The 2 Keys And A Basement Surprise

Brad dragged the body of the guard into the room with him, as Brad entered he looked around to see the layout. There was a large bed that could fit more than 2 people easily, bookshelves lined the entire wall other than an area where a desk under a set of windows rested.

Brad dumped the guard to the side and began looking through the desk, the weak locks of the drawers were prided open using a dagger and the contents were tossed on the floor as Brad looked for the key in a rush. Finding nothing Brad moved onto the bookshelves where he started pulling every single book out and flipped through them to make sure the key was not hidden inside one, as he was preparing to toss the book in his hand, Aaron asked "wait, can you keep that book? It's a history book which I would like to read over later."

Brad nodded and after he put the book in his bag, he continued to search for the key in the remaining books, finding nothing Brad was stumped and as the bed was the only large place left to look, Brad walked over and began to toss everything off it.

Finding nothing in the piles of pillows and blankets, Brad moved onto the bed frame itself and began to look for hidden compartments built into the wood. Now Brad was not familiar with hidden compartments so after he found nothing inside the bed frame the only place left was the floor, Brad began to pry the floorboards up as quickly and quietly as he could.

Finally, Brad saw the key, it was placed under the floorboards at the end of the bed, grabbing the key Brad exited the master bedroom as he closed the door behind himself. Brad began to walk towards the library only to have David see him in the hallway, David with a large smile walked over to Brad and said, "there you are! I have been looking for you, all the youths are gathering together for a competition and we want you to join us!"

David insisting pulled Brad down the hall and lead Brad to a stairwell, "down we go," said David with a widening grin, "all the others are waiting for us." As David lead Brad down the stairs into the basement level, Aaron warned, "the feeling of tainted blood is growing, be on your guard," Brad slowly moved his hand closer to where he hid his dagger and distanced himself slightly from David as they walked.

Eventually, they reached an old looking door and David pulled a key out of his clothes, opening the door he gestured for Brad to enter as he held the door open, as Brad entered and looked into the dimly lit room Aarons yell alerted him of danger. "Duck and roll now!" as Brad dodged he saw an unnatural weird smile on David's face, as Brad turned to face him he noticed that David's hand had 6 inches of claws coming out of his fingers and a row of sharp teeth inside his mouth.

"What are you!" Brad shouted David responded by saying pridefully, "we are carrion eaters, we feast on you lowly humans and assume the identities of the most powerful people we can," he laughed at Brad's face of horror.

David or the creature that replaced David lunged forward and attacked Brad, Brad pulled out his dagger and swung at David's arm, in a flash David was on him and Brad felt a stinging pain in his chest as David pulled his claws out of him.

"Who knew you were a rank 1 warrior?" David chuckled, "my blow would have been fatal to anyone weaker, unfortunately for you, we are born at rank one warriors at birth and our biggest strength is speed, which is only a little lower than the next rank above us."

Brad winced in pain and then smiled, "like you, I also have secrets," said Brad as he shot a negative bolt at him, David was caught off guard leaped back in an attempt to dodge but was still hit at the waist. "ARGHHHHHHHH," cried David as he fell to the ground, his waist was ruined and pieces of flesh started to fall off where he was hit, Brad slowly got to his feet as he tried to put pressure on his wound, again and again, Brad shot more negative bolts at him as David tried to get up.

Finally, David, or what was left of him stopped moving, Brad ripped off his shirt and began bandaging himself and looking around the room. In the darkest corner, there was a pile of mostly bones and some bodies, at this time Brad remembered the note about the slaves and felt sick to his stomach, thinking to himself that if David was one of these carrion eaters then the rest of his family must also have been replaced.

Brad left the room in a hurry as he decided that after he got the book he would leave as soon as he could, heading back up the stairs he could not help noticing that the once noisy and loud mansion was now almost deathly silent. Brad slowly and cautiously snuck down the hall as he traveled to the library without seeing a single person of the way, Brad was happy but at the same time confused.

"There should at the very least have been a maid or guard walking around," thought Brad to himself, "I guess its finally some good luck," he shrugged. Finally reaching the library Brad entered and immediately went towards the desks, using the 2 keys Brad opened the drawer and upon seeing the book grabbed it and turned to leave.

As Brad exited the library he smelled blood coming from the feasting room and the smell was only getting stronger as time grew on, "should I go look?" asked Brad to Aaron.