The servant arrived at Sylvia's room upstairs. She knocked on the door, holding the vase in her left hand.

Sylvia opened the door and looked at the servant.

"Madam, I already finished cleaning the vase," the servant said.

"Give it to me," Sylvia ordered.

The servant handed the vase to her mistress.

Sylvia looked at the vase in her hand. "It's pretty!" she said. She looked at the servant. "Stay outside my room," she ordered and closed the door behind her.

The servant sat on the chair in the hallway, waiting for Madam's further commands.

Back in Sylvia's room.

She put the vase on the table and opened the lid, wondering what's inside? She put the lid on the table and took a peek inside the vase, but saw nothing!

She picked up the vase and turned it upside down, and shake it, still, nothing comes out! Ah, it's just an empty vase with a fancy lid. Nothing special about it. She thought that since the vase was found inside her grandfather's coffin, it will hold an ancient artifact.

It looks like she's wrong with her assumption. Useless vase! It doesn't belong in her room. She picked up the vase, walked to the door, and called the servant waiting outside. "Bring this vase to the storage room in the basement!" she ordered.

"Aye, Madam!" the servant replied and took the vase. She turned around and walked into the hallway, going downstairs.

Sylvia went back inside her room and continue combing her hair.

A few minutes later.

There was a knock on the door.

"Madam, we finished cleaning the unconscious guy," a female servant said outside the door.

Sylvia walked towards the door and opened it. "Is he still unconscious until now?" she asked.

"Aye, Madam!" the servant replied.

"Okay, I'll go and take a look at him. Follow me," Sylvia ordered.

"Aye, Madam!" the servant responded and followed her mistress towards the staircase.

A few minutes later.

The two women arrived in the basement and entered the room.

Sylvia looked at the servant sitting on the chair inside the room. "Girls, wait for me outside. Go to the kitchen and bring a portion of food here. Put it in a covered serving dish, also include a plate and spoon, just in case this guy wakes up and get hungry, he can eat right away," she ordered.

"Aye, Madam!" the servants left the room and closed the door quietly behind them.

Sylvia went to bed and stared at the unconscious guy. He was already wearing clean clothes.

"Grandpa, is this you? Is this your reincarnation? Please wake up! I have lots of questions for you," she whispered.

She waited for a few minutes, waiting for the unconscious guy to wake up.

Fifteen minutes passed. Nothing happens!

She released a deep sigh.

She went to the chair and sat on it, and continue staring at the guy on the bed. She will just assign one of the female servants to guard outside the room and report to her anything that she will notice on him.

A few moments later.

The door opened, Zalvo entered the room and looked at his wife. "How is he?" he asked and glanced at the guy lying on the bed covered by a blanket from his chest down to his toe. He went to his wife's side and sat on the vacant chair.

"He's not waking up yet," Sylvia replied to his question.

"Do you think... he is the reincarnation of your great-great-grandfather, the King Rhazien?" Zalvo asked.

"Yes. Only a few people knew about the secret room. My grandfather's belongings were kept inside the basement beneath the castle. Through the years, the castle has undergone many repairs and renovations outside, but the basement survives untouched through the centuries. And we saw with our own eyes that this guy was lying inside the coffin where my grandfather's corpse was kept through the centuries. If he is not my grandfather's reincarnation, then who is he? How did he come into the coffin? How did he know about the secret room?" Sylvia said.

"That is also the question running in my mind right now. We need answers, but as long this guy keeps sleeping, we will never get a satisfying answer anytime soon," Zalvo said. "Is there a way that we can forcefully wake him up?" he asked.

Sylvia pondered her husband's question for a moment. "Let me think about it. Maybe I can find a way in the coming days," she said.

The door opened. A female servant carrying a wooden food tray entered the room.

The vampire couple stood up and walked towards the bed. The female servant transferred the covered dishes to the table including the utensils. After she finished her task, she left the room and waited outside.

The couple stood beside the bed, looking at the unconscious guy.

"He looks healthy to me. His breathing is normal," Zalvo commented.

"Yes, he is. But how come he's not waking up yet?" Sylvia asked, confused.

"Maybe there will be progress tomorrow," Zalvo said. "Let's go back upstairs..."

"Okay," Sylvia murmured.

The couple was about to leave the room, but the door opened, and Corbin stepped inside.

"Mother, Father...I was looking for you two. The servant said that you're here in the basement," he said and glanced at the bed, then walked towards it. He stared at the guy lying there, a frown appeared on his head. "W-who is this guy?" he asked in confusion.

"Son, I received a message from our caretaker of the castle in the forest informing me that our old home, the castle, was destroyed by fire, and the only thing that was not destroyed by the fire is the secret room and the coffin inside. When your father opened the coffin, my grandfather's corpse was no longer there, instead, we found this guy lying inside the coffin. We brought him here, and until, now this guy hasn't awakened yet," she explained.

Corbin stared at the guy's face. "C-could he be our grandfather's reincarnation?" he spoke the first question that popped in his mind.

The trio looked at each other. Different thoughts were running in their minds.

"He could be! Or he could be someone else," Zalvo replied to his son's question.

"If he wakes up, our questions will finally have an answer soon," Sylvia said.

"Alright, let him sleep. Maybe his body needs to recuperate first before he will regain his consciousness," Corbin stated.

Sylvia looked at his son. "Any news with your wife Rebecca?" she inquired.

Corbin sighed miserably and shook his head. "Sad to say... that until now, I still can't find her," he admitted shamefully to his mother.

Sylvia heaved a sigh. "Keep looking. Don't ever give up!" she said and breathed deeply. "Let's go back upstairs," she told her companions.

The trio exited the room.

They passed by the room where Corbin's brother was lying in a coma-like condition for many years.

Sylvia stopped in her tracks and looked at the door. "You guys go ahead. I'll visit Nathan first," she said and walked towards the door. She grabbed the doorknob and stepped inside.

The men followed Sylvia inside the room.

Sylvia walked towards the coffin in the corner and stared at her son through the glass cover. A small tube was attached to his mouth. That's where the blood of the virgin women will pass through, and goes directly to his mouth and down to his stomach.

Miraculously, her son's skin never rots through the years, and his body keeps growing until he reached the adulthood stage. Until now, she was waiting for that moment when her son will finally wake up one day. It doesn't matter if he is the reincarnation of her great grandfather or not. As long he wakes up from his coma-like state, then she will be the happiest mother in the whole world.

"When are you going to wake up, son?" Sylvia whispered miserably, fresh tears glistened in her eyes.

Zalvo went to his wife's side and rubbed her back gently, comforting her.

Sylvia's heart is bleeding inside every time she visits this room and witnessed her son's seemingly hopeless and baffling condition.

A few minutes later, the trio decided to leave the room, walking towards the door.

Too bad...

They didn't see Nathan's fingers moved for a few seconds and stopped again. After the trio finally closed the door behind them, it's moving again!

A few minutes later.

Nathan's fingers moved again. This time all fingers in his hands were moving! Then there was a slight movement in his eyelids, and for the first time after a long time, he finally opened his eyes, he's now wide awake! Awakened from a long hibernation.

~~~0~~~

Terros was sitting on the wooden bench on the balcony of his bamboo house. He wore a tormented expression on his face. The scene in the forest earlier kept playing in his mind.

He released a troubled sigh and looked at the horizon above, hoping and wishing that Graven is out there somewhere, safe and sound.

Darkness has blanketed the whole land.

Veronica was cooking dinner in the kitchen, occasionally watching Grandpa Terros through the window. He was looking at the horizon miserably, and she knows the reason why. Shaking her head, she turned her attention to her cooking.

Half an hour later.

Veronica finished cooking dinner. She set the table, left the kitchen, and informed Grandpa that dinner is ready. "Grandpa, let's eat dinner!" she said.

Terros looked at her and answered absentmindedly, "Just go ahead, eat your dinner. I don't have the appetite," he replied dejectedly.

Veronica took a deep breath and went to his side. "I cook your favorites! Vegetable stew on soy sauce added with chicken meat, and I also made you a bowl of delicious mushroom soup to warm your stomach," she stated.

Terros ignored Veronica's words and continue staring at the dark horizon above.

Veronica sat on the bench. "If you don't want to eat, then I won't eat as well. The food will go to waste! You must eat, Grandpa! You will get sick if you are not eating on time!" she said, getting worried about his condition.

Terros sighed and stood up. "Okay, fine!" he muttered and walked towards the door.

Veronica followed Grandpa Terros into the kitchen.

They ate dinner in silence.

After they finished eating, Terros retired to his room while Veronica washed the dirty dishes in the sink.

One hour later.

Veronica retreated to her room. She stared at the ceiling, wondering if Elva has successfully resurrected that dead guy grasping that vase firmly in his hand outside the burning castle.

And what is inside of that vase?

That was the last question that kept repeating in her mind before her body finally succumbed to a night of deep sleep.