The preparations for the ritual was over, Alderan sighed relief.
Now, all he had to do was to go back to the cave and get the virgin maiden. If the girl had lived through the baptism then she indeed was the sacrificial maiden they were looking for.
If she was dead, then Alderan will have to capture another girl using his pet monster and have her go through baptism as well.
Alderan left the circular ritual room with the help of a teleport circle.
He was in a good mood, but soon his face turned sour.
He saw his pet, Irfan, on the ground missing two of its limbs, blood coming out of its body continuously.
Before it, a man wearing a black bodysuit was standing. On his hand was a flashing blue light sword.
The man asked Irfan in a cold voice, 'Tell me who is your master?'
Alderan signalled Irfan so that it doesn't reveal him inside the cave.
Seeing Alderan Irfan was shaking with fear. But before anything happened the man in the bodysuit said, 'Oh, I forgot you can't talk. Bye-bee.'
Saying this he flashed his sword and Irfan's head was lopped off.
Alderan's heart was bleeding in grief. He used a lot of resources to grow Irfan into a Kobold lord.
He was so angry that he momentarily lost control and sent a beam of light piercing through the bodysuit man's abdomen.
The man staggering finally looked at where Alderan was standing.
His strange one-eyed white mask with red markings didn't let Aldean see his face.
Alderan didn't need to see his face either. As the man was going to die soon.
Alderan gave a mocking smile and sneered.
He said,'You beat my pet, but you're still too weak to go against us.'
'Is that so?' The man replied.
'Die.'
Alderan sent another beam of light at the man. It went straight through his forehead creating a bloody hole.
The man's body became lifeless and fell on the ground with a thud.
Alderan didn't want to see the mans face, so he didn't bother with the corpse.
He went to check on the sacrificial maiden. To his utmost joy, the girl lived through the baptism.
Alderan's heart was jumping in joy!
His hard work finally paid off. After he sacrificed the final maiden to his lord, he will be able to gain unimaginable power.
His position in the Legionaries will be promoted as well!
But as Alderan tried to touch the girl, a barrier stopped him. He frowned.
'It must be that guy, he's probably the one who erected the barrier,' he thought.
Alderan took out his grimoire and started to chant magic to destroy the barrier.
But while Alderan was doing this a monster had awoken.
* * * * * *
When Alderan started his work to destroy the barrier, Ziel opened his eyes.
His left eye pupil turned blood red, and the white parts of his left eye turned a pale shade of red.
His right eye pupil turned violet.
his mask had cracked and had fallen on the ground.
His bodysuit started to tear. Different types of scar-like markings started to show on his body.
He stood up. But there was no sign of sanity in his eyes. He stood there, his body shaking, the air around him, vibrating.
The hole in his abdomen and forehead started to heal. After a while, the hole on his head closed up. The light of sanity returned to his eyes.
He looked at his left hand the beam of light had grazed it when he was first shot.
It was barely functioning. He restricted his powers. His body soon returned to how it was. He looked just like a normal human.
He could feel Alderan's presence. It was close to the barrier he erected.
'He must be trying to destroy it.'
Thinking this he smiled. Ziel restricted his aura and presence. Then he made his way to the second room in the cave.
When he entered the room he saw Alderan was frowning.
* * * * *
Alderan stood frowning. No matter what he tried he could not destroy this barrier.
'Should I call the elder?' He thought to himself.
Ziel stood at a corner. His back leaning on the wall, his hands in his pockets.
He spoke to Alderan in a cold voice,' Even if you try to get someone else to destroy this it won't work.'
Alderan, hearing the cold voice felt chills run down his spine.
He turned 180 degrees and saw Ziel.
Alderan started to sweat bullets. He recognized the figure and the voice. It belonged to the man he had just killed a few minutes ago.
'Yo-you did not di-die?!?' Alderan spoke, shaking like mad.
'Oh, that? I died. But I came back,' Ziel replied plainly.
'THAT'S NOT POSSIBLE!!!; Alderan roared, sending a flurry of attacks at Ziel.
'I wouldn't do that if I were you.' Ziel spoke as he disappeared from his position and appeared next to Alderan.
Alderan felt genuine fear for the first time in his life.
He wanted to move but his body refused to do so.
He somehow mustered all his courage and asked Ziel, 'Who are yo-you?'
Ziel smirked, 'I'm one of the 13 [BLACK SWAN]. Codename: [Frankenstein].'