Trial of Empathy (3)

Duke Kargelos Lichardo, one of the great four dukes of the Holy Blood Order of Vampires. And the one who protected the Western Border of the Avilon. The Kingdom of Vampires.

In the game, he always made an appearance on the route of the Vampire King as the king's one of the trusted and powerful vassals. On the two faced prince's route, the Duke was of the villains who obstructed the prince since he was more in favor with the other twin prince. On the vampire's hunter route, he was also a villain and one of the strongest characters to fight. While on the mysterious vampire's route, he was an ally who seemed to be a friend and always gave advice even to the heroine.

It depended on what route to take whether he would be a villain who would obstruct your way or an ally who would offer you support.

Nonetheless, he was a force to reckoned.n.

Vivian takes a few breaths and just lets out a tired sigh inside her. To think that she would be able to meet another one of the key characters of the novel without even starting with the main plot. Though, it was not like they met for real. Since he was just a figment of Isaiah's memory. Either way, she was just going with the flow and just observing everything so she could focus.

'On the introduction of Isaiah in the game, before you played his main route, it was said that he ran away from this man, his father. Maybe it would be related to this memory.' Vivian entered the room and walked to the corner to just simply observe the two noble blood vampires for now. While the maid that accompanied them, gave a brief bow before completely leaving by removing her presence to them.

The office of the duke was also spacious. Though the curtains were tied, revealing the clear night skies outside. There was also a fireplace and, there were two bookshelves at both the right and left side of the wall. Filled with different kinds of books. Even the duke's table has piles of books and paper.

"Father, you called for me?" Politeness laced on Isaiah's tone as he spoke. And at the same time, there was fear that lingered on those red eyes. Those simple and small gestures that they made didn't escape Vivian's observation. She just kept witnessing what was in front of her.

"Come, follow me, a new doll has already arrived." The duke said as he walked on one of the bookshelves on the right wall.

After the duke said those words Vivian saw how Isaiah trembled for some reason. She knew that there was something going on happening when he followed him. But once the duke faced him, the boy seemed to steel himself to show no weakness. 'And wait, he said a doll? What is a doll? Or maybe the right question is ' what kind of doll' he was talking about that made Isaiah tremble like this?.' Many ideas start to scatter inside Vivian's head. And these ideas were the worst of ideas that she related to all horror films she had watched in her previous lives. Seeing how Isaiah was trembling, she didn't have any possible outcomes to this situations but could expect the worst.

The duke pulled one of the books on the right, and just like the usual cliches, the bookshelf started moving, revealing a secret door behind it. Or more like it was an iron bar door. The duke brought out a key from the left pocket of his black cloak. Then unlocked the iron door.

Without saying anything, he walked ahead and just followed what the duke was saying. While Isaiah followed behind him as if he was already used to this scenario. 'Something that makes him tremble and at the same time already used to?' Vivian also followed after Isaiah. For some reason, he was not paying attention to her or minding her presence anymore. As if, he forgot about her because his only focus was what was in front of him. Whatever they were heading at it seemed a great deal for Isaiah, that he could even forget that Vivian, a human, was following him.

It was not like he had something to worry about either. Since it really looks like that Vivian was smart enough not to cause any unnecessary trouble for herself and finished this trial. And even in a dream, as a child she was definitely a small fry against the duke and the vampires in this mansion.

They entered a one way hall with torches one meter apart from each other. As they went on though, the torches were diminishing making the path ahead darkening. Just then she stopped when the two stopped. A pungent smell of metallic blood lingered in the air.

With the last torch that was ten meters away from them, it was definitely already dark ahead. Vivian heard a creaking sound of a door starting to open indicating that there was someone opening it and the smell of blood intensified.

With her vision, being able to adjust to the dark already, Vivian saw that Isaiah and the duke went ahead and entered another door. But as soon as she entered the door behind them.

Everything happened in a flash, a sharp pain struck her neck. Everything in her vision rolled. Until she caught a glimpse of the duke's cold and deathly glare as if he was looking straight at her and when Isaiah saw it he was seemingly running towards her.It was indeed visible that the fear was struck in his face.

But those two factors were not the thing that horrified Vivian. It was what her vision caught next. It was her headless body, where blood was spurting out from her neck.

Thus, Vivian finally understood the situation. At this moment she knew to herself that she experienced her first death on the trial of the first elemental beast.