When Essam was finally awake, Lan Zhan excitedly told him about his dream, the voice he heard and his answer, which was completely natural in the dream. Essam was delighted and told Lan Zhan that this was a good sign that the blocked memories were about to be released. "So we are on the right track." Said Essam in conclusion.

"Maybe this sounds crazy. But I think I can feel his soul deep inside me." Said Lan Zhan.

"That's not crazy at all. Because your special bond connects you to each other in a very special way. And part of that is that you can sense each other. So we should leave now and go to the silver gate."

"Absolutely Essam. I can't wait to get there."

"I'll take your word for that. Are you ready?"

"I was ready to go on while you were still asleep."

"Hahaha, I get it. We're already going."

"Good, because I don't want to waste any more time. I need to find Wei Ying. He's waiting for me. I just know he's waiting."

"All right. Then let's get going. But from now on, it won't be as easy as before. But I assume you're willing to do anything to find Wei Ying." Said Essam and patted Lan Zhan on the shoulder.

They set off again and came to a very long, dark and narrow corridor. Although they had the lantern with them, even it could do little against the darkness in this passage. And even Lan Zhan's vampire senses did not help him to see anything in the darkness. He felt as if all his senses had suddenly failed, turning him back into a simple and weak human.

But all this did not stop Lan Zhan from moving on. He would feel his way along the wall himself, if necessary, or crawl or scramble across the floor on all fours.

They walked along this long gloomy corridor for what felt like hours, until finally a greenish light could be seen at the end of the corridor and they entered the next large cave room. This one was not like the others. In the eerie green light and mist, there was a river with raging black water.

Trees like in a ghost forest, gray and leafless stood by the river. The eerie glow of many eyes could be seen everywhere in bland bushes along the river. Howling sounds were heard next to incomprehensible whispering voices. And again and again splashing had been heard at the river.

Essam took something out of his shoulder bag. Lan Zhan only saw that they were ball-shaped things. "Lan Zhan, I advise you to cover your eyes." Said Essam and lit one of those round things. He threw it on the path in front of them and suddenly there was a bright light. Crackling and crashing, the bright light burst apart into many small lights that hit the ground glaring and crackling loudly.

Lan Zhan could barely see. Essam grabbed him by the upper arm and dragged him along until they reached a small narrow bridge. Lan Zhan stared at the bridge and could hardly believe it was even called a bridge. For it was nothing more than a long thin plank that stretched from one side of the bank to the other.

Cautiously, Lan Zhan stepped onto the bridge. It teetered and swayed threateningly beneath him. There was nothing to hold on to. So Lan Zhan had to balance, which was not easy for him, because suddenly the wind also became much stronger. He didn't even ask Essam how such a thing was even possible. After all, as Lan Zhan knows, this is a world that has its own rules.

When Lan Zhan finally reached the other shore, he was exhausted. The bridge might only be 5 meters long. But to him, it felt like he had to balance 5 kilometers across the bridge. And when he turned around to Essam, who entered the bridge after him, he couldn't believe what he saw. For Essam had been barely visible in the "distance".

"There you're looking what? You should be prepared to see a lot of those optical illusions." Said a hoarse voice behind Lan Zhan.

Lan Zhan whirled around, startled, but couldn't see anyone. "What the hell." He said thoughtfully, shaking his head. Was he imagining things now?

"Hey. Just take a step forward and you'll see me!" Said the voice laughing.

Lan Zhan took a step forward and suddenly a tall man with four eyes and a very wide nose stood in front of him grinning. "Where did you come from all of a sudden? I didn't see you a moment ago."

"I told you, optical illusions. Just like the bridge. Visually, it doesn't look longer than 5 meters. But in reality, it should be around 1000 meters long."

"I see."

"Do you really understand? This world is a mysterious place with many incredible things. Watch me." Said the four-eyed man and took a step back. At the same moment, he disappeared before Lan Zhan's eyes and reappeared shortly after.

"Truly fascinating."

"Yes, isn't it? Now please tell me what a vampire and a demigod are doing down here?"

"We're trying to get to the afterlife."

"Well, you could have an easier way of doing that. You don't have to take the long way for that."

"And how is it easier?"

"Well, you just have to die."

"I'd like to be able to do without that."

"All right, I understand that. What do you want in the afterlife?"

"I'm looking for a soul."

"Uh-huh, well that might be difficult. There are thousands, if not millions, of souls there."

"I think I'll find that one soul anyway."

"Yeah, maybe. But how do you get out of there with that soul? Getting into the afterlife is easy compared to getting out again."

"I'm sure we'll find a way."

"I hope so for your sake. Because it won't be easy to get the soul of a demigod out of the afterlife."

"How do you know what kind of soul I'm looking for?"

"Because just a few nights ago, the Death brought the soul of a demigod into the afterlife. And because your companion is a demigod. Also, you smell like the soul of that demigod. Which means you are soul mates."

"That's true. We are soul mates. And that's why I have to find his soul and bring it back to his body."

"But you can't just carry his soul out of here. You need a soul ball."

"We actually have two soul balls."

"But none that can hold a demigod. The energy of the demigod is too strong for normal soul balls."

"Mhhh and where can I get a matching soul ball?"

"I can give you one."

"And what do I have to do for it?"

"Put in a good word with the god of the underworld for me."

"Huh?"

"I know that the soul you seek and that your companion are the sons of the God of the Underworld. I am Logge and I would like to work for the God of the Underworld. But no one gets a job with him without a recommendation."

"Well, well. And what do you want to work for my father as?" Asked Essam, who also finally managed to cross the bridge and reach the other shore.

"Well young sir, I am a good cook and could offer my services in the kitchen." Said Logge.

Lan Zhan looked questioningly at Essam. Essam nodded. "Very well, I will tell the god of the underworld about you. But I can't guarantee you that he will hire you either, though."

"That's okay. As long as you at least tried." Said Logge. He handed Lan Zhan a golden soul ball and they shook hands. Then Lan Zhan and Essam set off to continue walking.

They slowly moved away from the river and came to an area that resembled a swamp. The greenish light and mist were still around them. And now they also saw small dancing lights above the ground. Looking closer, Lan Zhan could make out small creatures. They looked like fairies, but not as pretty or as lovely as he had read in numerous foreign books.

Rather, these fairies had mischievous faces, wide mouths with sharp pointed teeth, and if you listened closely, you could hear them laughing spitefully. "Strange creatures, aren't they?" Asked Essam as Lan Zhan took a closer look at one of these fairy creatures.

"Mhm. But everything down here is strange and indescribable I think. And somehow I wonder why all these creatures live here? I mean, they would fit in perfectly with the underworld." Lan Zhan replied.

"Hahaha, you're right. But you know, this is also part of the underworld. And here is the only place where they can live freely and carefree. Once, a very long time ago, these beings all lived on the surface. But after the war my father waged against the other gods, all the creatures were hunted down, tortured and killed. So they fled to the underworld and my father created them as an apology for their suffering, as these little worlds they live in now."

"I remember being told that your father created the demons. So these creatures here too?"

"No, just the demons. I guess these beings have existed as long as the gods."

"Uh-huh. Mhhh, I wonder when the gods came to earth. And have they always been called gods?"

"No one knows exactly when the gods came to earth or where they originally came from. But it was the people who began to call them gods and worship them. The gods and humans lived together in harmony. But the harmony was only superficial. My father was not the first to rebel against the other gods and fight them. He was only the most successful. Almost all the gods who survived the war retreated to secret places. A few gods who sided with my father live in the underworld with my father. You can still meet the gods on the surface. But only those who have divine blood in them will recognize them as gods."

"I see, and no one knows why they came to earth?"

"Why? Well, the earth was a paradise then. My mother used to tell me how beautiful everything was. At least to all outward appearances. She said at one point that my father was a very popular god. Especially many of the younger gods often came to him when they needed help or advice. And he was a good teacher to them. She believed that my father was secretly driven to turn away from the gods and become evil. Because there were many gods who were envious of him."

"So this is all pretty confusing. But I also have to say that your father doesn't strike me as being as evil as he's made it seem."

"Well, what can I say to that? Let's move on now. We'll soon come to an inn and spend the night there. I suppose you feel exhaustion as well?"

"Mhm. I was already exhausted after we crossed the bridge."

"Understandable. Oh yes, there's another special thing about that inn. Shape-shifters live there. They like to get away with pranks by transforming themselves into exactly what your heart desires most. And then they try to seduce you with it."

"I see, thanks for the warning." Replied Lan Zhan, yawning and continuing to follow Essam through the swamp.

When they finally reached the inn, Lan Zhan could barely keep his eyes open. But before he could go to sleep, Essam insisted that they eat together. Lan Zhan drank a jug of fresh blood and Essam ate meat and drank wine with it.

And as they sat at the table talking like this, a couple of people approached them. Lan Zhan could have sworn that one of these people was Wei Ying. But only until the latter sat down at the table of the two. Lan Zhan immediately sensed that it was not his Wei Ying, even though he resembled the image he kept seeing in his mind's eye down to the smallest detail.

When the fake Wei Ying sat down and placed his hand on Lan Zhan's, Lan Zhan immediately pulled his hand away and growled, "Touch me again and I'll chop your hand off!" The fake Wei Ying immediately jumped up and ran away. However, a man and a woman came to sit with Essam instead. Both had dark skin color and reminded Lan Zhan of the ancient Egyptians.

Essam leaned over to Lan Zhan and whispered, "I'll go to my room now and take these two with me. I'll see you in the morning."

"You're going to take them with you?"

"Sure. They are what my heart longs for. At least on the outside." Replied Essam, kissing first the woman and then the man. Then the three retreated to Essam's room.

While Lan Zhan went to his room and went to sleep after taking a bath, he remembered that Wei Ying once told him that Essam loved people back then and kept two particular people with him until their deaths in old age and mourned them for a long time. Lan Zhan was sure that the two Essam went to his room with were images of those two people. And now Lan Zhan was not surprised why he took them into his room.