Place of the Spirits

The Place of the Spirits is a small house outside Hira in Opal territory. The former home of Opal, Liza and Dodd, It is said to be cursed and is now the haunt of bees and ghosts of the dead. Before the Battle for Deltora, the house terrified Greers and kept them away from Hira plain.

Opal the Dreamer
The house was originally the home of Opal, Liza and Dodd's farm. They ran a small Muddlets farm until Dodd struck opals when digging a well. Eventually, Liza and Dodd grew old and died. Their house and farm decayed and their muddlet herd ran wild.

The Place of the Spirits
Adin saw the house after being rowed over by the ghosts of Liza and Dodd. Deciding that he would wait the night before going to Hira, Adin continued towards the house but to his surprise, found that all candles were blown out. He entered our of desperateness and was surprised at the tidy condition of the house and colour. Two chairs had been pulled up before the fire, with Liza and Dodd occupying them. Upon seeing him, they quickly lit candles and abided with Adin's request for a bed. Adin slept on a bed upstairs and dreamt.

The next morning, to Adin's surprise, he woke to find the house in ruin and the roof, collapsed. The old couple were no where to be seen. He quickly got dressed, grabbed his belongings and stepped onto the stairs, crumbling beneath his weight. He crawled outside and a group of Hira's leaders approached the house, afraid and questioning. When they saw Adin, they became very afraid and questioned him. They told him that the house had been cursed long ago and was now the place of bees and ghosts. There had not been light in the house in living memory and the councillors had thought the Greers had found a way to enter. During this, bees from the house had swarmed behind Adin and begun to roar. Adin heard a voice telling him not to be afraid and an image of a veiled girl. Adin realised the connection to Opal and that the Topaz's powers of the dead had called forth the spirit world. Humbly, Adin relaxed and the bees began to settle on his body, covering his upper torso. The bee's warmth filled him and Adin felt their energy and will. He told the leaders of Hira about the former residents and the Belt of Deltora and asked for their talisman, the Opal. They agreed and together they left the area to escort him through Hira, the bees swarming around Adin, acting as a guard.

Trivia

 * Adin possessed the power to control the bees as he was a descendant of Opal, who had a strong connection to them.