Lothaire looked at his brother. "Why did you become silent, brother?"

Maxwell blinked his eyes twice. "Nothing...I just remembered something that brought me back into the past," he responded.

"So—what are we going to do now?" asked Xenon.

Maxwell released an inward sigh. "I need to go somewhere. After I come back, I already have a decision," he replied.

"Should we send our armies of dark shadows to attack that old hag?" asked Lothaire.

"Just do nothing! Wait after I come back. Watch that sand timer and alert me just in case all the sand already sink in the bottom. I'll be at father's bed-chamber," he said and immediately left the room.

The brothers watched the sand timer with interest.

Maxwell reached his father's bed-chamber. He went inside and watched the candles burning brightly, lining beautifully beside his coffin. It was a wood casket with a glass lid covering.

Before his father died, he instructed him that just in case he will meet his untimely demise one day, he will have to retrieve the jar inside the locked secret room inside his bed chamber and pour the contents all over his body making sure every inch will be coated with the odorless and colorless liquid to preserve his body from decay.

The blood of six virgin women, a mixture of three women of human origin and three hybrids bearing blood so sweet and intoxicating can help him come back to life.

When he tasted Ivy's blood for the first time...he knows that Ivy is one of the three women who can fulfill his father's wish to be resurrected from death. He was jumping with joy after he heard from Ivy that she has two more sisters left in the village.

When they finally got hold of Kate and tasted her blood exhibiting the same quality as that of Ivy's blood, they realized, they already got two sisters in their hands and only one left to fulfill their father's last wish and bring him back to life.

They must resurrect his father so that they can get out of the castle alive before Esmeralda will die of natural causes.

And now...that Esmeralda was demanding of Kate's return...he needs to decide quick!

At the same time, he was curious how powerful Esmeralda is?

Can she burn down their enclave?

What can she do then?

Nostro, the leader of his armies of dark shadows informed him in the past about the golden leaves detaching from the branches of the tree which easily burn his comrades into ashes.

Could it be that Esmeralda's power was tied to the three?

Is the tree the source of Esmeralda's power?

Or Esmeralda is powerful alone without the aid of the tree?

It would be interesting to see Esmeralda in action, to see what can she do to them?

He looked at his father's face one last time. His face and body look the same since the day he died.

"I'm sorry, Father. If Esmeralda can do severe harm to us I have no other option but to give up one of the women, but I assure you that I will get back the girl from Esmeralda's clutches again in the future," he murmured sadly. He turned around and moved towards the door.

A few seconds later.

He was back in the room, just in time before the last particle of sand falls into the bottom.

Nothing happened.

They looked at each other...

"What now—?" asked Lothaire.

"I dunno...should there be an explosion to burn our place or what?" Xenon muttered.

Maxwell shrugged while staring at the sand timer. He suddenly shouted to Lothaire. "Turn the sand timer upside down, now!"

Xenon and Lothaire look at each other in confusion...one of them move towards the sand timer but before Xenon can touch the timer...BOOM!...it exploded like a firecracker...and the sand particles burst into the air like a fireworks landing everywhere.

Caught unawares, the brother's vision becomes blurry...sand particles hitting their eyes in the speed of light.

Then all of a sudden...they can't move their bodies and they can no longer open their eyes as well. All they see is darkness everywhere.

"What the hell is going on!?" exclaimed Lothaire in confusion.

"Argh! I can't open my eyes. Did I just go blind?" replied Xenon.

Maxwell groaned. "I see! This is Esmeralda's way of burning our place!" he spoke in rage.

Then all of a sudden...a woman's laughter erupted into their ears.

"Bravo, Maxwell dear! You were able to guess right that it's my handiwork. Hmm, I have a change of heart. I no longer wanted to burn your place down. I just wanted to burn your eyes...!" Esmeralda said haughtily.

"W-what do you mean...? Are you turning us blind?" Maxwell asked in horror.

Esmeralda looked at the astounded brother's faces. "Don't worry...after I get back what I want...then your vision will return to normal and you can finally move your bodies. If you only return Kate to me before the sand timer exploded, all this won't happen. You guys bring it upon yourself! So...for now...just enjoy your punishment!"

She turned around and went to the direction of the room where Maxwell imprisoned Kate, she was guided by the sand particles floating in the air.

Esmeralda waved her hand at the closed door and it opened right away. She entered the room.

Kate looked at the door, her eyes widened in surprise. "W-who are you?" she asked in a trembling voice.

"Hello, Kate...You don't remember me anymore? I'm here to save you!" Esmeralda said.

Kate shook her head. "It's you again! But, I don't know you!" she retorted. "Where are you taking me?" she responded in alarm.

Esmeralda smiled and blew air on Kate's face.

Kate started to feel sleepy and crumbled back into the bed.

Esmeralda grabbed Kate's arm tightly and they vanished instantly from the room along with the sand particles floating in the air.

A few moments later.

They emerged in Esmeralda's place, inside the wooden house situated at the top of the floating piece of land.

Esmeralda gently settled the sleeping Kate in the mattress on the floor.

Then she exited the door and went outside, she watched the sand particles still floating in the air, she directed her hand at them and they slowly formed into several pieces of leaves.

"Good job everyone! Return to your branches now!" she instructed them.

The leaves flew towards the tree and attached themselves to the branches.

"Congrats in having the girl back!" the tree said.

Esmeralda smiled brightly. "Thanks to you my friend! You made it possible!" she replied cheerfully and turned around, going back to the house.

She pushed the door and disappeared inside.