Vodeen and Michael stepped out of the portal, looking around. They saw that the planet was dark. Vodeen thinking how dark the planet worse, he thought it was nighttime. As they looked around, they noticed someone approaching. On closer inspection, they realized it was someone they recognized.
As Eric ran towards Michael and Vodeen, he was sweating from exhaustion. "How did you both get a portal to come to this place?" Eric asked. Vodeen replied, "It was a friend of Layla who created the portal. She also gave us spray bottles that would help us smell like vampires. Not just that, she provided us with clothes resembling the vampires who infiltrated Layla's house."
Eric's face lit up with excitement as he heard Vodeen's explanation. The solution to infiltrating the vampire residence seemed to be already in place. The three of them wore the clothes and sprayed the perfume that made them smell like vampires. As they entered the vampire settlement, they were struck by the bustling atmosphere. The city was teeming with vampires, each going about their daily lives. Thanks to the perfume, the trio blended in seamlessly, and no one suspected them of being human.
As they walked, Eric noticed that the vampires seemed to trust one another, as there were no vampire guards anywhere. The atmosphere was peaceful, with everyone seemingly at ease. The three companions made their way towards the larger castle, observing the unguarded streets and the lack of visible security. It was as if the vampires had a deep-seated trust in each other, with no need for weapons or defenses.
Vodeen felt a growing sense of unease as they walked through the vampire settlement. It seemed too easy, with no one paying them any attention. He expected some level of security or surveillance, but the streets were eerily calm. As they approached the castle, their lack of detection continued to puzzle him. Everyone seemed oblivious to their presence, too caught up in their own activities.
Michael shared Vodeen's concerns, noticing that the vampires were ignoring them. He wondered if they were being led into a trap but pushed the thought aside, confident in their vampire disguise. The scent seemed to be working perfectly, allowing them to blend in seamlessly with the vampire crowd. So they thought!.
As they approached the entrance of the grand castle, they noticed that all the vampires were doing their own thing and not minding them. Stepping inside, they were met with an eerie silence. The castle was bigger than it appeared from the outside, yet they could not find any vampires inside the castle. The trio's unease grew, and they began to panic. They could not shake the feeling that the vampires deliberately allowed them to enter, luring them into a trap.
The three companions readied themselves for a potential confrontation. Eric gripped his seed tightly, Michael clutched his sword firmly, and Vodeen held his spear at the ready. As they cautiously navigated the castle, searching for Layla, they suddenly spotted a figure standing before them.
A vampire, dressed in a suit and sporting a menacing smile, was the first to acknowledge their presence. He stood a few yards away, his eyes fixed intently on the trio. It was none other than Anos.
"Welcome to my father's castle," Anos said, his voice dripping with amusement. "You three have a lot of guts to infiltrate the vampire residence." The trio was shocked, realizing the vampires had been aware of their presence all along.
Anos continued, "A vampire spotted you three changing clothes and spraying something, so he informed everyone in the vampire settlement. We knew you were intruders trying to rescue someone in our custody." As the three of them heard what Anos said, they prepared for battle. Then a group of vampires came down from the ceiling of the castle, armed and ready to fight.
Eric quickly threw out five seeds, which sprouted into trees that transformed into his tree minions. The vampires were taken aback by the sudden appearance of the creatures, but they charged forward nonetheless. The tree creatures put up a fierce fight, taking down several vampires. However, the vampires' superior speed eventually proved too much, and the tree creatures began to collapse under the onslaught. Despite their valiant efforts, the trees were no match for the vampires' agility and speed. The group realized that the vampires were too fast for them to handle in a straight-up fight, as none of them had the speed to match the vampires, so they needed a new plan. Eric had an idea. He threw six more seeds onto the ground, and they sprouted into trees that sprang to life, attacking the vampires. As the trees clashed with the vampires, Eric shouted to Michael and Vodeen to run. One of the tree creatures quickly approached, and the group leapt onto its branches. The creature sprinted deep into the castle. Anos, observing from a distance, knew exactly what they were after—the witch they had captive. He allowed them to proceed, thinking he could easily capture them once they reached their destination. What Anos didn't know was that Eric was holding a wooden staff, cleverly concealed with vines. It was actually Layla's witch staff. As Eric, Michael, and Vodeen perched atop the tree's branches, the tree creature navigated the castle grounds. Remembering that Layla was likely held in an underground basement, the group sought to breach the ground. Michael wielded his great sword, striking the ground with precision. The impact scattered debris, revealing a hole. Without hesitation, the trio leapt into the hole. Eric quickly instructed his tree to cover the entrance, blocking any pursuing vampires. As they plummeted downward, they realized the hole was much deeper than anticipated. Just as they were about to crash land, Eric tossed a seed onto the floor, which rapidly grew into a flower-like structure that cushioned their fall. Miraculously, they landed safely. As they regained their footing, they heard a faint voice emanating from a nearby cage. Turning towards the sound, they saw Layla. Layla's eyes widened in surprise as she saw Michael and Vodeen standing before her, but her expression softened when she spotted Eric. She known that she and Eric had been transported together through the portal, but she was puzzled about how Michael and Vodeen had ended up in the vampire world. Nevertheless, she was overjoyed that they had come to rescue her. As Michael swiftly dispatched the lock with his sword, Layla's cage swung open, and she was finally free. Eric handed her a wooden staff, which she took without hesitation. Unbeknownst to her, it was her own staff, cleverly disguised with vines. Before Eric could reveal the staff's true nature, Anos appeared, flanked by his vampire minions. "What a happy reunion," he sneered, clapping his hands together. "Too bad you'll all be enjoying it from separate cages, staring at each other." Anos's words were laced with malice, and the group prepared for battle. As the vampires closed in, Eric swiftly removed the vines from the staff, revealing its true form to Layla. Her eyes lit up with excitement as she grasped the staff firmly. The vampires, particularly Anos, were taken aback, knowing that as Layla was now with her staff she could now use her witch's power. Anos commanded his vampires to apprehend the group, but Layla was already casting a teleportation spell. With a burst of magical energy, the group vanished from the vampire residence, escaping their captors. Anos seethed with anger, furious that he had let the group escape. He had been completely unaware that the staff Eric was holding was genuine, thanks to the clever disguise of vines. With no clear plan, Anos turned to his vampires and barked orders. "Split into groups and scour the entire realm for Layla," he commanded. "Her teleportation spell won't take her out of our world, just to a distant location. We need to find her before she leaves our world". The vampires dispersed, spreading out across the vampire world in search of Layla and her companions. Anos's determination to recapture them was palpable, and his vampires knew better than to disappoint him.