Vivi was always attracted to the mysterious and supernatural. Any rumors of creepy abandoned mansions immediately caught her attention, and it wouldn’t be long before she went off to investigate - which explained why she was here now.
The mansion had been pretty hard to find. All the rumors were obnoxiously vague, so it’d taken hours to come up with an actual location, then there was the actual hike to get there, which had taken way longer than she’d expected it to - for an investigation that was just supposed to be “for fun”, she was pretty sure that she’d put in more work than she did on most of her actual cases.
But hey, no pain, no gain, right?
She slowly pushed open the decrepit door, almost holding her breath in anticipation. The room was dimly lit, which only added to the mystique in her mind. This was… so cool! Okay, so it wasn’t especially fancy, or full of treasure, but the layout was interesting and looters hadn’t taken everything, so that was a plus. Honestly, it was kind of exceeding her expectations already.
( Sure, she was hoping for treasures and ghosts, but let’s be realistic - it was honestly amazing that there were still moldy books on the bookshelf. )
The gargantuan bookshelf had caught her attention immediately, and she wasted no time in examining the books. They all looked like they were about half a step from falling apart, so she handled them as if they were made of glass. Some of them were too moldy to actually read, but the ones that still had legible writing ( in a language she actually understood ) made her heart race. Most of them seemed to be about magic - which for a supernatural lover like her was basically the jackpot of old books. It was just a shame they were just left out in the elements here…
Vivi gnawed on her lip thoughtfully. She didn’t really want to loot anything, but… well, taking one book wouldn’t hurt, right? Especially since she just wanted to preserve it…
After a second of waffling she finally decided to just go for it. There weren’t any books like this written anymore, and it was just going to decay if she left it here anyway, right? She’d just take it home, get it cleaned up and well taken care of - then maybe later she’d come back for another.
A strange feeling of being watched hit her as she put the book in her bag, but she shrugged it off. this place was supposed to be haunted, right? It was probably just her imagination. … except the feeling wouldn’t go away.
Shifting uncomfortably, she slung her bag onto her shoulder and headed for the door. She just needed some fresh air, then she could explore some more of the building. Being cooped up with all the mold was just getting to her. A little direct sunshine would clear everything up.
Unfortunately, it seemed the house had other plans.
Her forehead hit the door with a bang. Of course the door was locked. She’d almost forgotten this place was supposed to be haunted. Guess she was going to have to find another way out. She really should have taken someone with her on this trip.
She turned back to the rest of the room, scanning it for any good escape routes. She moved towards a door, only to freeze when she noticed some of the decay slowly repairing herself. Well. This just got more interesting…
A ripple effect caused the stillness and musty tranquility of the house to liven.
The presence of another being in the vicinity stirred the old wizard from his sleep. If one could even call it sleep. Like an old mechanical marionette that was turned off after years of disuse and decay, Wicca sat up out of bed, turning his head toward the door.
The spell would trigger long before any human reached visual sight of the mansion.
Remnants of a life once lived now fallen into ruin and degradation. In many ways, it reflected his own current life.
This wasn't the first time this would happen. Many a wanderer or explorer had come when rumours of the abandoned building caught in their nets. Humans were such silly creatures. So curious. But all of them would see a building and its contents lost to time. Eventually they'd get bored and leave. This girl should be no different. Under his spell he was invisible. A skeleton turned to dust through the passage of time.
He needn't have to be in the same room as her to see what sort of mischief she got into. No, his familiar was his eyes. A creature subtly supernatural in nature. A bat wouldn't be out of place in a building that is being reclaimed by the elements. Wicca relied on this idea.
It had been many years since such an event took place. Once fuelled by a paranoia, the spell had been erected in hopes that people would lose interest. That was when Wicca remembered exploring what should otherwise be long dead and give it new life was something some humans liked doing.
It was contradictory. It was against all the cruelty and barbarism he became familiar with. But then again, he had to remember not all humans were nothing but hatred and blood-thirst. That was once his belief. As hard as it was to think now, in part, at least, it remained true.
Ah. The girl actually picked up one of his books, and was thumbing through it. She seemed interested in one of his spell books in particular. That was particularly dangerous. Perhaps in the future he should decay them more thoroughly. Had she placed it in her bag?
No, this wasn’t going to do at all.
Wicca turned his hand, the door sealing shut. It’s wasn’t locked per se, merely that he was refusing it to be opened. The farce needn’t go any further. Slowly, the rot and decay were repairing itself. The broken furniture was being repaired, the books were losing the mould and the vibrant colours in the room were filling back into their canvases once more. A small smirk formed on his lips as she hit her head against the door with a thunk. It seemed she was quick to catch on what was happening.
Soon she’d hear creaks of the wood flooring above, and the footfalls of someone heading for the staircase. They were not hurried steps, but wide, confident strides. At once, the room around Vivi would get colder, despite the decrepit fireplace springing to life and the huge cauldron resuming the brew inside, spilling thick mist onto the floor. Whispers uttered in a long-dead language would fill her ears.
If she focused closely on the wisps of thick air that filled the room she’d be able to see the spirits that dwelt here. Unlike most spirits, round and cute like bed sheets in their formlessness, these ones were quite human in shape. But not even that of a more vengeful ghost where the skeletal form was present.
No, these were spirits of flesh, sinew and bone visually. The trauma they suffered in life carved into the after images of what they became. Blood was splattered across their bodies. Many with missing limbs, pallid and without expression. None of them were corporeal, and very few could be seen for more than a second or two. But most of them, as Vivi would discover, were children.
Then if she lost track, the footsteps would become audible again. This time to the banister. A figure stepped out of the upper rooms. He was tall and incredibly thin. Purple and black clothes in a dark cloak, but his fluffy tousled blond hair would draw the eye. Surprisingly, as he turned to face her, she’d notice his face to be rather young. No older than a man in his twenties. He’d look down at her with his chin slightly raised, lids condescendingly lowered, but still couldn’t hide his dark eyes.
“I know why you’re here, little songbird.” Slowly, Wicca would descend down the stairs, his eyes locked on Vivian the entire time. The fire’s light would illuminate him, and his eyes would reflect a more blood red colour. “You’ve been a naughty little thing, trying to steal something from me.”
A wide grin crept onto his face as he walked closer to her. His teeth were mostly normal, save for the larger than normal canines.
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