Honor?

The Central Capital....

The route to underground chambers were pitch black.

He descended the last step as the fires shone on his face.

He proceeded inside the chamber. It was empty. He felt his body burdened with dark energy slowly circulating around him.

He began to sweat profusely.

The sound of heavy shackles hit his eardrums.

The closet he went the more he felt as if he were bound to be a part of him.

The echoes of his footsteps stopped.

He knelt on one knee.

"This humble minion is at the service of great demonlord." He announced his arrival.

For a moment there was complete silence.

Then when he looked up after a long wait, he heard the voice.

"The woman....where is she?"

"I have secured her blood to put it to test. If your evilness allows it." Jafar brought out the blood in a thumb sized container.

Zavaikal's blood was brought by one of his servants.

He took the other container in his left hand and raised both hands simultaneously.

While the blood of poured out, he began reciting an incantation. The symbols glowed bright orange with the lightning spears rising from them.

The heat intensified reacting to the blood in the lava veins connecting the symbols.

A blast echoed inside every corner of the chamber.

Something crashed on the ground. Dust and smoke rose from around it.

"More! More! It works! It works without that seal!" He roared.

He could sense the excitement in his guttural voice.

"Impossible! It always said that the seal was the key to break these chains." Jafar gasped in disbelief while gawking at the thick chain that had bound Iblis for a millennium.

It looked lifeless with no light emitted from it any more.

"Bring me more! And bring me the seal holder. Take that woman hostage. And bring both of them to me."

Jafar bowed and hastily took his leave.

He felt like the burden that always made him feel heavy had been lifted a little.

"If I can break those chains...I may be free for life."

He held onto the last hope. It worked. The pact he made with Iblis would become a void once he freed him.

He felt his right arm repeatedly. The numbness was no more.

He was relieved momentarily.

"But how do I convince Master and Derran to draw the lady's blood?" He pondered for a long time that he didn't realize he was already standing Infront of the stables.

He reached the inn by sunset. He guessed that Erebus was already at the banquet hosted in the imperial palace to celebrate the birth of the new ruler.

He threw himself on the featherbed and dozed off.

Meanwhile Erebus was forced to attend the banquet. Callum and Calypso were there too.

He was busy exchanging greeting with the higher officers who were also his superiors in the palace.

He was in his usual spot in far corner of the ballroom away from the crowd's laughter and music.

When the dance began no woman approached him.

He left the ballroom and ended up resting in one of he balconies.

The night was moonless. The stars were found scarce in the capital. But far away in the Capital's city square the lights made it livelier.

"Just another day.... Then I will be back." He told himself.

"Back to that dog hole?"

He turned around and found Zavaikal inclined beside the entrance.

"Greetings your evilness." He briefly paid respects with a slight nodded.

"Enough with the greetings. And it makes me sick to be greeted from the half-bred hound."

He taunted him in repulsion.

Erebus was used to his insulting remarks about him.

"Where is that woman?"

"Who do you refer to my prince?"

"You've got guts to question me when you know who I speak of."

Zavaikal grit his teeth furiously.

"Where is that Amanécerian woman? I am well aware that that woman is still in that pile of rocks!"

Erebus had begun to lose patience with him. His face darkened in fury.

"I didn't know the prince was interested in a married woman. By no means I am obliged to bring my lady wife and make her submit to you."

"Interesting! I wonder what that woman did to change a puppet hound like you within a short time. It makes me more interested in her." He scoffed at him.

Erebus walked beside him. He was six centimeters taller than him.

"As you say...I am a hound. So if you dared to even breath near my pregnant wife...your neck will be next. I will forget that you're my master. Asmodeus."

The name left him in unimaginable shock.

He was stunned to hear his words.

"H-how do you know that name..." He trembled.

-"I have tried to remove the very existence of that name! The past I tried so hard to bury is resurfacing before me once again."

"You should know by now. Did it feel good to abuse your authority over your own blood?"

Erebus left without hearing his response.

He had no need of continuing baseless torment over him.

He simply wished to leave the palace.

"Oh there he is! Margrave Stygian." Vlad called him to the Dais.

Erebus did not understand his intentions. But he was cautious since the Emperor was a sly man.

"Lord Stygian of Stygian Frontier once again made a contribution to keep the peace of our empire! He proved his bravery in the war and even stopped the wildlings who had posed a great threat over several domains and Central Capital for decades. Everyone... please honor him for his services despite all the odds against him."

The nobles reluctantly raised their hands to give him a brief applause.

He looked about him. The eyes held contempt and disdain for him. Their cheers were empty act. And some in the back sneered and made fun of him.

He knelt in front of the emperor after a brief eye contact with him.

-"Just like I suspected...this sly vampire never lets a chance slip by."

"I will give you your reward for your contribution in war."

He summoned the knights to bring out a chest full of gold.

Erebus frowned. He felt like he was being played in his hands. It was pure mockery to him.

"Your great evilness...how could this mere servant accept such a treasure from a noble one as you?" He tried to refuse it.

The nobles gasped and greedily eyed the chest.

"How humble you are!" He laughed out loud with some nobles joining his amusement.

"Take however much you want from it! How about lands? Or perhaps a woman to your liking?" He offered him many things any one would be tempted to have them.

Erebus sighed and gave him a lukewarm response.

"Let me have a bag of gold and some land however you please. As for women I don't desire any since I have a wife waiting for me back home."

His words were sharp. Many nobles rebuked his lack of respect and noble etiquette.

He didn't care about any of it.

Vlad slightly rubbed his goatee and grinned wryly.

"Suit yourself. You may take the gold you ask for. However I will give you your reward after I officially meet you as a married man with his wife."

Erebus had no choice but to comply with his order.

"I will certainly be honored to attend the awarding ceremony."

The nobles mumeres among themselves. They were awed by the sudden decision the emperor made just for him.

He left the ballroom after receiving a bag of gold leaving everyone speechless.