EP 117 - SOMETHING CREEPY... SOMETHING SINISTER...

The night was cold as a freezing wind blew , Snow padded the sandy ground as people walked by each other without a moment's greeting, holding out candles as they made their way in the fog that covered the village. It was winter Solstice and the coldest night of the year.

All that could be seen for miles was only more snow and word went around that a snow storm was building up and the inns and taverns were filled up to capacity by passers-by not wanting to be caught unawares in that icy time of year.

Out of a tavern with parted double doors , solemn music was heard as people moved around , most of them half drunk as they staggered around the open space like mindless zombies moving effortlessly to the rhythm of the music.

Levi raised a mug of all to his lips and took it down in one gulp. "Another one!" He called out to the tavern keeper that was busy serving up another individual.

"I thought you said that was your last one." The middle aged man raised a knowing eyebrow as he doled out another glass of Whiskey into the mug.

"Well, I changed my mind." He smirked as he drank slowly. "Things going slow?"

The man nodded in affirmation to his question as he spoke. "It's just one of those nights."

His attention was suddenly taken when the double doors leading into the tavern was blown open by a gust of cold wind accompanied by some fleets of snow. Levi assumed that it was probably just another drink trying not to get caught up in the incoming snow storm , so he turned away but someone came up to him and took a seat by his side.

"Hello there."

He gave a careless sweep in the individual's direction , a glance filled with apparent non interest but there was something about the person that made him look again. She wore a seducive tight laced sattire green bodice and sexy brown boots . On her neck laid a magnificent necklace which she toyed with as she spoke.

"You're not from around these parts, are you?" She queried as she declined the offer from the tavern keeper and leaned in closer to Levi who couldn't help but get an eyeful of her revealing bodice.

"What If I am ?"

"Then we would have met before." A ghostly grin passed her face as she stretched out her hand for a shake. "My name is Tabitha . Nice to make your acquaintance."

He grasped her hand and but felt no aura about her. No good aura , no bad aura ...Just Nothing.

"The name's Levi."

"You're not like any other man I've ever met." Tabitha said to him.

"Let just say I'm a bit different."

Tabitha's hand wandered upwards into his chest as she got up her seat at the bar. "Well then Levi , oblige me ." She smiled in an alluring manner as she was halfway through the double doors. "Show me how different you can be."

"When you say it like that " He replied as he escorted her out into the freezing night towards an inn nearby , both bundled up in coats to protect against the night winds ."How could I ever refuse?"

———————————

Conrad gulped when he and Avyanna arrived at the Farm house just at the outskirts of the town. The House stood tall and terrifying as it presented a grim landscape blending with a dark, ominous horizon. Its cracked window still and broken in steps accentuated its creepy appearance. The land in which the house was built on was devoid of any living tree or any lush greens as if it were corrupted by some unseen darkness.

"Is this your house?" Avyanna asked.

Rhea nodded numbly with tears in her eyes. "Yes."

The Mage sighed and placed a comforting hand on the girl's shoulder. "Don't worry. I promise you we are going to find Leticia and when we do , we are going to bring her right back to you."

The crying girl snifled before she gave a weak smile and headed back towards the town in with intentions of getting back to the inn to continue with her work as Winter Solstice was a busy time.

After she had gone some distance from the two , Conrad turned his back and wanted to walk away when Avyanna held his arm.

"Where do you think you're going?!" Avyanna. yelled exasperated.

"Where do you think I'm going? In there?" He waved dismissively at her. "I'm going

back to the taverns."

"To do what? Get drunk?"

"Exactly."

"We are going to help her." She told him sternly and made to walk away but Conrad held her back.

"That house...." He blurted out erratically pointing at the creepy manor. "is a deathtrap. If we go in there , the chance that we're going to come back out alive and not dead or missing a piece of our bodies is lower than nil. So thank you very much , but I'm gonna skip certain death."

"A little girl that's out there somewhere that could need our help. What Kind of adventurers would we be if didn't even try? What kind of people would we be? It's Winter Solstice Conrad and Rhea in the least, deserves a Christmas Miracle." Avyanna spoke to him convincingly. "Are you with me or you are not with me?"

Conrad wasn't even listening as he had already started down the long winding the road back down.

"Were you even listening?"

"Long enough to know that you're crazy enough to go in there. But I'm not." He shouted back at her. we are adventurers not superheroes "Good luck in there and maybe try not to die."

"Coward!"

"He who runs away lives to fight another day." Conrad shrugged. "And I'm still standing."

She cursed underneath her breath before heading towards the house. Lying on the front steps was a old rag doll with a tattered dress and grimy hair and Avyanna wondered why she had not noticed it there before. Something had definitely taken place in that farm house days back but she still could not place her finger in what it could be. Avyanna had seen many demons and monsters in her time and each had its particular distinctive characteristics. The House was in a perfect condition, nothing tampered with , nothing broken which meant the creature also had an intellect, a remarkably high one. And from experience , the smarter the monster you were dealing with , the harder it would be to find it.

But that didn't make it impossible And Avyanna was sure to get to the bottom of it.

All she needed was a little help of the dark arts.