Chosen sacrifice

The Central Capital...

The capital was bustling with crowd celebrating the festivities.

He saw the crowds lined up waiting for the Emperor and crowned prince to pass by on their spirit garrons. They were huge formidable creatures that took shape of garrons. But the fire burnt from their mane and tail. The crowd applauded and bowed as they passed by followed by the troops led by Draco.

Erebus had his eye on Zavaikal who did not seem enjoy the festive atmosphere. His face was stoic as he passed by him without even sparing a glance.

"That bastard...a month ago he caused a stir in my place." Erebus grit his teeth furiously.

-"It was the right decision to come alone."

Before departing Stygian, he rescheduled the guards in the fortress to keep close surveillance of every inch and corner.

He had appointed new Fährinch to each division. His ghost division had reported him possible abnormalities that occured in human realm and parts of Wahrheit.

Jafar stood behind him watching out for the crowd that was almost in a frenzy to catch the glimpse of the imperial palace guards and high ranking Lieutenants and colonels with the lowest ranks pulling the chained sacrifices.

More than half of them lusted over them. Majority of them were low class vampires occupying two thirds of the total population of the Central Capital.

The others were werewolves clans who mostly inhabited in the parts close to the forest areas.

The ghouls and shifters were the worst and the slyest kind in the demon category.

The reapers impatiently awaited the death of the sacrifices.

He passed by the crowd losing interest in the parade that was the part of the festivital.

"They are going to descend the underground soon." Jafar informed him.

"And all of nobility high or lower ranking must present themselves before the great demonlord."

"Iblis....the root cause of all evil that has gathered here today."

He felt like escaping that place. It was hell on earth.

When he first presented himself as the new lord adjoining the nobility with the title of Margrave, he was made a laughing stock to those who listened to the slanders of Iblis for amusement.

-"A tainted blood of half human and a succubus." These were the first words said to him that openly showed taunt.

The crowd amused and laughed at him calling him names and called dirty blood.

However the emperor stepped in and only commended him for his efforts.

His compliment was a hollow shell with no real meaning behind it. It was only to neutralize the tension and gain reputation for himself to curry Iblis' favor.

From then onwards he only visited once every five years or for reporting his missions to the crowned prince and Draco.

"M-Master? Where are you going?"

"Where do you think I was invited to?"

Jafar stopped following him. Servants and even close subjects who were not nobility were prohibited from entering their sacred place.

"I will wait for your return." He bowed and saw him off.

"Now then... let's get to work." He instantly turned around and vanished into the back alleyways.

The mountain at the north held great significance where the sacrifices were offered.

It was said that the river of blood flowed under it.

The nobles could not ride carriages or chariots to this place. Everyone was supposed to travel there by foot.

Erebus was among the last ones to enter the cave.

The steps carved from the mountain led underground where it looked like another dimension.

He searched for a place to sit.

It looked like an underground arena. But served a different purpose.

The event took with the emperor announcing the series of events that were to be celebrated on the last day.

A couple came and sat beside him. He guessed that they were of lower rank since the lowest ranks in nobility sat the furthest.

The first half of the event took place with letting the sacrifices spar with each other to be able to survive until the end.

The crowd applauded and sometimes booed at them.

Blood splattered everywhere dying the ground red.

Corpses were moved at one corner for the reapers to take care of them.

"My love, if it's unbearable to watch you should lie down."

The man beside her comforted the woman who felt sick watching the blood.

"Can't we leave this place?" She insisted.

"You know it's considered treason to leave midway. It's the sacred festival. Any disrespect towards them would cost us our lives.

The woman gave in to her husband's request and decided to lay down resting her head on her lap.

"She's four months pregnant." He said.

Erebus didn't mean to eavesdrop and ended up looking at him.

"Sorry for the trouble." He apologized to him.

Erebus brushed it off since it didn't bother him.

However, hearing about the pregnancy it reminded her of Luciana.

An indescribable emotion swirled in his mind. Was it that he was worried about her? How come it became so natural for him to worry about anyone?

He wanted to get out of this place and rush back to Stygian Fortress.

He wondered how she'd be dealing with her condition.

"The victor has been decided!" The emperor announced as the crowd applauded causing the spikes sticking out of the ceiling to vibrate.

The keeper of black orb stepped forward to the victor holding a pillow with a an orb emitting dark energy.

He wore blood red robes covering his face.

The crowd felt silent.

The energy in the orb violently reacted to the victor.

The black mass attacked the man and caused gim to scream with deafening voice and collapsed on the bloody floor.

And suddenly everything went silent.

Several heartbeats later he got up receiving gasps and whispers.

This moment was the peak of the event.

"Look! They are bringing out the virgin." One demon in front of Erebus spoke in excitement.

He was disgusted with their lustful gaze.

It was dark so he didn't clearly make out their faces.

The female sacrifice stood before the victor.

"The part of our honorable demonlord has chosen this body to maintain the kinship so that the seal bearer is borne to bring revolution to the realms in times to come. We will now witness it here and tonight!"

As the crowd synced in applause the victor seized the human maiden and stripped her from the single piece of cloth that covered her.

"This female has been chosen to birth the heir!"

With every move the crowd grew more excited.

"It's pathetic." Erebus cringed.

"I wonder when this will end." He sighed and looked up.

The screams and plea of the female sacrifice filled the arena. No one pitied her despite her pitiful condition.

Erebus knew that this would take hours of the day until it ended.

He suddenly felt a sharp gaze targetting him from somewhere.

He looked around to see if someone had planned on assassinating him.

When he looked at the Emperor's side he realized that Zavaikal was looking at his direction.

"Curses...he's impatiently looking for her."