A large man blocked their way, appearing as sudden as they had. Large was insufficient to describe him, in height and width he resembled a half-giant. His upper body was bare and covered in scriptures, and the only sign of his age was the white hair and wisdom in his eyes.

"So the great Samdel has come to make his appearance finally?" Sin grinned widely, and quickly stepped in front of Maria. Within a few moments, the young master was surrounded by her beasts. "I had hoped that your master would ultimately see reason, yes." The man's voice was soft for his massive size. "I cannot say I truly understand how dark your thoughts must have been, to walk down this path, young girl. You faced no hunger, no poverty, nobody wished you ill. And now you caused the deaths of hundreds of thousands."

Maria could feel none of the confidence in Sin's voice. "I, I only want to reclaim what is mine, Sir Samdel! Your people kept my beast, you, you killed her! I didn't, didn't want it!" The flickering of silver threads around her was the only thing keeping her legs from giving out under her. Samdel had not even shown his Lore yet, but his mere physical presence caused Maria to quiver.

"You know what your beasts were made for, young girl. I do not want to kill. To rob someone of their life, of any chance to change their ways, to make up for their actions, it sickens me. But your beasts are not like that, are they, Sin?"

His gaze shifted to her, who only scoffed. "We are beasts, Samdel. In our veins runs the blood of the ancients, we are above what you and your insects consider good and evil. You abandoned the greatness mankind held, and until our master rights this wrong, we will never stop fighting."

Samdel slowly took a step forward, enough of a threat for Sin's arm to be covered in flames. Tetra was shaking as she muttered underneath her breath, seeming almost as panicked as her master. "You heard it from them yourself, young girl. Do you really desire your glory this badly? Your path will lead to nothing but more senseless destruction, more suffering and death. I have held out hope for you until now, but now that you are this close, I cannot simply stand by and watch. Not after you killed my son."

The sight of him clenching his fist caused Maria to nearly throw up, she had to lean against Menagerie for support.

"You, you are no better, no better than me!" She had wished to sound defiant, but instead of a roar her voice was little more than a screech. "People still die, they starve, all across the world, your world is broken, degenerate, false, with weaklings parading around masked as heroes. I have to claim what is mine, and I will. And I will make a better world, as great and amazing as this one around us here."

Maria had expected anger, frustration, a horrifying bestial roar to come from Samdel. It would have knocked the last bit of resistance out of her, but she would have been prepared. What she would never have expected was the look of sadness on his face. "I am very sorry, that nobody tended to your heart, young girl. But even more, I am sorry for what I have to do."

When the lines appeared on his body, Maria lost her mind. His magical presence was a weight, bearing down on her. As the entire Lore took shape, all she could do was watch. Watch as he tore through Elaines web of threads without a cut. As he wrestled Menagerie to the ground, throwing her into the side of a building where her body splattered into a mess of black blood. As Tetra cowered in fear, forgetting every spell she had so painstakingly memorised at the sight of what they were facing.

"Master, you must unleash me, now!" Sin was shaking her Maria, who stared back with a blank expression. "How, how can we, possibly, beat, that, thing." Sin was flung across the room, only Elaine stood between her and Samdel. Once more, her threads were not enough, with a single punch she was sent flying. Her frail body burst upon impact, leaving behind a vaguely humanoid black mass, crawling towards her master.

With a howl Menagerie leapt forward, now a massive writhing mass of tendrils, arms and legs, completely malformed. She pushed against the mountain of a man, claws, fangs and spikes trying to drill into his flesh, but not managing to pierce his skin. Six punches Samdel delivered, and after each strike a fountain of black blood sprayed out, until she collapsed, unable to even maintain her humanoid form, only a writhin shape of arms and legs, trying to crawl it's way towards him.

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Samdel stood in front of Maria, and all she could do was raise her hands over her head, praying that this was all a nightmare. She backed away from him, still raising her arms up. Samdel grasped her left, and pulled it clean of like a spider's leg. Pain overwhelmed her senses, but not enough that she could not feel his hand on her face, the searing pain seared her skin. "It will all be over in a moment, child."

"Morning Star, hear my dream, know of my desire and grant it to me." Samdel let go of Maria, turning around to the figure standing up high. "My foe stands before me. Make them perish." A bright light engulfed Maria and Samdel as the sky cracked, and she heard the bell ring once more.

Maria fell to the ground on her back, eyes staring into the sky. And all her pain faded from her mind, at the sight of absolute horror beyond.

The skies were clear, and dark. And all across the horizon were the shapes of beings that defied her imagination. Their heads were as far away as the sun, their hands large enough to hold and crush the planet. All she could see were long limbs, pitch black, and eyes the size of stars, staring off into the void. All she could do was scream, until her lungs were empty, until her brain shut off in merciful oblivion.

Elizabeth leaped off of the building, her arms shining gold. "Morning star, hear my prayer. Award me with your blessings, swords of the Seraphim." Nine golden blades appeared over her shoulders, their blades aimed at Samdel, who stood within a massive crater. His skin was torn and bleeding, his hair gone, but he could still move. "So you have turned sides, Merlayne? Was the rule behind the curtain not enough for you?"

The lady of Merlayne drew her sabre, her eyes narrow. "It would appear I was forced to reveal my hand earlier than I wanted, but no matter. Yes, you were played for the old fool that you are. But even if I had not, I would still tell you to leave. I told you before, Paris is mine, and you will only enter it over my cold dead body."

"I have no desire to enter your city, Merlayne. But I am afraid that I cannot let you take the girl with you either." Sin had gotten back on her feet, and rushed to her masters side, abject terror across her face. She tore her sleeve, trying her best to bind off the wound. Menagerie and Elaine, still blackened messes of blood, were staggering to their feet.

"Cut it out you fools!" Sin shouted at them, with enough authority to halt them from leaping at Samdel again. "Don't throw your lives away, master, my master!" she ran a hand across Maria's face, black tears running down her face. "You must fight it, you must, stay with us, you mustn't leave."

Elizabeth marched forward, but Samdel stood firm. "You may win, Merlayne, but not in time. You should reconsider." In reply the nine blade shot forward. Six missed their mark, three struck deep wounds into his body. "I made my choice, Samdel. Merlayne has let you play your game for long enough, it is time that we return to our rightful place. And you will NOT keep me from her."

Before either could strike another blow, the sky shattered. For a brief moment, there was a ray of light before the rift closed once more. A figure was falling down, landing inbetween Elizabeth and Samdel. Six scythe blades sprouted from her wrists, in her left she wielded the spear of famine, in her right the sword of war. "Where is my master, and what have you done to her." Armoire's voice was quiet, barely hiding her trembling rage.

Samdel took a step back, looking from Elizabeth to Armoire, then back again. Elizabeth was smiling widely. "I will not say it again, Samdel. I offer you the chance to leave. Run away, out of my country and back to those mud huts you call home. You will not keep me from her."

He shot the two one last look, then shook his head. "You will lead the world to ruin, and I will not stand by idly to watch. The next time, I will not fight alone." With these words he pulled out a key, similar to Maria's, and stuck it into the air in front of him. After turning it he disappeared in a flash of light. Elizabeth and Armoire rushed to Maria, and with a flash from Elizabeths key, they disappeared, leaving the ancient world behind.

When Maria awoke again, her body felt numb, and she could only see from one eye, the left was completely dark. "Where, am, I." The weak scratching of her voice shocked her. She tried to touch her face, but could only bring up one arm, feeling the heavy bandages all across the left part of her face.

And she could feel the lack of her arm.

Terror took hold of her, and it grew only worse as her eyes adjusted to the light, able to make out her surroundings. She was laying in a hospital bed, surrounded by her beasts, and right there, at her side, sat Elizabeth.

Never before had Maria seen her this worried, but the sight of her only caused her more pain. Even her right arm was not cooperating properly, she could barely bring it up to her face to cover herself. "Please don't, don't look at me. I don't, I don't, want you to see me like, like this."

The look of pity on her face edged itself into her mind, and for a brief moment, Maria wished she had never woken up again.