You look up at the palace, your equipment slung over your shoulder. Even after years of doing this it still gives you the rush of adrenaline and the beating fear in your heart.
You glance over at Asra. He's fiddling with the EMF reader, his own choice of weapon. He looks up when he sees you staring at him.
Asra gives you a reassuring smile, "Oh, it's just another job." He shrugs. "Besides, it can't be worse than the Behoven house."
The hair on the back of your neck stands up. You don't talk about the Behoven house.
Muriel huffs a sigh, clutching onto his smudge sticks. He plays with them. Muriel always makes his smudge sticks himself, he doesn't trust anyone else to do it.
"Let's get a move on this thing, this ghost won't exorcise itself!" Julian says with a smirk, In his hand he holds the thermometer. He struts up to the palace door.
You grip at the spirit box, following him. Asra catches up to you, sliding his hand into yours. It makes you feel a bit safer somehow.
The countess answers the door, a black shawl on. She glances around, then whispers to you, "I'm glad you've come."
"Always at your service, countess." Julian says with a smile. With that, the countess lets you all in and leads you down the dark and winding corridors.
You reach a wing of the palace that seems... gloomier than the rest. Somehow the lights seem to glow dimmer and it eerily silent.
"We've has nothing but trouble for months." Nadia explains, wrapping her shawl tighter. "Servants won't come here, some have been attacked."
"We'll fix it, don't worry." Asra assured her.
With that, she nods, taking a long glance at the corridor before scurrying out.
"Alright, ghost bitch, let's get a it." Julian says, holding up the thermometer.
"Don't taunt it." Muriel says quietly, turning his flashlight on and heading into one of the rooms.
"Don't taunt it." Julian mocks Muriel before disappearing into a room on the right.
Asra turns to you, "Best if we split up at first." He says. "But don't worry, just call for me and I'll come."
You nod, watching as he heads into a room on the left.
You sigh, turning on your spirit box. It becomes alive with radio static, loudly buzzing and echoing through the hallway as you start to walk.
"Is anyone here?" You ask out loud. You're met only with static.
You turn into what appears to be a bedroom. It's clearly seen better days though. The bed is torn and covered in ash and dust. The wallpaper has been torn and peeled. One thing that remains in tack though is a painting on the far side of the room.
It depicts a blond man, standing proud and holding some sort of sword.
Could this be the former count?
"Not former." The spirit box buzzes.
You startle, looking down at the box.
"Can you repeat that?" You ask.
"Not former.... Current." The voice is fuzzy with static.
You look around the room, "And whom am I speaking to right now?"
The box almost seems to scoff, "Count."
Makes sense.
"Asra!" You call. You have to tell him the news. Before you can call again, the door to the room slams shut, locking you inside.
