Eloise composed herself and staggered to her feet. The incredible strength behind Arden's blow still held her like an abusive lover.

Voices from the stairwell shouted, the sound of their armor echoing into the hallway. They all exchanged glances and steeled themselves.

“I know of an entrance into a place they will not go.” Eloise said as she struggled to support herself against the wall. “It is a place where all vampires take refuge. There we will be safe for a time.”

“Vampires? We will be attacked on sight.” Gelehrter shook his head. “We will die.”

“What other choice do we have?!” Eloise argued.

“If we do not escape, we will die.” Rena pointed out and then nodded to Eloise. “If it will allow us to reach the Citadel with Accalia, I will go wherever you wish.”

“You would not think of abandoning the mission at a time like this?” Arden growled.

“Accalia returning with us is part of the mission. Ovelia would want her to report on Thalanil's practices and we could have her answer for other things she had done too.” She replied and looked to Eloise. “Lead the way.”

The vampire reached for her spear and spoke a few words. They were slow, deliberately so. The knights had reached the top of the stairwell and moved to apprehend them.

A door hinge materialized from out of nowhere. Within a few moments the entrance itself, carved with several runes, slowly took shape.

Arden cut down several of them. Her weapon glistened for an instant as they fell to her, the opalescent tip pointed to her next opponent.

In the confusion, it seemed the Justicar were overwhelmed, but they worked ruthlessly.

Rena and Gelehrter lobbed off several limbs together and they fell dead.

An overwhelming dread filled them as the door solidified. Their opponents seemed to dissipate into nothingness as the flames from Arden's weapon finished with them. Rena and Gelehrter's foes remained dead on the ground.

Without a wall to support it, the threshold beckoned to them. Its dark will reached for them with spindly black fingers and without warning it lashed out to the torch sconces. Flames were extinguished, save for Arden's sword, and the light was swallowed by an invisible force. A sinister grin appeared on Eloise's visage for an instant before the door swung open of its own accord.

Immense gusts of wind pulled them into the entrance from both ends. As they neared it, they were swallowed into the abyss.

***

Gelehrter screamed in agony as the darkness enveloped him. His body had lost all feeling, the feeling of warmth. The feeling of hope. Claustrophobia thrashed his entire frame as he struggled to contain his identity.

And without warning, he felt the cold chill of death release him from its grasp. The air he inhaled caused him to cough and he reached under the collar of his Blessed Star. A black mask was pulled over his nose and he drew in a few breaths. His eyes struggled to find any source of light. Silence tolled in his ears as they searched for any noise other than his own breathing.

He stood upright. Torch sconces illuminated a corridor which seemed to lead to nowhere. His legs felt the tinge of fear grip them with its icy grasp.

The atmosphere was warm. Needing to keep himself free from the cold didn't matter any more. However, he needed to escape. He turned all about, searching for any signs of his friends.

“Should just head this way...I do not know where I am, nor where I am going.” Gelehrter mumbled to himself. The only sound penetrating the ever present silence was his footsteps. He ventured on into the darkness, his body moving almost like a robot.

For quite some time, he only heard his own breathing. As if guiding him in some perverted manner were the torches aligning the wall.

He took a moment to examine his physical condition. Clutched in his right hand was his longsword, crafted by Ana. In no shape or form was he damaged in the last fight, nor was he incapacitated in any way. Moreover, the draining effect of the Blessed Star did not effect him. In some way, the Blessed Star was guarding him from the atmosphere of wherever this place resides. He recognized some form of the magic behind the torches lighting themselves.

I have not left Sanctuary. Gelehrter retreated to his thoughts. That much is certain.

Crimson hues appeared ahead of him in the darkness.

Adrenaline pumped through his body as he anticipated a fight. His muscles tensed as they neared him.

Gelehrter made no attempt to apprehend them and instead waited.

The echo of what seemed to be thousands of footsteps shook his resolve. Doubt settled into his frame as he gripped his sword.

Seconds passed him by for what seemed an eternity. His entire being was prepared for a fight, though no conflict came. He lunged forward with his blade and only caught air.

Images appeared before him in infinity. The expanse of the corridor was illuminated by some light from an unknown source. He watched himself infinitely raise his arm and without warning, the illusion was gone.

He shook his head in disbelief.

I must be losing my mind... He concluded.

A voice behind him took him from his thoughts. Familiar.

Who on Sanctuary?

Ana appeared before him. Her emerald gaze drank his image and she rushed over to him. The strength behind her embrace nearly took his breath away.

“Ana...how in Sanctuary's holy name did you get...here?”

“I...I do not know.” She whispered, her voice echoing and bleeding through to his heart. “I...just was searching for you. I wanted to know if you were safe.”

“I had sent you my letter. It gave explicit instructions to seek an audience with our Sanguine Overlord should I not see you in a week.” Gelehrter scolded her. He raised his eyebrow when she gave no curt response.

“I just miss you so much.” She pouted.

“You aren't real.” He shook his head and pushed her away. The image seemed to distort and shake as it neared him. A guttural growl escaped the lips of the being before him, the arms elongating themselves to hold itself up. Claws extended from its fingers and they scratched through the stone with ease as it now approached him.

Gelehrter grimaced as the creature salivated, its eyes fixated onto him.

Fear siphoned his strength of arm. His legs mechanically moved his body to avoid the swipes the creature attempted and he finally gritted his teeth. Steel met flesh, cutting through with ease. The creature squealed and reeled back in agony. He struck again.

And again.

And again.

Without warning it rose again, the flesh stitching itself together. He reached for magic deep within and flames dances about his palm. In desperation he forced the flames deep within the creature, exploding it from within.

A sigh of relief escaped him. The expanse appeared shorter somehow and yet...

He heard the creature gasp as it regained its form. Panic set in and he turned to flee.

Galloping behind him, the creature seethed with pure malice as it chased him. He ducked and slid to avoid several blows.

Voices.

More voices.

More of the quadrupeds—they are quadrupeds, right? Gelehrter examined the horde of creatures following after him.--appeared as if from nowhere, the darkness bellowing in response to the horde's call. Several leaped to tackle him, but he narrowly raised his sword to lob them in half. Blood coated him and he hopped forward to avoid another hoping to devour him.

His body felt weak. The Blessed Star suddenly pumped him full of energy, his frame reacting in ways he had not foreseen. Courage boiled deep in his gullet and he turned about to face the horde before him. The steel in his grip flashed and he cleaved through several of them with ease.

Gelehrter prepared a spell as he bobbed and weaved. Several claws reached for his visage only to be met with his longsword.

Valorous rage embraced him.

He gritted his teeth and swung in a wide arc. A wave of flames soared ahead as the magic imbued within his sword was released. The blaze rent their flesh and they all fell into a heap of gore.

I can't...keep this up forever...The thought crawled into his mind as he steeled himself once more.

To his surprise, the wall closed and the heap of creatures vanished. He shook his head in disbelief and fell onto his rear.

“Hello? Is anyone there?” A voice called.

Rena. He concluded. Gelehrter leaped to his feet and headed for the source.

“Rena, its me! Gelehrter!” He shouted.

A claw shattered as it met his Blessed Star.

Another of the creatures before him materialized into view and he took a step back. With another quick lunge it fell to the ground as the blade pierced through its skull.

“Gelehrter!” Rena's voice reached him once more.

“Stay where you are!” Arden's voice joined the chorus.

“I cannot! These...things will tear me to bits!” He slashed through another limb hoping to catch him off guard.

A wave of azure flame soared to meet him. His bracer sent sparks about as it collided with the stonework when he slid and he deftly rose to his feet.

Both of his comrades faced him now. Arden and Rena were garbed in the dark armor he was familiar with.

However, distrust fell from his lips. “Rena, if you are who you say you are... Who was your master?”

“It was Stolzer Ritter, Justicar of the Sanctuarian Templar.” She blinked in surprise.

“My mother sometimes cries at night because no man is able to best her in combat.” Arden admitted and the two merely stared at her in shock.