Lr stories part 1: Power royale

Chapter 7: Haunted Mansion, Part 2

**Announcer 1:** "Hold onto your seats, folks! Our brave trio is trapped in the sinister mansion, and things are heating up—wait, no, they're chilling down—wait, no, they're just plain creepy!"

**Announcer 2:** "A constant assault from an unseen enemy. The strategy here is to break their resolve, but the key lies in finding the source. William seems to be on the right track."

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The mansion groaned as if in response to their thoughts, the walls warping and twisting in a constant, unsettling rhythm. Every time they tried to move, something would block their path—a piece of furniture sliding into place, a wall suddenly extending, or the floor buckling beneath their feet.

"Dammit!" William cursed as a wooden cabinet slammed in front of him, cutting off his escape route. "This guy's toying with us like we're rats in a maze!"

Angelo was panting, his animal instincts overwhelmed by the shifting, unnatural environment. "I don't know how much more of this I can take," he admitted, his voice laced with fear. "It's like the house is alive, and it's messing with our heads."

Laurel's eyes darted around the room, his fingers twitching as he considered blasting the place apart with his laser vision. But he hesitated—there was something off about the way the mansion moved, something too precise, too controlled. "It's not just the house," he muttered. "Someone's doing this."

The trio tried to regroup, but the house gave them no reprieve. A chair shot across the room, narrowly missing Angelo's head, while the floorboards groaned and shifted beneath Laurel, making him stumble. William slammed his fists against a nearby wall in frustration, but the wood only creaked mockingly in response.

"Come out and fight us!" William shouted, his voice echoing through the empty halls. "Or are you too much of a coward to face us head-on?"

But the mansion responded with silence, save for the faint creaking of wood and the occasional shifting of furniture. It was clear whoever was behind this didn't intend to reveal themselves just yet.

The relentless assault continued, with the walls closing in on them whenever they tried to find a way out. The air grew colder, more oppressive, as if the mansion itself was feeding on their fear. William's frustration boiled over, but then something clicked in his mind—something that cut through the chaos.

He stopped in his tracks, holding up a hand to signal the others to do the same. Angelo and Laurel, though wary, followed his lead, their breaths shallow as they waited for William to speak.

"This isn't random," William said slowly, his mind racing. "Think about it. Every move this guy makes, it's calculated. The mansion reacts exactly when we're vulnerable, but never when we're prepared. If he had full control of the place, he'd have already crushed us."

Laurel's eyes narrowed as he considered William's words. "So what are you saying? He's close by?"

William nodded, his expression serious. "He has to be. If he had a wider range, he would've hit us harder and faster. But this? This is precision. He's controlling the mansion, but he needs to be near it to do so."

Angelo frowned, his fear momentarily giving way to curiosity. "So, if we find him, we can stop this?"

"Exactly," William confirmed, a spark of determination in his eyes. "He's using the mansion as a shield, keeping us off balance so we don't have time to think. But if we can find where he's hiding, we can take him out and end this madness."

**Announcer 1:** "Now that's what I'm talking about! William's got a plan, folks, and it's about time! Can our heroes turn the tide and find the mastermind behind this haunted house of horrors?"

**Announcer 2:** "This is where strategy comes into play. William's deduction is solid, but executing the plan will be a different story. The mansion still holds the advantage—at least for now."

The mansion groaned again, as if sensing that the trio had caught on. The shifting and warping became more frantic, as though trying to throw them off the trail. But William was resolute, his eyes scanning the room for any signs of where their unseen enemy might be hiding.

"We need to move fast," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Stay close, and don't let this place mess with your head. Whoever's controlling this mansion is somewhere nearby, and we're going to find them."

Laurel and Angelo nodded, their fear replaced with a steely determination. Together, the three of them pressed forward, navigating the treacherous landscape of the haunted mansion with renewed purpose.

But even as they moved, the mansion seemed to fight back harder than ever. The walls groaned and shifted, doors slammed shut before they could reach them, and the floor continued to buckle and twist beneath their feet. It was as if the mansion itself was trying to protect its master, desperate to keep its secret hidden.

As they ventured deeper into the heart of the mansion, the air grew colder, the shadows longer. They could feel the presence of their enemy lurking just out of sight, waiting for the perfect moment to strike. But William kept them focused, his mind racing with possibilities as he tried to piece together the puzzle.

And then, just as they reached the top of a grand staircase, William paused, his eyes narrowing as he scanned the area. Something felt off—different. The air was heavier here, the atmosphere more oppressive.

"He's close," William muttered, more to himself than to the others. "I can feel it."

But before they could act, the mansion shifted again, the walls closing in around them with terrifying speed. They were running out of time, and their enemy was growing more desperate by the second.

**To be continued...**