Chapter 1: The Fog of Misthallery

In a dimly lit library where the only source of light was from a candelabra, a mysterious voice starts to tell the legend of the Misthallery.

"Long ago, in a lawless age, a pack of bandits invaded a small village. Amidst the chaos, a terrified, young farm girl played her flute to drown out the madness. As the music spiralled high into the night a giant spectre appeared above her. She begged the spectre to destroy the bandits, and it swiftly obeyed. The town was saved, and the spectre vanished just as quickly as it had appeared. But the farm girl knew that in times of danger, she needed only to play the flute and the spectre would appear again."

The figure, whose face was concealed from view, closed the book he was reading out loud What we could see of him was his fancy suit and a large fluffy scarf.

"A quaint tale, wouldn't you say?" He asked an elderly moustached man in a red butler suit.

"Aye, master." The butler replied in a distinctive Scottish accent.

The first man stood up from is oak chair.

"I think the time has come for us to pen the next chapter." The mysterious man said.

"Of course, master."


Lower Town, Misthallery

It's been a week since Edgar arrived at the strange village. One thing he has noticed was how quiet it was compared to London.

The narrow roads and rope bridges prevent any vehicles getting any further then the entrance meaning traffic was almost non-existent in the rustic settlement. The main form of transport was by boat via the numerous canals across Misthallery. Something which draws the occasional group of tourists.

Bucky, a heavy-set man in his 50s who is often found wearing blue overalls, an orange shirt and blue hat, is the ferryman who seems to be more than happy to take anyone and anywhere.

Literally anywhere, even when he was nowhere near water.

Somethings are just a mystery.

The village was much larger than Edgar first thought. It was split into three distinctive districts: the Lower Town with cramped buildings and uneven roads; the Middle Town a more pleasant area with restaurants and shops and the Upper Town which was much fancier with a large town square in the middle of it. Beyond that is Highyard Hill and the Barde Manor which looked slightly run-down.

Edgar would have considered it to as peaceful as any village in rural England if it wasn't for one thing.

And that thing would the giant monster attacking the town.

In the past months, Misthallery has been haunted by the spectre from an old legend about the village. Edgar had read about in the London papers, he knew he recognised the name Misthallery. Edgar thought it was a publicity stunt to draw the gullible tourists, but after the seeing the remains of Misthallery local Brock's house completely smashed he started to think otherwise.

"So you are not at all... saddened about... this?" Edgar asked Brock gesturing to what used to be a house the night before.

Brock, a short man with blue fluffy hair, had a unique reaction to his ex-abode.

"Hehehehe hahahaha- saddened? I've always wanted to install a skylight and now I've got more skylight then I know what to with it- hehehehehe hahahahaha" Brock said between laughs.

Edgar could help but give him a concerned look.

He patted the laughing man's back encouragingly.

"That's the spirit." He said.

It was the least he can say.

He left Brock laughing on the ground and inspected the red painted symbol on the house's equally smashed door. According to Brock, the symbol appeared yesterday without anybody seeing who drew it. It was an X with two unusual symbols above and below it. Edgar had never seen anything like it before, but according to the locals it was the sign of the witch.

The locals believe a witch was cursing the town, by leaving these symbols as an omen and letting loose the spectre. People are scared and when people get scared they look for reason no matter how ridiculous it may seem.

Edgar believes there's something more to this, there must be a more reasonable explanation for this.

There's always another way.

He forced himself away from the strange symbol and walked over the rickety rope bridge that linked the Lower Town to the Village's entrance.

Edgar promised himself to not get involved in whatever was going on. He came here to get away from trouble not to pursue it. Although everyday, that promise gets harder and harder to keep.

He continued towards the market which had to be crossed by another rickety rope bridge.

Somebody seriously needs to redesign this village.

Edgar had spent the week doing odd jobs around Misthallery. From mowing lawns, cleaning windows and picking up groceries which is what he was doing right now.

He fought down the desire to loiter around the Upper Town square and pickpocket unsuspecting locals.

Some habits do die hard.

The market, like the rest of the Lower Town, consist of small alleyways and stalls in dilapidated brick houses. Unusually, the majority of the markets occupants seem to be children no older than 12 years of age. When Edgar asked where their parents were; they said they were busy and left them in charge of running the market stalls.

Edgar decided to not investigate further.

He approached the sketchy marketplace and headed towards a 11 year old girl with long wispy black hair in a white dress and red bandana. She ran the vegetable stall for her parents.

"Good morning, Marilyn." He greeted with his signature half smile.

Marilyn blushed slightly at his arrival "Morning, Edgar," he greeted the charming older boy with a large smile, "Are you here for the usual?" She asked.

"Yeah, Paddy forgot to restock. Again" Edgar rolled his eyes causing the young girl to giggle.

Marilyn measured and packed Edgar's vegetable order in a large crate whilst making small talk with Edgar.

Edgar payed her the usual amount.

"I put in a couple of extra carrots, they were going to go off anyway." Marilyn shyly told him whilst playing with the ends of her long hair.

"Aww your so sweet, I'll eat them on the journey back, thanks Marilyn." Edgar winked at her causing the usually laid-back girl to blush harder.

Edgar turned away from the market, carrying the crate and headed back to Paddy's restaurant.

As he crossed the bridge he saw two people he doesn't recognise standing near the rope bridge that entered the Lower Town.

One was a tall male with brown hair and a rather simplistic face. He looked to be in his 30s and wore a short black jacket and orange shirt. His most distinctive feature was his black stove pipe hat.

The other was a shorter female around 18 years old with long wavy dark brown hair and oval face. She wore a canary yellow jacket and a small pink bow tie and had a camera case on her hip.

Edgar couldn't help but think how pretty she was.

Beautiful even.

Edgar shook these thoughts and approached the pair.

"-that this is the bridge we need to use" Edgar heard the male say to his companion.

The female observed something by the rope bridge that was out of Edgar's sight.

"The ropes are all tied up in these ridiculous knots." She said.

Judging by their accents, Edgar would say they were from London.

This could be troublesome.

"I wouldn't even know where to start untying it all!" The female stated in confusion.

Edgar realised what they were talking about. He decided to make his presence known before the hat-wearing man could reply.

"Hold on, one moment." He called out getting the pair's attention.

Edgar walked up to them.

"The local kids did the same thing when I came here." Gesturing towards the barrier of rope blocking anybody from using the bridge.

"Consider it as a welcoming gift- hold this." Edgar passed the crate of various vegetables to the female who grunted as her knees slightly buckled under the weight before she straightened herself up again.

"It may not seem like it, but you only need to cut one part of the rope to get through the barrier." He told them as he turned towards the barrier and taking his small pocket knife out of his jacket pocket.

The knife, he assured to anyone who asked, was for practical reasons or self-defence, but Edgar couldn't help but give the asker a sinister smile after to make them feel a little unsettled.

Messing with people was always fun.

Edgar flicked the knife open and with one swift movement cut the upper left part of the rope. The barrier dropped immediately.

"Et Voila!" He said with a flourish and a half smile.

"Very good." The main calmly said. "You have excellent observation skills."

"It's not that difficult, certainly better than wasting your time untying it all" He said jabbing fun at the female at her previous comments.

"And is the bridge safe at all, it looks like it's seen better days." The woman said in annoyed tone with a eyebrow raised.

Annoyed partially at him making fun of her and partially being forced to carry the crate without asking.

"Safe as any house, well except for the destroyed ones that it." Taking back his crate of vegetables from the woman. The man was about to comment about what he said before the female interrupted him.

"Wait... Professor, look!" She pointed towards a small grey mouse scurrying over their feet and across the bridge and going out of sight.

"Yeah there are hundreds of them around; I've even seen golden ones" Edgar stated in a calm tone, he was used to them by now, "So, you are scared of bridges and mice; can't say your going to have much fun here." The boy mused mockingly.

This irked the woman

"Why you little..."

"Let us introduce ourselves." the man interrupted the woman before the situation could get worse.

"I am Professor Hershel Layton of Gressenheller University and this is..."

"Emmy Altava, the Professor's assistant." The woman now known as Emmy introduced herself still fairly annoyed by Edgar's comments.

"A Professor, you must be here for - what was it again? - the Golden Garden." Edgar inquired.

Six months ago, Edgar read a news report about a legendary place hidden somewhere in Misthallery known as the Golden Garden. An investigation was carried out, but nothing turned up.

Edgar couldn't help but think the attacks and the Garden were linked somehow.

"Actually, we're here to visit an old friend, Clark Triton." The Professor said.

"You don't suppose you know where we can find him?"

Edgar, not seeing any problem, decided to help them.

"Sure, the Mayor should be in his cottage; I'll lead you there."

"We don't want to trouble you."

"I'm going the same way, it's no problem." Edgar said turning towards the Lower Town.

"What a shame." Mumbled a still disgruntled Emmy.

Edgar chuckled.

He liked her.

Edgar led them towards to Lower Town area. When they reached Brock's destroyed house, the Professor and Emmy were shocked to see the destruction. Emmy decided to take pictures of the damage while the Professor asked still laughing Brock some questions.

Meanwhile, Edgar waited patiently for them to finish.

He didn't know what to make of them. They said they were here to visit a friend yet they were investigating like they were detectives.

They were from London as well.

This could mean trouble for him.

After they were done, Edgar led them to the Lower Town's square. Using his head, he pointed to the left.

"Go down there, over the bridge and follow your noses until you reach the mayor's cottage, can't miss it." He directed before heading upwards towards the Middle Town.

"Wait, we didn't catch your name." Emmy called out to Edgar.

"Can't stop now, got things to deliver, bye." Edgar called out over his shoulder ignoring Emmy's question.

He walked until he knew he was out of sight before turning back. He saw the pair following his directions.

He shouldn't get involved.

He needs to keep his down and stay under the radar, there is no way he should follow them to find out the reason they were.


"Thanks Bucky, I owe you one." Edgar called out the ferryman as he rowed away.

"No problem, Edgar me boy, I'll get these vegetables to Paddy's in no time." Bucky called back.

The 'not get involved and be discreet' policy didn't last for very long as Edgar headed to the Mayor's cottage.

'Why am I doing this?' he thought to himself miserably.

The cottage seemed out of place in this part of the village. It was two stories tall and made white brick of white brick and red roof tiles. It even had a garage on the side.

Edgar sneaked around the side of the house and peered into one of the windows. He could see the Professor, Emmy and Clark Triton, a tall man in his 30s with a beard and wearing a blue suit.

He had seen the Mayor a couple of times around the village, but never made the effort to talk to him. He always seemed like he was on edge. The attacks must be causing him some stress.

He could see them sitting down on two sofas. The Professor and Emmy one one while Clark on the other facing them.

Edgar only managed to catch the second half of the conversation.

"-it is my duty to keep this town and its citizens safe. But I...Hershel...could you..." Clark seemed he wanted to say something, but was interrupted by another person hidden out of Edgar's view.

Edgar crept closer to the window to see an elderly man in a dark red butler outfit. He had large nose, balding and wore large round glasses.

"Sir?" The butler asked.

"What is it, Doland?" Clark asked wearily.

"Pardon me, Sir, but you mentioned Professor Layton worked on some difficult cases for Scotland Yard." Doland said.

'What! I thought he was a Professor, what is he doing with the police?' Edgar thought worriedly. 'Surely, he can't be here for me.' He hoped.

"You said, with great pride, that he had assisted in solving them all. Perhaps we could ask for his assistance here, as well?" Doland continued.

Clark seemed uneasy with Doland's suggestion. "Of... course, Doland. I suppose I have no other choice."

Clark turned to the Professor "Hershel, will you help us? Please for an old friend?"

"Of course, Clark. I would never refuse a friend in need. I assure you, I will do what I can." The Professor told Clark confidently.

'Thank God, if he's busy dealing with the Spectre, I will be busy getting out of their way.'

Clark gave an relieved smile "Thank you, Hershel. I am eternally in your debt."

"Things are starting to get good, eh, Professor?" Emmy cheerfully chirped.

The Professor turned to face Clark "Before we go... Clark I haven't even asked about Brenda, or son. How is Luke?"

Clark smiled at his question, but Edgar couldn't help but feel he was putting on an act.

"My wife is fine. She's away. Family matters. Luke has...shut himself up in his room as usual."

Edgar's interest peaked when he learned about Clark's son Luke.

"I would like to say hello to Luke if that is all right. I haven't seen him since he was a baby." The Professor requested politely.

"Of course." Clark said with a tight smile. "I think he might enjoy that. I should warn you... he has been withdrawn lately. Some days I can't even get him out of his room. I ask him what the matter is and... he responds with silence. Perhaps it'd be good for him to talk to someone outside the family. I would appreciate that, Hershel."

"My pleasure, Clark. I shall have a few words with Luke before Emmy and I began our investigation."

After that, all four left the room.

Edgar knew it was be dangerous to pursue the investigation, he should go.

What should he do.

Listen in on the Professor and Luke's conversation or head back to the restaurant.

Edgar had a short internal debate.

After a couple of minutes he finally came to a decision.

Finding the window of Luke's bedroom, he started to climb.

"He's come this far, so why not.