"..."
"Not going to respond?" Eli tilted his head.
"..."
A weighty silence hung in the air.
"Sigh, come on. You are staying in my body without my consent... Hmm, no, I did give consent, right?" Eli pondered, retracing the events of that night inside the Dungeon Prison.
As far as he knew, there were a few incidents before fainting, but unlike Kitty Anna, he wasn't sure if he heard anyone speaking to him or if he agreed to some kind of contract.
However, hearing Lilith's cryptic words about 'another spirit' Eli confirmed that Lilith was aware of what it was, yet she remained reluctant to divulge the full truth.
"Megalodon...ah?" Eli mused before turning his attention to the crimson cocoon. He approached it slowly and collected samples from its surface.
"..." In a contemplative silence, Eli stared at the crimson blood now encased in a glass tube. Curiosity urged him to take some of his own blood and conduct tests.
While Eli delved into his experiments, Lilith materialized in her dark castle.
Fallen Continent
'SSSSHHhhhhhhh'
With a deliberate motion, she removed her golden ring from her left hand, gazing at it for a moment before kissing it. The ring glowed briefly as she wrapped it in a square barrier before it vanished from her hands.
'Step, Step'
With measured steps, she ventured deep inside her castle, traversing tunnels that seemed to reach into the very heart of somewhere enigmatic.
The tunnels naturally illuminated from the rocks, and as she progressed, the seals on her body began to loosen.
"Rovanni Exanimzza"
A soft, rhythmic sound accompanied the release of the seals.
"shhcchh"
Her petite frame gradually transformed into one of alluring curves and graceful proportions.
"sschhchh"
Her golden hair radiated with a dark black hue at its ends.
"sschhchh"
Her sky-blue pupils became shrouded in red and sky-blue as if a mystical aura enveloped them.
"sschhchh"
Her attire metamorphosed into a symphony of shadows....flowing, dark robes that clung to her form like a veil of night. Feathers, delicate and as black as the void, adorned the hems of her sleeves and the edges of her robe.
As she moved, the feathers rustled softly, evoking a sense of both elegance and an untamed, ethereal grace.
"shhcchh"
Intricate tattoos materialized on her arms, spiralling upwards like ancient runes inscribed by unseen hands. These markings seemed to writhe with a life of their own, resonating with the pulse of supernatural energy that surrounded her.
Lilith, with her newfound presence, stood as a captivating vision of otherworldly beauty--an embodiment of darkness and allure capable of ensnaring any man or woman's heart.
'step, step, step---'
Her strides came to a halt as she reached the tunnel's end.
"...."
Lilith stood before the imposing structure....it was not just a wall but more like a door.
The edifice before her, crafted from an otherworldly obsidian-like substance, loomed with ominous grandeur. Sinister symbols, etched with precision, adorned its surface like cryptic whispers eternally trapped in stone.
Approaching the door, she found skulls and skeletons intricately woven into the very fabric of the portal. Rows of skeletal figures, frozen in eternal torment, served as grotesque beings, their hollow eye sockets seemingly following her every move. The cries of unseen entities echoed through the tunnel, creating an eerie atmosphere that surrounded the foreboding entrance.
But when she touched the obsidian door, the cries died out, leaving the entire tunnel in an unsettling silence that seemed to seep into the very walls.
"Hey, who are you?" A sudden voice echoed from behind.
The figure flinched before turning to face the source.
It was another black, human-like monster with identical black eyes.
'I can use this thing' The figure thought. With that notion, it said, "I am just a newborn Fiend".
"Oh? Newborn, that's surprising to hear.....Well, anyhow, come with me. I will introduce you to our lord" the black human-like monster said, seemingly convinced by the figure's explanation, about to inspect it closely when,
"So, you really came here?" An authoritative voice echoed.
"Huh? Wh---'chukkkkk'" The black human-like monster was stunned for a second after it crumpled to the ground due to high pressure.
The figure's eyes widened upon seeing a handsome man with black hair and red eyes standing before it.
Just as the figure was about to react, the man raised his hands.
"I mean no harm to you" the handsome man said.
"...." However, the figure didn't lower its guard.
Instead, it asked carefully, "What do you want?"
"Well, I don't want anything" He answered nonchalantly.
"Then?"
"Well, I have something that might help you" He said with pondering expression.
Seeing this, the figure contemplated leaving. Just as it was about to move away, the man spoke again,
"I know why you are here and what you are searching for" He said with a smile, the moonlight reflecting off his red eyes.
"..." The figure was visibly shocked and asked dangerously,
"How do you know?"
"I have my own ways, Trust me, I am not your enemy...I have the same thought as 'you people'" He said as he took some kind of black book whose cover resembled a door with skeletons and revealed it in front of the figure.
"!!!" The figure was visibly taken aback, realizing the gravity of the situation, and asked threateningly,
"Why are you holding that?"
"Sigh, if we are going to chat, why not at my home? ...and I am pretty sure you won't escape from Adriana's grasp if you lurk around in your weak condition" He said with a small smile.
"Adriana? Who?" The figure frowned its expression a mix of confusion and suspicion.
"Lilith's dear disciple, dear friend, dear subordinate... etc.," He replied carefreely as he walked near it.
Hearing the word 'Lilith,' the figure's face turned serious. It agreed to go with the handsome man, though it wouldn't trust him fully now. 'Having that book... he will be unpredictable, so let's follow him for now' it thought.
"Hmmm..." He nodded in satisfaction, his eyes betraying a knowing glint, 'I guess, she is Navie'
"What is your name again?" It asked.
"Oh, I forgot to introduce myself... Well then,
"My name is... Asgarez, Dracula Asgarez, Head of Count Dracula's household" His name carried a weight of nobility.
.....
....
...
Adriana hurriedly emerged from the tunnel, her pace reflecting the urgency of her thoughts. In a swift motion, she teleported directly to her castle, where she sank into her throne with a throbbing headache, 'I should have at least left some of my summoned familiars to guard that place... Fuck!' as she thought about how she and Lilith left that place as soon as they felt Eli's life in danger.
"Your Majesty?" A maid approached.
"Call all the Counts to come" Adriana ordered, her voice carrying a blend of frustration and indifference.
"Understood, Your Majesty" The maid bowed dutifully before swiftly departing to carry out the command.