Power of the 8 Elements

Chapter Eighteen

The next day at "recess"---it wasn't technically recess, we just got a break—we immediately ran out to the field. There is a tennis court on the far side surrounded by a chain link fence. Thrax sat on the very top.

"Did you get it?" He said with a grin.

"Well, you won't receive it if you don't come down and tell us everything you know about serial killers," Lucifer said.

Thrax shrugged. He climbed down the fence. Celeste handed Lucifer the blood-dripping, stained bag which Lucifer unwrapped and dumped out the contents. The contents being: a dog. At least, a dead one.

"You guys are cruel, aren't you?" Thrax said.

"We weren't going to kill anyone else, plus the dog was already dead," Celeste said.

"I found him," I said. "On the road."

Thrax snarled, "Beggars can't be choosers." He opened the bag again and swallowed the intestines like they were a string of spaghetti. I recoiled since unfortunately lunch was our next period. "Now what do you want to know?"

"Everything. You were a former serial killer. We must at least hear from the best."

"The best, eh?" Thrax said.

"No, stupid, you're the only one we know," Lucifer added.

Thrax grinned. "That's just hurtful."

"Just give us the facts please."

"Fine."

"If you meet one new person every day, you meet 27, 375 new people throughout your entire life, of which 41% of them are likely to be uncharted murderers."

Everyone's face fell.

"So Phoenix, you've been alive for what? Twelve and a half billion years. That is...4,565,625,000,000 days. However you have to count the fact that people did not exist for a very long time. Like, what, two million years. Subtract that, you get twelve billion, four hundred ninety eight million years which converts to 4,561,770,000 days. If we stick with the rate of one person per day then that's still 4,561,770,000 people and 41% of that...well, that means in the long lifespan of Phoenix of the Frosted Tundra, she has met 1,870,325,700 people who are likely to be undiscovered murderers. How is that for facts?"

"How did you know that?" Celeste asked with a shocked look on her face.

"It's common knowledge. You just have to multiply. A lot."

"I keep failing mathematical magic, and you did that in your head?"

"Yeah, it's not that big of a deal-"

"Are you kidding me?!"

"I'm not kidding."

"Alright, alright, back to the serial killer stuff," Lucifer said.

"Anyways....there are four main types of serial killers. Thrill-seekers, mission oriented, control or power seekers, and visionary killers. Thrill-seekers are those who see breaking and outfoxing the law as amusement, pleasure."

"That can't be ours," I said. "The act of the kill seems like a pattern. Like they're going at something."

"Right you are, my demigoddess friend. That's what led me to mission oriented killers. Those types of killers seek to rid society of a certain "group"."

"That's probably it," I said.

"Hold on, the level of overkill such as cutting off the limbs and the lips seems like-"

"A power seeker?" Thrax asked, answering Celeste's question. "Precisely. Power seekers are most likely sadists. And you're onto something. However, seeing the head in the bag the other day, we can infer that's not a power seeker. They often keep souvenirs of their kills. Power seekers want control, domination over their victims. They're most likely patient, calm."

Domination. Control. Patience. Calm. Power. All these words made me think of the Arcane Order and myself.

"Phoenix? You okay?" Celeste asked. I suddenly snapped back into reality.

I looked at Thrax. "Am I a serial killer?"

His bright yellow eyes glanced at Lucifer and Celeste who had troubled looks on their faces just like him.

"Phoenix, I don't know as much about the other members of the Arcane Order. But from what I learned from spending this short time with you, and when we were enemies, I've noticed that you don't have any of the main traits of serial killers. You've shown more emotion, especially towards me, than the people I used to consider family." His eyes darted slightly towards Lucifer who face palmed himself.

I smiled and hugged him tightly. I thought, for a second, that he'd push me away, but he wrapped his tendrils around me. And that fear emotion...? It seemed to dissolve.