The white doors gave way with a deep, grating groan that sounded like a dying person. Light from outside flooded a small part of the art gallery, revealing walls painted a deathly gray. It was a vast room cloaked in a deep, impregnable gloom. The only thing you could make out was marble floor and the long black runner carpet on it. Taking in a deep breath, you took a quiet step forward. The lights above you turned on suddenly, making you gasp. You relaxed slightly and put a hand over your racing heart before turning your attention back to your surroundings.

  There was of course, the statues and paintings featuring Corvin that you were accustomed to by now: there were also artworks that featured different but just as unnerving subject matters. Some were still-lifes of vases with skulls and insects crawling over dying and withering flowers. Others were landscapes that featured gray woods cloaked in heavy fog with ghostly figures peering from behind the dead trees with their yellow glowing eyes. A few were watercolors of dimly-lit abandoned dungeons covered in cobwebs with various torture instruments caked in old dried blood. There were some statues of black and white marble in the shape of crows, owls, foxes, snakes, spiders, and other animals associated with trickery and magic.

  Chewing on your bottom lip, you held your satchel closer to you. Your heart drummed in your chest like a frightened bird, a cold sweat clung to your back. You took another hesitant step into the gallery, and the doors behind you slammed closed.

  "No, no, no!" You yelled and jiggled the knob, but it remained firmly locked. You squeezed your eyes and let out a scream of frustration from your throat.

  Damn it, of course it had to do that!

  You took a moment to calm your frayed nerves down, turning around and braced yourself for whatever horrors that may be lurking. No way but forward. Either find the key or a way out of this gallery before something else happens.

  As you hurriedly walked, you noticed a large and detailed painting featuring a handsome man lying down on a stone and wearing only a white loincloth being impaled through the stomach by a trio of black-cloaked angels wielding spears. His body was contorted into a rather sensual pose and his face was a cross between ecstasy and agony. The man's dark eyes were rolled back with his mouth partially open as blood trickled down from the side and the stark lighting highlighted his bare, muscled chest.

  What a charming painting. You grimaced and turned away from the artwork.

  The further you walked, the stronger your dread grew tenfold and the disquieting silence made it worse, making each echoing footstep sound deafening. It felt as if your feet were made of blocks of ice; each step was agonizingly slow as you half-expected something to attack you. Your skin had broken out into small bumps, even the slightest brush of your clothes was unbearably uncomfortable. The gallery seemed to stretch on for miles, the artwork became more sinister the further you walked. Almost as if they were alive. You looked over your shoulder to see an alabaster statue of Corvin with its head turned towards you and wearing a devilish expression with an impossibly wide grin.

  I-I could have sworn it wasn't looking this way! You shivered, your heart felt like it was going to burst from terror. The palm of your hands was drenched with sweat, making it difficult to hold onto your knife. Keep moving. Don't look over your shoulder. Just continue on.

  You wiped the sweat from your palms with the side of your jeans. Your heart thrummed in your chest, each beat was unbearably loud in your ears. The temperature in the room seemed to have dropped, causing tiny bumps on your arms despite your heavy jacket. A cold drop of sweat rolled down your chin. Your breath came out in short, labored pants. The sound of chuckling came from behind you.

  Reeling around, you held your knife in front of you and darted your eyes across the gallery. The air was thick and cold; each breath you took felt like breathing in small, icy needles. You readied yourself for an attack but continued walking, holding your knife tighter.

  A few paintings from where you stood, you saw a portrait that had a key in his hand at the forefront. You smiled broadly and ran towards the canvas. Your relief was short-lived as you came closer and noticed that the painting only had the silhouette of a key.

  You stomped your foot in frustration and clenched your forehead with your hand. That little--! Of course he would hide it again!

  As you grumbled, the sound of scraping stone came from behind you.

  What was that!?

  Quickly turning around, you watched in horror as one of the statues began to move. First a little twitch in its fingers before it cracked its neck. The statue stretched out its fingers, testing out its heavy marble body before approaching you with a stiff gait and smile.

  "Hello (Y/N)," Corvin's voice came out of the animated statue as it slightly bowed its head.

  You were too frozen with shock to respond. Your open mouth was quivering, trying to find what words to say to the being. You clenched the knife in your hand tighter. The pounding of your heart was nearly deafening as it took another step towards you.

  "Can you hear me?" The marble being tilted its head to one side.

  "Y-yes. What the hell is this!?" You shouted.

  "Any artwork bearing his resemblance are representatives of the mansion's master; they do his bidding when he cannot be present for whatever reason." The statue explained.

  "Why isn't he here when he was perfectly fine appearing out of nowhere to annoy me before!?" You demanded.

  "That we cannot tell you," the statue shook its head.

  Because he's trying to find a new place for the key. You squeezed your eyes, trying to stifle back the scream in your throat.

  "I see," you grumbled.

  "He has summoned us-- well, rather animated us-- to see how you are and to ask you of your preferences."

  "Preferences?" You raised an eyebrow.

  "Yes, for the wedding ceremony." A painting said as the figure in it leaned back on the sofa within its frame.

  "Of course," you put a hand over your eyes, not bothering to suppress your groan anymore. You slowly put your hand down to see that the statue was waiting patiently for your answer with a pen and note in its hands.

  "Can you put that away?" You snarled, "I am not in the mood to answer any questions for this stupid wedding!"

  The statue nodded its head and put the pen and note aside on a nearby table as a Corvin wearing a heavy cloak with a spiderweb damask from the painting next to you leapt out from the frame. It looked at its arms before clenching its hands a few times, turning one of its arms a few times over before doing the same thing to the other one. It gingerly put a hand on your shoulder and gave you a stiff smile.

  "Please take a seat," he said and patted his hand on a chaise.

  You did as the painting told you and the room suddenly became chillier. You shivered as small bumps rose on your skin and wrapped your arms over yourself in a feeble effort to warm yourself. The statue attempted to take off the coat, only to realize that it was attached to its body.

  "Pardon that," it sheepishly said and looked away from you.

  The living painting shook its head and walked over to where you were. You flinched as it sat down on your left, the painted Corvin draped its dark silk cape over your shoulders.

  This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

  "Is that any better?" It asked.

  You nodded your head a bit and dropped your head. Exhaustion made every part of your body ached: from the soles of your feet to your throbbing finger tips. All of your limbs and joints felt heavy, as if they were made of solid metal.

  "Tired?" The painted fairy asked and put your head on its lap.

  "Yeah," you murmured. You were too weary to protest and let him run his lithe, pale fingers through your (H/C) hair. You closed your eyes and let out a small sigh.

  "From the game?" The living artwork continued.

  "Mhmm," you mumbled and buried your face further into the painting's lap. You opened your eyes slightly to see it giving you a tranquil and soothing smile.

  "Poor thing," it said as it pulled a stray lock away from your face. "You deserve a bit of rest after all of that you've been through."

  You raised your head slightly to get a better look at it, only for the painting to gently push your head back down. You threw your arm over its lap and turned on your side.

  "Why not just marry him?" It asked and brushed a lock of hair out of your face.

  "Why should I?" You countered, your voice muffled by exhaustion and its lap.

  "A better question is why wouldn't you?" The painting responded. "You wouldn't have to worry about anything ever again. You won't have to answer to anyone and you don't have to worry about such silly things like bills nor deadlines. But most importantly, if you want something, he'll provide it. He'd be a slave to you and your whims."

  You numbly nodded your head and pulled the cloak closer to you. Your exhaustion had almost completely numbed your mind and body. You wanted nothing more but to fall asleep in the fairy's lap. Thoughts of never having to worry about paying your bills on time, budgeting, or putting up with annoying co-workers ever again played in your head. The thought of spending each day in luxury in a grand mansion with everything you could possibly want at your fingertips swam through your mind. The more you thought about it the stronger it became. You wanted it. You could almost feel it within reach, just barely grazing your fingers.

  "That sounds absolutely..."

  You stopped when the statue and painting was leaning in closer, its eyes almost seemed to glow with victory. You realized what Corvin was doing. This is was his way of trapping and making you lose. To wear you out and exhaust you until you couldn't take it any more and give up.

  "...Awful." You spat out as shoved the painting away from you and stood up with your chest out. Your determined, (E/C) eyes glared into the cold, blank ones of the painted fairy.

  Every painting and statue went still. Their blank eyes were trained on you. A stifling, heavy tension filled the air. The lights began to flicker and a chorus of deafening screams filled the gallery.

  The nearest Corvin lunged out towards you. You screamed and jumped away from them. On the walls, the other painted Corvins leapt out from their confines or begun to drag themselves towards you with half their bodies out of the frames. All of the artworks' eyes were completely black and their faces twisted with an unholy anger.

  You shrieked as one of the marble Corvins grabbed for your ankle. Swiftly bringing your foot up you stomped on the statue's face. Pins of pain shot up your leg and you gasped before stomping into it once more. The nose broke off and the statue let go of you. You scrambled away from it as an ocean of portraits crawled after you. Not even ten steps in and one of the paintings made a grab for your wrist. You tripped over pedestal as they swiped at your legs. You gasped and struggled to stand up.

  This distraction allowed for a painting to charge into you. Before you could react, it grabbed your wrist tightly almost to the point of breaking the bones underneath. Its lips were twisted in a giant grin, revealing knife-like teeth.

  "No!" You cried out and tried to pull your arm away, only for it to tighten its grip and making you yell in pain.

  Your eyes were wide with horror as the painting slowly sank back into its canvas, pulling you towards it. The other artworks watched with anticipation and victory as your hand got closer towards the canvas. With a shaking hand, you grabbed the knife and stabbed the painting in time as your fingers nearly grazed the canvas.

  A sharp cry of pain came from the portrait before it let go of you. The surrounding art screamed in frustration and continued their chase. As a statue grabbed at you from the side, you quickly dodged its grasp and it collided into another-- shattering into rubble.

  Your legs felt like they were being stung by wasps as you ran. Each breath you took was painful, like you were inhaling nails. Your bleary eyes strained for the exit.

  Where is it!?

  You screamed as a statue grabbed for your wrist. You stumbled backwards, nearly falling into the arms of another behind you. The artwork was starting to close in on you. Their mouths were pulled into gaping black smiles and they let out a collective, chilling laugh. You threw the knife in the air, diverting their attention as you sprinted through the small gap. You felt their fingers pulling at your jacket and pants.

  By now, your head felt like it was filled with stones. The throbbing pain in your legs worsened with each step. Just as you were about to collapse, the doors came into view and you let out a small cry of joy. Biting back the discomfort, you ran faster towards the escape.

  You slammed the door open. The army of artwork let out a collective shrill, earsplitting scream like a plague of locusts as you shut the door closed on them with a grunt. Quickly, you barricaded the door with a table and chair and took a step back. Splinters of wood shot towards you as the artworks barged against the door.

  "(Y/N), let us in!" They screamed in a distorted voice. "Let us in right now!"

  You shrieked as a large splinter narrowly missed your shoulder. Peering from the jagged hole was countless pairs of soulless black eyes. Before you could run over to the exit, the barricade gave way and the first wave of Corvins came in. Their eyes were wild as they exposed grinning maws full of sharpened teeth.

  "It's over now," the one at front cackled.

  You grabbed the candle from the pedestal in time for the nearest painting to leap at you. You struck the painting in the face with the lit candle. Its body erupted into flames and screamed in agony as it stumbled backwards, setting the other paintings on fire. Horrified screams ripped from them as they tried to scramble away from the raging inferno. The flames began to spread, licking away at its surroundings as a thick cloud of smoke filled the air. You coughed and crawled low to the ground as the artwork was distracted from the chaos.

  Your vision was getting hazy and was spotted by large, black dots. The smoke leeched away whatever little strength you had left in your weakened body. The fire was coming closer to you. Barely four feet away from your foot. It inched closer with each second.

  C-come on. You coughed as you struggled to stand up. You leaned against the exit's door, each movement felt impossibly heavy and slow. You could barely see the outline of your hand. Hot sweat rolled down your face and made your shirt heavy and cling to your back. Your shaking hand reached for the doorknob.

  Little more....

  As the fire was about to lick the hem of your pants, you finally opened the door. You collapsed out of the room and slammed the door shut behind with your numb foot. Massive beads of sweat dripped down the side of your face as you stared at the the door in shock.

  I can't believe it. You looked down at your quivering hands and let out a choked cry of relief. I'm still alive.

  You heard someone click their tongue in annoyance and you turned your head. Behind you, Corvin shook his head as he approached you with a look of disappointment on his face.

  "What a shame," he said and opened the door: revealing that the fire was now gone. The only things left behind were destroyed remnants of canvases and furniture smoldering with plumes of black smoke.

  "Some of them were commissions by my favorite artists," he lamented.

  "Maybe you should have thought of that before you sent them to attack me," you snapped, your voice trembling from exhaustion.

  "Fair enough," he said, "I can always get the artists to redo it."

  Corvin approached a burnt piece of canvas and gingerly picked it up. "Really is such a shame. I liked that portrait a lot. He really emphasized my best features: such as my eyes and cheekbones."

  You shakily stood up and brushed the front of your shirt, giving the fairy a withering glare. To which he responded with a barely noticeable but arrogant smirk. Before he could make another comment, you shoved your hands into his coat pockets and began to feel around for the key before moving onto his pants' pockets.

  "Oh?" He tilted his head in curiosity with his half-lidded eyes twinkling.

  "Take off your hat. Now." You demanded.

  To your surprise, Corvin obliged and lowered his head towards you: revealing a full head of alabaster hair that shined radiantly in the light. Without the shadow of his hat, you saw that his eyelashes were long and black, and that his lash lines were rimmed with black kohl. You slowly ran your fingers through the silky, smooth locks. Carefully, you felt for the key through the thick strands of hair only to find nothing. You patted down his shoulders before moving down to his chest, patting that down as well only to feel nothing but the toned pectorals underneath his shirt.

  "Damn it," you huffed and adjusted your jacket.

  "My, if you wanted physical affection, you could have just said so," he snickered.

  You rolled your eyes, not having the energy to argue with Corvin any further and stormed away from him.

  "I wonder where you'll head to next," he pondered and put a finger to his chin. "There's so much left of this mansion to explore and you've only scratched the surface."