They're back.

The symbol was not complicated by any means. But if it was not colored, I would have thought it was a Venn diagram. Blue and green rings overlie with one another. While the red one links them together into a whole that cannot be separated. At the center was something that looked like a black rope tied into a knot.

"I don't have any coloring materials with me," I told him.

"Oh! I forgot. Here, use this." He threw a leather pouch at me. There were five bottles inside. One bottle is very familiar. The exact obsidian bottle from that one time when he released the blue will o' wisp. And as if reading my mind, he told me not to open it.

"There's a small clip by the hidden compartment of that pouch. Use that to make a brush with your hair. Do it quickly." As he said that, he began rummaging through his waist bag.

I used the scissors from the drawer to cut a tip from my hair. And using the clip, I turned it into a flimsy brush.

I found all the colors I needed from the bottles Ethan gave me. But I was sure they were not normal liquids. They reeked of dung mixed with some herbs and other abominations.

Using the blade of the scissors. I made a small cut to one of my fingers and smeared the blood on the crudely drawn knot by the center.

As soon as I did that, I waited in anticipation. Expecting something magical to happen. But nothing. As in, nothing happened.

"Hey, look! Did I do this right?" I asked.

"Uhh… yeah. Completely fine. Let's go." He took the pouch back and shoved it into his waist bag.

I doubted him but followed nonetheless. Carrying the chest with both of my hands, I trudged behind him as we headed to the door. But as soon as he swung it open, I was taken aback.

We're still in my room, that's for sure. But what greeted us wasn't the hallway of the three-story run-down apartment we were at. Instead, it was a circular room with a stone floor and walls. Three unlit torches by the front.

The moment we shut the door close, it vanished. Replacing it was a plain old wall. And the torches at the front simultaneously lit on their own.

"Welcome to the mourning castle," the burly man said. His head was that of a bull with two large crooked horns protruding at his temples. It was Hariric. He was holding a torch himself. Looking at us with his stoic dark eyes.

"We need to meet Vlad," Ethan told him. Hariric was displeased to hear those, I think.

He scrunched his brows. White smoke puffed out of his nostrils. "LORD of the castle. NOT Vlad," he said — emphasizing some of the words.

"Ugh! Fine! Hariric, keeper of the castle. We need to meet your lord. Happy?" Ethan sneered. "Listen! We don't have time with all this formality bullshit. Well, unless you'd like to repeat what happened several years ago?"

Hariric was silent. But unlike moments ago, there was a significant shift in his countenance. For a few seconds, he seemed to be frozen. His dark eyes glinted dangerously. A large amount of smoke puffed out of his nostrils. He turned his back on us and said, "This way."

But despite Hariric giving in — Ethan was tensed. Which was surprising because this wasn't how he usually acts. He was walking rigidly. I also noticed that both his hands are formed into a fist. Made me wonder what could have happened years ago. And what has this got to do with me?

I followed them both silently. A little behind with how fast they were walking. However, I did not complain. The air was so tense. Making it hard for me to speak. Especially when we got out of that room.

Hariric stopped in front of a door. It didn't look any different from the ones we'd passed on our way. In fact, they look identical — all of them. Made me wonder if he ever got lost in this large place. Because it wasn't just the doors that are identical. Every hallway of this castle is.

His hand remained on top of the door handle but didn't twist it open. Ethan was getting impatient by my side. Pretty obvious with how he was tapping his left foot on the floor. "Allow me to remind you, Hariric. This matter is urgent."

He sidestepped and motioned us to the door. "You open it."

Ethan clicked his tongue before he proceeded.

"I won't let that happen again... never again." I heard him say almost in a whisper before we entered the room. I wanted to see his face. Mainly because his voice sounded so determined yet so sad at the same time. But Ethan has already closed the door.

The temperature was evidently lower in this room. It's dark here as well since there are no torches or windows. So dark that I can't even see Ethan's silhouette. I can hear him fumbling with some glasses. Until something popped and blue light flickered from his direction. A blue orb then squirmed and wriggled — forcing its way out of the tiny opening of the bottle he was holding.

The orb floated towards Ethan. Its core was rippling — showing its excitement for finally meeting him again in a long while. It was the blue will o' wisp called Mafitti.

I only noticed it now that the room was finally lit. There was a coffin at the very center. With how intricately designed this castle was, this room was surprisingly bare. No furniture whatsoever. Just the coffin.

"They're back," Ethan said.

Just two words. But almost instantly as soon as he said that, the coffin's lid flew open. And the one laying inside sprung on his feet.

"What did you say?"