Chapter 364 - 500 Years Ago

Sylvia lay her body down on the bed. She stared at the ceiling for a while, wondering if her grandfather's soul was in this tower or the next tower. Much better if she can find his soul here so that she no longer have to go to Tower 2.

She wants to go back to the land of the living as soon as possible.

Suddenly, she felt sleepy, her eyelids dropping fast and completely shut down on their own. Total darkness enveloped her.

After a few minutes of trying to fight it, she drifted into a deep slumber.

Outside the tower.

A black chariot arrived at the tower.

Custodian Mehos finally arrived at his domain.

He entered the room where his beautiful assistant was waiting for his arrival.

"My lord, you're back! I thought you won't be coming until tomorrow?" the woman asked.

"I'm here to see my visitor, I'm curious to receive such a visitor from the land of the living. Something like this rarely happen, only once in a blue moon!" Mehos said in astonishment.

"Yeah, I'm surprised too. This woman is not your ordinary girl. The fact that she can travel back and forth from the netherworld and back to the land of the living is not an easy fate to do. And one more thing..." the assistant faltered in her words.

Mehos eyed her. "Bring it on... what else do you want to tell me?" he asked.

"Be careful, my lord. This woman was carrying Docor's pass, which means, this woman is connected with him or shall we say, they have ties with each other," the woman stated.

Mehos eyes widened in amazement. "Oh... really? This is getting interesting! Now I'm intrigued to see this visitor of mine!" he said excitedly. "Anything else I need to know?" he asked, fishing for more information about the mysterious visitor.

"Ah, she's here for one purpose only..."

Mehos raised a brow. "What purpose?"

"She told me that she wanted to find her great-great grandfather's soul. The thousand years old vampire king Rhazien. He was supposed to be reincarnated in the land of the living at current times but his soul was missing," the woman said.

"Alright, go ahead, find all information about King Rhazien and informed me right away if you found him among the list of the souls under our custody. I'll go straight to the room where my visitor is currently resting. Did you already put her to sleep?" Mehos asked.

"Done already, my lord. You can enter her room anytime you wish," the woman responded.

"Good!" Mehos said and exited the room.

He walked into the hallway and arrived at the room occupied by his visitor. He didn't bother to knock, he passed effortlessly through the door as if it didn't exist at all. He appeared inside the room in the blink of an eye.

He walked towards the bed and stared down at the face of the woman lying on the bed, recognition dawned on him, his face registered shock. "Oh, my! I can't believe this!" he roared and laughed maniacally.

He jumped up and down in joy after seeing the face of the woman which he despises so much, but also at one time he love so much with every fiber of his being.

He's being nostalgic upon seeing Sylvia again, and his mind went back to the past.

Immediately, he was transported back to the times when he, Docor, and Sylvia were souls awaiting a verdict in the land of the dead.

The events happened five hundred years ago.

The three of them become acquainted with each other because they were occupying the same cell and later on become good friends.

He was attracted to Sylvia, he knew that in her previous life she was a daughter of a vampire and human, a crossbreed. But she would rather want to be called a vampire more than a human because, for her, human beings are weak while vampires are powerful beings. She was ambitious and learned forbidden witchcraft taught by her grandmother. But in the end, she was defeated by her enemy during a surprised attack and burned alive on the cross.

She was waiting to be reborn in her next life and hopefully wanted to be a full-blooded vampire in her next reincarnation and so on. For her being a vampire witch is so much better, much more exciting than just being a plain vampire. She can enjoy both worlds and amass greater power in the process.

And there is Docor, who also developed feelings for Sylvia, the only mused in their cell. Well, everyone has a crush on her but they can't approach her openly because she already got two guards by her side.

Docor was a tyrant warlord before he died.

And he's nothing special and a nobody, just an impoverished thief when he was still alive.

One day.

A big event was about to happen in the netherworld. It was announced to everyone. The whole place was buzzing with excitement.

Rades, the God of the dead was going to hold a tournament among the souls under his jurisdictions. All the three custodians have to choose their next successor because they're going to retire from their post and enjoy a stress-free life in the beautiful realm where the rest of the retired custodians are currently residing, enjoying their retirement.

The retired custodians can choose between having a chance to be reincarnated into the land of the living or enjoy retirement in the Oasis Realm, the most beautiful and most tranquil place in the netherworld, it is also Rades's place.

The majority of the retired custodians chose the Oasis Realm.

Now, the chance to become the apprentice and the next successors of the three custodians of the netherworld will be chosen among the competing souls, it doesn't matter what is their standing in their previous life, as long they can win the tournament that will last up to ten rounds, then they will have a chance to be the next successors of the outgoing custodians.

All the souls were given the chance to regain the skills that they have acquired when they were still alive, only for the said occasion.

In the 1st round, 10% got eliminated.

On the 2nd round, 20%...

On the 3rd round, 30%...

And finally, in the 10th round, only 20 skillful and very determined fighters remained in the tournament. The test consisted of... archery, physical and mental combat, attack strategy, mind games, leadership skills, and much more. All the tests were difficult at the same time suspenseful to bring out the best candidate among the rest.

The crowd was amazed by Sylvia's impressive skill, the only woman standing among the remaining contestant dominated by men.

Sylvia impressed everyone with her skill and knowledge in forbidden witchcraft. She attacked everyone but never harm her friends, Docor and Mehos, surprisingly, she also avoid hurting the quiet soul named Zalvo, one of their cellmates.

Mehos noticed that Sylvia stole glances at Zalvo several times in the past. Now he finally realized that Sylvia must have taken a liking to this particular soul.

The surviving fighters bribed Sylvia to fight alongside them, promising her a high position in the future once they become the custodians. They even went as far as proposing to her - that she will become their beloved wife and partner.

They all offered something in return for Sylvia's loyalty and support in winning the battle in the final round. Except for one soul and that is Zalvo, he never bothered to offer Sylvia anything. He just doesn't care about her and the more he ignored Sylvia the more she wants him.

Everyone wants a piece of Sylvia except for Zalvo. She told them that on the final round she will choose the one that she wanted to ally herself with.

Mehos was confident since he was the one closest to Sylvia, and Docor was only second to him... he expected that in the end, she will give him her full support.

Unfortunately, it didn't happen...

On the final day of the tournament.

The twenty contestants were facing each other in the arena. The loud cheering of the spectator is deafening, echoing around the whole arena.

Rades and the custodians were having a great time watching the tournaments above the podium reserved for the VIPs, they're interested to know who among the twenty remaining contestants are worthy to be the next three custodians in the land of the dead.

They only need three leading contestants who embody the character of a great custodian.

In this final round, all contestants have to give their all to the intense battle to become the Top 3.

When the gong started ringing, the battle begins.

Suddenly... among the twenty fighters, two vanished instantly at the same time, it's no other than Sylvia and Zalvo.

Docor and Mehos looked at each other as it finally dawned on them who Sylvia had chosen to support. Now the two of them have to unite to defeat the rest of the fighters. Docor was good at fighting in physical combat, while the only thing Mehos can do who's fighting skill is not that good is to fend the attackers with his sword that he had chosen for the tournament as his weapon and let Docor finish the rest. They become a great team, taking care of each other.

The crowd doesn't care if you are skilled or not as long you remained standing in the end, you are good as anyone. Because it's not an easy fate surviving the tournament for a long time, surrounded by everyone with great skill and abilities.

One by one the fighters fell to the ground as if some invisible hands are finishing them off one at a time.