Why do they have to go and make things so complicated? I

At that moment, on the other end of the village, a meeting was being held in one of the lower chambers of the local castle.

"This meeting of the Dark Brotherhood of the Wolf, the Ram and the Stag will come to order," said a shadowy, robed figure. "Baron Holland Mannering presiding."

A tall, grey-haired figure in a black robe rose up and asked, "Do our distinguished guests have anything to say about this latest development?"

A dark-haired woman in a black wizard's outfit who was standing against one of the chamber walls just shrugged. So did her companion, a black-robed man whose main distinguishing feature seemed to be the metal hand on the end of his right arm.

"I have nothing," said the man.

"What about you, Sister Lilith?" said Baron Mannering.

"Hey!" she cried. "The news took me by surprise too."

Baron Mannering just sniffed. "You two aren't being paid to be surprised. You promised us a dragon attack and then you promised us a rain storm to keep the Slayers at bay. How come you did not foresee this development?"

"The witch is a freelancer," said Lilith. "Up to now we had assumed that all freelancers had been done in by the Church but apparently they missed a few."

"And you two do plan to handle the situation, right, Brother Linden?" asked Baron Mannering.

"Of course, sir," said Brother Linden.

"Then I guess there's no need for further questions," said Baron Mannering. "Get it done."

The dark-haired girl named Lilith raised her hand. "I do have one question."

"Yes," said Baron Mannering.

"Which one of the two do you wish for us to care of first?" asked Lilith. "The witch or the Slayer?"

The baron just shrugged. "Why not both?"