Azrael walked into the dark caves that where the deep cities. They were home to the dwarves of Imythess and for some reason they had not been seen lately. The dwarfen guards had simply dissapeared and as such several caravans had been attacked. People thought it was Orcs but just to make sure...

Azrael was here on official business. He had been hired by a small village at the foot of the mountain. Several caravans had come up for some reason, but the dwarves were supposes to protect them. In the end, two corpses of dwarves were found at the foor of the gate and the caravans were missing. Though Azrael had told the village he was a bounty hunter and not a detective, the promise of gold had made him think that perhaps special arrangements could be made.

Azarel managed to find the hallways of the ancient city... and his eyes widened in horror. There was blood everywhere, followed by the corpses of dwarves. Azrael looked around wondering what the hell had happened. Something, or someone had invaded the mountains and had killed the dwarves.

Azrael drew his sword, ready incase anything tryed to jump him.
Suddenly he heard something scuttling across the floor...

The missing caravans had possibly been one of the biggest rumors in Imythess history. Wherever you looked, people seemed to be talking about it and their thoughts on what happened. Meera didn't know what to think. To her, the only way to be sure, was to go up there and check. The dwarves, she knew, where a fairly seclusive race, so their caves might be hard to find. Nevertheless, she continued on in search of an answer. Meera walked alone. She had only taken Kalani because she didn't want to endanger any of her less-capable of fighting farmilliars. She still left Kalani outside the cave though. Suddenly, she felt tiny claws pushing off her shoulder. She took in a sharp breath of surprise and looked to see what it was. On the ground, she saw a bushy tail through the darkness. With a concerned frown, she scooped up Venorik, her squirrel. He had already made enough noise. Stuffing him in her pocket, Meera continued on. Even though the cave was dark, she could still see somewhat of outlines. When her eyes finally adjusted as well as they could, she could see an outline of something that looked somewhat like a person. From back here, she could not see anything that the person could possibly be looking at.

Concerned, Meera drew her water sword out and prepared for the worst. She continued to walk forwards deeper into the darkness. Her gaze remained on the person, so she was ready if he made a sudden move. Momentarily distracted by from her motive in the first place, it took her a second to realize what the man was staring at. When it finally came into her sight, she gasped but turned her attention back to the man..........just in case.

Azrael looked at whoever had just entered, but it was no-one dangerous so he looked back. He walked over to one of the dwarf corpses and examined it... there were claw marks on the corpse everywhere. That meant that it couldn't have been Orcs who killed the dwarves. Something much more sinister was going on here.

Suddenly an animalistic growl came from one of the dark corners. Azrael had time to draw his sword before a creautre jumped out from the shadows. The creature was roughly humanoid but it's face was covered in blood. It's teeth were also jaggeged, which meant only one thing.

VAMPIRE!!!

Azrael ducked and the vampire soared over his head and collapsed in a heap. Azrael plunged his sword into the vampire's heart and watched as the vampire dissolved into nothing more but ashes.

'So, vampires have been here...' he thought. 'Probably they're the ones who did this. But something strange is going on. How did they manage to get into the cave if it's light on the outside. There must be a secret enterance into the city... or somehow the vampires can walk in the day!'

Suddenly, more growls filled the cavern. There was more vampires where the last one came from.

Azrael got ready, he was in for a big fight.

Meera noticed the scratches on the corpses as well. This was not like anything she had seen before. Mass killings were not things that you ran into on an everyday basis. But then again, Neither were vampires. Meera had not run into vampires before, yet she knew how to kill them and what they did. She hoped that she would be able to help with what she had. The man didn't speak, and Meera respected that. Quickly, just to make sure, she checked his alignment. Seeing it was neutral, she knew that he just had to be some sort of hunter. She didn't want to know, nor did she care, what he hunted. For now, atleast, they were on the same team. The growl jolted her out of her thought. Hearing it so nearby was almost unnerving, but yet Meera kept her place. When it jumped out, Meera had her sword ready, but she was too far away to do anything to help the man. Luckily though, he was ready and was able to kill it. Slowly she began to wonder, -how could just one vampire kill this whole city of dwarves? If they were to protect caravans, they would be strong enough to fight off groups.- It just didn't add up.

Then, Meera's questions were answered. Many sounds of growling surrounded the cave, and filled her ears. There was not just one vampire. There was a whole clan. Meera thought quickly and knew of one thing that could keep them at bay. She took one hand off of her sword and cast the spell light, bringing a bright glow to her palm. The vampires closest to her stepped back somewhat, sheilding their eyes and growling slightly in anger. A little half-smile set on Meera's face, but she knew that this was deffinitely not fun and games. She knew that her sword would kill them and the spell would keep them at bay, but she could not do both at the same time. If one decided to come in and fight, she would have to stop the spell to have two hands on the sword to fight. Meera just hoped and prayed that they wouldn't be that smart.

Azrael looked at the bright light, this newcomer knew how to take care of herself.
Azrael took what looked like an orange grenade from his belt and pulled the pin. It was infact a garlic bomb. Designed to pacify the vampires and sometimes kill them. Azrael threw 5 of them in the direction of the growls and they exploded, a yellow powder enveloping the shadows.

The vampires began to cough and scratch... the garlic burning their skin. The whole city was filled with vampires, it was time to leave.

Taking 5 solar rods from his belt... Azrael lit them and threw them in the area. He then took the newcomer by the arm.

"Let's go... we need to find out where these vampires are coming from."

Meera stood stiffly, waiting for something or someone to make a move. When no one did, she had mixed feelings. It was good that the vampires hadn't moved any closer, but also, it would do no good for them to just stand around like this. If they never moved, nothing might happen to them, but they'd be here for a long time. She saw the man take out some grenade-like things. She didn't know what they did, until she saw him throw them into the shadows. The yellow powder gave away the fact that it was garlic. Another clue though, was the vampires scratching endlessly in writhing pain trying to get the potent powder off of them, but to no avail. Meera didn't know who this stranger was, but he obviously was not new to the ways of the vampire and could fight for himself if the need should come. Meera was somewhat relieved because she found it hard when she had to make up for one person that couldn't fight. She took one more look around the room to make sure no vampires were coming, then looked back at the stranger.

She saw him light mysterious rods and throw them at the vampires. It had an obvious affect, but she didn't know exactly what they were. This was not the time for questions though, so she bit her tongue. When he grabbed her arm, she listened and only answered with a nod. They were never going to get anywhere if they couldn't stop the main source, so she agreed. Waiting to see what he was going to do to get out of the circle of vampires, she readied her sword, and re-cast the spell light so that it was brighter and stronger. Suddenly, she remembered the more powerfull spell that she had. Her eyes brightened and she turned to the man, whispering in his ear, "I can create a distraction that should keep them off for a long time." With a smile on her face.

Azrael backed off down the caverns, making sure the woman was behind him.
Whoever this girl was, she was in danger and not even Azrael could protect her from an army of blood suckers. He had to stop them fast.

Suddenly, he heard something in his ear...
"I can create a distraction that should keep them off for a long time."

Azrael ignored her... he drew his sword and pushed the girl back to the enterance of the cavern. Then he slashed the top of the cavern roof with his sword. Azrael's sword was sharpened to an inch. It could sever bones, organs... and the very rock itself.

The cavern began to collapse, Azrael had done enough... a pile of rubble was forming creating a man-made wall to seperate the vampires from the girl and him. His plan had worked thankfully and now the vampires were stuck in the cavern.
Azrael turned to the girl...

"Let's get going, you need to go back to the village and tell them what happened to the dwarves. I need to find out what part the Orcs play in this..."

Meera allowed no resistance as the man pulled her and followed soundly. This was not a time to resist any help that had come to her. After she had whispered, she waited for a response. When none came, she frowned. This man had blown her off, she was a little angry, but soon got over it. That would do nothing to help out. When he let go of her, she turned around to see what he was doing. He cut the roof of the cavern causing rocks to fall and close up the entrance. She thought -of course that works for now, but if they couldn't have come through this entrance, it's really doing us no good at all.- And shook her head slightly. Meera crossed her arms over her chest and started thinking for a while. She knew that they should find the other entrance to the cave to stop the vampires alltogether, but she didn't know what the man wanted to do. She just waited until he had voiced his idea.

Meera listened and was immedietly put-off. She was not the person to just run and get help. She came here to help stop whatever had happened to the caravans, and not be the messanger with the bad news. She said outloud "We can tell the villagers later, for now, I'm staying with you." Her jaw jutted out defiantly and her eyes blazed as if backing up her statement. She was stubborn and this was her idea. She was going to continue to stay here until they found an answer wether the man liked it or not. Instead of waiting for possibly a return comment, she began to walk again towards the mountain pass where the caravans were supposed to go. She didn't know, nor care now, if the man was going to follow her. Either way it was fine. As long as she was staying here and not running to tell the bad news.

Azrael shook his head as he saw the girl take off up towards the mountains... 'Women,' he thought...

Wondering what she wanted in all of this, Azrael followed her up the mountain side.
"You're probably going to die because of this. Orcs may not be as good with weapons as Dwarves but they're 3 times as ferocious... and I don't need to worry about someone else as..."

Azrael paused... he had noticed something on the ground. It was tracks, wheel tracks from a caravan... and they looked fresh. Azrael bent down to examine them... they led all the way up to the mountain. Azrael ran up the mountain following the tracks, leaving the girl alone. He didn't need a parter right about now.

Azrael reached another cave, the tracks led all the way in. Inside the cave, it smelled very bad... it smelled like rancid food in there. Wondering who or what was in the cave, Azrael stepped in and heard some chanting.

"'Ail to the god Kh'arizk, lord of all war! May these yoo-man sacrifices please him".

Azrael stuck to the shadows, and watched the scene. It was an Orcish festival, one to their god Kh'arizk. Wondering what a yoo-man was, Azrael saw several people in a wooden cage. Humans! They must be the people who lived in the caravan!

Azrael looked down and got some garlic bombs out, ready to cause a distraction...

Meera did not want to look back until she was halfway up the pass. When she got there though, she turned around and did not see him. She indeed had heard him talking to her throughout the whole time, but did not care when he had stopped. It had made no difference to her. She sighed and rolled her eyes thinking -men!- It was once she turned around though, that she saw an entrance to someplace. Her curiousity took her inside and to what she did not know. She arrived upon a place that looked like it was a home to some sort of sophisticated predators. It had a neat little fire pit, but the ground was littered with many bones. She could not tell, nor did she want to know what these bones belonged to. To get away from the room, she travelled further into the cave. She arrived on a place that connected two caverns togther. The two merged and continued along. She began to wonder -where do these lead? It looks like some sort of main place to me. I wonder if there are many caverns in here.- Suddenly, she began to hear the chanting as well. She slowed down her footsteps and inched along the shadows to see where it was coming from.

She saw the orcs gathered and heard their chant. Suddnely, she saw the man, across the room from her. She sighed, looks like no matter what, they were doing the same thing. She analyzed the situation and how best to get in there. As she watched the man, she saw him readying some of those bomb things that he threw at the vampires. She wanted to yell to him, -those are for vampires not orcs!- but instead kept her mouth shut and readied her own distraction. Seeing the opportune moment when the orcs were all closest together, she sent her flashburst out and it created a loud boom, which temporarily deafened the orcs, and a searingly bright flash of light, temporarily blinding the orcs. She dashed into the room and towards the cage, which to her dismay, was locked. She cursed under her breath and thought -now what?-

Azrael was ready to throw his grenades when...
BANG!!!

Azrael groaned as a large flash of light came forth and temporarily blinded him. When he managed to regain his vision he saw that the woman he left behind has managed to get herself into the middle of the sacrifice. And the Orcs weren't too happy about it... infact they were now shouting "YOO-MAN" at the top of their voices and pointing their weapons at her neck. She was going to be killed.

Azrael had only one option left... looking at where the sources of light were, he threw some solar rods at them. He knocked over the torches that were lighting the room, blackening the entire cave. Azrael smiled... it was time to put his plan into action.

Azrael lighted some mor Solar Rods and made sure that the Orcs could see him.
In the darkness, he looked exactly like a creature of the night. It was the perfect illusion.

"LET THE PRISONERS GO!!!" He commanded, making sure that his voice sounded Demonic...

The illusion had worked, sort of. The Orcs were looking a little less bloodthristy and were wondering what Azrael was. Azrael decided to make an example of them. Dropping down to the floor, he drew his sword and charged.

Cutting down several Orcs, he made his way to the cage and slashed off the lock that bined the cage. Then he turned around only to see a spear slashing his arm. Blood trickled out of his wound and the Orcs paused.

One of the Orcs, dressed in cerominal vestments looked at Azrael.
"He's nothing more than a Yoo-man! KILL HIM"

The Orcs began to charge and Azrael needed another distraction. Ignoring the pain in his arm, Azrael began to try to cut the Orcs down.

"Take the prisoners... GO!!!" he shouted to the girl. She was caught up in this, she might as well be of some use to him.

Aegion had been on a journey back to Taras after his horrific quest in the Netherealms. He covered his head with his hood and wrapped most of his body with his cloak. Looking like just any Karadior adventurer, he used his magic staff as a walking stick due to his fatigue. He had been travelling for days and he could not find any sign of civilization.

Aegion mumbled, and did a small gesture and immediately felt his body rejuvenated.

Luckily I still have my heal spell or I wouldn't have survived this far...

Most of his items gone, and nearly all of his skills and spells have been vanquished while travelling in the Dead City of Niffleheim, and although he had wearily completed the quest and put the souls of millions to rest, he still had horrifying nightmares of skeletal wraiths and tortured corpses lying on the floor, mutilated beyong recognition but still living due to the undead essence in the area. In a flash, his mind returned to the scene of the Meat Room in the Zavatak Palace, otherwise known as the Blood Palace. Pictures of corpses strewn over multiple tables in different arrays of mutilation and disembowlment streamed through his mind. The corpses had been squirming, dead but yet not dead.

He shuddered and pushed these disturbing images out of his mind.

"Take the prisoners... GO!!!"

Aegion was snapped out of his trance like state and glanced up sharply, surprised yet relieved to hear another human's voice. For days back he had only heard whispers of pain, grins of the shadows and murmurs of the dead. Sweeping his cloak back, he cast another healing spell on himself and rushed forward to the source of the voice.

As he approached the clearing, he saw a man in vampire slayer gear engaged in a furious melee with some orcs. He surveyed the scene and noticed a woman at the side. Most importantly, he saw a cage with humans inside. The lock had been hacked off, probably by the vampire slayer, and the humans inside, weak from days of starvation and fatigue, are trying to leave the cage, shuffling and moving slowly.

A flash of disturbing images once again flitted to Aegion's mind as he recalled the scene of mutilated humans, on the verge of death, moaning and clawing at the air between the bars of the cage made of bone. They had been zombie prisoners for hundreds of years and been severely and frequently tortured and killed, before being raised again. The only thing that Aegion was glad about that quest was that he managed to free the sad souls of these beings.

A clash of metal interrupted his train of thoughts again, and for once Aegion is glad about it. Not one for close combat, he concentrated on supporting the vampire slayer. Muttering the well used latin incantation for Heal, he gestured at the vampire slayer and cast the spell on him.

(( OOC: Well, my character isn't a combative kind. He only fights with holy magic and these magicks have been destroyed in The Netherealms Quest. Mike, I'm Julian, by the way. From DH. ))

Azrael saw that some of the orcs weren't so frightened and attacked him. With a sweep of his scimitar, Azrael dispatched them. The rest of them were convinced and began to scream and panic. They ran into the darkness and hid... Azrael decided maybe it was time to free the prisoners.

He broke the lock of the cage and escorted all of the prisoners out of the caves. The Orcs would never try something like this again... now without Azrael knowing.

Noticing a stranger who had tried to help him, Azrael nodded in his direction and then led the prisoners down the rocky path.

Aegion saw some orcs rushing forward to the vampire slayer, only to be defeated by his scimitar. The rest of the orcs started to scream and panic, retreating off into the shadows, hiding. As the vampire slayer led the prisoners down the rocky path, Aegion moved a step forward before the vampire slayer nodded at him in recognition.

Aegion swept forward to the vampire slayer and his troupe of freed prisoners. Without a word, he walked alongside the group and cast healing spells on the prisoners one by one, not healing them completely, but at least taking some of their pain and fatigue away. After a while, Aegion glanced at the silent vampire slayer and tried to make conversation. Reciting the latin heal spell incantation again and again can get monotonous.

"Hi there fellow adventurer, nice swordplay back there."

Being an accomplished Motive Senser, he then studied the vampire slayer's face and expression, eager to find out more about this silent person.

(( OOC: See my skills below - Sense Motive is a skill. ))

Azrael didn't respond to the person, he had finished his mission so he had nothing to talk about. He kept himself to himself, and that was it. There was no need to talk about anything.

Azrael saw the enterance gates and looked at the prisoners, they were all in good shape.

Aegion was nearing the entrance gates as they walked, and he noticed that the vampire slayer was quiet. He stopped making any efforts of conversation and continued healing the remaining few of the prisoners.

When they reached the entrance gates, he gazed deep into the vampire slayer's eyes though the vampire slayer is looking up front. Concentrating, he stared deep into the vampire slayer's soul, but he could not find much, only the fact that he had some kind of secret and grudge against something or someone.

He's wrapped up in himself, keeping all his secrets, emotions and thoughts to himself. Something might have happened to this fellow in the past, and now he is wary of who he trusts and befriends. If I guess correctly, he has been doing this for years... He's probably a master at maintaining a poker face - that's probably why I couldn't unearth as much as I would've liked.

He recalled his first lesson in Diplomacy, never attempt to make conversation with this kind of untrusting people. They may seem solid strong, but they are still 'vulnerable'. Actions speak louder than words.

Aegion nodded at no one in particular, and just continued walking with the vampire slayer and the prisoners. He felt like leaving, but he felt an obligation to these prisoners. Furthermore, this vampire slayer could be going towards a town, which is where he wants to go.

Azrael kept on walking towards the town gates, looking back at the prisoners to see how they were doing. Everything was working out fine, thank god.
Azrael looked at the city gate they were fast coming up to and led the prisoners through it, wondering what he should do after he gets paid for this job...

As they finally reached the City Gates, Aegion pulled out his map. He did not have a compass, but he could roughly figure out which town he was in.

Hmm... We are supposedly near the Gwilith Mountains... so the only town nearest to here is Taras. This should be Taras... I hope...

Aegion folded the map and put it into one of the pockets in his cloak. Turning towards the vampire slayer, he said, "My friend, could you tell me if this town is Taras? And could I at least have the honor of knowing your name?"

(( OOC: Just tell me your name and answer my question and I guess this topic can be closed/finished, yes? ))

Azrael escorted the prisoners into the city of Taras and turned away ready to recieve his payment.

He heard the stranger ask some questions and turned towards him.
"Taras is a little further down the road but there is an inn here. It'll take half a day to reach to Taras on foot, half that on Horseback."

Azrael walked off to the mayor's house to recieve his payment and heard the stranger again...
"And could I at least have the honor of knowing your name?"

Azrael stopped and sighed... honour. Something he didn't have...

"Azrael" he said before dissapearing to the mayor's house.

Aegion nodded although the vampire slayer was entering a house already.

"Azrael...", he muttered to himself, as he continued his way forward to the great city of Taras.

(( OOC: Closed ))