The town of Holt was draped in a blanket of darkness, its residents slumbering peacefully, unaware of the storm that was about to break.

The midnight silence was shattered by a series of deafening explosions, shaking the very foundations of the town. In the blink of an eye, chaos erupted as a group of hooded figures appeared in the streets, their movements swift and deadly.

They moved with deadly precision killing any watchmen they met without hesition

The captain of the watchmen, a grizzled veteran with a scar running down his face, was jolted awake by the blasts.

He hurried out of his quarters, barking orders to the men who stumbled out of their beds, still half-asleep.

"You, go to the garrison and alert them of the attack! The rest of you, with me! We need to suppress this assault before it reaches the castle!"

As the watchmen scrambled to follow his commands, the hooded figures cut through the soldiers in their path with ruthless efficiency.

The captain cursed under his breath as he watched the intruders make a beeline for Holt Castle. "Damn it! They’re heading for the castle! All men, to the gates! Don’t let a single one of them inside!"

The watchmen rushed to fortify the castle entrance, weapons drawn and nerves on edge. Among the chaos, two of the watchmen moved with purpose, slipping past their comrades unnoticed. They weren’t who they seemed to be.

As they approached one of the smaller entrances to the castle, three garrison soldiers spotted them. "Hey, you two, what are you—" The soldier’s words were cut short as three arrows whizzed through the air, striking each soldier in the head. They crumpled to the ground, lifeless.

The two disguised watchmen quickly dragged the bodies into a dark corner. After a moment, two new garrison soldiers emerged from the shadows—Derrick and Edward, their faces concealed by helmets. Derrick’s voice was calm, almost eerily so. "We’re in. Now, let’s get Lizzie and get out."

Edward nodded, his heart pounding in his chest. "Right. We need to move fast."

Meanwhile, high above a bell tower near the castle, two more hooded figures were stationed, their bows drawn and ready. One of them, a slender figure with a feminine silhouette, scanned the area below.

"Are they in position yet?"

The smaller figure beside her, his eyes sharp and focused, nodded. "They’re in. We just need to make sure no one gets in their way."

"Good." The feminine figure released her arrow, watching as it soared through the air, finding its mark in the chest of a soldier below. "Let’s make sure they stay that way."

Inside the castle, Derrick and Edward moved swiftly through the candle-lit corridors, their footsteps barely making a sound.

As they rounded a corner, they came face-to-face with a group of garrison soldiers. Before any of the soldiers could react, Derrick and Edward sprang into action.

Edward’s dagger flashed as he slashed the throat of the nearest soldier, the man crumpling to the ground with a gurgle. He spun around, driving his blade into the side of another soldier. Derrick, meanwhile, moved with deadly precision, cutting down three soldiers in the blink of an eye.

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As he wiped his blade clean, Derrick glanced at Edward. "No time to waste. Let’s keep moving."

They continued through the castle, dispatching any soldiers they encountered with cold efficiency. The garrison uniforms they wore helped them blend in, but they knew their luck wouldn’t last forever.

Once, they ran into a group of maids, their faces pale with fear. Derrick quickly formed a series of hand seals, muttering an incantation under his breath. The maids collapsed to the floor, fast asleep.

"Sleep tight," Derrick whispered as they stepped over the sleeping women and continued on their way.

They navigated the castle with ease, having memorized its layout from the maps provided by the spies. Finally, they reached a heavily guarded door. Two soldiers stood at attention, their eyes narrowing as Derrick and Edward approached.

"What are you doing here? This area is restricted," one of the guards barked, suspicion in his voice.

Before the guard could react, both Derrick and Edward made swift hand seals, their mana flaring to life. Twin fireballs shot from their hands, striking the guards with deadly precision. The intense heat melted the metal of their armor, leaving them to die in agony.

Derrick waved his hand, the door creaking open as if by its own will. "Let’s go."

…

Meanwhile, in a luxurious chamber within the castle, a man lay in a large master bed, the soft sheets draped over him. A gentle knock on the door stirred him from his sleep. "Enter," he called out, his voice groggy with sleep.

A guard entered the room, bowing deeply. "My lord, the town is under attack. It appears the attackers are targeting the castle. Some of our soldiers have gone missing as well."

The man in bed—a noble with a smile—chuckled. "Is that so? Let them try. I’ve prepared a little surprise for our guests. As long as they don’t make it here, everything will be fine. Now, leave me. I need my rest."

The guard bowed again and exited, leaving the noble to drift back to sleep, a twisted grin on his face.

He also knew who the attackers were, the traitors had finally come. With this in mind he had asked his master permission to play with the little princess he said it was alright as long as she didn’t die.

He felt himself get aroused just being thinking of her, as he leaked his lips he ordered some of the guard to head to lizzie’s room.

…

Back in the castle’s depths, Edward and Derrick found themselves in a small, dimly lit room. Edward’s breath caught in his throat as he saw the frail figure lying on the bed—a small girl, her body covered in bruises and red marks. It was Lizzie.

Edward dropped to his knees beside her, immense grief filling his eyes. "Lizzie…"

She was alive, but barely. Her breathing was shallow, her once vibrant eyes now dull and filled with pain.

It was clear she had been raped.

Edward’s hands shook as he began forming hand seals, desperate to heal her. But Derrick stopped him, his voice firm but gentle. "You can’t deplete your mana here. We still need to get out."

Derrick quickly performed his own hand seals, a soft glow enveloping Lizzie’s body. Her wounds began to heal, her breathing steadying slightly. But she was still unconscious, and her body was frail, a shadow of the little sister they remembered.

"We need to go," Derrick said quietly, wrapping Lizzie in a cloak to protect her from the cold. Edward’s eyes burned with immense blood lust as he stood, cradling Lizzie in his arms.

But as they opened the door to leave, they were met with nearly twenty soldiers, their weapons drawn. The air was thick with tension as the soldiers prepared to strike.

Before anyone could react, Derrick unleashed a surge of mana, the sheer force of it sending shockwaves through the corridor.

“scram you piece of sh*t”

…

Meanwhile, atop the bell tower, the two hooded figures continued their assault, firing arrow after arrow into the soldiers below. But their position had been compromised, and more soldiers began to surround the tower.

The feminine figure handed her remaining arrows to the other figure, her tone calm and commanding. "Young master, cover me while I clean up this mess."

Without waiting for a response, she leaped from the tower, her figure disappearing into the darkness. The young master—Rick—drew his bow, firing multiple arrows at once, each one finding its target with deadly accuracy.

He glanced back at the tower, a frown creasing his brow. "Edward, what’s taking so long?"

Before he could finish his thought, one side of the castle erupted in a massive explosion. Two figures flew out of the wreckage, their forms silhouetted against the fire.

Rick’s frown turned into a smirk as he shot an arrow into the sky, the signal for retreat.