(1607: Elizabethan England)

In the heart of Eldergrove village, nestled in rows of trees and cobblestone roads, lived Lucifer Phantom. Lucifer Phantom was fairly tall and had sharp facial features that glistened on his gaunt face. Atop his head lay a hat with a plume of feathers and resting over his shoulders an elaborate suit. At the break of dawn, he was awake to the sound of horse-drawn coaches ferrying people around the bustling village of Eldergrove. Phantom was part of the aristocracy and lived at the top of a hill that looked over the village and its houses. In contrast to his opulent surroundings, the common folk of the village lived in modest, thatched cottages with simple oak wood beams. When he was just nineteen years old, Lucifer Phantom's dad perished after catching cholera. As a result of this, Phantom was granted his dad's status of being a viscount.

Viscount Phantom felt honoured to have a title and was a well-known figure among the village people. The Viscount took daily trips into the village bakery in the early morning to buy his favourite bread. As he swung on his coat and continued down the cobblestone path to the marketplace, he thought, what a great place to live. Viscount Phantom was interested in the villagers' lives: their days were filled with the rhythm of work, from running stalls on the marketplace to being a housewife - it intrigued him. The grandeur of the church's architecture always left him in awe - he was religious but didn't go to church. This sometimes angered Eldergrove's residents, however he was primarily respected. As the baker handed over his bread, he told the Viscount about a live theatre production of Macbeth at the local theatre. Theatrical culture was popular, and Viscount Phantom enjoyed it. He was especially excited about this performance of Macbeth because he had never seen it before.

"Thanketh thee! I shall forsooth be paying a visiteth to the theatre. Has't a valorous day and I shall seeth thee there tomorrow!" Viscount Phantom was overjoyed.

Skipping back to his house with the loaf of bread in his hand, he navigated horse-drawn carts and people buying groceries. As he arrived at his house, he noticed his friend Richard lingering around his front door.

"Good morrow Phantom. Bethought I couldst has't a game of chess with thee!" Richard and the Viscount were best friends and eager chess players.

As ever, Viscount Phantom was the white pieces and Richard was the black. Viscount Phantom needed this advantage as Richard was the best chess player in Eldergrove. He partook in chess tournaments and challenged players in taverns.

"I very much enjoy playing chess with thee but thee win all the time. Twast ages ago since I did beat thee!" Viscount Phantom exclaimed.

Richard smiled before putting on his doublet.

"Art thee coming to the Macbeth production tomorrow. 'Twill beest at noon", Viscount Phantom shouted before seeing Richard nod as he walked through the door.

This was an average day for the Viscount, and he cherished it. He treasured time with his friends and couldn't wait for the production at the theatre.

The next day, the Viscount was walking to the theatre, that was only down the road from his house. His polished, leather shoes clicked with a rhythm on the ground as he strolled. Upon arriving at the theatre, the Viscount was allowed to watch it from the Lord's room. As for Richard, who he could see down below; he was in the upper gallery. The play was about to begin, and Viscount Lucifer Phantom was thrilled about it, as he sat down and watched as the play introduced the audience to a world of supernatural elements in the Scottish Highlands. The Viscount was angered by the sheer boisterousness of the aristocratic men behind him.

He felt let down and disappointed by the Lord's room - it was normally quiet and subdued compared to the rest of the theatre. In various parts of the play, Viscount Phantom was being pushed and shoved by the lairy men behind him.

"Wouldst thee prithee stand ho yond?" Viscount Phantom politely asked them to stop pushing him.

Ignoring the Viscount's request the men continued. As he accepted their raucousness, Viscount Phantom continued to watch the play. But what the Viscount didn't know was that his life was about to change drastically.

As the witches entered the stage, the men shoved the Viscount off the edge of the railing, and he tumbled down to the bottom layer where the groundlings were. He suffered a fatal head injury and killed another person on the floor as he fell. Blood poured out of his head and a circle formed around him.

Looking up at the men who had pushed him down he whispered, "Curse thee!" and his eyes fell shut. Viscount Lucifer Phantom - Eldergrove's aristocratic figurehead had died!

A fellow alchemist had taken the Viscount's body back to his laboratory. The alchemist's work nor name was unknown, and he had laid out the Viscount's body across his desk. He had devoted his life to this moment and Viscount Phantom was his test subject. He intended to preserve the Viscount's body. However, the preservation was not just to stop it decaying, it was an attempt to defy time itself. As he used metal prongs to move the ice blocks to the Viscount's body, he worked methodically layering the ice and encasing him like a cocoon. The preservation was complete.

Weeks later, the alchemist died unexpectedly, and the Viscount's body cocooned in ice was left there. Years turned into centuries and the old house still stood in its same position as a testament to history. This was until nineteen ninety-four when an auctioneer put it up for auction.

The auction was set in the alchemist's laboratory and in the audience sat Gustav Horror Hill - a wealthy man with nothing better to do. Gustav, formally known as Lord Horror Hill, won the auction and took the Viscount's body home. Lord Horror Hill was interested in the body, not the ice, and melted it. Instantaneously and by some sort of magic, the Viscount emerged from the ice as if he had never been dead for centuries.

"Taketh me back to Eldergrove! Wherefore am I here?" Viscount Phantom was alive and aware.

Lord Horror Hill explained everything to him as best he could and Viscount Phantom became a part of Horror Hill, yet to experience all the chaos there was to come.