The shadows danced like hallucinated snakes within the deserted temple. 

The combat had already begun. Deformed creatures, traces of what were one day human and elves, attacked with ranging teeth and empty eyes. But in the center of the altar, raised between cracked columns, Shaedra Vorn remained static, observing Axiel. 

Black eyes shone. She slowly descended like mist, the black silk dress waving with an invisible wind. 

- You are different. She said, staring at Axiel. "It smells of death ... but also of something old." I do not recognize your lineage. Who is your master? 

Axiel wiped a blood stain from the jaw and answered without ceremony: 

- None. I woke up in a temple. Alone. 

Shaedra frowned. 

- All the children of the night are generated. You have not been created. It was forged. As an error ... or a miracle. 

She approached with half -circled eyes. 

- Why fight yours? Humans hate them. The elves fear him. Your hunger is ours. Why does it protect alive meat? 

Axiel did not blink. 

- I didn't come to save anyone. I just want the head of the worm that bit the girl in the tavern. 

- So ... will have to kill everyone. 

She lifted her hand. 

The shadows raised. 

From above, Malak and Aranna faced the horde that spread to the walls. Malak's sacred sword emanated an aura of intense golden light. With each blow, smaller vampires exploded in dust. 

- On your left! Shouted Aranna, firing a silver arrow. - They are many! 

- Keep reciting the prayer. Keep the rhythm. He grunted Malak, circle with the blade that beheaded three at a time. 

But one of the monsters jumped behind the pupil and hit her hard on his shoulder. She fell, bleeding. 

Loriel, floating above, narrowed his eyes. 

- Tsc. Nothing like a discreet little help. 

She flew to the side, touched Aranna's armor and whispered something in an old tongue. The metal of the armor began to shine ... transmutated in pure silver. 

Aranna got up with new vigor. 

- What...? 

- Go there, lady. Time to chop ugly animal. 

Meanwhile, in the center of the room, the shadows of Axiel and Shaedra collide. 

The umbinesis of the two shocked like dark walls at war. Dark currents serpented through the air, trying to dominate each other. Axiel's costume vibrated, summoning sugar tentacles that hit the clutches made of shadow that Shaedra fired. 

The earth trembled. The columns ruined. And the temple ceiling ruined partially, revealing the night sky and the full moon. 

Shaedra smiled, the skin darkening even more under the lunar light. 

- That's ... this is power! Are you feeling? Are you listening to the bones under us? They sing! 

A shout of vampire tore the air when Malak stuck the sword in the chest of a degenerate larger than a bull. Aranna protected children released from quick blow cages, now using silver weaponry. 

Shaedra launched into a direct attack. 

The vampire witch moved like a gust of living mist, crossing the shadows of axiel, emerging behind him and kicking him against a column. Before he fell, she turned and hit Malak with a punch that launched him back, cracking the floor with the impact. 

Both moaning in pain. 

Shaedra floated up, her hair like wind snakes, her black eyes shining with power. 

"Your sacred and damn toys won't stop me." I put myself in the blood of archangels. I chewed bones of lunar priestesses. I... 

Crash! 

The floor under Axiel and Malak gave way. 

Both fell ... straight on a camera below the altar. 

The fall was short, but the violent impact. 

The dust dropped, revealing a secret crypt, wrapped in roots and forgotten candles. 

What they saw there ... froze their bones. 

Bones. 

Children. Small skulls. Delicate arms still with leather bracelets. Broken dresses. Penalties of ellical diadema and broken human necklaces. 

Axiel squeezed his fists. 

Malak, silent, approached a small skull and removed a piece of fabric with the coat of arms of the church. 

- That ... it was a sacred place ... 

The two looked at each other. 

There was something not said. Shared pain. Genuine anger. 

No word was necessary. 

They turned together, raised their eyes to the ceiling ceiling. 

Shaedra floated above, laughing crazy. 

- See just ... the union impossible. The vampire and the paladin. The error and the fanatic. 

Axiel opened his wings. 

Malak lifted the sword. 

A deaf roar exploded in the air. 

Their energy emerged - living shadow and heavenly light, finally united by pure hatred. 

The whole temple trembled. The moon shone stronger, illuminating the two as if the world stopped to watch. 

The war against darkness had changed. 

And Shaedra ... was afraid. 

...