After dinner, Astaroth didn't take her back to her room. Instead, he led her to the lowest level of the castle, stopping before a massive door that was sealed with glowing, silver seals. The door itself seemed to be made of a cold, pulsing substance covered in ancient rûns.
"This is my collection, Madison," Astaroth said, placing his hand upon the central seal. It didn't open with a key; it opened with his bloodline. "But you won't find swords or treasures here. Here, I keep the parts of your stubborn, unbreakable soul that you forgot—the ones that always rise from the ashes, life after life."
The seal broke with a sound like rolling thunder, and the massive door groaned open.
Inside, in the center of a circular room, stood five enormous, crystal fanuses (containers). Each one displayed items, dresses, and objects from Madison's different past lives—and the dramatic, often tragic ends of those lives.
"Welcome back, my Queen," Astaroth whispered, pulling her into the room.
