The old man was still hesitating. "I think hurling the girl into your cage is not a good idea, son," he said.

"B-but why...Grandpa?" Agran asked, confused why his grandpa won't obey his request.

"Did you see what just happened earlier? This girl's finger was burnt. If I throw her into your cage her skin will touch the barrier and her body will start burning to ashes, including her blood. She will become useless to you. I don't think this is the girl destined to save you. The girl in my dream has the power to enter your cage unharmed," The old man said, she was shaking his head while looking at the girl. "She's not the one!" he concluded.

Agran sighed heavily in disappointment. The old man is right, the girl will become useless to him because she will turn to ashes once her skin will come into contact with the blazing barrier protecting the cage.

He returns to the bed made of wood wearing a dispirited look on his face. He was getting bored and out of his mind imprisoned in this cage since young.

He can't believe that he would just grow old and never be able to see the world outside. His Grandpa Jegun has been telling him to have patience because he would be able to get out of the cage sooner or later. His savior would come in the form of a beautiful girl.

He was getting tired of waiting...

All the girls that come are useless, they will start burning once they came in contact with the invincible barrier guarding the cage.

He was not able to meet his real parents, the only family he had ever known is grandfather Jegun.

There are so many things he wanted to learn about the world. According to grandpa, the world outside is beautiful and filled with nice people and creatures.

Looking at the beautiful sleeping girl, his grandpa was telling the truth, the world outside is indeed beautiful.

When he asked grandpa why he was being imprisoned inside the iron cage, he was told that he was the offspring of a Nephilim Princess and a Demon Prince.

The cage was to protect himself and to protect anyone from being harm by him.

His life is a great mystery to him, he grows up knowing only one person and that is his grandpa. From time to time he would see women but they don't talk to him because his look is very scary and they wanted to get out of the place as soon as they regained their consciousness.

He glanced at the sleeping woman and shifted his attention to the old man. "Are you going to let go of the woman, Grandpa?"

Jegun stared at the woman. "Yes. I will return her to the surface tomorrow..."

"B-but why can't we keep her with us?" Agran asked.

"Because she was with the woman..."

Agran asked, "What woman?"

"Remember the woman named Esmeralda... that I told you before?" Jegun reminded him.

"Yes. I remember her. What she's got to do with this woman?"

Jegun glanced at the girl. "They come to this forest together. This girl is Esmeralda's companion. My purpose is to borrow this girl for a few days so that we will know if she's the one," he paused for a minute and continue. "Unfortunately, just like the other women before her, she was not acknowledged by the barrier of the cage...so she has to go...I don't want Esmeralda to find us here hiding in this cave."

"B-but...Grandpa. I still want to continue seeing this girl! I want her to become my pet!" Agran grumbled.

"Son, listen...humans are not pets. Don't worry once the right girl will come along, you can keep her as your pet," Jegun said.

Agran sighed heavily. "Alright, take her away then. She will only scream after she will see my face," he said in a gloomy voice.

Jegun went to Kate's side and touch her head. They disappeared from Agran's sight.

A few minutes later they reappeared in another chamber which is still part of the cave. There was a fire burning in the center. A table and chair can also be found in the corner.

Kate was still lying in the wooden bed.

Jegun took the chair and sat on it facing the bed, looking at the girl. He put his hand on her head.

Suddenly Kate's eyes opened...she sweeps her gaze around her and her eyes landed on the old man beside her. He seemed to be harmless. Then all that transpired earlier came rushing into her mind.

Her finger!

She screamed in due to excruciating pain after it was burnt. When she checked her finger...miraculously it was fine! Huh?

Was that a dream? Was she dreaming about it?

Maybe...

Where is that monster? She looked around her...there was no cage and no monster either!

Maybe the monster and her burnt finger was all part of her dream. Then she stared at the old man facing her. "W-who are you...?" she looked at the passage on the right-side thinking of escaping.

"I found you unconscious lying under the tree. So...I bought you here," Jegun replied.

"Where is this place...?"

"It's a cave. I live here," he replied.

"G-Grandpa...can you take me back to that tree? Please?" Kate begged.

"Sure, I'll take you back there tomorrow," he responded.

"B-but I want to go back there... right now!" she demanded.

"Shh...calm down...child. I can't bring you outside because the night is approaching and there will be wild animals hunting for its prey and they might see you. You don't want to be eaten alive, right?" said Jegun.

Kate trembled by the mention of wild animals. She doesn't want to be alone in the forest surrounded by darkness and waiting to be slaughtered by those monsters.

Speaking of monster. "Grandpa...I saw a terrifying monster inside the iron cage! Have you seen it?" she asked.

Jegun was shaking his head. "Where is the monster, child? I can see no monster here in my place," he lied.

Kate's brows furrowed. "And I saw my finger burning, it's so painful!" she added.

Jegun looked at the girl's finger. "Huh? What do you mean by burning? Look at your fingers, they are intact and look flawless, they don't look burnt to me," he said.

"B-but it's real!" insisted Kate. She inspected her fingers. They are indeed intact, not a single one was missing! But the pain is so real, it doesn't look like a dream to her. She released a deep sigh of frustration and confusion.

She fell silent for a moment trying to sort out her jumbled thoughts, she started to feel pain on her head due to overthinking. She closed her eyes for a moment holding her head in her hands.

Then she remembered that... that...she was standing under the shade of the tree and suddenly she felt like a statue, she can't move her body parts and she can't even use her voice to scream for help and call Esmeralda.

The last thing she remembered...darkness was closing in and she loses consciousnesses...then she woke up again and then saw the iron cage with the monster inside and then the pain in her burning fingers!

That's it!

Realization dawned on her.

She remembered everything now!

T-this old man in front of her must be the one responsible for all this!

She looked at the old man with fear and horror flashing in her eyes. She needs to get out of here. But where would she go? What if this cave ends up in a much more dangerous place and she can no longer go back to Esmeralda's place?

Or...would she just believes in what he told her? That he will bring her back to the surface tomorrow? Can she trust this old man? Or maybe this person in front of her was the monster himself disguising with the old man's appearance?

Could be! It's not impossible at all! Knowing that the castle was teeming with monsters and powerful creatures.

Her body was trembling in fright...she stared at the ground...she can't alert the old man that she was planning on escaping!

She needs to get out of here...ASAP!

Jegun studied the girl's expression, well, she has the right reason to feel that way. "Dear, don't be afraid. I'm not going to cause any harm to you. As long as you behave, I will return you to the surface tomorrow. The inside of this cave is dangerous..." his voice trailed off for effects.

Kate's eyes widened. "Why--? What's in this cave?" she asked in a low voice.

Jegun smiled a bit. "Vampire bats are residing in every corner of this cave. If you leave without me by your side, you might end up in one of those chambers that housed the vampire bats. They will suck your blood dry and you will only have your bones left in your body. So, I suggest that you stay here in this chamber for your safety, sleep well, and wait for tomorrow, okay?"

Kate swallowed the lump forming in her throat.

The thoughts of vampire bats swarming on her skin feeding on her blood, reducing her to bones made her sick. Those bats made Maxwell and his vampire brothers a much lesser evil compared to the bloodthirsty bats that the old man describe to her just now.

Jegun smirk. "Child, do you still want to escape this cave on your own?"

Kate avoided the old man's gaze.

"That's good. You know now that this place is dangerous. You better stay in this chamber and wait for me, don't do anything foolish. Once you get out of this chamber in the middle of the night without me, I can no longer guarantee your safety," he said earnestly, hoping the girl will listen to his warning.

The last thing he wanted is finding the missing girl all over the cave, that's not fun at all.

Kate breathed deeply.

Jegun rose to his feet, sauntered towards the passage, and disappeared from Kate's view.