Cain nodded, and started down the staircase at a moderate pace, then suddenly picked up speed before vaulting out the window onto the building adjacent to the tower. He landed on his feet and kept pace, leaping from rooftop to rooftop with Durzo close behind. Up on the roofs they seemed to be safe from the lumbering giant skeletons on the streets below. After all, no one ever bothers to look up.

Cain made way for the entrance to the vertical shaft he knew would take them to the base of Necropolis, making it easier to reach the main gate. He dashed over an archway stretching between two villa like structures before coming to an abrupt halt. Couple of loose roof-slates later he swung into the top floor of the building. He landed softly in the dimly lit hallway in a crouched position.
"Quick, quick... Don't wake any sleepers now..." Cain whispered urgently through the hole in the roof to Durzo. Before starting to pad softly towards the third door on the left hand side of the hallway, where the entrance to the tunnel was located.

Verza smiled. "Thank you Hans. You may rise." Verza said. As Hans rose Verza threw a punch at him to test his abilities. His reflexs, smarts and Strength. If he was smart he would deflect the blow and make a counter move, to throw off the opponent. Verza had high hopes for him.

((Sorry for the short post, I am busy right now, have to take care of a sick dog.))

She grinned at the elder demon and cheerfully shouted, "We're counting on you now!"

Arelyn sat down on the giant staircase and let her elbows rest on the stone steps. Throwing her head back she stared at the ceiling of the cavern that enclosed their city. She was still young but in her lifetime she would have never imagined such treachery from humans. There were stories of course to scare the young'uns but this was like a nightmare come true. Arelyn knew their ruler was powerful, but she worried for her. The templars must have a massive army ready to invade; there was only so much one necromancer could do.... right? She shook her head. She shouldn't doubt Mahvan. Also, there was the demon militia. The man promised to keep Necropolis safe. She should have confidence in his words.

Her majesty had given the templars a day. So, for a day there should be no bloodshed. Unless of course those sneaky humans decide to ignore the necromancer's words. Arelyn just remained on the staircase that followed the gateway into the city. Perhaps she'd just observe. She could always fly away if they started to attack.

"Thank you Hans. You may rise." As Hans rose Verza unexpectedly threw a punch at him out of nowhere and for seemingly no reason. Acting on instinct he threw up his right arm as he rose to his full height to deflect the punch while swinging Dämons Fluch around in a mighty swing aimed at the man's torso. Something struck him as odd though. Why on earth would a man try and punch somebody in full plate armor? They wouldn't be able to so much as dent the armor while more than likely breaking their own hand. It was only too late that he realized just who the man he was swinging at was. In the excitement of the moment all he had been focused on was the battle and now he could only watch in horror, as if he was looking out of someone else's eyes as he saw his hammer closing the gap between it and the High Priest with tremendous force.

Verza saw the hammer coming at him He put his hand out to it and a blast of light stopped it and made it fall to the ground. "Good. You are dexterous and smart." Verza said he patted the boy on the shoulder. Verza put his hand out using his holy magic, it was a spell all templars knew, they could call a holy weapon to their hand. The hammers haft went in his palm and Verza offered it to the boy.

Verza then did something he had not done the entire trip, he removed his helmet revealing his short shaggy brown hair, and leafy green eyes. his features sharp like an elves. When he was young his friend called him "Elf" Because of this. The boy only stood about 6 inches taller than him, which was odd considering Verza was usually a big man. "I believe I will call you tiny. Make myself feel bigger." Verza joked. he offered his hand to the boy.

"How would you like to be my apprentice Hans?" Verza asked. He saw much potential in the young man.

"Quick, quick... Don't wake any sleepers now..."

Durzo nodded silently at the words whispered to him from below, as he quietly hopped into the hole, landing nimbly on his heels, and directing his weight forward into a controlled somersault, and stopping with one knee on the ground. He stood up silently, with a soft clink from the sword on his back slightly bumping the dirk at his waist. He smoothly strode forward, eyes open, using his perephials to watch his surroundings as he crept forward, behind Cain. His heartbeat quickened, his grip on the dirk at his waist hidden by his cloak tightened, and his breath was steady. Durzo would not be caught off guard. Cain would lead, and Durzo would watch and follow. He was not fond of surprises.

Iracabeth pulled him into the shadows.

"Watch," She told him, manipulating them like only she could. She whispered in a strange tongue, they formed the soldiers they had seen. "They're some sort of monster or something...should we tell the army?" She asks Rin, looking over the shadows.

"They really are quite terrifying," She says, moving behind his shadow. Rin had a strong shadow, unlike her small girl one, and she liked hiding in it. It made her feel safe.

"templars. ......." he wispers,he looks at racey" there there humans i think ... I have heard about them in tail that the inn keeper told" he then pases back and forth in thought " y...yes yas we go tell the army and we must go quickly"

Rin thought how wunderful it must me to use the shadow like she does and he wish he could do the same now and then.

Hans watched in relief as the High Priest hit his hammer with a blast of magic, halting its progress and making it fall to the ground. "Good. You are dexterous and smart." Hans blinked in surprise when he heard the compliment. He guessed he was dexterous for someone his size, but he couldn't remember the last time anyone had called him smart. He could remember at various times in the past being called an idiot or stupid, especially due to his inability to master all but the most basic spells, but never smart.

"I believe I will call you tiny. Make myself feel bigger." Hans couldn't help but laugh loudly at the joke as he took the High Priest's hand in his own and following his example in taking off his helm as well. The sharp, Elven-like features like features were met buy plain and blunt features, the blonde hair cut short. "How would you like to be my apprentice Hans?"

Hans went slack jawed as he was caught by surprise once again. "M-me M'lord? I... I mean... It... It would be an honor and a pleasure sir." Hans managed to stutter. Never in his wildest dreams would he have imagined that he would ever be talking to the High Priest in person, and that he would even give him a nickname. For all he knew Tieva Elysium might come walking over to join the conversation. At this point Hans would have much rather have been on the field of battle fighting a legion of demons than trying to hold a conversation with the greatest man who had walked the planet. Unfortunately for Hans this unexpected turn of events had left his brain addled enough that he forgot to let go of Verza's hand.

Cain moved like a shadow over the wall until he stood by the door. He opened it a crack and peered inside. Darkness. He slipped a small pebble out of a pouch in his sash and after whispering a single word to it, rolled it in. The pebble rolled to a stop making little sound that could betray their presence, then began to glow, bathing the room in a soft red light. The room seemed empty. Cain opened the door a little more to allow himself inside. He noticed the slight resistance of the wire on the door too late, the trap had been sprung.

A gout of flame shot from the doorway, engulfing Cain's left arm before he could move out of the way. He stumbled backwards, arm aflame, trying to tear his burning attire from his body. The dancing flames cast shadows in all directions, but some of the shadows were not human. Cain tore off his burning sleeve and threw it to the ground with his runed glove which was sparking, and blasting rays of light in random directions at irregular intervals. The skin on his left arm was red raw with newly forming blisters, but Cain didn't let that slow him. He whipped his bow into position from his back and notched an arrow. He could now make out the source of the shadows without the distraction of the flames. They were about a head shorter than him, dark skin, with twisted, animalistic faces, short horns protruding from their foreheads, and their signature cloven hooves. Satyrs.

Cain loosed a heavy arrow at the closest one. At this range his arrows, which were made more for puncturing thick armors than flesh and bone, were more than effective. The arrow hit clean in the satyr's forehead, with enough force to end up protruding from the back minor demon's head and pin it to the wall. In the time it took to notch the next arrow he growled what was meant to be a lighthearted quip, but came out more aggressively that he intended as the battle-fever came over him, "This is why we discourage the practice of goat-fucking where I come from!"
He loosed the second arrow catching another in the shoulder, spinning it around with the force.
"Move toward the chute Durz, we can't afford ta be cornered here when more arrive invest'gate tha pand'monium."
Judging by the power of the trap it had been meant as a deterrent more than to kill, which meant whoever set it had no idea of who it was they were trying to catch off guard. They probably though it was just a bunch of pests trying to get a free room for the night and not Templar scouts using the hidden tunnel system entrance in the house. Cain had been lucky, but his luck had it's limits, and if they were caught before the main Templar force had entered the city all the luck in the world couldn't save him.

Durzo had drawn the long dirk at his side as soon as he saw Cain react to the snap of something being set off. He had sprung backwards when he saw the flames erupt from the trap, hoping Cain hadnt just gotten himself killed. Before he had time to react and try to help his comrade, he felt a muscular arm wrap around his neck from behind and tighten. Durzo's reflexes kicked in, and before the arm could tighten any more, Durzo shoved his dirk behind him, and felt it enter the flesh of whatever it was that had grabbed him. The arm that was around his neck twitched and he heard a cry of pain from behind him. The arm loosened, allowing Durzo to slip out of the Demons grip. He quickly ducked down into a crouching position, putting the palm of his free hand on the ground to support his weight as he swung his lightly armored right leg around in a circular motion, with the intent of connecting it with the Demons head.

Durzo's crouching roundhouse kick slammed into the demons jaw, and a crunch could be heard and felt through the thin steel plate strapped to his shin, obviously the sound of bones breaking. The short yet muscular demon fell to the ground with a hard thud, and Durzo knelt beside it, and looked into the slits of its eyes for a split second before burying his dirk into it again, except this time right into the middle of the neck, severing its spine with the force of the stab.

Durzo took no chances on letting an enemy that crossed him survive. He never got caught off guard, and for good reason.

"Move toward the chute Durz, we can't afford ta be cornered here when more arrive invest'gate tha pand'monium."

Transfixed onto the dark colored blood of the demon puring out of the wound, Durzo heard Cain's words echo through the room, or maybe it just seemed to echo. Either way, Durzo yanked his dirk free and stood, turning his head towards Cain to quickly assess if the other scout was in mortal danger of dying from his burns. After a quick moment, satisfied that Cains condition was non-lethal, Durzo sheathed his dirk and bolted towards the chute before any more Demons could block him from it. He ran as quick as his legs could move him, his black cloak trailing in the air behind him, and dropped his body downwards onto the ground, turning his sprint into a slide, and dropped down into the chute. He felt the pull of gravity as his body dropped downwards, and he grunted as he swung his legs so that they were positioned below him, just in time as he felt the ground reach him. He landed slightly off balance, and felt pain shoot up his left leg from his ankle, involuntarily sending a short cry of pain from behind his clenched teeth. Probably a sprained ankle, judging from how hard he hit and how he landed. He hoped it was just a sprained ankle, and not a broken one at least.

Durzo immediately drew his burnt colored yew bow and notched an arrow to its string as he scooted backwards a few feet on his ass until he felt his back touch a wall. It was dark, and he did not know if there were any Demons around, waiting to ambush him after hearing the commotion above. He steadied his breaths, and didnt make a sound, trying to listen for any signs of movement around him, and waiting for Cain to join him. He felt pain throbbing in his ankle, and prayed that it was not broken. He was not able to stand, and that meant he was at a disadvantage if any demons got close enough. That was why he drew his bow. Archery required good stance, yes, but on your ass it was better to kill an enemy from afar rather than let them get close and try to gut them with a dagger. Using his sword was also out of the question, it was too long to be wielded efficiently from his position. So he held it horizontally, like a crossbow, and waited in silence and darkness for Cain to join him, and hoping his comrade hadnt gotten himself killed.

Cain felt a gust as Durzo dashed past him into the room, but when he tried to follow one of the demons moved in to intercept him. There was no time to draw his dirk, in a quick motion Cain unstrung the bottom of his bow, releasing the tension that made it a deadly ranged weapon. What he had in his hands now was a heavy, club-like, stick. He swung at the demons legs, hearing a sharp crack as the bow hit flesh and broke bone. The demon dropped to it's knees with the force of the blow, and without breaking stride Cain leaped forwards, smashing his knee into the demon's face. The blow knocked the satyr's head back into the ground as Cain passed over it with only the slightest change in momentum. He came skidding to a sudden stop before the hole, barked a phrase, then dropped two pouches from his sash to the ground before leaping after Durzo.

Cain landed less gracefully than he had hoped, managing a roll to lessen the impact, but still managing to knock the knee he'd used to attack the satyr on the hard stone ground, numbing it completely. He pulled himself to his feet and after a quick equipment check, he whispered for Durzo in the darkness of the tunnels.

As Arelyn lazed about she got a whiff of something familiar and licked her lips involuntarily. Coming to realization her eyes widened and her head snapped in the direction of the city. It was faint but she couldn't be mistaken.

"Blood...." she muttered.

Twisted and tainted... the blood of a demon. Why would any demon blood be shed within the city? Demons were prohibited to feed on each other. Even feeding on humans was done outside the city. Just who would be stupid enough to shed blood in the middle of this crisis? What if...? Worried, she walked into the city, sticking close to the walls as to avoid the large dead zombies that patrolled the streets.

She turned the corner just in time to see a slight manipulation of shadows. Arelyn stared long and hard, but saw no one. There was one person in particular that came to mind.

Taking a guess she whispered, "Iracabeth...? Are you there?"

Durzo's eyes had slightly began to adjust to the darkness when he heard a scramble that could only be someone or something falling through the hole Durzo had just moments earlier jumped through. He heard more sounds of movement, and he could see a shape standing up and fumbling with its attire. He aimed his bow at the shape and quietly pulled the arrow back, stretching the string as far back as being in a sitting position would allow. He held the bow horizontally, drawn back enough to puncture leather at least, more than enough to slice through flesh. His heartbeat quickened, and he listened for anything that would identify the shape.

Durzo was relieved when he heard Cain voice whisper his name. He let out a heavy sigh of relief and lowered his bow, relaxing the strained bowstring as he did so. He allowed himself to breath out loud and heavy, grateful for the opportunity to catch his breath without fear of being loud.

He leaned his head back against the wall and an opened mouth grin spread across his face. He closed his eyes and a hearty chuckle escaped his throat. He relaxed his tense body for a moment, grateful for the opportunity to rest for a minute. His ankle still throbbed with pain. He wouldnt know if he could walk until he tried. He opened his eyes and glanced towards the shape that was thankfully Cain's.

"Nope, Demon got me. I'm dead." He said aloud, and followed it with a sarcastic chuckle.

Voult felt a commotion on the mid-levels and saw a few shattered dragon eggs. "Damn! You have better have a good excuse for harming my brood!" He roared while crawling up one of the large tunnels that lead to the dragon hatchery. Voult was very protective of the unborn fledglings because he was the oldest living dragon in the Necropolis, even tho none of the eggs were related to him by blood.

"Sir wait!" An adolescent dragon warned and then informed him of the situation that was happening in the Necropolis. "No, they aren't monster's. What you have described to me youngling are human Templar's." The wise Voult growled and then turned into his humanoid form so it would catch the necromancer off guard. "Ready the other youngling's for guard duty." He patted the dragon's head with his wing and flew up to the Necromancer's tower to see if a group of soldier's were protecting her.

"Hello? Anyone here, damn that's a lot a paladins." Voult looked at the army of soldiers that commit genocide in the name of an ideal know as 'good and evil'. "Impossible! That creature can't still be alive! No, just the next version of her." Voult saw a Templar, who resembled the former high priestess, talking to a younger knight. "No human, by any magic, could live that long without becoming a lich or change their gender." He gave a tiny chuckle and leaned back to watch the human's prepare for an attack.

Verza Looked at the Young Hans who seemed awestruck. "I get that often. It's okay. I'm not different than any man." Verza said. he slipped his hand out of Hans and grasped his shoulder. he lead him through the camp. "We have spys in the city. We know the city as well as the demons and wretched creatures inside." Verza said. If this boy was going to be his Apprentice, he would need to be in on the plans and thinking all the time to train him for his future role in the order.

"We have plans, we have lit the pyre. That is a signal for the scouts. they will open the gate for us, and lets say..... Make a few new entrances." Verza said thinking of all the strategies and plots he had going for the invasion.

"Nope, Demon got me. I'm dead." Cain heard from the side of a nearby tunnel entrance, Durzo chuckled from the shadows.
"Damn shame... Rest 'n peace Templar Durzo, the only broth'r who managed ta choke his vanquisher ta death by bein' too bony a meal..." Cain joked, laughing a sharp raspy laugh before continuing in his usual serious growl, " You ok? Or have ya found a particularly comfy spot? I left a couple afterburn'rs up there ta keep those bastards warm, bu' if anythin' more powerful comes our way, those flames will do nothin' ta slow them..."
Cain walked over to the shadow that was Durzo, but couldn't make out any details in the darkness.

"Damn shame... Rest 'n peace Templar Durzo, the only broth'r who managed ta choke his vanquisher ta death by bein' too bony a meal..." Durzo laughed so hard that he almost choked on his saliva, which immediately made his laughing turn to coughing. He coughed for a few moments while Cain laughed a short raspy laugh. Durzo's grin stayed on his face as he listened to Cain finish the rest of his statement.

He glanced up at Cain's shape and cleared his throat. "Im doing just peachy, as a matter of fact. Figured this was a good spot to sit and stare at darkness for a while, and pretend that im surrounded by naked wenches in a tavern drinking my body weight in wine." He laughed at his own sarcasm for a moment.

"I landed wrong, hopefully sprained my ankle. A broken ankle would do little to assist me in our situation. Regardless, I dont know if i can walk, havent tried yet." He put his arrow back into his quiver, and strapped his bow back onto his back as he spoke.

"Do you feel like being a crutch for a bony meal, Cain?" Durzo said with a grin unseen in the darkness.

Hans picked up Dämons Fluch as the High Priest led him threw camp. Not different than any man was how Verza described himself. But he was the High Priest! The leader of the Templars, protector of all that was good in the world! Surely there must be something special, something unique, about the man for him to have been by God for such a Holy position. There was no way someone as lowly as Hans would ever become the High Priest, he almost shuddered at the nearly blasphemy of the thought.

"We have spys in the city. We know the city as well as the demons and wretched creatures inside." Verza said, drawing Hans out of his thoughts. "We have plans, we have lit the pyre. That is a signal for the scouts. they will open the gate for us, and lets say..... Make a few new entrances."

Hans nodded, trying to make sense of what had been said. He personally had never before been privy to the plans of operations, but battle was battle and battle was what Hans was good at. He wouldn't know for certain what the plan was until he saw a map of the city, but the few things the High Priest had said had already gotten his brain churning. "Multiple entry points, multiple attacks. Spread them thin and given them a lot to worry about. Also allows us to dictate where the battle will occur. Must assume that we are outnumbered. The entry points will be narrow. That gives us the advantage. They won't be able to deploy their numbers effectively, forces them to fight on equal terms..." Hans voice dropped off as he continued to think. He really would need to see a map to gain a full understanding of the situation and possible plans for the battle to come.

Racey grabbed Rin's hand. "Let's go find them then! Warning, warning, we're all going to die!" Racey was a little psycho, but she kept quiet. She looked at the shadows. "They don't know where. Where to go, Rin? Where, where??" Often times, she repeated herself because she spoke so quietly.

Racey stared at the diminishing light. "Not much time, shadows won't be able to help soon. We must hurry, hurry Rin," She said, looking up at him with urgency in her Hazel eyes.

" let see the barracks by the castle they should be there" Rin said as he pointed at the tower of the castle. " it the most likely to be there as is..... we need to get help before the get any closer to the city" he as no as worried as racey was but but he still understood the urgency in the matter.

"yes lets go quickly before anything happens" he smiles at her " no need to be worried about anything we will get there one way or another"

Cain snorted at Durzo's jape, but his brow still furrowed in annoyance as Durzo informed him of his leg. This would slow them down, and they couldn't afford to waste time here...
"Do you feel like being a crutch for a bony meal, Cain?"
"I thought people were meant ta use sticks as crutches, not the other way around..." Cain muttered bitterly as he grabbed hold of Durzo's arm lifting him to his feet roughly, and placing it over his shoulder to give the other scout something to lean upon.
"Hope I got the right side, 'cause this is gonna be a bit of a trek..." Without waiting for an answer Cain set off, half-dragging Durzo at his side.

Verza smiled he looked at Hans. "Exactly." Veza said he looked around at the camp. this force could carry out a siege for years. This would only take a few weeks or months at most.
((busy))

Durzo chuckled at Cains jape, shaking his head as he pulled him up. Durzo was silent as Cain helped him walk down the passageway. Standing up made all his blood rush down to his swollen ankle, which made it throb even worse. Durzo clenched his teeth but didn't make a sound.

"Look at us, two Templar Scouts trudging through hells sewers, one with a swollen ankle and the other with a crispy arm. We'd make a mighty meal for some lucky Demon..." he paused and chuckled as he began to speak again. "well, maybe just you." he grinned and continued to use Cain to support his weight as he limped along next to him. "and not to mention that a pitiful sight like us will be what brings the downfall of the lich bitch and her city of freaks." he chuckled again at his own words.

Iracabeth kept close to Rin as they walked toward the castle. She saw the barracks, and got a bit nervous. Most other demons weren't nice to her. She was very pretty for a demon, and she was also shy and meek. Demons usually picked on her until she wrapped them in a shadow...Racey took a deep breath and started walking toward the barracks again.

As she walked up to the front of it, she looked at her shadow. There was still time to show them what she had seen, and she sighed in relief. As she looked at the front, she raised one blonde eye brow. "Where should we go?" She asked her companion, looking at the many entry ways to the barracks. She looked back down at her shadow, suddenly feeling very uncomfortable at the thought of being around more demons than she was used to...which she was really just used to Rin.