The rebellious and the wicked will perish together; those who forsake the Lord will be destroyed.
"There's no going back. You can't return to the human world anymore."
Niditera declared the most despairing words to Ivina.
"Impossible! If I could come here, I must be able to go back. What kind of place is this? What is this place?"
Ivina screamed in fear. Even though the cold, indifferent home had worn her out, at least there were still her remaining relatives there, and her beautiful yet distant mother.
"Am I dead? Am I in hell?"
This place couldn't be the warm paradise she had imagined. She would never see her father again. What terrible sin had she committed?
"Is this hell? Do you think so... Hahahaha." A withered voice laughed coldly. Then, Niditla hurried toward Ivina, "Hell? That's where fallen angels go! But here... this is a 'playground' a hundred times more sinful than falling, a space even God despises and fears. The air here can corrupt the purity of any deity. This is the domain of vampires! Naive girl, you dare to come here—you truly are a bold human."
"Vampires..." Ivina repeated blankly.
"Yes, vampires! Vampires! Everything here feeds on blood and takes pleasure in blaspheming God. You humans always think there's only heaven and hell, only Jehovah and Satan. How pitifully ignorant!"
Niditera's emotions grew more and more agitated. "The true ruler of this entire world, and even the universe, is Ogo Vissata, Ogo!"
"Master!" The python beside her suddenly spoke, intentionally interrupting Niditera.
Ivina stared in astonishment at the monster speaking, then looked warily at the old woman.
Niditera's eyes widened, as if her eyeballs were about to roll out of her head. She was lost in her own memories, and the words she had just spoken did not seem to be directed at Ivina.
After a long time, the old woman calmed down. "If you want to leave, you can, and it's even easy. As soon as that man speaks, someone will escort you out of this place of eternal damnation."
"Where is that man?" If she could find him, she was confident she could beg him to let her go back. She was sure she could do it.
"Hmph, as a lowly human, do you think you can just go find him? Don't forget, everything here feeds on blood, and human blood is the finest delicacy. I fear you won't even make it to him before you're killed..."
"No... then why don't you kill me and drink my blood? All of this is a lie you've made up!"
She just wanted to treat this as a nightmare. She would wake up, and everything would return to normal. She still had a lot of housework to do, didn't she?
"Because you still need to fulfill the contract we made. Why would I waste my energy killing you now?"
Ivina looked at the paper in the old woman's hand and suddenly remembered that it was the same paper she had seen in her final moments of unconsciousness, signed with her own name.
"Surprised? An ancient book burned down to a thin sheet of paper. But from the moment you opened the first page, your fate was sealed."
"How can I go back? Do you want me to be your servant, or… do you want to slowly drain my blood?" At this point, Ivina couldn't help but feel afraid. She was so timid and cowardly—would she die soon?
"You've forgotten—our agreement was a transaction. Since it's a transaction, you must also benefit. As long as you help me complete one task, I will immediately fulfill that unresolved wish of yours."
"An unresolved wish? How do you know?" Ivina gradually began to believe that the old woman might truly be a witch.
"Ask your own heart how desperately you desire to fulfill it… So, even at the risk of your life, you came here to seek my help and complete it.
Ivina, lost in thought, didn't notice the sly, eerie curve of Niditara's lips.