Prologue:

              Guarian was minding his own business when the Category 5 Somber Visitor crashed to the ground. Guarian cursed his presence in the field, but there wasn’t much he could do about it. He was only a Category 3 Friendly Spirit, so he probably didn’t have anything to worry about, but common sense dictated that one should their best to avoid any Visitors. Especially a Category 5 Somber Visitor. It was asking for trouble. Guarian’s translucent gray hand reached up to tug on his translucent gray beard nervously. He looked toward the crater that had appeared in the middle of the field in front of him, wondering what kind of being created it. He had met a Category 1 Somber Visitor once. It had been the most terrifying experience of his life… well, afterlife. A Category 5 would be significantly more powerful. His Essence started to blur due to his fear.

              The dust cleared from the crater, and a man leaped to his feet, overbalancing, and stumbling forward before straightening. His black hair surrounded his tan face in a wiry mass that looked like a small bush. In contrast to his hair, his swarthy face came with a well-trimmed beard and sparkling grin. Between his teeth he held an unlit pipe. He proceeded to straighten his brown coat and the bright red scarf he was wearing. That done, he looked up at the sky, and spoke in an angry tone.

              “Oi! What have I told you about throwing me around? I don’t deserve that, even if your anger is profound! You’re being childish anyways; you know that I will just rebound. After all, my vitality is renowned.” There was a peal of resounding thunder, even though the sky was completely clear. Guarian gulped. He wasn’t sure what type of being had the power to fling a C5 SV to the ground, but he definitely didn’t want to be there if it was angry. The Man in the crater seemed unconcerned, making a rude gesture at the sky and turning his eyes toward Guarian, he grinned, and spoke brightly. When he wasn’t angry his voice had a strange, singsong quality.

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              “Hello there,” He waved so exaggeratedly that Guarian felt compelled to wave back. The man skipped up out of the crater. He spoke his next words almost as though chanting a nursery rhyme. “Would you, good sir, point me toward the town of Ebenshire?” Guarian was too shaky to speak, so he pointed in the direction of the town that rested on the western bank of Eben Island.

              “Thank you kindly.” The stranger chanted and skipped off in the direction Guarian had indicated.  Before he could think better of it, Guarian yelled after the Visitor.

              “Wait! Why are you here?” he queried. The Visitor smiled brightly and removed his pipe from his mouth and gestured widely, and suddenly he was inches away, his face disturbingly close to Guarian’s. The Visitor spoke softly, and he looked more than slightly mad,

              “The Spangled Pandemonium is missing from the zoo! It bent the bars the barest bit and slithered glibly through….” The Visitor cocked his head in a rather disturbing manner. Guarian gulped, and felt compelled to speak,

              “And, uh, er, um” he stuttered, “What exactly does that mean?” The Visitors features tightened in irritation, and for the first time, he looked like what Guarian expected a Somber Visitor to look like.

              “I meant exactly what I said.” He snapped. If Guarian had a bladder he would’ve wet himself. The visitor laughed suddenly, making Guarian flinch, before skipping away, shouting into the wind as he went.

              “He crawled across the moated wall;" the divine being cackled madly, "He climbed the mango tree!” Guarian watched, very confused, before turning away. He really needed to find a different field to haunt.