Kariah-Belle Nadire couldn't see a thing. She was blindfolded, her wrist shackled together as well as her ankles.

She could still hear though.

"The deal was you get the girl, I get the boy!" Spat an unknown voice. "Where is he?!"

"He was too strong." said a voice Kariah-Belle recognized​. It belonged to the female Vympiri who'd struck her down. "You didn't tell us he was that powerful. We stood no chance."

"What about our deal Dracula!?"

"You heard her, swine." said a deep yet somewhat smooth voice. "Your boy was simply too much for them."

"Then the girl is mine!"

Suddenly the air turned chilly. Kariah-Belle felt goosebumps appear on her skin.

Such intense black mana. Kariah-Belle though.

"Human." said the deep, smooth voice. "She belongs to me. I greatly appreciate you drawing her out. To show that, I will let you live. If you want the boy so badly then we can make another deal. One for a greater price. That is all I have to say on the matter. Begone."

"Dammed leech!" said the voice belonging to the human.

Kariah-Belle clenched her jaw.

Fucking TRAITOR!

Anger simmered within her. She wished she could see the traitor's face so she could at least spit in it.

Kariah-Belle heard footsteps that eventually faded.

"Marclus." said Dracula. "It was because of you that we found the Light Keeper."

"And I thank you for your generous payment." said a voice she'd never forget.

She tried to stand but suddenly felt pain explode across her chest and she went rolling along the floor. She gasped for air as she came to a stop on the smooth, cold surface. Someone's foot was on her cheek.

She continued trying to catch her breath from the heavy blow.

"Thank you, Remi." Spoke Dracula. "You will do her no more harm."

"Yes, my lord." said the female Vympiri.

Dracula spoke to Marclus, "Granting you access to the city's livestock was a good play for us both. Remi says it was because of you that she is here. She has requested for your reward to be granted access to her inner coven. I have accepted."

"But master," Marclus sounded confused. "I am not strong enough to be a Royal Guard's inner."

"You will be granted access to my personal storage of livestock."

"Oh, thank you lady Remi!" Marclus exclaimed.

"Bastards!" Kariah-Belle was outraged. Hearing them talk about humans like cattle made her feel sick. "I'll kill you leech bastards!"

She tried to turn her life force into mana but couldn't. Instead, her brain felt like it would split in two.

They clogged her life force.

"Lureal, Remi. Take Marclus to claim his prize." Ordered Dracula.

She heard footsteps, the foot on her cheek moving to head for the exit too.

The Knight quickly got to her feet when the door closed and seconds later, the blindfold was ripped off.

Kariah-Belle had to blink rapidly a few times for her eyes to get adjusted to the light.

Once her eyes adjusted, she saw a tall Vympiri staring at her. His skin was sandy beige. A X shaped scar ran across the left side of his face. His red eyes wide as he gazed at her.

Then he laughed which earned him an odd look from Kariah-Belle.

"You're the spitting image of Lilith Nadire." he said.

Now Kariah-Belle was the one who's eyes grew wide.

"You...you knew my mom?"

"We've met a few times on the battlefield. She was... formidable."

He then looked deeper into her eyes. "My dear Kul. Why do you deny my kind mana?"

"So, it's true..." Kariah-Belle whispered to herself, disbelief in her voice. "The goddess is sleeping inside me."

"You sound surprised." Dracula said. "Do you not know about your lineage?"

Kariah-Belle shook her head. "My...my master had her suspicions but it was just that. Suspicions."

Then it dawned on her. The day Master Iris told her about Kaden and herself, she was told that she had an uncanny ability to draw in others. She also said that Kariah-Belle had some kind of sleeping power inside her that was similar to Kaden's.

Now it made sense. The ability her Master spoke of. The scar she had no memory of getting. It must be related to Kul somehow.

"My mother..."

"Yes." Dracula nodded watching the realization on her face. "Only a direct descendant of the Final light barer can keep the goddess within them. Otherwise, the power of Kul would need to be split by mortals. You only know half the legacy left to you. Too bad it will end soon, little cattle."

That couldn't be. Her mother would've been over seven hundred years old.

Dracula placed a hand on her cheek. It seemed as though he was looking into her very soul.

Kariah-Belle slapped his hand away. She was scared shitless but her eyes burning with defiance.

"If you're gonna kill me, do it and get it over with."

Dracula's arm moved in a blur, his palm striking Kariah-Belle. She touched her lip and felt blood.

"I would but killing you means Kul's consciousness would be scattered throughout the cosmos and I would not be able to gather it. Kul will be extracted from you. Until then, you will be kept alive."

In an instant, Dracula was sitting on his crystal-like throne. "Lureal. Remi." He called. The doors opened to reveal two female Vympiri. "Put her with the other human. No one is to harm her."

"Yes, my lord."

Remi walked over to Kariah-Belle; her skin was as pale as Akio's. She yanked the chain. "Move human." She demanded.

Kariah-Belle did as she was told, frustration boiling within her. She walked out of the throne room stealing one last glance at Dracula.

It was minutes later when Kariah-Belle was led into a room. It looked like a prison block. She was pushed into a cell and turned around just as the Vympiri locked it.

She and the Vympiri who'd nabbed her stared at each other. There was pure hatred in her blue and red eyes.

"Why does the master give you special treatment?" She growled.

Being smacked in the face is special treatment?

"Aw, little leech wants it's master's attention?" Kariah-Belle mocked.

The Vympiri hissed and banged her fist against the cage. "Dammed human!"

"Remi," called the other Vympiri. "Lord Dracula will have your head if any harm comes to her. She's not worth it. She can't hide behind lord Dracula forever."

The one named Remi nodded but continued to give the Knight a hateful stare. Kariah-Belle watched, a grin on her face.

"Go on, run along now." She teased.

The two Vympiri turned to leave. Remi cursed under her breath.

Kariah-Belle felt slightly satisfied. In this powerless situation, she could always depend on her ability to be annoying to lift her spirits.

The young woman looked around. The entire castle looked to be made of a crystal-like material with a dark tint. Even the cell she was trapped in.

In her cell was a bed and a stall which she assumed was a bathroom. There was also a window with a view of a town made of the same crystal-like material.

"Cozy."

It was then she noticed a pair of eyes on her. She looked to the cell next to hers to find she wasn't the only prisoner in this cell block.

A girl sat on the floor, her golden eyes scanning Kariah-Belle with curious fascination.

Kariah-Belle moved to the cell bars and knelt down. "Hey." she said with a warm smile. "What's your name?"

The girl did not speak. She just watched Kariah-Belle.

The Knight did the same feeling a bit awkward. She wondered how long the girl had been here. She decided against asking, seeing as the girl wasn't much of a conventionalist.

Instead, she opted for sitting on the bed. It was uncomfortable so she stood and lifted the covers to find a thin mattress under a lump of black tinted crystal.

"Special treatment my left titt," she muttered.

The young woman tried to create a mana skeleton but failed.

The girl cursed. She needed to get out of here and warn Kaden. Worn all the four nations that there really was a mole working for the Vympiri.

Well, she didn't know if he was working for Dracula or not as his motives were still unclear. Still Kaden was in danger and she needed a way to escape.

She searched around for something that may aid her but her cell was empty. She was stuck here. Even if she broke out her cell, she was sure she stood no chance against Dracula.

Despite her tough girl act, seeing the guy made her feel like that little girl who heard scary stories of him during her orphanage days.

She never thought she'd meet him within a year of becoming a Knight.

Kariah-Belle looked to the cell over, the golden-eyed girl still watched her.

"While I do find your staring quite flattering, it is considered rude without so much as a hello."

The girl blushed before quickly averting her gaze. Kariah-Belle tilted her head slightly. Pondering if the girl was not used to being around others. Her clothes were rags after all so perhaps she had been here for a long time.

"Why is Dracula keeping you here?"

The girl looked at Kariah-Belle. She opened her mouth to speak but stopped when the double doors opened.

Kariah-Belle saw Dracula stride in. She stood, glaring at him as he strode past her cell and stopped in front of the young girl.

He took a step towards the cell and as if on his whim, the bars shattered. He walking into her cell. The girl coward against the crystal wall as Dracula glared down at her with cold, crimson eyes.

"Leave her alone!" Kariah-Belle shrieked, knowing her demands would fall on deaf ears.

She kicked against her cell. She tried to break through to rush to the girl's aid but her strength failed her. Without mana, she was all bark with no bite.

Dracula ignored her. "It's time for my feeding." He told the girl before reaching down and swiftly picking her up by her throat.

Kariah-Belle stared in dismayed as he bit into her forearm. Blood trickled down his chin and the girl's wrist. The golden-eyed girl yelled in pain as her life force was being leeched from her body. Kariah-Belle clenched her jaw as the girl whimpered.

When Dracula was finished, he simply dropped the body to the floor. The brown-haired girl laid there, shivering. Kariah-Belle could see her chest heaving so she was sure she wasn't dead.

Just scared near death.

Dracula exited the cell. The crystal bars were restored as he did so.

"I'll kill you." Kariah-Belle blurted out. Even though her voice was calm, fury flooded her veins.

Dracula glared at her.

Without warning, pain exploded across her side.

Her eyes widened as she looked down to see a crystal spike covered in blood sticking out of her side. She looked behind her to see the spike had come from the black tinted crystal wall.

"Your mother would've evaded that." Dracula said plainly.

The spike swiftly shifted back into the wall and Kariah-Belle dropped to her knees. Holding her side.

"Sh-she would've had mana." Kariah-Belle retorted gritting her teeth.

Dracula shook her head. "She could use Kul's life force quite effectively. You're nothing like her."

He then started to walk off.

"I-it won't be today." Kariah-Belle stammered off. "Maybe n-not tomorrow either. But one day... I'm gonna kill you."

Dracula paused. Not looking back, he chuckled. "If you've gotten anything from your mother it's her stubbornness."

He left the room.

***********

Rygilya Semtek was on his knees, two robed figures standing on either side of him. Behind him were five reptiles with humanoid bodies. In front of him...

Serpent Queen Medusa sat on her throne. An amused look on her face.

"Now what could bring Memphis' apprentice all the way out here?" She cooed. Her midnight black armor was similar to Memphis except hers were slim fitting and decorated with robes that held two shining stars.

"I'm looking for Dracula." Rygilya answered. "My master once told me you maintain a web of information."

Medusa nodded. "Yes. This is true."

"So?" Rygilya prompted. "Will you help me?"

She laughed annoyingly​ loud for Rygilya's taste.

"Boy! Even if you could get to Dracula, he'd take your head on the spot! That's if his lackies don't get you first. Why would you risk that?"

"Dracula has something very important that belongs to my master." Rygilya answered.

The woman looked at Rygilya thoughtfully. "I see. Very well young Darkness Tamer. In exchange for this information, you must first complete a task for me."

The young man raised an eyebrow. "A task?"

She smiled again and said, "I want you to bring me the head of Veridan Felicity. Her and her disciples have been hunting for me for quite some time."

The boy stared at the serpent Queen without blinking. "Divine Knight: Devil Huntress? How do you expect me to defeat a high tier Divine Knight? She's out of my league!"

"Anogi!" Medusa called. A young woman in purple robes rushed to her side. She was holding a medallion with a black serpent on it. "This medallion holds a piece of dark power. With it comes a powerful transformation. Combined with your power, you may be able to hold your own. Not only will you have the medallion, you will take a few of my best warriors."

Rygilya snorted as he stared at the medallion. "So, what aren't you telling me about that thing?"

"Perceptive." Medusa said. "Only a headache and extreme fatigue. I recommend making sure her pupils are busy with my subordinates."

Rygilya weighed his options for a minute.

Even with the power of the medallion, his victory wouldn't be guaranteed. That medallion was probably more dangerous than she was making it out to be or else she'd be the one using it.

Veridan was a Divine Knight with great power. She was close to the rank of holy Knight. Not to mention her two students were known for great feats.

Regardless Rygilya needed to know where Dracula was hiding.

Death would be more welcomed than going back to Memphis without Kezell.

His master had to be outraged already for their long absence. It was all he could do to avoid him for nearly a year while he searched for her. This was the last option left to him.

Rygilya nodded.

"Fine." he said. "I accept."

"Excellent!" Medusa exclaimed. "I'll begin making preparations. For now, please enjoy your stay here. Anogi, show him to the guest quarters."

The young woman left her master's side and made her way over to Rygilya who was allowed to stand. She removed her hood revealing her silver Drakon scales.

"Follow." She ordered before walking past him and the guards.

Rygilya growled a bit. He didn't like being told what to do but he followed nonetheless.