Gabriel didn't wait for Tess.
The moment the hinges groaned again, he lunged.
The church door was ajar, just enough for a grey monstrous head to appear, drool falling from its dagger-like teeth. Gabriel slammed his shoulder against the door, driving it closed against the Vampire.
The creature shrieked as the sound of cracking bones thundered around. Caught between door and frame, it could do nothing but thrash its arm wildly, hoping to hit the demon-eyed adventurer.
"Hold it," Tess barked.
He shoved at the door harder.
Half-trapped and injured, the beast whimpered.
Tess approached sword in hand.
Looking the monster dead in the eyes.
Thrusting her blade into the Vampire's skull. The squirming stopped instantly.
She took her blade out and pushed the body back into the church.
Gabriel, still keeping shoulder pressure on the door, managed to push it shut as soon as the obstruction was cleared.
Loud growls came from the church, the commotion had drawn the attention of the other six that were currently in the main hall.
"Hold the door," Gabriel shouted to Tess.
"I need thirty seconds, do not let them through".
Tess immediately switched with the former paladin.
She used all her might to push against the door.
Gabriel began climbing the outside of the church. He had noticed the lack of a window in an opening to the left of the door.
The wooden door began shaking violently. Tess was still pushing her hardest. Counting up to thirty.
Gabriel had made it up to the opening.
"Nineteen, twenty, twenty-one"
He peeked his head through.
All six Vampires were crowded around trying to claw their way out of the door.
The wood began splintering.
Tess's voice got louder, "Twenty-six, twenty-seven, twenty-eight".
Gabriel closed his eyes for a brief second and whispered, "Righteousness begets cruelty."
"Now move!" he shouted.
Tess jumped away from the door, spinning and raising her sword. It burst open, and six grey silhouettes formed at the opening.
The low growl drumming away in her mind.
She took a deep breath, trying not to allow the fear to paralyse her.
Two silver glints appeared in the doorway, followed by black goo floating in the air. The rear vampires began screeching in pain. The front guard turned.
This is my chance.
Tess lunged forward, no hesitation, slashing her sword with precision at the distracted Vampire, cutting through its back. She pulled her sword, ready to strike the next.
It was already on the floor. Two silver blades covered in black blood sticking out.
The growls had stopped, only pained groans remained. Then to nothing.
Gabriel stood in front of Tess, covered in the liquid that seeped out of the beasts, his head tilting slowly as he checked each corpse, looking for even the slightest twitch.
Tess began leaning against the door frame. A smile crept on her face.
"It's a shame we can't take the bodies," she spat between breaths. Chuckling as she tried to regain some stamina.
His lips curled upwards slightly.
A faint noise that resembled a whispered laugh crept out, lasting for just a second.
Gabriel wiped the blackened blood from his face, exhaling slowly as the tension released from his shoulders.
Tess pushed herself upright, still leaning on the doorframe for support whilst her heartbeat settled.
"Let's move," Gabriel muttered, turning into the main hall.
The scent of rotten meat was thick in the air.
Wood from the broken pews was scattered around. The altar desecrated by the creatures.
Bodies piled up in the back left corner.
"Look at their armour, they are adventurers", Tess quipped.
She placed her hand over her nose.
Gabriel nodded in agreement.
"I don't recognise them, though. Maybe they're from the capital's guild?" she mumbled.
"There are at least ten bodies."
"All from the last week." Gabriel interjected.
She looked at him, "How do you know?" her muffled voice came through her hand.
"All the corpses have a different smell, the strongest ones are the oldest."
"This one here." Gabriel pointed at one of the corpses. "Is the freshest one."
She removed her hand.
Tess looked at him, a disgusted look creeping on her face.
"You can tell that by smelling them?"
"Yes," Gabriel replied, a puzzled look on his face.
"What's wrong?"
"The capitals guild would not have sent adventurers without a request being made directly to them."
"Yes," Tess replied.
"When I asked the tavern about missing people, he said no. These people went to Blackstone first. They are missing people"
"They set them up," She replied, a smile creeping on her face for just a moment. "Did they set us up as well? Do they know about the nest?" Her voice becoming more agitated.
"I don't know", Gabriel replied, moving on from the corpses.
"Don't just walk away, people are trying to kill-"
A roar exploded out of the ground, shaking everything in the church.
Gabriel turned to Tess, whose face had gone pale.
"There's an opening by the altar." He began walking towards it.
Tess ran to him, grabbing his shoulder, stopping him from moving.
"Gabriel, that was not a lesser vampire. We need to go back and report it."
He removed her hand softly.
"I know." He continued walking.
"The contract was the nest. Not what's in it."
He reached the opening next to the altar.
Another roar boomed through, hitting his face like a gust of wind.
Tess followed hesitantly.
Gabriel stared at the hole in the floor for a moment. Sheathing his swords.
He looked over his shoulder at Tess, "You need to report Blackhaven to Hanitz."
"You want me to leave you here?" Tess's breath got caught in her throat.
"Yes."
Another roar rolled through the opening, the vibrations could be felt through the floor.
Gabriel's eyes began glowing, it was as though they were answering the challenge of the beast below.
"Go now!" his voice low and harsh.
Tess walked to his side, barging into his shoulder.
His head snapped to the side, glaring at her.
"I'm a higher rank than you, I give the orders". A forced smile was written on her face.
He nodded once and proceeded to lower himself into the opening. The moment his boots slipped through the floor, it was as though he had been swallowed whole. No torchlight, no glimmer. Even his eyes didn't give off their usual glow.
Just suffocating darkness.
Tess followed, her breath trembling as she dropped into the void after him.
Their boots struck stone.
Then light.
Rows of candles and torches flickered at their arrival, one flame after another ignited along the walls as if they were being lit by unseen hands. The chamber stretched out before them.
Markings etched into every inch of the stone.
Beams from floor to ceiling were uniformly scattered across the room.
Tess took a deep breath. "It's beautiful, what is it?"
"It's an elven temple. But that's impossible," Gabriel answered.
"Why?" Tess questioned sharply.
"Because there are no elven temples outside of Elivian."
"The elven isles?"
"Yes."