Sean whirled around, gasping out in complete shock. "He did what in this room?!" The maid locked her soft blue eyes on him but closed the door without answering. Turning to look at Mark, he mumbled out to him uneasily. "He recently died from this room, and we are put here to sleep? What the fuck! What kind of quest is this?" Mark removed his mask, revealing his small smirk before heading over to the window and replying calmly. "It's a game, Sean. It's just the way they want to throw us into a side quest." Sean snorted with disgust, crossing his arms as he muttered out. "I can't sleep here. We're going to get haunted. I can feel it." Mark touched the window frame, absently telling him. "I don't think it will be that bad." Rolling his eyes, Sean snapped out. "The guy threw himself out a window! He's probably turned into some grim ghost. And Mark... If he scares me, I'm done. I don't do scary VR games and I sure as fuck am not doing this!" Mark smiled to himself, then coolly stated. "Good thing he didn't throw himself out then."

Sean blinked, moving quickly toward the window as he said a little surprised. "What? But she said..." Pointing to scratches on the sides of the frame, Mark corrected a little playfully. "Someone pushed him out. That makes him a vengeful ghost, Baby." Sean slowly turned his head to glare at Mark with murderous eyes. Chuckling, Mark inched away from him and the window, saying comfortingly. "Relax. It won't be so bad. Let's just count our blessings. This is better than that murder guild. Right?" Crossing his arms, Sean nodded but couldn't bring himself to say anything. When he turned to face the window, Sean let out a sigh and mumbled out to his reflection. "You know I'm not good at games like this. Murder investigations fine... but hauntings..." Sean was so lost in thought that when Mark's hands touched his shoulders, he flinched. Easing him back against his chest, Mark whispered to him lovingly. "I'll keep you safe. Between your detective skills and my ability to... distract ghosts. We'll be fine."

Shrugging, Sean let himself believe that. Giving him a hug, Mark told him sweetly. "Unequip your gear and come to bed." Reluctantly obeying, Sean slipped into bed with Mark and jumped as a distant church bell let out a deep bellow. Mark placed a hand on Sean's cheek, coaxing him to lie down as he whispered to him. "It's midnight. Come on. Lie down." Easing down reluctantly, Sean snuggled under the covers and got as close to Mark's chest as he could. Seeing the blanket shake from how Sean's wings trembled, Mark draped an arm over him and stroked his warm hand up and down Sean's spine. Watching as Sean's wings eventually stilled. Sean was sleeping peacefully, until something smacked the window. Jerking upright, he looked at the window and saw a black raven sitting on the ledge of the window outside. The raven stared in at him with narrowed eyes that gave him goosebumps. The raven's head then turned to look at the fireplace in the room and unable to help himself, Sean's eyes followed it.

The dark fireplace let out a deep hollow exhale that stirred up the cold ashes inside. Unable to move most of his body, Sean drifted his hand over to grab Mark's shoulder. His heart was starting to race in his chest, and he found he was barely breathing. Suddenly the candle by the window flared to life, spooking the raven off the windowsill. Sean's nails dug into Mark as he stared at the flickering little candle. He wanted to scream but his voice was just gone. The curtain beside the window billows with not a trace of wind in the room. Settling into the shape of a person as if they were just standing behind the curtain. Sean shook Mark's shoulder, causing him to groan a little. The curtain fell back into place like the person had vanished. It's deflation causing the candle to snuff out. Sean's nails dug into Mark's shoulder more. Then without warning. A sudden rumble of thunder, followed by a flash of lightning illuminated a faint glowing man at the foot of the bed.

The man had scratches across his cheek and his clothes were disheveled. The man lifted a hand out toward him and Sean found his voice. Screaming loudly, Sean bolted over Mark and toward the door. Mark yelped as Sean toppled over him, calling out his name with utter confusion. Sean ignored it, simply yelling aloud. "I'M OUT! I WANT OUT!" Racing out the door and down the long hallway, Sean skidded to a halt when he came to a dead end that shouldn't have been there. Weren't there supposed to be stairs? Turning around, he slammed his back against the wall behind him. The hallway he had just come from was gone. Replaced by another dead end with a statue of armor that stood at attention. Taking a deep breath, Sean screamed for Mark, only for his voice to crack at the end. The knight's gauntlet fingers moved on the hilt of his long sword. Sean's chest rose and fell heavily as the knight's body began to softly clink and adjust its fingers on the hilt.

Just as the knight lifted his long sword, Sean caught a brief glimpse of the knight's crest adorned on the chest of his breastplate. A raven holding a diving rod in one claw and a heart in the other. As the knight stepped off the podium, Sean looked to his right and saw a hallway. So, he bolted down it. Every door in the hallway was locked but he kept trying. Behind him, the knight's stomping pace kept following him, seeming to be in no rush. Reaching the end of the hallway, Sean spotted a set of spiraling stairs and started to run down them when he caught the knight at the top. Hesitating, he watched the knight raise a hand and flip a lever behind a curtain on the wall. The scream that left Sean echoed off the walls as the stairs folded into a spiraling slide. The spiraling slide was pitch black, causing Sean to panic as he tried to claw at the stone walls. Then out of nowhere a wall slid aside and Sean slid out into a large warmly lit up room.

Rolling up to his feet, Sean snatched a candlestick off the deck and snapped out. "What the hell is going on?!" From behind him, a dark figure slid a large picture frame back into place to hide the stairway, while informing him politely. "Seems you are being played with, I'm afraid." Whirling around aiming the candlestick at the dark figure, Sean watched him raise a hand to protect his eyes from the light. The man wore the clothes of a noble nord. Thick fur collared coat and a fine runic embroidered tunic shirt. Keeping the candlestick training on him, Sean asked completely shaken up. "Who are you?! Where am I?! Where is Mark?!" The man eased away from Sean toward the deck, answering without looking in his direction. "I'm the lord of Grim Hollow. This is my private study. But since you're here. Care for a drink to steady your nerves, Ljosalfar?" Panting heavily, Sean snapped out. "No. I wanna know where Mark is!" The lord smirked to himself, reaching out to flip a cap off a horn on the wall, before stating into it. "Lucinda, can you find the Aesir and bring him to my private study?"

From the horn, the soft maid's voice answered. "As you wish, my lord." Gesturing to the horn, the lord casually told him in a pleasant tone. "She'll bring him here shortly. Now. Care to have a seat? I'm sure you've had quite the scare." Inching back toward a seat, Sean uttered out with jumpy unease. "Ya. Wanna tell me why your house moves? And what the fuck is going on!" The lord moved to the other plush seat, raising his hand again to shield his eyes from the candlelight as he took his seat. Sitting across from him, Sean kept the candle in front of him for protection. The lord turned his attention to pouring himself a drink of thick red wine, when he told him openly. "That's easy. Grim Hollow is cursed. Has been for a very long time. With every death, the curse grows stronger." The distant howling of a wolf came from outside and Sean tensed up. The lord took the moment to lick his fingers and snuff the candle out in Sean's hands, causing him to jump. Relaxing back in his seat though, the lord told him casually. "My eyes are not what they used to be forgive me. The candlelight is a bit much for me. Keep the candlestick if it makes you feel save."

Sean tightened his grip on the metal but told the man bluntly. "I think I saw your brother in our room." The lord took a swig from his mug, then coolly told him. "I'm sure you did. It's not uncommon in these halls." Sniffling a little, Sean asked a bit meekly. "Why would someone kill him?" The lord smiled, before uttering out. "Why indeed. I'm hoping you and your partner can help me figure that out. I'm too close to the people here. I'm blind to it. But maybe you two can see what avoids me." The door opened and the maid dipped into a curtsy before stepping aside to let Mark in. Mark was still in his sleeping shorts, but his sword was in hand. He looked confused and concerned, until he saw Sean. Getting up, Sean bolted over to Mark and leapt into his arms. Mark held him tightly, scolding softly. "Don't you EVER run off like that again. Damn it, Sean..." Sean trembled in Mark's arms, burying his head against his neck. When Mark finally looked up at the other man, the lord announced warmly. "I'm afraid the lad is a little spooked. But I'm glad you're both here. Let's chat."

Mark carefully walked over to the chair as the lord waved the maid away. Once the door was closed, and Mark was seated with Sean across his lap. The lord swirled his drink and informed them seriously. "I'm sorry that I was unable to greet you upon your arrival. But the loss of my brother has cut me deeply. For now... I am the last of my family. To which I fear my family curse plans to do away with me next." Mark raised an eyebrow, asking curiously. "What kind of family curse?" The lord sighed heavily, before telling them solemnly. "A powerful one. Thousands of years ago. This house belonged to a Hag. My ancient relative was fighting in a war and became injured not too far from here. The Hag saved him from his mortal wounds. She only asked for one thing in return. Children. His children. My relative accepted. Knowing full well that he couldn't have kids due to an old injury." The lord paused to swig his drink, then continued. "Only she had done something to him. He bore two sons with his wife. Children she whisked away in the night. Bringing them here."

Mark rubbed Sean's back, but Sean was feeling better and listening to the story now. The lord glanced at the cold fireplace, adding on. "When my relative came to claim them. He found them alone. In his greed. He moved here to live more... fancifully. But that's when everything went sour. See... this house did something to our family. My relative's kids... changed. One ripped the throat out of his father in the night. The other attacked his mother. Slit her throat in the night. The wolf you hear... The relative that killed his father. Killed by his own brother with a silver bullet. Who was in turn staked through the heart by his brother's wife and buried in the garden. It goes on and on. But I need it to stop. Centuries of murder and blood line these halls. And I can't rest, until I know what is still driving this curse. Will you help me?" Mark shared a look with Sean, who clung to him a bit tighter. Shifting a little, Mark asked him. "If we do. What will be the reward?"

The lord slowly turned his head to lock his eyes with Mark's, his eyes reflecting like an animal's eyes in low light, when he calmly answered. "You do this for me. And I'll grant you the gift of runic eyes. The ability to read every language in Yggdrasil." The lord didn't blink as he added in coolly. "It may seem like very little. But I assure you. It is a rare gift and for adventures like yourselves. You are going to need it." Sean sat back from Mark a bit, whispering discreetly to Mark. "It would have been nice to have it when they gave the hint to the first boss in giant... Maybe we should consider it?" Mark shrugged, telling him sweetly. "I think we should. The quest could be tricky because of the reward... but well worth the risk for something that could save us later." Sean nodded, and Mark told the lord seriously. "We'll accept."

The lord grinned, leaningback in his chair proudly when he said aloud. "Excellent. Now... about those costumes and why you will need to wear themhere. It's for your safety and may unlock things in the house. Because you see...the Hag who owned this house. She turned people into goats, and she lovedvirgin nuns. It was how she fed the boys she stole. Goats to the wolfman.Virgin blood for the vampire. Or so it is rumored." To Be Continued...