Before we begin, I'd like to thank you all for your views and comments so far. It really brings me joy knowing how popular my story is.

Also, I'm thinking of referring to Dipper as just Mason. Only saying Dipper when Mabel, Soos, Stan, or Wendy talk or think of him. Though I won't start this until the second chapter after this one. What do you think?


Fallen Pine Trees

Chapter 8: Part 3 of Adventures

The kids were completely shocked. So shocked that somehow the sticky hand attached to Dipper's face popped off.

Here, surrounding them was a flock of Vampire Skulls. Waiting for them to say something.

"So, who are you?" One of the Skulls asked.

Dipper hesitating saying anything. The first journal didn't provide a whole lot of information on them. Just that they were immortal vampire's spirits trapped within the skulls of their deceased bodies, that lived in the caves of the forest. Though Dipper also realized that if he wanted more information on these creatures than his best option would be to ask them. Though he planned to observe them carefully; analyzing everything they said and did to make sure they were being honest.

"I…I…I'm Mason Pines…"

"The girl in the unicorn jacket called you Dipper," stated one of the Skulls.

"Yeah, that's just a nickname that she and my parents gave. Though I honestly hate it. And would prefer that you called me Mason."

Mabel was shocked by this. Dipper had been his nickname since the two of them were babies. She'd never once heard him say anything against it. Maybe, (she thought), this was Pacifica's doing. Man would she have something to say about this later. Though not right now because Dipper wasn't in the best of moods.

"Very well," replied the Skull who brought up the nickname thing, "We will refer to you as Mason. Now, who are these two girls here?"

"I'm Mabel Pines. And we," pulls Dipper closer to her, "Are the Mystery Twins. Oh and that's Pacifica Northwest. She's evil."

"No, I'm not, bitch!" Pacifica retaliated.

"Whatever," responded that same Skull, (who honestly didn't care for this rivalry between Mabel and Pacifica). "I am Lord Lothaire of Vampire Skulls. What brings you to the Great Cavern of our kind?"

"The Great Cavern?" Pacifica said curiously.

"Uh yeah isn't' it obvious?" Said the Skull who'd first spoken out. "I mean it's where we keep the Great Globe of Life."

"The what?" Mabel asked.

"Niles here is referring to the crystal ball on that stone shelf; or cubby hole, (depending on how you refer to it), in front of you."

Looking forward the kids found the device exactly where Lord Lothaire said it was. Though it was a glass sphere on a flat base, it looked more like a snow globe since it had tiny white specs floating inside a dark blue liquid.

"So what does this device do?" Pacifica asked.

"It is our life source," Lord Lothaire explained. "It is what has kept us alive for centuries. It represents how we became Vampire Skulls."

"How'd that happen?" Mabel asked.

"Centuries ago, we were a thriving race of vampires. Ones with arms, legs, guts and all those other body parts that we don't have now. We called ourselves the Black Nova, and we were masters of sorcery."

From there Lord Lothaire spent the next few hours talking all about the Black Nova's history and culture. He explained how they built magnificent cities underneath the caves above them. Mabel got bored, (after like ten minutes), and started knitting a sweater, whereas Pacifica and Dipper continued to listen on, both fascinated by the tales of the Black Nova. Though what had Dipper listening eagerly was how he somehow knew that in the end, these creatures would, (hopefully), reveal the identity of the author since he'd/she'd studied them, (even building a laboratory where they kept their most important possession.

Eventually, Lothaire told the kids how Black Nova became engaged in a war against an alliance comprised of the Manotaurs, Merpeople, Gnomes, Unicorns, Pixies, and Gremloblins. Despite the powers of the Black Nova, the vampires were heavily outmatched to the alliances' combined power. When the war reached the point where no magic could defeat the alliance, and the vampire race was on the verge of being completely wiped out, Lord Lothaire, (who'd just become the new Lord of the Black Nova), and the rest of his kind used their combined powers to cast a spell that was supposed to grant them immortality and deceive the alliance into thinking that they had perished till they could rebuild and mount a counter attack. However, the spell, (like all things), came with a price. In order to cast the spell, all members were forced to put everything into it, including their bodies, and life energy. The former, (save for what they currently had), was destroyed, while the latter, (or what remained of it), became encased within the Great Globe of Life, forged from the power of the spell.

"And ever since then, we have spent our immortality within the darkest parts of the forest, protecting the Globe, for if it were to be destroyed, then the spell's powers would completely fade away. Causing all of us to perish."

"So do you like still drink blood?" Pacifica asked.

"Yes, but we don't drink human blood. It tastes terrible." Niles answered. "We prefer wild animals, as well as the blood of those accursed creatures whose kind fought in the alliance."

"Yeah I can totally understand," Pacifica said.

"Anyways," Lothaire continued, "Now that we have told you about us, would you be so kind to, (in return), tell us why you came here in the first place?"

"We came looking for information about a mysterious person who did research here. He vanished sixty-nine years ago," Dipper answered as he pulled out the first journal from his backpack. "He even wrote this journal that mentioned this place, (as well as you guys)."

"Hmm. Interesting," said Lothaire. Flying down towards Dipper. Studying the journal. "Yes, I remember him quite well."

"YOU KNEW HIM?!" Dipper screamed. Even though he'd been expecting it. He couldn't believe it.

"Of course," said Lothaire. "He came to our cave seventy-nine years ago. At the time we weren't very trusting of humans, so we choose not to reveal our intelligence to him till he attempted to touch the globe. Where we screamed at him. Telling him to go away. Surprisingly he was more fascinated than scared of us, refusing to leave till he got some answers about us. Curious, we had a little chat with him. Which led to a mutually beneficial partnership. In exchange for knowledge about the history of this land, and permission to set up a laboratory to conduct further research in our cave, the author agreed to find a way to restore our original bodies. Ten years after his first visit, the author came by only to drop off his second journal, then he just left without saying a word. When he didn't come back after a year since leaving his last visit, we feared the worst. I mean we had developed a strong bond with him, a friendship if you might call it that. He told us all sorts of stories about himself and the outside world. Introducing us to the game of chess, and even showing us movies. Then a couple of years ago a small little boy with horrible white hair, a creepy looking face, and light blue clothes came and stole the journal. We haven't seen it since."

"Yeah we know who stole the journal," Dipper said. Pulling the second journal out of his backpack.

"Really? Who?" Lothaire asked.

"A boy named Gideon. We've had some issues with him in the past. But don't worry he's in prison now."

"Oh thank the moons."

The cave then burst into cheers of joy.

"The author would be pleased," said Niles after everyone had calmed down. "By the way, how and why did this Gideon person end up in prison? And how did you get the journal from him?"

Before Dipper could explain Mabel, (who'd started listening again after hearing all the cheering), got in front of him and started to explain. "Oh, you see he'd taken over our Great Uncle Stan's home, (the Mystery Shack) while looking for the other journals; he was also mad at our family because I wouldn't be his girlfriend. To make matters worse, the town loved him because they thought he was a real physic. But then he unleashed a giant robot to attack us, which I saved Dipper from using this grappling hook." Mabel then pulls the grappling hook out of her jacket. "After we defeated the robot, Grunkle Stan came along and revealed to the town how Gideon was a fake. Afterwards, Gideon got arrested for breaking everyone's hearts, (and for being a fraud). That's when Grunkle Stan stole the back the deed to the Mystery Shack, as well as the second journal. In the end, it just goes to show you how you should always carry a grappling hood with you at all times. GRAPPLING HOOK!"

As she shouted, Mabel accidentally pulled the trigger, causing the claw to fire straight out whatever was in front of it. Which happened to be the Great Globe of Life in this case. The claw smash through the glass sphere. Breaking through its glass. Resulting in the life energy of the entire Vampire Skulls race to pour out and slowly fade away.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" Cried all the Vampire Skulls as they all fell to the ground, and, (like their life energy), began fading away.

"LORD LOTHAIRE!" Dipper screamed. Running towards the dying leader.

"The Globe is…is des…destroyed," Lothaire spoke weakly. "The…the spell has…been…bro…broken. Our…our im…immortality is…is gone."

"Lord Lothaire! Please, you must tell me who the author is. I must know."

"ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?" Lothaire screamed. "You…you…you damn kids come and destroy our life source…and you ask us for more knowledge?" Coughs painfully before continuing. "Never. We may die…today. But at lea…at least, we die knowing that our killers won't get what they're after." Coughs again painfully. "Cruse you! Cruse you ALL!"

After saying his last words, Lord Lothaire and the rest of the Vampire Skulls completely fade away into nothing. Leaving behind three upset kids.

Pacifica felt shocked at what had just happened. While furious, (and not surprised), that it was Mabel's fault.

Mabel was feeling utterly terrible that she'd caused this. She hadn't meant it. It just happened by accident. Though when she saw her brother's crushed and defeated form, she knew that she'd messed up badly.

"Dipper?" She called out to him.

"Mabel," Dipper responded, "I WILL NEVER FORGIVE YOU!"

TO BE CONTINUED…


Stay Tuned for the Aftermath chapter. Where Dipper and Mabel will have a "chat" about just what had just happened and more.

P.S. the next chapter will not be the end. In fact, I have a few ideas, (that were inspired by the works of Mon-ra), planned for the next few chapters. So like I said, stay tuned.