Chapter 359 - Forbidden Place

The next day.

Sylvia was in her room, preparing the ritual to awaken the unconscious guy.

She made a list of the tools that are needed for the ritual, such as a virgin girl's fresh blood, candles, animal blood, and others. She already had the rest of the tools, such as two silver chalices, a feather, salt, a bowl of water, and the silver bell.

She left her room to find her men and gave them instructions for the ritual tonight.

Meanwhile...

Nathan entered the room where the butler Terros was imprisoned..

Earlier, he asked his mother if the old man can be released from being tied to the chair. He explained that the old man no longer poses a threat to them because he's already a powerless old fellow. Slyvia agreed to her son's request. They put a chain on his feet and hands so that he can move freely and use the toilet on his own.

"How's your situation here in your new room?" he asked.

Terros looked at the young lord and smiled. "Thank you so much, my lord. This room is much better compared to the one in the basement because it has its own toilet and bed," he said in a grateful voice.

"I'm glad that you like it here," Nathan said.

Terros cleared his throat. "My lord, can I ask you something? I hope you won't get angry..." he said.

"Go ahead, ask me anything," Nathan encouraged him.

"How is my Lord? How is he doing right now? He's still unconscious?" Terros asked.

"Yeah, he is," Nathan replied with a nod of his head.

Terros know that he shouldn't push his luck but he wants to ask favor from the young lord. He cleared his throat before he spoke, "My lord, can I see my master today even just for a few seconds? Please?" he pleaded.

Nathan smiled. "Sure! I'm here to bring you there. In fact I suggested to my mother that maybe it can help your master to wake up quickly if he has someone he knows by his side. So, today, I'm going to bring you to your master's side so that you can talk to him for a few hours. Do your best to wake him up!" he said.

A bright smile appeared on Terros's lips. "I'll try my best. Thank you so much for being kind to me, my lord!" he said.

"Don't mention it. Alright, let's go! I'll bring you there right now," Nathan said and holds the old man's arm.

They exited the room and walked into the hallway.

They went to the next room.

The door was opened by the two men guarding the room.

Nathan and Terros went inside.

Terros finally saw Graven again. His heart was filled with gladness.

"Go on, talk to your lord. Maybe once he hears your voice, he will have the energy to rise from his deep slumber," Nathan encouraged him. He even picked up the chair and put it beside the bed. "Sit down, old man," he said.

"Thank you, my lord!" Terros spoke and lowered himself on the chair.

Nathan settled himself on the other chair near the table.

Terros cleared his throat. He was about to speak to Graven when he noticed that the young lord was still inside the room.

Nathan looked at the old man. "What's wrong? You can start talking to your lord now," he ordered.

Terros heaved a sigh and looked at Graven's face, he holds his right hand tightly in his. "Son, this is your Grandpa. How are you? Why are you not waking up yet? What's wrong with you? Are you okay?" he bombarded him with questions.

"Son, can you hear me?"

"Son, please wriggle your toes or fingers if you can hear my voice... please?"

Terros groaned in dismay, it looks like he was talking to a piece of statue or wood.

"Son... can you hear me?"

Still nothing.

He paused for a moment... waiting for some kind of indication that Graven was listening to his words somehow. But still no movement from Graven's side. He stared at his face for a long time.

After a few minutes, he starts talking again.

"You and I are are captive in someone's place. You are being kept here because they have a purpose for you when you finally awakened. They believe that your body can become a vessel for the thousand years old King Rhazien's soul. If that happens, you can never go back to your family and to your wife's side. Then I will also stay here to serve another lord, but I guess... it's not so bad at all... because we're still together under one roof. I can still see you around. If you wake up our life will never be the same again..." Terros said, tears shimmering in his eyes. He no longer cares if the young lord hears everything he said to Graven. Right now, his heart was gripped with sorrow and sadness.

Then Terros continue... "I hate myself because I can't do anything to get you out of here! I can't even wake you up! I felt so pathetic! I felt so useless right now!" he said in a dispirited voice.

In the corner, Nathan was listening calmly to the old man's heartbreaking lamentation.

Terros only cried once, when his master died in his arms. And right now, he wanted to cry for Graven but he can't... especially that there's another fellow inside the room. If it's only Graven and him inside the room right now, then he would not hold back his tears. It's like holding a dam of water that is waiting to burst from his eyes.

He went silent for a long time, just staring at Graven's face and holding his hand, trying to send his energy into his body. He wants him to know that, right now, the two of them are together in the enemy's territory.

He leaned down and whispered, "We are in the enemy's territory, if you wake up, better avoid antagonizing the enemy if you want to value your life," he said in a low voice.

Nathan saw the old man whisper something to the unconscious guy. He stood up and went to the bed. "What did you whisper to your lord, old man?" he inquired in a calm voice.

Terros looked at the young lord in the eyes. "My lord, I told him that when he wakes up, he shouldn't annoy you and Madam if he value his life," he told him the truth.

Nathan smiled. "I like your honesty, old man. Alright continue talking to him... maybe he will wake up suddenly..." he said. "I'll go somewhere. You have two more hours to talk to your lord, if the time is up, regardless of the result, I'll bring you back to your room. So, continue talking to your lord," he said.

"Thank you, my lord!" Terros replied

Nathan walked towards the door.

Terros watched the young lord exit the room. He was puzzled a bit by the attitude of Nathan. He's calm and relaxed, he doesn't easily get irritated by simple things compared to his mother.

Madam Sylvia is a firecracker, like a stick of dynamite ready to explosive anytime. She easily gets irritated and evil.

The door closed and the young lord was gone!

Finally, Terros allowed his tears to fall from his eyes. "Son, we're fucked! We might never be able to go back to our old lives. The enemy wants to keep us here," he said, crying noisily.

"Good thing Horace and Veronica were already saved by the goddess Elva. It's only you and me now. Hopefully when you're already awake... we can find the opportunity to escape this place together before the cursed King take over your body. I'm sure that he will also take over your wife Laura. It's funny that we tried to destroy the castle along with the King but in the end you still fell in the hands of the King's relatives. What a coincidence! It seemed destiny is conniving with the enemy big time, and deliver us right into their hands. Ironic, isn't it? I'm getting hopeless when it comes to our current situation because they suppressed my power," he said with a heavy sigh.

More tears fell from Terro's eyes... after some time... he stopped crying. He dried the tears on his face with the hem of his shirt.

Then he continues talking again.

...

Back in the manor.

Nathan and his mother were discussing the ritual.

"So, do you know what I hate about making a ritual ceremony? It's the thing that will happen to me afterwards..." Sylvia said.

Nathan's brows furrowed in confusion, "Mother, what's going to happen to you after the ritual is done?" he asked curiously.

"I will fall into coma for a few days!" Sylvia replied.

"Whaaaaat-?" Nathan's eyes widened in surprise. "But why?" he asked, confused.

"It's part of the sacrifice that one must endure in order to get the missing soul back to the body," Sylvia said.

"Mother, why the ritual is so dangerous? Just forget about it, then!" Nathan said worriedly.

"My soul has to travel into the land of the dead to find that guy's soul and bring him back to his body. That is a tiring process. My soul has to leave my body and more or less it would take me several days to find his soul. If I can find his soul easily then, I can return to my body quickly..." Sylvia explained.

"Ah, I see..." Nathan murmured. He was curious about one thing. "Mother, when I died when I was still a child... did you attempt to find my soul and try to bring it back to my body?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, son. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to find your soul anywhere. And then when I try to go to the forbidden place located in the remote place of the netherworld where the specials souls were being kept, I was not allowed to enter. I think that is the place where your soul has rested for a long time, that's why I was not able to find you..." Sylvia elaborated further.

"What is that Forbidden Place, Mother? Can you tell me more about that place?" Nathan asked.