With the spring comes sun and warmth and the world wakes up from winter. This spring however was also a time of rain. That was a problem for the party that couldn't afford living in an inn.
Kota woke up with a cold in chilly stables. Girls lied on the opposite side of him.
Another rainy day. A sleepless night next to three girls. I can't take it anymore. This is gonna make me go crazy.
At the guild they ate breakfast.
"We need some money fast. We have to find a job."
"Yes, it's time for a big quest. Let's slain a strong monster."
"Yes, something famous I can use my magic on."
"I'd like a quest that helps people. A big monster would be too much for Meyuna."
"Why?"
They cause me more trouble each day.
"Let's look at the quest board. Still many hard ones and… one for a graveyard."
"What's with that?"
"According to this, a mysterious figure has been spotted walking around in a graveyard. You two did a graveyard quest before, right?"
"That's right. I'd love to help the dead find some peace and vanquish some filthy disgusting evil from that place."
"You do love such lovely places. Why are you so brave all of a sudden?"
"Hey, they pay quite well and it's a chance for some good night sleep in a room. You dealt with ghosts before. And look, Sekalia isn't scared at all."
"Is she scared of anything?"
"Does it really have to be a graveyard?"
"Right now I'll take any quest we can't fail. They're only asking for investigating and not solving the problem."
"Are you sure you don't want to take something else?"
"What, the great wizard is scared? You can always get a job."
"Uhm. All right, let's go there."
She really hates work that much?
*********
That cloudy night they camped at the local graveyard. There were many old graves and a grove.
"So how do we find that evil figure?"
"Give it some time. Helia said the figure comes regularly around this time. We just need to wait."
"Maybe it won't come?"
"Then we'll come here again."
"But it's scary."
"Right now the debt is scarier than any evil. And we just have to observe it. All we need to do is stay quiet and follow."
Hinota pursed her lips.
"Look."
Among the graves a robbed person was walking. The party followed in silence. The figure made stops by graves.
"Is he talking to the ghosts?"
"Maybe."
They've followed the figure for a while.
"He's just walking around."
After some time the figure took a path to the graveyard's gate.
"He's done nothing and he's just leaving."
"So it's not a ghost."
"What do we do?"
It's some weird guy who likes strolling around the graveyard at night.
"Leave him be. We've done our job. Let's just move slowly and quietly away."
At that moment the figure stopped walking and turned around.
No. He sees us?
Chills ran down the trio's spine.
"What now?"
"Don't worry he'll go away."
Kota felt cold sweat on his back and the robed figure did not move.
"Let's run."
"I don't think this will help. Let's face this evil creature."
The party looked surprised at Sekalia.
"Please, we can do it."
Has she no fear?
Kota sighed.
"All right, but we're going out together."
The girls reluctantly nodded. Sekalia smiled.
"Hello there. We don't want to fight. We'd like to know why you're coming to the graveyard so often."
The robbed figure stood still.
"My name is Meyuna. I demand you to show me your face and tell me what you're doing here. If you don't answer I'll challenge you to a fight."
She was slightly trembling.
The robbed person stood there.
"Yuna, calm down."
The person looked like it trembled under the robes. He ran away. Surprised, they chased after him. After a while the figure reached a high wall. The party surrounded him leaving him no place to run.
"It's over. Show your face."
"Please, make it easier for us. We just want to vanquish your evil and go to sleep."
"If you try anything you'll feel my power."
How are you two mocking him?
As they stood there huge bats appeared on the wall.
"Do you see that?"
"Ye… Yes."
As the party saw the gathering flock they got worried, then concerned, then they ran away screaming chased by a huge black mass of bats.
"He controls bats. That's his power?"
"Worry later. We gotta hide."
As they ran they found an open building where they hid.
"Quick. Close the door!"
They got in and moved a heavy door. Their hearts were pounding. Hinota lit a fire.
"He'll come and end us. Why did I join your party?"
"Maybe not, maybe he's turned into a bat and fled. At least we'll get the money. No more stables."
"Enough. I wanna leave this place."
After a while the outside got quiet.
"All right, I think those bats left. Anyway, where did we escape to exactly?"
When they looked around they saw rows of skeletons lying in front of them. They realised they entered a crypt.
"Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Only Sekalia left surprised and unfazed.
"You're really not afraid?"
Kota was panting.
"There was nothing scary there. Just other people who found peace. It made me worried to see so many bones, but they were still people."
She worries me and amazes me.
"All right, let's leave this place now."
"Great idea. Let's move."
As they rushed to the exit Sekalia didn't move.
"What are you doing?"
"I sense a forest spirit in that groove. Can we talk with it, please?"
Ah, how can I refuse her?
After a while.
"Hmm, hmm, hmm. Thank you so much, you were very helpful."
"What did you learn?"
"This person is a girl who comes here every night to talk to ghosts. But they're not very talkative since she's just a filthy vampire."
She really hates evil creatures. A vampire?
"She said she'd lived alone for years in a mansion in a forest outside of town."
"Wait, is it possible she was more scared of us? And I thought that only applied to spiders. Now it's also vampires."
"So you're brave enough to pursue her? That's new."
"You take me for a coward. But what coward would have come here? At night? To investigate an unknown presence?"
"You're right. Sorry. But you're still a trickster."
"And you're still annoying. At least the case is investigated. We can leave it to someone else and not come back."
Hinota smiled relieved.
*********
Next day at the guild they found that hard quest for the mentioned mansion.
"So it is. It's an old quest. Why hasn't anyone taken it?"
"Maybe Helia can explain."
They went to the counter and told the events from their investigation.
"Thank you for your information. Here's your reward."
Inn room here I come.
"Will there be any continuation?"
"It depends on the customer, but I believe he'll ask for solving the issue."
After that they went up to the quest board.
"I don't see many easy quests. Isn't this a place for beginners?"
"Maybe they're not really that hard. They pay well and…"
Kota took a sheet with a quest and came back to Helia.
"Why are there hard quests for barely any reward like this old quest about a mansion?"
"Oh, that one. You see, this mansion was a home to a certain scholar of magic. He spent most of his time at home and didn't have many friends in town.
A shut-in scholar.
"He was known for researching the control of magic by use of various objects. But many years ago he disappeared and the house was abandoned. His disappearance was noticed after a few weeks. A few adventure parties tried to investigate the situation, but were scared off. They said the place is cursed and the yard around it is chilly. Even in summer. And the house itself was getting old. Not many dared to step in and who did ran away. Not willing to return there again. The price for the quest got low and it's more of a quest board decoration and guild's duty to keep it. Since then, the adventurers chose to take other more profitable quests."
That's understandable. But maybe there's profit.
"I think we'll take this quest."
All the girls looked surprised.
"Why would you want to take it?"
"We've fought a zeugl and a vampire. Scary house won't be a problem for us."
"But we ran away from the vampire."
Shut up, Sekalia.
Helia smiled wryly.
"I see. Do you want to be remembered as the shortest living party or the craziest one?"
Don't annoy me.
"Thank you for your concern, but don't worry. Our party is unique and we know how to do such things."
They sat at the table.
"What has come over you? Why do you want to do it?"
"You usually call me a coward and I'm gonna prove you wrong. And look, we don't have to do it right now, but I see the profit.
The girls looked at Kota curiously.
"That vampire lives in a mansion that's probably full of magic stuff, like books and some magic stuff.If we do it right we can sell it later with great profit."
"Your greed is greater than your courage, you trickster."
"Don't call me that just because I can think."
"How are we gonna make it, Kota?"
"Listen, that girl is probably responsible for this scholar's disappearance and took his place. First we need to find more about her. Then we can make her cooperate and strike a deal and get the stuff she took. And… If there's another graveyard quest we'll get money for that too."
"You really know how to plan ahead. But I feel like your thinking is simply vile."
"Have some faith."
"We won't eliminate this evil creature?"
"Do you really think you can win against a vampire right now?"
"Maybe we can. If not, let's try again and again."
"You're too optimistic."
Hinota looked uneasy.
"Another scary place? Why did I even join you? You're terrible."
"Debt is terrible, you crazy mage. But be happy. The sooner we deal with it the sooner we'll pay the debts."
"Hinota, maybe you'd just burn the mansion with the vampire in it?"
She had a faint smiled.
"We should seek glory in defeating a vampire. This way is unfair."
"We can't burn straight away. There's too much to lose.
"I like that idea. He, he."
"I'm happy you're happy. Ha, ha"
Sekalia laughed with Hinota as the opposing duo felt uneasy.
Ok. Who's scaring who?
*********
In the afternoon the party observed the mansion from bushes. Meanwhile Sekalia was looking for a spirit. The place was deep in the forest. It was an old building with two floors and a tower coming from the roof. The yard was surrounded by grass and a wall. The surroundings were quiet.
"So this is the place. It looks abandoned."
"A vampire lives there so she won't be leaving during the day. And by the looks of the house it seems she lives alone."
"Can we learn more from observing the place?"
"Probably not. But it looks quite well preserved. I expected it to be run down."
"Do you want to go inside?"
"Do you want to see me dead?"
"Maybe we can wait when she leaves and then go inside?"
"Didn't you listen? Other parties got scared off and don't forget about the bats."
"Right, right, we can burn it down."
"Don't you start with that. We're investigating it so we can get money."
"So what now, greedy man?"
Kota sighed.
"We need to find someone who knows how to fight vampires. Maybe even someone who went in there."
After two hours Sekalia came back.
"Welcome back."
"I'm sorry it took me so long. Spirits aren't keen on being near this place."
"That's okay? What did you learn?"
"Okay? Anyway, I talked to one kind and helpful spirit. The vampire lived in the mansion for many years since she was a little girl with long black hair and blue eyes. She and that scholar were very close, but rarely went out. Usually at the yard she was practising ice magic."
"The air after her felt chilly when we were chasing her."
"Right, I didn't notice it back then."
"But one night it changed. There were noises and lights coming from the house and after that the scholar never went outside. Few people and adventure parties came here, but nobody appeared here since then. Spirits don't come here because they say the arua is cold and reeks of sadness and old evil. And they only saw her occasionally leave the mansion."
Ominous. She's really dangerous.
"Anything else?"
"The spirits wouldn't mind if someone would take care of this task. It's great we agreed to do it. I've also managed to gather some ingredients."
Sekalia was smiling.
"Can't we pay our debts in another way?"
Hinota looked concerned.
"No, we can do it."
Damn it. She gave a way out. But I won't give up my pride.
"But like I said, there's no rush. We just need to be better. Maybe the others were also beginners. After all, it's a town for people like us."
"Are you cautious or are you suddenly scared?"
Get off my back.
"And you wanna go in there and annoy the cold-hearted vampire."
"I want to, but you may be right. I need to prepare to give this monster a battle she deserves."
"So you are scared."
"Shut up, just let's fight like a real party."
"Can we leave now? I wanna stay away just like ghosts."
"Right, let's take a break. Tomorrow we're taking on some other quest. Sekalia wanted to see the port, after all."
"Thank you. That'll be great."