Chapter 1
Chapter 1 - The Inheritance
The lights of the college dormitory flickered overhead as Sarah sat at her desk, textbooks scattered around her in a haphazard pile. With a sigh of relief, she closed her laptop, signaling the end of another long day of classes. Outside, the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the campus grounds.
Just as Sarah was about to dive into her warm and comfortable bed, her phone buzzed with an incoming call. Curious, she picked it up, her heart skipping a beat when she saw the unfamiliar number flashing on the screen.
"Hello?" she answered tentatively.
"Is this Sarah?" a voice on the other end asked.
"Yes, this is she," Sarah replied, her brow furrowing with confusion.
"I'm calling from the law firm of Blackwood & Associates," the voice continued. "I have some important news regarding your family's estate."
Sarah's pulse quickened with anticipation. She had never heard of Blackwood & Associates before, and the mention of her family's estate piqued her interest. Regardless of whether its a scam or a prank call.
"Go on," she urged, leaning forward in her chair.
"It appears that you have been named as the sole heir to the Von Valheim Mansion," the voice explained. "Your distant relative, Edward Von Valheim, recently passed away, leaving behind no other heirs. The keys and the property deeds to the mansion will be delivered to you by one of our associates shortly."
Sarah's mind raced as she tried to process the news. A mansion? She had no idea she had any relatives wealthy enough to own such a property, let alone leave it to her in their will.
"Is this some kind of prank?" she asked, skepticism creeping into her voice.
"I assure you, it is not," the voice replied, its tone earnest. "Mr. Valheim's will has been verified, and the estate is yours to claim."
Despite hearing it repeatedly, Sarah remained a skeptic; she requires just one more nudge before fully embracing the information.
"Thank you," she uttered, her mind empty in disbelief.
With a click, the call ended, leaving Sarah sitting in stunned silence. She put down her phone on the table, resting on top of her pile of books, yet in just three breath's time she grabbed her phone back knocking her books aside in the process. Sarah hesitated, her hands quivering and her fingers hovering over the keypad of her phone. She needed confirmation, reassurance that this wasn't some elaborate hoax or case of mistaken identity. With a deep breath, she dialed her parents' number, her heart pounding in her chest.
"Mom?" she said when her mother answered, trying to keep her voice steady.
"Sarah, dear, is everything alright?" her mother asked, concern evident in her tone.
"I... I need to ask you something," Sarah began, choosing her words carefully. "Do we have any relatives named Edward Von Valheim?"
There was a moment of silence on the other end of the line, broken only by the distant sound of her father's voice in the background.
"Where did you hear that name?" her mother finally replied, her voice hinted with unease.
"It's... it's nothing, really," Sarah replied evasively, her heart sinking at her parents' reaction. "Just something I overheard."
She could sense the hesitation in her parents' response, and her father's voice just faintly before her mother spoke again.
"Yes, Sarah, Edward Von Valheim was your great-uncle," her mother confirmed, her voice strained. "But why do you ask?"
Sarah's mind raced as she processed the revelation. A great-uncle? She had never heard his name mentioned before, never knew he existed until now.
"Just curious, that's all," she replied vaguely, not wanting to reveal too much. "Thanks, Mom. I'll talk to you later."
With a sense of unease settling in the pit of her stomach, Sarah ended the call, her mind swirling with questions and doubts.
xXx
The rain fell in a relentless downpour as Sarah navigated the country roads based on what had been shown on the address, toward her newfound inheritance - a sprawling mansion nestled amidst the mist-shrouded hills. Thunder rumbled in the distance, adding an ominous soundtrack to her journey. The headlights of her Rover P6 pierced through the darkness, illuminating the overgrown path leading to the mansion's grand entrance.
As Sarah stepped out of her car, she couldn't shake the feeling of anxiety that consumed her. The mansion loomed before her, its gigantic body adorned with ivy-clad pillars and weathered stone felt imposing to her. The windows, like empty eyes, stared out into the night, betraying nothing of the secrets that lay within.
After glancing briefly at the manor's creepy entrance, Sarah murmured to herself, "There's no such thing as ghosts, Sarah. You can do this. Those are just tales Mom used to scare you with when you were a kid.”
Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, Sarah approached the imposing double doors. She took the key out of her pocket, in an attempt to unlock the door, and yet there was no keyhole. Bewildered, she tried to push the double door, which worked surprisingly. Gradually, the door creaked open revealing a foyer shrouded in shadows. The place was so dark that she couldn't make out anything. Fortunately, she had her phone with her and quickly activated its flashlight.
Determined to uncover the truth behind her unexpected inheritance, Sarah stepped across the threshold, her footsteps echoing ominously in the empty halls. Dust motes danced in the dim light, casting eerie shadows on the faded wallpaper.
"Hello? Is anyone there?" Her voice reverberated through the empty space, unanswered.
"Hello? Can anybody hear me?" She continued calling out, hoping for a response.
As Sarah explored the mansion's maze-like corridors, she couldn't shake the feeling of being watched. Every creak of the floorboards, every whisper of the wind, seemed to carry with it a sense of unease. Yet, curiosity drove her forward, propelling her deeper into the mansion.
Sarah trudged down the mansion’s maze-like corridor, her path unclear and shifting. Every room she entered seemed to morph, leaving her disoriented and alarmed. Eventually, her exploration led her to a forgotten library hidden within the depths of the mansion, the candles on each corner lit up with blue colored flames as if anticipating her presence, revealing dusty shelves lined with ancient tomes and scrolls. Intrigued, Sarah turned off her phone flashlight, and began to search over the yellowed pages, her fingers tracing the faded ink of long-forgotten secrets. She scanned through countless dusty documents, coughing in the process before finally finding what she had searched for.
There, amidst the stacks of forgotten scriptures, she stumbled upon an intricate scroll. The passages unveiled the tale of a man who defiantly confronted [REDACTED], defying their authority and reclaiming what he believed was rightfully his – which is [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]. In response, the Council of the [REDACTED] decreed punishment upon him, for his actions had brought about [REDACTED]. The exact nature of his punishment was [REDACTED], this will ensure his eternal damnation in the deepest depths of hell, where he would forever be known as [REDACTED].
In another tattered scroll, the passages unveiled the mysterious role of the Arbiters, explaining their sacred duty to guide souls to their ultimate destination and uphold balance between the ethereal realms. Within the faded parchment lay the story of the greatest Arbiter, renowned for his valor and unwavering resolve. He emerged from a lineage of heroes, standing as a lone guardian, balancing the delicate scales of life and death.
Sarah’s heart was thumping in excitement with each revelation, as her eyes traverse the ancient documents. The weight of her family's hidden legacy laid bare upon her, its significance unraveling before her very eyes. Her fingers trembled as she traced the name etched in history: Lawrence Von Silverwood – the greatest Arbiter in the world.
Startled, Sarah's hands trembled. "That name... matches my own last name... is it possible?" She whispered, her voice barely audible amidst the echoing silence of the mansion's library.
In a moment of clumsiness, Sarah knocked over a stack of books, revealing a small wooden lockbox hidden beneath. Intrigued, she picked it up, her fingers tracing the intricate carvings adorning its surface. Suddenly, the key to the mansion began to emit a soft, ethereal blue light, casting a gentle glow in the dimly lit room.
Bewildered by the unexpected phenomenon, Sarah hesitated for a moment before cautiously inserting the key into the lockbox. With a soft click, the lid swung open, revealing a small pocket watch nestled within. Its golden exterior gleamed in the faint light, adorned with intricate filigree and delicate engravings.
Her curiosity piqued, Sarah carefully lifted the pocket watch from its resting place, marveling at its exquisite design. Each detail seemed to shimmer and dance in the shifting of the candle light, capturing her attention with its otherworldly beauty. With a sense of reverence, she tucked the pocket watch into her pocket.
With the pocket watch safely tucked away, Sarah cast one last glance around the dimly lit library, before deciding to leave. As she made her way through the dimly lit corridors of the forgotten library, a flicker of movement caught her eye. Squinting through the shadows, she saw the silhouette of a young woman standing at the far end of the room, her figure bathed in an ethereal glow. Her blondish white hair waved in the air, and her red glowing eyes glanced towards Sarah, as if gesturing her to follow.
Almost in a trance, Sarah approached the mysterious figure, her footsteps echoing softly against the ancient floorboards. But as she drew closer, the silhouette seemed to shimmer and fade, like a mirage slipping through her fingers.
Undeterred, Sarah followed the ghostly apparition, entering and exiting several rooms in the process just to make sense of what she has seen. However, in the blink of an eye, Sarah found herself standing outside. The mansion's imposing facade looming before her like a silent sentinel. The door was shut tight with no way to open it. It couldn’t be pried, nor pushed, and was devoid of even a keyhole, nothing. Confusion clouded her mind as she looked down at her trembling hands, clutching a bundle of old parchments that recorded the tale of the poor man and the greatest Arbiter.
But it was the strange pocket watch that was inside her pocket that drew her attention. She grabbed and took a quick glance at the watch, its intricate design gleaming in the moonlight. It was unlike any timepiece she had ever seen before, its gears and cogs emanating a blue light for several seconds before it fades.
With a sense of wonder, Sarah tucked the pocket watch back into her pocket, stealing one last glance at the imposing mansion before deciding to turn back.
