Graven and Elva were floating above the abandoned castle in their visible form.

"So - this is the castle where that vampire King has been imprisoned for centuries? He's the one responsible for planting the black liquid inside your body and that of your men?" she asked for clarification. ​​

"That's right!" Graven replied.

"Can we come closer? I want to go inside the castle and see what it look like inside?" Elva said curiously.

"No! I can't allow you to get closer to that castle. The King might set a trap and capture you. I won't let such a thing happened to you especially that you're pregnant with your unborn child," he said worriedly.

Elva looked at him and smiled. "Thank you for your concern," she said. "But I can take care of myself," she insisted.

"Please stop insisting, Elva! For the sake of your unborn child don't venture inside the castle! It's too dangerous for you. Once the black liquid entered your body it might poison the baby inside your tummy! Think of the baby's safety first before you decide to go inside the castle!" he warned her.

Elva smiled sweetly, her heart melted. Aww, he's caring for me and our baby! I like it!

"Alright, I'll no longer insist on going inside the castle. Thanks for your care and warning," she said.

"Thank goodness! You got me worried for a few seconds! I'm completely responsible for what's going to happen to you and your baby since I'm the one who led you here in the first place," he said as huge relief washed over him. "Let's go back to your place now!" he said, fearing that the deity will do something stupid out of impulse and enter the castle despite the danger sign.

"Later, I'm not done yet!" Elva smiled cheekily. "Okay, let's just stay here. Let me study the whole place before we go home," she said.

"Okay, take your time," he responded.

Elva scanned the whole area. Aside from several mountains scattered everywhere, there's also a wooded area and some streams in between.

The castle's location was far from civilization. It was erected in a secluded place and probably, only a few people know about its existence.

She was wondering about the curse. How powerful is the curse that imprisoned the King in the basement of the castle? She looked at her handsome companion. "Why can't the King leave the castle on his own? Why does he need your wife's blood to free him from the castle's curse?" she asked.

Graven sighed. "I think something happened centuries ago. The only thing I know is that the cursed King and my wife are lovers in their past life, which took place a thousand years ago. The King's spirit was cursed by his arch enemies and put to sleep under the basement of the castle and he has just awakened lately. While Laura was reborn every century and meet many lovers along the way.

And finally, the King's spirit has awakened and ready to come out. He was destined to break free from the cursed the moment he will drink Laura's blood. The King told me that once I can bring Laura to his side and he can finally leave the castle, he will make me his right hand and make my men his soldier and we will rule the world together." He ended his lengthy explanation.

"I see... I wonder who is the King's arch enemy? Was that person alive until now? And where can we find that person?" she asked.

"I have no idea. The King never told me about his arch-enemy," he replied.

Elva pondered for a moment. "You know what..."

"What?"

"I thought about it since we're discussing the castle earlier at my place. It would have been easier to just burn this whole place down. I will volunteer to do it myself, the only downside, once the whole place is destroyed and the king was gone, you and your men will surely die because the black liquid in your bodies will start attacking your internal organs and since there's no more antidote because the maker was gone, you will also die together with the King," Elva explained.

"Yeah, you are correct! But if I can find the cure to expel the black liquid inside my body and that of my men then I can finally burn this whole place down!" he said.

"So... everything must start with the cure first! Once the problem of the black liquid is finally resolved then we can proceed to burn the whole place down!" she stated.

"Yeah!" Graven answered. "That's why my men and I need your help! Please help us find the cure, goddess!" Graven begged.

Elva nods her head slowly. "Alright, I'll see what can I do to remedy the situation about the black liquid. I won't promise you anything though," she stated.

"Thank you, goddess! Any kind of help is very much appreciated by me and my men. At least this will give us hope during the darkest times of our lives when the black liquid starts attacking our body again," he said.

"Rest assured that beginning tomorrow I will start creating the elixir to cure the black liquid of your body. But I would be needing volunteers from your men to test the effectiveness of my creation. Are you willing to lend your men for the testing and experiment?" she asked.

"No problem. How many people you need for the testing?" he inquired.

"Five men who are with you when the King submerged you in the black liquid," she replied.

"So, I need to bring them to your place for the test?" he asked.

"No, not at my place. I can't allow other strangers to come into my home. Let's find a safe place for the experiment," she said.

"How about at Grandpa Terros place?" he suggested.

"Good idea! He can help us monitor the men! Just in case the medicine won't work, Terros can easily bring the men to the castle for the antidote," she spoke.

"Okay. I like your brilliant idea!" Graven raved.

Elva smiled brightly.

Graven's eyes widened as he caught sight of multitudes of bats exiting the windows of the castle. "Oh, no! The King must have sensed our presence and sent the bats to come after us! It's now time to go back to your place, goddess!" he said in alarm.

Elva saw the bats and agreed. "Alright, let's head back to my place!" she finally said.

A few seconds later, Graven and Elva vanished from the place.

A minute later

They reappeared in the garden of Elva's marble house.

"Guys, where have you been! We're worried - why did you suddenly disappear from here! " Veronica exclaimed.

Elva smiled. "No need to worry anymore, we have returned here safe and sound," she spoke.

Terros looked at the couple. "But where have you been? Can you at least tell us where did the two of you had gone to?" he repeated Veronica's question.

Graven shrugged. "Elva requested that I bring her to the abandoned castle. So, I took her to the place," he answered.

Terros eyes winded in alarm. "That is a dangerous place for a pregnant woman to come, son. Why did you even bring her there?"

Elva smiled and sat on the rattan chair. "Calm down, everyone. Nothing bad happened out there. Besides, we maintained a good distance between the castle and us. We're not stupid to get closer to the castle, to avoid alerting the King of our presence," she explained.

"Good!" Terros released a sigh of relief. "Now that you're back, goddess. Graven and I would like to go home now. Our reason to come here in the first place is to find Veronica and also to ask your help about the cure for the black liquid," he added.

"Don't worry about that issue, Terros. While we're still in the vicinity of the castle, Graven and I already discussed the cure for the black liquid. Beginning tomorrow, I will start concocting different types of elixir with various herbal ingredients to create the perfect cure for the black liquid. Once I finally created the perfect cure, you can finally burn that castle down to send the cursed King to hell!"

Terros smiled happily. Now that they got the thousand-year-old deity supporting their cause, he was more than pleased and relieved. Suddenly, Graven's future looks brighter now that Elva is set to help them. "Thank you so much for your help, goddess! We appreciated it very much!" he said.

"No need to thank me. It's my pleasure helping my friends during their time of need!" Elva replied. "You two can go home in peace now. And if something comes up and you need my help, you guys are welcome to visit my place anytime," she said. She looked at Veronica. "Talk to your friends, I need to go to my bedroom to catch my rest. I'm always sleepy, you know... part of my pregnancy symptoms," she said and gave Graven a sweet smile.

Veronica nodded her head. "Okay."

"Ah, wait... I also need a sample of the black liquid. You can give it to Veronica when she goes home. That's all," Elva said, she left the garden going back to the house.

Terros looked at Veronica. "When are you going home?" he asked.

"After a few days," Veronica replied.

"Okay, I will wait for you there," he said.

Veronica scratches her head. "Um... old man... I plan to stay here to accompany Elva until she gives birth. Will you be okay there alone at the bamboo house when I'm no longer by your side?" she asked.

Terros smiled brightly. "Sure! I'm no longer a baby that needs constant caring 24/7. I'm an old man already, but always young at heart!" he joked.

Graven and Veronica laughed.

Their laughter vibrated in the air for a few seconds.

After the laughter subsided, time for them to separate.

"Ok, let's go home now, son!" Terros said.

"Bye guys! See you soon!" Veronica bid them goodbye.

A few seconds later, the two men vanished from the place.

Veronica walked towards the door and disappeared inside the house.