Chapter 1: Foolish

Nathaniel’s lungs burned as he tore through the darkened hallways, his heart hammering in his chest. He didn’t dare look back—he could hear them behind him, their heavy boots pounding on the wooden floors, the sound of axes scraping against stone as they pursued him through the maze-like mansion. Their guttural snarls echoed off the walls, a constant reminder that they were getting closer.

"I should never have come here," he muttered under his breath, dodging through a narrow doorway and nearly tripping over his own feet. His chest tightened with regret. What had started as a half-baked plan for riches had quickly spiraled into a full-blown nightmare.

The rumor had been too tempting to pass up: a forgotten Mansion deep in the forest, filled with treasure beyond imagining. Sure, there had been whispers about strange creatures guarding it, hostile to anyone foolish enough to venture too close, but Nathaniel had shrugged off the warnings. He was a seasoned adventurer—or at least, he liked to think of himself as one. A place like this, a mansion ripe for the taking, had felt like the perfect opportunity.

Now, as he ran for his life, he could only curse his arrogance. His body ached from dodging traps he hadn’t seen coming, his clothes were torn from his near-misses with death, and the mansion itself seemed to be working against him. Hallways twisted and turned as though alive, rooms he had just passed disappearing behind him, and the shadows felt thicker than they should be. The mansion felt like it was hunting him as much as the creatures inside were.

Behind him, one of the creatures—hulking, broad-shouldered, and bearing a grotesque mask—let out a furious roar. He could feel its hot breath on his neck, hear the heavy thud of its axe as it swung in his direction, narrowly missing him as he ducked into another passage.

"Not today!" Nathaniel yelped, vaulting over a crumbling table and crashing into a side room. He slammed the door shut behind him, panting, his back pressed to the wood as he listened to the beast outside, stomping in frustration before lumbering off.

He forced a shaky breath, scanning the room for anything he could use. The mansion had been a mystery when he first entered, but now it felt like a prison. There were no windows, no obvious exits, and he couldn’t even tell how deep inside the mansion he was anymore. It was a strange place—cold, dark, and unsettling. The air smelled faintly of must and rot, with an underlying metallic tang he couldn't quite place.

The creatures that roamed the halls were unlike anything he’d encountered before. The first one had surprised him—a strange, ghoulish figure draped in dark robes, its pale skin nearly translucent under the flickering torchlight. It had let out a chilling hiss and sent small, ghostly figures at him, laughing as he swatted at them like panicked prey. The next had been even worse: a monstrous brute wielding a massive axe, wearing a mask with a permanent, twisted scowl carved into it. The others were just as terrifying—silent, pale-faced figures who seemed to float between the walls, their cold eyes watching him as though waiting for him to falter.

And falter he had.

Nathaniel’s mind raced as he tried to figure out why they were after him. Treasure wasn’t worth this much trouble. He had seen old statues, enchanted chests, strange books written in an unfamiliar language—but no riches. It felt like a trap, and he had walked right into it.

Shaking his head, he pushed off the door, desperate to keep moving. As long as he was still breathing, there was a chance to escape. He just needed to find it. He crept through the room, trying to keep his steps light, eyes darting to every shadow. His hand rested on the hilt of his sword—a mostly useless tool against the mansion’s magic—but it gave him some semblance of control.

His thoughts were interrupted by a low, melodic hum. It seemed to drift through the air like smoke, slipping into his mind before he even realized it. Nathaniel stopped, his eyes narrowing as he tried to pinpoint where it was coming from. The mansion had gone eerily quiet.

He stepped into another hallway, his footfalls soft against the polished floor. The humming grew louder, more distinct, like someone was singing softly to themselves. It was... unsettling. He moved cautiously, rounding a corner, and nearly jumped out of his skin as he came face-to-face with her.

A woman stood in the center of the room, shrouded in a long, flowing robe that seemed to absorb the light around her. She was striking—pale skin, long dark hair, and eyes that glittered with something far too dangerous to be curiosity. Her lips were curved into a slight smile, as though she had been expecting him all along.

Nathaniel’s breath hitched. He didn’t know who—or what—she was, but the power radiating off her was unmistakable. There was something deeply unsettling about the way she stood so still, watching him with those piercing eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, maybe to stammer out some kind of apology or plea for mercy, but his voice caught in his throat.

The woman tilted her head, her smile widening ever so slightly as though she could sense his fear. "You’ve been quite a nuisance," she said softly, her voice velvety and calm. "Running around my mansion, disturbing my... pets."

Nathaniel blinked. Her mansion?

Before he could respond, she lifted a hand, and a bolt of shimmering light shot from her fingertips, slamming into his chest. The impact knocked the air from his lungs, and his body crumpled to the ground, numbness spreading through his limbs. His vision blurred, his body betraying him as the darkness crept in. The last thing he saw was the woman stepping toward him, her eyes gleaming with wicked intent.

And then everything went black.