Footsteps echoed off throughout the corridor as the woman made her way towards her master's chamber. The flickering light from those few torch's that were bolted to the walls caused the shadows to dance as she passed.

Approaching the end of the corridor, the woman was stopped by two guards. Clad in suits of black iron, the warriors watched her silently, their faces concealed behind a veil of mail. Only their eyes were visible. Their piercing, red eyes. Inwardly the woman shuddered although she did her best not to let it show. Those eyes held no warmth or even the faintest hint of humanity. Never had she seen one of the guards remove their armour and she was secretly glad of this. Whatever dark powers the Master had coaxed from the stuff of nightmares into the realm of reality was something that she did not necessarily wanted to gaze upon. The guards looked at her as though wondering as to why she was here.

"I have news for the Master," she said pointedly. The figures looked at each other for a moment, allowing an unnatural chill to enter the corridor. The woman felt a shiver run down her spine as she watched them. Were the two guards communicating? No they couldn't be. They weren't simply weren't human.

Then the guards turned back to her and with a unison that bordered on the eerie, they each grabbed one of the two oaken doors and pushed them open with a long mournful creak. Striding past the silent sentinels, the woman's black hair billowed out behind her as she entered the great hall. There was very little ornamentation to the grand chamber for its occupant gave little thought to such things. Indeed the only chair that furnished the place was a throne that had been left behind when the original owners had fled the place. A shadowy figure seated upon the throne, his fingers of one hand drumming against the worm ridden wood while the other clutched a tattered book.

Once more an unnatural chill ran through the girl as she approached the figure, only this time it felt much stronger. Looking down at her, the man leaned forward in his seat as he regarded her. A circlet of iron rested on his brow. His gaze met hers and almost instantly, the girl halted in her approach. Some base instinct inside her screamed at her to run but she did not dare.

"What is it Whisper?" The man asked, his voice smooth yet holding a hint of menace, "You know not to interrupt me during my studies." He gestured with the book in his hand. Whisper swallowed.

"I have received word back on the communication lacrima concerning the Fairy Tail wizards Master Shi." She announced.

Shi raised an eyebrow. "Well?"

Whisper hesistated before replying. "The assassins failed."

Shi shook his head as though mildly disappointed but nothing more. "How unfortunate. Still it is a trivial matter all things considered."

"What do you mean Sir?" Whisper asked, hoping to garner as much information as possible. "How could the arrival of two wizards not concern you, especially concerning that particular guild's history?"

Shi chuckled although the sounded contained no mirth whatsoever and if anything set Whisper more on edge. Truth be told, she was a potent mage in of herself and was more than capable of looking after herself. But Shi was something else entirely. The air around him seemed to crackle with hidden forces that he bended to his will. Comparing them would be akin to comparing a wolf to one of the dragons of legend.

"The wizards could prove to be a threat perhaps," Shi finally replied, "But I am only a few steps away from finishing my work."

Whisper's eyes flashed. "The elixir?"

Shi smirked and produced a vial from within his clothes. Inside a thick liquid of a bright crimson sloshed around. Uncorking the stopper, Shi raised the container to his lips and took a swig before carefully resealing the vial. He dangled it in front of Whisper. "It's almost finished. I just need one last ingredient."

"And that is?" Whisper licked her lips at the sight of the vial. She knew that the Master had long been working to perfect this elixir and had even been able to taste it herself. Just the thought made he shudder at the thought of the rush of power sent surging through her veins that even the faintest drop would bestow. Yet for all that, it still wasn't finished.

"I don't know," Shi admitted, his eyes darkening, "My sources do not state clearly enough what it is. Although I do have a theory..." He shook his head and turned back to her. "Whisper my dear, I have a task for you."

Whisper raised an eyebrow warily. "And that is?"

"You will go and find these wizards. Bring them to me and we will see it if my theory works. If they die, I will have lost nothing and will have suffered no consequence."

Whisper nodding, understanding what she was to do. "And what if I find him?"

Shi growled in annoyance. The room darkened and for a split second, Whisper believed that the shadows would leap out and engulf her. Amethyst lightning flared across his hands and he took a step towards Whisper. "If you find that rat Rykhan...kill him. I don't care if you have to personally drag his screaming soul into the depths of Hell, I want him dead!" he roared.

Whisper stepped back nodding. Quickly Shi regained his former composure and light began to fill the chamber once more. "I'm glad you understand Whisper. Now get out of my sight. I need to speak with someone in private."

Turning, Whisper left the room as fast as she could without seeming to show signs of weakness. Despite this however, she smirked as she pictured the upcoming struggle. In a way she hoped that the fairies put up a decent enough fight. It had been far too long since she had last had a decent fight.