[https://i.imgur.com/8YGiSsT.jpg]

Time slowed. Heilong was coated in Hood’s aura. It was condensed to the edge. Hood swung up and the bullet became two. His body was pushed back by sheer force, carpet was dragged under him as he tried to stay standing. The bullet left huge holes behind him. Danor charged and reloaded his pistol.

“Workers, if you don't want my blade sticking out your frail necks, move aside and run.”

The doctors and servants heed the assassin’s warning and abandon the Duke. Bullets and needles were dropped. They ran past Hood as fast as their leg could move them.

“Wher-WHERE ARE GOING!?” The panicking noble shouted at the fleeing staff. His visage was worn and bloody. Without his armour or shirt, he stood bandaged. Dark hollow eyes on pale skin. A walking corpse stood his ground against the dark invader.

Hood walked forward.

“STAY! AWAY!” The Duke fumbled with the pistol. Before he could put in a bullet, Hood leapt across the large office. A step on the desk and kick to the face. Danor twirls into the bookshelf nose bleeding. Danor unsheathed his gold sword and struck at the assassin's legs. Both Hood's legs lift and hit his face. Danor bounced off the bookshelf again, books fell and made a mess. The Duke ran away, slipping on volumes. Danor stood between a Hood and a window, moonlight shining through a multitude of beautiful colours.

The bastard has style.

Danor looked at his empty hand looking for a bullet, the pouch that held his hope lay metres away.

Danor inhaled and exhaled deeply. His temperament seemed more relaxed.

“A Duel. Just us. Choose the time.”

A punch to the stomach bent the Duke. Blood spurts out of his mouth, he holds his stomach in agony.

“For Hammond.”

Hood kneed the keeling noble. A head flew backwards to be held by Hood’s left hand. He grabbed his brown hair tight. A fury of punches was unleashed on the handsome man. Every punch drenched Hood’s right fist in blood. Cracked teeth fell on the floor.

“For your victims.”

Hold on, we need him recognisable.

Ah.

A kick between the legs and the Duke roared in anguish.

“For Maki.”

Hood let go of Danor’s hair. He pat his hand to remove tuffs of brown. Hood grabbed onto Heilong. From unsheathing to a strike, the silver blade goes for the neck.

The window shattered, and a gust of wind blew inside the office. A slim man held Hood’s blade. Moonlight shone on the tall man, Long hair seemed to float. A delicate hand grabbed onto Heilong’s blade with two digits.

“I got tired of waiting on the fucking boat.”

Wearing a black waistcoat and a fluffy the stranger bends slightly. An opened blouse reveals a built body. A white clay mask with two dark holes stared at Hood. Chills ran up every nerve on the assassin's body. His body is in flight mode. But he could move A body hand held his neck and pushed him into the other side of the office. A blast of wind was left in the stranger's wake.

The tall stranger lifted Hood, dragging him up the wall.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to Royal Road for the genuine story.

“So it is you. The troublemaker. Who knew a single man - no… boy could cause this much trouble. You fucked the supply chain up so royally that the higher-ups may have to come and get their share. They do not have the patience I do

“No! Not my city! You promised!” Danor shouted from the other end of the room.

“And you failed!” The Vampire sighed. “She was right. We shouldn't have left it to the humans. From now on, we do it our way.”

The vampire sniffed Hood as the assassin scratched at the hand that strangled the life out of him.

“Oh my! And we will start you, boy. Your Aura! So young and powerful. I can't let the others have you.”

Hood attacked the vampire again. The blade is grabbed and discarded like a baby’s toy. The tall figure lifted off his white mask. A long tongue wiggled out before a long toothy smile. Canines protrude. Pale as death skin looked paper thin. Red eyes slit like a demon’s, stare at Hood like meat on a skewer.

“Be a good boy and stay still.” The long tongue moves on Hood's masked cheek.

Amber light blew the vampire to the bookcase. Shelves and hundreds of books fell on the ground. Hood dropped to the ground, coughing he looked over at the creature of the night.

A Sword of amber light plunged into the vampire's left shoulder, holding him on the wall. The Vampire’s body sizzled as they moved forward off the sword. Sharp teeth frown in fear. The humanoid creature hunched like a beast, scanning around for the Danger

The priest in shabby clothes walked through the doorway. His smile was kind and his eyes determined. He looked over at Hood.

“Can I come out now?”

Bob paused his healing. He felt the huge presence again. It wielded its awesome power. Bob could not help but stand and pray to his God.

Let them vanquish evil from this land. Amen.

The vampire struck. Nails grew into claws. Still looking at Hood, the priest leisurely put his left arm up to block. Amber's energy protected him. A right pushed amber light at the vampire, blasting him to the wall again. Skin burnt but the vampire’s clothes stayed intact.

“Why do you have to get yourself injured again, boy.” With a wag of the finger, his cracked neck and broken ribs were healed.

The vampire crawled on all fours. It launched itself, bouncing around the office. It moved around the room at speeds that Hood couldn't fathom.

Another wag of the finger creates four swords of light, hovered by the priest.

“YOU WILL DIE TONIGHT, HOLY MAN!” Said the Vampire. His Voice echoed around the room.

The priest raised his hand slowly, the sword levelled themselves horizontally. Moments pass. The vampire circles the room, jumping off the wall and ceiling.

The creature targeted Hood. A claws crunched from a shield of holy power.

“Predictable.”

The four swords flew. Limbs were chopped off. The vampire fell in a heap of his arms and legs. The vampire hissed in pain, vibrating the air. Their stumps burned, and sulfur-smelling smoke billowed from each.

The priest bent down slightly at the limbless mass. His face was blank of emotion.

“You will not die yet, young vamp. Questions need answering.”

He dealt with the Monster like a tick. All Hood could do was bask in the performance of sheer power.

Is this…

Yes, Drac. The pinnacle.

“Boy, aren’t you forgetting someone?”

The Duke slowly crept along the floor. Hood found his sword and sheathed it. A kick on the stomach from Hood brought him back standing.

William Danor fell on both knees. He bowed his head down. Tears dropped to the floor. “YOU HAVE DEFEATED ME. YOU HAVE TAKEN EVERYTHING, EVERYONE! YOU HAVE CAUSED ENOUGH SUFFERING! PLEASE! JUST LET ME LIVE!!”

Hood grabbed his sword’s hilt.

Hood.

What now? Killing needs to be done.

Death is easy. His suffering should be long. Use the priest's example.

Cutting off limbs?

No, the rune.

Hood released his grip from the hilt, took down his hood and his mask was pulled. Sweat dripped off full lips. A small afro grew within the many day's stay at Foushire. Spikes of facial hair appear on the young face.

Hood smiled.

In his jacket pocket, he retrieved the diamond-shaped rune. Hood charged it with his aura and his soul. It is now his.

The duke looked up at the assassin.

“A… boy? Just a boy?”

“That’s what they always say.”

Hood grabbed the Duke of Foushire's hair once again.

“Slaver to slave. A very funny and suitable end for the duke.”

William Danor muttered as his chest was stabbed with a rune.