Ella marched onward towards the castle on the hill, clutching her bag on her chest. The moon above the sky was very bright, it illuminated her path.

It's easy to walk on the hill because it's not as steep or high as the mountains.

She halted on her steps and turned around, she waved her hand at the driver of the wagon, he waved back. She feels comforted that he was staying true to his words and is willing to wait for her.

She continues walking...approaching the huge castle.

When she was already near the massive gate, she saw an old man sitting on the rusty metal bench. The old man looked at her and rose to his feet holding a wooden cane.

Ella rushed to his side. "Grandpa, good evening!" she conveyed her greetings.

"Good evening, young lady. What can I do for you?" he asked, eyeing her carefully.

"I'm here to find my sisters who are working here," she said directly to the point.

"Oh, I see...can you give me their names...?"

"Yes. Ivy and Kate Hamblin..." she responded.

"And your name is...?"

"Ella Hamblin..." she answered.

The old man lowered himself on the bench and turned on his flashlight, he reached for the notebook nearby and began flipping on the pages of the notebook that he was holding in his hands and stopped on the last page.

He raised his head. "Your sisters are indeed working here," he replied and closed the notebook.

"Grandpa, can I see my sisters, please? I need to see them! I traveled from a faraway place just to visit my sisters," she pleaded.

The old man smiled. "Sure..." he said and stood up. He pushed open the massive gate just using the tip of his cane.

The creaking of the iron gate produced a weird sound that echoed around the whole area disturbing the multitudes of bats resting on the rooftop. They flew in the air, circling the castle above.

"Get inside, young lady. Follow me to the waiting room," the old man said.

The old man walked inside, Ella followed his lead. She was grateful that the old man didn't interrogate her much.

They passed a beautiful garden where flowers are blooming everywhere.

They arrived at another door, it's made of wood this time.

The old man pushes the door. They entered the waiting room with old fashioned sofas, fireplace, and vintage decorations and collections displayed all over the place. "You successfully entered the castle, young lady. Welcome! Please take your seat. Someone will come here to bring you to your sisters. Just wait here for a moment. I'll take my leave now," he said.

He walked back towards the area where he comes from, he halted near the door and pushed a button on the wall, then made an exit.

"Wait..." Ella was about to tell the old man not to leave her but he already disappeared behind the door.

She clutched the pandan bag in her chest finding the room too stuffy.

All of a sudden, an old man materialized behind her. He sneaked into the room without a sound. He walked towards the girl and made his presence known.

Ella heard the sound of faint walking behind her back, she looked over her shoulder and saw an old man wearing a white flowing clothing, sporting a while long hair and white beard, he looks like a monk.

"How are you, young lady? Your name is Ella, right?" Jegun ask. He was glad he come here first before the vampires.

Ella was puzzled why the old man knew her name. "Yes. Grandpa, how did you know my name?" she asked curiously.

"Your sister, Kate, told me about you," he replied.

"My sister? Where is she? Can you take me to her?" she asked.

"Yes. I'll take you to her, let's go..." said the old man. He was about to hold the girl's hand and take her out of the room when another door opened and the three vampire brothers entered the room.

Jegun froze.

Maxwell's eyes widened upon seeing a stranger inside the room, it's the first time he'd seen the face of the old man. "W-who are you?"

Jegun cleared his throat. "You don't have to know!" he answered and ignored his question.

"I don't care who you are. You can leave now and return to where you come from if you value your life old man. Just leave the girl alone! She is my valuable guest in my house," Maxwell ordered.

The old man shook his head. "I'm getting this girl out of her. You are going to harm her!" he declared.

Xenon's eyes turned dark, his fangs appearing on his mouth, ready to bite off the old man's neck.

Ella stood frozen in shock upon seeing the pointed fangs on the guy's mouth. OMG! He is a vampire! She trembled in fear, her hands were shaking and so her knees.

Lothaire looked at Ella. "Young Lady, come to me. I'll take you to your sister Ivy. She's been waiting for you to come here for a long time," he said in a convincing tone, his voice gentle.

Ella looked at the guy who just spoke to her, among the three, he was the only one who has a gentle face and does not look frightening. "Where is my sister Ivy?" she asked in burgeoning excitement.

"She is resting in the room, waiting for you," Lothaire said. "Come to me, I'll take you to her room straight away," he persuaded her.

Jegun glanced at the girl. "Ella, don't listen to these vampire brothers, they are bluffing. The moment you go with them, they will suck your blood dry!"

The vampire brothers stared at the old man angrily, their fangs were now in full display emerging in their mouth.

"See...their fangs! I'm telling you the throat!" Jegun told Ella.

Ella was confused. Why there are vampires inside the castle? Did Kate work for this old man? And Ivy work for the vampire brothers? Or they're all bluffing just to deceive her?

Which is which?

She was confused...whom to follow...whom to believe?

To end her confusion, she addressed them all. "Those who can bring sister Kate or sister Ivy to this room. I will follow him," she informed them of her decision.

The vampire brothers looked at each other...dang!...they don't have Ivy with them right now.

Jegun was trapped...he also doesn't have Kate with him. He immediately blew his mouth in the air creating a transparent barrier separating him and the vampires. The vampires lunged towards the old man and were repelled by the barrier instantly, they tried advancing again, still, their attempts failed in vain, unfortunately, they can't get through the barrier.

Maxwell opened his palm and flames emerged from his hands, he attacked the barrier with the flames, slowly it created a hole, he made another attack again at the barrier, this time stronger.

Jegun wastes no time and reached for the girl's hand, they vanished instantly from the room.

The three brothers lunged at the barrier after seeing the old man and Ella disappeared from the room.

The barrier also disappeared.

"F*ck! Where did they go?" Maxwell exclaimed in rage.

Lothaire was fuming. His charm failed to impress Ella. His girl finally arrived at the castle, he's been waiting for her for a long time! But now she's gone again taken by a stranger. "How dare that old man entered our territory without permission! Who is he!?"

"I have never seen that old man before," Xenon spoke.

Maxwell was fuming. "Guys, have you seen that guy? His features are quite similar to that of Esmeralda! They belong to the Nephilim race, right? "C-could it be that...that... Esmeralda was disguising herself as the old man just to get Ella?"

"Could be!" Xenon agreed.

Lothaire's eyes bulged. "Damn! Esmeralda got Kate and Ivy already, now she got Ella as well!" he was enraged.

Maxwell was shaking his head. "I think, that old man is not Esmeralda. She doesn't have a reason to disguise herself," he took his accusation back.

Lothaire snorted. "Whatever, I'm going out to investigate..." he said and turned on his heels.

"Where are you going?" asked Maxwell.

"Going to Esmeralda's place to check if Ella was taken there!" he said in a grim voice and left the room.

Xenon and Maxwell followed their brother outside.

Lothaire summoned the thick armies of dark shadows.

Nostro the leader of the armies landed on the ground. "We will follow your command, my Lord!"

"Go to Esmeralda's house in the floating piece of land! Surround the place!" he commanded.

"Yes, my Lord!" Nostro said and rose into the air.

The thick armies of dark shadows paraded in the sky going to Esmeralda's place.

Maxwell and Xenon looked at their brother.

"Are you going to intimidate Esmeralda with the dark shadows?" Maxwell asked.

"I'm just going to get my girl, in peace. If she will give me my girl then I let go of her," Lothaire said.

"Don't forget that if Esmeralda will die in your hands, we will all perish and we shall be remembered as the Roasted Vampires in the Castle! So calm down...you might be barking at the wrong tree!" Maxwell warned him.

Lothaire glanced at his brother and nods, then he rose in the air, his black coat and black hair blown by the wind.

"Should we just stay here or follow him?" asked Xenon.

"Of course, we should follow him. I don't want him to do anything stupid when it comes to Esmeralda!" Maxwell said and hovered in the air, going to the floating piece of land.

Xenon followed his brother in the air.

A few minutes went by.

The vampire brothers arrived in the floating piece of land. The whole place was already surrounded by dark shadows.

"Esmeralda come out! Return Ella to me!" Lothaire demanded. "If you don't come out we will tear this whole place down!" he shouted angrily.

Two minutes passed by.

Nobody comes out.

Xenon studied the house. "If there is someone inside the house, they should hear you by now," he said frowning. "It looks like this place is deserted...." he commented.

Maxwell addressed his brother. "Wait here, I'll go inside the house to check," he said and sauntered to the wooden structure. He pulled the door, it open easily. He went inside.

The house is small and only have one room, he can see everything at one glance. He went inside the closed door and saw nothing inside the room that caught his interest.

Esmeralda is gone!

Where did she bring the girls?

Where can they hide?

He left the house and went back to his brothers. He faced Nostro, the leader of the dark shadow. "Find Esmeralda and the girls all over the place!" he commanded.

"Yes, my Lord!" Nostro said.

Nostro and the dark shadows scattered in the air and went in different directions.

Maxwell gazed at his brothers. "Boys, let's split up and find the girls!" he said.

The brother rose in the air and went to different directions where they think the girls have gone to.