In a secluded corner of House Velmont, a room long forgotten by time held an unexpected occupant. The dim light flickered across the walls, revealing a young boy standing defiantly before a floating figure.
"Hey, leave. I'm Aran, the new Lord of this house," the boy asserted, his voice bouncing off the ancient stones.
The creature paused, its eerie glow casting long shadows. "Huh? Who are you to tell me to leave? HAHAHA," it replied with a menacing glee.
"I am Agustus Voldeneir, the owner of this house HAHAHA," the creature laughed, seemingly enjoying the confusion it caused.
Aran frowned, taking in the creature's small stature and the odd wings that flittered in the air. "Huh, you're too small, and what's with those wings, huh?"
"Ah, so you're trying to make fun of me?" The creature's voice took on an edge. "Do you want to know what I'm capable of?"
Nah, but you better go out of my room. See, I'm quite tired," Aran dismissed, hiding his intrigue.
The creature cackled, "WAHAHA, so you're not going out. I'm just warning you, and I'm not sorry if you die!"
With a flick of its wand, objects began to levitate, swirling menacingly around the room. "HAHAHAHA, you see, this is what I am capable of. Now prepare to die," it declared.
Aran, with surprising agility, dodged the incoming assault and lunged, grabbing the creature firmly. "So that's your power, too weak," he taunted as he held the creature.
"AHHHHH, get off me, let me go!!" The creature's voice shifted to a higher pitch, its menace evaporating into panic.
"What am I gonna do to you? You're pissing me off. Ah, I have an idea. What if I pluck your wings out, huh? Or I could just contain you in this jar, so I won't have to hear you ever again," Aran threatened.
The creature's defiance turned to desperation. "Ahhh, please don't! No, no, no, no, you wouldn't hurt this cute little lady, huh?"
"I don't care if you cry; you've pissed me off, and you better pay."
"No, please don't hurt me! I will do anything, please!" the creature pleaded.
"I like that sound. So, you'll do what I say, huh?"
"Yes, yes, yes!" it agreed hastily.
"Can you clean this room? I want to sleep, and it smells," Aran ordered.
"Huh, you're telling me to clean this room? Me, the queen of all the pixies?"
Aran's grip tightened. "So, you want me to pluck your wings?"
"Okay, okay, I understand! I'll clean this room now, uhh, it sure is eww," the creature conceded, floating with her broom and brushes, beginning to tidy up with her magic.
Aran lounged on the bed, eyeing the pixie. "Hey, little whelp, what did you say again? You're the queen of … pipsqueaks??" he mocked.
"Not peapsqueek, you fool! I said Pixy! Are you deaf or an idiot?"
Irritated, Aran threw a book towards her. "Just continue cleaning and call me master, okay?"
"Ouch!" The pixy glared, muttering under her breath, "Grrrrr... HAHAHA, just wait, you fool, I will kill you, HAHAH".
"Hey, pipsy-something, what kind of creature are you, and why are you so small? I just want to crush you, but I'm afraid no one will clean this house," Aran teased.
"I said I'm not pipsy-something! I have a name. It's Lacy, and I control this mansion. If it weren't for some crazy boy entering this room, I would keep doing my job and let those jerks leave this mansion," Lacy retorted.
Aran's curiosity piqued. "What jerks are leaving this mansion? What did you do to mom and dad?" he asked, a hint of concern in his voice.
"Okay, okay, sorry! I was just scaring those people so they would leave. This is the job Lord Thaddeus asked of me," Lacy confessed. "Put me down, so I can dispel my magic on the house."
As Aran released the pixy, she began to chant, her voice weaving through the air, undoing the enchantments she had cast. The once eerie and levitating candelabras and other items gently settled back into their places, as House Velmont sighed with the release of ancient magic.
As the enchantment dissipated throughout the manor, the central room where Lourdes knelt in prayer felt an immediate shift. The oppressive atmosphere lifted like a dense fog at sunrise, and even the portraits on the walls seemed to relax, one clattering to the floor as if in relief.
Christina, sensing the change, rose to her feet with a mixture of caution and hope. "Huh, hey, did the spirits stop?" she murmured, her voice a soft echo in the now tranquil space.
She stepped toward Lourdes, her eyes wide with the wonder of the calm. "Ma'am, I think the spirits stopped, or something stopped them. And ma'am, the atmosphere changed; I think we can leave this house now," she conveyed the news, her voice growing stronger with each word.
Lourdes, her hands still clasped in prayer, lifted her face, tears of relief glistening on her cheeks. "OH, thank God!" she exclaimed. "Ah, I think the gods hear us, and they stopped the spirits. But we can't stay here; it's not safe," she affirmed, her maternal instinct to protect her family surging to the fore.
They both got to their feet, their movements tentative but quickening as confidence returned. "Oh, there's ma'am Felicia," Christina observed, spotting the head maid standing still, her body shimmering with residual fear.
"Ma'am Felicia, come on, get up," Christina urged gently. But Felicia remained silent, her eyes wide and fixed on some distant point, her mind perhaps still caught in the horror of recent events.
Lourdes touched Christina's shoulder, guiding her decision. "I think Felicia is terrified. Let's leave her for now; we'll just go back to the kitchen and wake up your sister."
"Alright, ma'am, let's go, and I will wake up my sister," Christina agreed, her voice a steady thread of determination.
In the kitchen, they found Martina lying unconscious, a casualty of the chaos that had reigned. "Martina, Martina, wake up; it's over," Christina called to her, shaking her gently.
"Ughh, ouch, my head hurts. Christina, what happened?" Martina groaned, the throbbing in her head a dull counterpoint to the relief in Christina's voice.
"Oh, you just collapsed because of that candelarium, but don't worry, it's over," Christina reassured her, helping her to sit up.
Together, they assisted Felicia, and the group made their way outside, into the fresh air that promised a reprieve from the night's terrors. But as they crossed the threshold, Lourdes's heart seized with a new fear.
"Oh, wait, wait, where's my husband and son now? Wait here; I just go there and find them," Lourdes exclaimed, the maternal fear rekindling as she thought of her missing loved ones.
Back in the dusty room now calmed by Lacy's reluctant housekeeping, Aran lounged with an air of casual authority that seemed at odds with his youth.
"Hey, Lacy, do you mind if I ask something? I'm just curious," Aran said, a playful spark in his eyes.
"Okay, but I want something in return," the pixie bargained, eyeing him warily.
"In return, I'll cut your wings. Is that good?" Aran's smile was teasing, but it carried an undercurrent of steel.
"Ughh, okay. So what is it? Speak up," Lacy said, resigning herself to the boy's curiosity.
"What is this house, and who is that Thaddeus, and what are you doing here?" Aran asked, his tone shifting to one of genuine interest.
"Ah, so you're thinking about those things," Lacy replied, a hint of respect creeping into her voice. "It's simple. Let me tell you a story. Lord Thaddeus, my great master, was the one who owned this home. He and his family, the Velmonts, lived here. Lord Thaddeus was a person of merit, loved by the king and the people. But there was something happening in the kingdom back then. The Eldenwood Kingdom went into a dark catastrophe. Creatures of darkness invaded this land, and some of them took refuge here, doing unspeakable things. They hunted and feasted on human blood. It is said that they were creatures made by the abyss, the vampires," the pixie recounted, her voice dropping to a whisper.
Aran leaned forward, his interest piqued. "So, those vampires are interesting creatures. I think they're fun. I just want to play with them and test their strength."
"Shhhh," Lacy hissed, her eyes darting around as if afraid of being overheard. "The vampires have immense strength; they're beasts. Be careful; you won't want to mess with their kind. Now, let me finish my story. Lord Thaddeus couldn't endure the things he saw in the kingdom—the humans crying, soldiers losing their lives, and the king's distress as his friend. So, Lord Thaddeus prayed and kneeled down to the great tree, asking for a vision to help the kingdom. He couldn't endure what was happening; he wanted to stop the creatures of darkness. In his sleep under that tree, he dreamt of a place far away from Eldenwood, on the other side of Mount Shera, the great mountains that shield Eldenwood."
Lacy paused, her gaze becoming distant as if she could see the story unfold before her eyes.
"So, Thaddeus journeyed there, hoping to find some hope for the kingdom. And on the other side, he saw a strange garden floating in the middle of the valley. The curious man entered the garden, hoping to find a cure for the darkness, a weapon. But he was surprised at what he saw there..."
"Hello, young one... So you are the one?"