"A vampire," Ventra spoke in hushed tones. She shook her head in disbelief. "Are you certain?"
The sister stood opposite her desk, cradling a mace by the head and nodding. "Blessed Superior, she does not ever sleep, and her eyes glow deep red like rubies. Her skin is like chalk and her gaze makes me sick." Her superior considered her words quietly. She looked as if she would explode into rage - Sofie had always been special to her, ever since she came into her life and filled a void that was otherwise agonizing. But instead she just sighed quietly.
"And the reinforcements from the Empire?"
The Sister felt through her pockets and pulled forth a scroll. She unwrapped it and eyed it over. It was a letter from a Witch Hunter, a certain Abraham Rudolf Henkler, detailing the imminent arrival of him along with a detachment of knights and priests to purify the city - in his own words, it was deemed 'too sickly to be redeemed; a blight upon Sigmar's holy soil' and it was to be removed. "They will arrival shortly - three days, by their estimate, and if a beast of the night is in our midst..."
"...Yes, we will be targetted too." The Superior nodded, wincing as if in pain. "Very well.. I will deal with her, Sister Beatrice. Thank you." Beatrice bowed and left the room. As the door closed ahead of her, Ventra suddenly felt a great weight and a tug of guilt as she considered how to deal with yet another corruption within this city - and inside the Sisterhood itself...
"By Sigmar..." She buried her head in a palm.
Sofie was sat cross-legged on the floor when the Sister-Superior found her, staring distantly in thought. It took her a moment to notice that there was company, but when she did so she bolted up and bowed her head as courteously as she could.
"I have heard horrible rumours about you, my dear." Ventra's voice was a pained croak, and it sounded almost like it came from far away - perhaps so she could pretend none of this was real.
"Oh?" Sofie held both hands behind her neck and stretched contently. "And what have you heard? From who?"
"I have heard grave things... Indeed, the same as what Michael had told me; That what left that day died, and the sister who's return filled me with joy was a beast in a familiar skin."
The woman behind the bars paused and grinned widely. Two dagger-point fangs, framed by lips that were the same ruby-red as the eyes, shone brilliantly in the early morning light. Ventra was taken agasp, stepping back as her hairs stood on-end. "So it is true... You must be gone, I will get others to escort you out. You must not fight back, I beg of you!"
Sofie shook her head slowly. "I will not fight back. I don't intend to be a Beast, regardless of what you say." She swallowed. Remaining calm and collected was the best way of convincing both of them that she was not a monster, but seeing the figure she had looked up to now staring her down in horror was a blow she struggled to hide. "No, I would not want to cause a fright... these people have enough to look forward to as is."
Whether the superior did not register her, or simply ignored her, was unclear. She stepped closer to the bars, reaching through and taking Sofie's hand in hers like a mother. "Listen, the Mordheim library... Go there. I will give you the key. None of the sisterhood would dare defile such a place, for to tarnish their records would be a disservice to history should we fall. Go there, stay there, and begone when all is done..."
Sofie found herself nodding obediently like a schoolgirl. Some warmth came to her skin that had been vacant for a long time, and she took up the Superior's wrinkled hand and kissed it. She did not wait for her escorts to arrive, instead leaving through the main church hall and out onto the courtyard of her own accord.
By now, so many were the refugees and so dense were the tents and shelters that the chapel was surrounded by a veritable slum. Greasy, dirty people - women, children and men - went about their business with the same vacancy and sadness that Sofie had grown accustomed to since the comet struck. But there was something different now, in this facade of their old life, and it seemed like there was more hope in the air. With the arrival of the witch hunters and a contingent of imperial troops, this hope did not seem misplaced. So as to not cause a fright, the vampire covered her plate armour and head in robes such that only her eyes were visible, and she looked like a spy of Cathay or Nippon. Then she embarked on her journey to her new abode with solemn acceptance.
The Mordheim Library was as vast and dominant as she had remembered from her childhood excursions. It stood twice as tall as the rooftops about it, it's entrance a great rectangular oak door with all the attention to detail and majesty of a fortress gate. The walls, though blackened with smog and cracked with disrepair, retained something of their previous decoration; their trims were lined with crossed hammers and skulls of gold. In the door itself was engraved a large purple comet, it's comet splitting into two fine points like a snake's tongue. Though Sofie could not explain it, as she stood oblivious and awestruck as she had always been when she saw this place, the comet on the gate seemed more malicious somehow - It was as if this symbol of salvation and piety was now something else. Shaking her head and putting her lack of faith down to her curse, she pushed open the door and made her way inside.