Group of three human; young man with shoulder-length black hair and red eyes, an older man in dark-brown short cut and black eyes, and an even older man with long sleek black hair, was running through a corridor.

"This place is endless! Where the damn did they go?" Reynold complained, knowing they had no time to walk all over the labyrinth.

Suddenly, Fahmir groan. His head felt spinning, causing him to kneeling due to the stinging pain. "What the..." He seems to talk for his own, something was bothering him. As he stop trembling, he stand again, regaining his elegant stance.

"This is bad... really bad." He was sweating. It's the first time they ever see their leader to be in such state, as his calmness overpass any trouble in usual. "Another vision?" Reynold ask.

"Half of it due to my vision, which I'll told as we go to them." Implying he finally pin the exit. "So you know where they are?" Almerich ask. Fahmir turn his eyes to the clueless young man slowly. Unlike his usual self, Fahmir show slight worried, or maybe... fear? No, impossible. That's what Almerich thought.

"You... felt nothing? Really?" That's the only that he ask. As that, the other was realizing something. They left their sense down, unknown that something terrible was flowing by the wind. How could be there are a wind in underground? And why it felt so sinister? Beyond the wind, a terrible evil presence flow out, and in such unusually large scale.

"This... Don't tell me something happened there..." Almerich stiffened. Just a thought that something may harm Noir already send him both panic and anger.

"We talk as we go. Now, run!" Fahmir issue lead them as they rush to the source of that malicious aura that soon wrap all over the mansion, and beyond.

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Giorgino's Mansion, Sacrificial Chamber, 02:45 AM

Spectral entities roam loose from the metallic gate, whispering and echoing as they pass through the human below.

"What the hell is this...!?" The man with silver hair ask, trying to get an explanation. True that he get used seeing ghost, but this is beyond even ghost sighting.

"Ancient relic to summon dead spirit from the underworld. Giorgino said he found on the black market, said to be originated from ancient Persia. That's at least what he said to me." The man in black veil was speaking. His dull, monotonic tone give no reassuring. "All I do is handing over the key, which is actually, one of my precious collection." He surprisingly talk much.

"..Sadly, that man took the key without a slight suspicion. I doubt he even know what this device is." He speak once more in his mind.

"Finally! Now all I need to do is to remove her soul, and so Carnia will reborn in her body!!" Giorgino announce his plan, as he rejoice in his glorious moment.

As he approach the sacrifices, a voice call his name. "Sir Giorgino, there is an intruder." Will was informing him. He turn to the older man. "Will, release number 1 and 2!" He ordered his butler. "As your wish." He replied before he vanished again in the darkness.

As Will gone, he switch his vision between each of the altar, trying to figure out something. He open a small notebook in his pocket, showing handwriting and handmade pattern of magic rituals. "Now then... I can't kill any of the sacrifice, but to separate their soul and body..."

"I see." He turn the pages, searching for guidance. "First step, Incantation."

He arise his right arm while the left hold the book, which containing the spell. He began recite the words, and as the poetic Latin word flow, the three altar start emanating light. The circle engraved on the ground react to his incantation, and in less than a minute, the glow will reach full circle.

"This is bad... Melisa... Hey! Wake up!!" Noir try to kept calling her name, but she perfectly unconscious.

The spell continue and soon reach full circle, however the sacrifices still try to resist...

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Giorgino's Mansion, Bottom Floor, 02:53 AM

They step into the plunging darkness, a massive vast room decorated with pillars is in present as they goes through the endless labyrinth.

"You sure its here?" Almerich said, felt hesitated. Though he can felt that the room stink with eerie suspense, alerting him that something was there.

"No, they are beyond here... probably up ahead of the ceiling." Fahmir try to locate the target, but his vision blurred with the strong, sprawling presence as they start to spread all over the dungeon. "Anyway, seems this is the only way." Giving hint that even him, does felt repulsive against the room.

As they walk further, sounds heard. Low grunt come as an even louder sound of gate open. Fahmir close his eyes, and use his Clairvoyance ability to see further with his inner eye. "They're here... in large amount, probably hundreds in total."

The rest know who he meant is. They prepare their Phantasm as their eyes try to locate the source of the evil presence. "Reynold, burn the room." Fahmir instruct. He smile and put his hand up in the air. "Alright!" Blazing orange glow of burning metal light wrap his right arm. Flames engulf as it begin the consume the whole area down in burning incineration.

As the room lit with fire, they could seen the dead one in agony of heat. However, not long after the fire start to burn, the ground shaken. The gate in the end of the room open, show inhuman being beyond it.

They step inside, one was in the size of human, with full-body armor covering itself, and numeral 1 marked in the helmet. It carry a sword, reminiscence of a medieval knight. Other beside was large, few times of ordinary human, with swollen belly sewn together with technology, and mark of 2 numeric carved in its skin. This one had no eyes, but it had tentacles instead of arm, ended with talon blade in each end.

The knight one took a stance, weighting its feet, and dash to the battlefield. Almerich quickly push it back with Poltergeist's force, toss it aside of the room. It however quickly regain its feet, and dash again. They are a merciless, unstoppable hunter without knowing pain nor fear.

Fahmir unsheathe his sword from the scabbard, it shrouded in light as he positioned it with his left arm in side, in level of his eye, and his sight sharpening, focus his attention to the incredibly fast enemy.

"All evil and disorder shall bend down in law of your king. Now, fill my soul, which call upon you, with strength of thousand warriors, Runescratch!"

He unleash a battle-ready incantation, as the Runescratch move in gorgeous light of thousand slice, raid the monster with forceful sting. However, it block most back with the sword, then countering with a decapitating swing.

Fahmir jump to the air, spin back to his original location. "Almerich, we'll take care of this nuisance. You go ahead to save Noir and Melisa!" He ordered the boy. Almerich try to refuse, but he know better that he worried about them the most, and it's not the time to argue. "Right!" He agree.

He observe the ever-still humongous undead, blocking the way. "Reynold, I'll leave that fat bastard to you." He smirk, give sign of his next action. Reynold give his thumbs as approval.

Almerich thus dash in extreme speed, pushing himself with the kinesis power of his Phantasm. "Out my the way!!" He yell as he headed into the monster, swipe his hand as he thrown it aside to the wall. One pass through and goes further, but the remaining two will stuck in that room for a while, busy with their companies.

The swollen dead groan, the tentacles move in stiff yet nimble, as seems it made with muscles instead of flesh. It stretch and strike the most nearby target; Reynold. He evade by jump and retaliate with a burning volley.

The creature then open its mouth, as repugnant, rotten odor immediately released in the air along with steams. A splash of liquid thrown out, extinguish the flame, and leave smoke afterward. "Damn... Seems they prepare some fire extinguisher, huh?" Reynold speak as he ignite another volley of his pyrokinesis.

"Seems this will took a while." He spoke as another flame blast out.

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Giorgino's Mansion, Sacrificial Chamber, 03:02 AM

The magic engraving already shined brilliantly like moonlight, as Noir scream, resisting the spell that evoke his inner self. Causing his mind to be outside-out, as invisible hands try to separate his soul from the body.

"Just a little more...!" Giorgino thought. "Just give up!! So that Carnia will return to me!!" Voices howl in his insane-ridden mind.

Noir clench his teeth, grip the altar tight, hold himself together. He can't lose, he can't! Not when the life of others in the stake! He keep fighting, as he turn his vision to the girl beside. He barely able to see, let alone speaking. But he try to uttered her name, his best friend, she who he must protect.

"Melisa... awake!!" He finally speak. "Don't give up... stay with me!!" He try to encourage her, but none give effect. He gather his courage and will, so he keep screaming her name over and over again. "Wake up... MELISA!!"

With the loudest scream, she suddenly open her eyes as seems her soul called upon. Her eyes shine brightly as her mouth open. His voice only awoken her, summoning her soul out.

"Finally!" Giorgino at last end his repeated incantation as the tide turned to his favor. "Her loved one should be in present, so that the ritual shall commence. It's succeed!!"

Her movement stop as the soul released, and then absorbed into the gate. "Now, final step.. Come forth and absorb her remain!!" As he speak, hands in ethereal coming out of the gate, sucking the ashes of the cremation. As all compound united, the black interior of the gate become pure white. The whole intense atmosphere drastically changed, become somehow calm and serene.

Then, a white wisp released to them, inserting its own to the empty vessel of Melisa. Her body emitting glow, something react inside of her, and seems the vessel reject the soul. Giorgino quickly run to her, awaiting for a miracle.

After minutes holding her hand, her heartbeat return. She open her eyes, the iris of her eye change to deep blue, and soon, her body morph to be someone else; Carnia de Marbelle. She reincarnate.

As she wake up, Giorgino smile in joy, holding her hand in tears. Noir did not know what to think anymore, or what even to believe anymore. Who is she? Where is Melisa? Why she now appear so different? What the hell just happened!? His mind hazy with confusion and guilt of failed to save her.

"Carnia... It's you isn't it? It's you, right?" The woman answer gently, holding his cheek in her smooth, pale fingers. "It is me... my love."

He break in emotion and embrace her. It was real, it was warm, it's living, unlike what he always failed to create. Years of his research finally grow a sweet fruit. His original goal before he established the business of selling undead is just a mere experiments of trying to resurrecting his wife anyway. If he never meet Deva, he won't getting into this. He rather grateful he know that man... At least, for now.

She hold his hand and walk to the gate. "Come... Let's go." She smile in such pure happiness. Giorgino in all sudden felt something wrong. Go? Where? He ask her, and she smile, still in the most innocent face. "To heaven, of course."

The poor man felt something he never felt. A true happiness, as like his soul been saved out of despair and long years of suffering. He walk along with her, about to touch the gate..

"Master Giorgino!! Don't get deceived!!"

A voice of heard as soaring yell heard, return him back to reality. Will hold the wall, barely grasp enough air to speak, seems to just about running. "She's not Miss Carnia... Open your eyes, Sir Giorgino!!"

The monocled one did not understand. His mind already full of her, logic and reasoning had become blunt in face of the one he ever waiting for. "Show yourself, devil!!" Will shout again. Her smile fade, and look at her lover with a tempting eye. "Ignore him. I'm the one who you wait for."

Giorgino's facial change drastically. His mind still blurred, but he know one thing; Will is the most trustworthy person he ever know, and he already know him for half of his whole lifespan. He'll never lie or betrayed him.

"Who... are you?" He speak to his loved one. She smile again, as she enter the gate. Then she turn back, and Giorgino realize that the gate never been in pure white light. Everything was black, unless she, who stand in the darkness alone.

"Me? I am your loved one? You don't remember me?" She smile again, in such gentle expression. "No..." Giorgino answered "She never ignore Will, as she deeply respect him.... WHO ARE YOU!?" He yell aloud, finally back to his sense.

She still smiling, her eyes closed, and as it open again, the softness and kindness disappear into scorn and hatred. "Forget her and join us... In hell!!." Her face suddenly changed to become demonic in just seconds.

Sensing hostility, Giorgino try to back away, but she pull him into the gate. The metal door slowly closing as Giorgino pulled, but then someone appear in front of it and hold Giorgino's hand. Will try to hold him, despite his age that wear him down. The two try to hold on, but the evil one try to keep pulling him. She no longer in appearance of Carnia, but an abomination of the death.

"No one could resist us!! Now, surrender your soul to us, and join us in the hell!!" It scream. Hands grasping them, pull them down into the abyss, then, in the realm of pure darkness, a light shed out from the entrance. Another man appear, as he pull out a scroll with Latin inside.

"Go to hell by yourself!" Almerich roar as circles of light appear from the scroll, repelling the dead one back to the underworld. He and Will pull Giorgino and Melisa back to the world. Her appearance back to normal as the evil spirit exorcize out, returning her actual soul.

As they rest, Melisa awake, finally back to herself. "What just happened..." Then, her memory flashed before her, giving her hint of the situation. Her mind felt like in great pain, until she calmed down and decide to speak. "Did something just... Possessed me?" She ask to Almerich, which all was exhausted.

"It's all done... You looks damn ugly at that time, though." He sneered at her. Even though he dislike her, he still relieved to be arrived on time. Glad that Fahmir lend him the anti-spirit scroll for precautions, as without it the situation could get worse.

As they about to be relieved, someone come to them. "Fascinating and touching... Human and their bonds are truly amazing... And irritating." Deva speak as he approach, upset with the disturbance of his plan.

"Deva... You know this all along!?" Giorgino scream in anger. The man that he trust, the one that helped him, now turned on his back like that. "Of course." He answered lightly. "You believe it was device to summon dead spirit back to the world... Half true and false." He walk to the gate, passing the others by their side.

"However, you're wrong on the part that it will return her back to the world.... Fool of you, this is a gate of underworld, filled with evil spirit.... Do you really believe that your wife is in there!?" Deva explain with smile, amused by his well-made plan, deception, and lies.

"All I need is for you to open it, one sacrifice should be enough to operate this device... But you failed, thanks to all of you." He touch the gate with his fingers, did not speak and simply rubbing the metallic device. Secretly, his attention focused at the golden key at the floor. Two seconds... No, he just need to buy another second...

Yes, he could do it. He must. The plan should go accordingly... He only need one sacrifice...

"...However, do you think I will let my chance go away?" He speak out of sudden. Without warning, a burst of shadows throw the key from the ground to the air. As the key spin in air, Almerich was already late to react. Deva then covered himself and the gate with his shadow, giving him time to open it as he know Melisa isn't ready to use her power yet. He quickly shove the key back to the gate, and scream out, giving it command; "Gate of the Dead! Take his soul! Kill him!!"

As the lock released, the gate spring open in once, and the dead one return. Deva open his black barrier, the spirit then flow out. "Watch out! Run!!" Almerich and Melisa quickly move away from the gate, but it's already late for man...

From the deep blackness inside, a piercing death, an arm impaled Giorgino as he bleed. The last thing he could do with his remaining time is to turn away, and look at the young lady. "Carnia...." He whispered weakly, cried, before his last breath pass.

The spirits retreat back inside, as something pull out from Giorgino, which now belonged to the the spirits. He was dead by then.

The gate close in as they got what they aim for. "Now then... The gate is mine. Thank you for your cooperation and sacrifice, Giorgino." Deva smiling.

Giorgino fall cold to the floor with a hole in his chest. Will keep calling the name of his master, even though fully knowing that he's already somewhere else.

Deva enjoy his victory with a wicked laugh, while Melisa and Almerich stare at him with disgusted look, and Noir, which witness everything from far, already itched to kill the despicable man

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Author's Note

A rather twisted chapter, and I hope you like how it turned out. I tried making the scene between Giorgino and his "wife" to be as natural as possible, but I'm afraid it looks quite fake. What's your opinion about it?

Anyway, in next chapter, we'll return to an epic battle that we always loved. What would happened and how this mess would turned out? Just wait until the next chapter uploaded in the next week! ^^