Terros has already built a shield around him, protecting himself from the black liquid just in case it will come after him this time around.

When he placed Graven's unconscious body on the ground inside the castle, he didn't notice the black liquid anywhere. The castle was quiet as always. ​​

He vanished and appeared outside.

One by one, he brought Calder and the rest of the unconscious men inside the castle.

A few minutes later, he already finished gathering the unconscious men and waited for the presence of the cursed King.

He looked around him. He can no longer see Luke! Where is that guy?

He floated towards the door, the nearest way to the exit, and made himself invisible.

He still can't detect the presence of the cursed King! Where is he!?

Suddenly, he finally felt his presence circling the area, and it stopped above the unconscious men.

This time the earth didn't open up just like before. Instead, the men vanished from his vision, and the King's presence was also gone!

He released a deep sigh.

Time to wait outside!

He floated going out of the castle and went back to Horace's side in his visible form. "Where is Luke?" he asked.

"We saw him hovered towards the door and disappeared inside. We no longer saw him leaving the door after that," Horace replied.

Terros shook his head and looked at Luke's body inside the bubble. "I just hope that he's okay," he murmured. Why does he get a feeling that he will regret allowing Luke inside the crumbling castle? He released a deep sigh.

"Grandpa, where are the lord and the rest of the men?" Horace asked.

"After I placed them side by side on the ground inside the castle, I waited for a few minutes... then I suddenly felt the presence of the King hovering in the air around the unconscious men. And they vanished in the blink of an eye. I think the King has already taken the men beneath the ground, in the hidden basement of the castle," Terros replied.

Horace took a deep breath. "Grandpa, I need to go back to check if everything is fine there in the South Pond Town. I'll come back later. I'll leave my comrades under your guidance," he said.

Terros nods his head. "Okay. Take your time. I'll stay here and wait for Graven and the others to come out of the castle's door!" he replied.

"Thanks, Grandpa!" Horace said. "By the way, may I ask what is the current condition of the five men who are undergoing the experiment with the herbal medicine?" he inquired.

"They're fine! After taking three doses within 24 hours, they kept vomiting black liquid, and last night they got a high fever. And this morning, they no longer feel anything afterward. Surprisingly, they didn't experience having difficulty with their breathing. It seemed the elixir that was created from the roots of the thousand-year-old tree as the main ingredients successfully eliminated the black liquid from their bodies," Terros said.

Horace's face lighted up. "That's good news, Grandpa!" he said excitedly. "After their return, we can finally cure them with the elixir, and they no longer have to suffer under the control of the cursed King!" he said excitedly.

"That's true!" Terros replied. He was hoping that the cursed King will release the hostages this time, just like before. Right now, he was deeply worried about the King's plan this time around! He breathed deeply.

Horace notices Grandpa's heavy sighing. "What's wrong, Grandpa? What is bothering you?" he asked.

Terros shook his head. "Nothing... just don't mind me, son. Go now to your errand. I'll take care of everyone here," he assured him.

"Okay, take care, Grandpa!" Horace said and vanished from the area.

Terros looked at the men. "Guys, stay alert! Look clearly at your surroundings. It's better to be safe than sorry!" he reminded them.

"Yes, Grandpa!" the men replied in unison.

Terros glanced at Luke's immobile body inside the bubble. Where the hell Luke's spirit has gone-? That brat!

He'd better be safe somewhere!

That stubborn brat just added stress and worries to his mind!

He released a deep sigh.

Now all he can do is wait for anything to happen! This kind of feeling is torture! Which he hated very much!

But there's nothing he can do about it!

If only he can go down into the hidden chamber of the cursed King, he would have done it a long time ago! But that King has many tricks up in his sleeve!

He breathed deeply and stared at the castle.

The painful waiting began!

Meanwhile, beneath the castle.

Graven slowly opened his eyes and found himself lying on the floor. Where am I? He looked around him. He is alone inside a bare room. No table and no chairs, nothing... just cold hard floor under his skin.

He slowly got up on his knees and was thankful to see that both his hands and feet were not bound by a rope.

He can move freely inside the room.

The room has no windows and no door to exit and enter!

He guessed that he's already inside the cursed King's place, in the basement, beneath the ground.

The last thing he remembered before he passed out, he was in the forest, looking at the unconscious men lying on the ground. He was clutching his chest because he was having a hard time breathing as if something is blocking her lungs from receiving oxygen into his body! And he knew that the back liquid already started attacking the main organs of his body.

Then before he fainted, he saw his brother's face in front of him!

What's he's doing in the forest?

Damn!

Could it be that he...he... also come to this place?

Shiit!

The foolish thing his brother can do is following him here in the King's territory!

He hoped he was wrong with his assumption!

If the King will capture his brother, it's going to be double trouble for sure!

He released a deep sigh.

Suddenly, a door magically opened on his left side when he thought that there was no door!

A table and two chairs suddenly materialized in the middle of the room.

A few minutes later.

The cursed King entered the room, and Graven's eyes widened in shock.

Holy shiit! Graven looked at the King in disbelief because he was looking at the carbon copy of himself! He copied his image and his physical look! This is not good!

"It's nice to see you again, Graven!" the cursed King said. "It's your second time visiting me here in my territory. What do you think of my appearance? Can I trick Laura into believing that I'm her husband?" he laughed aloud.

"Until now, you haven't performed the task that I assigned you and your men. Because of that reason, I'm pissed right now! My hands are aching to kill you all! But I will give you and your men one last chance! The next time you come here, and you haven't fulfilled that task that I assigned to you! You will no longer receive any antidote from me! You will die along with your men!" he warned him gravely.

Graven ignored his threat. "Why are you copying my image?" he asked.

The cursed King shrug. "It will be fun to disguise as you once I successfully get out of this forsaken place! I can get Laura's trust easily with your image!" the cursed King replied with a grin.

"No! You can't do that! You are not allowed to trick my wife!" Graven shouted angrily and wielded his power. As expected, his power is none existent in this place. He's comparable to an ordinary person now. Provoking this deranged King would only lead to his untimely demise.

The King laughed manically. "Laura is my soulmate, we have an old history together that started a thousand years ago, and nothing can erase that! She's mine first!" he said vehemently.

Graven gritted his teeth in anger. His hands formed into a fist on his sides.

"If you value your life and that of your men, bring Laura to me immediately!" the cursed King ordered. He walked towards the door and exited.

Graven rushed to the door, but it disappeared instantly! Dammit! Where is the exit! He kicked the wall hard with his foot.

He went to the corner and lowered himself on the floor. The cursed King was enraged! Next time, when the black liquid attacked their bodies there will be no more antidote because the King is determined to kill them all if he failed to bring his wife to this castle.

He and his men need the cure ASAP after they get out of this castle, or else they will only have a month to live!

Outside.

The cursed King went back to his chamber.

He halted halfway... his brows furrowed...as if he had sensed something.

"What is that?" he asked and looked around him.

There is another entity hovering nearby.

It's a spirit!

Interesting!

A smirk appeared on his lips. Someone entered his domain, uninvited!

He will capture the spirit and find out who is this being! And his purpose in coming into the basement.

He resumed walking inside the chamber and went to the table. He opened the lid of the Spirit Eater Vase. If the spirit will hover near the table, the vase will automatically capture the spirit, trapping it inside.

The King proceeded to the pool filled with black liquid. He went down until his whole body and head were submerged and disappeared beneath the black pool.

The surface of the black pool was calm. There's no movement at all.

Suddenly, the lid of the Spirit Eater Vase shut off instantly, signaling that it already trapped something inside!

The cursed King's head emerged from the surface of the pool and glanced at the Spirit Eater Vase on the table.

A triumphant smile appeared on his lips.

Success!