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The Mysterious Manor


by xpninja

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"Well..." Reana gulped "Here it is."

     The Pastel Zafara stood in front of a wrought iron gate, which creaked in the frosty breeze. Dark Thorn Vines wove their way between the bars, protecting a bed of Mutant Yooyu Flowers, whose spiked tentacles quivered eerily.

     "Pretty big, isn't it?" her friend, a Purple Poogle commented. "Told you they were loaded." He took several steps back to admire the house in its full glory.

     In truth, it was less of a 'house' and more of a 'sprawling manor'. Three storeys tall, and topped with the sharpest spires either of them had ever seen. A swarm of shrieking Batterflies chased each other around the pointed peaks. The building itself was composed of dark purple brick, studded with arched windows and precarious balconies.

     "Well, go on then." The Poogle smirked, nudging her towards the bristling gate. "You know what you've got to do."

     "I still don't see why you can't do it, Jafe." Reana scowled, edging away from the thorns.

     "I told you; I've got allergies." He demonstrated this with a loud cough. Reana was unconvinced.

     "If I didn't know better, I'd say you were scared."

     "Me? Scared?" Jafe retorted incredulously. "Yeah, right.

     "Fine. In that case, we'll both go and do it." Reana grinned, dragging him towards her. "Let's get this over with."

     She vaulted smoothly over the gate without a second thought, landing on the cobbled pathway soundlessly. Jafe ambled after her, leaping rather more clumsily to join his friend on the other side.

     The two of them crept down the path, skirting around the Poisonous Mushrooms that served as a border. Whoever lived here must not like visitors, Reana mused.

     Soon, the entrance to the great house was upon them, a colossal mahogany door, carved with intricate swirling patterns. There was no visible handle.

     "Looks like you've got to knock," Jafe put in helpfully.

     Reana glared at her friend, and slowly reached out to rap her knuckles on the solid door. The noise she created echoed ominously across the garden.

     "Done it," she hissed. "Let's get out of-"

     Before she could finish her sentence, the door gave a thundering rumble, sluggishly grinding open until it stood ajar.

     The two 'pets looked at each other for a moment. Curiosity overriding their inherent fear, they cautiously stepped towards the open door, eager to see what lay inside the mysterious manor .It was only after it had slammed shut behind them that they noticed that there was no visible doorkeeper.

      The entrance hallway was lit with flickering torches, casting long shadows across the scrubbed stone floor. It was predominantly taken up by a sweeping staircase, covered in a long purple carpet that must have cost about half a million Neopoints. From somewhere deep within the immense house, Reana thought she heard the faintest sound of a harpsichord.

     "I don't like this," Jafe whispered, not daring to leave the Zafara's shadow.

     "You were the one who wanted to know whether they still lived here," Reana reminded him irritably. "We might as well have a look around."

     She climbed the grand staircase, which creaked ominously as she continued her ascent. The tinny music grew louder as she neared the landing.

     "Reckon there's someone in there?" she indicated a nearby door, very similar to that through which they had just entered.

     Jafe remained silent, clutching onto the banister for support. Reana paid him no attention, and advanced further towards the door. She noted that it had been opened a fraction.

     "Be careful!" Jafe finally choked out, his voice far higher pitched than normal.

     The Zafara snorted, placing her hand against the wood, and giving it the slightest push. The Poogle exclaimed in fright, racing over to join her.

     The new room was smaller, circular in shape, and covered wall-to-wall with books, thick dusty tomes with leather bindings. The top shelves were filled with all sorts of peculiar artefacts, trophies, and the occasional container filled with what looked like eyeballs. On the far side was a gramophone, which, Reana realised, was the source of the music. Opposite was a high-backed plush chair, its occupant hidden from view.

     Reana heard the chair springs groan, as whoever was sat in it stood up, presumably to change the record. Then, a low, stately voice called out.

     "Hm, it seems that we have some visitors, Snookums. It's been a while since the last ones, hasn't it?"

     At that precise moment, Reana didn't care who Snookums was. All she knew was that they were in deep trouble.

     "Why don't we invite them inside? I'm sure they're getting cold, stood out in the draughty hallway. Please do come in, children. "

     Reana felt Jafe shove her forwards into the library, and seized hold of his arm to prevent him from leaving her stranded inside the creepy old house with its equally as creepy resident.

     The aforementioned resident at last turned to face them, unfurling a pair of leathery wings, tipped with spikes. He was a Darigan Grundo, far taller than Reana had imagined his species to be. He surveyed them through a monocle, his expression unreadable, and continued to stroke the enormous Plumpy in his arms.

     "Lord Semerson?" Jafe asked, and Reana looked at him, surprised.

     The stranger's lip quirked into a smile. "Oh, I am glad that you know your history, my boy."

     Reana continued to stare blankly, thoroughly confused.

     "The Semersons," Jafe explained. "Are one of the oldest families this side of Neopia. They manage to save their Neopoints and buy this place at least two centuries ago, and they've been living here ever since. But nobody's seen them outside in years, so they assumed there were no more descendants."

     "That is partly my doing, I am afraid," Semerson admitted. "Over the years, my family accumulated a great number of powerful and dangerous artefacts. It was my father's wish that I keep them safe within the manor, so that they do not fall into the wrong hands. But with nobody to guard them, save for the various spirits who have found solace here, I was effectively unable to leave. I made sure that the garden was as dangerous as possible, so that nobody would think of coming close." He smiled. "But I see that common sense does not always apply to children."

     Reana stepped forward. "We're sorry for trespassing, sir. We were just curious, you see."

     "Ah, curiosity: the most wonderful of vices. That was what drove my ancestors to come here in the first place. I hope that I have been able to satisfy your curiosity, hm? Though, apologies for not being as fearsome as my home lead you to believe. All these peculiar objects have caused some rather odd happenings."

     "Thank you for not being too angry, sir," Jafe replied."We'll be going now."

     "Being angry is not in my nature, my boy. Consider yourself lucky that you did not encounter my grandfather. By all means, stay a while. The last time we had guests, I was but a boy myself."

     "Err... I suppose we could stay for a bit," Reana told him nervously.

     "Excellent," he murmured. "In fact, your timing is impeccable. I already have some food on the table."

     He strode from the room, and they followed him down a winding corridor, studded with doors leading to who knows where.

     "It is not much further," he called to them, as they began to drag their feet. "This hallway was completely straight last week. I woke up a few days ago to find it had bent out of shape. "

     At long last, they arrived in a large room, the centrepiece of which was a long table of dark wood, lit with a ghostly blue chandelier. Upon the walls were a collection of portraits, most of which had the same scowling expression.

     "My ancestors," he proclaimed proudly. "They were rather a sombre bunch."

     "You're telling me," Jafe whispered, and Reana held back a laugh.

     Semerson took a seat at the head of the table, leaving them to sit down on either side of him. Reana observed the platters of food spread before them, and was about to take a tasty-looking tart, when she noticed what was quite possibly a small fish buried beneath a dollop of cream.

     Jafe was carefully scrutinising the piece of duck he had just carved himself, giving it a cautious prod with his fork. The brown sauce it was coated in seemed far too thick to be gravy. Then he realised that was because it wasn't gravy at all.

     "Is the food not to your taste?" Semerson enquired, his plate full. "I have some Black Widow Truffles, if you prefer."

     "Er... No thank you. "We... we just ate," Jafe finished lamely.

     "Oh, that's a shame," he replied, calmly placing one in his mouth. Reana pretended she didn't hear it crunch as he bit into it.

     They passed the rest of the meal trying not to make eye contact with Semerson as he devoured all manner of disgusting foods. At long last, he put down his cutlery, and passed the plate down to where Snookums sat. She proceeded to lick it clean, gobbling the leftovers very loudly indeed.

     After unbuttoning his jacket, Semerson turned to them. "Well, it was wonderful meeting both of you, but I suppose you'd better get going now. Your parents will be wondering where you've got to, hm?"

     He insisted on walking them to the door, his clawed hands firmly on their shoulders until they were outside the garden gate.

     "I do hope you will visit me again soon. I do love so the company. If you ever find yourselves curious again... you know where to find me."

     And with that, he turned back towards his towering manor. Only after the door had firmly shut did Jafe speak.

     "Well... that was..."

     "Odd?" Reana put in.

     "Yeah." He nodded. "Still, he's not a bad guy, is he?"

     "Suppose not," Reana murmured thoughtfully. "Just goes to show you can't judge a book by its cover."

     "Or its house." Jafe smirked. "You want to go and get something to eat?"

     "Sure," she replied. "So long as it's not a Black Widow Truffle."

The End

 
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