Hassan gets up and moves between Sire and Childe then. His hood opens up to reveal a dark-skinned man with sharp features, startling blue eyes and red lines tatooed around the contours of his face.
He lays a hand in Heldric's forehead and then on Maleki's. Heldric starts as he finds himself reading Radu's letter once more.
He feels Malachite's responses to his adventures - misgivings toward Radu, pride and amazement at the triumphs against the gargoyles and the mages, at Heldric's clever maneuerings within the maze, appreciation for his bluffs and his gambits, intense interest in Octavius - he seems to linger at Octavius' every word - or is it Hassan doing that? Heldric can't quite tell, but he gets the feeling the mage's interest has been captured by the presence of the ghostly ex-archmage.
Then the scenes begin switching - Heldric is initially confused - he sees a terrible dead warrior who radiates power telling him he would not interfere. He sees near of his gargoyles go down in a deadly exchange with a brutish Nosferatu....
Oh. These are Epistatia's memories.
Heldric also senses Maleki's confusion, and then his subsequent horror as he realizes what has happened.
The scene switches to Sicilan, and their first confrontation with him. Of the beginning of the archmage's battle with him. Then running up the stairs, Andreas smashing down the door.
She then sees the two Nosferatu and the albino ghoul, having broken through without killing Sicilan. Dread fills Soul as she realizes she has not prepared any enchantments for use - she had never expected to find enemies here, much less such incredibly competent ones.
The big one charges her and she flings him out through the hole Octavius had blasted open in his final gambit for Goratrix's life
Which the fool failed.
The other hangs back cautiously. She sees the helm on him and recognizes the power that it holds - and curses herself for being fooled by such a simple glamour.
She summons fire to melt the ground around her and sees the Nosferatu disappear. Casting another curse she raises a wall of water around herself, smiling contentedly when he slams into it without effect.
She summons to herself her final two killing spells, augmenting them and preparing to burn everything j the room - when he hits the wall again and flies through, claws flailing. In a panic she releases the spells - to little effect, as he still lived, and feels darkness overtake her as his claws rip into her flesh.
Heldric feels Maleki's pity - though for who he is not sure - as Heldric's beast takes him and Eoistatia dies to his fangs.
The meeting with Goratrix is pure horror to relive, and a terrible fury creeps into the air as Malachite sees the indignation suffered by his favoured childe at the monster's hands.
When all is said and done, Malachite looks at Heldric with pity in his eyes.
"You've made a terrible mistake childe, but there is much we have learned about the Tremere with this. I am... Not sure whether you have earned punishment or reward for your actions, so I shall settle with protecting you from Goratrix. Hassan will ward your haven so that it cannot be penetrated by transportation magicks. If Goratrix ever sends any of his servants into the city, inform me.
Hassan will learn everything he can of the Tremere from Octavius and report to Michael. The Patriarch has nothing to fear from this fool."