Verza looked around him at the baron land, it was like a huge cavern under the crust of the earth. He was glad he had his Honor Guard around him, twelve to be exact. If he was alone in this place he would be scared witless. It was like an endless abyss that went on forever, and as the light fades, the beasts come out to play. And not in a good way. As Verza and his Guard scaled a hill of stone he saw pools of lava around. they were getting close.

About an hour later They arrived at the top of a cliff, the wind blew, it was odd it was like the wind was a supernatural force. Seemingly impossible since it was underground in the Underworld. Verza had concluded that it was probably a supernatural force like a school of fish would swim by, except it was souls floating by that caused the chill like the effect of wind. He looked out over the cliff and saw it. THe Necropolis.

It was like an ancient Greek city, it was carved out of the side of a mountain, lava flowed through a river beside the city. The buildings were Obsidian (Pure black stone) and like an Ancient Greek temple, except every building was like one. Pillars held the roofs up and there were carvings of beasts and chained humans on the buildings.

"We're here." Verza said.

Arelyn was wandering around Necropolis as usual, fascinating herself with the amount of character and detail demons had put into it. Her wings were tucked behind her back and her tail rocking back and forth in tune with her strides. Today she was on the border of the city, walking next to the river of lava and singing a strange song.

"Cut his throat, stab his heart, chop his legs, tear him apart. Oh, my! I can't wait to start...."

As she continued to sing her song she stopped abruptly when she sensed something strange. It was a familiar feeling, but definitely not a pleasant one. Although it was weak she could recognize it. It was the type of presence that made her ill and weak. The one she felt around churches and holy places. But why would she feel it here? In the city of demons? She scanned the area, trying to pinpoint the location of the disgusting aura, but she had lost it.

She growled, "Was it my imagination...?"

Shaking her head she unraveled her wings and flew inside the city. If she wasn't imagining it then maybe someone else had felt it too. She sincerely hoped it was just her imagination.

Cain clambered over a giant bust of a some long forgotten mythical beast hanging from the side of a cathedral sized Greco-Roman structure. To survive in this city it was best to stay silently out of sight and only observe. He slipped past the traps he had left at the entrance to this section of the city's tunnel system, into a narrow, dark passageway. The whole of Necropolis was honeycombed with tunnels large and small, entrances hidden on the smooth black stone that made up the city.

Once inside he ripped off the rag wrapped around his left hand, stashing it in a pouch on his sash. The light rune engraved on surface of his leather glove glowed softly. With the passageway illuminated he continued on through the tunnel, ducking into passages this way and that he slowly ascended to the higher, more inhabited sections of the city. He was trying to reach the lookout point he had found on a tower near the top of the mound that was Necropolis. It was a dangerous place to attempt to reach, but it provided one of the best views over the surrounding landscapes which made it worth it. Cain ducked out of another tunnel into a wide square. As usual, it was very sparsely populated with no true threats in sight. He moved smoothly and silently, sticking close to the wall of the square before ducking into an alleyway. Cain then kicked off one of the side of the alley, leaping up to a handhold overhead and using it to then scramble onto the rooftops. The dark city was illuminated by the red glow of lava-flows running through the area like rivers giving it a eery and sinister mood.

Cain could see the tower now, he dashed towards it, passing over rooftops like a ghost. He slipped through one of the lower windows and began his ascent of the black tower. He reached the observation room with little incident, gaining access to the view the tower offered. He scanned the city for activity, though there was little at this hour, it was why he chose to make his rounds now. He looked off in the distance, searching for a sign of the main Templar force's arrival. The signal-fire had not been lit yet.
"Maybe tomorrow..." Cain growled quietly to himself. He turned to make his way back to his regular hiding spot before the feeling overcame him. Always trusting his instincts Cain slipped his bow off his back and strung it with the speed only a true adept could achieve. He was no longer alone, someone knew he was here. He fingered his quiver nervously, eyes darting in every direction, waiting to see if his gut was right.

Durzo was accustomed to this lifestyle all too well. Blending in...such an easy task on the surface. But here, in the belly of the biggest beast his order had come across in history...it was not as simple. Hooded and cloaked he stood in the observation room of the tower he had spotted earlier that day, a perfect lookout for a man such as himself charged with the duties of scouting... Oh how he hated that title. It proved for a much less glamorous apeal than what he had in mind when he was younger....yet he did his job well and without question. He knelt down onto one knee, resting his arm onto onto the other, gazing out into the distance, looking for the signal he knew would come soon...yet he stillsaw nothing. Lost in his thoughts, Durzo was all but oblivious to the rest of the world, until he heard the soft, barely audible patter of...a footstep perhaps? Someone was coming. He retreated backward behind a pillar engulfed in shadow, where his black cloak would serve to hide him as well as he could hope for. His breathing slowed, he dare not move or make a sound as he heard the soft extremely subtle patter of footsteps stop. Whoever it was, they were exactly where Durzo had been kneeling just a few moments earlier. He slowly and silently turned his head to peek around the corner while gripping his dirk with his right hand.

There he saw... 'Cain?'
he said the name in his head with a little surprise, but how was it so surprising that the only other scout in this hell of a city would find this perfect spot for...well... scouting. A slight grin played at the corner of his mouth as his grip loosened on his dirk. He was silent, his figure hidden in the shadows. But just as he started to move from the shadows, Cain's sudden movement made him pause without a sound. Cain had drew his bow and readied an arrow in a smooth swift motion. Apparently Cain's senses were honed as well as his own.

"Relax, Cain..." Durzo muttered as he slowly walked out of the shadow into the light where he would be visible to the fellow scout.

He stopped once he was out in the open, and raised his eyes to meet Cain's, gazing at him from under his black velvet hood.

Cain blinked once, though with only one eye it could seem almost like a wink, and lowered his bow.
"Oh..." Cain murmured, "You ain't half ugly enough ta be a demon, quit spookin' me like that... Shame ya weren't somethin' I could loose at though, thin's are gettin' too tense in this godforsak'n city..."
He continued in a slightly louder, gravely tone, "So Durz, have ya spotted any signs o' the force today?"
He glanced over the slim, white haired Templar across the fields of lava and stone, not expecting to see anything new, but more to emphasize his question.

From the highest tower of the unholy city, the lich stood on the balcony of her tower, looking over the vast cavern she had created long ago. After taking in a deep breath, Mahvan looked around with intrege, muttering to herself, "Life..." After taking another breath, she turned around and walked into her tower, and picked up her septor from a stand it had been resting it.

"Avasus, kell roa." She spoke as she picked up the staff and looked into the large head piece, then pointed it outside of the balcony again. Suddenly, a blast of fire erupted from the end of the staff, and shot into the are of the vast cavern, lighting the entire city. The blast from the explosion somehow cause the cavern to shake, and groan with air. Then the thick smell of the dead filled the air.

When Durzo snuck his way into the city in the first place, he noticed piles of bones at almost every street corner, and wondered what they were. Suddenly, the piles of bones started to move, and grown to life. Soon after, the bones took form as massive giants made of bones. The giants stood almost 10 feet tall, with bodys crafted out of rotting flesh and bone. There weapons were the same, maces out of skulls, swords out of femurs, and shields made from breastplates and ribs.

Only a few moments after there construction, the giants started to walk. Up and down the streets the giants patrolled, taking in deep breaths as they went along to find what ever it was there master called them for. They also acted as a warning to the people of the city, to stay inside. For something, or some one, was in the city.

Verza Noticed a gout of flame shoot out of a tower, one of the largest towers in the city, and most decorated. He guessed it was the keep for the ruler, or rulers of the city. Verza sighed to it. "Arcane arts and dark magic." Verza said with disgust.

A couple minutes later Verza and his Guard reached the camp of Templars, it was like a small city of tents and fires and full of Templar warriors and mages. Verza's appearance made the many people bow in his presence. He put his hand out to them to signal that they may stand. "Light the Pyre!" Verza yelled to the ranks. A group of men clattered trough the group of Templars with torches. They threw them on a large pile of wood coated with oil. It roared into an inferno. "The Battle begins!" Verza said drawing His sword and raising it over his head. The men exclaimed into a roar of battle cries. "The dark will be illuminated!" He said as he brandished hi weapon in the air.

Durzo closed his eyes as he chuckled at Cain's remark. He reopened them as he followed Cain's gaze that fell onto the scene below them.

"Well not all Demon's are ugly..." Durzo turned back to Cain with a smirk that hinted at sarcastic humor directed at the race of Demons that inhabited the underworld.

He let out a sigh as he turned his attention back toward the direction that the High Priest would soon be leading the army from, asking himself the same question that came out of Cain's scarred up mouth. Then he noticed movement in multiple positions below them throughout the city. The multiple piles of bones that Durzo had noticed but paid no attention to when he firt entered the city, were now moving and building themselves into shambling creatures. It was happening all over the city.

With a raised, platinum eyebrow, he turned back around towards Cain.
"A force? Yes. But not ours..." he trailed off as he motioned with his thumb down to the street levels, where patrols of shambling horrors now filled the streets, obviously searching for something. Had they been found out? Durzo wouldn't be around much longer to figure out the answer to that question.
He looked at Cain, his sarcastic raised eyebrow now gone, replaced by lowered thin platinum eyebrows that betrayed a hint of concern over their newly changed situation.

"Looks like our break is over..." he muttered glancing back down towards the scene below them.

She saw and felt the eruption of heat coming from Mahvan's tower. Around her she saw the necromancer's dead puppets start to rise. Something that she had heard stories of, but never seen in her lifetime of 200 years. She turned her head to the outskirts of the city. The feeling she had felt earlier... it wasn't her imagination. Something had invaded Necropolis. She turned back around and flew up to the Necromancer's tower.

"Just who do they think they are invading our territory... " she mumbled.

Halfway up to the tower she heard roars of human voices. She scowled. Turning around again she saw a large fire being lit. Strange... would they give away their position? Her eyes widened as she looked again. No, a signal. For who? Were they already inside the city?

With a small grin she said, "I guess milady would be okay with me having a little fun..."

She placed her hands close together and formed a small black ball of energy. Smiling, she threw it in the direction of the inferno. Sure, she knew it wouldn't do any real damage, but she wanted to at least ruffle them up. After she sent the ball flying she flew to the Necromancer's window and knelt on the window's edge with her head bowed.

"Milady," she greeted.

Hans paced anxiously back and forth through the rows of tents, a viscous scowl hidden under his helm. This entire place just felt wrong and it put him on edge. For once he wished he had a sword so that he could sit sharpening it instead of anxiously pacing back and forth. What he really wanted, though, was some action. This inactivity was driving him mad and he desperately wanted to fight something, anything really. If it wasn't for the fact that he knew better we would have been tempted to start a brawl in camp. For what was could have easily been the hundredth time that day he bent down on one knee and started offering silent prayers. Most of the time he wasn't even certain what prayer he was saying, that was how muddled this place made his mind, but the act of praying brought him at least some peace. Standing up he saw the High Priest, Verza Juno, entering camp. Hans bowed as he passed, slamming his fist against his breastplate with a loud CLANG in salute. Hopefully this would mean some action.

"Light the Pyre!" Hans heard Verza, "The Battle begins! The dark will be illuminated!"

Hans grabbed his hammer, Dämons Fluch, and flung it up over his head with one arm, a feet many of his peers would have struggled with even using both arms, let outing a bestial roar of righteous fury, the sound distorted and coming out more menacingly as it left his helm. Now was finally the time for battle! The time for them to vanquish these Demon scum and send them back to the pits of hell which had spawned them! Hans let out another roar, this one louder than the last, for good measure!

The Lady Mahvan growl with disgust as she stood in her room, picking up her broken skull mask witch she pushed to her face. Once it "locked" in she turned to the fair demon and walked to the ledge once more. "I sense something i have not sensed in a long time... The presence of Templar's. They are here, child. With them is there "High Priest"... A shadow of a man, with a mind of a rat. He dares not open his minds to the possibility's, nor understand our way of life. They wish to end us, my child, and all we stand for. But my children will stop them from entering the city."

"One step into the walls of my home, and i shall crush them like vermin." She muttered to herself, griping her staff tight in hand. "Go, child, get your loved ones to safety, and those who can fight to the gate to the city..." That was all she said before swiftly turning her coat, and suddenly disappearing.


Again, she appeared atop the gate. After taking a deep breath she brought her staff to her lips, and spoke into it. As the Templar's prepared there assault, her voice echoed through there ears, none more so then in Verza's.

"Mortals, you have come to my city... My home... To do what...? Yes, I am the mother of this city. I am the crafter of your tombs. This, is the one chance i give you. Bring to the gate, your strongest warrior, alone, and we may forge an agreement. One that shall let you keep your lives, and the lives of my children, safe.

"Now, i speak only to you, Verza. You are not the first one to lead a crusade of men against my home. But you may be the last. Bring your warrior to my gate, and i assure you he shall not be harmed if you comply. You, and you alone Verza, have the ability to end countless years of bloodshed that will befall your people. I ask nothing more of you, only you bring your champion to the gate so we may speak. As of now, you have a day to decide who shall go." Her words were like thunder, though no matter how hard the priest covered his ears he couldn't stop the sound.

Suddenly, without warning, there came a crushing sound of rocks breaking and cracking. "CAVE IN!" A Templar screamed from somewhere. As the men turned to look, they found he was right. The only way out of the cavern was now blocked off.

"I have the ability to move the rocks, and let you live. But until a deal is struck, no one shall leave this cavern...You have one day."

Verza cursed. He had the power to move the rocks to. But it would probably kill him with the energy it would take to remove them. He looked at the young Templar letting out a viciouis war cry. 'That one will be a great warrior.' Verza thought. He regarded What the Necromancer had said. They had met before. When she was younger. He was in a forest looking for his lost bow at night and he stumbled upon her. She had mercy upon him for he was but a boy. But he feared he wouldn't receive mercy this time.

Verza knew what he had to do. He shut out all outside noises and retreated into himself into a meditative state. It was like suspended animation, like a hibernating animal. He reached out with his mind, His mind seemed like a wolf on the hunt for it's prey as it searched the city for the Necromancer. Finally he found her. "Well you have aged well. I hope you keep your bargain. I wish you no harm as long as you and your evil spawn return to the spirit world where they had come from and don't harm any living. The world is for the living, you have already had your time here." Verza sent her a message through his mind, it was only taught to the most adept mages and scholars. It was a means of communication. He hoped to spare many lives, he rather not have blood on his hands if not needed.

Without lifting her head to look she bowed it and answered, "Yes, milady. I feel that they are within our city walls. Please be cautious."

Arelyn took off from the Queen's presence and flew down to the streets of Necropolis. She had no loved ones of her own but she scanned the streets to warn any lurking demons to get to safety. The majority of the citizens had already fled to the safety of their homes and the streets were only occupied by the Necromancer's puppets.

"Could we really not have noticed them infiltrating our city?" she pouted.

Sighing she wandered through the streets of the city, where it once was full of bustling demons, was now silent and dark. How would she request for fighters when everyone had shut themselves away? She was too young and unskilled to mentally send out some sort of bulletin. It was illegal to advertise in people's minds within the city anyways, so she didn't even know how it was done. Unsure what to do she decided to sing another song. As she sang she wandered towards the entrance of the city. She sat down in the middle of the large stairway and rested her chin on her hand. Soon Arelyn heard the booming voice of her ruler and the crushing sound of rocks that followed in the distance. She looked up and chuckled.

"I guess she plans to trap them like rats," she mused.

Throughout the city of Necropolis a white haired demon was jumping from place to place warning the citizens of the incoming Templars. Once he was finish the man looked into the sky, seeing the fire shot from the keep that his leader stayed in. He didn't pay any attention to what was happening as he was quickly doing his job. His task now was to reach his commander and get his orders. It was easy to spot her location with the display the Necromancer had showed. It wasn't as if a large arc of fire didn't say, 'I'm here try and kill me', it kind of annoyed him that he had to take his orders from a careless leader.

Halting beside a nearby tower, his ears caught onto the sound of trapped Templars. It amused him that they would get caught in such an obvious trap, but that’s what you get for trespassing. The sounds were soon cut off when he heard women singing. Soon he spotted the girl but not wanting to needlessly waste his energy, Nero called out, "you should leave the city child, it will get dangerous."

"A force? Yes. But not ours... Looks like our break is over..."

Cain grimaced, his face twisting in a way that exaggerated his facial scarring.
"Then I guess 's time ta-" Cain was cut off by a rumbling sound, the tower shook underfoot. Cain kept his footing through the bout of shaking, viewing it's source through one of the windows of the observatory. Part of one of the sides of the giant underground cavern had collapsed, blocking off the entrance to necropolis. It only took a moment for Cain to see why this had happened. The signal-fire had been lit, the main Templar force had arrived, and someone had wanted to trap them inside the cavern. Cain's grimace transformed into a sly smile, "Looks like there's two forces o' mindless minions on the field today... Have ya finnish'd wi' tha welcome mat? If so, let's steal down ta the gatehouse ta greet our glorious brothers..."

Verza was tired waiting for a response if she was going to answer she would. Verza looked around the camp that had been there for about a year. He always wondered how no one noticed it here. it was like an entire small city. But the that's when Verza realized something. There must be more than one way in or out of the city. He laughed to himself what the Necromancer did was just a scare tactic. Verza looked out on the camp. "My Commanders meet me in my pavilion." Verza called out to the about 2500 Templars preparing for a siege. Catapults were being readied as well as cannons. Ladders were being constructed to get over walls. Battering rams to get through gates.

Verza was in his pavilion with his guards and twelve commanders. He sat at a table with a map of the Necropolis Blown up to cover the entire table which was about 7 feet by 12. They were looking for separate entrances and exits from Necropolis. The only one large enough to suit the entire invasion force was at the other side of the city. It was blocked by the river of lava. They had to go through the city to get to it. "Better than nothing." Verza said.

Racey was dodging through the shadows, keeping out of everyone's way. Her white hair reflected in the dim light of the underworld. Her long, black fingernails threaded through the shadows she ran through, and her hazel eyes, surrounded in deep ebony liner and violet shadow, darted this way and that as she watched the other demons.

Iracabeth ran through the shadows, looking for one of her...she wouldn't say friends, but he never picked on her for being easily frightened. Racey didn't have friends. She had...people she knew, people she wished she knew, and people she didn't know. However, she would call Rin one of her closer...known people. She hated the word friend, so she didn't use it.

She knocked on the door of the room he stayed in at the Inn. "Rin?" She called quietly. "Rin, I saw something in the shadows. You're probably sleeping, but I saw shadows I didn't recognize. You and I should go see who they are," She knocked again, quietly still. She didn't want to make him mad. "Rin please, we need to go so I can show you what my shadows told me!" Iracabeth was getting impatient, and knocked louder than she meant to. "Sorry!" She yipped quietly, knocking softly again.

Durzo held his ground with somewhat of a struggle when the shaking started, interrupting Cain mid sentence. He glanced up and out one of the windows along with Cain to see what the cause of the interruption was. He saw rocks that had just fallen and were blocking the entrance to the massive cavern and large amounts of dust settling. As Cains words left his grinning mouth, Durzo was quick to catch on as his eyes saw the glowing signal fire lit by the High Priest, along with his massive force of Templars.

'We're not trapped in here with you... You're trapped in here with us.' he thought to himself as his lips curled into a devious smile. He glanced through a different window towards the she-lich's tower, and chuckled at the thought.

As Cains words rang through his ears, Durzo looked at him with a mischievous grin and a twinkle in his real colored eyes. "Of course I laid out the welcome mat, what kind of guest would I be without giving our gracious lich host a fine gift for their generosity?" he chuckled as he tightened the leather straps that held his gear snugly against his slim body, in preparation for the acrobatic trip over rooftops towards the gate that separated this city from complete destruction.

"After you, my friend." he said cheerfully motioning toward the fate with a slender arm.

She turned around to the voice of a white haired demon. Obviously, he was much older her and as a sign of respect she bowed her head to acknowledge him. Lifting her head she smiled at him.

She cupped her hand to the side of her mouth and replied, "I will not abandon my home, sir. If Necropolis falls I will have nowhere to go."

Arelyn did not know what she should do. The city was dangerous, but where else would she go? She had no loved ones to protect, no reason to keep herself from harm. However she was much too inexperienced to rebel against the templars. Her magic may harm normal humans, but templars could probably easily deflect her advances. She had never attempted it before.

Sighing she stared in the direction of the templar camp. There was one thing she was certain of. She didn't want those templar vermin stepping into her home. The thought of them invading made her cringe. Could they not understand that like humans, demons were also first created by their beloved 'God'? Who are they to judge what belongs and does not belong?

Hans turned around and watched in a mixture of shock and amazement as the Lich's magic caved in the entrance they had used to enter this forsaken place. First the demon had invaded their minds with her filthy voice, and now she took away their exit. He let out an angry growl, but it quickly turned into a chuckle.

"She thinks she can trap us here," He commented, anger and mirth intermixing, "Well I guess rock is a bit harder to break than bone, but it's easier than steel." To emphasize his point he viciously swung his hammer at the ground, the impact sending up dust and chips of rock. Turning to face Necropolis he shouted at the top of his ample lungs, "ONCE WE'VE KILLED THE LOT OF YOU WE CAN DIG OUR WAY OUT!" He highly doubted any of the foul creatures in the city could hear what he said, but it made him feel better anyways. They'd lived here for a year now, they knew they could survive down here with all the demons. Once they had killed all the filth that lived down here, purged the place of its evil, living here would probably become that much easier.

Hans heard as Verza called for a meeting with his commanders. Hans once again bowed and saluted has the High Priest and the commanders went past.

He smiled at the young one, finding her bravery amusing. There weren't that many young demons that would stay in Necropolis when Templars came to it. "If that's your choice then I won't allow Necropolis to fall." He heard more noise coming from the Templars, he was guessing that they would find an alternate route into the city, but there were only a few that he knew which would be big enough for a force like there's to go through. Remembering his task, Nero launched himself toward the lich and landed a few feet away from her.

“Milady,” he kindly said while up standing, ready to take any order given,” it would be unwise to fight them as a mass; we should break their ranks with some of our archers while they are moving.” His kind expression was soured when he heard a Templar say,” ONCE WE’VE KILLDED THE LOT OF YOU WE CAN DIG OUR WAY OUT.” The white haired demon had a feeling that the two of them would meet on the field of battle, only one would make it out alive.

Verza was happy now that he knew him and nobody else was trapped. He exited his Pavilion, four of his royal guard with him.

"ONCE WE’VE KILLDED THE LOT OF YOU WE CAN DIG OUR WAY OUT.” A boy yelled. Verza smiled that boy had charisma, He would make a good templar.

"You Boy. Come here. What is your name?" Verza asked as he approached the younger Templar. He looked at him, He wasn't as decorated as him but he wielded a heavy two handed War Hammer. That was a sign of strength and bravery, he fought hefting a heavy weapon strike through strike, strength. He fought with no shield, little protection, bravery. Verza thought for a moment. he may have found his new right hand, possibly even his champion. Verza would need to test his strength first though.

Rin was awoken from one of his odd dreams that he always have. he slowly gets up and puts on a shirt andopened the quickly still half asleep ,his eyes still closed he slowly says " what....what?" He scratches his head very dazzed and dumbfounded. Rin opens his eyes and noticed it was racey that he was talking to " Racey its you...... what can i do yah for......... whats the about strangers here in the city .... show me please lets go" he smiles at her knowing what she said has to be true and that she could be trusted unlike most of the beings of this place.

"You Boy. Come here. What is your name?" Hans turned around in to see who it was addressing him to find that it was none other than the High Priest himself. It was fortunate that he had his helm on as he stood there, wide eyed and slack jawed like a little boy, for several moments before he could get his brain to respond.

"Hans Krieger Your Excellency." Hans approached Verza and bowed down, saluting, for the third time that day. His brain was still in shock from being personally addressed by Verza Juno, the High Priest himself, enough so that he was having a hard time remembering the proper decorum to show him, let alone the proper title. Hopefully Your Excellency would suffice. It sounded properly grandiose to Hans.