A mysterious encrypted letter and suspicious behavior of the Albrechts

After entering the forest, we guided our group towards the location of the pathway. When we came near the pathway, we alerted and warned everyone not to go separately away from the group, nor to scramble off into the woods as it is a deep unknown forest and there's high chances of getting lost if you do. After making sure that no one's left behind, we continued our journey, guiding the group throughout the pathway.

Sometime later, we finally reached the Albrecht's family mansion. Everyone were surprised on seeing the beauty of the mansion, it's big grey wall, the vines growing upward and the black gate.

Muhammad went and rang the bell. We saw Ms.Charlotte coming, accompanied by a tall handsome white man who had a short beard. He opened the gate and Ms.Charlotte welcomed us inside "welcome dear guests! please come inside and bless our house with your presence." Everyone including us went inside and the man who accompanied her, closed the gate.

As we were walking, we saw the beautiful garden, the lamps, walking pathways, fountains, a garage etc. But I who was getting curious to know the strange man, went near Ms.Charlotte and asked "Miss, who is that man?" In return, she replied "Jasper Albrecht, my husband." I asked further "what does he like? does he like sword fighting?" "Yeeah....he does like swordfighting. But why asking me this question, Dear?" said Ms.Charlotte as she looked at me with a puzzled face. "To satisfy my curiosity and know you all better, nothing much" I replied back.

when we came at the doorstep, I noticed how strong and big the brown door was. Mr.Jasper pushed the door open and welcomed us inside. As we entered the mansion, we were even more surprised after seeing how beautiful it was from inside as it was from outside. Many windows including two big windows on both the side of the door. A fireplace with a stone chimney and chair-sofa-armchair around it was on the left side of the hall. On the right side of the hall, reside a dining table, behind it was the door to the kitchen. The things that caught my eyes were medival armours, helms, weapons and paintings.

"Alright everyone, get fresh and come down for dinner. Your rooms are on the right" said Ms.Charlotte and went inside the kitchen. When we were about to go, Mr.Jasper out of sudden said "my apologies but you guys have to go ahead Without me. don't worry, I will meet you all at the dinner." Before I could ask the reason, he went away somewhere and we were on our own. After climbing the stairs, everyone entered the right corridor where our rooms were situated except for Saish. I saw him anxiously looking at a big portrait of an nobleman who was wearing an armour. I went near him and asked "why being so anxious,Saish? is there something wrong?" "Look at the eyes of the nobleman in the portrait. it looks so real. it feels like that the man in the portrait is literally watching us or staring at us. Don't you feel suspicious about it, Ali?" Who was still looking at the painting. I took a glimpse at the nobleman's portrait and said "it must be your imagination bro, there's nothing suspicious about it. Now go and get fresh. Ms.Charlotte must be waiting for us at the table." He agreed and then, we went inside the corridor.

As we entered, the corridor was broad and big. tubelights was on the ceiling but some medival looking iron fire torches was attached on the wall infront of the room's door. I went to my room where Muhammad, Aqdus and Basheer were already present. One by one, we freshened up, got ready and went down for dinner.

When we came down in hall and went near the table, we noticed a white elder woman sitting at the front chair and infront of her was sitting a bearded white elder man. We went and greeted them "greeting sir, greeting ma'am." "Greeting kids, please sit. Charlotte and Jasper will soon serve the dinner" the elder man said. We sat and chatted with them.

sometime later, Rahul sir and Pooja ma'am came followed by all students. After a while, Ms.Charlotte and Mr.Jasper came out of the kitchen and served us our dinner. "Look like you already met my parents-in-law. Let me introduce my mother-in-law Grace Albrecht and my father-in-law Arthur Albrecht" said Ms.Charlotte and she introduced us to them. "It's so nice to meet you all. Well, you all must be tired and exhausted. Why don't you finish up your food before it gets cold and get some rest for the night? we can chat in the morning" said Ms.Grace and we started eating. After finishing our dinner, we wished them goodnight and went to our respective rooms.

My room was located at the end of the corridor. There was a big window beside my door wall from where The moonlight entered through the window and scattered all over the corridor which provided a pleasurable experience. though it gave vibes from a scene of twilight buuut..... I ignored it and went to my room.

When I entered the room, I saw my friends in a state of confusion. I asked them what happened.

Aqdus replied "there's only one bed and we are four. how can we manage?" I looked around the room and founded an idea to clear this confusion. "how about two of us sleep on bed, one will sleep on sofa and the other will sleep down on the carpet floor. pillows and rugs, we have plenty of them. soooo.....what do you all think?" I said to them. Muhammad suggested another solution "instead of doing all this, why don't we all sleep down on the carpet floor?" "Hmm..... I agree. there's logic and sense in your point" I said to him. Finally at 12:00 am, Basheer switched off the lamps and we all slept on the furry carpet floor which was actually comfortable rather than sleeping on the bed.

The morning came, sun rose passing its light through the window and spreading it on the room's floor, also on our face which woke me up.

It was 8:00 am, I freshened up, went down in the hall only to find Ms.Charlotte setting the table and Ms.Grace knitting woolen caps. Even though it was summer, the cold air coming from outside was freezing my bones. Seeing me shivering, Ms.Charlotte laughed and pointed at a fur coat "Ha ha ha ha! oh my. Wear that coat, you won't feel cold." It was little big but fitted anyway. I asked Ms.Charlotte about Mr.Jasper's whereabout. She replied "he is outside in the garden. you can find him there,Dear." "Okay and thank you for the coat, Ms.Charlotte" I said to her. As I was about to leave, Ms.Grace handed over me a letter and asked me to give it to Mr.Arthur who was Mr.Jasper's father and her husband. I nodded yes and went out.

When I came outside, I went to an isolated place and decided to read the letter. when I opened the letter, I found the alphabets of the sentences was jumbled and mixed in such a way that no one would understand what is written in it. It was like an encrypted code message. I took a pic of it with my phone and putted it back in it's envelope. I looked around to see whether there's someone or not. After making sure that there's no one around, I went toward the garden where Mr.Jasper was present only to come across Mr.Arthur.

He asked me that what I was doing outside. I told him "I was going in the garden to meet Mr.Jasper and yeah, Ms.Grace asked me to give this letter. Must be important, isn't it?" "Yeeah...very important. Okay champ! I will be on my way, see ya" said Mr.Arthur who took the letter and went somewhere in rush. I was like "yeeeaahh...whatever."

I went in the garden where I saw Mr.Jasper sitting on a stone bench. I wished him "good morning" and sat beside him. "Good morning, Ali. Charlotte told me you love swordfights, wanna spare and practice with me while you are here?" he asked me. Without any hesitation, I agreed. He got up and asked me to follow him. I nodded and followed him.

He took me at the backside of the mansion. Attached to the mansion was a trapdoor. While he was opening the trapdoor, I saw up only to find Muhammad watching us from our room's window. I indicated him not make any noise and observe the scene silently. "What is it, Ali?" Mr.Jasper asked me which almost took me by surprise. I answered "Its.....it's nothing. Just the cold, though I like it but its freezing my hand. Could you open it a little faster, Mr.Jasper?" He looked at me and let out a little laugh and said "hahaha! don't worry, it won't freeze you to death. Btw, who told you about this house and it's location?" I told him everything about the shopkeeper, his story and his description. After hearing it, he smirked and opened the trapdoor.

We went in and what I saw was unbelievable. The room was full of medival armor-helm, weapons including Halberd, spear, sword, rapier, mace, axe, bow and crossbow. It was like seeing one of my dream coming true. When we entered the duelist room which I name it, Mr.Jasper told me that I can remove the coat and hang it on the coat hookstand. I did as he told and hung the coat on it. It wasn't that much cold compared to the cold outside.

Mr.Jasper helped me putting the protective armour on me and then we both went to the weapons&shield rack to select a weapon for the fight. He suggested me that we should start with a normal sword on which I agreed. Mr.Jasper took out two viking sword which from my prospective, was called 'Ulfberht sword.' He gave me one of the sword and took one for himself. He then told me to take a round viking shield from the shield section shelf and then went to take one for himself.

Once ready and set, protective armour worn, with sword and shield in hands, we stand infront of each other at a distance in the duelist room.

Mr.Jasper raised his sword and pointed at me, saying "are you ready to fight, Ali?" I banged my sword at my shield as a yes and said "always ready for swordfights. Mr.Jasper, bring it on." He smirked and with a shout of war cry, we charged at each other. We were striking, slashing, parrying with sword and bashing with shield at each other.

Due to my some miscalculation, he accidentally bashed his shield on my forehead so hard that I fell unconscious on the spot. Sometime later when I came back to my consciousness, I saw Mr.Jasper staring at me with a worried expression on his face. On seeing me conscious, he quickly rushed towards me and removed my helm to check the wound. "PHEW! thanks god, the wound is big but not deep. Congrats on your first scar, lad. Let's get your wound cleaned and bandaged, shall we?" he said and I happily agreed.

After cleaning and bandaging my wound, Mr.Jasper told me to go back to my room. I asked him "btw, where are you going?" "To meet the shopkeeper and to have a nice chat with him" he said and got ready to go. As he was about to leave, I questioned him "but why? what would you get from hi-" "IT'S NONE OF YOUR GOD DAMN BUSINESS, ALI! DON'T ASK ANY QUESTIONS RELATED TO THIS!" Mr.Jasper angrily shouted at me which took me by surprise but he soon realized what he just did. After calming down, he asked me to just go and leave him alone for sometime.I nodded yes and went towards my room.

What made him so angry when I asked about his purpose to meet the shopkeeper? and And what dark secrets the encrypted code message holds? Something is not right about this house and things don't look good as it seems to be.

But I did realized something, that the dark power were slowly coming out and the beast are almost near on breaking their chains. If I don't find out what's going on before it's too late, the dark power which Albrecht's family holds will infect them completely, making invulnerable for us to resist against them and once the beast inside them breaks their chains, they will surely come to hunt us down and will eradicate us completely from this world.