The dark fortress (Open by request)

[Arthuriel]

Deep into the forest, where not even birds or small creeping things of the ground would dare go, was a mighty tower. Made of stones black as a demon's heart, the tower pulsed evil. A sick heartbeat, ever thumping in the souls of those who drew too near to the accursed place. It was that Arthuriel, the Demon's Merchant, had made his home. The necromancer found a wicked peace when he walked among the halls of the fortress, the building as vile as himself.
With the arrival of Arthuriel, the fortress' taint began to spread, withering trees and plants. The air turned poisonousness to breathe and whenever a beast or animal fell, their body would rise as a mindless minion of the fortress, and the necromancer.

"You summoned?" A dog-faced beast with twisted horns asked, stepping forth from a swirling vortex or black and red smoke. A jagged sword was in the demon's clawed hand, but as the hooded and cloaked stood before the towering behemoth, he showed no fear.
"I want a demon heart." The necromancer had learned never to display a need in front of a creature of the lower plains, they always made you pay a hefty price for it.
"Oh?" The demon asked, his mouth twisting into a savage and revolting grin. This particular demon, once  great angel of the higher plains, loved nothing more then cutting his own kind to shreds.
"Yes," Arthuriel said simply, then waved a gloved hand in the air. Chains suddenly appeared, marked with holy runes, around the beast's neck and limbs. "Your heart." Faster than he would have preferred, Arthuriel drove his hand into the demon's chest, then pulled a pulsating heart. It was dark and pumping a sticky oil. The demon groaned in pain and anger, but did not move. The holy runes prevented that.
"Ho- how did you, Demon' Merchant, bring light magic of any kind into this cursed place?" He said through many clenched teeth.
The necromancer shrugged. "I made a deal with an angel." He said simply before dismissing the fatally wounded creature back to its home plane. No doubt his brethren would enjoy his wounded state very much.
You betray those who serve you, As you did to me, they shall no doubt do to you. A sinsester voice rang in Arthuriel's mind as he pocket the heart.

[SapphireIceDragon]

Cia ran through the forest, her movements swift and graceful. Her crystalline blue eyes scanned her surroundings. She was getting closer, bit by bit, although it was difficult to pinpoint the exact location of a hidden tower. She didn't mind, though. A smile spread across her lips as she thought of the reward. I could live on my own for a while, maybe even search for my brother... The thought pushed her onward towards her target.

After a while, a dark tower came into view. A sickening aura surrounded the place, almost making Cia second-guess herself. After all, her brother did warn her that there was a limit to what she could do. However, she dispelled those thoughts and hid herself in the branches of a tree. Her heart pounded in her chest as she waited for her target to come into view.

[Arthuriel]

Arthuriel strolled leisurely through the forest, the walking, mutilated corpse of a deer walking with him, nuzzling the necromancer's cloak as they went. It was a dreary day, the sun hidden behind a large blanket of dark clouds. As the pair walked through the decrepit wood, Arthuriel stopped, a sense of warning coming over him.
Hehe, you are hunted, Necromancer,
He forcefully ignored the mad voice, trying to focus on who dared intrude on his home. What insolent fool was this, challenging the Demon's Merchant? Growling angerly, he called out to the trespasser. "Come out, if you would dare."

[Arthuriel]

Arthuriel strolled leisurely through the forest, the walking, mutilated corpse of a deer walking with him, nuzzling the necromancer's cloak as they went. It was a dreary day, the sun hidden behind a large blanket of dark clouds. As the pair walked through the decrepit wood, Arthuriel stopped, a sense of warning coming over him.
Hehe, you are hunted, Necromancer,
He forcefully ignored the mad voice, trying to focus on who dared intrude on his home. What insolent fool was this, challenging the Demon's Merchant? Growling angerly, he called out to the trespasser. "Come out, if you would dare."

[SapphireIceDragon]

Cia's lips curled into a smirk at her target's response. I would never be so foolish as to come out in plain sight... No, she preferred to do her work in the shadows. Strike without a sound, without warning. That is what she planned to do. An icy dagger materialized in her hands. With an expert accuracy, she hurled the weapon towards him and quickly moved to a different tree, so as to not be tracked by her dagger.

[Arthuriel]

The weapon flew true to its target, the icy dagger glowing in the darkness till it connected with Arthuriel's chest. The necromancer appeared unfazed as he pulled the item from his body, observing it. There was no blood, no sign at all it have ever been used save a slight chip in the point.
"You would have darkness protect you?" Arthuriel chuckled darkly. "I have killed men and woman like you before, those too foolish and arrogant to know when they are beaten." He raised a gloved fist into the air, zombies beginning to rise. "There is a reason no angel or demon has damned be to the hells. What makes you think you can?"

[SapphireIceDragon]

Cia grit her teeth in frustration. The dagger had pierced his chest, and yet he still stood speaking before her! He had the audacity to mock her, to chuckle at her efforts. No angel nor demon could defeat him, eh? All the better. Cia spoke against her better judgement.

"I am neither angel nor demon," Cia darted to avoid the zombies who clawed at her. "But my purpose and will is stronger than the heavens itself!" Focusing on her magic, she manifested at least a dozen icy swords and directed them at the man. If it cannot kill him, it will at least immobilize him...

[Arthuriel]

Spotting the glowing swords, Arthuriel laughed all the louder. The deep noise withering the trees and plants even further. He began to chant in a tongue that seemed like a plague to hear, and even more undead began to rise. Vampires, ghouls, zombies. They surrounded their master as a wall, shielding him.
"Damned be the will of the heavens, who can stand against those the gods fear to interfere with?"He shouted, his undead wall growing thicker as the dead rose even still.

[SapphireIceDragon]

Cia furrowed her eyebrows behind her mask. I suppose there's no helping it...I must reveal myself. She jumped from the tree, landing gracefully on the ground. Her swords surrounded her in an offensive shield. She looked over the man's undead army, fear running through her veins like poison. She'd never faced an opponent like this. Nevertheless, she forced a faux air of confidence.

"Not even the gods, eh?" she spat. "We'll see about that."

[Arthuriel]

The wall parted, the horde of undead staring down the assassin with hungry eyes and drooling mouths. They hungered for her flesh. Arthuriel stepped forth to face his enemy. Once more he laughed, seeing who dared face him. "Who hired you, whelp?" He stepped back and the wall enclosed him. "Or shall I rip the knowledge from your broken body?"

[SapphireIceDragon]

"Whelp?" She scoffed, letting her anger get the best of her. "Says the man who hides behind the undead. And as I am loyal to my clients, I suppose you'll have to pry that information out of my cold, dead hands." Cia sent two of the swords flying straight into the chests of a few undead, showing off her skills. "Are you going to fight me fairly, or are you going to continue to hide behind your minions?"

[Arthuriel]

"Only a fool take chances and fights fairly. I would have thought an assassin would know that." The necromancer replied. Without warning several ghouls leaped from the wall. They did not attack the assassin, no, Arthuriel hadn't commanded them to do that. Slobbering and growling, they began to circle Cia. Crawling on all fours, the beasts looked up eagerly, their rotten bodies hunched, their lifeless eyes staring hungerly at their prey. 

[SapphireIceDragon]

"Fair enough," Despite the situation, Cia smirked, although the man couldn't see it behind her mask. She sent a few of her swords into the ghost creatures. To be honest, a shiver had gone down her spine when she saw them. She'd never battled a necromancer before, so this was definitely new. However, she wasn't about to back down, not even if she had to see demons rise from hell. She was going to kill this man, collect a reward, and find her brother. Nothing could stand in her way.

[Arthuriel]

Without warning the wall began to tear itself down. Zombies clawed their way into the ground, ghouls vanished into the night, but the vampire stayed. They stared absentmindedly forward, no thought in their dead eyes.
"What was your price to kill me?" He asked curiously. "I could possibly top it."

[SapphireIceDragon]

Cia was both shocked and slightly relieved as his response. In truth, she was beginning to tire, her bravado close to slipping. However, she was skeptical about this man. What had he done to place such a hefty bounty on his head?

"What would I possibly do that is worth more than bringing your head on a platter?" She asked, her eyes narrowing. "I know that you're not innocent, in any way or form."

[Arthuriel]

"Oh, you're quite correct. I have committed enough sins across the years that I could've damn this whole world to the hells." He mentally beckoned one of the vampires to kneel before him. With one fluid motion, he removed his cloak and placed it on the vampire. His body was not what one would expect. Blonde hair and a young handsome face that didn't seem to fit his grave and horrible voice. Then the vampire stood, pulling the hood over his face. "My head isn't so easy to remove." With a snap of his fingers, the other three vampires held fast to the young boy, stopping any escape. He seemed very frightened and confused.

[SapphireIceDragon]

Cia took a step beck, startled by the oddness of it all. What was he planning to do to the vampire boy? Did the cloak have special properties or powers? The most confusing part of it all was the man's appearance, a stark contrast to his gravelly voice. Although many questions drifted through her mind, she could only stand there and watch. Her hands hovered over her mask. Should I show him my face? He did reveal himself to me... Taking a breath, she took off her mask that once protected her identity.

[Arthuriel]

The vampire - who was now Arthuriel- cocked his head at the assassin's strange action. He knew better than most that few of that profession would reveal their face. Still, the necromancer kept his wits about him.
"Tell me what you were paid, and I may be able to offer more," Arthuriel repeated again, paying no mind to the struggling captive. The vice grips of the vampire's held the blonde lad in place, despite his  flailing body. 

[SapphireIceDragon]

"I was offered enough gold to buy a dragon," Cia said, her voice tense. It had been foolish to reveal herself, but what was done was done. She could only act brave now. "How could you offer me more than that?" In truth, she was mentally kicking herself for even considering working with this man. She had been sent to kill him! It would be against her moral values to betray a client. "And even so, you still haven't told me what I'd be doing..."

[Arthuriel]

Arthuriel chuckled. "I could give you items whose value would enable you to buy five dragons." He gestured to the blonde. "This head you cannot have," the vampire's clawed finger pointed to itself. "This one you can, take it from me. Claim your reward from your masters then kill them. Bring me their heads and I shall reward you."
The boy began to panic, his breathing becoming ragged and out of control. Still the vampire's didn't move, only held him in place. It was as if he had been trapped in the grip of stone statues.