The Kingdom of Elias

Master Gracey's Manor

Max and Buff walked in front as they approached the large iron gate on the border of the mansion grounds. It had an ornate G in the center and the name 'GRACEY' adorning the top. There was no lock on the gate. Buff pushed it open. It creaked loudly as it swung open slowly. There was a long path up to the house large enough for a carriage. On either side were expansive lawns that had become overgrown as well as many trees hanging low, covered in Spanish moss. This place looked like it came out of every scary story Oswald had ever heard. He and Gwen stayed close together and always behind Buff.

They began walking towards the main house being sure to keep the lanterns held high. The storm clouds made it feel very late. It was eerily quiet except for the occasional frog croaking. The cold breezes seemed to cut through to the bone. Occasionally they would see a firefly flicker. As they walked up the road they could now get a good look at the mansion. It was a large stone building with stately columns on either side of a grand entrance. There was a tall turret like tower in the center of the structure that reached four stories tall by Oswald's best guess. To the right on the far side of the home was a large conservatory or green house of some kind. Most of that structure was made of green tinted glass. On the second and third story balconies that overhung the entrance, there was ornate iron work railings that stretched across the facade. It was a very strange building with an unsettling design.

Far to the left of the home about two-hundred feet away was a graveyard on a small hill overlooking the property. Oswald didn't know much about human burial practices, but what he did know gave him the creeps. Leaving your loved ones in boxes in the ground seemed very unnatural and cruel to him. The grave markers also confused him. They were large and gaudy. The cemetery had about thirty headstones sticking up through the tall grass at every angle. They had long since been forgotten.

"How long has this place been abandoned?" Oswald asked Buff.

"Hard to say," he responded in a very quiet tone. "Some say Gracey's lover was killed and the sadness eventually made him kill himself. Some say his lover killed him for his fortune. The magistrates never sorted it out. He had no heirs, so the home was left to rot. That was a few generations ago, I think."

The cold breezes were biting and made Oswald squint as he walked. He didn't want to be in the mansion, but he most certainly wanted to be out of the cold. Eventually they came to the front of the house. It was imposing and towered over them. Oswald thought he saw a green light flickering in an upper window but when he rubbed his eyes and refocused it was gone. They walked up the steps under the balcony until they were standing in front of two very tall, wooden doors. They were out of the cold wind, but the chill never left. The lanterns made shadows dance all around the portico and Oswald was having flashbacks to the hold of the Columbia. Cyril took out the map of the house and unfurled it.

"I'm guessing this is the portico," Cyril said. "It's the only entrance on this map. Just inside the door is the 'Box'? I don't know what that means. It just shows a square room."

Max looked at Buff and nodded for him to enter. Buff put his knife away and pulled out his mace and gripped it tight. Gwen backed away from the group, down the steps, and loaded her bow and took aim, in case anything should burst forth from the door. She had her staff strapped to her back against her pack. Max put down his lantern and drew his sword. He was standing to the side of Buff, out of view of anyone standing inside the door. Cyril stood behind Max and held out his staff to give as much light as possible and gripped his hatchet in the other hand. Oswald stood back with Gwen, knife drawn, trying to act brave. Buff tried the handle. Nothing happened. It was locked. He tried again harder. Nothing. He looked at Max unsure what to do.

"Break it," Max said without thinking twice.

Buff took a step back. He sucked in a deep breath and then violently slammed his head into the door in a short charging motion. The wood around the lock splintered and the door popped open. Buff pushed it all the way open and stood back, waiting to be attacked.