It was old, ancient even. The ruins of a long-lost kingdom nearly forgotten by the land and time itself. There was something deep within. Like his mother, Cyril was more sensitive to stranger things that were beyond understanding. Seeing people who others said weren't there, hearing things they would pass off as an echo. He didn't realize it until his brother couldn't see the new 'friends' he had met playing around their father's house in Nisshoki. When he told his mother about those things she believed him without any questions at all. His hand touched the list tucked carefully away in his clothes. Right, he needed to remember to cross this off his list once he was done. When he was younger he went to study under a well-respected diviner and cosmologist in Ataiyo. Lacking his brother's talents in the natural elements, he was transferred to study with a group of ascetic monks. His former master was a kind person, and even though he failed as an apprentice the man checked on his progress.

With only a lonely orb of light as a guide, he and his twin brother walked in the darkness. In the silence, Cyril thought he could hear someone far away singing… The voice was faint, nearly a whisper. There was something so familiar yet distant in the tune. Absentmindedly, the half-fey repeated the words:

”Tymor bring your ungrateful scaly backside back here now!” Kythe roared after the Pseudo-Wyvern as he took off through the winding mines with her necklace caught around his claws; he had been spooked by some minor rock fall and had taken off from her shoulder in such a hurry that he had snapped the chain of her necklace as he launched into flight. There was not much that Kythe held attachment too in terms of the family she had been born into but the necklace was the one thing she still had that held sentimental value to her - her Father had given it to her when she had turned of age, the same day that he and her Mother had been murdered by Azzerdan… it was all she had left that had been given to her personally and no frightened Wyvern would take that from her.

All of a sudden the Wyvern came to a halt, hovering mid-air - the neon green of his undersails flashing at her in the darkness as she hurried forward and plucked him out of the air, clasping him tightly under her arm to keep him from squirming as she untangled her pendant and placed it into her pack with a sigh, soothing her companion with a hand before placing him back upon her shoulder. ”Cretin, you’re safe with me, I wouldn’t let anything hurt you remember?” She cooed, falling silent as she caught the whisper of a song on the wind. So that was what had halted his fearful flight was it?

Cocking her head to one side Kythe followed the sound of it; smiling at the melody. It was truly beautiful and so out of place in terms of the tone. As she rounded a corner she spotted two boys - their scents marking them as twins - and she smiled, bowing gently to the pair while keeping a hand on Tymor to stop him from falling off his perch. ”Greetings, my name is Kythe and this is my companion Tymor. We heard your song and could not help but follow it to it’s source, it’s beautiful.” She said softly.

I love my brother, I really do. As twins we know what the other's thinking without having to guess. But sometimes there are things my brother does that I still can't understand. I guess that's why we're not exactly the same. Maybe it'd be different if we were identical twins. Because he doesn't talk much, you'd probably never believe that spelunking down in these old ruins was his idea. I'm all for exploring and finding treasure, but when your brother starts singing in pitch black silence it doesn't help your nerves. Mom and some others were planning to take a look around the new tunnels that opened up after the war so we asked if we could have our own little expedition party ourselves. Well at least if something goes wrong we won't get in trouble for not having permission. 

They were walking through tunnels that all looked the same with a few wisps drifting around in a few dead ends. Navigating was easy with their widgets, but he was getting antsy being underground for so long. "We should've dragged Efrain and Lys along." He groaned. "Never hurts to have more backup down here." They picked their way around rock slides and underground caves when someone popped out of the darkness. It was a woman with one of those little wyverns they had back at home. On second thought, maybe his brother's weirdness did have a good side after all. As his brother's light orb shifted above to let them see each other better, the older twin grinned scratching the back of his neck. "Nice meeting you! I'm Belen, that's my brother Cyril. You have no idea how glad I am to see another person down here." They've been pretty lucky to not run into any of the undead people said were roaming the mines, so seeing another living breathing person was a relief.

When the lady Kythe complimented his brother, his younger twin had that cheery smile of his as he started saying something Belen would rather not know. "Thank you Ms. Kythe, but that song isn't mine. I heard someone else singing it while we were down here." Belen's grin was starting to fall away. "Hey, knock it off Cyril. We've been walking alone all the way until we met her." His brother looked confused, not a good sign. "I did hear it Bel, it was like they were standing very far away." Oh that was great, so apparently the mines really were haunted. That was not what he wanted to hear. Reanimated corpses were fine, they were just puppets made from formerly dead people. After you hit them enough times they would stop moving. But ghosts? He'd rather not. Things you couldn't put down with a well-placed fireball made him nervous. Trying to laugh it off, he tried to explain Cyril's habits to the woman and her wyvern. "Um, so my brother. He sometimes sees things that aren't really there, so I thought you might want to know since we're going to be travelling together. This happens all the time." 

As the boys looked up at her and greeted her in turn she smiled widely as she looked at them both, a small pang in her heart at the sight of them. She could see her own children in them; Luna being dragged along by Kaya despite wanting to be left alone while Raith trailed angrily behind his sister’s… oh by the Gods she missed her children. ”Well I’m equally glad to come across you both; did you not come with an escort at all?” She asked softly, an air of concern to her tone. While Kythe was more than aware that some races were just as dangerous as children as they were as adults that did nothing to sway the maternal instinct in her from worrying over the pair given they were alone in a dark maze of tunnels rumoured to be housing the undead. ”Never mind, I’m here now and I’ll happily act as escort if you wish to delve deeper and are happy to have me tag along?”

”No? Well your song or not you have a beautiful voice.” She smiled at Cyril, her emerald gaze flickering to Belen as she placed a gentle, reassuring hand upon his shoulder. ”Fear not Belen; I’m here now and no harm came to you prior to our meeting at least and now I’ll ensure you’re safe for the rest of your time down here how’s that?” She asked, glancing behind the boys as her eyes tried to pierce the darkness for signs of whatever may have started the song in the first place. Smiling she turned her attention back to the boys. ”Is that so? Well then you and I are kindred spirits Cyril! It’s been a while since I’ve trained but I can see what may happen in the future and back on my own world I was able to walk the Path of the Dead where I could see the Spirits of those gone before us. There are many sensitive people in the world who can see what others cannot; it must mean you are very in tune with this world.” She said softly and encouragingly. ”There is nothing wrong with such a talent; in fact most of the time the things that people such as your brother see are in fact friendly – it’s not often I’ve come across malevolent beings amongst them. And as I said, I’m here now, neither of you will be harmed so long as I am here.” She added firmly to Belen. ”I promise.”

Furling her wings tight against her back she smiled. ”Well this is your adventure boys, you lead and I shall follow where you go.”

Miss Kythe was really amazing–she could see things just like him and see the future! He was so happy that he was caught up in his  thoughts to notice a distinct rustling from his brother's bag. A thick, incomprehensible accent babbled forth as a talking platypus pushed his way out. "Oye, what's with all this 'ere racket?! Can't an ol' platypus get a wink of sleep?" His presence took both boys by surprise. "Haskell–you're here!" Cyril exclaimed. Belen was confused, absolutely sure he didn't pack him in there. "How did you–? No wonder this thing was heavier than I thought." Haskell pulled his stout beaver-like body up more and crossed his flippers. "You givin' me cheek, boy?" The aquatic mammalian creature demanded, narrowing his eyes. "Who me? No, no of course not!" His older brother threw up his hands in defense cracking a convincing smile. "Well someone oughta keep an eye on you laddies, especially without yer mum around." Haskell noticed Kythe and gave her an approving nod. "Hats to you lassie. Ol' Haskell will be countin' on you while we muck about down in the dark."

With that he then retreated back to the comfort of Belen's pack. "That's Haskell, he's a magical platypus. He's as good as Bel when it comes to casting spells. Sometimes we don't understand what he's saying, but he's nice." The silver-haired boy explained. "Well, time to hit the road. We should get going before Haskell complains we're talking too much." His twin grinned. They continued, with two more than they had before down the path lit by a lonely orb. In the silence he heard the song, farther now and more faint. Following led them to a path wider than the first tunnels, earth more fresh than the walls above. Flickers of light too weak to be fire beckoned him to come closer. Floating listlessly they reminded him of the wisps from folklore, sometimes leading one astray or to a secret location. 

Everytime he approached they would drift out of reach. "Where are they going? Is there something they want us to see?" The half-fey boy asked aloud. "Hey, slow down! Uh maybe it's just me, but aren't there a lot more of these things here than before?" Belen said with a nervous look. The number of these flickering wisps had increased yet the tunnel was still dim. There were whispers on the wind and when Cyril listened closely he could make out the words…

Kythe titled her head to one side at the new voice and raised an eyebrow at the bizarre looking creature that appeared out of the bag – earning a hiss of anger and fear from Tymor. ”Hush you silly thing you’re fine.” She chided, tapping the Wyvern on his nose. Tymor promptly shut up, looking at his Mistress with an air of indignity as he chattered irritably. Smiling she bowed slightly to the creature named Haskell. ”As a mother myself I can assure you no harm will come to the boys while I’m with them nor to yourself.”

Smiling Kythe took up the path behind the boys – she could protect them better that way; with their backs guarded she could keep an eye out front and pull them to safety should they require it. It was clear that they were far from alone within the tunnels; though Kythe got the distinct impression that it was a mixture of the living exploring this new place opened to them and the undead who had sadly been lost here long ago. The wisps grew in number the deeper they went and Kythe’s gaze narrowed a little. ”There are indeed, stay close to me boys and don’t stray too far from my reach.” She said softly.

Again her eyes narrowed as she heard the words and her nature was to be suspicious of it. ”Hail! Who lurks in the darkness and calls for aid?” She called out into the darkness, placing a hand upon each of the boy’s shoulders to keep them from venturing further without clarification as to what awaited them in the darkness. ”Call friend and let us know who you are? What help do you require?” She got the distinct feeling that this was going to be one of the few times a spirit was malevolent… just to prove her wrong.

There was whispering that sounded like hundreds of voices, all overlapping each other's words. Goosebumps were breaking out all over his skin as the air felt chillingly cold. This was almost like the time they skipped out on a trip to Tyr where they fought a giant skeleton a hundred feet high. But the big difference here was the lack of room making it harder to run. "Oh gods oh gods oh gods–there's a lot of them." He nervously noted on the wisp count. Normally his brother would start talking about some old story of how people thought wisps in the forests were the physical manifestation of souls long deceased, but that wasn't happening. Kythe called out to the voices, something Belen really wish she hadn't done. What if they answered? The whispering was audible now growing louder than ever. 

"Ahhhhh!" Covering his ears, the boy almost couldn't take it anymore! The voices, they were all around him! They were getting inside his head! Swirling the wisps took the form of twisted ghastly humanoid forms, writhing and grasping at the three in desperation. Cyril quickly drew a talisman and threw it forward, the written symbols flaring with energy that repelled the spectral horde. Forming a magical barrier, his younger brother was apologizing profusely. "I'm sorry! I'm really sorry! We'll help you escape from here, but please calm down!" The silver haired boy looked physically hurt at the sight of the protective warding talismans causing the spirits to shriek. "They're scared," Cyril said to Kythe. "They're remembering their last moments before they died…" With the barrier in place the heaviness in his arms and mind lifted; he could move again. Breathing a sigh of relief, he inched closer to the center of the dome-shaped barrier. "We can't keep them out forever–what are we going to do?!" How do you calm down something that didn't know it wasn't alive anymore?

Tymor; feeling the boy's apprehension and growing fear fluttered from his Mistress' shoulder to settle upon Cyril's instead, wrapping his tail gently around the boy's neck, putting enough pressure there to offer a reassuring presence. A shiver ran down Kythe's spine as she felt them answer her call before they actually spoke to her; there were so many of them, how many had become trapped and died in this place? Her hands resting on the boys shoulders she pulled them close; her maternal instincts immediately calling to her to protect them with her very life if she had to. 

As Belen cried out Kythe knelt beside him and pulled him into her embrace, placing her hands over his ears and forcing him to look into her eyes. "Hush, hush love all is well, they will not harm you while I'm here I promise." She spoke swiftly and in a hushed tone to him, nodding softly to him before looking at Cyril. "I know sweet one. I can feel their fear and their pain just as you can." She replied, standing up but keeping Belen pulled close against her side - if he did not share his brother's gift he would not feel the fear of the spirits now crowding around them so desperately, begging for help, begging for release from the hold the darkness had against them. These were spirits, not undead corpses - corpses could be slain in order to give them release from the physical world but spirits… she could have dispelled them once; offered them a helping hand to the Path and send them on their way but she was still too weak and the magic of this realm had yet to attune itself with her. 

Looking down at the boy's she smiled softly and took a moment to kiss one then the other on their foreheads - they were not her own children but that did not matter; every child she had ever come across was treated in this fashion, first and foremost Kythe was a mother, from the moment of her birth she had been destined to protect others and the compulsion had only grown stronger after the birth of her first daughter. "We help them; they tired and afraid and they do not know they're dead yet. We have to lead them, that's all." She answered before turning her attention to the spirits held at bay by the barrier. "Friends please you are frightening the children! We heard that you were trapped down here and came to offer our aid; it was Cyril here who heard your cries and Belen would not let us leave until we rescued you all. Calm your hearts and we shall lead you outside; you are free now, we will help you if you let us." 

What would his father do in this situation? What would his mother do? He remembered the stories they told him and his brother while they were still small, and wondered why some spirits wouldn't pass on. After hearing tales of strange and fantastical beings like fairies, mythic beasts, and shadowy fiends–what would you do when confronted by the souls of lost, fearful people? Helping them understand their current situation was necessary, but how would they react? What if they couldn't come to terms with the fact they shouldn't be here anymore? 'It might seem a bit obvious, but the first thing you must remember is to remain calm…'  His father said, when explaining him the basics on assisting those who were injured. Closing his eyes, he did his best to slow his breathing and enter a calmer state of mind. He needed to focus on what he wanted to do and move towards that.

"The tunnels are open," The silver-haired boy started after opening his eyes. "We're sorry it took so long, but the rubble blocking the exits are finally cleared." Right now the spirits were panicked and confused, they didn't know how much time had passed since their imprisonment. "It's safe now, come with us outside. You're all going to be ok, promise." His brother wasn't sure if this would work, and neither did he. Denial was the first stage everybody went through when something terrible happened, so they had to gently walk them through it until the very end. The spirits were beginning to calm down, and when they were no longer as afraid he withdrew the talismans. 'What're you planning?' His brother's voice spoke in his mind. 'We can't let them know they aren't alive anymore just yet. When they were buried down here, whatever kept the mines closed might have affected their sense of time.'  There was a mental sigh from Belen's end. 'So we're walking them through the five stages of grief, and hopefully they'll reach acceptance by the time we're out?'  Cyril nodded, the twins looking at each other without saying a word.

He looked up at Kythe, and smiled. "Let's take them outside." Another mental message came in from Belen shortly after: 'Ok, I just remembered–shouldn't we tell Haskell about our plan? I mean he's been asleep this whole time so we don't want him to pull a Freudian slip while they're on step two, yeah?' And at that very moment the sound of grumbling came from his brother's bag. Belen's face went pale as the platypus was waking up. 'We better hurry!'

As the boys began to take hold of the situation and follow her suit she smiled; good - the innocence of children tended to calm spirits quicker as they tended to tell less lies than adults did… sadly this was one lie that all of the living were going to be forced to tell in order to quell the spirits rage and fear.

Watching the spirits carefully Kythe took stock of their situation - they had to get the spirits outside; so far that seemed relatively simple but it didn’t take much to enrage a spirit especially ones that did not yet realise that they were dead… Nodding reassuringly to the boys she put them before her once more; putting her body between the twins and the dead… should this suddenly turn horribly wrong well she wasn’t going to let them get hurt.

Hearing Haskell grumble from the bag Kythe winced; may have been wiser to wake the creature prior to their plan but never mind. “Pick up the pace boys, follow Tymor out, he’ll find the quickest exit and if I say run I want you to run as fast as your legs carry you and don’t look back - I’ll keep you safe.” She said softly, lowering her voice to the boys as she poked Tymor into flight, sending the little Wyvern out before them.
Ordinarily the Wyvern might have argued with his mistress, as he so often did, however he could feel the urgency and seriousness in her heart as she silently gave him his instruction and he knew better than to mess with her when she was in this frame of mind - in other words Kythe would quite happily eat him if he dared lead them astray and put the boys lives at stake. not that he was that bloody stupid.