THE BLOODHOUNDS
From the depths of hell, monstrous hounds, their forms obscured from sight, descended upon the students and knights of the Knight Templar Academy. These invisible beasts, with their bloodshot eyes gleaming in the shadows, struck with unmatched ferocity.
Their vicious claws tore through flesh, their razor-sharp fangs sinking into the unfortunate souls within their grasp. Each attack drew forth crimson rivers of blood, staining the ground as the hounds reveled in their grisly feast.
With every drop of blood consumed, the invisible bloodhounds grew more formidable, their once-hidden forms pulsating with newfound strength.
They moved from victim to victim, relentless in their hunt for sustenance.
Even the most skilled knights, masters of magic and combat, found themselves powerless in the face of this unyielding menace.
For unknown reasons, their spells faltered, their abilities rendered useless against the relentless onslaught.
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"What is happening here? Why are we attacked?" Eugenia asked Dean Masker.
"It is time to call on the support of the Knights of the Cross", Dean Masker replied to her.
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[Back in the Queen of Demons' camp before the invasion of the Knight Templar Academy]
"What are these invisible beasts?" Kolgane asked Emily.
"These beasts are called Bloodhounds. The Queen infused her blood magic into the demon Hellhounds to create this breed of creatures. They become stronger and more vicious after drawing and drinking blood", Emily told Kolgane.
"These Bloodhounds are nothing special, we already have invisible Dark elves and the demon army. What contribution does these Bloodhounds give to our army?" Kolgane asked her.
"These Bloodhounds once tasted blood are extremely agile and vicious. Even our Greater Demons are not their match in combat, and they heal their bodies quickly", Emily replied to him.
"Do you want to try fighting one of them?" Darklord asked me suddenly.
"Why not? I want to test their strength", Kolgane replied to them.
Kolgane went down to the practice ground when an invisible beast was released.
Kolgane couldn't see the Bloodhound as it approached him. Suddenly, the Bloodhound pounced on Kolgane.
Although Kolgane couldn't see the Bloodhound, he could sense his approach. With a single punch he threw the Bloodhound more than thirty feet away.
Suddenly, Kolgane's shoulder was struck by vicious claws.
There was more than one Bloodhound that was released into the practice ground. Kolgane missed the second Bloodhound and was wounded by it.
Realizing his mistake, Kolgane grabbed the neck of the Bloodhound who wounded him and broke it, killing the Bloodhound immediately.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me there were two of these damned hounds?" Kolgane asked them angrily.
"That is the strength of these Bloodhounds. You will not detect them easily even if they were close to you", Emily told him.
"Why are you worried about, your body is tough as Mithrium?" Darklord told him and asked.
"The Bloodhound's claws are good at cutting Mithrium. Even the apostles will become useless against them when they are close", Emily told them.
"Indeed, these Bloodhounds are good apostle hunters", Kolgane said to them.
"Do you need me to dress your wounds?" Emily asked Kolgane.
"That is not necessary, the wound has healed", Kolgane replied to her, to her surprise.
Kolgane's wounds closed and healed almost as soon as he was wounded by the Bloodhound. He was indeed the Invincible Skeleton King that he bragged about being.
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[Back to the Conferment Ceremony in the Knight Templar Academy]
"Band together quickly and channel your Avatar to defend against the attackers", Dean Masker told the knights and students of the academy.
Those students and knights who weren't killed or gravely wounded by the Bloodhounds quickly gathered together to channel their magic.
They planned to summon magical Avatars to protect them from the Bloodhounds.
However, something was wrong with their magic. They failed to channel their avatar magic for some reason.
"What is wrong with us? Why can't we summon our Avatar or conjure our magic?" one of the students asked as the invisible attackers continued to maul and kill them.
"Run, everybody run to the central court. There is a protective magic there", Dean Masker told the students and knights.
Those students and knights who could escape quickly ran to the central court, when Dean Masker activated a powerful magic arraye that protected the court. A force field of some kind was projected around the central court, protecting those inside from the attackers.
However, those who couldn't escape in time were killed and eaten by the vicious Bloodhounds.
"How did these invisible monsters get into our academy?" Dean Masker asked furiously.
"Someone from inside must have let the dogs in", Eugenia replied to him.
"Why can't our knights conjure their magic?" Dean Masker asked.
"We have been poisoned", a teacher replied to the dean.
"How can we be poisoned?" Eugenia asked.
"It is in our wine. Someone must have poisoned our wines with dark magic that temporarily disables our magic", the teacher replied to her.
"Dean Masker, when did you prepare this magic arraye in the central court? We are saved because of it", another teacher asked the dean about the force field around the central court.
"I have been warned before this and made precautions although I didn't expect I would actually use it", the dean replied to her.
"What are we going to do now?" Eugenia asked the dean.
"First we neutralize the poison in our bodies first, then we go help those knights manning the walls of the academy", Dean Masker told them.
"There are still knights available to protect us? I thought all our knights are poisoned during the conferment ceremony?" another teacher asked the dean.
"I have instructed some of our strongest knights to stay alert and defend the academy. They did not join the conferment ceremony, and they were warned to be strict with their diet", Dean Masker told them.
"No wonder so many high ranked knights skipped the conferment ceremony", the teacher responded.
"It sounds like you already know someone will poison us", Eugenia told the dean.
"I already told you. I have been warned although I still don't believe such treason can happen in our academy", Dean Masker replied to her.
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