Back to the present at the count's castle.
Rufus and the count heard some noise coming from the kitchen. The lord and Rufus went to check it out since it sounded like something large fell over.
When they reached the kitchen they saw the table had been flipped over. They looked back and saw one of the lord's servants nailed to the wall with a dagger. Someone was in the kitchen, and that same someone was rummaging through the pantry. It was Dorothy Milene.
"Oh. It's you again," said Dorothy acting surprised when she was Rufus.
"You know her?" asked Vlad.
Rufus was terrified. He knew he was still no match against that monster.
"Yeah. Met her once. She is dangerous," said Rufus and came between him and Dorothy as to protect the count.
"Now, now. Let's not get all aggressive here yet. We will fight later young boy. I am here to talk with count Hunyadi first." Dorothy said.
Many other people entered the room from the shadows, five in total. They all wore black clothes and had small weapons. Daggers, small axes, and short swords to name a few. They were assassins from the green twin's mantis gang.
"You know it took me a long time to reorganize my assassins after your last incident. They had never seen me so had to break some skulls before I got these people in order," said Dorothy looking at her assassins.
Vlad Hunyadi was tightening his fist and was quelling his rage. He knew he couldn't be blinded by his rage, even though one of his household servants had just been killed.
"What did you want to talk about?" Hunyadi asked Dorothy.
"I heard that you had refused the request of Duke Mihalh?" Dorothy said while eating at the count's food.
"Of course I did. He requested me to stop exporting grain from Wallach to the other regions of the kingdom. What he was requesting was mad. Hundreds would die from starvation!"
"See. That is our problem. We are here to convince you otherwise," Dorothy said while peeling an apple with a finger turned into a knife.
"So you are here to threaten me. Go ahead and Try. I will not be threatened. I rather die than bow down to that man or any other man."
A lot of screams were heard coming from outside. The lord saw a bright light coming from the direction of the village. He rushed to the window and saw many buildings burning in the village.
"You see I brought twenty men with me. Twenty extremely skilled assassins worth at least 10 regular soldiers each. Five are here. Where do you think the rest are?" Dorothy asked while eating the apple.
"You monsters…...!"
"Perhaps, but you know what you have to do. And as a personal extra, I ask you not to get involved when I butcher that young man beside you. I have a personal grudge against him and his friends," Dorothy said and pointed at Rufus.
They were caught completely between a rock and a hard place.
Before Vlad Hunyadi could give an answer a long spear impaled and threw one of the assassins who had attacked the village onto the wall of the castle. It was Doreen's spear. Rufus and the count looked outside the window. They saw Edward and Doreen fighting off the assassins while Haley was guiding them away from danger.
"Who are those people?"
"They are my friends," Rufus said smiling knowing he could trust his friends.
Dorothy then lashed out at Rufus with a hand-turned into a sword. Rufus dodged it barely.
"It seems that negotiations have failed. Time for plan-b boys. Kill them both," Dorothy ordered.
The five assassins started to attack the count. The lord fought back with just his fists as Rufus created one of his spheres of destruction and threw it at an assassin. Just like last time the assassin dodged it thinking he was in the clear just for the sphere to expand and destroy everything in its proximity when it vanished.
After that though Rufus felt tired. His reactions started to get slower and his muscles started to ache. Dorothy laughed.
"Seems like the rat learned a neat new thing. Unfortunately, it seems you weren't aware that even divine powers have limits. Using Divine powers is like using your muscles. The more you use them the more tired you get. Simple as that," Dorothy explained.
There were four assassins left with two of them then attacking a tired Rufus. They were stopped when a bunch of red rose vines with thorns stopped them. They wrapped themselves around the two assassins like snakes. The thorns punctured and made it agonizing for the two assassins.
Dorothy and the rest of the two assassins looked as the vines also started to approach and attack them. Vlad Hunyadi had his hand raised like he was controlling the vines.
This was the divine power of count Vlad Hunyadi. He had the power to control and create the same red rose vines that were outside the castle. The vines then started to wrap themselves around the two assassins tighter until they completely shredded them to pieces.
"I will have you know, no one leaves this castle alive if I deem it so. Especially those who threaten my people!" yelled Vlad Hunyadi.