(44) Two vampires, a ghoul and a shifter.

Another tunnel faced Linden, much shorter than the other ones and brighter. At the far end was an open door from which came the sounds of fighting, consisting mostly of growls and hisses, interspersed with the clang of steel on steel.

Moving fast but silently, Linden arrived at the door in time to hear Helmut swearing vehemently. Peering around the edge of the doorjamb, Linden saw the shifter down on one knee, a large sword in one hand, which he swung, aiming for the revenant's legs. The revenant danced backwards but not in time to completely avoid the sword slashing deeply into one calf.

To Linden's horror, the wound immediately began sealing up, the revenant giving a maniacal laugh as it did. Then it lunged forward, the sword it was battling with narrowly missing Helmut's neck, leaving a thick line of blood across his shoulder. Helmut rolled to the side and regained his feet, seemingly unaware or unconcerned about the new wound.

Helmut circled the revenant, looking for an opening. Then he shifted, the sword clattering to the flagstone floor as he leapt for the revenant's throat, jaws clamping down fiercely as his weight dragged the creature down.

The revenant appeared impervious to both the bite and the pain that would have debilitated anyone else. As it struggled to free itself, the revenant's glance landed momentarily on the open door and it hissed gleefully. It brought the hilt of its sword down with fearsome force across the wolf's back. The wolf howled, releasing its grip. The revenant, with one prodigious leap, landed beside Linden, wrapping a decayed arm around him, pulling him against his moldering chest.

"I will kill him," the revenant hissed, his eyes locked on the wolf while he dragged Linden into the center of the room.

The wolf shifted and Helmut stood in its place, blood oozing from several wounds. He bent with amazing speed to retrieve his fallen sword. "Let him go," he growled. "Your fight is with me, not him."

The revenant cackled gleefully. "He is important to you, therefore he dies."

Helmut shook his head. "He's but a toy, a momentary distraction in my day to day life. Kill him if you must." As he spoke, he moved closer, the sword hanging loosely in one hand at his side.

The revenant seemed to consider his words. After a moment he laughed, his fetid breath washing over Linden. "As you wish." The revenant gripped Linden's throat in one hand, his long nails deeply piercing the skin.

"No!" Helmut shouted, leaping forward, sword raised.

With one strong thrust the revenant propelled Linden forward, his body crashing into Helmut's. As Helmut's sword descended, the revenant grabbed the blade then spun it to grip the hilt. Pressing the tip of the blade to Linden's back, he screamed, "Now you and your pet die, enemy mine!"