Jegun and Kate reappeared inside the chamber.

The old man settled Kate in the bed, done with his task, he was ready to leave the chamber.

If he comes too late, this girl is dead meat with only bones left in her body because the king's favorite tree is a parasite, it loves devouring human and animals flesh and blood to nourish its body.

To save the girl, he lied again to the king. Previously, he told the king that he will save him and take him out of the castle one day. The king was happy and begged to include his wife and twelve sons and daughters, he refused, 'coz he can only save one.

Earlier, he lied again and told the king that during the day they will escape the castle, he can bring his wife and twelve children with him to freedom and he also told him that the captive girl was the sister of their savior.

The king was overjoyed and asked his favorite tree to release Kate at once.

Sighing, Jegun shook his head. There's no guarantee that he can save the king's family, but he was confident that he can bring the king along with him to safety outside the castle.

Before he checks the girl on the chamber... he dreamed of three young women running in the garden of flowers, laughing and chasing each other, they have similar physical attributes. He was hiding behind the tree watching them. Then one of the girls looked at the tree and saw him... and right there he knows that she is the one that can bring them out of the castle.

That girl in his dream has the same physical feature as the one sleeping in the bed right now.

Tomorrow morning, before he will take back the girl to the clearing...he will ask her some questions first.

He looked at the girl one last time, then he walked towards the entrance of the chamber. This time to make sure that she can no longer escape and wander around again...his hand moves...erecting an invisible barrier at the entrance so that it can prevent the girl from leaving her confinement.

Satisfied with his handiwork, Jegun went back to his sleeping chamber.

A few hours later.

Outside the cave, the dawn is breaking, and the darkness is fading fast.

Kate finally woke up.

She was startled to find herself back inside the chamber!

Huh? How could it be? How did it happen?

The last thing she remembered, after drinking water in the lake, she rested in the roosts of the tree to gather enough strength to continue her journey to safety. But why is it that she was back inside the chamber again?

What's going on?

Did she sleepwalk back to her chamber?

That would be impossible!

She would never return here after getting out of the cave! She got off from the bed and run towards the entrance. To her chagrined, her body bumped into something! She can't pass through it!

What is it?

She reached out to the thing in question. It's like an invisible wall stopping her flight. That thing was soft to touch, it's like an invisible wall...but it won't stretch ...she attempted to push but it won't budge.

After several attempts, she gives up. She went back to the wooden bed and sat down.

She released a deep sigh of frustration. The happiness she felt after escaping the cave evaporated in thin air.

She's back to where she started.

There's nothing left to do now but wait for the old man.

A theory was formed in her mind. She must have fallen asleep in the roots of the tree due to tiredness and the old man was probably looking for her all over the cave and found her under the shade of the tree sleeping soundly and brought her back in the chamber.

If that is the case then she better wait for her doom. She was just hoping that the old man won't do something bad to her or else if he had that kind of intention in his mind, she would rather beg him to give her a quick painless death.

She lies in bed and trying to fall back into sleep, but no matter how many times she shut off her eyes she can no longer go back to sleep.

She stopped trying.

Her mind wanders to her missing sister. Dang! She and her sister were always running into bad luck. First, it's her sister that is missing and now she suffered the same fate.

Fresh tears emerged from her eyes. She let the tears fall on her cheek. She cried in despair, her heart was breaking inside.

When will all this misfortune ever end?

She cried uncontrollably, her body was shaking in pitiful sobs.

She was in that condition when the old man suddenly appeared inside the chamber.

Jegun looked at the crying girl. "My child, why are you crying?" he asked.

"I want to go home. Please... Grandpa...I begged you...returned me to the clearing where you took me," she demanded in a low voice.

"Yes, of course, my child. I'll take you back to the clearing but before I'll do that, can you answer my question first?" he asked.

Kate wiped the tears from her eyes. "Yes, I'll answer all your questions as long you will take me back to that clearing in the forest," she said excitedly.

"Okay, my question is...how many siblings do you have?" he asked.

"I have two sisters..." she answered truthfully.

Jegun's eyes gleamed brightly. "And... where are these two sisters of yours?" he continued.

"My elder sister Ivy is here inside the castle but she's gone missing. Our youngest sister's name is Ella. She was living in a remote village outside the castle with my Aunt Margie," she replied.

Jegun's head was bubbling with excitement. His right hand moved instantly, creating a cloud of white smoke in the wall of the chamber. Then slowly, the smoke vanishes, and a garden filled with flowers appeared. Three women can be seen chasing each other in the garden laughing their hearts in glee.

Kate's eyes widened in shock because the three women resembled her and her sisters. She looked at the old man in astonishment.

Then the imaged zoomed-in focusing on Ella's face while looking at the tree.

Jegun pointed at the girl's face. "Child, look carefully...who is that girl?" he asked.

"That is my youngest sister. Her name is Ella," Kate answered.

"Oh, so that sister's of yours has never set foot in the castle yet?" asked Jegun.

Kate nodded her head in confirmation. "Yes."

Jegun was disappointed a bit. But on the other hand, since the two sisters were already inside the castle, sooner or later, the youngest would follow suit.

If that time comes, he needs to get his hand on Ella first!

Well...he already had a plan on how to do that. Normally it's the vampires' privilege to welcome the humans into the castle. Those bloodsuckers will take what they like and discard the ones they don't like. In short, the vampires selects the best and throw the rest for other creatures to feast. That's how it works inside the castle.

When it's now Ella's time to enter this forsaken place he needs to be at the entrance of the castle to welcome her personally.

That's an easy plan to do in his mind. He knows that the vampires might give him a hard time if they are also interested in the girl.

Well, dang it! He will cross the bridge when he's already there.

For now, he needs to bring this girl back to the surface and left her in the clearing near the lake for Esmeralda to pick up.

That's the least he can do for the sister of the 'savior' that will bring them out to safety and freedom, soon!

Slowly, the image disappeared from the wall of the chamber.

Jegun looked at the girl. "Stop crying now, child. Get ready, I will return you now to the clearing near the lake," he ordered. "I'll wait for you outside," he said and walked towards the entrance and disappeared from her sight.

Kate immediately left the bed and bolted towards the entrance of the chamber in a hurry. Finally, the old man granted her freedom! She feels happy!

Surprisingly, the invisible barrier was already gone when she exited the chamber. She saw the old man waiting for her outside.

"Follow me, child," Jegun commanded.

"Yes, Grandpa," Kate answered excitedly.

Jegun walked ahead, Kate followed him.

He stopped in front of the wall and waved his right hand. Suddenly, a new passage appeared out of nowhere.

Jegun walked on the path...while Kate was following him from behind...feeling confused.

"Is this the right passage out of the cave, Grandpa?" Kate asked. She can't contain her curiosity.

"Yes," Jegun replied without looking at her.

"Oh, damn...that's why I'm lost?" she murmured to herself.

Jegun heard her. "Yes, because you didn't believe me when I told you that I will bring you back to the clearing the next morning," he scolded her.

"Sorry...Grandpa. But you can't blame me. I...I thought you are a bad person...so I tried escaping last night..." she said.

Jegun was shaking his head.

After a few minutes of walking, they finally saw the mouth of the cave.

Kate was jumping with joy and rushed outside.

"OMG! I'm free at last!" she shouted in delight.

Jegun looked at her for a moment and continue walking to the north side of the forest.

Kate followed the old man in an ecstatic mood.

Soon enough after a few minutes of walking...they saw the clearing and the lake!

"I'm finally back!" Kate said in a cheerful voice, she dashed into the clearing.

When she looked behind her, the old man was gone. Her gaze sweeps the entire area, she can't find him! Where did he go? She still has to thank him for bringing him back in the open.

Suddenly...she felt a gentle gush of wind blowing into the back of her head. Then she feels sleepy and closed her eyes.

"I'm sorry, child. I just deleted some part of your memory, the ones that were associated with everything you have gone through inside the cave and the kingdom of the elves," Jegun said in his invisible form.

He settled Kate under the shade of the tree. He waits for the rescue to arrive. He won't leave Kate until he will see Esmeralda pick up the girl to safety.