoughts on the house, Jupiter raised his hand, shielding his eyes like the sight of it might burn. His face twitched, his jaw tightened and his mouth was dry.

"There is a sadness here," he said quietly, his voice flickering like the light from the cursed lantern.  "But I don’t sense malice... yet." He glanced back. Oda was already gone, his Genin shell vanishing into the dark abyss of a house. Gone without a word, without a scream. The doorway had swallowed him whole. "Good grief..." Jupiter muttered. He wasn’t sure what made him more uneasy, the lantern or the group who seemed to be under its spell. He approached the door, pushing it open wider, but it didn’t creak like it should have. The house swallowed that sound too. Behind him, sunlight bled weakly into the growing shadows, but it wasn’t enough. It felt like the light was being consumed before it could really touch anything.

He stepped inside, and the temperature dropped immediately. The air was thick, oppressive, and the gloom was so deep it seemed to wriggle with life. Shapes twisted in his peripheral vision but vanished when he tried to focus on them. There was no sign of Oda. He placed his hand on the cross-shaped sigil over his chest, fingers still as still water. His lips moved in a quiet prayer, the words clinging to the cold air like frost on glass.

"We seek refuge with the Lord of Frost,
The King of the Tundra,
The God of the Frozen Winds-"

A sharp, jarring piano chord shattered the air (Gb minor), the kind of sound that sticks to skin like cold sweat. It came from the dark hall, echoing through the house’s black throat. Jupiter’s allowed the sound to dampen, before he resumed his prayer in his steady voice,

"From the evil of the biting chill that creeps and retreats.
That whispers in the hearts-"

Glass shattered somewhere deeper in the house, a cascade of sharpness that seemed to go on forever. The sound rippled through the walls, vibrating like a living thing. He could feel the vibrations in the soles of his wooden sandals.

"That whispers in the hearts of the cold and weary,
Of spirits unseen and men alike-"

Another sound, this time like metal scraping across stone, wrestled with the sound of his voice in the cold air. There was something moving in the dark, slithering closer, watching him. He felt it, that thing, whatever it was, nested in the house's walls and every tile.

"Amen!" he finished, raising his voice.

The echo of his words didn’t immediately die. It stayed, distorted and bouncing back at him, like the house was mimicking him, mocking his prayer. He performed the inverted cross slowly, his still hand brushing over his shoulders, chest, and forehead. Jupiter stepped deeper into the house. The door groaned behind him, but when he looked back, there was no light. No warmth. Just the thick, waiting dark.

“You shall love your neighbor as yourself, and you shall not masturbate.” 

He spoke into the abyss, and meandered forward.

---

WC: 914
TWC: 1317

Midori listened to the words of Sakiaza intently as he explained a little about his ties is the supernatural, and admittedly a bit about his clan. He did not know much about the Shinkou outside of their unique chakra, but even then he knew nothing extensive. It bothered him a bit but it could have been a talking point between himself and the Kage should he get the time to. He would nod his head though however, and thank the male for giving some context as to how he knew or had a hand in this. Knowledge in any setting was appreciative especially when it could lead to mental growth. Turning his head back to the lantern at hand, as it was lit, Midori would be taken aback for what he had seen not only in the corners of his eyes but also in the flames itself. It was no surprise that he was not skeptical at first and instantly went to looking around for any signs of deception but clearly could not find any. This was something he had to accept in order to proceed with what they had to do, but he definitely had questions for after this. Sticking his hands into his pockets he simply allowed the other two, who had experience in this area, speak to the spirit and gain insight on its story and why it was stuck in the lantern. From what it sounded like to Midori, he had been cursed to be stuck as the source of light and flame for the lantern for an unknown period of time, probably eternity. He did not know if there was a way to release him from the lantern, but believed that there might have been some clues within his old home. Sakaiza had a rough location of where to go and when they had all decided to finally head toward that direction, Midori would follow in suit still quiet and thinking on all that he had just heard.

It was no small feat to stump or even bewilder Midori as he was a purveyor of knowledge both old and new, but this new situation seemed to have befuddled him in some small sense. He would be paying closer attention to what had been going on from here on out so that he could fill his mental coffers with new information on the supernatural. When the quartet arrived to the house, the first thing that Midori had noticed was its dilapidated state. It would have appeared that no one that bothered to take care of this home for some time, or that it was simply forgotten itself. As they drew nearer and nearer to the entrance of the abode he would hear the question posed to Jupiter, whom Sakaiza had named brother. There was a small raise of his brow as he contemplated if this was a term of endearment or were they blood related, but that was not a question for now. Instead he would walk into the home and begin to look around while sticking close to the group taking in his surroundings. What he was not expecting were the words of Jupiter. While at first to him it sounded like a hymn from some sort of religious text he believed in, the end of it caused a very visible raise of a brow followed by an exasperated sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. He was hoping the male had been joking and if he was not, then it had been something that the genin, respectfully, did not want any part of. Continuing his steps, his hands would remain inward into his pockets as he looked around as those green eyes simply looked for clues.

624 WC /// 1,895 TWC

Sakaiza was well aware of the fact that the vibe evoked from the location, the lantern, and the spirit itself were all red flags to his Archbishop. However this was not the first, nor would it be the last time, that the Wretched man dragged his right arm into the valley of the shadow of death. They previously fought the vices of an arsonist, and triumphed through a forge linked to Hell itself. So what could a supposedly spooky haunted house offer that the men hadn't faced together?

Sadness.

It was a term that immediately pierced Kai's heart as Jupiter spoke it. But it came with confirmation that he did not detect evil of any sort for the moment. This was oddly comforting, even if what came next was unsettling. How quickly Oda had been sucked into the home was almost as if it had been unintentionally, also evident by Jupiter's shortened expression when the Genin disappeared. Sakaiza's Meigan was active at this point, as he scanned over the essence which emanated from the front door. As Jupiter suggested there didn't seem to be a malevolent spirit residing in the immediate vicinity of the entrance, but the chakra profile was somewhat alarming. It had been ethereal and wispy, composed of ominous signatures of chakra. Potentially, there were a lot more spirits than just that in the lantern.

"I will be honest,"Nier began. "There have been a few to suddenly perish in my house since I did. Though it had been so under wraps that I doubt if authorities ever investigated. I think my body is still in this place. The last thing I remember there was a man that visited...and then things fade to black. But I vaguely remember last being in the living room, on the first floor."

With a weary expression concealed by his mask, Sakaiza wondered if this "man" Nier spoke of had been some type of forbidden jutsu user, which could have explained the predicament Nier was in. "I see. Onward then. We will first investigate the living room."

Jupiter began inside before Sakaiza could, but the Wretched followed shortly behind him. Upon feeling the sensation of the eerie home, Kai vocalized to his brother in arms. "Jupiter, a prayer first?" To which the Yamanaka quickly obliged. Though with each line of the prayer, ominous sounds from various places could be heard. It was unsettling, but Kai's chakra vision still detected no obvious signs of evil. He'd proceed further as Jupiter prayed, and right as he concluded his sermon, the group would arrive in the living room where Oda would be seen a short distance from a body lying in the center of it. The body had been stripped of its clothes aside from its undergarments, but notably there was a circular insignia upon its chest.

"There! That's..that's me!" Nier exclaimed, loud enough for all to hear alongside an echo which bounced throughout the room. Sakaiza unfastened the lantern from his hip, raising it up to offer a glimmer of light throughout the room. And when he would, he'd notice the shape of the lantern's base was nearly identical to that upon the man's chest. And without much thought, the Wretched instinctively crouched down beside the man's body and lowered the lantern so that its base sat upon the circle on the man's chest.

And with that, Nier's spirit transferred directly back into the body in a resounding flash of light that illuminated all of the candles in the room which could be found mainly in its corners. The lantern's glow would come to an end, but now Nier's voice could be heard omnidirectionally.

"Thank you, it's all coming back to me now. The man which visited, poisoned me. And in my final moments I remember him mentioning performing some type of ritual on myself and four others, to seal us into items. He described it as a kinjutsu...But this lantern was my father's before my own, which he used to guide him in the darkness of night after long shifts at work. Perhaps the item must have some type of connection with its host...in which case my friends this man was also after may have suffered the same fate as me...."

WC = 707. TWC = 1986