Prologue 1:

1st June, 3045

—Eldrida News Channel—

"Good morning everyone, I am Lucy Jones, a reporter for "Eldrida News Channel". The death of the most powerful family in Eldrida by a house fire was reported. Allegedly the Accident took place in Blackwood Manor. Bryce BlackWood (46), Livya BlackWood (45), and their twins, approximately 10 years of age were found burnt alive. Reports say that the family died overnight. We will get right back to you when the police have sufficient evidence"

Some days Ago~

The painting hung in the living room, a beautiful and mysterious piece of art. The girl in the painting seemed to be looking right at the viewer, her gaze intense and all-knowing. The family who had bought the painting, Blackwood family, had become paranoid and reclusive, talking about a curse. They had purchased the painting from an eccentric art dealer who claimed it was a rare and valuable piece from a long-lost civilization. The family had been so enamored with the painting that they had paid a fortune for it, but soon after bringing it home, strange things began to happen. The family reported feeling a sense of unease and dread whenever they were near the painting, and they claimed to have heard strange noises coming from it at night. But no one had paid much attention to their fears, until the night the mansion burned down, and the painting was the only thing left unscathed.

Now, a team of investigators is tasked with uncovering the truth behind the mysterious fire. Chris, Leah, Viktor, Jennifer, and Armin stood outside the mansion, taking in the destruction. Chris, a rational thinker who doesn't believe in the supernatural, leads the team with a steady hand. Leah, a forensic expert and a stickler for details, is always the first one on the scene. Viktor, a psychological expert, is good at reading people and getting information out of them. Jennifer, a tech-savvy loner, is always willing to lend a hand with her skills and knowledge. And Armin, a spiritual expert, senses things that others can't and has a strong connection to the supernatural.

As the team delves deeper into the case, they begin to realize that the painting may be more dangerous than they ever imagined.

Read "The haunting painting" to find out about the strange painting.

Prologue 2:

In the year 3045, a wealthy family made a curious purchase at a high-end art auction. The painting, depicting a young girl with piercing eyes and a haunting smile, seemed to call to them. They couldn't resist its eerie allure and purchased it without hesitation.

But their joy was short-lived. A few days after bringing the painting home, the family's luxurious mansion was consumed by a raging fire, leaving no survivors. The authorities were baffled by the tragedy and couldn't understand how the painting, which hung unscathed in the middle of the inferno, had managed to survive. It was as if it was protected by an otherworldly force.

It wasn't until this painting began to surface in other wealthy households with similar tragic outcomes that the police began to take notice and a special team of detectives were assembled, including Chris and his team, to unravel the mystery and put an end to the deadly curse of the painting.

As they delve deeper into the investigation, they soon realize that they are dealing with something far beyond their understanding. The painting seems to possess a dark and sinister power, and it becomes clear that solving this case will not be easy. But with the help of Chris's leadership, Leah's forensic skills, Viktor's psychological expertise, Jennifer's technological know-how, and Armin's spiritual guidance, they race against time to solve the case and put an end to the painting's deadly curse.

Chapter 1: The Mystery Painting

The mansion was a blackened shell of its former self, smoke still rising from the charred remains. Chris, Leah, Viktor, Jennifer, and Armin stood outside, the team of investigators tasked with uncovering the truth behind the mysterious fire.

"Alright, let's get to work," Chris said, taking charge. "Leah, I need you to focus on gathering forensic evidence. Viktor, you'll be interviewing the family's friends and associates. Jennifer, see if you can find anything in the house's security footage. And Armin, I want you to take a look at the painting itself and see if you can sense anything unusual about it."

Leah nodded, her eyes scanning the scene for clues. The fire seemed to have started in the living room, where the painting was located. She collected samples of the ash and debris and sent them to the lab for analysis. Viktor, meanwhile, spoke to the family's butler and discovered that the family had been acting strange ever since they bought the painting. They had become paranoid and reclusive, and the butler had even heard them talking about a curse.

Jennifer set up her equipment and began to go through the footage. She found that the security cameras had malfunctioned just before the fire, but she was able to retrieve some footage from the neighbors' cameras. The footage showed the family leaving the house in a hurry just before the fire broke out.

Armin approached the painting with a sense of unease. As he looked at it, he felt a shiver run down his spine. The girl in the painting seemed to be looking right at him, and he couldn't shake the feeling that she was somehow alive. He noticed that the painting was unscathed by the fire, as if it was protected by an otherworldly force. He closed his eyes and concentrated, trying to sense any energy emanating from the painting. He felt a cold, dark presence that made him uneasy.

"Chris, I think there's something wrong with this painting," Armin said, his voice low. "I can feel a powerful energy coming from it. It's definitely not natural."

Chris raised an eyebrow. "What kind of energy? Good or bad?"

"I'm not sure," Armin admitted. "But it's definitely not natural."

"That's what we're here to find out," Chris said, his determination clear in his voice. Chris, a rational thinker who doesn't believe in the supernatural, leads the team with a steady hand. Leah, a forensic expert and a stickler for details, is always the first one on the scene. Viktor, a psychological expert, is good at reading people and getting information out of them. Jennifer, a tech-savvy loner, is always willing to lend a hand with her skills and knowledge. And Armin, a spiritual expert, senses things that others can't and has a strong connection to the supernatural. But as the team delves deeper into the case, they begin to realize that the painting may be more dangerous than they ever imagined.

Chapter 2: The Curse Unfolds

The team of investigators stood in the ruined living room of the charred mansion, examining the forensic report in silence. Chris, the team leader, spoke first. "It's official. The fire was deliberately set with an unknown accelerant."

"Someone wanted this mansion burned to the ground," Armin said, his eyes lingering on the singed remains of a painting on the wall. "But why?"

"Maybe it has something to do with that painting," Armin said, nodding towards the painting of the girl. "I can still feel a dark energy coming from it."

The team decided to investigate the painting further. They discovered that the painting was an antique, purchased by the family at an auction. The painting was said to be cursed and had a history of bad luck and mysterious deaths associated with it.

Jennifer began researching the painting's history, and found that it had been painted by a mad artist who had been obsessed with the girl in the painting. The girl had been his muse, and he had painted her in various poses and settings. But the artist had died under mysterious circumstances, and the painting had been passed down through generations.

Viktor, meanwhile, interviewed the family's friends and associates to find out more about the family's behavior before the fire. He discovered that the family had become increasingly paranoid and reclusive after buying the painting. They had been convinced that the painting was cursed and had been trying to get rid of it.

The team realized that they needed to find out more about the painting and its curse. They decided to visit the artist's old studio, where they hoped to find more information about the painting and its history. As they traveled to the artist's old studio, Chris couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched. He couldn't shake off the feeling that the painting was alive and had a will of its own. He knew that they needed to be careful, as the painting's curse may be more powerful than they ever imagined.

The team arrived at the studio, and it was clear that it had been abandoned for many years. They searched through the dusty rooms, but found nothing of interest. However, as they were about to leave, they noticed a hidden door. They opened the door, and found a hidden room filled with paintings. Each painting was of the girl, in different poses and settings, but twisted and dark, depicting her in a state of fear and agony.

The team realized that the artist had been obsessed with the girl, and had painted her over and over again, capturing her fear and pain. They understood that the artist's obsession had led to his death, and the painting was now cursed. The team knew that they needed to find a way to break the curse, before it was too late.

As they left the studio, they felt a sense of unease. They knew that they had uncovered the truth behind the painting, but they also knew that the curse was still out there, and it was still dangerous. They knew that they needed to be careful, as the painting's curse may be more powerful than they ever imagined.