1 Chapter 1 -The mansion

It was every maiden's dream...

To marry a good man,

A good-looking wealthy man...

At such a young age (19), Ophelia was engaged to one of the dukedoms' family-friends' son -to keep the ties healthy and money going, they had to tie the knot.

~ I, an adopted daughter from the powerful and mysterious Marcias family was engaged to the eldest son of the Hastings family for a while now. I am not in love, but the urge to live a noble life, a wealthy life for my sick family in name- was my purpose.

It was a sunny weather to wed. Everything was also covered in white with sunlight piercing through the glassy windows. It was a heavenly sight for the bride to walk down the aisle.

"You may now kiss the bride"

But something didn't feel right at the moment, why-

"Wait, why am I in my night gown!?"

~(yawn)

~'Gosh, I was dreaming'

But it will happen soon, tomorrow is going to be the day I knot ties with Oscar Hastings.

'Since today is my last day in the mansion, I want to look around as much as possible'

Ophelia thought of her younger days in the Marcias mansion. She was only five when she got adopted, and she frankly didn't know the real reason why. The Marcias, after all was a mysterious family and is one of the most powerful duchy in the empire. It was a quiet duchy with few affairs, here and there, it never really involved with anything serious. It was a quiet family, but it had a dangerous aura that could not be shaken.

Despite being also known as the most peaceful duchy in the empire, the truth about the Marcias' secrets has yet been uncovered and it is said to have involved dark magic at that. So far, rumours were the only thing that sufficed Ophelia's curiosity.

The duke's heir has yet to be announced, and without further abrupt, if the wedding tomorrow is to be a success-Oscar Hastings is going to take over the Marcias' estate for a while, as the temporary successor.

~ So, I guess they adopted me for that reason, but why not a son?

I did hear of the Marcias' heir was to be their son, but that guy never appeared. As years passed passively in the duchy, I couldn't help but think that he died or that his existence had been a fraud. Although, I did meet him a few times but I was too young to remember him vividly.

Arising from her bed and outside her room, Ophelia wandered to the familiar halls of the mansion.

~'Oh, I should try visiting the old Mansion'

I was still in my night gown, it didn't matter walking this way through the halls back to the old mansion. I and the family's 50-years old faithful butler-Zachy were the only ones allowed in these halls that led back to the old melancholic mansion.

Yes, it was a lonely place to live in. The family never loved me nor hated me, but I was a tool for political marriage. Walking down these halls, there was really nothing to look at aside from looking forward to the old mansion. To describe it, the old mansion gave me a mysterious vibes that made me feel the urge to at least reminisce my childhood.

It was just once.

~That one time when I met the granny Marcias. She was an angel covered in wrinkled skin and had a long scar from her neck down to her chest. I was never allowed to approach her but it was like fate meeting her.

Ophelia's footsteps were getting louder as the halls grew darker despite the sunrays outside.

~'It should be just around this corner'

Not farther down the hall led a small door with old staircases which led to the basement and connected it to the main old mansion.

~'Here I go, one last thrill in this crappy mansion for my boring life'

Going down, Ophelia held the dusty rails tightly, with every step she held her breath as if the staircases were going to give up on her. And it was very dark too.

(Step, creak, step, step, creak )

Finally, a door appeared before her which had a dim light behind it.

~'I should tell zachy to replace that light when I go back'.

A loud creak echoed when the door opened upon her entrance.

(~bang!)The door slammed on its own as if it was disturbed from Ophelia's entrance, and everything went silent again.

"Same old scent, how come everything is still in place with no dust in them" she muttered despite the heavy silence.

~'Zachy must be cleaning them every day'-but she knew deep inside it was impossible for zachy to do so.

Looking around she found few items that were really nostalgic for her. It was the memories of the previous duchess that swept through her mind. Duchess Katerina Marcias, she was a sin to look at. Her beauty could make any man erotic at the sight of her. She was a bit-witch.

-Though that last part might not be true.

She was simply beauty itself. Her raven lashes and hair that glow and floated like feathers in the sunlight and her breath-taking ruby eyes was the perfect pair. She was pale like she was sick all the time, but her rose red lips were too surreal for it to be natural. She bewitches men and women alike, maybe she is indeed a witch.

~'But she died.'

It has been a decade since anyone has mentioned the previous duchess' existence. It was a taboo; you would be cursed to talk about past events in this mansion. It was yet another mystery how she died.

As for Ophelia, she didn't really know a single thing about this family. How everyone is so dark and calm at the same time. As if it was the perfect place for breeding secrets anytime. She was mostly away from the mansion as she was taken care of by the family's relative discreetly.

And here she finds herself for the last time, looking around as if to find a hidden treasure or unknown fact that could perhaps turn around her perception of the family who took her in. It was a suffocating life of loneliness for her; she didn't want to leave like this. Not knowing anything, she felt empty and sad inside. If there is anything that could appease her anger, or was it guilt? She felt desperate and she wanted love more than anything else. Not that she deserved it, but she wanted to give love in return for the generosity of raising her.

~'Is this just it?' Ophelia thought emptily.

She was getting bored and obnoxious at the site of vintage furniture that came in different sizes. It felt eerie. And as much as she wanted to go back her desire to find a sentimental object overlapped her fear.

'Just the door after the music hall' -She thought wittily.

She continued walking on without looking back. The room ahead held a very promising childhood for her. It reminded her of her first year staying in the mansion when granny Mar was still the one taking care of her unknowingly to the entire household. They weren't supposed to meet nor even say hello to each other-At least that was how it seemed growing up inside the mansion alone.

'There, granny Mar's room'

She felt nostalgic with every step she took. This woman loved her. She knew and with that she confidently inched closer to the door as if it was fate calling out to her. A destiny unfulfilled and a secret unfolding.

~(Creak)

A footstep, inside the room.

A shadow was moving.

~(hhngg)

Someone was wailing.

(Sob. Sob. Sob.)

~'What do I do? Who the hell cries like madman in a spooky mansion? Zachy?'

A thousand thoughts crossed Ophelia's mind. She was nervous, cold sweat tickled down her ears and throat.

~'A ghost. no, it has a shadow'

This event caught her unguarded as the mansion was restricted and that keys were not given out freely to anyone.

~'Just who could it be? Father Duke?' That isn't possible though, he had to go through early patrols around the east gate and some duke-y things to do. Something petty like this is not what Duke Father does.

Stepping closer, she leaned at the slightly opened door.

Slowly, slowly. She crept in and peered at the stranger.

'...'

~I was getting cold feet just by staring at the person who trespassed the Marcias estate. It was a person with a blue mask with a noble crest.

'Who? Have I seen it somewhere before?'

Ophelia gaped at the hooded masked person. His back was standing right in front of her and wailing at that.

~'But for what? Did he knew granny Mar, it must have been a long time ago. Why is he in tears?'

He looked like a madman to her, but he was desperate somehow. As he gasped for air he would try to mumble some words which Ophelia couldn't make out what it was. It was barely audible.

'What a heart-wrenching sight it is' -Ophelia thought as she tried listening to his words.

"Please, just ...one more" (~sob, gasp)

~'What the heck is going on.'

Still flabbergasted by the strange encounter, she had lost all her depressing thoughts earlier and continued focusing on the drama set before her. He was mumbling to himself which seemed like an incantation. And his hands were gripping something tightly.

~'What is it? Is this person somehow involve in dark magic'

She couldn't help but think this way at the moment. He is weird. And she felt scared for not walking out right away. There was no way to back down, her feet and knees were trembling and her gut wouldn't want her walking out at such an important event.

~'I have to know.'

I slowly gulped down the lump that was forming in my throat. I needed to see what he was gripping so tightly, it could help me understand a little.

But as I looked down on his hands again-my expectation blurred against the sight of the ring he was gripping tightly.

-An opal ring, a giant opal ring.

~'It definitely belongs to granny Mar. Why does he have it?'

Her heart raced at the sight of it. She could not explain the emotion that weld up inside. But as soon as the person finished his incantation-

~(jolt)

I ran, stomping my every step. I was surprised by my sudden reaction. But I felt furious. Something tells me that this masked person did something he shouldn't have.

"That's mine!"

I choked back my shaky voice and jolted my hand to grab the ring he was holding and then suddenly-

"No! What are you doing?.. Who!?" The stranger yells in surprise.

The person grabbed my hand with a gentle force, but words were of no use. We continued to struggle until I was pushed before granny's old desk which had a picture frame on it and-

~(wham!)

Broken glass shards were on the floor and my other arm which was now gripping the edge of that desk for support got torn by the shards left...

"Let go young lady! Please..." he was now using brutal force on me.

~'Heck this person is strong and by all means utterly foolish for trespassing a private property'

"This belongs to...granny, so..why?"

I pursed my lips as I gripped on the ring harder, with so much force I pushed myself that my lips started to bled as I attempted to push him away.

~(thud)

He fell down but was quick on his feet; I automatically took the ring with both my hands and cuddled it to my chest.

'Ouch. The shards must have penetrated my fingers'

My bloody hands were now coating the ring inside, and it was getting warmer too. I slowly gaped at the person in front of me, surprisingly his face was now only half covered by a cloth, his mask must have fell off but as I looked into his eyes they were in an utter state of disbelief, as if something worst just happened.

And it did. The ring was glowing hot. It was too hot that smoke was appearing on my bloody hands.

'What is happening?' And with that I felt myself losing consciousness and fell with a thud.

Blink.

Blink.

'All I see is white, where am I?'

"The ring!"

I looked at my hands and found nothing. No ring, no scars.

'Was it all a dream perhaps?'

Blink.

Blink.

"Sleep, child...

A voice whispers gently.

...you have a long journey ahead"

-and everything went dark.