Adam stopped Vlad mid-sentence, asking for the location of the underground entrance. Vlad paused, contemplative, glancing at Adam and Lyra before returning to his thoughts.
Then, he moved close to Adam's face. "You were just messing around and weren't serious in the fight, right?!" Adam, confused, just looked at him. "Do you want to form an alliance with me?" Vlad asked.
Adam wondered at this sudden change. "Why do we need an alliance?" he questioned.
Vlad explained that he had a personal vendetta against that demon. "Let's just say we have a common enemy."
However, Vlad couldn't defeat the demon himself due to a contract they'd made thousands of years ago. The demon, one of the few remaining ancient demons, held Vlad's soul, preventing him from ever being truly free. Vlad offered his help to Adam and Lyra in exchange for the return of his soul. Adam and Lyra quickly agreed; an ally was far better than an enemy. Vlad shook Adam's hand.
The Descent and a New Realm
They flew through the sky, reaching a cave entrance. "This is the entrance to the underground," Vlad stated.
He proposed protecting the humans from the evolving zombies in return for them finding and returning his soul. Adam and Lyra, eager to reach their goal, agreed. Adam, however, sent a duplicate back to the human civilization to maintain watch.
Adam and Lyra scanned the cave system. It descended deep underground. As they went lower, Lyra detected a mana leak from a sealed door. Adam sensed it too. He broke through the door, revealing a teleportation circle. Lyra, cautious, believed it might be a trap and offered to go first. Adam held her hand. "Don't worry, we go together." He pulled Lyra into the circle.
They were instantly transported to another location: a vast cave system leading into a small, vibrant pocket ecosystem. Lush greenery thrived under an artificial sun. Adam and Lyra scanned the area, spotting a demon sunbathing and relaxing. Adam stood towering over the demon. The demon smiled. "You must be Adam."
Adam nodded. "I want the artifact."
The demon's smile widened. "It's been so long since I heard anyone call it 'artifact'."
The demon stood up. "Neither of you belong to this world, and neither do I." Adam was shocked. The demon introduced himself as Serbas.
Adam immediately asked Serbas where Vlad's soul was kept. Serbas laughed. "So Vlad sent you here to get his soul back?"
Adam clarified that it wasn't the main reason, but yes, Vlad wanted his soul back. Serbas informed Adam that, unfortunately, Vlad's soul was kept for his own safety and the safety of the surface world.
Adam and Lyra were utterly confused; this demon was the very reason for the apocalypse on the surface. Adam asked Serbas if he knew what was happening on the surface. Serbas replied that his last exit from the cave was 100 years ago, so no, he hadn't seen.
"Vlad's soul is imbued in this picture," Serbas said, pointing to a drawing of a male figure. Serbas then explained that in this world, anyone who died from another world created a dungeon. Adam and Lyra instantly recognized this, recalling the events in their own world.