Jegun, Zemeth, and Ramza stared at the monster boy as his transformation began. Slowly his monster look was fading away, replaced by a handsome young man, but they were also shocked because something unexpected happens...

The girl that he was feeding blood from was now turning into an old woman, her skin wrinkling and sagging, her hair turned gray instantly. The transformation took the men by surprise.

Zemeth runs to Ella's side. "What's going on?" he asked looking at Jegun.

"I dunno...I did not expect that this is going to happen. It seemed the girl's body took the curse, I mean the curse transferred to the girl," he tried explaining it the best possible way.

Agran stared at the girl's tragic transformation in shock.

Zemeth checked Ella's breathing.

"Is she still breathing?" asked Ramza worriedly.

"Yes, she is," answered Zemeth.

"Put the girl in that wooden bed over there," Jegun pointed at the wooden bed. "I will try to feed her a herbal medicine that would replenish her blood quickly," he said.

Zemeth was about to pick up Ella's body.

"Let me do it!" Agran offered. He picked up Ella's body gently from the ground and deposited it in the bed.

Jegun took over and push soft brown chewable gum into Ella's mouth about five of them. The gum was a concoction made from the healing tree that can help produce more blood inside the body once taken in high doses.

"Will she be okay?" asked Agran anxiously.

Jegun was shaking his head. "I honestly dunno. I didn't expect this to happen. All we need from her is a little bit of her blood to take away the curse from your body. I didn't expect that she has to pay the high price of helping you." Jegun was shaking his head. "Poor girl... and now an old woman," he said sadly.

"S-should...I feel guilty for what happened to her?" Agran asked, sighing.

"Should we all feel guilty?" Jegun asked the men around the chamber.

Zemeth looked the other way.

Ramza stared at the ground.

They all feel guilty for what happened to the girl because they have all have hidden agenda, they have been using her for their personal gain and now that she finally pay the ultimate price...they are now confused about what to feel towards her.

"What are we going to do to her? Leave her in this cave?" Jegun asked.

"No! I'll take her along with us during our escape. I won't leave this girl behind!" Agran objected. For some reason, he feels protective of the girl who becomes his savior. From now on he will take full responsibility for her.

"No, we can't leave the girl behind, we still need her blood to create an opening from the barrier," Zemeth seconded.

Jegun brows knitted together. He was wondering why her blood is powerful? He stared at the girl in puzzlement. "So...this girl is extraordinary. What is the origin of these girls?" he asked.

Zemeth shrugged. "It's a long story..."

Jegun surveyed Zemeth's face closely. "You seemed to know a lot about these girls? From where your information come from?"

Zemeth looked at the men around him. "My information comes from my source. You'll meet him soon enough after we get out of this castle."

Jegun released a deep sigh not liking the mystery. "Why don't you start telling us now about the girls' origin now that we're at it..." he urged impatiently.

Zemeth ponders for a moment and finally relented. "Alright, since you are so persistent. I'll tell you everything I know about the girls..."

"Okay...go on," Jegun coaxed him to continue.

Zemeth looked at Ella for a few seconds and then his narration begins...

"The sisters' blood is unique in this world. Only the tree of them existed in this world. They are not ordinary humans, they belong to a small tribe of a powerful healer. The girls are daughters of the chief of the tribe, not only he is a great healer he was also a master of making complex formations. The whole tribe was massacred by the monsters during that time and their dead bodies were burned.

During the chaos, the father thought that his whole family was killed including her young daughters that were still toddler during that time. The three elders and the chief of the tribe were like brothers, they were the best of friends.

The elders were horrified after knowing that the whole tribe was annihilated and only the chief survived. Together they formed a complex formation that can house all the monsters in one place. In the end, to make the formation stronger that can withstand for a long time, the chief donated his blood and life for the good cause, along with the three elders. And the rumors were born that only the blood of his kin can make a dent on the barrier.

The Source received information that the chief's three daughters were still alive and were taken care of by humans in a small village. He tracked the girls' whereabouts and the rest is history. He was a believer that maybe the one thing that can make the barrier opened up is the blood of the virgin daughters of the chief.

He was not even sure about his theory since it's only a rumor but despite that, he told me that it's worth trying. Now we're finally here and he was right with his theory. The rest is history..." Zemeth concluded his long narrative.

A frown appeared on Jegun's forehead. He remembered that the other sister failed to subdue the blazing barrier surrounding the cage. "But why this girl's sister failed to open up the barrier on this cage?" he asked.

Ramza's brows knitted together. "What sister?"

"Yes, I got her sister here once, but her blood was unable to withstand the fire of the barrier surrounding the cage. So I returned her to Esmeralda, the old woman who is her protector inside the castle," Jegun said.

"Maybe that other sister is not the boy's soulmate," joked Zemeth. Then suddenly, he remembered Ivy!

"What is the sister's name?" Ramza and Zemeth asked at the same time.

"Her name is Kate," Jegun answered.

Both Ramza and Zemeth's eyes widened.

"Where is Esmeralda's place?" asked Ramza excitedly. He was feeling overjoyed that Kate is very much alive. He wanted to find Kate and bring her back to the cave so that they can get out of the castle alive.

"If we can get out of this cave, I can bring you to Esmeralda's place which is located at the top of the floating piece of land," Jegun replied.

Zemeth looked at the old man. "How about the elder sister, her name is Ivy. Have you not cross path with her inside this castle?"

Jegun shook his head. "No. I never meet Ivy. I only meet the two sisters, this unconscious girl here and Kate," he answered.

Zemeth was wondering, where is Ivy right now? He wouldn't mind saving her if he can locate her whereabouts. Unfortunately, they have not much time left to find her. He released a deep sigh.

Ramza faced him. "I want to find Kate and bring her here," he informed him of his plan.

He can't say no to his friend's desire. "Alright, just be careful. We don't want the enemies to locate this place and swarmed us," he warned him.

Ramza breathed deeply and nodded his head. "I understand."

Zemeth turned on his heels going to the direction of the entrance of the chamber. "Let's go to the other room and plan our escape well. We got to do it right," he said.

Ramza followed his friend outside.

Jegun looked at Agran and the sleeping girl. "I'll go outside to check the severity of the situation. Look after her," he said and left the chamber.

Agran nods his head and sat on the edge of the bed staring at the old looking girl lying in the bed. Earlier, she used to be a beautiful girl, but now she's getting old, it seemed the curse took all her youth and vigor in exchange for his new appearance. Sadly, she had to pay a heavy price for the new persona that he was enjoying right now.

It's making him feel guilty. How can he compensate her?

He peered into her closed eyes.

Suddenly, Ella's eyes were opening up slowly. The first thing that she saw in her vision was the face of a handsome young man, he was looking deeply into her eyes. She must be dreaming.

She blinked her eyes a few times thinking she was just hallucinating, then her memories come back slowly, the last thing she remembered she was struggling to free herself from the monster's grasp.

OMG! Where is the monster? She sweeps her glance around the place, the cage was already open but the monster was nowhere to be found. Did the monster escape? And who is this handsome young man staring at her face?

"W-who are you?" she asked in a trembling voice.

Agran was silent for a moment contemplating how to answer her question. He can't simply tell her the truth, she will be forever afraid and angry towards him. He needs to make a quick lie because she was waiting for his answer.

"I am the old man's grandson..." he answered.

"W-where is the monster?" she asked.

"After biting your neck and drinking your blood, the monster flees the cage and escape the cave. He was already out there in the forest hunting for his next prey," he explained.

Ella noticed something different from her skin... her eyes widened. Oh no! Her skin withered.

Why is this happening!? She touched her face, it's no longer smooth, it is now soggy! Not only the skin of her arms but her skin all over her body goes the same transformation.

She's now turning into an old woman.

"Oh my God! What is going on!? What is happening to me?" she asked in panic as fresh tears emerged in her eyes.

Agran closed his eyes, he can't understand himself, he feels sorry for the girl.

She inspected some strand of her hair and it's now color white. She aged in just a span of a few minutes? Her heart was broken into pieces and she feels confused as hell. "What's happening to me? Please answer me!" Ella begged for an explanation as fat tears rolled down her face.

Agran took a deep breath. He was about to tell her another lie. "Ella, the monster's bite turned you into this. I'm so sorry," he said apologetically.

After hearing the truth, Ella broke down and began sobbing uncontrollably in front of him.

"No! I can't live like this! I can't!" she said in misery.

Agran pities her terribly, his heart was moved by her tears. He gathered the crying girl in his arms and let her cry in his shoulder, he can only console her by rubbing her back gently hoping to share her burden.

The chamber was filled with Ella's weeping.

A moment later, Jegun was back, he was about to enter the chamber but saw a glimpse of what was happening inside. He stepped back not wanting to disturb the tender scene unfolding in his eyes.

'Oh... the monster boy was hugging and comforting the damsel in distress?' Jegun thought to himself.

He smiled. "Aww, Agran is not a monster boy anymore," he murmured and left.