[Scene: Basement – Adeline's Unwanted Surprise]
Jeremy is halfway through a particularly frustrating math problem when he hears Adeline sigh dramatically from across the basement. She's been unusually tense all day, pacing back and forth and fiddling with her tea set.
Jeremy: [not looking up] "Everything okay? You've been doing the 'annoyed royalty walk' for hours."
Adeline glares at him but doesn't respond immediately. Before she can answer, a sudden gust of wind blows through the basement, rustling papers and causing the lights to flicker. The air grows colder, and a faint shimmer appears in the centre of the room. Jeremy tenses, grabbing his notebook like a shield.
Jeremy: "What now? Please don't tell me the board game's back!"
The shimmer solidifies into two ghostly figures—a tall man with a smirk and a flamboyant robe, and a petite woman dressed in what looks like armour, her arms crossed and her expression severe.
Man: [grinning] "Adeline! Long time, no see. Missed me?"
Woman: [curtly] "More like long time, too soon. Honestly, Adeline, how do you keep getting yourself into these messes?"
Adeline groans, covering her face with one hand.
Adeline: [muttering] "Of all the souls in the ancestral realm, these two had to show up."
Jeremy watches in confusion as the two ghosts bicker between themselves.
Jeremy: [whispering] "Who are they?"
Adeline: [reluctantly] "Guardian souls. Old acquaintances. Annoying ones."
[Scene: The Reunion Gets Chaotic]
The man, clearly enjoying himself, leans against Adeline's desk, ignoring her scowl.
Man: "Oh come on, Adeline. You can't pretend you're not happy to see me. Name's Victor, kid." [He tosses Jeremy an exaggerated wink.] "Guardian of frivolous souls and occasional chaos."
Woman: [huffing] "And I'm Margaret. Guardian of order and discipline—which, judging by this basement, you sorely lack."
Margaret fixes her steely gaze on Adeline, who straightens her posture like she's been caught misbehaving.
Margaret: "You've been summoned without authorization, bound to the mortal world, and now you're dragging mortals into spiritual affairs? Adeline, this is unacceptable."
Victor laughs loudly, clapping his hands.
Victor: "Unacceptable? It's genius! Adeline always finds a way to make things interesting."
Adeline rolls her eyes, looking thoroughly unimpressed.
Adeline: "Spare me your commentary, Victor. And Margaret, I didn't ask to be summoned. Blame the cursed board game. Besides…" [She gestures to Jeremy] "This mortal has proven surprisingly capable. He might actually solve this mess."
Jeremy looks startled.
Jeremy: "Wait, me? I didn't sign up for spiritual responsibility."
Margaret: [snapping] "Well, you're in it now. Try not to ruin everything, mortal."
[Scene: New Crisis Unfolds]
Just as the argument between the guardians heats up, the floor trembles slightly. The glow from the board game reignites, casting long shadows on the walls. Adeline and the other guardians immediately freeze, their expressions turning serious.
Victor: "What is that? Don't tell me you kept the board game intact, Adeline."
Margaret: [accusingly] "I knew this was bound to spiral. You should've destroyed it!"
Jeremy steps forward hesitantly, clutching the board game like it might explode.
Jeremy: "It wasn't exactly easy to destroy! What's going on?"
The air grows heavy, and the glowing portal above the board begins to reform. A deep, sinister voice echoes through the room—familiar, yet more menacing than before.
Voice: "You thought the game was finished? The gateway closed? Foolish mortals. The circle is incomplete."
The three guardians exchange uneasy glances, and Margaret steps forward, her voice sharp.
Margaret: "Adeline, this is worse than you told me. If the circle isn't closed properly, the gateway could open permanently—letting in everything from the other side."
Victor laughs nervously.
Victor: "Oh good, more chaos. My specialty!"
[Scene: The Plan Forms]
Jeremy slams the board game onto the desk, glaring at the glowing portal.
Jeremy: "Alright, we're fixing this. What do we need to do?"
Adeline sighs, running a hand through her hair.
Adeline: "We need to trace the origins of the circle. The Guild didn't just create it—they hid its final piece somewhere in this world. Without it, the circle will remain open, incomplete, and dangerous."
Victor claps his hands dramatically.
Victor: "I love a scavenger hunt! Where do we start?"
Margaret ignores him, her gaze fixed on Jeremy.
Margaret: "You'll need to act quickly, mortal. Once the gateway stabilizes, it'll be nearly impossible to stop."
Jeremy groans, feeling the weight of the crisis settling on his shoulders.
[Scene: School and Family Chaos Collide]
The next morning, Jeremy tries to juggle the new mission while managing his regular responsibilities. At school, Jace is still preoccupied with his talent show plans, and Amara is furiously painting for her art competition.
Jace: [excitedly] "Jeremy! You have to help me pick a costume for the talent show. I'm torn between superhero or pirate—thoughts?"
Jeremy: [exasperated] "Jace, I have a literal ghost problem right now. Your pirate cape isn't my priority."
At home, his parents are still arguing about household expenses, adding to his stress. Adeline tries to help, offering Jeremy moral support while Victor and Margaret bicker in the background.
Victor: [grinning] "I could fix the dishwasher. Ghost ingenuity, you know."
Margaret: [snapping] "You'd probably break it even more."
Jeremy rolls his eyes, feeling like his life has officially hit peak chaos.
[Scene: The Search for the Final Piece]
That evening, the gang, led by Adeline and the guardians, begins searching for clues about the missing piece of the circle. They comb through the mansion, libraries, and even the antique shop where Jeremy first found the board game.
Margaret: [sternly] "Focus, all of you. This isn't a game."
Victor: [grinning] "Technically, it is a game. A dangerous, cursed game, but still."
Adeline shakes her head, looking like she's regretting every decision she's ever made.
[To Be Continued...]
As tensions rise and mysteries deepen, the search for the final piece of the circle becomes critical. With new alliances and old rivalries in play, Jeremy and Adeline must navigate the chaos of their everyday lives while stopping the gateway from opening permanently.