Chapter 12: RIDDLE

"Grey Powder for Suits? Really?" Was Clare's sassy remark when she brought the coffee.

Vlad's answer was a withering glare that would have muted the Box Ghost himself, but clearly, Clare would be a much older looking ghost if she weren't immune to the kind of looks that promised utter destruction if further provoked.

"Sooo, where is he and why aren't you attached to the scanner screen right now?" Clare continued as if his master wasn't angry, troubled, and bad rested.

Vlad took a large sip of his coffee before letting out a long-suffering sigh. He needed to center himself and focus on the task at hand. Lashing out at Clare would only offered little, instant gratification at the price of more troubles later on, and in what troubles regarded, his plate was already full.

"First, it had to be a code obvious enough for me to rest assured my message had gotten across. And second, my GPSs have an strange ectosignature alarm incorporated. If my little badger gets in contact with a ghost, I'll know instantly. For now, the more productive thing to do is research. Making rushed choices in the dark won´t get me anywhere, and could put Daniel and myself in danger" Vlad explained somberly.

"I know that tone of voice, my master. What have you found so far?" Clare asked concerned, suspending her attempt to lighten the mood after Danny's harsh departure.

"Just the confirmation of a suspicion" Vlad answered grimly. "There is no ghost I had records of that could achieve what took place tonight in Daniel's room"

"I thought you had already completed your census of the ghost zone" Clare said, clearly puzzled.

"I did" Vlad sighed once more while massaging his temple. Perhaps coffee wasn't the best choice for his growing headache.

"I don't understand. That makes no sense...Wait! What about a group of ghosts: One to teleport inside your ghost shield, another to tamper with your technology, one to alter my perception of the manor, and another to mess with Danny's dreams. That would be all, right?" Clare counted with her fingers.

"It's not that simple. First, there is no trace of any unusual ectosignature in the castle. Second, ghosts are usually solitary beings, for a group like that, to work together is extremely unlikely, and there is still the fact of the coordination" Vlad started musing, getting up and wandering aimlessly around the study. "The only form of teleporting so many ghosts is by a dimensional tear. A dimensional tear inside the mansion would had been detected by both you and the scanner immediately. So, even if the technoghost could work fastly enough to deactivate my security before the alarm had triggered, wich would implied a perfect knowledge of the layout of my equipment. Then that would require for the breach to start in the basement, while you were up in the hall. That means, another ghost to erase your memories, but why to bother with that, and then let you aproach Danniel's bedroom?-"

"Maybe Danny was a distraction?" Clare prompted.

"I already checked for any software alteration, but everything is just the way it's supposed to. Do you sense any object missing?" Vlad was eager to find an explanation that spared his little badger of being the focus of danguerous ghosts.

After a quick, but thorought inspection Clare shaked her head despondently.

'I'll solve this riddle my dear Daniel, and whatever being was trying to harm you, will pay. I'll pour my soul into it' "Clare, bring all my collection of the Ghost Zone's folklore" was Vlad's crisp order.

"All of it?" Clare aked incredulously.

"There is some problem with your hearing Clare?" Vlad growled.

"Fine. You know what? I don't know why I even care. Here you have it, 328 books. And I guess you won't sleep until you had read them all, right? So, I'll have a steady flow of coffee marching" Said an exasperated Clare, puffing a pile of books into existence.

"329" Was Vlad's sole reply.

"Scuse me?" Clare was eyeing Vlad as if he had finally lost his mind.

"My collection is of 329 pieces" Clarified Vlad.

"I know" Clare replied, not getting the point of the exchange.

"How many books did you bring, Clare?" Persisted Vlad with a serious expression.

"All of them, 32...wait" Clare closed her eyes in concentration "I missplaced one of them. I'm so sorry! I don't know how could have happened. I never missplace anything" Clare defended herself.

"I know" Vlad said somberly "You can take all the others books back. I'll start with the one you missplaced, and repalace the coffee for some peppermint tea. Something tells me my headache won't be getting any better in the near future"

The tome was one of the most ancient of Vlad's collection. It told the story of the creation of everything, full of gorgeous illustrations, and it was clearly ment for children. Merge with the pile, Vlad would had probably dismissed it as irrelevant.

If he had to translate the title, it would probably read something like The Old Gods' Demise. 'Oh, how charming'

So, according with the story, before existence was only Chaos. The first Old God. Not bounded by any aspect of reality, while expanding it with every new whim. Until to the point, of existence being so vast that it was in danger to collapse in itself, evoking the rise of all the other Gods, rulers and guardians of every aspect of all the things that had been, were or would be. However, the Gods become too lazy and arrogant, refusing to watch over all realms of being themselves, using their powers to create The Observers.

The Gods made The Observers eager to look after everyhing, too eager. Greed and envy defined the nature of the new creations...

"Sir?" Clare interrupted.

Vlad stopped his analysis of the story immediately. Clare knew better than to disrespect Vlad's politics about interruptions, more so given the importance of the present investigation.

"What happened?" The older halfa focused his attention on the nervous maid, who was holding a broken glowing clock in her hands.

"Remember when I looked for something missing in the manor? Well, I never thought of looking for something extra. I was finishing my morning duties when I found it" She rised the clock a little "It doesn't seem dangerous. But I suspected you would want to be informed right away"

"And you were right" Vlad said while approaching the maid.

It was a rather inconspicuous clock, if you ignored the spectral glow. 'What is the saying? Even a broken clock is right twice a day? Mmm... just a matter of minutes before this one have its right moment' Vlad's silent musing came to a halt when he inspected the backside of the clock.

It was like going on autopilot. He saw Clare catching the clock. He must had dropped it. He blinked and was in front of the screen that showed Danniel's location. The call to Skulker didn't connect, nor had any report been delivered. He knew Clare was talking, but he couldn't make out a single word she was saying. His ears were ringing, and he could feel that visciously familiar burning threatening to turn its insides to ashes. It wasn't time to crumble though, it was time to pour everything he had into saving his little badger. Were he not successful, then he'd have time to burn himself hollow, but he'll make sure to take down the whole world with him.

'Just two dates engraved in a little, inconspicuous, ghost clock' thought Vlad while speeding through the Ghost Zone 'It was that easy to make the great Vlad Masters fall apart' Yet the devastatingly clear message couldn't be more ominous, should it were accompanied with the seven trumpets of the apocalypse. The first date: Daniel's birthday. The second date: Today. And it was just a matter of minutes before the clock had its right moment...

Writer confession: I am sorry. It wasn't my intent to upset you with my bad writing and poor management of the page. Perhaps trying to practice english by writing a fanfic wasn't one of my brightest ideas :/

I apologise to Freegirl333 and all the people who suffered because of my lack of skills.

If anyone want to edit the chapter, please feel free to send me a message.