Inside a cavern that looked exactly the same as the cavern in the Black Forest, Zeres was standing in the middle of a pile of dead bodies. A villainous smirk curved on his lips as he looked around the massive place with an uninterested gaze.
The fact that it was the exact replica of the Queen's cavern in Black Forest was enough for Zeres to think that the one behind all this trouble was a witch. He had long felt strong dark magic coming from the rogue vampires they had encountered all along their journey and now, he had finally confirmed the lingering thought he had been harboring for a while now – that this time, the mastermind wasn't a human or a vampire but a witch.
At that moment, there was only one thing in Zeres' mind. And it was the thought that one of his own kind – a witch – would be the one to kill him. It made him smile because he had never thought of this possibility in the countless times that he had thought about the one who could kill him. Somehow, it relieved him because it appeared that the one to end his life would not be Alexander, or Abigail, or Ezekiel. He could only think that fate must have really pitied him this time and he was glad – really glad. He did think it was quite appropriate that a witch – not human nor vampire – would be the one to take his life.
Staring at the group of witches standing in front of the crystal throne, Zeres' eyes glowed golden. He could see a man in silver cloak. His hair long and onyx black. One glance and Zeres knew he was a powerful male witch. Definitely the most powerful male witch he had encountered so far. However, no matter how powerful he is, Zeres could even tell just by observing that the male witch still was not strong enough to defeat Ezekiel.
However, Zeres didn't mind. He knew about the possibility that his killer's strength didn't matter. He wouldn't fight anyway.
So without even defending himself, Zeres walked idly towards the witches. The vampires jumped over him like zombies and Zeres just let them attack, allowing them to tear into him, piece by piece. It was painful, he thought. But it appeared that he had grown immune to pain now thanks to Dinah who had him brutally experimented on like a guinea pig for many years.
The attacks could not even stop his feet from advancing. Because no matter how much they tear him to pieces, he just kept healing. He couldn't help but smile bitterly at just how indestructible his body had become. And he wondered why he had ended up being this powerful, being this invincible when he had never… ever desired power in his entire existence.
He thought it was funny that the world couldn't give him anything he wanted but could generously give him the one thing he never desired.
Zeres couldn't help but laugh hysterically like a madman, while the witches couldn't believe their eyes.
Even the male witch in the center looked utterly shaken as he watched the silver-haired man approaching them like an indestructible god that nothing and no one could kill.
Realizing the futility of everything his minions were doing to stop the ancient witch, the dark-haired male witch lifted his hand and the mindless vampires immediately stopped their actions. They were like puppets he could control with a single snap of his fingers.
"Ancient witch Zeres…" the man started. His voice powerful and sinister. "I never thought that the one who would come to foil my plans is my very own fellow witch. I was expecting the vampire royalties to come."
Zeres tilted his head slightly and stared into the man's eyes as he finally took the first step up the crystallized stairs leading to the crystal throne where the witches stood. "Foil your plans?"
"Yes!" The male witch roared but Zeres clearly detected fear in his voice. "That useless and weak queen found a powerful pawn at her disposal now, I see." he barked in rage and hate.
"Disposal?" Zeres echoed as he halted in his steps. A bemused smirk flashed on his angel-like face. "For your information… the queen is not the one who sent me here. And I didn't come here to foil whatever silly plan you have. Also…"
Like a lightning strike, a loud sound echoed inside the cavern. And the male witch unexpectedly found himself pinned against the crystal throne while Zeres' hand gripped his neck.
"Queen Alicia can defend herself against an attack like this," Zeres said in a controlled but ice hard voice. "An attack you can't even dodge. And yet you dare call her weak and useless?" Zeres' grip on his neck tightened. "Did you know that if she's the one in my place now, your head would already be rolling down these crystalized stairs?"
The male witch looked shocked but still obviously disbelieving.
"I see you're just an ignorant fool." Zeres continued before letting go of the male witch's neck and pushing him off, realizing that he reeked of nothing but madness.
Zeres had already seen everything in that short amount of time he invaded the male witch's memories. This place was indeed the headquarters of the rogue vampires they had been fighting and the boss was no other than this male witch. And Zeke was right. These vampires were all dead. He had been collecting dead bodies, mostly, the ones Alexander had killed in the past, many decades ago, and brought them to this place. The male witch had awakened the dead by performing a forbidden witchcraft. He had also made the dead vampires more powerful through another forbidden spell that made the dead vampires utilize the power of dark magic. The male witch seemed a master of spells and terrifyingly intelligent and insane. Every forbidden and powerful spell requires bigger sacrifices and this insane witch had sacrificed many rogue witches just to create this undead vampire army to be at his disposal.
He had taken advantage of that time when the witch queen was captured by Dinah. While everyone's attention was distracted, even as the vampires were focused on the immortals, this man had recruited and lured countless female witches and then used them as the sacrifice to perform these forbidden spells.