Clearing the 1st Floor

"Huh? You're back ehh~? Did you sit on the stairs or something? Well, whatever. Can you help with this T.V.? I got some previous people to set up an antenna thingy and a router but, I don't really understand any of this stuff." Key Ghast

"I actually managed to cleanse a couple ghosts and a wraith that was inside the stairs for your information.... Why do you have a T.V.?" Dan

"Scavenged it off a dead guide." Key Ghast

"???? He carried a T.V. in here?" Dan

"Your a true novie ehhh~? He had it compressed in a capture cube. I do wonder why he had a TV in there though.... Found a router and an antenna in the same way as well. Do humans not know what capture cubes are or something?" Key Ghast

"You mean storage cubes? Government usually regulates those as they could be used for awful things." Dan

"Yeah, even in my day they were used in similar-....?... Anyway, capture cubes are meant for ghosts. If can capture whatever they are tethered to, you will also capture them. There are certain merchants who will pay an arm and a leg for them. I doubt those rodents are still slopping around in the underbelly of society, Here." Key Ghast

The Key Ghast tosses a small blue cube towards Dan. He immediately keeps it into his pocket as these cubes could be sold for a good amount of money. That is, if the government doesn't turn its eyes on you for doing so.... Of course it would be a waste to just sell them as is after hearing this piece from the Key Ghast....

"It won't be able to capture ghasts and stronger types of ghosts so keep that in mind." Key Ghast

"..... Why are you helping me?" Dan

"Why would I tell you?" Key Ghast

"....." Dan

"Well if you live for a while I may clue ya in on 'why'. For now help me set this thing up." Key Ghast

Dan takes the Television out of it's box. A really expensive smart T.V. with plenty of features. He gets a pain in his chest as he never even had a regular T.V. before. Still, he manages to set all the settings up after plugging everything in. He gives the remote to the Key Ghast and tries to describe how it works. It doesn't go well.

"So you're telling me that if I push this button, the arrow will move?" Key Ghast

"Yes! For the twentieth time, Yes!" Dan

"Hmmmm..... So what's this button do?" Key Ghast

"That's the down button..." Dan

-------

After a couple hours of frustration, the Key Ghast finally understood the basics of how to use a remote. Dan decided to let her figure out how the various apps work.... It was at this time that Dan realized that he was hungry so he took out rations. The Key Ghast gives Dan a 'look' as he nibbles on a bar.

"Why are you eating those? This place gets fresh food everyday. I can't eat the stuff myself so you can have 'em." Key Ghast

Ghosts can experience certain things from when they were alive. Some can eat food while others can even get drunk. It all depends on the specific individual though.

"Ummm? Okay." Dan

Dan walks into one of the kitchens. Opening the fridge he is given a surprise. Instead of food inside, there are thick pipes that have openings that hang over the different shelves. After a second, clunking sounds come from the pipes and several different things come out. cooked steaks, oranges, sliced ham, and countless other types of foods fill the fridge up.

"This food..... Is very suspicious. I'd have to find a new source of food if I'm going to stay here for a while though. Well, I can only accept this stuff." Dan

Dan picks some of the sliced ham along with an egg and tuna sandwich. They are all seasoned right and taste rather good despite being spat out by a pipe. After finishing up, he decides to head back down to try and clear the first floor.

"Going back down huh? I'll go along. Can't figure out how these app things work. Opening them up is easy but, after that is alien territory...." Key Ghast

"You can leave the upper floors?" Dan

"Why not? I'm tethered to the 'entire' mansion including the subfloors. I can't do anything to any of the other ghosts though..... That is, unless they decide to come up to the surface." Key Ghast

"Alright then?" Dan

Dan heads down the staircase with an eerie figure floating around him. After reaching the 1st floor, the Key Ghast notices something.

"Huhh, you really did almost clear the floor. Only one more ghost is left. You'll have a little trouble with that one though. Let's see~." Key Ghast

"...." Dan

After going down the last hallway, Dan opens the door at the end. Inside is a small grey concrete room. In the middle of the room is a tall, thin, and gnarly looking figure. The figure seems to have grey skin stretched over bone seemly without flesh underneath. It's face is hidden behind claws as it rocks back and forth. It is slouched over a pile of flesh.... Mostly consisting of organs and muscles.

".... Nope." Dan

Dan shuts the door and runs down the hallway. He looks back and sees that 'creature' didn't follow him. He goes silent as the Key Ghast who was left behind catches up

"Pffftttt! You should have seen the expression on your face!" Key Ghast

"What was that thing!?!?" Dan

"Well, that was a ghast like me. They can alter reality a little bit when they are out in the world. However, in special spaces like this place, it becomes much easier. They can change their entire being if they want as well as their environment. Regular ghosts, wights, and wraiths.... They are all no where near as bad as a ghast. Good luck, kid." Key Ghast

"So.... Can you alter reality too?" Dan

"To a very limited degree. Being a Key Ghast comes with pros and cons." Key Ghast

"....." Dan

After a while Dan returns to the same door and opens it to see the exact same scene. He edges into the room. He can see a door on the opposite side but, he ignores it. He is here to cleanse the place of ghosts. Not to just make it to the bottom floor of the mansion. He is ready to turn around and sprint at a moments notice.

"Help me little boy. I need my eyes. Where are my eyes? Find them for me." Skin Ghast

Dan looks at the pile of flesh and organs. He knows what he needs to do. At least, he probably does?.... Bracing himself he plunges his arm in looking for anything round.

*Sllllonnnpop

*Sllllship

*Squueennshh

Fleshy squishing noises fill his ears as he tries to ignore the smell of the flesh pile that seems to have rotten a bit. He eventually withdraws a pair of eyes. They are tied together by the optic nerves that are hanging out of their rear. He gives it to the Ghast.

"Thank you. Now, can you help me find my heart?" Skin Ghast

'So I'm going to have to find more and more things from the pile..... Crap' Dan

He reaches in again, mortified internally about the various things he's experiencing. Externally he keeps a calm facade and finds the heart after a little difficulty. Mostly due to the fact that it is still beating and pumping blood out of it's severed arteries. He plops it down into the open clawed hand. It seems that while Dan was looking for the heart, the creature reattached it's eyes into it's head.

"Now lastly, look for my brain. I'll reward you." Skin Ghast

Dan is not excited about this supposed reward. Instead he is ready to flee. Can ghosts be trusted? Probably about as much as people. Thing is no one really spends much time with a ghost to be able to tell if they are trustworthy or not. Even if a ghost appears to be trustworthy, how would anyone know that it isn't a long running scheme?

Shoving his dirty hand into the meat pile again, Dan feels around until a very squishy organ is within his grasp. Almost gel-like but with a unique wrinkled texture. He pulls it out and quickly gives it to the ghast. The creature laughs in a raspy guttural way. It reaches below its ribs and pulls out a small misty green marble placing it into Dan's hand. After a second a green fire erupts burning the creature into smoke as it disappears. It seems the organ pile and gore sticking to Dan remains though....

"Well, you handled that surprisingly well. You may be able to make it a good number of floors in." Key Ghast