Gate Guardian - Tale of the Blazing Heart

Phase 4: The Red Mansion

Phase 4: The Red Mansion

[Transfield]

[5:21 PM]

Erylle hung onto my right arm as if to keep her nervousness at bay. I never had the time to enjoy this feeling again because I, too, was scared. We slowly walked together and navigated the hall. It's really spacious. In front of us is a big staircase and above that, an old portrait of a man who looks like Mozart. Most likely a vampire.

I checked on Erylle. She was closing her eyes and quite frightened.

"H-Hey, what's wrong?"

"N-Nothing. I'm just scared."

"Have you been here before?"

"N-No..."

"B...But I thought your hunting ground is this place!?"

"N-No. It's just that I'm tasked to clean the Eidolon in this place. I couldn't stand my fear, so I thought it will be fine if I brought a guy..."

D-Damn! She's just pretending to be brave! I though she was here to protect me! How will we survive this place?

"Just tell me if someone moves. I'll leave the exploration to you. I'll be covering my eyes and depending to you then." Erylle said, still closing her eyes.

She hugged tighter that I can feel her breast squeezing my arm. Yay! But it's not the time for that! This atmosphere is different from I know in games. It's really terrifying in actual event. I would've been glad if this was just an ordinary date and a fake haunted house, so I can act strong.

First, I decided to go forward, and found out that there is a very long table with candles lit and utensils ready. The dining hall. An old lady was standing on the other side of the table. When she noticed me, she immediately walked away. I never had the chance to talk because the old lady is levitating when she fled. Even Erylle noticed that too. She opens her eyes often so that she wouldn't trip into something.

We left speechless and never continued to explore the dining hall.

Second, there is the kitchen. There's nothing wrong in the kitchen, except that there is a strong atmosphere that made Erylle trembling more than before. There is a door at the end of it with a label "Basement". She shook her head when I asked if we must go into the basement. So we returned back in the hall.

Third, we decided to walk upstairs. As we go closer in the portrait, a more strange aura can be felt. But we just tolerated it and headed to the upper floor.

We checked the rooms, but there's nothing. I don't check that much, I'll just open a door and closes. I don't want to check what's inside the closet or what's under the bed. I'm too scared.

A room caught my attention. I think it's a master's bedroom. There is a painting of that old man again, but its eyes are glowing red. I took my courage up and went in even Erylle said "Don't". Strangely, the painting loses its glowing eyes when I'm a meter apart from it. So I decided that it was just an illusion, until I decided to go back to the stairs.

"The eyes glowed again when we turned our backs." Erylle muttered.

I had a feeling that it's my cue to get the hell out of here. So I immediately went to the stairs and-

Bam! The painting is not the old man anymore. It's now a face of a skeleton. Its eye sockets are glowing red, and it was smiling at me creepily. I never did have the nerve to stare at the painting anymore. I focused on the stairway.

"An Eidolon." Erylle muttered again. This time she let go of my arm that's beginning to numb.