Arcane Academy: The Divine Extraction Legacy

Chapter 805 The Flesh

"Still, they shouldn't exist," Wade said, shaking his head as if to dispel the absurdity of the notion.

Aubrey nodded, her expression looked serious as she considered the possibilities.

With a sigh, Aubrey decided to investigate more…

"Whether it's a Vampire or not, something is preying on the people in that manor. I'll investigate and get to the bottom of this. Rest assured, Wade, we'll find out what's happening. For now, I would suggest you leave that place… I need a bit more time to prepare… Just in case we're really with a vampire…

Wade's eyes held a glimmer of hope for the first time since he'd entered.

"Thank you, Aubrey. I knew if anyone could help, it would be you."

Soon, Wade left her office after he listed all the information about the mansion… This time, Aubrey sat in contemplation.

The case was unlike any she had encountered before—a challenge that would test her skills to their limits. But she was ready.

After all, delving into the unknown was what Aubrey Hall did best.

***

Aubrey Hall's investigation into the mysterious energy drain at the mansion began with a deep dive into its history.

She spent the first day at the local archives, sifting through property records and old newspapers, piecing together the mansion's storied past.

The tales were many and varied, from grand gatherings of its golden age to whispered rumors of a cursed lineage.

The elderly locals, when asked, shared hushed stories of the manor's former inhabitants—tales of sudden disappearances and nights filled with strange lights.

Yet, none of these stories contained the concrete evidence Aubrey sought. After all, those lights could simply be from another Arcanist at that time.

Undeterred, Aubrey made preparations and entered the manor on the second day, her senses alert for any sign of the paranormal.

"Let's see what kind of entity are you…" Aubrey muttered, feeling completely unafraid as she had several mystical artifacts on her body.

Room by room, she meticulously searched for any trace of spectral presence, arcane residue, dark ritual traces, or even hidden formation arts.

However, despite her thoroughness, the manor revealed nothing; it was as if the building itself was holding its breath, hiding its secrets.

'This is weird… Did it leave already?' Aubrey muttered, but she shook her head after a few moments. If the anomaly was easy to find, Wade wouldn't have come to her.

Aubrey took a deep breath as she organized her mind and soon, she realized what she had to do in this situation.

On the third day, Aubrey decided to immerse herself completely in the environment.

Indeed, she chose to spend the night in a guest room that had an air of being untouched by time. She decided to sleep!

She wanted to know whether the energy drain happened in the dream or it was happening while their bodies were vulnerable…

Of course, she wasn't doing this because she wanted her life force to be drained.

Before settling in, she set up an artifact—a delicate amulet known to react to the slightest supernatural or arcane disturbance.

The house was silent as Aubrey drifted into a light sleep, the kind that kept her tethered to the waking world.

It wasn't long before the amulet began to pulse with a soft, otherworldly light, and it pulsed with rhythmic energy, rousing her from her slumber.

Her heart raced as she realized that the anomaly she sought was manifesting.

'I'm right… It's only appearing while I'm asleep!' Aubrey's eyes lit up as her investigation had finally bore fruit!

Clutching the amulet, Aubrey followed the faint trail of energy that seemed to seep through the very walls.

'Is there a secret path here? No wonder I can't find the problem…'

It led her down to a hidden hallway she hadn't noticed before, where she saw the paintings that depicted the manor's founding family.

At the end of the hallway was an unassuming curtain…

With a careful hand, she moved the heavy fabric aside, revealing a hidden door.

The door creaked open to reveal a spiraling staircase descending into darkness.

Aubrey's pulse quickened as she descended, the air growing colder with each step. At the bottom, she found herself in a secret basement; the energy here was stronger, and it was starting to suffocate her.

However, her mystical artifacts started working once again, helping her quickly recover…

The room was lined with shelves holding ancient tomes and artifacts, each emitting a faint glow. In the center stood an altar, atop which lay a moving and pulsing flesh!

"T-this…"

Aubrey stood frozen, her eyes locked on the quivering mass of flesh before her. It was unlike anything she had encountered in her career—a grotesque, pulsating blob that seemed to breathe with a life of its own. The dim light of the basement gave the flesh an eerie, otherworldly glow.

"What is this?" she whispered, her voice barely audible over the sound of her own heart thundering in her chest. The sudden surprise made her step back for a moment, but after realizing that she wasn't in any danger, her expression changed.

The urge to destroy it was strong; every instinct screamed at her to obliterate this abomination with a spell.

Yet, a stronger compulsion urged her to understand and uncover the secrets that this living flesh held as Paranormal Investigator!

It was a piece of the puzzle, a key to the strange phenomena afflicting the mansion.

With trepidation, Aubrey stepped closer, her protective artifacts warding off the suffocating energy that emanated from the altar.

The flesh quivered, and as she watched, a part of it began to morph, forming what appeared to be a mouth!

Aubrey felt a chill down her spine as she saw this disturbing scene!

However, the word she heard next made her completely stunned.

"Lisa..." the flesh uttered, the word distorted as if spoken underwater.

Aubrey recoiled, her mind racing.

'Who's Lisa? Is this entity calling out to someone, or is it an echo of a past victim? Or is it her name? Wait… Lisa?'

Aubrey's heart beat faster… She needed answers, but the risks were immense.