It was a hot summer evening, and the Arcturus family sat in the living room with the doors open to let in the cool air.
Everyone was full after a delicious dinner prepared by Mrs. Arcturus and Olivia. Despite being in her late sixties, Mrs. Arcturus looked remarkably good for her age. She had aged gracefully her silver hair was tied perfectly into a neat bun, and she wore a colorful dress with a bright orange and red floral pattern.
She sat beside Olivia, sipping tea and gossiping about the latest news in their community. Mrs. Arcturus was especially fond of drinking tea particularly the fancy blends brewed in Âponi. Every time she spoke about them, her face lit up with joy.
Near the door, an old man sat in a rocking chair, listening to the radio. Two children played on the floor nearby, their game of Exploding Dots causing enough noise to irritate their grandfather.
"Take it upstairs!" growled the old man.
The children burst into laughter and ran off.
It was an ordinary day in the Arcturus household. No one could have expected what was about to happen.
Without warning, the once-cold fireplace suddenly blazed with blue flames. Two figures stepped out. They were cloaked in black, and one of them was holding a child.
"Oh my! Alexandre, come take a look! Your son has finally decided to visit and he brought your grandson with him," said Lady Arcturus, standing to greet them.
"Why didn't you tell us you were coming today? We could've delayed dinner for you," said Alexandre in a warm, considerate tone.
"Good evening, Mother. Father. No need to worry we're quite okay," said the man who had just emerged from the fireplace.
He was tall, with long black hair tied in the same manner as Lady Arcturus. From the way he spoke and carried himself, it was obvious he belonged to the family. He resembled Alexandre in both presence and mannerisms.
"Come, sit down. Luna, give me the child I imagine you're tired from carrying him," he said gently.
Luna had flowing blonde hair and striking grey eyes that resembled storm clouds.
"Father, you have to forgive me, but we are not here to stay. Is Arthur not back from work yet?" she asked in a sombre tone.
"He should be here in a minute," Olivia replied, still seated on the sofa.
"Sorry for not greeting you sooner, my dearest sister-in-law," the man added with a soft smile toward Olivia.
Suddenly, the fireplace flared to life once more, and another man stepped out, carrying a briefcase.
"Brother, you're here and Luna as well," said Arthur.
He looked dreadful. His suit was covered in mud and torn in several places.
"I reckon it's another raid," said the man, embracing Arthur.
"What brings you here today? It's not like you to visit without warning," Arthur asked with concern.
"Bad news. Very bad news, I'm afraid," the man replied softly. "Luna and I... we're about to be hunted by the entire world because of that thing."
He turned to Arthur, placing a hand firmly on his shoulder and locking eyes with him.
"I need you to look after my son, Art. You have to promise me you'll take care of him."
"You've been cursed," Arthur said at once.
The man looked down, silent for a moment.
"Yes," he finally admitted.
"We can't say who did it," Luna added, tears rolling down her cheeks. "And we can't stay with James. If we do... he'll die."
"I understand," Arthur said without hesitation.
"Whatever you hear or see don't believe it," the man warned. "It's all lies, just a cover-up for what they've done."
His voice was nearly drowned out by the sound of the child waking and crying.
"Brother... I need you to take the vow. If they ever discover James, they must never know he's my son."
The room fell into a heavy silence.
"Okay," Arthur answered with a firm nod.
"No! You can't, Arthur. It's too risky there has to be another way!" Olivia cried.
"I have to do this, darling," Arthur said gently, placing a reassuring hand on her arm.
"Father, can you help us? Please make sure the spell doesn't go wrong."
Alexandre stood silently. Without a word, he drew his wand.
It was white as snow, carved to resemble bone, and covered in intricate runes.
James's father and Arthur grasped each other's arms as their father stepped forward.
"Écio Clostrum," Alexandre muttered.
A glowing chain appeared around their hands.
"Let's begin, Arthur," the man said with urgency.
"I vow to keep this secret with all that is my body, mind, and soul to protect that which is my blood," Arthur declared. "By my wand, I make this vow. The one who hides shall not be found. And once set, the vow can never be broken for if it is, the soul shall perish."
The glowing chains turned translucent, then vanished.
"Thank you, Arthur," the man said quietly.
"Father," he added, turning to Alexandre, "I leave my account with you. The answers will come in due time."
James's parents said their final goodbyes. Luna knelt and kissed James on the forehead.
"May the goddess Hecate be with you," said Lady Arcturus softly.
James's parents vanished into the fire once more.
It was the middle of the night. Not a single soul could be seen on the cold, rain-drenched streets of 24 Victoria in Jižní. The downpour pelted the city as if the heavens themselves were weeping.
"Wake up, James! Wake up, I tell you!" cried Angus, a small and pale-looking boy.
"What do you want? It's the middle of the night. Tell me what you want, Angus," James grumbled.
"Look outside, James. Look! Can you see it?"
James tossed aside his blankets, rubbed his eyes, stretched his arms wide, and yawned.
He was a young lad, just nine years old. Quite handsome for his age, with neatly combed brown hair that resembled polished wood. It often drew attention, since he looked nothing like the rest of his family. But his most unique feature was his eyes an unusual shade of blue with a silver undertone.
He sat dazed on his bed, listening to Angus ramble, not yet moving.
Angus, looking even paler than usual, stood frozen by the window, staring outside as if he'd seen a ghost.
James finally stood and joined him. When he looked through the window, he too went pale. Fear clutched him. He didn't move from the spot for what felt like an eternity.
When he finally turned away, he ran to Angus, who was trembling.
"What's that, Angus? Do you know what it is?" James asked.
"No! I don't, James. I have no clue! But it looks like one of those Houllers Mother tells us about in her bedtime stories. Let's take a closer look."
Angus pressed his face against the window, squinting through the glass. But the storm outside was getting worse. The rain lashed violently, and thick fog covered everything. It was too misty to make anything out clearly.
Suddenly, a jet of light flashed.
The boys recoiled, stepping back in alarm.
Then without warning Angus fell to the ground.
James tried to scream, but no sound came. No words. It felt like he had forgotten how to speak. As if something had stolen his voice, leaving him hollow.
A shadowy figure began approaching the window.
Another flash of light. James blinked.
When he opened his eyes, the shadow stood right in front of him.
It had a humanoid shape.
"Who are you? What… what are you?" James whispered in terror.
The creature was draped in tattered rags, floating mid-air. Its face was shrouded in cloth, and its body cloaked in swirling black smoke as if it were part of the shadows themselves.
It crept toward James.
It had no eyes but from beneath the cloth, twin orbs of glowing white light pierced through the darkness.
And its breath
It was the foulest thing James had ever smelled. Like rotting flesh. Like a dead animal left in the summer sun.
The creature reached out its long, claw-like fingers, moving toward James's eyes, as if trying to gouge them out.
The creature's breath made James feel powerless. His will to fight vanished. He had given up on even trying to escape.
Well… maybe it will leave after taking my eyes, James thought to himself.
The creature slowly extended its hand toward James's face. The closer it got, the more terrified James became until finally, it touched him.
A wave of cold washed over him. It felt as though he were trapped in a blizzard, stripped of every trace of warmth. The creature's hand gripped his face and tilted it upward.
Its claws inched closer and closer to his eyes.
Just as it was about to gouge them out
Its hand burst into flames.
The creature shrieked, a high-pitched, haunting cry that echoed through the room. The sound was enough to wake the entire house.
Within moments, the door flew open.
A man burst in, holding a wand. The tip glowed, illuminating the room.
With a pop, the creature vanished into thin air.
James collapsed to the floor.
Almost simultaneously, another figure entered. This time, it was a woman.
As James lay there, drifting into a forced slumber, he heard muffled voices around him.
"Houllers, Arthur! Bloody Houllers! My son attacked by those creatures!" the woman shouted, her voice shaking with rage. "I want that boy out of this house! He's going to get my child killed!"
Her fury was so intense that the glasses in the room began to crack and shatter from the force of her words.
"What do you want me to do then, Olivia?" Arthur replied. "He's just a boy. I promised my brother I'd take care of him until he's old enough and you know that promise cannot be broken."
"Your brother is a traitor, and you know it!" Olivia snapped. "No wonder James keeps getting attacked. And what promise? He'll be turning ten on the twenty-fourth. You must make sure he goes! If only not for "
Arthur moved quickly, covering her mouth before she could say more.
"Olivia, control yourself. I forbid you to talk about that. The walls have ears," he said in a hushed but stern tone. "Let's drop this conversation. The important thing is that no one was hurt."
Olivia frowned, said nothing more, and stormed back to bed.
That night, Arthur sat in a chair beside the boys and kept watch as they slept.
By morning, the sky had softened, and golden light poured into the room.
"Boy, you're awake now. Gave us quite the scare last night," said Arthur, a man in his mid-thirties.
He had a distinct face, clear blue eyes, and a kind demeanor even with the scar above his brow. The mark, which looked like it had been caused by fire, was shaped oddly like a trident. His athletic build hinted at a man used to action.
James was the first to rise. He walked straight to Arthur.
"Uncle... why is it that bad things always happen to me?" he asked, his eyes brimming with tears.
Arthur gently placed a hand on the boy's shoulder.
"Listen to me very carefully, James. The one thing that is equally granted to everyone... is an unfair reality. Bad things happen to good people. But that shouldn't discourage you," he said with a quiet, firm tone.
"Because even in the eye of the storm... There is calm." Said Arthur, patting James on his shoulder.
"Here he goes again, not making any sense. Always acting all wise and mysterious like Grandpa. He fancies himself a great sage," said Angus with a grin.
He had regained most of his complexion if he had any to begin with.
James and Angus both burst into laughter. The terror they had experienced seemed to be melting away.
"But this situation is very odd," Arthur said, his tone turning serious. "How did it manage to get inside? Strange... I reckon the barriers failed but that's impossible. We renewed the runes not too long ago. I wonder how the Houller managed to sneak inside."
"The only way they could have gotten in," said a voice from a nearby portrait, "is if someone allowed them."
Arthur paused.
"But that's even more absurd..." he muttered.
"Lucy! Come here," Arthur called out.
There was a sharp pop.
"You called, Master?" replied a low, shrill voice.
It was Lucy the house elf. She was a very unpleasant-looking creature: short, with long ears and a crooked nose that ended in a large, swollen pimple. Her robe was pink, ragged, and tattered with age.
"But who?" Arthur said, his voice rising. "No one would intentionally let such an evil being into this house! They'd have no reason to!"
"Sir, if I may be so bold…" Lucy began, glancing at James, "some people don't like James because he is "
BANG!
There was a loud noise. Lucy immediately fell silent, as though she'd said something forbidden. She looked frightened.
Arthur narrowed his eyes. She was hiding something and he knew it.
Just as he was about to press her further, someone entered the room.
It was Olivia.
She stood tall and poised, with flaming red hair and deep brown eyes. Her jawline was so flawless it looked sculpted, as if she were a character painted in oils. Her bony hand rested with confidence on her hip, and her expression was aimed sharply at Lucy.
"What are you talking about, Arthur?" Olivia asked coolly.
"Nothing," Arthur replied quickly. "Just asking the boys about the attack last night."
He glanced toward the fireplace, frowning.
"I feel something's wrong. How on earth did that Houller manage to get in here, past all the wards and protection spells… unless someone willingly let it in?"
"Ooh, darling. Quite the mystery, isn't it?" Olivia replied with a strained smile. "Anyway, it's time for breakfast."
She turned toward the hallway.
"Everyone's already in the dining room. And Arthur your father wants to speak with you. It's about sending James to Doddington."
Without another word, Olivia left the room.
Arthur hesitated for a moment, then followed.
Now, only the two boys and Lucy remained.
"Young masters, I shall go and draw a bath for you," said Lucy.
With a snap of her fingers, she vanished.
Yes strange things were happening in this house indeed. And somehow, everything seemed to link back to James.