"Sinful? Corrupt? I don't understand your logic. Why must pleasure and sin be connected? Pleasure gotten through evil means could be a sin. But pleasure can also result from good deeds. What kind of philosophy calls pleasure itself a sin?" , Fate/Zero -Gilgamesh

Vlad's Pov

"Again… she's gone again. When will I see her again?" I thought. When Lyall disappeared again the guards took me outside with the other boys for training. With sweat rolling down our back we fought each other with our wooden shields and swords. Ottoman soldiers stood guard watching our progress, punishing or threatening us if we did a move wrong or was defeated.

I was not focused whatsoever. My stance was wrong, my judgement/analysis of my opponents moves was clouded and my attacks were weak but not enough for my defeat. With one final blow of my sword I knocked down my opponent. He was a scrawny kid, clearly lacking food and water, too weak to carry on. The soldiers came a collected him and dragged his body way. I was left standing on the field waiting for my next opponent. I clenched my hands in frustration. Not satisfied with my victory. "God… do you hate me that much that you won't give me happiness? That tiny pinch of light and hope and you snuffed it out!? Not fall in love with her!? Hah! Don't make me laugh!" I yelled in thought.

I started to chuckle at first but then I full out laughed hysterically. The other boys and soldiers looked at me with weird looks thinking the same thing. I lost my mind. I couldn't stop laughing, I just had my head back and laughed at the sky. "My dear Inger, you are mistaken. I have already fallen deeply in love with you. It is too late. I have made claim on you. You will have no say in the matter. You are mine and I will not beg for god nor thank him for giving me you. I will chain your beautiful wings in order to keep you if I have to! You are mine for eternity!" I thought triumphantly.

I finally snapped out of my laughter when I was on the ground, my head throbbing in pain. A soldier knocked me down with his fist yelling at me to get it together in his own language. But I still chuckled on the ground, smiling brightly. "Dragul meu Lyall, deja mă înnebunești. Vino la mine curând dragostea mea.(My dear Lyall you already drive me insane. Come to me soon my love.)" I chuckled with a smile on my face.

Lyall's Pov

I was back in the in between again but this time I was not in the dark hallways of a castle. It felt like I was in a bed. A warm silky bed that I didn't want to get out of. I willed myself to open my eyes and not stay in the warmth of these sheets. I opened my heavy eyes open to the ceiling of the room. It was dark of course but had a shimmering chandelier ahead of me. "Well this is new." I muttered. "Oh good you're up." Said a dull voice. I shot up from the bed looking straight at the person behind the voice. But I got up too quickly and laid back down.

The women that a saw for a few seconds wore a 14th century dress. It was laced with white ribbon on the front of her chest with a black base on the rest of her dress that laid down elegantly on the floor. She looked like a widow in morning. Her skin was pale, and her hair was a dark brown almost black. It looked like she stepped out of a lake. From head to toe she was drenched with water. She got up from her seat and walked towards me. "Shhh… easy now. Don't over do it. Your still very weak." She whispered while patting my head. She skin was cold to the touch and yet there was some tenderness to it.

"Who are you?" I whispered. She looked at me with dull sad eyes. She stopped patting my head and walked away to look out the window. "My name… is Elisabetta. I'm shocked you didn't recognize my voice since this is our second meeting." She chuckled with no humor behind it. I turn my head at her direction in confusion. I thought long and hard to see if I ever encountered her before. Then my eyes widen in shock. "It was you… you stopped me from entering the red door!" I said more to myself then her. She nodded. "But… why did you stop me? If you don't mind me asking." I asked politely, assuming she was of noble birth. "You have nice manners. Why I stopped you… I stopped you because many weak mortals like yourselves have been seduced by the pleasures behind the red door. I just didn't want a young women like yourself with so much potential to go to waste." She stated.

I remained silent, not sure if I liked being called weak but she was not wrong. "Thank you for stopping me." I said turning my head back up to the ceiling. She just smiled and walked back to my side. She crouched down to my level and patted my hair once again. "You jest, I was only doing a favour to your grandma." She smiled. I shot right up again startling Elisabetta. Juliet! I totally forgot. I turn to Elisabetta and grabbed her shoulders. "Have you seen Juliet here!? Is she being held prisoner!? Tell me!" I screamed, shaking her desperately.

She grabbed the sides of my face and made me stop shaking her altogether. "My dear calm yourself. Yes Juliet is here. But… I can't take you to her." She said with a sad voice. I looked at her in disbelief and started to cry. "Why! Why can't you take me to her!?" I wailed. I tried to get out of her grasp but she had an iron grip. "Listen to me. The demon that is hosting the body of Juliet is here looking for you." She said furiously. I stopped struggling at once. Stunned by her strong voice. I listened intently. "I'm sorry Lyall but the demon killed Juliet. She is here in the in between but she can no longer return to her physical body." She explained with a pained expression. Tears falled down my face and I cried. Elisabetta took me in her arms and hold me until I was done.

Once I was done I got out of her embrace and nodded for her to continue. She took a deep breath. "Juliet told me what happened to her and what the demons intentions were for you. You remembered that he wanted to form a contract with you?" She asked. I only nodded numbly. "He wants you Lyall. He wants your body and soul. He wants to violate you and torture you because your soul is pure. So pure that no darkness can cover your light. He wants it, he wants you so bad he would do anything thing. That's why he tried to get you to make a contract with him by promising either revenge, loyalty, or love. But in exchange…" She hesitated. "He has me." I finished.

She continued. " That's why when you left with your father Juliet regained control and killed herself. She told me she rather die than be a servant… a vessel to a demon. Now she is trapped here like I am since suicide is a sin.But now the demon lost a host and is looking for you again. Either to find a new host in the mortal world or find you in our world." She finished. I looked down at my wrist, seeing the claw marks left upon my flesh. " He is never going to stop is he." , "No. The only reason he has not found you yet is because this world in concealed by me." She said. I looked around the room a realized that we are under water. The entire room was engulfed by water. The bed itself was floating in mid air but everything seemed dry. Like the water has barely even touched them. Not even I was touch by the water seeing I was still dry. The only person affected was Elisabetta.

I looked at her in amazement but it was short lived when she grabbed my marked wrist. "Hmmm… it's incomplete. If you had accepted the demons offer you would have had a full mark." She stated a matter a factly. "Maybe I should've accepted his offer. Then Juliet would still be alive." I said broken. Elisabetta grabbed hold of me and hug me again. "There is nothing you can do about it now. Just think about what your going to do in the future and not let Juliet's sacrifice go to waste." She said patting my hair affectionately. "But how? He is a demon I never faced before. How can I possibly defeat him?" I said hopelessly. Elisabetta giggled and let go of her embrace and push me away at arms length so she had a full view of me.

" It's simple. Make a contract with me." She smiled. I looked at her like she had two heads. "Make a contract with you? But your not a demon!? Your a tortured soul! No offence. But…" I started but was interrupted. "My dear, I'm more than a tortured soul. This contract will benefit the both of us. The demon will no longer track you down if he knows you are taken. And I only want one thing from you." She stated while caressing my face.

I tilted my head confused. "What do you want?" I asked already liking this deal she is offering. "Oh just a small trinket. An arrow." She smiled. "An arrow?", "Yes you see it was an arrow with a message that sealed my demise. I seek it." She stated with disgust in her eyes. I thought about it for a moment. "Where do I find this arrow?" I asked. "Why through the red door silly. The red door will lead you to my time when I was mortal and there you will retrieve it. Now don't worry I'll leave a protection charm on you when you go through." She smiled looking genuine.

I had more questions popping in my head but I know if I linger and not give her an answer I may not get another chance. Without a moment's hesitation I grabbed her hand. "Deal." I said with determination in my voice. "Excellent!" She squealed excitedly. She grasped my mark arm and laid it on the sheet of the bed. She pulled out a small dagger from the sleeve of her dress and cut her hand. She blood dripping onto my wrist. Then I screamed, an unbearable pain erupted from my wrist. Just when I thought I couldn't take it no more the pain stopped. I looked down and saw a crescent moon branded on my skin.

"With this we have a contract. We have a deal." Elisabetta smirked.

~Authors Note~

Wow! I'm on a roll with all of these chapters. I really glad my fellow readers are enjoying my fanfic. I really appreciate you guys. Let me know on what you want to see happen to our lovely Lyall and if you have any suggestions or concerns about the story let me know. Till then enjoy!