I was sitting in the gazebo when Elaila came wearing funeral clothes and a tiara made from lace with black roses with seven tridents pointed in different directions like on a Japanese fan. She looked like she was in her twenties. She was holding a skull encased in a crystal ball. She walked as though she was walking in a mine field. One misstep and boom. She would be vaporized. She gave me a knowing smile. She asked me as she entered, "How did you know about the safety features?" I asked, "What safety features?" She smiled and caressed my face to show me. The field looked normal for a split second and then it was like I had switched lenses. From normal to infrared or something supernatural. The place was riddled with defenses. Trapdoors that were barely open and smoke curling like tentacles. Shadowy figures hovering with sharp implements ready to strike. Giant scorpions and spiders waiting to pounce. Glowing spectral men and women who looked decayed and from a bygone era eyes stood in formation like a small battalion. I was surprised I didn't trigger anything when I walked in here. She laughed, "You are safe since you have taken responsibility for this property. The defenses will guard you till your death. Everyone else has to be careful or they will suffer." I tilted my head, "Because of your past?" She nodded sadly. I asked her if I could go see Lissette. She grinned eagerly, "You can only see her if she shows up in your vision. That's called the invitation. If you don't see her you can't find her even with a locator spell. She only answers to Tiberius because they were once actual husband and wife before their eventual transformation." I asked her why Tiberius resembled Dracula. She smiled, "He doesn't resemble Dracula. My dear he is Dracula" For some reason I fell off my seat and she laughed merrily. Her mirthless laughter summoned others and I brushed myself off and went for a swim in the pool.
Mrs. Erebus asked me not to take a dip since the water will transport me elsewhere. The pool was a portal to the water realms. I might end up in a place where no one can help me. So unless I am summoned I must not dive in. I walked back to the house to change and I went to the community center where I swam for an hour and came back to practice hurling. I had to practice using a butterfly knife and bowie knife. I had trouble with the screwdrivers but I finally figured out how to make sure they don't ricochet back like a boomerang. I was relentless. Finally I managed to hit the bullseye with a screwdriver. I smiled and started practicing with the bow and arrow. That was the easiest thing. I was a natural. I finally decided to try fencing and Tiberius glided to teach me. After an hour he asked me why I was so interested in seeing Lissette. I explained how I felt she was trying to say something important when she was assaulted. I was hoping this information would help me be a better guardian. He tilted his head and promised to summon her so I could get answers. We practiced till he was satisfied. Then I spent half an hour soaking in a bathtub filled with black liquid. It smelled exactly like the aromatherapy you would find in a funeral home. I stayed till I was told to come out. Then I got changed and Tiberius glided towards the trees and he cut his hand and rubbed it on two of the nearest trees to open a path to her. The runes glowed purple and I saw a swirl black mass in between the trees. I shivered as I felt the temperature drop to arctic freeze even though it was baking hot out here. As I was about to walk through he grabbed my hand. He instructed me to stick to the point and speak clearly. Lissette is known for her impatience. She might dismiss me or evict me depending on my behavior.
I saw several winding roads. I chose the one with the crumbling archway. The archway led to a world where everything was the dark black with the edges identified with lines of gray. No other color scheme was permitted. The only path was a cracked pavement. The path was dimly lit by street lamps every few paces. The trees were leafless. The branches looked like hands were reaching out. Either for help or to attack. The air smelled dank and there was no sound. Not even my own heartbeat. I felt like I was going in circles till I found a camp fire pit. The flames were of varying colors. The fire was multicolored but everything else was in shades of black and gray. I believed I took a wrong turn so I turned to leave when I heard the faintest whisper. I looked back to see her sitting on a bench nearby eating the contents of a gorilla's head. She pulled the top off like a cloche and scooped the brain matter out bit by bit. She was savoring the taste as she tried to figure out what to say. I walked carefully and she extended her hand. I placed my hand over hers and she tilted her head and she gave me a jagged tooth. She said when the time is right this will come to my rescue. I was told not to lose it. I placed it in my inner pocket and thanked her.
She gave me a smile as she thanked me for showing her Dracula. I told her it was the right thing to do. She smiled and gave me a battered leather bound book. Every page was dogeared. She said this will come to my aid when Mrs. Kol is unavailable to assist. There are situations where she would be punished for assisting me. Her policy is to live today to fight tomorrow. I can't show her the book because under the right circumstances she might consider betraying me. She would gladly burn the book. I was told to stay as close to Zilmera as possible till I had my footing. I should continue as I was but I needed to flexibility training too. She said Mrs. Erebus can help me do it. She then gave me a tiny vial filled with fairy light. She said it is an antidote to all poisons known and unknown. She waved me off and I accepted that I had overstayed my welcome. The floor cracked open and the cold dimensions swallowed me and I slid down a chute before I was spat out of the roots of the trees. I made sure everything was accounted for and I showed Tiberius everything. He promised to keep an eye out for trouble. He thanked me for giving him a glimpse of her. He is forbidden from seeing as per his agreement. He took me indoors and he taught me about anatomy to inflict maximum pain and also quick or slow death whilst Mrs. Kol taught me contortionism and how to hold my breath underwater.
After practice I was given several potions to recover from exhausion and I was sent to the greenhouse to tend to the rare plants. It was a lesson in patience. Some were antidotes. Most were poisonous. Each plant was unique. Since the plants in the greenhouse were alive, sentient and temperamental I had to familiarize with them and vice versa. Some of the plants waved lazily as though a breeze had gone by. Some had rows of teeth and they flashed them in a menacing manner. A few had barbs that dripped a colorless liquid. The stem pulsed as though waiting for reason to shoot the barbs. Then there were the plants that had seeds or flowers which exploded with the slightest touch. Some sprayed acid as a defense mechanism. Some had leaves that change color depending on diet, atmosphere and temperament. The last was vines that behaved like they were a bunch of anacondas. Some of the vines were covered in a slime which was an unknown paralytic. The others had a bark like texture and looked like they were looking for a new victim to squeeze. Those were the ones to greet me first. They poked me a few times and wrapped one vine around my leg and spiralled its way up. I had to stay calm otherwise they would crush me to death without hesitation. I was given a mask because some of the plants were releasing pollen which would knock anyone out if they inhaled it. Mrs. Erebus gradually taught me everything she knew.