Several disappearances and unexplained events have been registered shorty after the commercialization of an ancient statue linked to some legends from a mysterious place called "Reich der Finsternis" in eastern Germany, there is no know route leadin...
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Echoes of Darkness: The Message
Fate was sealed—the time had come to bring an end to the second dark age. The destruction of Dr. Klaus Günther's body had unleashed the fury of every living thing beyond the gates of the underworld. Now, only their instincts guided them toward completing the mission.
Once again, fate had divided them. Liz and Jake set off in search of Mr. Holzmann, while Nick took on the task of tracking down a possible survivor of the cataclysm that had erupted in the depths of darkness. To balance their resources, they split Kira's gear. He kept only his bow and arrows—tools he deemed indispensable.
The fact that Lehmann had used a pager instead of the radio suggested his situation was more dire than expected. Nick was already tracking the signal, determined not to abandon another teammate, especially after what had happened to Captain Bunde, Tobias, and his cousin.
He moved cautiously through the dreaded corridors of the Holzmann mansion, navigating rocky passageways completely cut off from the light. The damp, heavy air made every breath a struggle. Each turn seemed to conceal something even more sinister than the last. Human bones and body parts had been repurposed into grotesque furniture—lamps, chairs, and other unspeakable objects. The paintings lining the walls depicted the twisted history of Reich der Finsternis in hauntingly vivid detail: Anneliese's consecration to the demons, humans receiving the "gift" directly from the severed hand of the sorceress. His footsteps echoed through the corridors, amplifying the suffocating sense of dread.
He had briefly spoken with Andreas and Steffi. They were leading a group toward an exit, awaiting the American agents' signal to strike. On their way, however, they had been ambushed by Blutsaugers and a breaker, leaving the area in ruins. According to reports, the only agent who might have survived the massacre was Tim Lehmann, whose distress signal had come long after his comrades had been presumed dead.
Nick followed the trail. It didn't take long to reach the ambush site. He quickly identified the bodies of Michael Schönfeld and Rebecca Krüger—agents he only knew by reputation—alongside two Americans. But most of the corpses belonged to the creatures that had unleashed the carnage. The grotesque remains of monsters were strewn across the shattered ceiling beams, the air thick with the acrid stench of their vital fluids. He exhaled sharply, unmoved, and reached for his radio to contact Andreas.
"This is Berger. What's your status, Deisler?" The lieutenant's voice was steady, as always.
Nick's reply was equally composed. "I'm at the site of the ambush. Scanning the area—no sign of Lehmann or any other survivors. Something big might still be lurking here. I need backup."
"That won't be possible for now," Andreas responded, his tone firm. "We've taken heavy losses. The only one who answered our call was Officer Lehmann, nearly an hour after the attack. We've located an exit on the hill near the ridge—it leads to a point of interest in the forest. Some kind of temple."
