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〃e； Amadeo； I need you；〃 I cried in this frantic； foolish moment。 〃They're burning the house。 Bianca is in danger。 e。〃
〃Who is it； Master；〃 he said； flying up the steps beside me。 〃Is it Those Who Must Be Kept？〃
〃No； Amadeo；〃 I said； taking him under my arm and flying to the roof of the palazzo； 〃It's a band of demon…worshiping blood drinkers。 They're weak。 They will burn by their own torches！ We must save Bianca。 We must save the boys。〃
As soon as I reached the house； I realized that they were attacking it in unimaginable numbers。 Santino had realized his crazed dreams。 In every room there was a zealous assailant putting to the torch whatever he could。
The entire house was filled with fire。
As I rushed to the top of the main stairs I saw Bianca far below me； surrounded by the black…cloaked demons； who tormented her with torches as she screamed。 Vincenzo lay dead before the open front doors。
I could hear the shouts of the gondoliers pleading with those inside to e out。
I dropped to the bottom of the stairway； and with the Fire Gift burnt Bianca's young and blundering attackers； who all but tripped on their black robes as they went up in flames。 Some I could only force away with physical blows because I had no time to direct my powerful gifts。
Quickly I carried Bianca through the thick smoke and out onto the quais。 I heaved her into the arms of a boatman who at once moved to take her away。
As soon as I turned back to save the screaming boys； a host of black…clad monsters surrounded me and again I burnt them with the Fire Gift； battering at their torches clumsily as I did。
The house was everywhere in chaos。 Statues fell over the railings。 Tapestries were set ablaze and paintings smoldered； but the boys； what could I do to protect the boys？
As soon as I burnt one ring of monsters there came another； and from all sides the condemnations：
〃Heretic； blasphemer； Marius； the idolater； Marius； the pagan。 Santino condemns you to burn。〃
Again and again I knocked the torches aside。 Again and again I burnt the intruders。 Again and again I heard their dying cries。
The smoke blinded me as it might have a mortal。 The boys were roaring in panic as they were carried out of the house and over the rooftops。
〃Amadeo！〃 I called out。
From above； I heard him desperately call to me。
I ascended； yet at every landing they accosted me and I found myself whipping around and playing the same game of force and Fire Gift as rapidly as I could。
〃Amadeo； use your strength；〃 I called out to him。 I could not see him。 〃Use the gifts I've given you。〃 I could only hear his cries。
I set ablaze those who crowded close to me。 I could see nothing but the creatures burning； and then more torches thrust towards me as I hurled them back。
〃Do you want to burn！〃 I declared； seeking to threaten them but no lesson of power stopped them。
In their fervor they came on。
〃Santino sends you his holy fire。 Santino sends you his justice。 Santino claims your pupils。 Santino claims your fledglings。 Now it is time for you to burn。〃
AH of a sudden and indeed； it was all of sudden…there did e the fatal circle of some seven or eight of them swift enough to plunge the fire at me so that it caught all of my garments and my hair。
Against my body itself this fire burnt； swallowing my head and all of my limbs。
For one slight moment I thought I shall survive this； this is nothing； I am Marius； the Immortal One； and then there came to me in a fury the horrid memory of the blood of the Elder in Egypt set afire by a lamp； burning with lurid smoke on the floor of my room。
There came a memory of the blood of Euxodia in Constantinople； bursting into flame on the floor of the shrine。
There came the memory of the Druid god in the grove with his black burnt skin。
And I knew in the next instant； without memory or thought； that my blood had been fatally ignited…that no matter how strong my skin or my bone； or my will； I was now burning； burning with such pain and such speed that nothing could keep me from being destroyed。
〃Marius；〃 Amadeo cried out in terror。 〃Marius。〃 I heard his voice like a bell。
I cannot say reason drove me in any direction。
I did know I had reached the rooftop； and the cries of Amadeo and the boys were moving far off。
〃Marius；〃 cried Amadeo one more time。
I was blind to all who still tormented me。 I was blind to the sky。 In my ears； I heard the old God of the Grove on the night of my making telling me that I was immortal； that I could only be destroyed by the sun or by fire。
For life； I reached with all my remaining power。 And in this state； I willed myself to reach the proper railing of the roof garden and to plummet down into the canal。
〃Yes； down； down； into the water； under the water；〃 I said aloud； forcing myself to hear the words； and then through the fetid waters I swam as fast as I could； clinging to the bottom； cooled and soothed and saved by the filthy water； leaving behind the burning palazzo from which my children had been stolen； in which my paintings had been destroyed。
An hour； perhaps longer； I remained in the canal。
The fire in my veins had been quenched almost immediately； but the raw pain was almost unendurable； and when at last I rose it was to seek that gold…lined chamber where my coffin lay。
I was unable to walk to this room。
Fearfully； on hands and knees； I sought the back entrance of the house； and managed by means of both the Mind Gift and my fingers to unlatch the door。
Then moving slowly through the many chambers I came at last to the heavy barrier which I had made to my tomb。 For how long I struggled with it I do not know； only that it was the Mind Gift which finally unfastened it； not the strength of my burnt hands。
At last I crept down the stairs to the dark quiet of the golden room。
It seemed a miracle when at last I lay beside my coffin。 I was too exhausted to move further； and with every breath I felt pain。
The sight of my burnt arms and legs was stultifying。 And when I reached to feel my hair； I realized that most of it was gone。 I felt my ribs beneath the thickened black flesh of my chest。 I needed no mirror to tell me that I had bee a horror； that my face was gone。
But what grieved me far worse was that when I leant against my coffin and listened； I could hear the boys wailing； wailing as a ship took them to some distant port； and I could hear Amadeo pleading with his captors for some kind of reason。 But no reason came。 Only the chants of the Satan worshipers were sung to my poor children。 And I knew these Satan worshipers were taking my children South to Rome； South to Santino； whom I had foolishly condemned and dismissed。
Amadeo was once more a prisoner； once more a captive of those who would use him for their evil ends。 Amadeo had once more been stolen from a way of life to be taken to another inexplicable place。
Oh； how I hated myself that I had not destroyed Santino！ Why had I ever suffered him to live！
And even now； as I tell you this story； I despise him！ Oh； how heartily and eternally I despise him because he destroyed； in the name of Satan； all that I held precious； because he took my Amadeo away from me； because he took those whom I protected； because he burnt the palazzo which contained the fruits of my dreams。
Yes； I repeat myself； don't I？ You must forgive me。 Surely you must understand the pure arrogance and utter cruelty of what Santino did to me。 Surely you must understand the pure destructive force with which he changed the course of Amadeo's journey。。。。
And I knew that this journey would be changed。
I knew it as I lay against the side of my coffin。 I knew it because I was too weak to recover my pupil； too weak to save the wretched mortal boys who would suffer some unspeakable cruelties； too weak even to hunt for myself。
And if I could not hunt； how would I gain the blood to heal？
I lay back on the floor of the room and I tried to quell the pain in my burnt flesh。 I tried only to think and to breathe。
I could hear Bianca。 Bianca had survived； Bianca was alive。