The air was dry, and the heat was rising up in the room, much like the tension in the faces of the many.
Guards were allowed access to accompany their masters into the venue, which was different than the last time.
Still, that alone was far from quelling the budding doubt that gripped the nobles' crooked hearts.
Not one or two, but three Master Magicians had manned the vanguard.
Their message was clear. Whatever threat that may come, those people would be there to handle it.
Frankly, it didn't matter...Their arrogance was making it all the more easier for us to blend in.
Chaos was at hand, and we relished in it.
So foolish. They didn't even realize the one who would hunt them had been here all along.
Would three Master Magicians matter? No, they won't.
Even I couldn't guess the true extent of Milord's power at this point. Maybe he was fast approaching the level at which Rygor Von Dawson was standing in, or maybe he was already there.
It was hard to say...
"Sold to the Madam over there on the left!" Cheers and booing mixed in among the excited bidders.
Slave after slave came and went, and along the trail of time, despair would follow each of them closely. But few showed an expectant reaction, as if a kindle of hope was burning deep within their beaten gaze.
They were expecting Milord...The savior.
If even the slaves could hear about us, that meant the word had spread far and wide all across the Kingdom.
"They are not here, as you said."
"Yes, Milord. I believe all the prominent nobles are using proxies to bid in today's event. They might be hiding in fear after hearing about what happened to Gragas's slave house."
Everything became easy whenever Milord was involved.
His might aside, things such as infiltrating auctions like this have become a joke. With nothing but a short word, the world would be bent to his will.
We were standing in the dead center of the venue, wearing our trademark robes and masks, but none could perceive us. Not even the glorified three Magicians. What buffoons...
Everyone knew what he looked like.
Yet, there was not a single soul out here that could see through Milord's magic. They couldn't even comprehend anything when we were talking about our plan right beside them.
Pulses of mana waves coming from artifacts they brought were working as they should, scanning the venue, but even that seemed like a mere toy in Milord's eyes.
"How many Shadows did you bring, Assassin?" Started Milord.
"Thirty, Milord."
"And the Elites?"
"Seven, Milord."
"Hm...Aren't there too many of them?"
'Those inbred Shadows begging me to tag along. Because of them, I have made Milord disappointed!' I was furious, but showing it to Milord would be disgraceful.
"Apologies, Milord. They requested vehemently to be able to partake in the excursion."
"And the reason you allowed them was?"
My heart beat jubilantly when I sensed the curiousity in Milord's tone. At least, it was far better than disappointment.
"I fear their skill might rust." Thus, I answered truthfully.
"Hm...explain."
"Yes, Milord. As you know, since the House began operating, the nature of most of the Shadows' tasks was that of espionage. Rarely do we have the chance to partake in such a large excursion like this."
"...So you want them to remember their roots?"
I bowed and saluted respectfully. I would not have it for Milord to catch the mad excitement in my eyes...
"Our daggers can only be sharpened by the blood of our enemies, Milord."
"Will you let them join if I didn't say anything?"
He really did know me well. It was fortunate I was wearing a mask. It would be so unbecoming of me to show such a twisted expression to my gentle lord.
"I will not, Milord."
"So they'll just watch us?"
"Yes, Milord. That too can serve as their training."
"Hm..." He sighed softly, closing his eyes momentarily.
"Then, if I leave today in your hands, can you do it?"
A challenge. A test of faith I so longed for.
Snap!
I called on the Elites, and seven of them suddenly appeared around us.
They were trembling. Not with fear or anxiety. They were trembling with fervor.
I really trained them well.
"We will not betray Milord's trust!" I answered in place of them.
"Sure. I'm not going to help, so don't die....Still, be careful of surprises. That's all I'm going to say."
"Thank you, Milord."
He said he wouldn't help, but for us, the dwellers of the dark, the obvious hint Milord dropped was more than enough.
And thus, the hunt began!
"You five, go deal with the three Master Magicians here. And the two of you will go with me. Have you found where the target is?" I ordered the seven.
"There's a trace of a secret passage leading further down in the second level right after the corridor." Answered a Shadow.
"The five of you will commence the assault only after I give you the signal. Heed that well. We don't want to alert the rats below. Remember what Milord said. Expect more of them, and watch out for any traps and artifacts. Be ready at any given time to strike and strike them hard and fast!"
""Yes, Assassin!""
"Good. Now, move."
Leaving the still silent lord behind, we moved out.
The five tasked to handle the three Master Magicians on the first floor separated themselves further, forming a wide net across their targets.
It helped a lot that the crowd had gone wild, lost to the ambiance of the engaging bidding war, making their movements look all the more subtle.
Satisfied with what I'm seeing, I led my group with a lighter heart.
The three of us first traced our way to the directions of the lavatory before finding the stairs leading to the second level.
Along the way, we passed by a couple of degenerate noblemen trying to have their way with a servant, and after crushing their balls to paste and leaving them in the lavatory, we traced our footsteps to find the hidden entrance.
And we found it not too long after that.
"Is this it?" A Shadow responsible for tracking the passage stopped in front of a particular wall. Half of it was covered by the dim shade of a lamp in the distance, while half of it was submerged in the calming darkness.
"Yes, Assassin. I noticed some new but faint tracks on the ground. And also, the texture around this particular rock in the wall is different. Moreover, I can feel a very subtle hint of a lingering mana beyond this wall. I think there is a protective spell to alert them if we open this carelessly."
"Good work. There is a trace of a spell, indeed. I can feel it. But it's not a big deal." It was laughable how they believed a spell of this level could keep them safe.
"May I have the honor, Assassin? This is one of the specialties in which I take pride." Said the other Shadow, as if he couldn't take it when his colleague got all the credits.
"Have it your way. But make it fast. We don't have much time. Milord is waiting."
"True. What a sin it is to have the lord wait on us."
That was a great answer. I like it.
He stepped forward, reaching out his hand slowly and gently as though trying to caress his lover.
From the tips of his fingers, tendrils of soft layering mana crawled out and found their way in among the cracks in the wall.
After a short, less than a minute, he pushed the rock, and the wall rotated in response.
A set of dusty stone stairs welcomed us among the glaring darkness.
"All yours, Assassin." Grinned the Shadow, satisfied.
"Let's move."
We went down, minding our steps, looking for any possible traps while straining our sensory senses to our best. We made short work of any obstacle we came across. I didn't pick these people for nothing. It was truly a work brimming with quality.
Shortly, a long and empty path appeared, and at the end of it stood a door waiting for us.
There were no spells to ward us off nor someone to warn them about our arrival.
There was just nothing but the door, sitting in the deafening silence.
"Three...Nay, five people?"
"Including our target, that means six."
The two Shadows exchange their words.
How did we know? For some reason, these fuckers were having a party inside there. And as we drew closer, everything got louder and clearer.
Were they retards or just that fearless? None of that mattered because they could keep doing it in hell shortly after we were done with them.
"We'll go in two," I stated.
The two nodded while prepping their spells and daggers alike.
One...
Two.
Bang!
I kicked the door, smashing it open, and pounced on the first fucker I saw.
"You first!"
Thus, the flower of death bloomed yet again in the night full of misery.