Secret Society Episode 007 - The Cabin

 

Secret Society – Episode 007: The Cabin

Deep in the Carpathian wilderness, Agent Buckle uncovers a hidden journal revealing the lost path to Castle Dracula—a place shrouded in curses and secrecy. As Sorina recoils in fear, warning him of its dark history, Buckle remains undeterred, determined to follow the trail alone. But with the Order of the Watchers linked to the castle, the truth he seeks may be more dangerous than he ever imagined.

The Carpathian winds howled, stirring the dense forests as Agent Buckle and Sorina trudged toward their destination—a lone, forgotten cabin buried deep in the wilderness.

It had been days since they left town, their journey marked by bitter cold and an eerie silence that seemed to settle between the trees. Buckle, ever the composed elf super spy, walked with purpose, his keen eyes catching every oddity in the landscape.

Sorina had said the cabin’s owner had long since vanished.

But as Buckle pushed open the wooden door, stepping into the dust-laden space, something about it felt wrong—too still, too untouched, like time had been frozen here.

Buckle moved with deliberate precision, scanning every inch of the space—every chair, every shelf, every loose plank of wood beneath his feet.

Sorina stood near the entrance, arms folded, gaze wary.

"If you’re looking for treasure, you’ll find none," she murmured. "He left with nothing. He left nothing behind."

But Buckle knew better.

Hours passed. The sun dipped beyond the mountains, leaving only candlelight and the cold breath of the wind pressing against the walls.

And then, deep into the night—he found it.

Under the warped floorboards of the bedroom, Buckle pried open a hidden space, dust swirling around his fingers as he pulled forth an old leather-bound journal.

He lifted the cover.

The script was German—familiar, fluid. Buckle’s fluency ensured nothing was lost in translation, but as he read, his brow furrowed.

Sorina watched him closely, stepping nearer as the pages turned beneath his fingers.

Then—her breath hitched.

"I know this place."

Buckle raised a brow, waiting.

Sorina’s voice was low, shaken, her usual calm breaking.

"It speaks of a castle," she said, almost whispering. "A place no longer on any maps, hidden in the shrouded Vale. A cursed place. No one would ever want to go there."

Buckle’s grip tightened slightly around the journal.

"Why?"

Sorina exhaled sharply, folding her arms.

"Because those who do, do not return."

She hesitated before continuing, her voice clipped with something bordering fear.

"And from what you’ve read, this man… this journal’s writer… he was part of the Order of the Watchers."

Buckle turned the pages slowly, his sharp mind assembling the pieces.

The Order of the Watchers—an ancient group devoted to ensuring that the Darkness once confined within the castle would never rise again.

If the man had gone there, Buckle had his next lead.

And he intended to follow it.

The Warning—and the Crest of Dracula

"Sorina," Buckle said smoothly, closing the journal, "I need a guide. Will you take me there?"

Sorina shook her head immediately, stepping back.

"No."

Buckle tilted his head, expression unreadable, waiting for elaboration.

Sorina’s voice dropped, firm with finality.

"I will not go there. And neither should you."

There was something in her voice that felt different from mere superstition—it was a deep-rooted knowledge, something she had likely grown up knowing.

Buckle, however, was not deterred.

"Then I’ll go alone," he said simply.

Sorina sighed, rubbing her temple, before gesturing toward the journal.

As her eyes fell upon the worn leather cover, she stiffened, fingers trembling slightly.

She had seen something.

Something worse than the Watchers.

Buckle followed her gaze, turning the book slowly in his hands, his own sharp eyes catching the detail she had reacted to.

A crest. A name. A symbol etched in faded ink.

The House of Dracula.

Sorina’s face hardened, her voice turning quiet, yet iron-clad.

"Your journey to Castle Dracula is one you will take alone."

She turned away, ending the conversation entirely.

Buckle watched her for a moment, knowing that no persuasion would change her mind.

As the morning light broke, she prepared to return to town, leaving Buckle to his solitary mission into the unknown.

With the journal in hand, the elf spy set forth toward the Vale, knowing that whatever awaited him within that lost castle would either reveal the answers he sought… or swallow him whole.