Ghost and the Writer

Grisham

Mandy cast a curious look around the room. It had a scent of parchment, ink and aged wood. There was even an old fashioned map on the wall, yet rather than showing only this world, it had five interconnected maps, each being named as follows - Ahea, Solus, Urea, Terea, Hades. 'Wow' the ghost's lips formed the word, but no sound came out. There weren't just two worlds like she had thought... Not only the map, the whole room was also brimming with mysterious looking trinkets and she would gladly stay for a month in here just to explore it all. That's only if she was allowed to rummage through it on her own, though.

A doll-like girl emerged from a wall, only a bit taller than a meter in height. "Should I make some tea?" she asked, her voice clear and soft like bell chimes. Had the girl been a child, her height would be fitting, but she had proportions of a young lady - it was like a bigger girl got resized. Another part that was odd was a complete lack of expression, pores or wrinkles - she was like an animated doll with something smooth yet flexible in place of skin.

Ian startled at the voice as he couldn't see the girl through the bottom half of his glasses.

Mandy likewise, was caught off guard as her eyes had been elsewhere. The voice just popped up out of nowhere. Mandy felt curious about what or who the little lady was, but seeing the lack of reaction from August and considering the girl was here, she didn't feel comfortable enough to ask.

Grisham let go of August and went to take a seat behind the majestic looking table.

'Guild master' Mandy recalled what was written on the door. Seriously? This kid was? The realization itself was enough to distract her from the oddness of the little lady.

August took a seat in a comfortable looking armchair without being invited to. "Do you have ruby elderflower tea?" he asked the doll-like girl.

The girl glanced at Grisham and upon receiving a nod, she curtsied and left through the wall again.

As the girl left, Grisham squinted at August.

To Mady, this seemed a little bit akin to walking into someone's place and asking for their treasured old scotch in a situation where it would be awkward to refuse...

August made a sly smile in response, shrugging his shoulders with an 'I know nothing' gesture.

Before anyone had a chance to ask what this was about, Grisham cast a look at the two who were still standing. "Take a seat you two and take off those glasses," he mentioned to Ian.

Ian glanced at August, as he sat down in a similar armchair.

August made an assuring nod at Ian's gesture.

Mandy felt like she would just pass through a chair if she wasn't careful, but surprisingly enough she felt some resistance as she floated down. How curious. Her eyes continued to sparkle as she studied the titles on books in the room - half of them were written in symbols she couldn't read, but those she could read were all immensely interesting sounding about various beasts, plants, terrain containing names of the worlds from the map. Mandy felt a deep urge to pick a book up to flip through, but she refrained.

Ian lifted the glasses, having them sit on his head for now. He had already seen the room over the upper edge of the glasses, so nothing was particularly different, but it was more comfortable to look around like this.