Lena was supposed to be the weakest amongst them. At least, according to the Driren. For which, her blood was the most delicious, and the easiest to be devoured. Lena seemed to be more than possessed. Her facial expression was distorted by pain, as if the original Lena within was fervently seeking release. Although the whiteness shrouding over Lena's eyeballs portrayed a divergent anecdote, it was devoid of any emotion and was filled with nothing but blankness.

Meanwhile, Cora tried her best to disentangle herself from the thorny veins. Ultimately, her efforts took a futile turn. The veins only tightened the grip around Cora's little legs, drawing blood out of her soft skin.

"It hurts," Cora sobbed, her lips trembling with fear, pain and agony, "It's okay...just leave me."

Cora's smile weakened progressively as she closed her eyelids, ready to be consumed by the dark state of unconsciousness.

Cynthia was prepared to go then and there to save her younger sibling but was eventually held back by Alana. Tears streamed down her eyes, as the sixteen-year-old girl struggled in the hold of Alana, "Let me go! I-I need to save Cora, please."

"Cynthia listen," Alana's voice visibly shook seeing the horrendous scene unfolding in front of her. Even so, she knew that she needed to at least avoid letting her own emotions take the upper hand, "We need to stay calm. You will die—"

"I do not care!" Cynthia screamed out loud, startling Alana in the process. Soon she broke down into vigorous tears, "I need to keep Cora alive...please."

Alana looked over at Leon's crimson eyes. Within moments, she handed over Cynthia to the Dragonesian swiftly whilst taking her dagger out. Cynthia did not however notice what was happening due to the tears blurring her vision. But Leon did, for which he shook his head in denial instantaneously.

"Alana no," Leon reprimanded, "Not you, not anyone. Please."

"I will be fine Leon," Alana sent a feeble smile to the anxious Dragonesian, "Besides, it's just some veins and thorns right?"

"No—Alana Thornheart!"

Leon's voice faded, with Alana jumping over the ring of fiery flames that had suddenly formed out of nowhere. As the horrified Leon stared at Alana stepping into her own grave, his eyes caught on a particular someone. A little far away, with that infamous sly smirk carved on his lips, stood the ever alluring Driren. The crimson eyed Dragonesian balled his fists in anger while gripping onto Cynthia on the other hand.

"Fuck this shit." Leon heard Lucian grumbling beside him and soon enough, the blue-eyed boy rummaged through his backpack and brought out a small sword like weapon. A Gladius.

And before Leon could prevent Lucian from following Alana suit, the boy had already leapt over the fire.

Leon's eyes were similar to bulging out when the entire fire engulfed the area consisting of Lena, Alana, Lucian, Cora and the thorny veins. It was as if a wall of flames had been formed to obstruct any further entry into the space.

The more, the merrier.

The Driren was aware of this. Hence, he was trying his best to not let Leon or Cynthia enter the flames.

This was however known to Leon that the Driren especially was wary of the Dragonesian. After all, a Driren knew better than anyone else who was in possession of those inhumanely glimmering crimson eyes.

It was fear evident in his eyes. For Leon.

Thousands of pricks were as if pricking her skin, Lena woke up from her deep slumber, breathing heavily. Sweat beads were expected to form on Lena's forehead because of the warmth grazing over her. Her entire body grew so uncomfortably temperate, that she was forced to remove her jacket. With a whiff of air, Lena stood up straight from her crouched position. She remembered being dragged by the Driren, but that was it. Whatever event may have occurred was a complete void of emptiness inside her brain.

Not long ago, she was feeling hotter than expected. And now suddenly goose-bumps rose throughout her body as chilly, and freezing cold wind blew out of nowhere. Lena put the jacket back on while hugging herself to keep her body warm.

It was ironic how she was desiring for a cold wintry weather a few seconds ago, and now she preferred the previous temperature.

Lena's gaze fell over the place she was in. No doubt, the mansion she was in was not any normal mansion. It was abandoned and frightening. Lena, who was standing in the living room of the mansion, gritted her teeth as her lips grew pale due to the unbearable cold. Ice began to appear on the edges of shelves and on the floor. The light provided by the chandelier hanging above now illuminated nothing but darkness as frost put a sheath on the expensive furniture.

As a cold puff of air left Lena's mouth, she desperately began to look around the living room for at least a matchstick or something with which she could start a fire in the abandoned fireplace staring at her.

Fortunately, Lena was able to find a matchstick lying in a corner and close to a spider-web. She hastily started to feel for a wooden surface in the darkness surrounding her, and then realized that she was close to a fireplace. Lena clicked her tongue in disappointment for not noticing something so close to her before. The girl wasted no time in gliding the head of the matchstick over the rough surface.

As warmth spread in the entire room with the rise of the small flicker followed by a flame, Lena smiled in relief. She could not hold onto the matchstick for long, since the flame would soon burn the entirety of its body. To her advantage, the wooden logs huddled over inside the fireplace were not damp. It was almost ridiculous for the logs to not be wet when layers of frost were above it. Lena jerked off the wet ice from the surface and still found it not anywhere near moist. Like a desert, the surface was completely dry.

The thought that it was unnatural did not once cross Lena's mind, as she was all but driven mad due to the immense decrease in the temperature. It was almost as if she was in the Polar Regions and stuck in the middle of a blizzard, without any winter clothes on, with that being said. She simply wanted to get rid of this utterly freezing temperature.

Watching the warm fire crackle and dance inside the fireplace made Lena forget all about the coldness from not long ago. The girl sat down in front of the fireplace and took her time in warming up her hands, feet, and other body parts. Even her face, yes. But not close enough to get it burnt. She was at least aware of that.

Knock. Knock.

Curiosity getting the best of her, Lena stood up from her sitting position and walked towards the door.

Knock. Knock.

Rhythmically, the knock arrived twice, with a pause of one second between each successive occurrence.

"Hello? Who's there?" Lena asked as if she were the owner of the mansion and the person on the other side of the door, a trespasser, "How may I help you?"

"I am here to seek for shelter," an old voice spoke up barely above the sound of the howling winds outside, "Just for one night."

"Are you lost in the blizzard?" Lena asked more politely as she inched closer towards the door.

The old man coughed again that Lena was almost ready to unlock the door.

"Yes my dear. All I ask for is a piece of bread, a cup of tea, water, and a place to rest for one night. And I will be gone even before the sun rises next morning, Lena."

"Oh for sure—" Lena paused mid-sentence when a certain realization dawned upon her, "How do you know my name?"

No answer was received from the other end. Only the sound of Lena's heavy breathing and the howling of the winds could be heard outside before fits of giggles, resembling that of a murderous maniac, made the girl flinch.

The giggles were not erupting from outside and rather, near Lena.

Behind Lena.

The frigid air hit her. When the girl mustered up enough courage to turn around, she was met with the very familiar pair of tempting silvery eyes. With hunger evident in his eyes, the notorious Driren stared right into the soul of Lena as he licked off blood from the corner of his ravishing lips.

"It is a pleasure to meet you personally like this, Lena Marcuse. Should I get down to work now?"

And before Lena could respond or even make a run, she was thrown to the other side of the living room. Her body crashed against a pile of broken pieces of chairs. Lena winced in pain when blood trickled out of her ankle due to a pointed edge piercing through her pants and into her skin.

"Let's see now," the Driren spoke with a taunting voice, "How long the weakest human I have ever come across, survives in front of me?"