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〃The door there； and the stairs beyond it。 The church lies on the third floor； up to our left。〃
I made for the door without further delay。 I rushed up the steps； taking turn after turn； my boots clattering on the stone； not even looking to see if they followed me； not wondering how they did it； knowing only that they were with me； feeling their presence as if I could feel their breath on me when no breath came。
At last we entered the corridor； broad and open on our right to the courtyard below。 There was an endless strip of rich carpet before us； full of Persian flowers deeply embedded within a field of midnight blue。 Unfaded； untrammeled。 On and on it went until it turned； ahead of us。 And at the end of the corridor was the perfectly framed sky and the jagged speck of green mountain beyond。
〃Why have you stopped？〃 Mastema asked。
They had materialized around me； in their settling garments and their never…still wings。
〃This is the door to the church here； you know it。〃
〃Only looking at the sky； Mastema；〃 I said。 〃Only looking at the blue sky。〃
〃And thinking of what？〃 asked one of my guardians in his toneless； clear whisper。 He clung to me suddenly； and I saw his parchment…colored fingers； weightless； settled on my shoulder。 〃Thinking of a meadow that never existed and a young woman who is dead？〃
〃Are you merciless？〃 I asked him。 I pressed close to him； so my forehead touched him； and I marveled to feel it against me and see his opalescent eyes so distinct。
〃No； not merciless。 Only one who reminds； and reminds； and reminds。〃
I turned to the doors of the chapel。 I pulled on both giant hooks until I heard the clasp give； and then I opened wide one side and then the other； though why I made such a vast and broad escape for myself I do not know。 Maybe it was a passage for my mighty band of helpers。
The great empty nave lay before me； which last night no doubt had been crowded with the gaudy blood…drenched Court； and above my head was their choir loft from which the most ethereal dirge had e。 Sun violently pierced the demonic windows。
I gasped in shock to see the webbed spirits emblazoned so immensely in the fractured and welded fragments of glittering glass。 How thick was this glass； how heavily faceted； and how ominous the expressions of those webbed…winged monsters who leered at us as if they would e alive in the blazing light of day and stop our progress。
There was nothing to be done but to rip my eyes off them； to look down and away and along the great sprawling marble floor。 I saw the hook； I saw it as it had been in the floor of my father's chapel； lying flat in a circle cut in the stone； a hook of gold； polished and smoothed so it did not rise above the floor and would not catch a toe or a heel。 It had no cover。
It merely marked decisively the position of the one long main entrance to the crypt。 One narrow marble rectangle cut into the center of the church floor。
I strode forward； heels echoing throughout the whole empty church； and went to pull the hook。
What stopped me？ I saw the altar。 At that very instant the sun had struck the figure of Lucifer； the giant red angel above his masses and masses of red flowers； which were fresh as they had been the night when I had been brought to this place。
I saw him and saw his fierce burning yellow eyes； fine gems set into the red marble； and saw the white ivory fangs that hung from his snarling upper lip。 I saw all the fanged demons who lined the walls to the right and the left of him； and all their jeweled eyes seemed greedy and glorying in the light。
〃The crypt；〃 said Mastema。
I pulled with all my might。 I couldn't budge the marble slab。 No human could have done it。 It would have taken teams of horses to do it。 I locked both hands more tightly around the hook； yanking it harder； and still I couldn't budge it。 It was like trying to move the walls themselves。
〃Do it for him！〃 Ramiel pleaded。 〃Let us do it。〃
〃It's nothing； Mastema； it's only like opening the gates。〃
Mastema reached out and pushed me gently aside； so that I was caught on my own feet for a moment and then righted myself。 The long narrow trapdoor of marble was raised slowly。
I was astonished at its weight。 It was more than two feet in thickness。 Only its facing was marble； the rest being a heavier darker； denser stone。 No； no human could have lifted it。
And now； from the mouth below； there came a spear as if from a hidden spring。
I leapt back； though I had never been near enough to be in danger。
Mastema let the trapdoor fall on its back。 The hinges were broken at once by its own weight。 The light filled the space below。 More spears awaited me； glinting in the sun； pointed at an angle； as if affixed in parallel to the angle of the stairs。 Mastema moved to the top of the stairs。 〃Try to move them； Vittorio；〃 he said。
〃He can't。 And if he trips and falls； he falls down into a pit of them；〃 said Ramiel。 〃Mastema； move them。〃
〃Let me move them；〃 said Setheus。
I drew my sword。 I hacked at the first of the spears and knocked off its metal point； but the jagged wooden shaft remained。
I stepped down into the crypt； at once feeling a coldness rise and touch my legs。 I hacked again at the wood； and broke off more of it。 Then I stepped beside it； only to find with my left hand that I felt a pair of spears awaiting me in the uneven light。 Again I lifted my sword； the weight of it making my arm ache。
But I broke these two with swift blows until their metal heads had gone clattering from their wooden stems as well。
I stepped down； holding tight with my right hand so as not to slip on the steps； and suddenly； with a loud cry； I swung out and off the edge of nothing； for the stairway broke there and was no more。
With my right hand I grabbed at the shaft of the broken spear； which I already held in my left。 My sword went clattering down below me。
〃Enough； Mastema；〃 said Setheus。 〃No human can do it。〃
I was hanging； both hands locked around this splintery wood； staring up at them as they rimmed the mouth of the crypt。 If I fell； I would no doubt die； for the fall was that far。 If I did not die； I would never get out to live。
I waited； and I said nothing； though my arms ached excruciatingly。
Suddenly； they descended； as soundlessly as they did all things； in a rush of silk and wings； slipping into the crypt at once； all of them； and surrounding me； embracing me and carrying me down in a soft plummet to the floor of the chamber。
I was at once let go。 And I scrambled around in the dimness until I found my sword。 I had it now。
I stood up； panting； holding it firmly； and then I looked up at the sharp distinct rectangle of brightness above。 I shut my eyes； and bowed my head； and opened my eyes slowly so as to bee accustomed to this deep damp dusk。
Here the castle had no doubt let the mountain rise up under it； for the chamber； though vast； seemed made of only the earth。 At least this is what I saw before me； in the rude wall； and then turning around I saw my quarry； as Mastema had called them。
The vampires； the larvae … they lay sleeping； coffinless； cryptless； open in long rows； each exquisitely dressed body covered in a thin s