Right, Shades were ghosts that could be best described as 'paralysis demons'. They caused nightmares and could cause people to go insane, though the latter you hadn't seen them do much. You knew they ambushed people when attacking, if what you remembered from the expedition against the goblin cave was anything to go by.

Herta's words still put you all on high alert. You gave her and Yumi the go-ahead to find the other spirits here, while the rest of you went to get Ayane back.

It didn't take long to find a small ball of flame floating in the air. It was followed by another, then one more after that. You saw these smaller spirits dance around in the air— for a moment curious about you and those with you, they lost interest and went back to playing.

"Yumi, you said that Will-O-Wisps could guide people, right?" You turned to Yumi's crystal.

"Huh? When did I say that?" She asked.

"Back in the cave." You reminded her.

"Oh." Yumi blinked, then puffed up her chest. "As the great and cursed spirit named Yumi, I have a duty to tell my acolyte of the spiritual world... And I'll tell you these guys won't be any help. We aren't in any place where we can get lost, unless we're really dumb. So these wisps will just end up pranking us if we ask for directions."

"Right. Well, we should go back to get Ayane-" You said, but were interrupted by the candlelights being blown out and the sunlight from the windows somehow not allowed into the room.

You hear some whispers said in Japanese coming from all around you and nowhere at once.

"Do humans dare enter this sacred ground?" A disembodied female voice stood out from the crowd of whispers.

You see various ghostly shapes and apparitions. They always keep to the corner of your eyes, avoiding your direct gaze. But you could tell that there were many of them here.

And, from the darkness, you see a few more ghostly figures appear. These seemed less prone to talk than the others, with clear aggression in their sights.

And they attacked you. Or so they tried.

Thanks to Yumi and Herta, you were well defended against ghostly attacks.

The attempt failing, one Shade attempted to slink away.

"Oh no you don't." Herta shot out a beam of divine energy at it, exorcising it instantly and sending the evil spirit to the afterlife.

After this the other Shades attempted to attack in desperation, but met the same fate as the first.