The Phantom Manor

Prologue

The invitation was strange. Golden lettering, made to stand out against the black post. He fingered it curiously before reading it.
To whom it may concern,
I have come upon a fabulous manor that we can now call home. It is large, and we will be allowed to witness the epitome of human stupidity. It will be a source of entertainment, as well as rest for our weary souls. You are welcome to join me. Contact me if you wish to come.
Sincerely,
The Phantom
He narrowed his eyes at the letter. Then he looked up, went to the edge of the cave. Took some powder and tossed it into the Seeing Pool. Almost immediately the Phantom came into view. "I see you received my invitation."
"What manor is this?"
"Ravenswood Manor. Why? Were you preparing to lay claim to it?" The spirit smirked at his own joke, but he simply ignored it.
"No. I wish to know what makes you think it is a safe place for us. You know what could happen."
"Of course I do," the Phantom scoffed. "I took care of that."
"How?"
He smiled cruelly. "She is the example of human stupidity. It really is quite pathetic. She wanders the halls as though in a trance, singing. All day singing. She does not know I am there. I am always there, inside her mind, whispering things, singing songs in her head. She has no knowledge of what could happen, and so we are safe in her ignorance."
He glanced at his invitation. "Are you certain?"
"Yes."
"I shall be there soon."
"Good. And tell the others. It is our home, now. Not theirs. Not hers."
"Very well."
"Good."
"One more thing."
"Yes?"
"What of the young man?" he asked. "What have you done with him?"
The Phantom's face turned into a dreadful smile. "He is taken care of, just as I said he would."
He nodded, not needing to know more. "I shall be there soon. How much room is there? I won't ask too many if there won't be enough room."
"Ask as many as you like. There's room for a thousand."
"Good."
The Phantom smiled, but the smile did not reach his eyes. Then a voice, almost ethereal in its beauty, filled his ears. A small shadow in the background. The Phantom vanished from sight on will, and he was left to look upon the mortal girl, still dressed in all her finery, thin and pale, face sunken in. She clutched her bouquet and continued to walk about. She was singing. She looked almost directly at him, and he winced, wishing he had remembered to turn invisible. But she stared straight through him, a hollow look about her. She continued singing, but her voice was weak. She stumbled away from the Seeing Pool's image, leaving him to look upon the empty house that was now his.