[S] Taking the Manor: H2

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

Honestly, Saber wasn’t even surprised in the least when he stepped into the next area. Instead, he sighed and just rested back on his heels. Rather than bother with being upset, the man simply took in the sight before him and just dealt with what was provided. There really wasn’t anything else he could do but accepted it, so that was what he did. After being swarmed by pumpkins and dealing with some angry Goat things on top of dinner tables, the area he was in now was more of a blessing than anything else, and not because of the actual sight. It was more because of the fact that it was much more tranquil than the other zones. Here, the air was clean, the ceiling was open, and the lights were dim. It was dark, quiet, and comforting; just the way Saber liked it. In addition to that, there weren’t as many pumpkins floating around in the air to disrupt the flow of the land. Yet, in exchange, the floor had dozens of them.

Yes, this room was an opened up sanctuary for pumpkins. The ground was not stone but was instead the actual grass, and vines were laced into the floor throughout the area. In the center, a massive tree stretched up towards the sky, challenging the height of the mansion with its treetop. Several branches extended outwards and there were many leaves on its ends. These leaves were not green like the grass was, but instead took the fall color scheme; a mix of oranges, browns, reds, and yellows. Rather than just a flat wall, this area was more open than the rest of the mansion. There was a five foot overhang which surrounded the grassy area, allowing for people to walk around the outside of the room without disturbing the pumpkins. Above and on the two upper floors, the hallways directly beside the open room also opened up, allowing for someone to stand up on the higher floor and look down over a railing towards the pumpkins below. The design was well done, and Saber smirked at the lovely sight of it. Whomever had created this space really enjoyed their pumpkins.

Aside from that, Saber could tell that this was most likely the place where the pumpkins were grown and was a bit of a “pumpkin only” zone, as there weren’t any other creatures here. That was a blessing in itself, seeing as though Saber wouldn’t have to worry about any Knights or Goats running him down. Though, he still felt concerned for the pumpkins which were on the floor. After closer inspection, his display highlighted them all and gave each pumpkin its proper name, but that was unnecessary. There were two types of pumpkins on the floor; one was white and one was red. The white pumpkin was known as the “Frost Jack”, while the red pumpkin was named the “Flare Jack”. Saber kept to his guns on what he thought each of them did and wiggled his nose at the thoughts. The Frost Jacks most likely did some sort of ice attack, while the Flare Jacks performed fire strikes.

Aside from the pumpkins which were growing on the grassy floor, there wasn’t much else beside the floating lanterns in the sky, and that made Saber uneasy. But really, what didn’t make him uneasy about this place? Everything was so dark and spoopy around here that he honestly thought the entire thing was cursed, which it probably was. Did that make him stupid for continuing? Or maybe was it just his extreme sense of curiosity that he was following? If that was the case, than he had some serious issues with wanting to figure things out because dang, he was playing with fire here. This mansion was out to get him and there wasn’t a single soul around to help him with any of this. Blumpy didn’t count. Saber wanted to keep Blumpy alive and putting him in danger was a no-fly zone.

“Better swap…” Putting his issues aside, Saber returned to the issue at hand. He had done well in the previous battle, but it was about time he got himself a little more prepared. His current gear was shabby and he doubted it would do him any good to keep him as he advanced through the rest of this mansion. The previous levels of the monsters were in the low teens, but these Pumpkins were pushing twenty. There was no doubt in his mind that he would have some issues if he progressed with his lower leveled gear. As such, he returned everything he had for weapons into his inventory. Then, he summoned what he described as his “God Set”; two swords, two daggers, while he maneuvered his new bow and arrow combination into the hot-swap area of his inventory, allowing them to be easily access through his menu. It still would take a few taps to get them, but it was significantly easier than digging for them in the middle of combat. His swords nestled themselves onto his waist and pulled a little, signifying a little extra weight to them. However, that was probably due to their huge level difference. Even the two daggers which appeared on his lower back pulled on him a little. Too many, that would probably seem cumbersome, but it made Saber smirk. He could feel the power of his equipment even when he wasn’t holding them… and that was a great feeling.

Now that he was more prepared, it was time to conquer the next hall. His intent was to beat this place, one room at a time. With the next zone open ahead of him, Saber took a step towards the grassy plane in front of him, keying the next step in his advance…

: Word Count :
968

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

Just as Saber took a step out from underneath the overhanging area he stood in, he noticed something strange about the tree in the center of the room and it made him stop almost immediately. Well, it wasn’t weird but it was the fact that there was a pair of dangling legs that descended from above, floating down onto the tree branch. Those legs kicked, back and forth, in an almost childlike manner and the body that they were attached to was silhouetted, disallowing its identity to be known. No light reached its skin and no light bounced off of it, but instead it devoured the air all around it, except for its eyes that glowed a bright yellow. Saber did not grab onto his swords, but instead retracted his foot and crossed his arms. The man stayed within the defenses of the overhang and kept his feet on the stone path. Seeing him do this, the silhouette tilted its head and narrowed its eyes, the slits sharpening as they eyed the player’s actions. Blumpy began to shiver and whimpered on Saber’s shoulder.

“Trick, or treat, stranger?” There was no mouth associated with the tiny silhouette, but the childish female voice still range out from its direction. Saber didn’t respond to it, and instead tried to make the outline out. The figure looked to be around the age of ten, was barely four feet tall, and he could not discern any other features beyond that. No hair style that stuck out, no clothes, no physical features, and no weapons. It seemed just like a ghost which was in his path but he did not doubt the potential problems it could cause. Why did he think this? Well that was simple; he had been attacked in the previous area by silverware and a suit of armor. A violent ghost or two would not be something Saber would put by this mansion to have.

“Oh? Are you scared…? Because I was scared… But… No one came to help me.” The little girl tilted her head back upright and extended her right hand out into the air. As she did so, one of the nearby Mini Jacks floated over and landed in her hand, much like Saber had done with Blumpy. The girl began to scratch at the little creature, causing it to hum and coo at her happily. Saber remained silent and continued to stare at her as she played with the little thing, but once she released it, he was prepared to speak, but she spoke first as she watched the little creature leave her.

“I was all alone here until my Master came and saved me…” Saber held back his tongue as he heard her talk and glanced around himself for a moment, checking his angles to ensure that nothing was creeping up on him. When he looked back forward, he watched the little girl jump off the tree branch. The urge to move and catch her nearly sparked Saber into action, but there was no need for that. The girl did not drop to the floor but instead floated down to it at a slow and careful pace, her bare feet extended towards the grassy land in order to catch her and support her once she touched down. When she was on the ground, she crossed her hands behind her back and looked at Saber again.

“Are you here to hurt my Master, Stranger?” The little one was quite the defiant one, and Saber had a bad feeling about that. As much as he wanted to remain silent, doing so would probably anger this spirit more than speaking would. So, with regret and a bit of unwillingness, the Assassin uncrossed his arms and stepped out into the grassy area that was before him. As he did, he glanced towards Blumpy and nodded. The little pumpkin nodded in response and started to float upwards. As it separated itself from Saber for just a few seconds, a vine shot out of the ground and wrapped itself around the little pumpkin. Not a second later, the vine was cut and spliced as Saber slashed his dagger through it. The Assassin narrowed his eyes on the silhouette and clutched onto his dagger.

“Yes, I am here for your master, but I am of no threat unless you make me one…” Saber twirled the dagger around his fingers and slid it back to its scabbard. Blumpy vanished into the air above, masking itself in with the other little pumpkins. The little girl narrowed her eyes on Saber again and the man began to feel a very murderous feeling run down his spine.

Using his peripheral vision, Saber checked the clock; it was six-fifty.

: Word Count :
789

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

“Anyone who dares disturb my Master is a threat to me…” The little girl began to hiss at Saber, and the Assassin felt the evil intent grow worse and worse. The air became cold and dry, and the breeze started to pick up. Saber pressed his teeth together and locked his jaw as he watched the little girl start to become a little more… angry looking. The air directly around her body was distorted because of her silhouette, but as the thirst for blood became worse there was a small black mist starting to form around her. It was unsettling to watch and there was no doubt in Saber’s mind that this was about to go south, fast. Even so, he did not draw a weapon. He simply crossed his arms and stood beneath the moonlight, watching as the little girl flaunted whatever strength she had.

“Tell me, Stranger. Do you seek to take this mansion from him? Do you wish to take everything he worked for and ruin it?!” The restless tone in the girl’s voice became more disturbed and distorted as time went on and Saber began to get goosebumps on his arms. Though, he didn’t dare show his discomfort to the girl, as he knew she would most likely take advantage of it. Instead, he kept a straight face and used the tattered cloth over his mouth to his advantage. He tensed up the grip he had on his own biceps and straightened his back, making his body a little more resistant to the cold air which flowed through his clothes. He was used to the cold because of living in the mountains, but this air was much different… He could feel the weight of the little girl’s regrets in it.

“No. I do not seek to take his mansion nor do I seek to disrupt the balance which has been created here.” The words which Saber chose were carefully picked, and he did not go beyond answering the woman’s questions. He withheld as much information as possible while prolonging the conversation by making her speak. He could had said a retort and asked her a question in return, however he felt unsafe in doing so. She was hostile and had dared to strike his partner, whom was simply attempting to leave and move out of their way. In doing so, she had already shown Saber that she was willing to come after him. If that was the case, then he needed to keep himself as low on the aggro meter as possible. Fighting here would not be a good idea. The space was small, and monsters littered the floor. There was no doubt that all of them would react to the child’s will should he call them to action. That was a huge advantage to have here.

“Then what is it that you seek? Is it fame? Is it glory?! Are you after the idea of having you name shouted through the streets like a hero?!” The little girl squeezed her hands into fists and her frustration only increased, the black mist around her body becoming thicker and thicker as the seconds passed. Saber remained still even when he felt the pressure of the situation become worse. He kept his head level and his eyes on the prize. Fighting this ghost was not necessary, as he simply was here for the riddle which would appear before him shortly. Should he have to fight this little girl, he would, but he would rather avoid it if possible. With that in mind, he kept his physical presence as low as possible. She was the bigger being here, not him.

“No. I am here for knowledge. The mansion attracted my eye and I became curious, and so I entered its halls. Now, I am simply moving from room to room in search of answers to the many questions I have and if meeting your Master will answer them all, then yes, you could say I am seeking his counsel. Again, I am no threat unless you make me one.” The Assassin explained his situation as thoroughly as he felt comfortable. He left out the details of the two halls he had passed already as well as the fact that he wasn’t allowed to leave unless he was killed. He also left out the fact that it was the girl’s very master whom was beckoning him forward. If she knew that, there was no doubt in his mind that she would snap into a fit of rage, denying it and assaulting him in exchange for his insolence.

Though, just after Saber spoke, the clock chimed and caught his attention. Glancing up to the clock, he realized that it was now seven o’clock on the dot. He wiggled his nose as the sight and relaxed himself. The little girl, on the other hand, did not. She stepped to her right and looked around, as if surprised by the sound. Then, she looked down towards Saber, the black mist even darker now.

“What have you done, Stranger?!” She belted out, but Saber only raised his hand to silence her. His eyes scanned the room slowly, silently.

“Hush… Watch…” The Assassin whispered as he awaited what he knew was about to come; the next clue.

: Word Count :
882

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

Almost as if on cue, there was a low whistling in the background of the area. Saber raised a finger to his lips and nodded to the little girl who stood across from him. She seemed discontent with his actions, and the fury in her eyes only escalated. It was as if he was toying with her, in her eyes, and she would not tolerate that. However, just before she assaulted the Assassin, there was a low groaning noise that echoed out behind her. The girl looked over her shoulder towards the massive tree in the middle of the open space; Saber grinned. The once normal, oversized tree began to twisted slightly and wiggled its branches as if it was coming to life. The pumpkins floating around it steered clear of the living object, but continued to dance as the chiming of the bell continued for several seconds. Then, the tree stopped its flaying and let out another low rumble.

As it came to a stop, resting once again, the area grew silent for but a moment before it began to speak. In a deep, low, aged tone, the Tree vibrated and the noise filled the zone. Saber closed his eyes for a moment and listened as the tree spoke the Hall’s first clue. However, the riddle had a twist on it that Saber could not put his finger on. With that in mind, he let the information he was given work between the gears in his head. The tree, however, went back to its dormant state after it spoke the clue thrice, echoing it out in the form of monotone vibrations for all to hear. Saber took the wording by the tree with a grain of salt, but elected that what he had been provided was not enough. And so, he did not answer right away.

Opening his eyes, Saber watched as the once angry Silhouetted female stared at the oversized tree, her back to the Assassin. Saber chuckled softly to himself and raised a hand up in front of where he was. He did not have an answer, not yet, as the clue was far to obscure for him to actually come up with a solid answer. Yet, that did not mean he would give up. No, he would simply wait a few more minutes until the next clue. If possible, he would sit with the little girl and talk with her, but that was still a problem that needed to be tended to. Saber didn’t want to impede on her and didn’t want to twist the wrong key, as doing so would end with him having to hurt her. Saber was mean, but he wasn’t a child killer. For him, attacking a female was a sin but harming a child was even worse. And so, he kept his distance and maintained his calm demeanor. It was working so far, but how long it would last he did not know. Though, safe was better than sorry.

“I will pass.” Saber said aloud to no one in particular, but the tree gave a soft rumble in response, as if accepting the player’s failure to come up with an answer. Saber sighed at the sound but that was fine. Now he just had to wait.

: Word Count :
545

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

“What… was that?” The little girl asked, as if she had never seen the large tree move before. Saber did not blame her, as he had never seen such a thing either. Though, after seeing a page rip and the walls bleed in order to provide him with clues, seeing this didn’t exactly frighten him. It seemed like the further into this place that he progressed, the more comfortable he became with everything. In addition to that, he was also becoming less frightened by everything. Sure, the little one sent shivers down his spine because of her violent aura, but the pumpkins didn’t bother him, the lack of light didn’t bother him, and he was coming to terms with the little girl being practically a ghost as well. For him, this was a new experience, and it was honestly quite enlightening.

“That, little one, was my clue.” At the sound of Saber’s voice, the little girl looked over her shoulder. Saber sighed and tucked his hands into the inside pockets of his cloak, pulling it closed around himself. He nestled right into the warm embrace of the cloth and sat back on his heels, looking down towards the little one. She stared at him for a moment, confused most likely at what he said, but then looked back up at the tree. Her attention seemed to be completely grabbed by the fact that the thing had moved so suddenly, and so easily. It made Saber chuckle to himself.

“So, she is still a child, ey?” A smirk crossed the Assassin’s face and he nudged his nose into the cloth which covered his face. Though, as cute as the little girl was, Saber continued to keep his distance. Due to the knowledge that she had control over the vines in the floor, he didn’t wish to encroach upon her. There wasn’t any doubt that the little one probably had a few tricks up her sleeve, or maybe another skill or two that could be potentially dangerous and threatening to his life. Although he had a feeling that he wouldn’t have too many problems if worse came to worse. He would simply have to accept the fact that he couldn’t do anything else but fight. If that was the case, then he would draw his blades, but if he could avoid doing so; he sure as hell was going to try.

“A clue…? A clue to what, Stranger?” The little one walked up to the massive tree she had once believed to be a sleeping giant, dwarfed by its roots as she stood directly beside it. Saber watched from where he stood and tilted his head a little, intrigued by the girl’s movements. There, beneath the tree, she reached out and began to poke at the massive object. She did it as if expecting some kind of reaction, and getting none her touching intensified. The interaction went from poking to rubbing, and then from rubbing to finally a hard kick. She whimpered as it didn’t react to her and whined a little. Saber shook his head and sighed. Yes, she was indeed still a young child and with that in mind, it seemed that she still needed some form of guidance. A tree was a tree, and a tree did what it wanted. They were technically the sages of the land and lived for centuries, watching over the lands with keen eyes. A kick, poke, or rub would not cause it to react. If she wanted to talk to the living monument of natural beauty, it would take a lot more than a touch.

: Word Count :
602

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

“Remember when I told you that I was curious? That I was here for knowledge?” The Assassin paused after he asked his question, giving time for the little one across from him to turn around and look to him. She nodded her head and took a few steps towards the player, but hesitated for a moment. Then, she looked back up at the tree. Saber looked up towards it as well and narrowed his eyes, but then he looked down at the little girl once more. She seemed more docile now, as if this new revelation was something truly interesting to her. For Saber, that was perfect. She was becoming relaxed and more comfortable with his presence; now was his chance.

“Your Master has been providing me with riddles as I have walked along the halls. Every few moments, he provides me with a clue and should I find the answer to the clue, the next hall opens and I am allowed to proceed.” As he spoke, Saber took a few steps forward and also moved to his left, allowing the young one to see the door which he came through. Upon doing so, Saber turned sideways and motioned his head towards the door.

“The only reason I was allowed to pass through that door was because I answered correctly, and now I am here. In the last room, I was assaulted by your Master’s Servants in the dining hall. However, I do not come here with the intention of fighting. I am here simply to answer the riddle and move on as swiftly and easily as possible. The less stalling, the better, but sometimes your Master does not give the best clues and I am forced to pass until he gives me another. Just like what happened a moment ago.” Saber made his way over to the tree, careful to avoid the little girl as he did so. Yet it probably wasn’t necessary to do that anymore. Her eyes were no longer hard and the miasma which once floated around her was now gone. She was relaxed, and seemed to be interested in what Saber had to say. He was happy for that, and happy that he would not have to raise his blade to a young one. Even if she was dead or whatever she was, he wanted her to have a chance at doing whatever she was doing. Ending her life or cutting it short now would be unfair to her.

“Knowledge is something that is invaluable, and is far more important than killing someone because when you do that, you lose what they may be able to teach you. I am here in search of answers to questions that this mansion has provided me with. Those answers, I have a feeling, can be provided to me by your Master. If it was not for my curiosity and will, I would not be here right now…” Saber chuckled as he spoke, and placed one hand down on the tree that grew out of the floor in front of him. As he held it there, he took a few moments to breathe and relax, letting the stress of a potential fight roll off his shoulders. Then, he took a few steps back and looked up towards the canopy. The little one walked up beside him and grabbed onto his cloak, tugging gently to get his attention. However, before she could speak, the bell chimed again. Saber looked down at her and smiled beneath his mask, his eyes making a happy expression as well.

“It’s time for another clue.” He said to the little one and patted her on the head. Then, he looked up towards the tree. The little girl did the same and both of them began to wait for the ent to move. As they did, the pumpkins in the air began to dance around the upper area of the tree; they seemed quite content with their lives.

: Word Count :
662

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M

[Saber]

Do you believe in ghosts?

Almost right after Saber mentioned the upcoming clue, the bells chimed in the distant air and the tree before the two beings began to rumble. The pumpkins danced and swirled around happily at the sound of the ringing, moving around the oversized tree as it twisted and flailed. Saber slid his hands into the pockets of his cape and stood up tall, lowering his shoulders as he waited for the large creature to awaken. It did so very slowly, almost as if it was on purpose. Yet after a long minute or so, it finally relaxed and stilled itself again. Then, it rustled its leaves and spoke the next clue. It was a strange one, one that made Saber honestly quite confused. However it involved math and a smart mind. He knew right away that he would need to record what he was being provided with and so he pulled open a message box. In that box, he typed in the clue as well as the rest of the information he was given.

“This one is tough…” Saber mumbled, turning away from the tree as it returned to its still position. The little girl looked up towards Saber as he placed his left elbow into his right hand, and then his left hand onto his chin, supporting his head and upper body as he fell into a deep thought. He had been provided with a bit of information that was quite interesting, to say the least, and how it connected to the previous clue was actually quite obscure. Though, he took what he was given and began to pick it apart. One letter at a time, he slid the clue he was given around and began to pace the garden he was in. He was careful not to disturb the pumpkins and also ignored the little girl’s eyes which followed him back and forth, back and forth. It took him a few minutes, which actually was around ten, but he finally had his answer; and it began to make more sense.

Yet, it still wasn’t enough. It still wouldn’t help him. So he pulled open the file cabinet in the back of his mind and began to sort through what he knew. The clues related to something very few people kept locked in a box, and not even Saber did, but he had touched upon a few of the relatives to the clue. One in particular would be the most useful; a video game collection that he had played. It gathered together a lot of the information bits he required and slowly, he started to pick through it all. He decided on the gender of the clues, then the age which they pointed to. Following that, he crossed out those whom were many in number, and then those with funky symbols until there was a list of simpletons. Then, he picked out the answers which were obviously wrong and was finally left with three final choices. It took him a moment, but then he looked at the clues he had been given.

“Got it….” Saber mumbled and then looked up to the tree, after doing so, he spoke the answer. The little girl tilted her head as he spoke it, but the tree rumbled contently. During the loud vibrating noise, the bells of the clocks chimed and the floor began to shake. The little girl looked towards her feet and quickly began to move out of the way as the dirt started to shift. Saber looked towards the sky and whistled towards Blumpy, calling the little pumpkin back. It did so happily, floating down quickly to the man’s shoulder where it nestled in happily. Saber then smiled to the little girl as the floor parted, revealing a set of stairs which led into the shadows below.

“Your Master is quite interesting, little one. Be proud. As for me, it’s almost time for me to say hello…” Saber smiled and nodded to the little girl, and then he bowed his head to her. After, he walked towards the stairs and began to make his way down into the depths. Before he could get far, the girl called out to him…

“Mister!” Saber paused in his steps and looked up over his shoulder. She stood at the top of the stairs with her hands crossed at her waist. Her eyes were saddened.

“Will you tell him that I miss him…? I want to see him again!” It seemed as if she was troubled, and it also seemed as if this “Master” had been gone for a while. What kind of man, or being, was he…?

“I will do just that. I promise.” As he sealed his pact with the little girl, she giggled and smiled, a thin strip of yellow appearing on the lower part of her face. A moment later, the hole in the floor sealed shut and Saber continued his descent into the area below…

: Word Count :
825

Coded By Saber of L33T T3@M