Step… Step… Step…
The trio trudged through the desolate expanse, filled only with plain grasses swaying weakly in the whispering wind.
The endless path stretched before them!
They had been walking in this barren wasteland for what felt like an eternity.
No landmarks, no signs of life—just their footsteps echoing in the oppressive silence.
“Are you absolutely sure you can hear that dance of flames or whatever the shit that only you can hear?” Nightfire asked, her voice sharp with irritation.
She could feel the dull ache spreading through her legs, each step heavier than the last.
Aether gave a short nod, his expression unreadable. “As I said before… I can hear it. Just keep going.”
“How is it that only you can hear this mysterious sound?” Nightfire pressed, her tone laced with suspicion.
She strained her ears, desperate to catch even the faintest noise, but all she heard was the haunting void of their surroundings.
Aether shrugged, “I wish I had an answer for you, but… I don’t.”
Helena, tilted her head curiously, “Dance of flames? What is that supposed to mean?”
Aether’s lips curled into a faint smile, “It’s something I made a long time ago… my very first prototype. A crystal ball capable of releasing four flames simultaneously. I tried to sell it, you know—market it to buyers. Didn’t think much of it, but it ended up being auctioned for an amount I never could’ve imagined.” His voice carried a hint of pride.
Helena blinked in awe, her face lighting up with admiration. “Four flames? All at once?” She was taken aback by her beloved’s hidden brilliance, a talent he rarely spoke of.
“Yes,” Aether replied with a small, humble nod.
“And you can actually hear those flames now?” Nightfire interjected, her eyebrows furrowing as her skepticism grew.
Aether nodded again, slower this time. “Maybe it’s because I created it, I suppose…” His voice trailed off as he tried to rationalize it. Even to him, it didn’t fully make sense.
How could he hear something no one else could? The mystery gnawed at his mind.
Helena’s eyes widened suddenly, her voice trembling with realization. “Wait… that means… M-My mom bought that thing?!”
“Maybe,” Aether replied with a casual shrug.
Nightfire groaned, running a hand through her hair in frustration. “Great. Just great. This is turning into a real pain in the ass.”
Their conversation was cut short as Aether came to a halt.
His eyes sharpened, scanning the distance. Ahead of them stood a structure that seemed to rise from nowhere…. a massive, decrepit mansion.
The trio froze in place, staring at the ominous mansion.
Its windows were shattered, its once-grand walls covered in a thick layer of grime and overgrown vines. The air around it felt colder, heavier, as though the mansion itself breathed unease into the atmosphere.
Helena clutched her arms, her voice shaky. “Ha-ha… ahaha… M-Maybe we should come back during the day…?” Beads of sweat trickled down her forehead as her fear became palpable.
“Where are you, Saintess?!” Nightfire teased, grabbing Helena’s shoulder with a devilish grin. “We came here to find your mother, didn’t we? She could be in there, waiting for us.”
Helena let out a nervous chuckle before clinging to Aether’s arm. “A-Aether! She’s bullying me again!”
Aether’s lips twitched, suppressing a laugh, but his tone turned serious. “Enough, both of you. We don’t have time for games. I can hear the flames coming from inside.” He gestured toward the mansion.
Helena hesitated, staring at the eerie structure. No matter how hard she tried to rationalize it, the house looked like something straight out of a nightmare. It reeked of abandonment and decay, yet… if her mother truly was hiding here, she had no choice.
With trembling resolve, Helena nodded. “Let’s go.”
The trio stepped closer to the gates surrounding the property. The rusted iron bars stood tall, their spikes jagged and menacing.
Not a single guard was in sight; it was as if the mansion had been forgotten by time itself.
Aether glanced at the two. “Stay close. Do not separate under any circumstances. It’s safer if we stick together.”
The two women nodded, though Nightfire sighed heavily, muttering under her breath, ‘Why the hell did you drag yourself into this, Ashara?’ she thought, glaring at the foreboding mansion. Something about the place made her stomach churn.
Aether reached out to the gate, his fingers brushing against the cold iron before he pushed gently.
Creeeeeecccckkkkkkkk…
The gate groaned as it swung open, the sound echoing like a dying scream in the emptiness around them.
“Tsk,” Aether clicked his tongue, but he stepped inside, leading the group forward.
The front lawn stretched before them, eerily barren.
No bushes, no trees—just an expanse of dry, patchy grass that seemed untouched for decades. The mansion loomed larger now.
They cautiously approached the front door of the mansion…
But then—
CRREEEECCCKKKKK!
The sudden sound of the gate creaking behind them shattered the silence.
“KYYA—!” Helena’s scream erupted, but Aether was quick to clasp a hand over her mouth, silencing her before she could make more noise.
Nightfire spun around, her sharp eyes fixed on the gate, which was now closing on its own. Her gaze darted back to Aether, her expression clear as day: ‘We need to get the hell out of here.’
Aether sighed, removing his hand from Helena’s mouth. “Come on, guys. There’s no reason to fear anything,” he said, trying to inject some calm into his voice. Then, turning to Helena, he added with a faint smirk, “And you—you’re the Saintess, the direct servant of the gods. If anything, it’s the ghosts that should be screaming in fear, seeing you. Got it?”
Helena frowned, wanting to argue against his logic in so many ways, but the determination in his voice left her with little choice. In the end, she nodded reluctantly and reached out to hold his hand for reassurance.
Nightfire rolled her eyes, muttering under her breath, “Great pep talk, fearless leader,” before following them begrudgingly.
As they reached the massive front door, its once-polished wood now warped and rotting, the trio tried to push it open.
It didn’t budge.
“It’s stuck,” Aether murmured, his tone laced with irritation.
Helena glanced up at him hesitantly. “Should we… knock?” she whispered, her voice trembling.
“For what? So some ghost can show up and say, ‘Welcome to our house, living beings. I hope you taste good’?” Nightfire replied with a smirk.
Helena glared at her, puffing out her cheeks. “It seems your succubus traits are messing with your personality, Ashara.”
Nightfire shrugged with feigned innocence, smirking all the while.
Ignoring their bickering, Aether stepped forward and knocked firmly on the door.
knock,knock
“What?! Are you actually serious right now?” Nightfire asked, her voice tinged with disbelief.
“Why not? It’s not the worst idea…” Aether started, but his words faded as a soft,
click!
Echoed through the heavy air.
The door creaked open slowly.
Nightfire’s eyebrows shot up in surprise, while Helena, now emboldened, grinned smugly. “See?” she teased, sticking her tongue out at Nightfire.
Without another word, the trio stepped cautiously into the mansion.
The air inside was thick with the scent of mildew and decay, the wooden floor creaking beneath their feet. Dust coated every surface, and the faint outline of cobwebs glistened in the dim light spilling in from the doorway.
“It… it looks like an old noble’s mansion,” Nightfire muttered, her fingers brushing lightly against the crumbling wall. She winced as a cloud of dust puffed into the air, making her cough.
Aether nodded, his gaze scanning the surroundings. “It does. But it’s been abandoned for years… decades, maybe.”
“Are you sure you heard the flames in here?” Nightfire asked, her voice sceptical as she eyed the desolate room. “From what I see, this place hasn’t seen a living soul in ages—not even a trace of anyone.”
Aether shook his head firmly. “I can still hear it… It’s coming from somewhere inside this house.” His voice dropped slightly, his gaze shifting upward. “From above. The sound is coming from the upper floor.”
Helena and Nightfire exchanged uneasy glances, both straining their ears in vain to hear what Aether claimed to. Neither could hear anything but the hollow silence surrounding them.
Yet, they followed as he led them toward the staircase.
As Nightfire took her first step—
Krck!
The sharp crack of wood echoed, making Aether and Helena turn sharply toward her.
“What?!” Nightfire hissed defensively, raising her hands in surrender and then softly stepped on the stairs.
The trio continued their cautious ascent…
But none of them noticed it—
At the base of the stairs, in the shadows where the light didn’t reach, a pair of glowing eyes flickered open.
Grrrlll.
From the darkness came a low, guttural growl.
500(600(650)…) PS=1(1(1)…)Ex/ 50(100(120)..) GT=1(2(2)…)Ex
