Chapter 20: Dirt Should Know Its Place

Soon, the Magicam Monsters sneak inside the Ramshackle Dorm, and soon find themselves in the lounge.

The woman says, "Look - jack-o'-lanterns. They've even decorated this abandoned building for Halloween. Cool!"

"That's what I call atmosphere. Let's get a bunch of shots," The man says.

Soon, they begin to take some pictures of the room.

Suddenly, a strange voice appears.

"Huh? What'd you say?" The woman asks.

"I didn't say anything," The man says.

Suddenly, they begin to hear more voices.

"Id that… laughter? Where's it coming from?" The man wonders, looking around.

"That's normal in haunted houses, right? Maybe that means the Magicam ghosts are nearby," The woman says.

The man looks around as well, "It's too dark to see any." Then grows excited, "Ooh, maybe I can catch them on camera instead!"

Then the performer takes a picture. And suddenly, Lilia is upside down.

Causing the Magicam Monsters to exclaim, "What?!"

"D-did you see something just now…?" The man asks, startled.

"I did! But it's gone now," The woman says. "My last picture came out blurry, too. I can't tell what's on it.

Suddenly, Lilia's voice appears behind the man, "Youuu aaare cuuursed… "

The man yelps "Erk! I feel something blowing behind my ear!"

Then Lilia appears again, "Youuu aaare cuuursed!"

The woman screams, "The voices are coming from all around us!"

Soon, Lilia's voice bellows, "Foolish humans. You have incurred a wrath beyond your reckoning."

"W-wrath?" The man asks, scared.

The woman says, "It's not the white ghosts that we saw on Magicam?"

Soon, Lilia laughs, "Gwah ha ha ha! You thought us the same as those friendly specters? You deluded fools! No. You'll find us to be far more sinister. We come from the East in search of peace and tranquility. Here we rest. We have chosen Ramshackle Dorm as our home. Here we guard.

Suddenly, they begin to hear thunder from outside. They look out the window to see clouds in the sky.

"Huh? Why are there suddenly dark clouds outside?" The woman asks.

Just then, flashing lightning appears.

They scream, "AAAH!"

"Looks like lightning struck out there. That startled me!" The woman says.

"Ah…" The man yelps. A-aah…"

"Hm. What's wrong? It's just lightning. Nothing to get freaked out over," The woman says.

"N-n-no! I just… Outside…" the man worried.

Then screams, "I saw a giant eyeball even bigger than the window!"

"What?!" The woman exclaims.

The woman looks out the window, "What? I don't see anything."

The man freaks out, "I know I saw it! It glinted during the flash!"

Suddenly, Lilia's laugh echoed, "Khee hee hee… That was the king of kings who ruled over countless followers. The greatest of creatures that had lived for millennia…"

Then Lilia appears, "The long!" and lightning appears.

The man screams, "GYAH! More lightning!"

And suddenly, green fire appears on the floors of the dorm.

The woman panics, "This is getting kinda weird. Could this seriously be a long's curse?"

"I'm getting the creeps. Let's get outta here!" The man screams in fright.

They soon run off and head towards the halls of the Ramshackle dorm.

The man breathes rapidly, "It's so dark that I can barely see where I'm going!"

The woman is just as tired

Suddenly, Lilia's voice appears, "OooOOOh… Waaait… Don't leave us…"

The man panics, "they're still chasing us!"

"Let's go to the foyer!" The woman screams.

They soon run away and reach the foyer of the dorm, and see the open door.

The woman notices the door, "Oh, thank goodness! The door's still open -"

The two run towards the door, but it suddenly slams shut.

"Huh?!" The two react.

They rush to the door and try to open it, but the door won't open.

The man panics, "It just shut! I can't get it to budge!"

They continue to try to get the door open, but to no avail.

The woman panics, "I'm pushing and pulling, and it's not doing anything!"

Then, Lilia's voice appears again, "Where did you gooo…? No escaaape…"

The woman yelps, "Eek! The voice is getting closer!"

Then she rapidly knocks on the door, "Open it! Get us out of here!"

"What's wrong with this blasted door?!" The man questions, struggling to turn the knob.

Meanwhile, outside of the Ramshackle Dorm, the ones who are keeping the door locked are Silver, Sebek, and some of the students of their dorm.

Sebek says to Silver, "Listen up, Silver. Malleus and Lilia have entrusted us with this door. We are not to let it open under any circumstances. We must protect this gate at all costs, even if it breaks us!"

"Don't worry. We're built differently than the people inside. We could probably handle them one-handed," Silver says.

"That's why I said 'IF,' not 'WHEN'!" Sebek says, irritated.

Back in the dorm, the Magicam Monsters are running down the hall scared and trying to find a way out.

Suddenly, the man screams, "AAAH! Something just touched my neck!"

Then the woman screams, "It brushed against my leg! Is that the long?! Where is it?!"

Just then, Lilia' voice appears, "Khee hee hee… Silly fools. I'm far from finished with you!"

Then Lilia appears and roars, "RAWR!"

The Magicam Monsters scream, "KYAAAAH!"

Outside, Silver, Sebek, and the other students are hearing the commotion.

"Father seems to be getting a kick out of this," Silver says.

"Lilia always goes at full tilt for Halloween," Sebek says, "I still sometimes have nightmares of the terrifying ghost costume he likes to wear. He's spent over a decade scaring us. His level of expertise and experience isn't just leagues beyond laypeople's - it's in a whole other dimension!"

"I'll bet the Magicam Monsters inside Ramshackle Dorm are quaking in their boots right about now," Silver replies.

Then says, "We've got the front covered and more Diasomnia students are covering the backdoor and veranda. There's only one way those poor, panicked Magicam Monsters can get outside…"

Inside the doom, the man notices their way of escape, "Ah! I see an open window!"

"Let's get out through there!" The woman cries out.

And with that, the Magicam Monsters climb out of the window and into the courtyard of the dorm.

The woman takes deep breaths, "That was awful."

"Well, at least we're in the clear. They shouldn't chase us now that we're outsi-" The man says.

Suddenly, thunder and lightning appear, and almost strike at them.

The Magicam Monsters scream, "GWAAAAAH!"

The man panics, "Ah… aaah… Lightning… j-just struck right in front of us!"

"My knees are so wobbly, I-I can't stand," The woman panics.

Suddenly, they hear a sound, "GRRR…"

Soon, the ground begins to shake as green small balls of light like fireflies appear.

The man asks, "What's going on?! The ground is shaking!"

Then something makes a mighty roar, "GRRROOOWRRR!"

And then, green fire begins to appear and surround the Magicam monsters.

The woman screams, "AAAH! Oh no! Now we're surrounded by flames!"

Suddenly, Malleus' voice bellows, "You humans are creating a disturbance. Ah, but when you intrude into another's domain against all warnings, you are not human at all - you are dirt. And dirt should know its place!"

Then lightning and thunder strikes once more.

The Magicam Monsters scream, "AIEEEE!"

Malleus continues, "I hunger after being sealed away for so long. How shall I cook dinner tonight? Shall I bake it… or flambé it?"

Suddenly, footsteps begin to appear.

The man panics, "I'm hearing f-footsteps getting c-closer."

Malleus' voice continues, "What fools you are. 'Rude' falls to even scratch the surface of your effrontery."

Soon, the Magicam Monsters realizes, "w-wait a minute… so all this lightning and fire-breathing is -"

Just then, Malleus appears in front of them, "You shall learn what happens to those who anger me!"

The Magicam Monsters scream in terror, "EYAAAAAGH! It's the long's cuuuurse!"

Malleus roars, "RAWR!"