(Current time)

"I wish I had made different life choices, Rivan. Especially the part where I got so consumed with revenge that I couldn’t comprehend the love he held for me. But, I promise I will never hurt him again," Aselia confided in him, her eyes holding softness for Rivan.

"I hope so Aselia because life won’t be easy for both of you, especially if his father discovered that he is in love with you," Rivan told her with a sense of dread falling over his voice.

"I know, we can’t be free until the day his father dies," Aselia replied with a determination that reached her eyes.

"Our world will be a better place with that monster gone, but it won’t be easy to kill him. He is someone who has no empathy in his heart, not even for his children. He has hurt Xiran in the worst possible ways just to darken his heart," Rivan revealed to Aselia with his fists clenched.

"And Xiran doesn’t even want to tell me about it. I can only imagine, I still remember those steely blue eyes from 18 years ago and all they reminded me was of death. His face is still etched in my mind and will forever do until I die," Aselia replied between gritted teeth. Mention of him always riled her up.

"Xiran just wants to keep you safe and he will do everything in his power to accomplish that. His father has that effect on people," the car had stopped moving and Aselia observed they had already reached Rivan’s secret hideout.

The chauffeur opened the door for her and she stepped outside on the gravel and glanced at the two-storey blue and white villa where she had previously stayed. It was as beautiful as ever with the swimming pool that lay ahead of it.

Melori was standing there to greet her and took her luggage from the chauffeur. She gave Aselia a warm smile and offered:

"Hello! Welcome back, ma’am. I hope your stay is pleasant here."

"Hello! Melori, I am glad to be back," Aselia returned her smile while Rivan came from the other side and stood beside Aselia before speaking:

"I will be heading back now and will try to send Xiran your way as soon as possible. Melori will tend to all your needs so don’t be hesitant if you need anything. And don’t worry, you will be safe here."

"I am not worried Rivan, I know you people will always keep me safe," she replied while Rivan nodded at her before giving some further instructions to Melori and heading back to his car, which drove away.

Melori took Aselia to her room where she had stayed previously and helped her get settled in and provided her with a late lunch.

----------------------

Hudias had reached back to the secret base of Xiran’s father. He changed back to his human form from his hideous Wendigo state. Scurrying to the lab where his master was busy with his experimentation, Hudias knocked on the door.

"Enter," a deep-seated voice sounded from inside.

Hudias opened the steel door and stepped inside the lab.

His master was standing near a black operating table, and a boy in his early twenties was lying naked on it. His eyes closed and his shoulders length blonde hair fell on the metal surface on which he lay. His waist and hands were tied to the table by leather straps. His body was connected go several monitors which lay all around him and showed different readings.

Two doctors in white coats were standing with him, one of them was holding a syringe with a black serum in it. Hudias approached his master and stood quietly behind him.

"Do it," Phantom instructed and the doctor plunged the syringe deep into the neck of the unconscious boy. As soon as the serum entered the boy’s system, his body convulsed and spasmed as if he was being shocked.

His eyes fluttered open and the green in his eyes was replaced by inky murkiness, the same happened with his hair, pitch black took over the gold with some streaks going red.

The boy thrashed against his restraint as agonizing screams breached his throat. Phantom watched him with utmost interest while the two doctors noted down all the changes his body was going through. Some of his veins had also turned black from blue.

The canines protruded as he snarled, revealing them to the two doctors, his expression reduced to that of a feral dog who hadn’t eaten for days.

"This is a very promising candidate, his hair colour had changed too and we are hoping it will be much faster than our previous test subjects," one of the doctors explained to Phantom. His transformation from an elf was complete to an elven-vampire hybrid. His heart rate was elevated.

"I want to test him, be sure to send him over to Tremias as I had instructed after he stabilizes. I want a full status report on him. He better not be a failure," his voice had a menacing threat to it.

"You won’t be disappointed," one of the doctors bowed down with fearful eyes.

Phantom finally turned around to find Hudias standing behind him with his eyes lowered.

"You are back. My studies. Now," Phantom instructed and began to move towards the door.

"Sire," Hudias replied with reverence and followed him.

Phantom moved through the different corridors, there was this arrogance in the way he walked and held his head high like a king who owned the world. His intelligent eyes were colder than ice and his pitch-black hair was raked backward.

Reaching his study, the guard standing outside the wooden door bowed down and opened it so they could pass through.

Once inside, he settled down on his executive chair near a cylindrical glass case with holes and a hand sensor on its side. A beautiful elven girl was standing inside it with gold in her hair and ocean in her eyes, though the ocean was dimmed as if the life has been snuffed out of those beautiful eyes.

He pressed his hand to the sensor and the glass door slid open. "Arimie, come out," he ordered.