Misty Peril: The Mirage Castle of The Lake

"Alright then. Party on the dance floor." Mary-Lynn said as she followed the group into the manor again as well.

Menroe stepped back. "Oh gods.." She then smiled and knelt down. "Hi. What are you doing all the way up here by yourself...der you probley live here." She put her weight on her arm rested on her leg. "You look like you haven't eaten in months. I don't have anything on me right now but..maybe we can use your kitchen?" She stood up and held out her hand behind her. "You can trust us."

“EEEEEEEEEE!” Lily squealed when she saw the boy. “He's so adorable!” Then she ran past Menroe and picked up the boy and gave him a gentle hug, smashing his face into her breasts but could still breath.

“Lily, let the poor boy go, please. He doesn't look very strong...” Eclipse said, looking a little nervous.

“That's why I'm giving him a gentle hug!” Lily said.

“Well, at least she's not suffocating the poor thing.” Eclipse thought while letting out a sigh.
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“Going to the manor~, Going to the manor we go~” Jim sang as he walked next to Robert, prepared to catch him if he falls.

Nina wasn't really interested in the boy so much as she was the walking creature that opened the door. She poked at it's nose a little bit, "Coooooool....."



Basil looked down as if she was about ready to cry, "Witch? That was...That was very hurtful. I'm not a ugly warty witch am I?" she looked over at Mary-Lynn with eyes that looked ready to bawl, "I mean...I know I dress oddly yes, but I've never been called a witch before..."

She sort of seemed to go off into her own world, holding her hand to her mouth almost like a child. She began staring at the ground as she walked.

In time, they made back into the mansion. The main Foryer where they were when the groups first split up.





There it was! The top! Ace had almost made it there! He swung his arm up and over as he clawed himself up the final ledge. And there it was, the pedestal where the ruby eyed monster once perched.

Mary's cheeks puffed out. "Just cause a woman wears a pointed hate and
cape doesn't make her a witch." She put her arm around Basil's arm.
"Look here. Have you seen a single wart on your face? I say your pretty
damn sexy. You know, for an older woman." Mary said. Dee facepalmed. His
sister tried to make things better but being raised in the woods from
people didn't give her the best of social skills. "Mary-Lynn." "What?" "She's not that old." "I said olderrr. I didn't mean old fart like you." He visibly gawked. "I'm younger then she is!" "Be quiet you antique."

Menroe looked back at Nina, "Hey. That thing might bite you if your not careful."

"Ok! I can take you up as far as the right wing as on the sixth floor, but my brother Tale is somewhere on the fifth, and if we find him, You can find you're way around this place much easier." Comet said. "But there's one thing... A few doors we need to go through are locked." He added before rubbing the back of his head with his diamond hand.
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"Miss, can you put me down?" The boy said before he turned semi-transparent and fell through Lily's arms onto the stone walkway where he became fully physical again. He then waltzed over to the wooden gargoyle and picked it up. "It's fine, he doesn't bite usually." He said before turning around and seeing Ace on the pedestal where the being stood. "Hey! Get down from there!" He hollered before he threw the wooden gargoyle and it sprang to life once more.

The gargoyle promptly grabbed Ace and threw him down onto the walkway before going back to it's wooden form that was caught by the boy.

"You know, you shouldn't take a lady's seat." The boy said walking up to Ace. "Speaking of her, have you seen her?" He asked.

Jim held out the key he wore around his neck. “Hey, you gave me this key after I won your game. This may unlock one of the doors we need to get through.” He said.

Robert looked at Jim. “...Are...are you actually using your brain for once?” He asked.

Jim stopped and thought for a second. “Yeah...I am...wow, it's kinda weird.” He said.

Robert sighed.

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Lily frowned when the boy freed himself from her hug. “Awww...but I wasn't done...”

“We have.” Eclipse said after the boy asked if the woman was spotted. “She flew right over our heads when we where making our way up here. She was just inches away from hitting my head.”

"A...Ace?" Nina paused for a moment....

Ace kind of...shirked away...

"You...You.....YOU!!! YOU LIEING KNIVING BACK STABBING PROMISE BREAKING *sniff* LIEING *sniff sniff*" what started out as blind rage quickly became a crying fit.

She threw herself on Menroe in tears, "WWaaaaaaaahhh!!!! He didn't trust me! He he he sayed he did! But he didn't and Ace is here so he didn't trust me! Whyyyyyyy doens't he truuuust me!! *sniff* waaaaaaaah!"

Ace kind of rubbed the back of his head, "Please Nina-cheri! Don't be getting all mad now at Master K! It was my idea, if anything you should be mad at me. Look Nina-rosa, if it makes you feel any better, I was asked only to intervene if you got yourself into any sort of trouble like. This IS your mission, and you're alone! C'est d'accord?"

Nina rubbed her eyes a little, "It's...it's not fair...I was supposed to do this by myself...*sniff*"

"Oui! And you will! I promise cheri! I'm just here...as a scribe! An official witness to your great journey." Ace bowed a little, doing what he could to wooh the girl, "What ever you do, I shall bear witness!"

Nina kind of smiled. To be frank, Ace could feed any one any lie and it would go down like liquor with that accent. And he was perfectly well aware of it!



Basil patted Mary-Lynn on the head yet again, "Such a sweet young girl... But it would be wise to show respect to your elder brother. He may end up saving you one of these days."

Menroe rubbed her head slightly. "None of this makes sense. I'm started to think all this is is some strange family, who want to remain hidden from everyone so they use ghosts and mythological creatures to keep people from the island in the middle of the lake that is actually hidden inside the island under the lake by magic and if there is treasure, it's going to be some sort of family ordeal. With harpy woman and flying gargoyles and earthquakes going around, they arn't willing to share it." She grinned. "And buttface says I'm the dimmest bulb in the pack." She tapped Nina's shoulders. "There now Nina. You'll come to find your most alone when there are others with you. I don't know what your doing here personally, but I think now would be the best time to accept the fact that your never alone. Either with us, your stalker over there or the ghosts in this place."

"Ha! Dee save me?! More like the other way around. I can take on Turtor anyday!" "Maybe we should try it here and now without Dad to intervene." Mary-Lynn spun around. "Try it big brother. My Goldy will squash you like a bug." Dee walked over as she took a fighting stance, gripped onto her helm and pulled it over her eyes. "Wahh. No fair! That's dirty fighting." "It's what I'm best at." He said as he grabbed the bottom of her skirt and started dragging her along.

Comet led the group up the stairs to the second floor. He put an arm out to stop everyone once they all reached the top. "Wait!" he said before his ears perked up. "...Must've been my imagination." He said before he and the group moved on only to trigger a trap door that flung them into an old mattress against the wall in the room next to them.

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The boy's stomach growled. "Didn't one of you say something about cooking?" He asked before scratching the back of his head. "I can try and show you to the kitchen." He added before he started walking as his bare feet made little tapping sounds on the stone walkway.

When Robert landed on the mattress he felt a sharp pain in his chest. At least the mattress was soft and didn't break his broken ribs further. But that all changed as soon as he fell on the stone hard floor. He felt a series of sharp pain going through his chest and a soft little crunch like noise was heard somewhere near his broken ribs. He tried to keep his mouth shut but a cry of pain forced itself out of his mouth.

Jim quickly sat up when he heard his brother's cry of pain. “Brother!” He said as he scrambled to him. “A-are you ok? And did that crunch noise come from you?” He asked.

“Y-yes...” Robert said.

“Here, let me help you up.” Jim said as he put Robert's arm over his shoulders and accidently put his hand down hard on the broken ribs.

“O-oww! Jim! N-not on the ribs...”

“Oh! Sorry!” Jim said so startled that he accidently dropped Robert.

“Aaagh! Jim!”

“AAAAH!! I'm sorry! Ohh...I'm such a horrible brother! I dropped you and probably made your injury worse!” Jim cried as tears formed into his eyes.

“No...you're not a horrible brother...” Robert said.

“Yes I am! Yes I am! Waaaaaah!” He cried before he ran over to Mary and buried his face into her shoulder. “Uwaaaah!! M-maaaaarieeeeeee-Lyyyyyyyyn!! I'm such a horrible person!”
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“Yay! To the kitchen!” Lily cheered before she picked up Austin and followed the boy.

Eclipse crossed her arms as she followed Lily.

“Oh, little boy, I don't think we got your name.” Lily said to the boy.

"Sweet mother of Artrina! What in the name was that." She sat up, only to be almost ran down by Jim. "Whao whao. Your not a bad brother." She pushed Jim up. "Now. Stand at your full height. It's not good for you to crouch over like that. It'll ruin your posture and that's important in fighting. Fighting we may have to do if any ghosts or people try to mess with your brother again." She looked at everyone. "If no one here can use magic, then I'm gonna have to do this old school." She reached in one of her pockets and pulled out a large bandage wrap. "Never go unprepared. Alright, off with the shirt Robert, great gods look at these abs." She started wrapping the large bruised section. "I'll try not to hurt you. Jim, you'll probley have to support him for a while. That throw most likely moved the ribs more. If Menzy was here she could numb your pain.."

Jim nodded his head after he was told that he will have to support his brother for a while.

“Thank you...” Robert said with a gentle smile as Mary wrapped his injury. He flinched a little as the bandages began to tighten on his broken ribs.

Jim sighed and plopped onto the floor. “I wish Klao was here...” He said.

"Well....That was rather unenjoyable...." Basil held down her dress with a look of great disgust. Had she not grabbed it when she did, it most likely would gone up, clear over her head.



Nina sighed a little...

Ace scratched his head, "Wait....you telling me I fought to get up here, just to have to go back down? Wonderful..."

Comet gave a sigh as he got up. "That's another problem..." He said. "The house is rigged with traps everywhere, and even guarded by gargoyles." He added before he stepped back into to the hall. "Well? Shall we continue?" He said.

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The boy turned around. "My name...?" He said before he put a puzzled look and rubbed his chin. "I don't remember ever getting one. My mommy was too busy taking care of my two brothers, and my daddy was always off on doing something." He added before looking at Ace. "Well it seems that statement would be true." He said.

"Levis." Menroe looked down at the child as they had now walked their way back into the library. "My Dads blade is named that. Its means light in dragon tongue." She said, closing a small, yet very thick book in her hands. "You have so far been a light in this dark mystery, dark place. Can I call you that until we find your real name?" Menroe said, petting one of his tails gently. Had she been the person she was a year ago, this entire situation may have been different. "Can you lead the way to the kitchen then Levis?"

She slipped the book into a pocket in her shirt underneath the vest. She lied about not having pockets but in actuality, the one she had was already full. She turned towards Nina and frowned slightly. "Does him being here really bother you that much?"

Meanwhile in a room that was on the edge of the castle.

"GET THE HELL OUT OF MY ROOM!!!!!" A lad that looked like he just came out of a long hot shower as his robe was wet and his skin and hair still dripped as steam kept emitting from him. "GET OUT!" He hollered before several gun shots went off and echoed through the entire castle, but very faintly as it got further.

"Who the hell is this kid!?" Sly said as he took cover just outside the doorway as some of his ruffians tried to keep the child at bay although they themselves got shot sooner or later.

After about a twenty minute shoot out, all of Sly's gunmen that were with him were dead, and seemingly endless bullet shells rested on the ground around the child who carried two rather old looking golden guns.

"I know you're there. No point in hiding from my ears that hear everything." The boy said reloading his guns.

"Just who exactly ARE you?" Sly said as he stepped into the doorway.

"My name is Tale. I'm one of the three children that slumber within this castle. My ears are made of solid diamond, and they allow me to hear everything within a thirty mile diameter. The entire time you were here I could hear you." Tale said before unloading all six shots of his one gun.

All six bullets stopped abruptly as Sly has caught them with his telekinesis.

"Interesting..." Sly said. "And what about these two brothers of yours? What do they possess?" He asked.

"My brother comet can see through any disguise with his diamond eye, and shatter anything with his hands and feet. Then I have a brother with no name, and he is the spirit of this entire castle. He was always our mother's favorite because he inherited her powers as a witch." Tale said. "Now I suggest you leave while you can. I can hear the seraphim of protection roaring through the castle." He added.

Sly threw the bullets right back. "Silence! I will not bow anything to a simple winged creature, or any inhabitants in this castle." He said.

Two of Tale's tails had formed and X in front of him and blocked the bullets as they to appeared to made out of diamond.

Then a bullet roared right through Sly head.

"This is my house, and I shall not be ordered around as long as I'm within it." Tale said holding his loaded gun pointed as his target now on the ground.

"Oh you will pay for I am merely an illusion of who I really am. I hide elsewhere in this castle. And as for that beast, I'm sure we can handle it." 'Sly' said as he burst into a cloud of pink dust leaving a maple leaf with a bullet hole in it behind.

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"'Levis', huh..." The boy said. "I suppose that could work, though I like stars more." He added before his ears picked up the shooting. "...Looks like someone barged into Tale's room again..." He said with a sigh.

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Comet's ears perked along with Nebo's and Lucian's.

"What the devil was that?" Lucian said.

"Sounded like gun fire..." Nebo commented.

"Oh Tale, who could you possibly be shooting at this time?" Comet said. "Pay no heed to that, So long as we stay out of his room when he's doing his hair or something like that, we'll be fine." He added as he led the group in the direction of the shooting.

Austin looked off in the direction where he heard gunshots coming from. "guys, what was that?" He asked. He hoped he didn't get caught in that crossfire.

Mason stopped in his tracks when he heard the gunfire. "Adon! Get back here right now!" He said. In a minute, Adon was back.

"I heard it too master. You aren't in danger of getting shot though."

Eclipse looked in the direction of the gunshots. “Hmm...from what Levis said...it sounds like his brother decided to attack those who bothered him.” She said.

“Oooh! How scary and exciting!” Lily said. She looked at the boy who everyone is starting to call Levis. “Levis, who's Tale?” She asked. “I like the name Menroe gave you by the way. It has a nice ring to it.” She added with a giggle.

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“Sounds like someone's pumping lead into another person!” Jim said, helping his brother stand (and walk) after Mary finished wrapping the bandages.

“Bah, I don't like to use guns.” Robert said as he put his jacket back on, not even bothering to zip it up. “But I will if I have nothing else to fight with.” He said, putting his shirt in one of his pockets.

“Guns are cool. They're like miniature canons or rocket launchers.” Said Jim. “And all three of them make loud noises like bombs.” He added with a kitty smile.

Mary-Lynn blinked. "What's a gun?" Her eyes occasionally drifting back to look at Robert's shirtless chest. "Stop staring." Dee said bluntly, as he observed the wall that had thrown them back into the room. "What?!" "Your drooling a little." "Shut up buttface!" "Don't you start too." He complained, having picked that up from her sister. "It's not my fault he's hot." She slide over and hit Robert's abs, being how they weren't near his ribs. "You should look like thats Mr. Flaty McFlabchest." She said, bending her arm and showing her own muscles, "Look, even I have more then you. And I'm a little 15 year old girl." "More like monster." "Your just jealous." She said, lifting Jim''s shirt up slightly to see if he was as fit as his brother, without asking.

"I heard it too." Menroe said, looking out into the hall. "You know Eclipse. That might be the answer to your treasure. I don't think Levis here would know if he's been up in that tower all the time." She pointed out, worried about the kids condition, but was not a commander or leader for these people and they can do what they want.

In the throne room, the eight-winged lady stormed in taking two of men and snapping their necks like they were glass. "Ye who defile thine master's castle..." She said in a voice that was very soft and echoey like a goddess'. "Art thou ready to meet thine's early end?" She added before she tossed the two men right at Sly.

Sly turned to the side and split in two as the men flew right passed him before he became whole again. "You seem to be protecting this jewel here, am I right?" He asked.

"Shut thy mouth Tanuki." The being said before she landed and started to walk ominously towards Sly.

"Men, shoot the jewel!" Sly demanded.

"Thine shall fail!" The woman said as sh vanished and slew Sly's men one by one.

All of Sly's men had turned and shot the jewel that sat behind the throne like no tomorrow while they could.

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"Kitchen, kitchen, kitchen... oh! I remember where it is!" The boy with the temporary name said. "it's on the Thi-" He added before he got cut off.

The second his sentence was interrupted, little bursts of blood shot out everywhere on him as if he was getting shot by many guns at once, and he fell to the ground.

After the boy's collapse gun shots continued to ring throughout the castle.

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A ghost appeared behind Mason. "HEE HEE HEE!" It said before it reached down his pants and hoisted him high off the ground. "Ready to go for a ride? I hope so!" It added before it began to twirl him like a ball and chain.

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As the group walked ahead and the bullets sounded further and further away as they walked, Comet stoped.

"Hold up." He said before a giant rock began to fly at the group.

When the rock started to get close, Comet held out his right hand and the rock shattered on it upon impact, but it sent little giggling spirits flying everywhere.

One giggling wisp sat on Robert's shoulder. "Hey handsome, how about dinner?" It said.

Another one rested on Jim's head. "Hey pal, got any chocolate?" It asked.

"Hey babe." A wisp that floated in front of Mary-Lyn said.

Nina was....starting to shake again. Things were getting a little more confusing than she would like. Suddenly finding the treasure was looking less and less likely...

"What is up with this place?" Ace asked aloud, not really caring who it was that answered!

Eclipse was about to say something to Menroe until blood came out all over Levis's body. “HOLYSHIT!!! Levis!!” She yelled.

“Oh my god!!! Levis no!!” Lily cried as she ran to him and held him in her arms not caring that his blood was getting all over her. “Levis!! Say something!!”

Eclipse ran over to Lily and Levis and took out a big red crystal. She held the crystal over his wounds and it glowed a soft red glow as the wounds started to heal. But it was no use for new wounds began to appear.

“Wh-what the?!” Eclipse said.

“Why isn't it working?! What's happening to him?!” Lily cried as tears started to gather in her eyes.

Eclipse looked in the direction of the gunfire and growled. “I think that whoever is the cause of that...is somehow responsible for what is happening to Levis.”

“Th-then lets go and stop them!! Before it's too late!!” Lily cried, standing up.

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“Wah! Random shirt lifting!” Jim said, all red in the face when Mary lifted up his shirt. He quickly pushed his shirt back down. “Why didn't you ask--” He got cut off when Comet shattered the rock and little wisps flew everywhere.

Robert stared at the wisp that landed on his shoulder. “Sorry, but no.” He said, looking unamused.

Jim raised his eyebrows when a wisp landed on his head. “Chocolate? Aww...man...I knew I forgot something...” He said, a little mad at himself for leaving some chocolate behind.

Menroe's fist clamped up and she punched a wall, going straight through it. "I bet it has something to do with the gunshots we heard earlier. They are consistent of bullet wounds of sorts." She took off her vest and slipped it around Levis. "It'll at least stop him from bleeding everywhere long enough for us to stop it." She closed her eyes, holding her right hand over an amythist that was embedded in her left, the pentical around it glowing slightly red. She was tapping into the forbidden blood that flowed in her veins. "They don't sound to far away." She looked down the hall, I would say towards the center of the manor. Lily can you carry Levis. I'm sure he weighs almost nothing." She then put her hand Nina's shoulder. "It's going to be ok." Then looked at Ace. "I bet we are about to find out."

Mary-Lynn frowned in disappointment and then noticed the ghost. "Oh hell no!" She swung her hammer around trying to hit it. "DONT YOU EVER CALL ME BABE! I AM A LADY!" Before knocking it into the wall and getting it stuck. "Shitoki." And tried to wedge it out, having gotten it stuck right in between studs in the wall where thick pieces of wood were made in the wall.

The bullet fire had stopped as all the assailants had been killed.

"What exactly are you?" Sly asked standing with his tail between his legs backed into a corner.

"I am nothing more then the guardian of this castle while my lady is away. I am to protect her child that has been blessed with her inhuman abilities." The woman said. "But... There is more to it then this..." She added.

"May I hear this before I die?" Sly asked.

"Yes... It would be a good story to tell as I slowly tear you apart." The woman said. "Where to begin..."

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"Begone spirits!" Come shouted.

"Y-Y-Yes! Right away!" All of the spirits said as they flew away, one rather drunkenly from being smacked with the giant hammer.

"The bullets seem to have stopped... I hope Tale's OK..." Comet said.

"I have an odd feeling... one I remember having... but what could it be...?" Nebo thought.

"Nebo! I can't have you zoning out in a place likes this." Lucian snapped.

"Yes.... my apologizes my lord." Nebo replied.

"Lets go..." Comet said before he started walking again.

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"Get your mortal hands off him!" A voice echoed as a shadow appeared on the floor. "Wounds like those need special treatment in this atmosphere!" The voice added before a woman dressed in all black looking about her mid sixties arose from the shadow.

The woman dashed over rather quickly for one her age and took the child and cradled him as if he were a baby. "Nana's here now. Mommy will be here soon." The woman assured the half-unconscious child before she started to put what looked like band-aids over some of the wounds and threw the vest onto a near by table.

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"...and that's how this is going to end." The woman said. "Now... onto your death." She added.

"So... Cassandra did you say it was? You're only in this so you can kill this witch and collect a handsome reward? Do I have this right?" Sly said with sweat dripping down his face.

"Yes. That is correct." Cassandra said.

"You angels, cherubs, and seraphims can never be trusted." A rather low sounding female voice said.

"M-M-My lady! Back so soon?" Cassandra said. "You! You set me up!" She yelled picking Sly up by his neck.

"I never set you up. Luck just was in my favor." Sly said before his breathing started to get heavy as he was being chocked.

A hand rose out of the ground and grabbed Cassandra and freed Sly. A woman looking about her mid twenties had stepped into the room. She had brilliant ruby red hair that, even with three ponytails, still had hair that hung freely. She wore a rather simple looking layered dress that was also a shimmering red, but more crimson, and she carried a large staff that had been decorated by bones of the dead.

"Cassandra, You're fired." The woman said before the hand flung Cassandra into the wall.

"Thank you miss. May I ask your name?" Sly asked.

"It's common courtesy to give your name before asking another." The woman said.

"Oh, right. Please excuse that. My name is Sly." Sly said hoping to not be figured out.

"Well met boy, I'm the owner of this castle. People call me a devil, when I'm really just a witch that loves to play with the dead. My name is Leyanna. The sorceress of the underworld as some call me." Leyanna responded. "Now tell me... why were you trying to kill my child?" She asked.

"Uh..." Sly said before he found himself pinned against the wall once more.

"Well?" Leyanna asked.

Austin jolted when Levis started bleeding. After the initial shock wore off, he looked a little determined. "Please, let me do it. I feel like I haven't done anything useful except being the ferry." His body turned orange and he slowly turned into an almost casket, only it wasn't so morbid, and it had wheels. At the front of the almost-casket was a wooden dragon's head with blue earrings. "Please, put him inside. I want to help." The dragon's head begged.


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"M-Master!" Adon cried, as he watched his master get the atomic wedgie of his life.

"Adon! Get this thing to stop!" Mason yelled through his screams of agony. Adon caught Mason and tried to jab the ghost in the face.