(Author: In case you don't know: I'm back! Well, this story is back. Was busy experimenting with one shot stories and college stuff. Anyway, Magmar decides to kill the spies and took their items. The whole campus found their bodies and blood everywhere and some saw their dinner again albeit in an unrecognizable and deformed outlook. Elgar has reached a bottleneck and has made his preparations to enter the tunnel. Just how will House Dune react to the slaughter? Enjoy.)

----------Chapter 24: Slaughter Fiend-----------

"My Lord Caesar! Lord! Horrible news!" a page screamed, his voice echoing in the halls of the house. Groans and curses strung the air as they heard the panicked voice.

Caesar put a hand on his wife's shoulder and told her to go back to sleep before he got out of bed. He was wearing a pure white sleeping gown with golden, diagonal stripes and shook his head as he walked outside. Many of the servants and guards knelt as they saw their master and lord and waited until he left their sight to stand once more. Caesar cared little for his appearance as he heard the scream and quickly sat down on his throne-like chair. He wasn't a king, but that didn't mean he couldn't buy a chair that rivaled one or far surpassed its elegance.

Other lords, elders, and knights also gathered in their sleeping garments in the hall and sat in their respective places as they all stared at a pale, sweating page wearing a dark robe. His dark brown hair was sticky from the sweat and his eyes constantly darted left and right. Murmurs came from the knights as they knew the boy saw something that terrified him to the core. Even the elders, the true power in the house were muttering. No one but Caesar and his wife knew that they were the ones truly in charge in matters of only the family and not their trading organization.

"Speak!" Caesar ordered, the room immediately growing silent as all eyes stared at the trembling and sweaty page.

"It's horrible news, Lord Caesar," the page trembled and his teeth constantly clacked together. "The spies were....eaten alive in their sleep. The whole campus awoke to horrifying screams, the breaking of bones, and the tearing of flesh. They say they saw a large, sand-colored scorpion with white lava runes the size of a horse break into the buildings from the windows. It would aim for their mid-sections and just dismember them in half with its large claws, or are they called pincers?"

"They were killed!" Caesar roared and slammed his fist on the arm of his chair, small cracks forming beneath his fist upon impact.

"Yes, Lord Caesar," the page whimpered. "I was on my way to visit one of our spies when I saw it all happen from the shadows. The scorpion would take some of the spies and just kill them by biting their heads off. As it was a rank 6 magical beast, they were not able to stop it. I think it's a magical beast. Others died by being pierced through their bodies by the stingers. It has two and sometimes.....two would pierce the chest and exit, tearing the body in pieces. It was horrifying. It even killed the witnesses. If I wasn't given the device that cloaked my mana, I'm sure it would have killed me too."

"It's not a magical beast. It is a fusion type elemental minion," Caesar said silently. "Is my daughter safe. Is she alright?"

"Yes, Lord Caesar," the page said, calming down upon answering the question. "It did not even get close to Lady Caroline's room."

"Was its master nearby?" one of the elders asked.

"No Esteemed Elder," the page answered. "The scorpion ate, slaughtered, and collected spatial rings and storage bags after it killed all the spies and witnesses and had its full. With all their belongings in their mouths, it left toward the male dormitories."

"It was acting alone then. There is no way a minion would openly attack and the master would have known there would be people watching. Was there anyone else there?" Caesar asked.

"None. By the time the staff got there, it was long gone as well as all evidence. I could not afford to stay or risk my presence there," the page bowed.

"Leave us. Rest well. You have done well," Caesar said and sighed as he leaned back on his chair. "She's safe. My daughter is safe."

"Our spies were killed once again. Previously, we did not think it was the boy, but now, there is irrefutable proof that he killed the spies this time," one of the elders cursed. "Who else has a minion of necromancy with an appearance like the one Elgar Maltos owns?"

"We can't kill him or we risk the wrath of the Demon King. It would prove difficult, but not impossible, for a Demon King to descend and get revenge. The Heavens do not interfere in that regard and allow such matters as it does not involve the safety of the Mortal Realm. So long as it is not a monarch or leader of a nation, everyone else is fair game." another elder warned, glaring at the other elder.

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In a dark room, a single young man knelt before two men wearing black, hooded cloaks and silver masks that hid their features , illuminated by the moon light. The men were the 4th and 9th Elders sent by the Elder One to find the heroes. They weren't able to find the two hidden heroes but did monitor the three known ones.

"Report. You said people were slaughtered with all evidence destroyed. What really happened?" one of the Elders asked.

"I was part of the staff that cleaned the rooms and analyzed the corpses," the young man said, his voice loud and clear. "It looks like a magical beast bit the necks, dismembered the bodies, or pierced their chest. However, using the methods of the Esteemed Elder Ones, I and our spy, posing as a page of House Dune, reported the truth to you and House Dune. However, what they don't know was that the soul energy seemed to have been sucked dry from the corpses. The minion is sentient and belongs to a necromancer with royal demon blood and of draconic lineage."

"Is he a threat to the hero?" the Elders asked.

"No. He is a mere mage and warrior of the 5th rank. So far, we have been collecting news from the trading organization run by House Dune. So far, none of the heroes have been discovered. The human hero is interested in Lady Caroline to a degree," the man reported.

"Good. Return to your duty and continue monitoring the heroes progress. Find out his strengths and weaknesses and report back to me. He could be the one of the prophecy. Don't let him die though. We are not yet ready for the War of Days," the Elders said in unison and the man left.

"We have not found the remaining two heroes," the 4th Elder said. "The Elder One will not be pleased."

"They are playing it smart and hiding their power," the 9th Elder said. "However, they will reveal themselves in due time. The prophecy is undeniable. They will appear."

"We also have a hidden foe. Our unknown enemy is killing Vessels and hiding or slaying potential Vessels before we can reach them," the 4th Elder spat. "We need to find out who the Martyr is and slay him or her quickly. We already have more than enough Vessels for the sacrifice and for our other plans."

"Someone's watching!" the 9th Elder cried in alarm and stared out of the window. A small flame appeared before what he sensed, vanished. "It vanished. I don't believe we were overheard, but we must be more careful. Send the message to our spy once we find a different meeting place."

"You would give orders to me?" the 4th Elder cried.

"The Elder One sent me here to assist you because you couldn't get the job done alone," the 9th Elder warned. "Your job is easy and you have been complacent. You have already disappointed the Elder One."

"You're right," the 4th Elder grimaced. "I'll tell my son to meet us elsewhere. He will not be replaced."

"I understand," the 9th Elder nodded and the two men teleported in a green flash of fire.

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Elgar opened his eyes as a ghost fire mice minion had self-destructed. He leaned forward and shook his head as he closed his eyes and reviewed its memories. He ordered his other mice to return and follow the other spy when he returned to the campus.

What the two spies failed to notice, was that Elgar controlled the campus all along. He knew Magmar would go off and kill the spies. After all, he could order it around as he had absolute dominion over Magmar. Why else did it leave as he trained? He created ghost fire mice minions and saw Magmar's slaughter through their eyes. He also saw the spies. One of them anyway, but the other one communicated with the other spy shortly.

He had created his ghost fire mice minions on the training ground and hidden them beneath the earth until Magmar made its move. They had no spirit energy and were completely made of soul energy. Only a being sensitive to soul energy could detect them. As he had absolute control over Magmar, he could have ordered it not to do its task, but wanted to see who else was watching him.

Ever since he learned of his grandfather being the 7th Elder, he knew the hero transferring would be watched. He didn't dare have his mice minions leave the campus but took a special note to make them follow the one that went in an unknown direction before coming back. One certainly went to House Dune. It was funny to Elgar as they were being used as pawns just like how they used their daughter as a pawn in their own schemes.

"Magmar," Elgar said before he went to sleep. "I have my mice minions hiding within the grounds of the academy. As you are connected to me, you should be able to sense them. They have no spirit energy so only you and I can detect them to a degree. They're following someone, a witness who saw you."

"What? How can that be master? I am a rank 6 fusion type elemental minion. Forgive me, but not even you can escape my spirit sense if you weren't connected to me," Magmar said silently.

"They used some artifact, but one of the spies is a double agent under House Dune. The other one is posing as a staff member. The next time you go on a slaughter spree, incapacitate but don't kill him, before you begin," Elgar ordered. "He could be a useful pawn if fed false information. If they discover that I am a hero one day, they will try to make me one of their pawns. I need to take this chance to use them as pawns before they become wary of me."

"Understood master. Rest well. I will clean myself and rid myself of the stench of human blood," Magmar said as it dipped its scorpion head.

The next day, Elgar, Ulgor, Argolin, and Argolin's two violet storm bears stood in the center of the living room with a large teleportation circle beneath them. Magmar and the five lich confirmed Magmar's arrival in front of the tunnel. The link was established and all preparations had been made. It was time to had to the tunnel and explore it to the end.

"This is so sick. I always wanted to venture into an ancient ruin. There is sure to be one at the end of the tunnel," Ulgor grinned.

"I have also reached the fourth magus rank since the event at the arena," Argolin said. "I am ready and I also received some magical treasures from my father. He only asks that we send any coins we find and give him a small cut."

"We don't need the money anyway. We're only interested in magical treasures, tomes, weapons, and anything else of value to help us increase our ranks. I am especially looking for anything that enhances or is involved with soul energy," Elgar agreed. "I must break to the sixth rank and take control of the Legion. Luckily my soul is much more powerful than any other necromancer her in the Mortal Realm."

"I just want a giant hammer with a amethyst mana stone like you're Lava Tyrant, save for the whole amethyst being in a stone form like state," Ulgor agreed. "I'm tired of wielding a stick. Even if you put a spear head on the bottom of a staff, both are still sticks. I hate sticks. It doesn't make me look imposing."

"You're over seven feet tall and almost all of your body is all muscle. You think you don't look imposing with a staff?" Argolin sighed, rolling his eyes and looking at Elgar. "How's the Ice Brood?"

"It is sane for now. It comes and goes," Elgar answered. "As its master, I can control it against its will if it goes berserk. It's main job is to guard the Chasm of Chaos to prevent people from exploring it. We don't need guests to interfere. There are other ways though. If we do fight someone, don't attempt to kill anyone unless they insist on getting in our way. Let's go. Get ready. The teleportation circle will take us straight to the tunnel's entrance and disappear behind us. I also disabled the teleportation circle in my safe house in the chasm. There's no one to guard our rooms while we're gone. Are you ready?"

"Bring it on! Just lead me to the fighting and let me hit something really big," Ulgor grinned, his teeth flashing and revealing his canine teeth.

"My bears and I are ready," Argolin nodded. "They are both rank 5 magical beasts. They'll guard me as I cover you with my arrows."

"Then, let's begin," Elgar said as he tapped his left foot, causing the teleportation circle to glow a bright jade. The light flashed from their bedroom and they were gone before the light dimmed. They appeared before a dark entrance with Elgar's army of ghost fire wolf bone minions and skeletal warriors. The rest of his minions and his lich will guard the tunnel and entrance into the chasm with the Ice Brood residing in the lake.

Elgar's hand glowed a dark purple fire as he directed the skeletal warriors and bone wolves into the tunnel. He drew Lava Tyrant and Void and Magmar traveled in front of him as he entered the tunnel. Ulgor grinned and followed suit while Argolin rode one of his violet storm bears while the more powerful one took the rear. The green fire from the wolves illuminated the tunnel as the party ventured inside.