Thaddeus opened his eyes in his room back at his home in the supernatural realm. He look around wondering how he had gotten back so quickly. Wasn't he just in an abandoned building.
"You won again can you just let me win sometimes" he heard as he raise his head to see Orlaith who sat across from him cards in her hand.
He frown and noticed he was holding one too.
"Where am I?" he asked sitting up.
"What do you mean where are you?" Orlaith ask also dropping her card. You are at home at Mr Eichmann your father's house, now you need reminder are you starting to forget things?" Orlaith asked.
"Am home? Was I dreaming all along or just this one what going on" Thaddeus tilt his head in suspicious taking a quick glance at Orlaith who had on a happy grin.
'Something isn't right' he thought.
★★
Alaric arrived back at the camp with Isleen and met Calix who met him half way.
"Thank God you are back" he said looking worried.
"What's it now?" Alaric ask.
"I can't find Thaddeus anywhere, he's not picking his phone it unlike him" Calix said worriedly.
"Why are you a deliverer of bad news?" Alaric ask . "Am sure he's somewhere around, he wouldn't go far maybe he took a walk in the woods" Alaric said trying to find a reasonable reason why Thaddeus would be missing.
"We are leaving in the next two hours" Calix said.
"Yes we are, Isleen needs a little more rest if you would excuse us" Alaric said walking away with Isleen who gave Calix a sorry smile.
★★
Orlaith came to stop in the same hallway Thaddeus had walk earlier, she saw him running off earlier.
She rang his phone and it sounded at a distance.
Someone ran by and she turned the other way she heard his ringing tone.
"Thad?"
She made her way forward her boot leaving a print of mud on the white tile floor.
She came to a stop in front of the room the ringing was coming from.
"Thad?" She pulled opened the door and walk into the room which appears empty.
Her attention was drawn to the phone laying on the floor facing a wooden wardrobe.
She picked up the phone which was still ringing noisily and look at the wardrobe in front of her.
She arch a suspicious brow at it before tilting her head trying to see what was in-between the gap of the closed door.
"Closer come on" she heard followed by a melodic humming.
Orlaith reach out her hand.
Two hours later at the camp ground.....
" This should be enough reason to know Thaddeus is missing" Calix said after they all waited endlessly for him.
Weren't you two supposed to be together how come one of you went missing?" Alaric asked.
"This is no time to joke around Alaric, things could turn out really bad" Calix said. Isleen stood beside Alaric her arms folded.
"Do you think he has been hunted down by a vermin?" Isleen asked.
"He's too handsome for that" Alaric remark.
Isleen glare at him, he look over at Calix and sigh in defeat.
"Fine, whatever reason he isn't back yet must be really bad and we need to get to the bottom of it. First it was Isleen falling into the river and being stuck at the bottom now it Thaddeus. Can this day get any better?." Alaric said.
" Isleen!!" She heard and to see Mizuki and Giovanna running towards them.
"Thank God you are safe I have been worried sick" Giovanna said hugging Isleen.
"We really thought you died back there", Mizuki said.
"Am sorry for scaring you both" Isleen apologize". Isleen eyes scan behind Mizuki. "Where's Orlaith?" She asked not seeing her anywhere.
"I thought she was with you guys" Mizuki said.
"When last did you see her?" Calix ask.
"Like four hours ago" Giovanna replied looking at the tense face of Calix, she turn to Isleen and ask.
"Why what wrong?"
"Thaddeus is also missing" Isleen replied.
"Maybe they both went somewhere" Mizuki asked unsure.
"That a possibility but they aren't unreasonable, it time to go back to school and non of them has shown face," Isleen replied.
"Mr Allen is about to make a roll call we can't cause more trouble by informing them about the situation" Giovanna said.
"I will handle that," Alaric said before turning away.
He came back about ten minutes later and faced the rest.
"How did it go?" Isleen ask.
"Our bus will stay behind, the rest will head back to school" Alaric informed before he began walking towards the path Calix had said he saw Thaddeus earlier.
They stop in front of the abandoned building and all look into the compound which was protected by a wired fence.
"Are you sure it here you sense them?" Giovanna ask Mizuki whose nose was use as a tracking device.
"Pretty much it, but I can't sense anything further, it like they dropped their scent here before walking in." Mizuki said she look up and down at the building with faded painting.
Alaric scanned the surrounding his eyes directed at the entrance in suspicion.
"They are both in there" Alaric said. Isleen crease her brow turning to face him.
"How can you be so sure, even I as a clairvoyant can't see anything beyond this fences.
"Because you also sleep walked here the last time" Alaric replied.
"I what!!!" Isleen shriek her voice a little awkward. She turned to see all eyes on her.
"You sleep walk?" Mizuki ask her face contour in a frown.
"No I don't!!" She replied throwing a glare at Alaric who paid less attention to her.
"I have never seen her sleep walk that must be the first, you must have done it due to been fatigue from the journey here" Giovanna said.
"Possibly, but it not enough reason to walk far off from camp barefooted without jolting awake from the cold." Alaric said turning to look at her his eyes soft.
Isleen bit her lips feeling exposed. "Why didn't I know of it"
"Because I took you back my self and Orlaith was the one who help me tuck you back in without waking the rest," Alaric replied. "Now let figure out how to get those two back now shall we" Alaric said before opening the gate and they all walked in.
Getting into the building Calix was the first to make a quick survey of the surrounding.
"The place seems paused in time" Giovanna remark her eyes stoping on the utensils placed on the dining which was all covered in dust.
"No one lives here, but why does it smells foul though" Mizuki said bringing her arm to cover her nose.
The rest followed covered by the foul smell, Isleen look at them her eyes squinting.
"Is it me or you guys are just blessed with a heightened sense?" she ask.
"I guess we are born with it" Calix said walking pass her to climb the step.
"I guess am the one blessed at the moment" Isleen said with a grin.
"Good for you" Giovanna said. A small smile crossed Alaric lips at her silliness.
They walk up the stairs after another and stopped at the hallway.
"Thaddeus?" Calix called his eyes scanning.
"It pointless calling names, am sure we aren't here to play hide and seek no one is in the mood for one" Alaric remark.
Isleen hit him on the back signaling him to be positive and not make silly remarks. He gave her a smile in return which the others failed to take notice of.
A door shut at the end of the hallway which prompt everyone to turn.
"Did you hear that?" Giovanna asked.
"I thought I was deaf but it seems my ears are working perfectly fine" Alaric remark again.
Isleen shook her head unable change Alaric sense of humor.
Isleen saw the traces of mud which was starting to dry off and Calix seems to notice it too.
"It looks fresh" Isleen said hinting at the drying mud which was still wet upon contact.
"Is this place haunted" Calix ask as they stroll forward.
"I doubt it is, ghost should be too scared to appear before us, but I think I prefer seeing a ghost in this situation now" Giovanna said.
Alaric bend to inspect the foot print.
"Ghost don't walk, they fly around," Mizuki said.
"I guess they are too lazy to walk" Isleen said, a chuckle escape Alaric lips
"The size of the shoe seems like that of a females," he said.
"That isn't certain" Mizuki said and Alaric click his tongue waving her off.
"It wasn't a matter of fact" he remark.
"Not all female has small foot" Isleen defended, Alaric smirk and glance down at her feet.
"Says the dwarf" he remark on Isleen size of shoe, her cheek heat up in embarrassment, she glare hard at him holding back from hitting him.p
Alaric stop infront of the shut door his hand grabbing the knob. The door click open and they made their way.
"Orlaith??" Giovanna called but no one was in sight.
"Why can't we find them, not a trace of their aura in the air" Isleen said turning around.
"Can you try your psychic ability?" Calix ask Isleen who shook her head in response.
"Nothing is forth coming" Isleen said.
"There's a blockage that keeps us from using our power here" Alaric said coming to stop Infront a wardrobe.
"And we have here_" Calix was saying he eye the wardrobe which catch his line of sight.
"Nothing else in the room except this wardrobe, where's the person who shut the door close earlier?" Calix ask.
"Don't tell me you were expecting to see one?" Giovanna said her brow raised.
"Pull" Calix heard he turn away from the wardrobe facing Alaric.
"Don't whisper" he told Alaric who frown upon his word.
"Why would I need to?"
"You just did" Calix replied.
" Come on pull" he heard again.
"You heard that he said turning to the rest, who look at him like he had lost it.
"Don't mess around it isn't the time to" Calix said growing irritated.
"No one is saying anything" Isleen calmly told him. She stare nervously at the rest.
"But i_" he was saying only to be cut short by Mizuki who spoke.
"Don't open the wardrobe" they all turn to her her shoulder length hair clinging to her face due to sweat, her eyes shone with a sudden look that made them alert.
"Why?" Alaric ask.
"If you do you would be trapped in there" she replied.
"Trapped?" Isleen asked confused.
"There's a tale that goes around in the fox realm about a spirit that trap people in their nightmare once lured in there's no going out" Mizuki said.
"That wild, and you mean both of them could be trapped in there" Giovanna said her voice almost shrieking.
"Yeah they have been lured in" Mizuki said shrugging casually.
"Don't make it so casual It sounds serious, has anyone ever made it out alive?" Giovanna asked.
"Not that I know of" Mizuki replied.
"How do we get them out?" Alaric asked looking quite serious.
"Only one way to do so is by killing the host of the whole drama" Mizuki said.
"And who is?" Isleen ask feeling the hair on her skin stand from what Mizuki said next.
"A very interesting little one" Mizuki Replied.