The alchemist placed down a random numbered card letting Spencer finally placed one down and then Maxim who said, "UNO!"

"Rats!" Serna dropped her cards and smiled, "Can we go again?"

"Hold on, young miss. The round isn't done yet. I've still got one card left. Let's see if you outwit me, eh." Maxim smirked.

"Oh, that's right! You're right!" Serna eagerly snapped up her cards and went through them, "I do have one chance to stop you. And this is how I'm going to do it." The Shield Maiden through down a "Wild" card and proudly declared, "The color is now green."

*****

Captain Lion took the puzzle key and walked right up to the blood rock where the blood flowing reacted instantly. The flow parted to reveal a strange keyhole when he inserted the puzzle key. With a careful turn to the left, right, and then left again, a series of gears were heard in the cavern. The outer surface of the blood rock split into five separate sections in a spiral pattern. One of many symbols of chaos revealed a dimly lit passage.

"Why am I getting a bad feeling about this?" Irzen asked no one in particular.

"I see you and raise it by two, Irzen." Madeous followed the elemental when she took point.

"Is it too late for me to fold before I lose more than my shirt?" The Swordsman deadpanned rhetorically before he turned towards Prince Birch, "Have no fear, your Highness, I will not abandon you nor your people in your time of need."

Prince Birch laughed, "I know you will not, Lord Drow. You did not abandon us when we stared down those invading Orcs and I know you will not do so now. Besides, I have your back. So you cannont run even if you wanted to."

Irzen smiled, "Touche, Elven Prince, touche."

An ancient voice hissed from the darkness beyond the eerie reddish glow, "Ahhhh. Uninvited guests, you've found the first of nine puzzle keys. Touche. Here let's play a game."

Another voice coming the side near the swordsman blurted, "Ohhh! I love games! Let's bet on how long these blood bags can keep their wits about them!"

A third voice, deep and sinister spoke up, "Come now, only one of them is pure, and one of them isn't even an actually human. Age makes the blood taste so much better!"

Irzen searched the surrounding gloom for the source of the voices but his darkvision could not penetrate the darkness.

Madeous grasped his sword in one hand and his holy symbol in the other speaking the dogma of the platinum dragon. Quietly at first and then repeated it louder and louder until a spectral dragon appeared. It's roar shout out in a three hundred sixty degree radius silencing the enemy and blanketing the entire party. Even Irzen and Captain Lion glowed in the dark tunnel as the light pushed back the sickening feeling that had crept into their minds.

Prince Birch immediately launched into another inspirational song carried about by his tenor voice:

As a child you would wait
And watch from far away
But you always knew that you'd be the one
That work while they all play

In youth you'd lay
Awake at night and scheme
Of all the things that you would change
But it was just a dream!

Here we are, don't turn away now,
We are the warriors that built this town
Here we are, don't turn away now
We are the warriors that built this town
From dust.

Will come
When you'll have to rise
Above the best and prove yourself
Your spirit never dies!

Farewell, I've gone to take my throne above
But don't weep for me
'Cause this will be
The labor of my love

Here we are, don't turn away now
We are the warriors that built this town
Here we are, don't turn away now,
We are the warriors that built this town
From dust.

Here we are, don't turn away now
We are the warriors that built this town
Here we are, don't turn away now
We are the warriors that built this town
From dust

A warm glow of energy encapsulated all of the Adventurers which increased their stamina, their resilience and their determination as their backs straightened, they stood a little taller and they faced the rising darkness without fear!

"Mono-logging! Ughh!" Madeous groaned again.

"It's in their contract," Irzen quipped, "The villains always get to monologue when they think they have the heroes defeated, when they are about to reveal their evil plan and when they are about to die. That's just the way it is, Madeous."

"Hmm," Captain Lion nodded as he surveyed the area, "There were three of them. Elder vampires, and the blood mage."

"Elder vampires? I believed them to be master vampires." The platinum knight looked over at Captain Lion.

"Well that changes things a little," Irzen replied to no one in particular.

"The blood mage is gonna be a D.E.A.D dead mage when I get through with'em!" Quake stomped the ground ahead of her. The floor cracked sending ripples of dust and rock shards to either side. A shriek from one of them could be heard not too far ahead. "Just like skipping stones over water."

Captain Lion held up his hand suddenly for everyone to be quiet when he reached into the magical darkness and pulled out a screaming, snarling vampire. The creature was definitely much older than any of the vampires they've encountered so far as it shriveled limbs tried in vain to break free of the airship captain. "Now, you may ask your questions before he meets his end, gentlemen."

"Beauty before age, Madeous," Irzen looked over to the Platinum Knight, "Ask him what you will."

"Where is the Blood Mage?" Madeous's vorporal sword gleamed in the eerily lit cavern. His voice stern and forceful.

The elder vampire sneered at him, "A self righteous human, bah! Your blood is well aged but you're not my type! I prefer young blood. Very young blood! Hehehehe!"

Quake walked up to the vamp with a red hot glowing hand and seared the chest of him. "You're gonna' tell us where the blood mage is, or you're gonna' burn reallllll slow like."

"YEEARRGGGHHH!! IT BURNS! IT BURNS US!" The elder shrieked in pain.

Captain Lion dug his nails into the neck of the elder vampire speaking in the Carpathian language, "Where is the Blood Mage and the Black Gate."

The elder responded in Carpathian, "You'll find them ahead in the next chamber, you will face them and your mind shall be tested. All paths lead to death, for none of the living can cross the threshold."

"He says the blood mage is ahead and refers itself in plural. That you will be tested to see who is the strongest among you. As for the Black Gate," Captain Lion paused, "only the dead can cross the threshold."

"Who wants to cross it?" Irzen asked rhetorically, "We just want to close it!"

"So how do we close The Black Gate, foul knave?" Prince Birch asked the elder vampire, "Speak truthfully, choose your words carefully and I will promise you a quick and painless death! If not, then your demise will be painful, agonizing and over many, many days!"

++++
====
++++

Without warning or ceremony, War Scribe reappeared right behind Princess Cauladra raised her arms high and boldly sang, "HERE I AM TO SAVE THE DAYYYYYYY!"

Acting on pure instinct alone and with the aid of her Elven reflexes; Princess Cauladra drew her sword from its sheath, drove her blade backward through War Scribe's heart, twisted the blade for good measure and yanked it free of the Drowling's body.

War Scribe's face had a sickly smile of glee upon it as she dropped to her knees and then collapsed upon the floor flat on her face and dead as a door nail.

Turning around to see her attacker, the Elven Princess dropped her sword, covered her mouth and gasped, "Oh gods! She is one of Lord Irzen's kin! What have I done?!"

The loud commotion out in the throne room drew out the Bronze Man who stopped in the doorway. He muttered under his breath when he saw the drowling and came over to see her now recently dead body laying on the floor. Lazheros stood next to the princess, "Your highness, you need not worry about her. For she is a Chronicler of Validor and her death is only temporary. Also, you may want to plug your ears when she returns to life."

"Really?!" Princess Cauladra was visibly relieved as she picked up her sword and sheathed it, "Thank the gods! For a minute I thought I had slain one of Lord Irzen's kinfolk sent here to aid us. I have heard of these Chroniclers, Grand Cleric, my sister-in-law, Prince Yew's wife, has had dealings with them in the past. They are both knowledgeable and wise beyond even Elven standards."

War Scribe's eyes snapped open right before she cut loose with a blood-curdling scream that forced Princess Cauladra to cover her ears and back away from the Drowling.

Lazheros held out his hand and cast, silence to drown out the blood curdling scream from blasting everyone's sharp hearing. He waited a few more minutes and dispelled it. "I wondered how long it would take you to show up, Chronicler. I am quite certain your arrival here has brought news and/or information that may help our situation, yes?"

"Thank you, Grand Cleric," Princess Cauladra removed her hands from her ears, "That was most welcome!"

"That depends upon how well you ask your questions, Lazheros," War Scribe did a kick-up to get back onto her feet, "I am geased to tell the truth but the quality of my answers depend upon the quality of your questions."

"How are the others down below us? Have they made any progress, chronicler?" The bronze man inquired.

"It's true, Grand Cleric," Princess Cauladra added, "My sister-in-law once told me the Chroniclers of Validor offer up nothing on their own. But they are geased to answer any and all questions put to them."

He crossed his arms in a huff, "Yes. Yes, this I know of, ladies. However, since there is a blood mage about, caution is ever prevalent when this fiend can manipulate any of the living with a heart beat."

"Correct, your Highness!" War Scribe smiled at the Princess, "Nice stab by the way! You drove your blade straight through my heart, twisted it cleanly in my wound and pulled it free effortlessly. You should be proud about committing such a good clean kill."

Princess Cauladra looked at War Scribe warily, "Thank you--I think?"

Lazheros just rolled his eyes waiting for War Scribe to answer him.

"But to answer your question, Grand Cleric," War Scribe mused, "I will tell you everything that has transpired with them and then I will let you draw your own judgments as to how they are doing and if they are making any progress. Fair enough?"

The Bronze Man waited patiently.

War Scribe promptly relayed to them all that she had seen and heard without any omissions and in fact went into quite a bit of gory detail when little to none were required. While the Drowling did indeed tell the truth, her embellishments betrayed her death-loving nature.

For the bronze man who's skin was a light bronze color, he looked rather pale suddenly. There were very, very few things that would affect on such a level and the mention of a black gate mortified him. Immediately he grasped his holy symbol of Bahamut and summoned his legendary armor. He said nothing to either of them as he turned around and went back to guard his companion.

"You know, Princess, this is the first time that I've ever seen Lazheros like this," War Scribe stared at The Grand Cleric in pure disbelief.

"Like what?" Princess Cauladra asked innocently.

"Scared."