The immense metallic doors swung wide to allow them into the Sanguine Overlord's quarters. Warmth blanketed itself over them as they entered. A pair of lapis lazuli eyes glowered down at them from the painting above and various instruments lined the walls. Books soared in and out of the corners of the room with wild abandon. Coffee had been set on the nearby table.

Ana raised her head and leaped to her feet. The sight of Gelehrter sent joy through her being and she scanned him like a craftsman. She was rooted in place by her own fear, her emerald eyes filling with tears.

“Y-You...you're alive.” The smith scowled and pointed an accusing finger at him. “You're alive! I can't...I can't believe you're alive!”

Gelehrter could only find the strength to stand. She rushed to him and her arms forced any air from his lungs. His hallucinations of her power were of no comparison.

Another door creaked open nearby. Ovelia exhaled a sigh of relief upon seeing Arden before her and composed herself quickly.

“Good, you're all accounted for. You have much to tell me.” She motioned to the sofa and they took a seat across from Ovelia. Gavilis remained near the entrance, murmuring a spell onto an inkwell and a quill.

“My Overlord, we have only arrived just moments ago from the Lower Sector. We need time to rest and gather--” Rena pleaded.

“You will tell me what transpired in Burm. This mission was to reactivate the defense matrix, you have done as you were instructed. However, the situation grew dire when we heard of King Thalanil's death.” Ovelia sipped at her mug, her gaze unwavering.

Rena was the first to obey. “The Northern District was much worse when we had arrived. A merchant near the entrance aid us when we sought passage, his hired guards protected us from vampire ambushes in the area.”

“The Keep of Burm was heavily guarded. We questioned a servant after we had a warm welcome from King Thalanil's personnel. Unfortunately we did not have the pleasure of documenting the state of the town after the defense matrix was activated. He was loathe to allow us entry, as he believed a peaceful resolution with vampires was to allow them in their midst. The place smelled of death and it was no secret that many of the attendants were terrified of having vampires roam freely.” Gelehrter crossed his arms and tapped his sword arm with his index finger before continuing. “We met Eloise when we were asked to join Thalanil at dinner. It was a strange sight...and Arden was sure to scare her.”

She flushed in embarrassment.

“I had to act irrationally to ensure our intentions were clear. I had every reason to believe he would have stopped us. Do you know who was the one who killed Thalanil?” Rena asked expectantly.

“I had dealt the blow to Burm when we learned you were gone. Another Justicar and myself were met with opposition. It was nothing the two of us could handle.” Gavilis announced from his post.

All but Ovelia turned to him in astonishment.

“He planned to keep us out of Burm to help build an army.” The Grandmaster explained. “Your friend was apprehended by us before we put him down. She has been also put to pasture not before her memories were extracted.”

“You can't be serious! She had given us vital information on their culture!” Arden interjected and stood upright.

“We had intercepted your journals when they were completed. The Grand Atheneum collects data in all aspects of the universe if it is written down...we knew you were alive, but not exactly where.” Ovelia raised a palm and obediently her adopted daughter seated herself. In this instance, Ovelia was not her mother but her superior. She took notice of the discipline in her new Justicar and stomached her joy with more coffee. “I had to contact a few of the Council to spread word your party was still alive, but somewhere. They have been begging me to take action against the vampires, namely House Delacroix, and I have not given them an answer. I have heard the pleas of many, but all out war is something we must avoid.”

“Our forces are divided into two groups, the Justicar and the Templarate. The ratio for one Justicar versus a Templarate is about one to one hundred...” Gavilis explained. “Since we cannot determine the force in which we are to apprehend, it would be foolhardy to allow for war to brew. Even a drunkard would turn down the amount of tolerance needed to stomach those odds. Even if we have a million soldiers employed by the Templarate, who serve the Council's coin, our trusted force of Justicar would pale in comparison.”

“In other words, if there was an invasion, we would be doomed.” Rena concluded.

“The Council cannot be trusted with defending Sanctuary. Justicar are too few and the Templarate too undisciplined.” Gavilis pointed out.

“That is a discussion for another time, I am afraid.” Ovelia appeared weary. “I will allow you to rest here and finalize your reports. If you need me, I will be in my quarters.”

“I will attend to giving them a quick briefing for tomorrow. The Council meeting will be imperative to moving forward, my Overlord.” Gavilis revealed a smile, though faint, made him appear almost human.

Ana rubbed her temples. Her mind took solace in the aspects of craftsmanship and the idea of politics were revolting.

“I am sorry to have troubled you with worry. I will do better next time in my instructions...I didn't account for us being trapped in the Lower Sector.” Gelehrter sighed.

The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

“You've...been there?” Ana raised an eyebrow in curiosity. “Papa used to tell me stories of the place. The air is so toxic it drives a man into madness before he slaughters his friends and kin. Water so polluted, it eats your insides and then makes you spit them out!”

“Before we get started, it is a great pleasure that you have returned. Since you are Justicar, you are extremely valuable to our Overlord and Sanctuary. The Council has been up in arms over the king's death and has been urging us to launch a full scale assault. Our code will not allow us to do anything unless we know what we are up against. I have our Overlord's permission to use Eloise's memories in the meeting tomorrow.” Gavilis crossed his arms and continued. “She knew little, for what it is worth.”

“What did you do with the body?” Arden asked.

“It was turned to dust. The head of House Delacroix denied us the right to bury her and ordered her to be destroyed. His own daughter, no less.” Gavilis appeared to mourn for a moment and then he shrugged.

“I am sorry, Grandmaster... My comrades and I will retire for the evening, if you do not mind. I would like to recuperate after that excursion into the Lower Sectory...as educational as it was.” Rena sighed as she uttered the last few words under her breath.

He shrugged and motioned for them to follow. Door hinges materialized against an empty place in the corner of the room. He turned the knob and allowed them inside. A corridor which seemed to continue eternally into the abyss.

Gelehrter swallowed nervously.

“Get some rest here. I do not like opening this place because its rather drab, but I think it will suffice until tomorrow.” He ushered them to each of their rooms.

Gelehrter took a step into his room and Ana brushed against him as he passed. She had laid several of her items onto a bed. The bedchamber was lined with a desk, a bookshelf, several utensils to write with and few chairs around a fire. Cackling filled the room as the blaze gently caressed their skin with its warmth.

He merely watched her place her things about from a satchel she had prepared. Several undergarments, a dress, a few of her tools which included her worn hammer. His eyes soaked in the image of her. As she gripped the handles of her tools, hints of her own strength shone brilliantly to his trained eye. Dark hair was released from their binds and fell just above her lower back. In some areas she was singed and covered still in soot from the forge, but it was her aura. A tenacious spirit resided within.

She turned to him after a spell. Their gaze met for some time but they did not speak or feel the need to. They resided in the home of their silence and felt content.

However, something troubled him. The interactions between them seemed forced. Their actions and replies were familiar. His demure nature did not deter her. Talk of her work did not surround their conversation when it had no subject. A familiarity which perplexed him at even the slightest notion. Her feet padded against the wooden floor when she removed shoes and strode over to him. Confidence pervaded every step. A will constructed from the finest iron remained locked within her eyes.

And yet he found himself taken aback. A woman, no...the woman of his dreams now wrapped her arms around him. She raised herself onto her toes to meet his eyes.

“...I feel like I've known you all my life.” She spoke from the heart.

“Y-You...You have.” He stammered.

“And yet...I do not know who you are. After papa passed away, you became a stranger. You went on your own path and forged a will stronger than any steel. A man could not break you...a woman could not entrap you. And what is this...thing I am wishing from you?” Ana lowered herself and then rested her cheek against his chest. “Your heart...it is beating. I can hear it. A strong heart...stronger still than any heart. And it is mine.”

He remained silent.

“What is the matter, my love?” She whispered in agony. “Why do you not speak to your beloved...what have I done to wound you so?”

Gelehrter's breathing tensed as a knife pressed itself against his back. Her eyes widened as they raised to meet his once more, the fiendish glare flashing a bright scarlet.

“What have...I done...?!” A wail escaped her.

Around him the scene began to collapse. In a wide stroke of a paintbrush, it disappeared from view. In his mind's eye, he focused onto her and the knife. Its point was sharp enough to puncture through his gambeson and into his heart. His Blessed Star would need time to activate, but it would not protect him right away.

I should embrace this scene...and work it in my favor. He grimaced as he took her into his arms. She released the knife and the environment around him took shape once again. His ears halted their ringing as it absorbed the vibrations of her breathing and the blaze.

“I'm sorry...I did not know what came over me. I was stunned.”

“I'm sorry too, my love...I acted strangely.” She admitted. He did not hear the knife hit the ground and could not turn to observe the handling of the weapon.

Gelehrter guessed and did not like either outcome.

“Come, why don't we sit?” He guided them to the bed and they sat on the edge together. His eyes studied her. A hallucination, perhaps?

Nay, it was real. She tried to kill me. A circle of immense magnitude churned within his mind as it raced with the many possibilities. I need to escape.

Flames enveloped his left fist.

Her eyes latched onto the new development and he shoved her aside. He sprinted for the door, but Ana leaped from the bed with her knife in tow. In desperation, he activated the Blessed Star. As the mystical dark armor stitched itself around his frame, the weapon pierced through his trousers and into the back of his thigh. His body reacted and he fell forward.

Blood spurted from the weapon as it was ejected from his body. He felt miniature prickles of thousands of needles permeate the fresh wound and he winced as he felt the Blessed Star heal him.

“You...!” Ana's image flickered and items around the room swirled about her figure. He muttered a quick spell and he drew his blade.

“You are not real! Release me from your hold!” He bellowed defiantly. Fire danced about the edge of his sword and he held it aloft.

“You are mine!” Ana's image exclaimed. “I am your keeper!”

Gelehrter lunged and with a single stroke, the picture before him vanished into nothing.

He stood in the epicenter of an abyss. His head lulled back and he witnessed the skies rising high over him.

Gelehrter, you must wake up! A voice called to him.

No, nothing more than an illusion... He dismissed the warning and he sheathed his weapon.