//It's best if I head back downstairs and try to find Ms. Ipruk! I need to tell her my suspicions and hope that she can impart some wisdom…//
Sophia carefully made her way downstairs and is in the foyer again. Nothing seems different but she can't help the foreboding feeling she has. She makes her way back to the library as quickly as possible.
Ms. Ipruk isn't there.
Sophia isn't shocked but she's still wary. She pulls out her phone again and tries to contact her. Luckily, it seems to have signal again! But… she's not answering! Oh no.
Ms. Ipruk always answers her phone! Something must have happened to her!
Don't panic. She's somewhere where there's no signal. That must be it! But…
Oh Gods. She could have gone anywhere!
Although, Sophia didn't see her upstairs? Did she go to the dining room? Probably not, it's still not 5 o'clock. Maybe a secret room she doesn't know about?! Well, standing here isn't getting her anywhere.
Wait! The charm. She said it could sense supernatural beings or something like that. If she uses it then she'll find Ms. Ipruk. After all, Ms. Ipruk will most likely be where all the action is.
She pulls out the charm from her bag and says a simple incantation. Nothing happens for a few seconds but then it begins to glow slightly. She walks forward and the glow gets brighter! She keeps walking straight ahead, deeper into the library once again.
The glow begins to dim so she changes directions. She's so focused that she doesn't notice a trap door a few steps ahead! Fortunately, she catches herself before falling down. How embarrassing would that be!
Wait a second.
Trap door?!
Could this be where Ms. Ipruk is?
The charm starts to vibrate slightly in her hands as she looks down the door. She can't really see much of anything.
Guess there's no getting around it. With a huff, Sophia jumps down the trap door.
She lands gracefully, well mostly. There's even more dust down here. Coughing fit aside, the charm is glowing and vibrating more now! She carefully moves forward.
It's dark down here. Which sounds ridiculous but, there's simply no other way to describe this. The path is rough and dark but not too long.
She finally reaches another door. It's open.
Inside there's a bigger mess than the library!
Scrolls, papers, rubble, and gods know what, are everywhere! She looks at one of the scrolls and this language is one she can't understand! She has no idea what it is. It doesn't seem to be ancient or anything of the sort. It's more like nonsense. Or a code.
Why would someone leave these lying around? Maybe they thought it wouldn't mean anything to whoever came across them. Well it certainly means nothing to Sophia.
This room is filled with all sorts of trinkets.
Ahem, meaning that Sophia doesn't have a clue what they are because they're broken or covered in sheets. To keep dust off? Or something else?
Just as she's about to pull one of the sheets off…
"I wouldn't do that if I was you."
That voice could only belong to the only and only, Ms. Ipruk of course!
Sophia feels relieved that she finally found her mentor. Ms. Ipruk walks out almost eerily from the shadows. It would be very creepy had she not tripped over something.
"Haha... Oops!"
Having worked with her for 20 years she should be used to this sort of thing. But Sophia's relief turns into dread immediately.
Ms. Ipruk looks extremely pale and she's shaking!
That's not right.
Could she be ill? Or is she scared? She's never seen her like this before.
"Are you okay, Ms. Ipruk?" She tries to steady her but she waves her off.
"Hm, who oh me? Y-yeah! I feel spectacular! Don't worry about it. Er- um what brings you here?"
"Ms. Ipruk, clearly you're not okay. You look like you're about to pass out!"
"N-nonsense! I'm fine, really. Miss, don't worry about me!"
"Are you sure?" she asks skeptically.
"Y-yes! I am sure."
"If you say so. I came looking for you because I found some troubling things and I wanted to ask you what you remember from your visit."
"O-oh? Well it's been such a long time, who knows if I'll be able to remember properly. Sorry… Also, um I- haven't found much! Just useless old trinkets. Haha."
Sophia stares at her in confusion. Ms. Ipruk looks worried and shifts awkwardly.
Sophia sighs, "That's fine. Although, can you do me one small favor, Ms. Ipruk?"
She looks relieved and responds with, "Yes! Anything."
Little did she know that Sophia still had the charm, behind her back. "Catch this!"
"Huh?!" She's not quick enough to catch it in time and it boinks off her head. It's a little funny but then it explodes into dark smoke! The dark mist wraps itself around Ms. Ipruk and she falls to the ground.
Looks like she can't move.
"What! H-hey what is this!!! Let me go!"
"Oh, so that's what it does! Interesting."
"What?! This is not funny, young lady!"
Sophia tries to stare Ms. Ipruk down but she won't meet her eyes. She looks far too pale. She's shaking like she's…
Possessed.
This isn't funny at all. Although, Sophia still laughs.
But then her tone turns serious as she asks 'Ms. Ipruk', "Why are you treating me like a fool? Don't 'Miss' me?
Who the hell are you?!"
'Ms. Ipruk' tries to struggle out but the mist just becomes tighter around her. "W-what do you mean… obviously, I'm Cecilia Ipruk."
"Oh, please. You couldn't fool a dead person. You call that acting? It's insulting."
"W-what gave it away?!"
"Your appearance definitely made me suspicious. You also called me 'Miss' and called the trinkets 'useless.' She would never say that because she's not formal with me and she finds value in everything. Also, the charm was vibrating wildly behind me. Seems like you didn't notice that since you're more worried about the body you're possessing."
"Oh, come on, that's just unfair!"
"Well, even if I didn't have this charm I would easily be able to notice you're an imposter by confirming it with one simple question."
"What question?"
She smirks, "What's my name?"
The 'person' stops shaking and goes silent.
"Oh."
"Mhm. Guess you don't know much but I'll enlighten you. My name is Sophia Fauve and I'm an apprentice under Ms. Ipruk. Learn my name. Learn it well because I'm the person who's going to destroy your soul if you don't tell me who you are and release my teacher."
They flinch.