Chapter 4

They were now at the thousand stairs to the Jade Palace with Crane flying overhead. "You know, I've always wanted to go to the Jade Palace." The shopkeeper said.

"You mean, you never have?"

"Not that I could recall."

"Wow."

Finally, at the gates, Mantis helped himself to open them. Crane had landed as well.

"I did it. I win!"

"Congratulations."

"So what do I win?"

Upon entering, they were surprised to find many spirits lingering the courtyard.

"Oh dear." Crane replied. They walk past the courtyard. As they did, the eyes of the spirits were fixated on them. It did not take long before they started following them. "I don't like this." Mantis replied.

"Don't worry about them. We just need to make sure Crane is the first to go back."

"I'm surprised so many spirits have shown up."

"They have taken interest in your friend. He has so much to offer. Youth, strength, skill. He is after all, one of the furious five. Imagine becoming one of the furious five in an instant. It would be like winning a game of mah-jong a thousand times over. As for me, I would like to wake up one day, becoming the emperor of China."

"And yet Crane shows the least interest in himself."

"He is new to the sensation. It will not take long before he starts to long for himself."

"I see."

"What about you, Master? If you were a wandering spirit, who will you possess?"

"I don't know. I guess I never really thought about it."

Mantis then looked their backs and was relieved to see that they have stopped following.

"Don't get too relaxed, Master. They will wait for the opportune time to strike. But you don't have anything to worry. Trust me on this."

They now approached the living quarters. As they pass by, they notice faint white glow on the quarters of Monkey and Viper. "Spirits are known to cause trouble on the living in their sleep. Dwelling in their dreams, giving nightmares. But a harmless prank nonetheless. Perhaps, I could offer you items that ward off spirits."

Mantis could hear faint murmurs from Viper and Monkey within their rooms, possibly experiencing a nightmare. "I will definitely consider it."

Mantis led the shopkeeper to Crane's room where dozens of spirits filled and surrounded themselves around Crane's body, which was still left fallen sideways at the floor when Mantis left for the shop. But as soon as Mantis and the shopkeeper entered though, they left. Some went to the window, while some went to through the walls. "Some spirits like to first observe the bodies they are about to possess. They invade the mind to see for themselves, but they cannot become one with it because of the absence of a proper passage. They have no regard for privacy, but it is after all, something to fantasize about your new life." The shopkeeper replied as he tried straightening the crane's posture.

"Yeah? Well over my dead body."

"I don't think they are interested in dead bodies."

Crane's spirit soon walked through the wooden wall and saw his self for the first time. "Is that… me?"

"Yes." Mantis replied. "Do you remember?"

It took a while for him to answer. "No." Crane replied back.

"Listen, Crane, you want me to still play with you right?"

Crane eagerly nodded.

"Then you have to go back. That is your life."

Crane looked back at his body. It was like looking in a reflection, but something felt familiar about it. It was like, for some reason, he felt at home there. Something told him that this was what he wanted and that Mantis was right about this. He did not know much about it but he trusted Mantis.

"I think I've got it." The shopkeeper said as Crane's body was forced to stand in his sleeping posture. He then revealed a brand new dreamcatcher. "I will say an enchantment, my friend. The moment I finish my words. Your friend must immediately head for the dreamcatcher. So, are you ready?"

Mantis looked at Crane's spirit. "Listen, pretend this is a game. First one to get to the dreamcatcher wins a prize."

Crane nodded. He put a serious face on now. "I'm ready."

The shopkeeper nodded. Soon, he started chanting a spell. The words that the rabbit spoke was that of another world. It was the words of the elk. Their language. At the middle of the spell, the dreamcatcher started to glow faintly. "It's starting." Mantis said. The faint glow soon became much brighter and brighter with each passing second. Then, done. The link was establish. The spell was finally complete. But at that very moment, they felt something happening from outside the walls of the room. Soon dozens of wandering spirits appeared through the walls, circling just below the ceiling.

Mantis yelled. "What are you waiting for, Crane? Go!"

At those words, Crane sprung to action heading for the dreamcatcher. Some of the spirits noticed this and went for Crane to block him from getting in. Crane tried to dodge them. It would seem that a straight path to the dreamcatcher was no longer acceptable. With Crane busy, a few spirits went their way to the dreamcatcher. The shopkeeper noticed this however.

"Mantis, catch!" The shopkeeper picked the dreamcatcher and tossed it in Mantis' direction. Mantis grabbed the dreamcatcher and was now running around with it.

After evading the spirits that tried to block him, Crane's spirit looked for another route. He noticed Mantis toss the dreamcatcher to the shopkeeper as some spirits tried in vain to enter through it in mid-air. Crane then headed for the shopkeeper. Again, two spirits went for him, blocking his way to the dream catcher. Luckily, the shopkeeper shifted to another direction and passed it to Mantis again. Crane instinctively headed for Mantis.

Mantis made sure that no will get to the dreamcatcher before his friend. He tried to evade the spirits, hoping that he could get close enough to Crane. Unfortunately, Crane was blocked and had to force his way to the other side of the room. Fortunately, the shopkeeper was also in that side. "Catch!" But as he said so, he tripped on the wooden mat, causing the throw to fall short of the shopkeeper. "No!"

This gave the spirits the golden opportunity of an after-lifetime. Again, some of the spirits went straight for the dreamcatcher. Mantis had to think fast. He got his hands on the wooden mat and pulled under Crane's feet. Like a professional waiter, the mat just slid under Crane's body, causing him to rock slightly, but not tumble. He then tossed the mat to the dreamcatcher. Luckily, the dreamcatcher hit and gave it the extra push to reach the shopkeeper. That was a close one. But Crane was no longer on the shopkeeper's side, so the shopkeeper had to hold on to it.

Mantis noticed the window now. The sky was slowly lighting up. Sunset was coming. Crane's spirit needed to get into the dreamcatcher fast. "Mantis, heads up!" The shopkeeper tossed it again to Mantis. After successfully catching it, Mantis held on to it here on after. He had to do something now. Time was running out. "Crane!"

"Yeah?"

"I'm going to toss the dreamcatcher to you. You to get in there quick!"

"Okay!"

"Ready? Go!" Mantis then tossed the dreamcatcher to Crane's direction. Crane's spirit soon sped through the room, quickly evading some of the spirits that had just attempted to block him. He was midway when he noticed another spirit beside him going just as fast as him. Crane sped faster and faster and gained some head room. He was almost sure to get in first, but suddenly, the other spirit tried to catch up. It was now or never.

Mantis and the shopkeeper could see the almost thinning advantage that Crane had. And in an instant, a bright glow appeared from the dreamcatcher. And just as quick as it started, the spirits dispersed. Inside the room were now just Mantis, the shopkeeper and a sleeping crane. Initially, Mantis looked around to see that Crane's spirit was no longer around, to his relief. "We did it?" He asked, but now he seemed sure. "We did it! We did it!"

"Wait, something's not right."

Mantis' cheer was short-lived. "What?"

The dreamcatcher doesn't make a glow that bright when a spirit enters."

"So what does that mean?"

A/N: I guess I'll leave a cliff-hanger here, just to get you guys excited for the next chapter, which is finally the last chapter. It's been a ride. I would like to thank all for their support so far, and I hope that you guys are enjoying my fic. Reviews are appreciated :).