The Villain Professor's Second Chance

Roderick, the brute of the ensemble, slammed his fist on the table, causing the others to flinch. "Enough mocking. We\'ve killed dozens, burned down homes, all in the search for this artifact. And what do we have to show for it? Dead ends and wasted time."

The room fell silent, the weight of their collective frustration hanging heavy in the air. They had followed the whispers of the \'Dark One,\' a shadowy figure whose cryptic information had led them on a wild chase across the kingdom. Each artifact they found, each life they took, all for naught.

Selene\'s eyes glinted with a malevolent light. "The \'Dark One\' gave us what he could. If our methods haven\'t yielded results, perhaps it\'s our execution that\'s at fault."

Revenant, who had been silent until now, finally spoke. His voice was low but carried an edge of barely restrained rage. "We trusted Varik to handle this. He failed. Now our ranks are decimated, and we are no closer to our goal."

He paused, letting his words sink in. The leaders looked at him, a mix of fear and anticipation in their eyes. Revenant had built this group from nothing, his iron will and ruthless tactics uniting these disparate criminals into a formidable force. But now, with their plans in jeopardy, his anger was palpable.

"I\'ve just received word," Revenant continued, his voice rising. "An attack on our lower ranks. Complete devastation. Whoever did this is sending a message."

The room erupted into chaos. Roderick\'s face turned red with rage, veins bulging in his neck. "Who dares to strike at us? They\'ll pay with their lives!"

Selene\'s eyes narrowed, calculating. "It must be someone with a vendetta. But who? And why now?"

Kade\'s voice cut through the din, cold and precise. "It doesn\'t matter who did it. What matters is that we retaliate. Swiftly and decisively."

Revenant slammed his fist on the table, silencing the room once more. "We need to understand the implications of this attack. Was it targeted at Varik alone, or is it a broader assault on our operations?"

The leaders fell silent, each pondering the question. Finally, Selene spoke. "We need more information. I can use dark magic to track the perpetrator, but it will require significant sacrifices. Blood magic is not without its costs."

Roderick scoffed. "Magic? We don\'t need magic. We need to strike back, show them we\'re not to be trifled with. I say we retaliate against the knights\' order. They\'ve been a thorn in our side for too long.

This attack has their fingerprints all over it."

Kade shook his head, his expression one of exasperation. "Charging in like a bull will get us nowhere. We need a subtler approach. We infiltrate, gather intelligence, and strike where they least expect it."

Revenant listened to their arguments, his mind working through the possibilities. He knew that each of his lieutenants had their strengths, but their distrust of one another often led to disunity. This was a crucial moment, one that required a united front.

"We will combine our strategies," Revenant declared, his voice brooking no argument. "Selene, prepare your rituals. We need to know who our enemy is. Roderick, gather our forces and be ready to strike. But we will not act blindly. Kade, use your contacts to gather intelligence.

We need to know if the knights are truly behind this."

The leaders nodded, albeit reluctantly. Each of them knew the risks, but they also knew that failure was not an option. The Deadly Hollows had ambitions far beyond petty revenge. They sought to establish a criminal empire, to take over the Regaria Kingdom, or even a neighboring realm. This attack was a setback, but it could also be an opportunity.

Selene rose from her seat, her dark robes trailing behind her like a shadow. "I will need fresh blood for the rituals. The darker the soul, the stronger the magic. Bring me prisoners."

Roderick grunted in approval. "We\'ve got plenty of those. Use them as you see fit."

Kade smirked, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I\'ll spread the word among our spies. If the knights are involved, we\'ll know soon enough."

Revenant watched them leave, each to their tasks. He felt a pang of unease, a rare emotion for a man of his demeanor. The attack on their ranks had shaken him, but it had also ignited a fire within. They were close to their goal, and he would not let anyone stand in their way.

The chamber gradually emptied, leaving Revenant alone with his thoughts. He paced the room, the echo of his footsteps a rhythmic counterpoint to the swirling chaos in his mind. The attack was not just a setback; it was a challenge. Someone out there was bold enough to strike at the Deadly Hollows, to cripple their lower ranks with precision and ruthlessness. Such audacity could not go unanswered.

He poured himself a glass of wine from the decanter on the side table, his hand steady despite the turmoil within. As he sipped the dark liquid, he allowed his mind to drift back to the beginning of their quest for the artifact. The \'Dark One\' had promised power beyond their wildest dreams, an artifact capable of absorbing souls and converting them into strength and mana.

Such power was tempting, irresistible even. But the path to it had been fraught with difficulty and bloodshed.

Their pursuit had been relentless, each lead a tantalizing step closer to their goal. Villages were razed, innocents slaughtered—all in the name of finding the artifact. Yet, their efforts had been in vain, leading only to dead ends and false hopes. Revenant clenched his fist around the glass, the frustration of their failures gnawing at him.

The memory of Varik\'s latest failure resurfaced, the image of the man\'s lifeless body pinned beneath a fallen beam vivid in Revenant\'s mind. Varik had been a liability, his incompetence a thorn in their side. But his death had been a wake-up call. Their enemies were growing bolder, more desperate. The stakes were higher than ever.

Revenant\'s musings were interrupted by the soft click of the door opening. Selene entered, her dark eyes gleaming with the aftermath of her rituals. "I have done as you asked," she said, her voice a whisper of dark promise. "The magic will take time, but we will have our answers."

He nodded, setting down his glass. "Good. We need to know who our enemy is. And when we do, they will pay."

Selene\'s lips curved into a sinister smile. "Oh, they will. The Blood magic never lies. We will find them, and they will suffer."

The door opened again, and Roderick and Kade filed in, their expressions grim. Roderick was the first to speak, his voice a low growl. "Our men are ready. Just say the word, and we\'ll strike."

Kade, ever the pragmatist, added, "We\'ve gathered some intelligence. It seems the knights have been increasing their patrols, but there\'s no direct evidence linking them to the attack. It\'s possible they\'re just taking advantage of the chaos."

Revenant considered their words, his mind racing with possibilities. The knights had always been a thorn in their side, a force of order in a world of chaos. But this attack seemed too targeted, too precise. If the knights were involved, they were playing a dangerous game.

"We can\'t afford to act on assumptions," Revenant said, his voice measured. "Selene\'s magic will give us the answers we need. In the meantime, we prepare. If the knights are involved, they\'ll be expecting retaliation. We need to be smarter, more strategic."

Roderick\'s impatience was palpable. "And if we find out they\'re not behind it? What then?"

"Then we adapt," Kade replied smoothly. "We use the information to our advantage. The element of surprise will be our greatest weapon."

Revenant nodded in agreement. "Kade is right. We must be flexible. But we cannot ignore the possibility that the knights are involved. They have been a persistent threat, and their interference cannot go unpunished."

Selene stepped forward, her eyes glittering with dark intent. "There is another option. We could use the confusion to our advantage. Spread misinformation, and sow discord among the knights. If they\'re busy dealing with internal strife, they\'ll be less of a threat to us."

Revenant\'s lips curved into a thoughtful smile. "An intriguing idea. But we need to be careful. If we\'re too obvious, it could backfire."

Kade tapped his chin, considering. "We have contacts within the knights\' order. Perhaps we could use them to plant the seeds of doubt."

Roderick\'s scowl deepened. "We don\'t have time for games. We need to show strength, make them fear us."

Revenant raised a hand to forestall further argument. "Both approaches have merit. We will combine them. Selene, begin spreading your misinformation. Kade, use your contacts to gather intelligence and plant doubts. Roderick, prepare our forces for a show of strength.

We will strike at the knights, but we will do so with precision and purpose."

The leaders exchanged looks, their grudging agreement evident. They were a disparate group, each with their own ambitions and methods, but Revenant\'s leadership had bound them together. He knew that their strength lay not just in their individual skills, but in their ability to work together, to combine their talents into a formidable whole.

As the meeting adjourned, each leader left to fulfill their tasks. Selene vanished into the shadows, her mind already working on the spells and rituals needed to spread discord. Roderick barked orders to his men, their preparations a flurry of sharpened blades and tightened armor. Kade slipped into the night, his network of spies and informants already in motion.

Revenant remained in the chamber, alone with his thoughts once more. He knew that this was only the beginning. The path ahead was fraught with danger, but it was a path they had chosen. They would strike back, and they would strike hard. The Deadly Hollows would not be defeated so easily.

Hours passed, and dawn began to break, casting a pale light over the chamber. Revenant\'s lieutenants returned, each bearing news. Selene had completed her rituals, her eyes burning with dark energy. "I saw him, but because of the lack of information and evidence left at the place, I could only see the shadow," she whispered, her voice echoing with power. "He is strong, but he is not invincible.

From the use of his sword, I guess it\'s not wrong to conclude that he\'s from the knight order as there is a hint of the knights\' swordsmanship on his movements"

Roderick grinned, a savage light in his eyes. "Good. I\'ve got our men ready. Just give the word."

Kade nodded, his expression serious. "The rightful knights are involved, but not directly. They have been investigating us, but they didn\'t orchestrate the attack. It seems we have another enemy. There is a saying that it\'s from the knights that actually have a contract with us."

"Shit. Talking about getting stabbed in the back," Revenant snorted as he considered this information, his mind racing. Another enemy meant another threat, but also another opportunity. "We will deal with this new threat. But first, we strike at the knights. They have been meddling in our affairs for too long.

We will send a message they won\'t forget."