The Heir Of Rusthella

Child of Selesia

After about 15 minutes drive we arrived at the foot of Wilden Mountain. Everyone got out of the vehicle and gathered.

Vladimir: Ladies, as you can see we can't travel to the Manor by bus. So we're gonna have to go there by foot.

Whining and complains errupted from the crowd.

Woman: Are you serious? That's so high up! You don't really expect us to do that, do you?

Vladimir: Well then miss...

He stares at her expecting.

Woman: Stella is my name.

Vladimir: Yes miss Stella. How do you propose we go up there?

She looks at everyone who doesn't seem to have any plans of backing her up. With lips pressed tightly and shoulders raised, she clings on the straps of her backpack as she replied;

Stella: Well... D-dont you have any c-cable car or something?

She stutters in humiliation. Another woman interrupted;

Woman: Oh please, if you're gonna be such a baby, then you might as well just have stayed in the hotel.

Stella glares at her.

Stella: I don't seem to remember including you to this conversation miss big mouth.

Miranda: My name is not "miss big mouth" stupid, It's Miranda.

Stella: Big mouth who?

Miranda glowers at her then faced Vladimir;

Miranda: Maybe we should just leave this porker here and go on our way. We've already wasted time from all that talk.

Stella plants her hands on her hips and look daggers at Miranda.

Stella: Did you just call me fat?

Vladimir: Ladies please...

I just shook my head witnessing all the drama. Vladimir's eyes meets mine with that inscrutable face.

Vladimir: Everyone, follow me. For those who want to stay here and wait, no one's stopping you.

Miranda deliberately walked past Stella who's still reluctant to go. Everyone else followed Vladimir. Seeing that she's gonna be left alone with the driver who looks dowdy and creepy, she decided to follow us. She'd rather walk in the heat of the afternoon sun that be left alone with him. 

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While we continued walking and climbing to the top of the mountain, Miranda called out.

Miranda: Hey blondy!

Seeing that I am the only blonde woman in the group, I turned to face her and asked;

Lucy: Yes?

She approached and stood in front of me, and looked me up and down. It made me uncomfortable.

Miranda: There's something about you. I can feel something coming off of you.

I stared at her with brows furrowed waiting for her to say more. Then she offered her hand and introduces herself.

Miranda: I'm Miranda.

She titled her head slightly to the side and smiled.

Lucy: My name's Lucy.

She immediately follows up with a question.

Miranda: Are you familiar with Rusthella?

In the back of my mind I was thinking "Who the hell is Rusthella?"

Lucy: I haven't heard of that name.

She shrugged and said;

Miranda: I guess I'm wrong.

Lucy: About what?

She just grinned, gave me a side look before turning her back on me and said;

Miranda: Nevermind.

So what was that all about? Things are getting more and more confusing. I'm trying not to let any of this get into my head because this trip was my dream come true. I should be happy. About Gale, I figured I should worry about that after the tour. Maybe they're just pranking me after all. And her brothers might've happened to hack into my social media account.

Lucy: I swear if that was the case, I'm going to give Brandon at Nate a good beating.

I said to myself as all of this is messing with my head and making me go crazy. Besides, if it is a prank then this isn't the first time those two apes did this to me.

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After 1 hour of torture in the heat of the sun, we finally reached the top where the manor is situated. It was mindblowing! It's just how I pictured it in my mind. It's a three story, oversized, white-brick castle-like manor with a huge staircase that connects the entrance to the big round pavement in front where there's a fountain and landscaped garden. It has stained glass windows and is supposed to be ancient, but for some reason everything looks quite pristine. Tall trees are perfectly lined up in an arch that seemed to serve as a wall to conceal the entire area of the manor. Vladimir stopped in his tracks then faced us.

Vladimir: Ladies, welcome to Verdimon Manor.

Everyone was in awe. It was a sight to see.

Vladimir: I would like to remind you that taking photos is strictly prohibited. Take a few minutes break to admire the exterior before we go inside.

I was busy appreciating the sight in front of me when someone tapped on my shoulder which startled me.

Miranda: Hey!

I looked back at her with one hand pressed on my chest and replied;

Lucy: Please don't do that again!

She ignored what I just said.

Miranda: Make sure you hold on to your ticket.

Lucy: Oh, you don't have to tell me. Besides, we're already here. It's not like someone is going to collect them.

Miranda: Just saying.

She walks past me towards the staircase. It seemed to me like she was going to enter it without our tour guide's permission so followed her and said;

Lucy: Hey! You're not supposed to go inside without Vladimir.

She looks back at me and rolls her eyes.

Miranda: Chillax! I'm just going to take a closer look.

She climbed the staircase and I followed her closely. When we reached the top, she walked towards the huge door and carefully runs her hand on it.

Miranda: Thought so.

I wasn't sure what she's implying so I gave her a questioning look. She shook her head and said;

Miranda: This place is protected by some kind of spell.

I frowned and crossed my arms and replied;

Lucy: So what is this? Magic? Ano 'to tv show?

Miranda: Well you wouldn't really understand.

What is up with this woman? Perhaps she watches too much of fantasy movies.

Miranda: We should just wait for them up here. You'll see what I mean.

Vladimir gathered everyone else and walked up to where we were standing. Without saying anything, he took out a golden key from his pocket, unlocked the door and opened it. If it wasn't strange enough, even though it was wide open, the light doesn't seem to move past the entrance. There was only darkness inside.

Vladimir: Ladies, please line up.

Everyone followed his instruction. Miranda was in front of me and we were in the middle of the line.

Vladimir: Take your tickets out and hold it up as you enter.

Stella let's out a chuckle and said;

Stella: What is this? Some kind of invisible scanning security? In a very old establishment?

Vladimir ignored her remark and ushered for the women in front of us to start moving. When it was Miranda's turn, He shoots her a glare before ushering her in. I thought to myself, "that was strange." She holds up her ticket but as she got across, there was some kind of electric spark on her wrist that made her feel pain.

Miranda: Ouch! Damn it!

She curses to herself.

Vladimir: Any problems?

He asked with a smug look on his face. She straightened up, smiled and replied;

Miranda: No. Everything's fine.

Before completely disappearing into the darkness.

It is now my turn. When I took a step forward, time seemed to stop and my vision went black. I felt something approach me then after a few seconds everything went back to normal. I was about to take my ticket out but it wasn't in my bag anymore! I looked hard for it but it just wasn't there.

Vladimir: What's taking you so long?

I looked up at him and was about to cry.

Lucy: My ticket... It's gone!

Vladimir: Sorry, but I can't let you in.

Lucy: B-but-

Then someone from behind me said;

Woman: Hurry up! Don't keep us waiting here!

I moved out of the line to give way to her.

Everyone got in and left me and Vladimir by the door.

Vladimir: Sorry Lucy. You're gonna have to wait out here or go back to the bus.

I was thinking "I've waited so long for this chance! I flew all the way to this country just for this. I spent up my savings for nothing!". I stood there looking indignant as I watch Vladimir go inside and close the door on me. Before it completely closed up, Vladimir's eyes seemed to glow yellow as he meets mine. I was creeped out! When it was closed shut, I went downstairs and just sat on the fountain to wait for them and feel sorry for myself.

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Narrator POV

The ladies are led by Vladimir into a corridor with paintings on the wall. While he was busy giving some information to them, Miranda stealthily separated from the group and went the opposite way. When they were out of site, she walked back to the main hall and looked around. She raises one hand in front of her and closes her eyes feeling the energy inside her body. Her hand glowed as she whispers "Where are you, Rusthella?". Then a spell of some sort led Miranda into a corridor with lots of doors from both sides. She opened her eyes when it seemed like that was how far the spell can get her.

Miranda: I can't just walk into these doors without being cautious. That stupid ward on the entrance broke my first line of defense!

She was unsure what to do this far. After a while of thinking, she said to herself:

Miranda: Well, I guess I need to check one by one. I don't really have a choice.

When she opened the first door on the left, a shadow figure emerges and pushed her back, sending her flying and hitting the wall then she falls to the ground. The shadow figure looked the same as the one from Lucy's dream. It has red glowing eyes. Miranda helps herself up and does a fighting stance.

Shadow: A child of Selesia! What are you doing here?!

Miranda: That's pretty much none of your business!

The shadow figure roared loudly.

Miranda: Looks like I'm gonna be busy for a while.

Then it launches itself to Miranda to attack her.

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Lucy's POV

It's been 3 hours since they entered the manor and it's already getting dark and I was already painfully bored. I can't believe they let me get this far only to keep me out here. I decided to snoop around. At the left side of the manor, I found a wall with strange writings in it. I can't read it, but I feel like I've seen it before. When I touched, it suddenly glowed. The wall moved and made way for an opening. It turns out to be some kind of a secret door. I figured that it's better to sneak in than to wait out in the dark. It's too late for me to go back to the bus anyway.

I was walking in a narrow pathway that led to another door. I opened it and went into some sort of a study room. There's a desk with a globe on it's right corner. Behind that desk are bookshelves. There's a fireplace and beside it are glass shelves containing stuff that seemed important. The only thing that illuminates the room was a lamp on the wall. Everything was really fascinating for me. While I was looking around and admiring the room, I bumped into something. It was a statue of a woman in a sort of victorian era dress. I can't believe I didn't notice it a while ago seeing that it is right in the middle of the room. As I looked closely, the face of that woman seemed so familiar to me. She was holding something that looked like a jade orb. It's drawing me in like I was being hypnotized. When I was about to touch it, the door on the other side of the room slammed open and Miranda enters. 

Miranda: There it is!

Lucy: Miranda?

Miranda: Out of the way Lucy!

She said as she approaches me. I don't know but I suddenly felt like that orb shouldn't fall into Miranda's hands. I felt compelled to stop her.

Lucy: Back off Miranda!

She paused and said;

Miranda: That orb is mine.

Lucy: No it's not!

She crosses her arms and said;

Miranda: What makes you say that?

I wasn't really sure what to say.

Lucy: I just... I just feel like it.

She shakes her head then said;

Miranda: Fine then b***h, I guess I'm gonna have to kill you.

She quickly took a sword that was hanging on the wall then launched at me and stabbed me in the abdomen. Everything happened so fast that I didn't even get a chance to react. I was bleeding and in pain!

Miranda: Nothing personal Lucy. You just had to die.

I fell to the ground and she walked over my body and stole the orb from the statue's hands.

Miranda: Now that I got what I wanted, I have to figure out a way to get out of here.

She looked around and saw the door where I came in.

Miranda: It seems like I'm in luck.

She walks towards it but before she left, she looked back at me and said;

Miranda: Thank you so much for your sacrifice. Now it's time for you to rest.

Then she finally went out of the room.