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IV.

Arthur, Vivi, and Mystery are on the road when ghostly purple energy causes their van to break down in front of a spooky mansion. Inside they are greeted--and then attacked--by floating flames, singing ghosts, haunted suits of armor and living portraits. One of the portraits opens a trap door beneath the gang's feet.
The gang falls past mirrors that reveal something about each character: Vivi’s reflection is missing her eyes and Arthur’s is missing his prosthetic arm, while Mystery’s reflection causes the mirror to break. Arthur finds himself alone in a crypt with a single ornate coffin. The coffin opens, revealing a skeletal Ghost with a golden heart locket emerges and points at Arthur accusingly. Arthur is confused until the Ghost forms a pompadour of spectral flame. Arthur recognizes the Ghost and flees in terror as the Ghost gives chase. Vivi and Mystery have found the kitchen and raided the refrigerator. Arthur streaks past them. They see the Ghost and flee as well. The Ghost chases the gang through the mansion halls until Mystery stops before a portrait of the Mystery Skulls Van replaying what happened.
An unknown time prior: the van is driven by Lewis, a member of the Mystery Skulls and Vivi’s boyfriend. Mystery, Vivi, and Lewis are happy but Arthur (who has not yet lost his arm) who was slumping in the backseat, seems to be unhappy with Vivi and Lewis' relationship. The gang stops to explore an eerie cavern. Vivi and Lewis are intrigued, but Arthur is terrified and Mystery senses danger. The gang splits up at a divided path, with Arthur following Lewis. Mystery starts to accompany Vivi, but instead shadows Arthur. Lewis' path leads to a ledge while Vivi's leads below to the cavern floor, filled with razor-sharp stalagmites. While Lewis is looking down at the stalagmites, an evil spirit invades Arthur's arm and spreads to half his body. Arthur's possessed half shoves Lewis off the ledge. Vivi and Arthur's unpossessed half look on in horror as Lewis is impaled by the stalagmites. Lewis becomes the Ghost, and his supernatural energies "blind" Vivi to the trauma of his violent death by erasing her memory of him. Mystery, in reality a kitsune, tears Arthur's possessed arm off, freeing him of the evil spirit's possession. The flashback ends.

Jarvis M.-L.

@jarvismarshall


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