Monster Encounter: Ghast!

Ghast

You’d rather change when you can’t blame anyone else

There once was a sturdy but eccentric old man named Jasper who lived deep in the Yokmir Forest. Alone in his cottage, Jasper only ever visited Selphia and it inhabitants once every couple of weeks or so, often bringing materials from the forest and its caves for the villagers to use in their various crafts. In exchange they provided him with foods and tools he couldn't otherwise get for himself. Other than these occasional trips, people rarely saw the man outside of when they wandered uncomfortably deep into the forest. At least that was until the man's visit stopped altogether.

After a few months some of the townsfolk that noticed Jasper's absence began to become worried. They asked a local adventurer to investigate and make sure that the old man was alright. It wasn't long before the adventurer returned with grim news. When they had arrived at the old foresters cottage they had discovered that the building had collapsed. The adventurer searched the ruined remains of the building only to find that the old man had been trapped under the debris, he had not survived. Saddened by the news, the villagers held a small funeral for the man.

The sightings of the Ghast all started several years later. An unlucky townsperson had wandered into the wood at night and promptly encountered what appeared to be a sinister ghost of some kind. Fearing for their life they retreated back to town. After the the sightings increased, even sometimes during the day. The villagers once again turned to the adventurer to investigate the new monster. That is when this turned violent. The adventurer had discovered that the cottage had been mysteriously rebuilt, though the surrounding area seemed darker and had an uneasy air about it. When they tried to enter the building the green spirit attacked, nearly killing the adventurer.

Since then the Ghast encounters turned increasingly violent. Though some people have found ways to temporarily drive the spirit away no one has had the nerve to try and rid the forest of it.


Once again it sat alone, laying in the darkness of its home within the forest. Not a single critter stirred the dust on the wood below or rustled the leaves outside. This was soon to change however. It could sense the beat coming from the approaching creature- had watched its steady approach through the Yokmir Forest. Normally the beasts should have driven the intruder away, but this time was different. Ghast could feel something... familiar from this one. Something about its soul resonated with it and it felt compelled to drive the creatures away and let it pass. As the creature continued to approach the recognition seemed to grow, as if the proximity helped to penetrate the fog of memory. With every step it felt more familiarity with this soul... as well as an ever growing hatred for it. By the time the creature had reached the Ghast's cottage it could finally recognize the man for what it was: The thief. The cruel betrayer. The heartless goldseeker that had taken from the ghast and left him alone with nothing. At this realization the surrounding woods seemed to slowly creak and bend inward toward the newcomer, as if the spirit's hatred for the man had a gravity all its own. The human seemed to notice the change as it tensed and began to look at the surrounding wood. Then, as if sensing the monsters eyes on him, the man turned his gaze further upward to meet that of the Ghast.

It was that eye contact that seemed to release a well of inky black fire from within the Ghast. It charged at the man with an piercing shrike that sent the human to its knees, a jet of ghostly fire shooting out at him. The man only just regain himself in time to narrowly avoid its demise, rolling across the cool muddy floor. It drew its weapon just in time to deflect the Ghast's scythe as it scrambled to its feet. With that single parry the man seemed to recognize just how much danger it was in as it suddenly turned to run instead of fight. The Ghast screamed in anger as it redoubled its efforts to kill the man, but it was still midday and the sunlight still peered through small cracks in the forest canopy, limiting its movements.

The man, despite being a coward, was skilled and took advantage of the sunlight where it could until it managed to finally hobble its way into the sunny clearings of the outer forest, leaving the Ghast to silently watch from the shroud of the trees. Even though the ghost could not touch the man it followed him, appearing under the shade of every tree until its quarry had finally left the forest entirely. As it watch the thief disappear into the distance the Ghast narrowed its eyes, silently declaring its intent to hunt the man and any who would call him friend.

[b]YUMEKUI MERRY, chaser john doe[/b] as [i]Ghast[/i]