[Death by Mirrors]

Every town had that house.

It didn't really matter if you lived in a small suburb where people mowed their lawn every saturday and hung borders of flowers on their picket fence, or whether you rented an overpriced apartment among the hubbub and dazzling lights of a metropolis rumored to never sleep. You could even be dwelling in an abandoned gold rush place where the saloon had not been open in years, and there still would be that house. The one every kid knew to avoid on their trick or treat tour. Older teens would dare each other to knock on the front door and run. Nine-year-olds would whisper spooky tales by the dim light of their flash lamps during a sleepover. Legends of the one girl or boy who dared to ask the owner for a candy bar, only to never be seen again.

Nobody could actually remember how Kaddarius' mansion became that house. Grandma sometimes told stories of ball events in her youth, opulent enough to put the great Gatsby to shame. Whenever another retiree claimed even as a schoolboy he was already warned to approach the Kaddarius estate, the old lady would usually tug the sleeve of her wool cardigan over her wrist and mumble away to herself how gentle the young master of the mansion had treated her during that first dance on her debutante night, and what beautiful a gown she had worn for the Nox ball event.

Death by Mirrors didn't care much about dances or dresses, and frankly he planned to spend the vast majority of Nox playing online games with some friends while younger folks roamed the streets all night for fun-size chocolate bars. He had bought some sweets to distribute and was just about to brew a fresh cup of Earl Grey when a sudden "Ping!" notified him of a new message. As he read the text, his eyes widened and his fist clenched around the teabag. Within a second he knew he had to gather his comrades and save their mutual friend Rainbowfox Ari from a fate worse than death or slavery: sub-par wifi!

And so right before dawn Lee, Kaderin Triste, blackfoxette and Death find themselves sneaking up to the one house everyone advised them to avoid. Wind rushes over the hedges and through the gnarled trees. It carries the aroma of savoury chicken pies left to cool on a windowsill. Tempting to steal, but for all the friends know, they could be poisoned. People who seal others off from the internet have no scruples. Besides, no time to waste on feasts - Ari has to be rescued as soon as possible. With some silent gestures the team agrees to move on.

Benjamin the ghost donkey serves as their scout, since he's the only one who can move straight through the hedges. After all the Graveyard Ghosts don't want to end up in the same cage as Ari, so they need to watch their step. If only they knew in which part of the mansion the Rainbowfox is held captive...

Still lurking about the garden, Lee tries to reestablish connection to Ari, but so far to no avail. "We need to get in there", Kaderin whispers. The others nod in agreement. "Maybe we can find an open window", blackfoxette suggests. Alas there aren't any on this side of the house, and so they move on once more, careful not to alert Kaddarius or any of his servants. All of a sudden Kaderin holds them back and points to an upstairs window left ajar. "Maybe we can use this." Of course the Ghosts were secretly hoping for a ground floor entrance to spare themselves the climb, but what else can they do. Knock on the main door and politely ask old K to release his prisoner? Not a good idea. Or is it?

While blackfoxette still glances at the window sceptically, Death already gives Kaderin a leg-up. "Look where it leads to", he whispers. Even with help the window remains out of reach, but fortunately the rain gutter seems sturdy enough to be climbed upon. "Alright, we can do this, Derpy!" Kaderin takes a deep breath and continues her ascent to what - as far as she can see from here - appears to be a bathroom. Lee and Death follow shortly after. But they still haven't reached the window when all of a sudden with a creaking noise the front door swings open.

Startled the Ghosts turn their heads towards the entrance. Death is the first one to jump down again. He lands on all fours to cushion the impact, then brushes off soil crumbs. "Well, guys", he flippantly says, "I think we just got invited to the party."

[Graveyard Ghosts enter the mansion to start exploring the upstairs Master Bath]