Meanwhile, in a dark dungeon below the palace, sleeps Queen Ruby whose has been bound tightly with ropes and a cloth covers her mouth so she can't speak. Vladimir floats silently, smirking at his beautiful captive.
He comments to himself quietly, "She's even more tempting like this, pity I haven't a permanent vessel...yet."
The specter waits for someone, though he's slowly losing patience since he has been waiting for a while. "Where the bloody hell is...?"
He snickers sadistically now as a ghastly enigma drags a maid into the dungeon. "Excellent my pet, place the sacrifice on the table, if you'd please."
Vladimir gestures towards an elegant wooden table as the shadowy beast drags its victim to it.
After the monster places the servant on the table, the specter snickers sadistically. He starts to speak, "Pity I have to kill such a young lady but..."
The ghastly spirit cackles in delight. "The plan must go on!"
Vladimir floats above the young girl and starts to chant in a strange language. As he chants, runes form around the child and a light rises from her chest.
The specter continues his incantation and chanting as the light from the sacrifice draws closer to him. Suddenly, the light fades into Vladimir's ghostly chest and the girl falls back down onto the table.
The specter smirks, "My plan is almost complete. My beast, I need you to bring me something. Bring me my...body."
The hideous creature bows respectfully before leaving.
After the frightful demon leaves, the fair queen awakens slowly and tries to move but finds that she's incapable of doing so. Ruby tries to speak but realizes that there's a cloth around her mouth.
Vladimir notices his captive is awake and chuckles slightly, "My queen, you've finally awoke from your little slumber. You're just in time, since you'll be my bride very soon!" The sadist laughs sinisterly.
Ruby's eyes widen in fear as she catches a glimpse of the dead child on the table. Then she looks back at her captor, who looks at her hungrily with lust in his cold crimson eyes.
"Oh, curious about that poor little child, Well, I have sucked her soul and eaten it." Her highness gasps through her gag in horror.
The phantom chuckles lowly, "I guess you've found your culprit, my dear."
The noble struggles to get free of her restraints, though the attempt is useless now. "Oh I wouldn't worry about escaping too much, your highness. What you should be concerned about is that you've a murderer in your midst."
Ruby gives Vladimir a confused look as he chuckles more.
The sadist smirks cruelly, "Oh, haven't you heard? Many innocent people have been disappearing. Yet, no one has seen the culprit at all. Well, who do you think did it? Could've been your son, the noble prince?"
Ruby shakes her head in strong disagreement.
"Or perhaps, it was your loyal butler, Clive? He did capture you in the first place." Vladimir cackles evilly.
The queen shakes her head once more.
"Then, tell me, who is the murderer? I'd answer quickly if I were you."
The captive finally shakes off her gag and answers with some courage, "You're the killer!"
The dastardly villain claps his pale hands, "Correct, my queen! Pity it took only so long for you to see it. I mean, you defending my name even after my death, which was quite a shock. Seriously, your son hated me and he was right to do so."
Her highness murmurs, "So...my son...was right...about you..." Vladimir nods while smirking in pleasure of the moment.
"I...can't believe that...you were always like this! I know that you were a little cruel but this is madness!" The noble shouts with tears in her moist scarlet eyes.
The specter glances slightly and chuckles, "Madness you call it. My plan is truly magnificent. What to know what it is?"
Ruby narrows her wet eyes, glares at him bitterly.
He grins with his canine slightly sticking out, "Do you believe in rebirth?"
Her highness shakes her head, "No, no one can ever...come back to life..."
Her ruby eyes widen in fear as Vladimir starts snicker sinisterly, he looks her with an insane expression in his blood-hungry eyes, "and I believe you just figured it out."
The phantom bares a villainous smile as draws closer to Ruby.
The noble stutters nervously, "You...what you're d-doing...is an unspeakable act of b-black magic." She tenses up as she feels his ghostly spider-like fingers caressing her. "No living man would ever...attempt this. It's the work of the devil."
The vile spirit gazes at Ruby longingly as he whispers coldly into her ear, "My dear, I am the devil." He laughs madly as he leaves her alone.
"And soon, I shall be reborn! Once I'm alive once more, you shall be my bride!" He snaps his fingers, "Oh servant, come here."
The shadowy monster enters the room with a large casket.
"Please set my vessel down gently on the table."
The demon nods silently as it places said casket on to the wooden table. "As much as I love to stay dead, the plan must go on, my dear Ruby."
Vladimir floats over the casket and starts to chant lowly. Runes slowly form around the specter and the casket. The container floats slightly as the demonic soul continues chanting the spell. As he chants, the runes spin around him, rapidly swirling as the climax of the ritual draws near.
The queen tries once more to escape her bindings while her captor is busy; alas, the rope is too tight to break free. So, she watches fearfully as Vladimir now enters the casket and a bright light blinds her sight for a few brief moments.
As the light dims, she asks quietly, "Vladimir? Are you...here?" Something moves towards her, the sound of footsteps and snickering echo closer as it draws near.
Ruby looks up finally to see that Vladimir's alive, "Oh god, what have you done?"
The mad man chuckles evilly, "I've been reborn, my dear." His hands start to glow softly as he grabs his captive and brings her up to his face.
He lifts her chin, forcing her to look at him. "I feel marvelous, especially now when I can touch you. Your skin is softer than the last time I felt it."
The sadist strokes the queen's rosy cheek with his now usable hand.
Ruby starts to feel weak as her captor holds her close, "I'll never...be your bride..."
She slowly falls into unconsciousness as Vladimir whispers to her coaxingly, "Sleep my love, you'll need the rest for soon, you and I shall be together...forever."
Her highness tries to resist falling asleep but alas, her eyes close shut and her defiance ends.
The now living mad man laughs in delight knowing that he has finally, his love. He snaps his fingers, summoning his hideous servant. "I have one final task for you. Make as much chaos as you can and make it known that I, Vladimir Engst, I'm now the ruler of the Fire Kingdom!"
The demon nods and bows to its master respectfully. It leads the antagonist out of the dark dungeon.
"I'll personally insure that Prince Igneous will perish. Minion, you can have those brats for dinner!" Vladimir cackles sadistically as he carries his resting captive.
