Softly frowning, Julie placed her hand on the ground and pushed herself to sit upright and noticed she was sitting on soft grass with trees surrounding her.

  Where was she? This place wasn't Veteris because the last thing that she remembered, they had finished fighting with Joaquin and the creature that was trying to destroy the vampires and the things in Veteris.

  "Hello?" Julie called out, hoping for anyone to be nearby, but it seemed like she was all by herself in here.

  She wasn't in Heaven, was she? Julie questioned herself. She looked down at her body, and noticed there were no visible wounds, and her clothes were clean. The pace of her heartbeat increased as she started to grow anxious with every passing second.

  She didn't want to die, not like this where she didn't get the chance to say goodbye to the ones she cared for and loved. Her hands clenched, wondering where and how Roman was doing. Standing on her feet, she started to explore the serene place, which was quiet and held a familiar fragrance in the air. The smell was sweet and it reminded her of Roman's scent, every time she hugged him.

  Julie walked towards the tree which held wild-looking blue flowers. The scent was heavy from this one, and as she stared, someone appeared behind her.

  "I wasn't expecting you to be here this soon."

  Julie turned around on her heels, and her eyes widened on seeing a woman with gray hair, eyes that were wise and her face was as beautiful as how it was when she was a young woman.

  "Mother……" whispered Julie, her eyes meeting Opaline's crinkled eyes.

  "Julie," spoke Opaline, moving closer and putting her arms around the girl.

  Julie, who was too stunned to speak, took two seconds before she wrapped her arms around her mother. Hugging the woman while closing her eyes. Tears started to fill up in her eyes, and she partly opened. Her eyes shone before the tears rolled down her cheeks. "I missed you," whispered Julie.

  "So have I," replied Opaline, rubbing Julie's back with her hand. The woman's hands were gentle and warm, which was filled with love. "I am sorry for putting you through this. Forgive me, my child."

  Julie clutched to her mother, as from a long time she had wanted to meet the woman and let her know that she was her mother. To be embraced as her daughter, and now that it was happening, her heart felt full, and she didn't want to part away from the woman.

  Julie shook her head, "It was never your fault. Never has been. You did what you had to do," she mumbled before pulling herself back.

  Opaline looked happy after just seeing Julie, and she placed her cold hand on the young girl's face. But as cold as the woman's hand was, Julie found nothing but warmth from her mother's action. The woman smiled and said,

  "I wished I knew that day, and if I knew, I would have tried to spend our time more meaningfully," said Opaline.

  "Every moment that I have spent with you in the past was meaningful, mother," replied Julie, and the memory that they had shared where Opaline had brushed her hair was her most favorite memory. Something that she cherished and would continue to do so.

  "I know, my love. And you have done wonderfully. To come this far, you have made me proud," stated Opaline, nodding her head to Julie. "I am only sorry that I wasn't able to meet you sooner, but nonetheless, here we are together. And we meet as we should have met before. I am happy that you are here, but… you were not supposed to be here now. Did something happen in the living world?" Opaline questioned Julie with a serious look on her face.

  Julie pursed her lips, trying to remember what had happened, and for some reason, things that had happened a minute or hours ago felt like many years had passed. She answered, "It's my soul energy. I think I exhausted it until the very last bit of it. We were trying to hold the dome to contain the creature from the forbidden door's side."

  Opaline didn't look pleased when she heard this, but she nodded as if she understood what Julie said. She noticed the worry in her daughter's eyes and raised her hand to place it on top of Julie's head. Julie's eyes met her mothers, and her mother said,

  "Do not worry about what has happened in the past as not everything can be fixed, and don't worry about the future, as you are yet to make one. Come walk with me."

  Julie looked around the place,while walking next to Opaline, she asked, "Is this Heaven?"

  A soft smile appeared on Opaline's lips, "I guess you can call it that, as it is peaceful here."

  And hearing her mother's words, Julie could only assume that she had indeed died. She couldn't help but worry about what was going on on the other side of this world.

  "This place is a sanctuary to the souls. Humans, vampires, witches, it doesn't matter here as everyone is just reduced to be a soul," explained Opaline.

  "Is grandpa and uncle Ottis here too?" asked Julie curiously, and Opaline nodded. "But…… I saw their souls were attached to the lands where they died. In Willow Creek."

  "Those are nothing but projections of the deceased. The last bit of their memory on the land, and nothing more than that," explained Opaline. She continued, "If you have tried to pull them out of it, they will sooner or later disappear, erasing their existence from the living world. How is everyone there? It has been a while since I spoke to Sullivan or Cillian since I had to leave early."

  "They have been doing well. They helped me a lot. In learning about the witches and what to do," replied Julie, her thoughts returning to Roman. She asked her mother, "Do you know anything about the attachment of the creatures to the dead or living beings?"

  "Attachment?" Opaline asked, unsure of what Julie was talking about.

  "Yes," replied Julie. "The one's from the forbidden door. The vampire who attacked Willow Creek had a creature attached to him. And the same creature now attached itself to Rome."

  "Hmm," hummed Opaline, weighing on Julie's words before she spoke, "I wouldn't be surprised about it. Roman is young, but he already exhibits abilities that even the Elder vampire fails. Because of the darkness that resides in him, the creature is attracted to a similar being."

  "So it isn't about just how capable or powerful one is?" inquired Julie and Opaline shook her head.

  "No. Some of us attract opposite beings, while some attract similar kinds of people near them. I think he will be just fine, and the creature will continue to obey him until the boy wants it to obey him,"Opaline explained with a gentle smile on her face. "Nothing will happen to him."

  Julie was glad to hear it. But at the same time, her heart ached with the thought that she wouldn't be able to see him again.