Kapitel 33: Water Ghost!
The maid hesitated, her hands trembling as she avoided the sharp glare of the young blonde girl before her. To even discuss such topics was unthinkable. Gossip, especially about the Viscount or his family, was a one-way ticket to an unmarked grave at the bottom of the lake. Everyone in the manor knew what happened to disobedient servants, the fish told no tales.
Her duty was clear: ensure the young lady never left the manor grounds. But duty didn't prepare her for the slap that came next.
The blonde girl's delicate, gloved hand struck with surprising force, leaving a stinging red imprint on the maid's cheek. The maid staggered, clutching her face in shock as tears pricked at her eyes.
"You dare touch me?" the young girl hissed, her icy blue eyes alight with disdain. "You're just a servant. Know your place."
The maid's head dipped lower, her lips trembling as she struggled to form a reply.
"And listen well," the blonde continued, her voice dripping with malice. "If you dare tell my father about this, I'll have my brother beat you to death. Stay put. Understand?"
Without waiting for a response, the girl turned on her heel and strode off, her golden hair shimmering in the sunlight. The maid's heart raced as she watched her charge disappear down the winding garden path.
Panic surged within her. If the young lady went missing, the Viscount's wrath would be swift and deadly. She couldn't simply stand idle. The blonde girl's sharp temper was legendary, and her brother's cruelty was even worse. Many servants bore the scars or worse, never returned from the punishments he doled out.
Steeling herself, the maid rushed after the girl, her steps faltering with dread. But the girl was nowhere to be seen.
Meanwhile, hidden behind a large bed of roses, the young lady smirked. "Finally," she whispered to herself, brushing dirt off her dress. "I'm not marrying some decrepit old man." Her defiance was as bright as her golden locks.
She crouched low, preparing to make her next move, when a shadow loomed over her. A cold hand clamped over her mouth, muffling her yelp of surprise. A blade, its edge glinting in the dappled sunlight, hovered perilously close to her porcelain skin.
"Shh," a calm yet chilling voice murmured in her ear. "You don't want that pretty little face of yours to get scratched, do you?"
The girl's eyes widened in terror as the blade pressed lightly against her cheek. She squirmed, but the grip around her tightened. Her heart thudded painfully in her chest.
"Now," the voice continued, its tone almost conversational, "we're going to have a little chat. You answer my questions, and no one gets hurt. Think too long, though, and…" The knife glided slightly, a silent warning.
"What… what do you want?" she stammered, tears welling in her eyes.
"Your father," the man said coldly. "Where does he keep the people he traffics?"
"I don't know!" she cried, her voice quivering.
"I won't ask again," he replied. The pressure of the knife increased slightly, enough to make her gasp.
Her mind scrambled for answers. A memory surfaced. "Wait! I don't know exactly, but…" she hesitated, desperation clear in her voice. "There's a basement. By the port. I heard prisoners are sometimes locked up there. If he's hiding someone, it would be there."
The man's grip loosened slightly, but the knife remained. "Good girl. Now, you're going to take me there."
He gave a signal, and from a nearby bush, a wiry giant tigure emerged, dusting dirt off his pants. The man, David, grinned sheepishly underneath his makeshift cloak at the blonde girl before nodding to his companion.
The journey to the basement was uneventful but tense. The building was tucked away near the river, hidden by a thicket of ancient trees. Leonard used the shadows as cover, leading the small group to the entrance.
The iron gate loomed before them, its lock gleaming in the faint moonlight. Leonard's eyes narrowed as he knelt by the gate, his hand brushing against the dirt.
The ground rumbled beneath them, and suddenly, a massive iron-scaled earthworm burst from the soil. Its segmented body glistened as it slithered forward, opening its maw to swallow the padlock whole. The creature crunched the metal effortlessly, spitting out the remains like crumbs.
Vivian shrieked, clutching her skirts tightly. The sight of the creature was almost too much for her already frayed nerves. She recoiled, only to feel Leonard's firm grip on her arm.
"Relax," he said coolly. "It's just doing its job."
The earthworm nudged the gate open with its massive body, revealing a narrow, dimly lit staircase descending into darkness. Leonard muttered something under his breath, the iron ring on his wrist glowing faintly as he communicated silently with the creature.
"It's clear," he announced. "Lead the way."
Vivian hesitated, but the cold edge of the knife against her spine urged her forward. The group descended the stairs, the silence broken only by the soft drip of water and the occasional scuttle of unseen creatures.
Unbeknownst to them, David lingered at the entrance. With a mischievous grin, he tiptoed through the gate, carefully closing it behind him. "Always wanted to see a secret lair," he whispered to himself, his voice echoing softly as he followed them into the depths.
Drop, drop...
The steady rhythm of water dripping echoed through the damp, oppressive air of the basement. It was far more humid than Leonard had anticipated, and the moisture seemed to seep into his very bones.
Through his metal ring, the iron earthworm, fed back fragments of information. Its simple thoughts informed Leonard that something lay ahead, but its limited intelligence couldn't articulate exactly what.
The narrow corridor stretched before him, flanked by rows of empty cells. Leonard's sharp eyes swept over the walls and the iron bars, noting how eerily familiar they looked. They were nearly identical to the cells where his mentor, Teacher Angelet, had been imprisoned.
But these cells were vacant; ghostly echoes of what might have once been. His brows furrowed as he descended deeper. The air grew heavier with every step. The basement seemed to stretch endlessly downward. Judging from the depth, he guessed that they were now below the canal's water level.
What on earth was the Viscount planning down here? he mused, though his caution kept him from dismissing the area's dangers with idle speculation. The absurd thought of an underwater park flickered through his mind, but the grim reality of the place silenced it quickly.
In his arms, Vivian trembled violently, curled up like a frightened bird. Her small frame quivered with every breath, and she pressed closer to him for warmth or perhaps, protection. Leonard's grip was iron-like, his arm locked around her throat to prevent her escape. She gasped for air but said nothing, her heart pounding like a drum.
Strangely, instead of loathing him, Vivian felt a peculiar curiosity about the man who had dragged her into this nightmare. Her pale fingers clutched at his waist as though seeking comfort, and she buried her head against him like a child afraid of the dark.
"Enough!" Leonard growled, irritated by her proximity. His steps faltered slightly as her grip made his movements awkward. He jabbed her with the tip of his staff, the impact sharp and deliberate.
"Don't get in my way!" he barked, his voice low but commanding. His warm breath brushed against her ear, sending an involuntary shiver down her spine. Vivian's body seemed to soften further, her trembling ceasing as she melted into his grip.
Annoyed, Leonard pushed her away with more force than necessary. Gripping the back of her neck as if handling a wayward kitten, he held her out at arm's length. If anything dangerous appeared, he decided, she'd make an excellent distraction.
Ahead, the earthworm's signal grew more insistent. The corridor came to an end, opening into a massive chamber. Leonard stopped abruptly, his senses sharp. A faint sound of splashing water reached his ears, and the air grew colder.
"Boss," a familiar voice called out softly from behind.
Vivian jumped in fright, startled by the sudden interruption. David appeared, his disheveled figure wrapped in what remained of a tattered curtain he had fashioned into a makeshift cloak. His sly grin and the smug air of someone who always seemed to survive against the odds were all too familiar.
"I followed you," David explained, holding up an oil lamp like a trophy. "Figured you might need this."
"You couldn't have mentioned this earlier?" Leonard snapped, irritation evident in his tone. The journey through the dark had been far from pleasant.
David, unfazed, struck a flint and lit the lamp. The warm glow illuminated the chamber, casting eerie shadows across the pillars that supported the room.
Now that Leonard could see clearly, he took in his surroundings. The room was divided, one half a solid stone floor, the other half turbulent, dark water. The water's surface glistened ominously, and long chains dangled from the ceiling, disappearing into the murky depths. The chains creaked and swayed, as though something stirred beneath.
Suddenly, the water rippled violently, and a dark mass began to rise. A figure, shrouded in what appeared to be tangled water weeds, emerged. The chains clinked as they moved, and a green, webbed hand gripped the edge of the stone floor with unnatural strength. Vivian screamed, scrambling to hide behind Leonard.
A wet, grinning face emerged from the water, framed by algae-like hair that clung to the creature's skull. Its sharp teeth gleamed as it leered at them. "Ah, my dear niece," the creature hissed, its voice guttural and mocking. "You've finally come to visit your uncle."
Leonard's eyes narrowed as he studied the creature. Its unnaturally long arms reached almost to its knees, and its sinewy body dripped with water. Rusted chains shackled its ankles, swaying as it climbed onto the stone floor.
"I thought you'd forgotten about me," the water ghost sneered, tilting its head in a grotesque parody of affection. "But here you are. Did you miss me?"
Vivian's trembling intensified as she clung desperately to Leonard's arm. The water ghost's presence exuded malice, and its grin widened as it relished her fear.
"Uncle," Leonard murmured, his tone cold as ice. He tightened his grip on his staff, his eyes scanning the room. The creature's appearance reminded him of the water ghosts described by Big Gold Teeth: ghastly beings tethered to their watery graves.
The water ghost loomed over them, its form massive and intimidating. It cackled, water dripping from its ragged frame. "Let's have a little family reunion, shall we?"
Wöchentlicher Energiestatus
-- Power-
Rangliste 
-- Power-
Stein