Slayers Fan Fiction ❯ Project Zero ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

I wonder how long it's been, since my brother and I began to see things, other people just couldn't see.

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Zelgadis walked carefully through the dark woods, his soft lavender hair nearly blended in with his dark surroundings, as did his clothing. The only thing that did stick out was his cool blue eyes and flashlight.

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My brother was the sweetest, most gentle person you could ever hope to meet, and the only one
I could trust to talk to about these visions. After my mother died, he became my only family.

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He continued walking, in his hand, he held an old antique camera. It wasn't new or anything, but it was reliable, and that was what he needed.

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My brother was in search of someone. Gourry Gabrief, a famous novelist and a man my brother was very indebted to, had gone missing while researching a new book. With him, his editor, Xellos Metallium, and his assistant, Sylphiel Nels Rada, had also disappeared.

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Zelgadis walked up the small hill towards his destination. Up towards the top, he crossed the small bridge and stopped in front of the giant house. It looked just like a house out of one of those horror movies. Broken shutters that clacked in the wind, rotten and broken support beams, and old wooden floorboards that creaked when walked upon.

"So this," He said as he looked at the house carefully. "Is Mikumoru Mansion,"

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The old stories that surrounded the old house on the hill didn't scare my brother. Nothing scared him. He was fearless, just like our father was. Sometimes I wonder if it's actually fearlessness, or just stubbornness. Either way, he entered, and then it began.

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Zelgadis entered the old house. The wind seemed to make it moan and whisper. A broken support beam block part of the way from the entrance, and the place was covered in dust and cobwebs.

He walked up the few steps that lead to the first room. Off to the far end of the room was a screen. It covered his view from there on, but her knew it was of no importance. To his left, a single slide-away door resided. He walked over to it, carefully so as not to irritate the old boards of the house.

He slid it open; it made a soft Shftt noise as he did so. He found himself in a long hallway. Hanging from the rafters, several ropes swayed in an invisible wind. He walked down the hallway, and then came to a split in ways.

In front of him was a large mirror; it more then likely had some significance a while back when the mansion was still inhabited. To his right, a large iron door sat. To his left, a wooden door that was boarded over sat.

He opened the large iron door, swinging it as hard as he could. It opened with a little force, and he stepped into the room.

The room was small, with a fireplace in the middle. In the far right corner there was a small staircase that led up to a balcony-type thing, (I don't know what they're called,). The balcony thing continued on into the next room. Zelgadis had to do a double take; he thought he had seen a man looking down from the balcony. To the right, there were a few dressers, one of which had a large Lion mask sitting on it.

Zelgadis walked over and looked at the dressers. It was completely covered in dust. He rummaged through the contents on the tops of the dressers, and then went through the drawers. He found nothing there.

He went up the staircase. When he reached the top, he saw a small notebook on the floor. He knelt down and picked it up. He opened it up, but couldn't read much of what was in it. What he could read said nothing more than the trouble they had had while trying to find the mansion. It was Mr. Gabrief's journal!

Zelgadis stood up. "But where is Mr. Gabrief?" He began to shake. Something was nagging at him; he just couldn't place what it was! He knew something was wrong, though. He turned when he thought he heard some of the boards creaking.

He shook his head. "I must be going nutty," But he heard it again. And not like the wind, no, this sounded like someone was walking, and coming closer. He watched carefully, scanning the area. There, a little away from the staircase, was a small glint, of something. He dropped the notebook, and grabbed the only thing available, the camera.

Out of the darkness appeared a white creature. It was shaped like a man, but its eyes were filled completely with nothing. It seemed to hover above the ground, and it was coming near Zelgadis.

Zelgadis lifted the camera, even if something happened, he might be able to get a photo of it. As it came closer, he pressed the shutter button. The spirit man shrieked and backed away. It began to come towards him again. Zelgadis looked at the camera surprised. He looked back up at the approaching ghost.

He lifted the camera and pressed the shutter button, the ghost shrieked again, and then seemed to evaporate into the air. Zelgadis once again looked down at the small camera in his hands. What was going on? He shook his head and knelt down, picked up the pictures and notebook, and then stood and walked down the stairs.

He stopped half way down the stairs. "Wait a minute, that door was closed a moment ago, wasn't it…?" The door he was referring to was wide open.

He left the room, still pondering over the door. He walked over to the mirror, and then froze. The feeling was at it again. This time, though, he had a feeling of real danger. He began to run, trying to get out as fast as he could. But he never did reach the door…

End Prologue