The Haunted Mansion

"So this is your house?"

"I'm sorry"

We've somehow arrived all three together at their place. It took us an hour to travel so if you looked at the sky, The sun is setting down.

I noticed that since we entered here, we're already surrounded by an ocean of trees, 2km away from the nearby neighborhood.

Earlier-, As I was pinned together by both of them, I continued to shout.

"AHHHHHHHHHHH! FUCC- AHHHHHHH"

The Lich was in full force hugging my legs together trying to break them. But instead of actually breaking them, they just focus on making me feel the pain.

"You Stupid flat- AHHHHHH< I surrender, I surrender"

I tapped the Dark elf's arms signaling my surrender, She looked at me, But they didn't accept the white flag immediately, They still continued.

"AHHHH STOPPP"

"I'm really sorrryyy!" cried by the Dark elf.

"IF YOU'RE SORRY< STOPP AHHHHHH"

The two of them signaled each other. The lich asks.

"Do suru no? Kaiho suru?" (What to do? Free him?)

"Ehhhh, Yoroshidesu ka?"(Are you sure?)

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

I shouted in pain, to the point I'm starting to feel that my legs are numbing. I'm crying tears, I don't know what to do.

Big Sis, Mama, See you on the other side.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

I was knocked unconscious.

The moment I woke up, I saw the Dark elf and the Lich in front of me. There's grass on the ground, We're still at school.

"What, ahhh! my legs"

"You're alive?"

I looked at the Lich staring at me, I can still see that massive smoke of miasma behind her back.

I can't move my arms, Am I binded? There's rope tied from up to my shoulders down to my waist.

The Dark elf looked at me imitating an apologetic gesture and said.

"I'm really sorry about this"

"What's this about?" I

"Can I ask you to spare my cousin?"

"Spare-"

I looked at the lich with fear in my eyes, gulping my saliva because I'm afraid of her next move. I feel like I'm the one who should be spared here.

"Why didn't you kill me instead?" I asked.

She wiped my face with her handkerchief and told me.

"Eh? I'm not- like I said before, we're not bad people, I will not hurt you!"

"Heeeeeh, Is that so?" But she did help her cousin lock my leg earlier.

The Lich looked at me with an intense stare trying to look deep in my soul. The Dark elf untied my ropes and helped me stood up. I'm surprised I can stand up while I can't feel anything in my legs anymore.

I looked at her and asked.

"Why should I trust you?"

The lich knuckled her hands and shook shivers on my spine. She said.

"Listen here red eye, Be grateful"

"I'm sorry" I averted my gaze as I can't look directly at her eyes.

"Ugh my legs still hurts"

Going back, I looked at their house, or should I say Mansion. It's a 2 floor story mansion in pale cream paint that resembles a 15th century generic Villa.

A Haunted Villa exactly, or so it was.

"Ho Ho Ho Ho, Merry Christmas"

I looked at the Dark elf completely confused.

"Why?.... Why?..... Why is there Christmas decorations in your house? it's not Christmas anymore"

"I- I get what you feel Crimson"

Above their roof, there's a Christmas light with the design of Santa in a Red sleigh and Jesus behind him throwing gifts. It's even playing music. The Dark elf continued-

"We've arrived here this June and when we went here, the Santa Jesus is already around"

I asked her "Why didn't you take it down"

She answered. "We arrived here yesterday that's why we can't remove it, we didn't even finished renovating the insides too."

"I see...." I looked at the Santa Jesus and thought about Christmas decoration in a Haunted Mansion looks a bit cool. I told her

"Hmmm.... Actually, don't take it down, it looks Hella cool"

"Was it really cool?" She asked me, she then continued. "Though, I could put that in my mind"

"Yeah!" I looked around to trying to find the lich but I can't see her. I asked the Dark elf.

"By the way, where is that Flat chest --, Ughhh, My legs!"

Before finishing my sentence, my legs suddenly palpitate. I pressed to pressure the pain and ease the palpitating blood. It seems the sensation on my legs is coming back, but in a needle-like ache.

"Arrrghh!"

The Dark elf then looked at me with a worried look and asked me.

"Are you okay? We can aid it, does it really hurt that much?"

"What kind of Lock doesn't hurt! Ahh! What are you two? wrestling maniacs? how did you even learn those things?"

"I'm sorry"

I jumped lightly trying to ignore the pain, The Dark elf still looked at me with worried looks and is preparing her hands in case I might get hurt again.

I looked at my uniform and noticed it was incredibly dirty. I asked her,

"Dark elf! I want to ask something"

She looked at me and told me. "Hmm? What is it? you need aid?"

"Nope, but earlier... It might be true that you have no intent for hurting people but.... I really did bad things to you two"

She listened to me as she dust herself up. I continued- "Instead of bringing me here, you could just try and leaved me alone there"

The Dark elf looked at me as soon as I finished my question. She looked above the sky trying to think why she did that and told me,

"Why I decided that huh..... It wasn't really my Idea to bring you back here... but if I have to choose, I would rather fulfill the promise"

"Why is that?" I asked

"You see, instead of running away from your problem, I think it might be easier for yourself to solve it. If I kept my promise, my future self won't suffer the consequences"

"Is that so?"

"Also if I leaved you alone there, you might really kill me the next day"

I took my dirty uniform and stored it in my backpack. All I have left to me is my Inner white T-shirt and my slacks. I then looked at the sky and slowly looked as the sun set down.

"It's 6pm huh, Should we go?"

When the nights hit the time 6, the sun will set out, turning engulfing the day with darkness where monsters will appear. To a place where you're surrounded by a forest instead of the usual residence, this area is much darker than anywhere else.

I looked around as I noticed that the place is extremely dark, The vast sea of forest you can clearly see earlier became a void of darkness. I looked at the Dark elf and asked her,

"Aren't you going to take off your uniform? It might get dirty"

She then looked at her uniform and told me- "Hmm? oh this, It's a pain to switch clothes right now so I'll do it afterwards. I'm just luring these monsters after all, so I guess I won't do that much working"

I asked her, curious as how she will do this, "How does your magic works anyways?"

"I'll show it to you afterwards" She told me.

I looked around still trying to know where the Lich is and asked "Where's the lich by the way?"

"Kuro-chan? She mentions she's going to get something first"

I looked straight at the tree. I enhanced my eyes with a little magic. I'm not good at it but I still tried.

I answered to her- "Is that so?" As I looked at this tree- isn't this,

Aren't these Molave and Mango trees? The thing in front of me is a Huge Tree.

I never visited this part of the city yet but I could feel the ominosity in the air. You can clearly tell that these place has a lot of Apparitions rather than an Oddity or Ghouls. I went ahead to check upon it.

As the dark elf noticed me, she followed me, but before she managed to take a step in, The lich appeared behind her back and touched her shoulders.

"Kyaaaa!" The Dark elf jumped in surprise but went in ease as she saw the lich, The Lich told her.

"I'll make Dinner so be careful out there"

"Ah, You scared me earlier"

I ignored them and continued walking, but the lich called me.

"Red eye!"

I looked at her from a huge distance, since we're a far, I shouted.

"WHAAAAAAT!?"

She then threw something at me.

"Catch it!"

'What's this?"

I captured the thing she threw at me. When I looked at it properly, I noticed it was a small katana.

She asked me. "You're going to fight apparitions right? take that with you! That sword name is Heart-span!"

I took a closer look at the weapon. If I remember, small Katana like this are called Wakizashi. Though, I wonder why she giving this to me.

The weapon's scabbard is bright red whilst its handle is colour black with gold Kashira underneath it. It has a dragon sculpture and is much heavier than a usual dagger with the same size. For an artistic point of view, this sword is beautiful.

Curious at how the blade looks like, I unsheathed the weapon, and there- the blade shone red.

My eyes opened in astonishment as the blade of the weapon radiates a bright yet bloody crimson colour. The edge of the weapon is sharp and well crafted. The texture of the blade was not made in any type of ore found in japan.

You can clearly tell that this weapon, is not an ordinary weapon.

The Lich opened her eyes wide as she saw the blade radiates a colour. She said-

"It's True"

"What's True?" I asked her.

She ignored my question and then told me, "You can have the sword"

"Wha-"I was surprised but then I looked at the Sword, I agreed and told her- "O-okay"

Receiving a cool weapon is awesome, but I can get that feeling that this thing is cursed or something especially when the one who gave it to me is a Lich.

Also, I think Heart-span as a name is lame, why not call it-

"Chunraporicopo!"

The Dark elf went to me and looked at the sword with bright eyes. She was astonished by it,

"Oh, The Heart-span, Its glowing"

"Pardon me, but it's Chunraporicopo, also, you know this sword?" I asked her.

"Kind of, It was told to me that the Heart-span possess some kind of divinity that allows its user to kill and touch an apparition"

My Chunraporicopo is an Enchanted weapon? That's awesome! but I still can't help but think it as a cursed weapon.

The blade's glow started to fade and I notice a word encrypted to the blade. It seems like Japanese to me...

"Dark elf, look, what is this?" I asked her. Since this Kojic elf is Japanese, she might know.

"Hmmm?" The Dark elf also looked at it and told me- "It seems to be a Kanji of Number 19"

"Number 19?" I asked to confirm.

"Yeah, that's what it says here, just plain kanji of 19"

Now, that's weird, so this weapon might be the 19th prototype or version of the weapon? I asked her. "Are you sure I can have this? the lich just gave it to me, but it seems to be something you shouldn't give so casually"

"She gave it to you? how weird, I guess it's fine"

"Is that so" Is this really not a trap? Now I'm concerned.

We went together in the middle of the forest away from their home. The place was covered in mist and darkness that even my smartphone flashlight can't discern everything.

As I look above, the sky is covered in tree branches that you can't even see even the stars, it's so dark that even the moonlight can't shine upon.

We continued to walk and I can feel a sinister aura brewing in the air. I looked around and thought. "We're not lost aren't we?"

Suddenly, a purple shine radiates the forest illuminating everything my smartphone cant. The trees and plants became visible and you can walk straight properly.

I turned around to know where the purple glow came from and saw the Dark elf's hands radiating the light.

She told me. "I guess we can do it here"

There were magic circles in the Dark elf's arm, radiating the light that shone the forest. I thought-

That's awesome. I then turned off my smartphone light as her purple glow radiated enough shine to let me see the surroundings.

I asked.

"What's that in your hand?"

She looked at me and answered. "Oh this? its our passive skill, known as "Night's call" I usually call it Lurer though because it does the same thing"

"I see." I nodded my head. She continued. "I'm preparing for a chant, that's why I prepared it early on"

"A chant huh, I never used long word magic chant before"

All my magic is developed to use the now Modern type of magic where it's instant cast and use less mana despite upgrading the input of the attack,

The Dark elf crosses her hands, and a purple glowing magic circle appears on her feet, enclosing her entire body.

She then asked.

"By the way, what kind of apparitions do you want to fight?"

"Now that you mention it" Hmmm, Apparitions huh, there's not a lot of them that I fought...

"What are the available options?" I asked her.

The dark elf closes her eyes and thinks about it. She then try sensing the surroundings for nearby apparition and told me.

"Hmmm... This forest really is interesting... I could recommend you the Fire sprites."

"Fire Sprites?" I asked her.

"You don't know them?"

"What the f@ck is that?"

"I guess it's much easier to explain if I show them to you"

She started to chant as the aura from the magic circle turned her entire figure to purple. Like how you see a person on a window with purple tint. She then chanted,

"~Heed my help, oh pitiful me, spirits who abandoned me, I seek why~"

What kind of chant is that? She continued.

"~Bless me helpful so I'll be free~"

"Was that a chant?" I asked her. She then answered.

"The requirements for the magic is to chant words that makes you sound weak and begging for mercy, there, you will lure apparitions that will sense my mana and agitate them to kill me."

"Wait, isn't that a dangerous skill? like if you managed to summon the wrong being, you might get killed you know!"

"I know the risk, that's why we're trained first before using this skill"

The Dark elf magic circle appeared bigger as soon as she chanted, with encryptions of Hindu-Arabic alphabet.

"Ohh, there's a lot of them Crimson" She told me. I looked at the forest and squinted my eyes. There-, I saw a figure.

"A lot- you mean the fire spri-"

As Dark as the forest it was, there was a faint light of fire illuminating on this misty fog, Several were going straight into us, banding together as it marches.

It has the shape of a sphere with eyes and nose, with its entire body engulfed with flames.

"Fire sprites, More like that's a F@cking Santelmo!"

"San- what?"

I prepared my American bowie to fight against them. There's several of those lights floating around, estimated it to be fifteen to twenty.

The Dark elf told me an advice.

"You might not be able to touch them as a person, but they can still burn your hands, it's much better if you use the element opposite to it or kill them using the Heart-span"

"Is that so? also the sword's name is Chunraporicopo!"

Seeing a ball of fire with a face really creeps me out. They're much creepier than seeing a ghoul eating a human body. Not because they're really disgusting but it's really unsettling seeing something like those.

I decided what I should do and chanted.

"Heart-Impact! Throwing dagger ATTTAAAACKKKKKKK!"

"Huh-?"

I threw the dagger right into the leading Santelmo. It was sliced in two, separating its head like a watermelon. After being sliced, it vanished in the air similar to how a fire dies.

I looked at it and-

"Ohhh, My American bowie seems to do damage despite them being a logia"

Did I put haki in my dagger?

Confused, The Dark elf asked. "Did you throw the weapon?"

"Yes, why?" I told her.

"I mean, won't you fight them in close combat?"

"Gehh, No, Those things are creepy as f@ck, I don't even want to touch them"

"Huh? I know they're creepy but throwing away your weapon in a battle doesn't seem a better option either"

"Is that so?"

"Well, you still have the Heart-span so it's okay"

I looked at the Santelmo and thought of fighting them in close combat. It's true that throwing away your weapon isn't really a good thing.

And if they die on that small of an attack, perhaps...-

Geeh Nevermind, they're creepy as f@ck.

I used the Wakizashi the lich gave me and threw it.

"SUIIIII"

"Oii"

I managed to hit another one of the Santelmo, and I observed that the kill from the Dagger and Chunraporicopo is different.

When I kill them with Chunraporicopo, they'll instantly vanish.

"I see"

"See what? you just threw the Sword!"

"Where the problem at?"

The Dark elf looked at me flabbergasted.

"What are you going to do now? there's still like 18 of them, you don't have enough weapons to throw"

"Don't assume I only have 2 weapons"

I raised my hands forward, my palms open, and took aim at the Santelmo.

"What are you doing?"

"FIREBLASTTTTT"

"HUH?"

"DA!DA!DA!DA!DA!DA!DA!DA!DA!

I cast multiple fire blasts that fired like a rifle right from my arm. The blast was as big as a fist, and flew at speed faster than bullets.

"Attacking a fire based apparition with fire instead of water won't-"

"RATATATATATATATA"

I continued to fire my attacks and managed to hit the Apparitions and as they hit, they vanished.

"work-" The Dark Elf was Flabbergasted again. "Its working?"

"RATATATATATATATATATA"

I continued to fire until there was nothing left.

"That settles it"

"Oi, Don't use fire attacks on a forest!"

"Chillax, Fire blast is a blast not an actual fire"

I went forward and looked at the place where the Santelmo died. There were blue orbs gathering around and as soon as I went near, they came into me, getting absorbed.

"They're not much huh" I complained. The Dark elf looked at me and asked.

"I keep seeing this Blue orb when an apparition dies, I know they're soul essence, but how are you absorbing them?"

"I thought you knew them?"

"I mean, when I try to gather the blue orbs, I can't absorb them, I can't even touch this thing"

"Ohhhh, Well normally, any person can't, unless you're a Vampire or Succubus"

"Are you a Vampire Crimson? That explains your Red eye"

"I'm just a Human with red eyes, I'm not a vampire, We have a system that lets us gather this, and I won't reveal it to you"

"Is that so, Hmmm, What was that?"

The Dark elf looked at the distance and saw a purple light similar to her magic earlier.

I answered.

"That's your magic right?"

"I already deactivated it though"

We went there together as soon as I managed to absorb the soul essence gathered around me. And as soon as we looked at.

"A Magic circle?"

There was a paper with an activated glowing magic circle inside it.

I asked "Did you do this?"

"I don't cast magic using Abaca Papers"

The Dark elf touched it.

"It seems that it's the same magic as mine, but it's calling something different"

"What is it?" I asked.

"I don't know, I can't pronounce this part, It seems to be a name of something, Kap- re?"

"Kapre?"

"Seems to be that pronunciation"

(Groooowwwlllll)

"Eiiiiii" 2x, We both shrieked as soon as we heard a creepy loud growl from a distance.

"What was that?" The Dark elf asked.

"No idea, Anyways Isn't a Kapre a huge Black Giant that dwells in Mango trees?"

"I never heard of Kapre" She answered "Anyways, this magic is Dangerous, I should deactivate it and-" As soon as the Dark elf tried to take the Paper.

"Kyaaaa"

A huge blast coming out the paper blew her away.

"Are you okay?" I asked.

"Ugh, What was that? something blew me away, like it's preventing me to touch it"

"Is that so?"

I looked at the paper. It was glowing bright like how the Dark elf cast her magic earlier, the magic circles even went holographic and went further past from the edge of the paper.

"What will the magic do again?"

"Seems to be luring the Oddity called Kapre"

"Luring a Kapre? Are you su-"

(GROOOOOOOWWWWLLLLLL)

"EIIIIII" We two let out a huge shriek again.

"Do Kapre growls?"