Valerik stalked the streets of Lomedor, his shadows clinging to the walls of the allys he saught his prey. He at last came to the location he was looking for, and slumped down against a wall. The dark ally reflected the dim moonlight, the pale glow shining across the cobblestone ground. The occasional silence was broken by a clamoring drunk, followed by either a summons for the guard or a thunk as the drunk fell to the ground.

A sound echoed down the ally. This time, the steps were more coordinated, more in pace than that of an inebriated man. "Your here," Valerik said exhausted. He had been waiting for at least half an hour, but the vampire was impatient. The dark quivering figure took several uncertain steps towards Valerik. The vampire chuckled, always amused by the fear of those who were afraid of Valerik's powers and curse. At last, the figure was close enough to be seen.

The middle aged man was balding, his bright orange hair not present at the top of his skull. Dark bags were underneath his eyes, and wrinkles were spread across his face. His hands were rough, and his clothes were drenched in sweat. He was fairly well built, having strong arms, but a slight paunch. 'He must have just returned from work,' Valerik thought, assuming that he had a job involving manual labor.

"Why have you summoned me?" Valerik demanded of the mortal. The mercenary had gotten the tip from a bartender the day before, hearing that some peasant required his aid. The man approached, emptying a bag of golden coins on his hand. "I need your help, and I can pay," He told Valerik. "Obviously," Valerik said, gesturing to the coins. "Are you insulting my intelligence?" he toyed with him. "Oh no sir!" he said defensively. "I just meant.. I mean.." he stuttered. "Shut up!" Valerik demanded coldly.

"Why of course!" he said, jumping back, nearly losing the handful of coins. "What do you want me to do?" Valerik asked, ending his fun. "I need you to travel to the Squaldor Grasslands, and climb a tower there. At the top is a chest. Open it and retrieve the items inside," he said. "It will be locked, so you will need this key," he told Valerik, handing him a metallic, golden key. Valerik took it, stowing it away in his pocket. "What's inside?" Valerik demanded, curious about what he was going to retrieve. "Inside is a mace, an heirloom. That is my grandfather's tomb, and we need to use that mace to pay a gang that is holding our children hostage!" the worried parent exclaimed.

"I see," Valerik said, "Why can't you do it?" he asked. His employer began to sob, tears streaming down his cheeks, "The tomb is cursed, and many undead plague its levels," he admitted. Valerik merely nodded, and left, yelling on his way out, "Meet me here in three days!" "Of course!" the employer yelled back excitedly. Valerik left the city and found Akor, swiftly mounting him. The two traveled over the grassland's, searching the plains for this mysterious tower. At last, Valerik found it.

He dismounted Akor, and opened the massive wooden door of the tower. Death reeked from inside. Unfazed, Valerik drew his sword and continued in. It was a simple design, a staircase that led several hundred feet up. At the top, there appeared to be a trap door. Valerik headed up the stairs. As soon as he turned the first spiral turn, he came across a hoard of zombies. But even zombies aged: to some extent. They were fragile, incredibly flimsy. Valerik charged, swinging his sword, easily killing each one in a single swing.

In no time, he reached the top, some what fatigued. He opened the trap door, climbing to the top. He jumped, scanning the platform. The chest was on the far left of the platform, near the edge. Surprisingly there was no enemies. Valerik shrugged, and then went on towards the direction the chest. The platform was as wide as a normal bedroom, twenty feet by twenty feet. Valerik came to the chest, fumbling in his pockets for the key.

The old rumor that someone was always watching proved true. It was true, everyday of every minute. Every hour, right on the dot. Someone was always around, always lurking, always watching. Why should this be different? Night time in a dark alley way and the only people around was an old man who seemed rather over-worked. The other person was a vampire, a vampire who had made quite the reputation for himself. It takes a lot to catch Nobunaga’s eyes and be honored as a true fighter or skilled in any way. This vampire had earned that. The satisfaction of Nobunaga calling him a true warrior. That was an honor on its own.

Valriek was his name. A fighter, warrior, but not very smart, dark alley way with only him and an old man proved it. The man was in no real trouble. The old hag fed Valriek a load of lies. The temptations of anyone could easily be fed with the small bribe of gold, and it worked perfectly with Valriek.

His thirst for gold seemed to pull him in. The old man told him about a tower and a chest and also about how his family was in trouble. Those didn’t move the vampire. It was not until the one thing that feeds all souls. Gold! Valriek fell head first into the trap, and this was one trap that he would not walk away from without putting up a nice fight.

Coming out of the confines of the darkness as Valriek had walked away nobunaga eyed the old man nodding at his performance. “I..I…did what you…t..told me to” the old man said in a slow pace slightly stuttering. The taint of darkness and fear had washed over him as he looked into the eyes of Nobunaga. His new appearance was not very welcoming, but there was no need to be welcoming.

“You did well but too bad this will be the last time you take another breath.” Nobunaga said quickly slipping on his claws. The man screamed as he turned around and took off running not thinking twice about anything.

“Pathetic” nobunaga said as he quickly reacted right behind the man. The speed of Nobunaga was amazing. His agility and bodies natural speed was hightened. He was a walking death machine that had the strength of a demon and the speed of one too. He was not a normal person.

Not even a second went by before nobunaga had caught up. Nobunaga grabbed the man by the back of his neck and quickly threw him into the building that was beside them knocking him inches into the building. The old man was nearly dead from that alone but nearly was not enough. Nobunaga licked his claws before gutting the man in the stomach and then stabbing him through the neck. The pure terror on the mans face was completely priceless. It was well worth it. “I’m coming for you Valriek” he said as he turned and took of running as he knew a shortcut that would get him to the tower a few moments after Valriek.

After a short while he was correct. Valriek and his dragon had reached the tower and had already started working his way up the staircase. Delightfulness was the only work that could come out of Nobunaga’s mouth right now for he was about to get a challenge that he has been deprived of for a long time.

Nobunaga waiting a few more moments and then threw his hood of his cloak over his hair and face. Darkness. Nobunaga walked into the tower and followed up the stairs quickly and quietly. Never once did Valriek expect anything and that was a good thing.

Valriek reached the top after a few moments, and a few dead zombies. They served no challenge but they did tire him out a tad. Oh well. Valriek had his back turned the entire time as he went searching for the key that the old man gave him.

“Well. You might as well not even try to open it. Keys fake. Chest is fake. Gold is fake. You were duped to come here all because I wanted to challenge you personally here and now.” Nobunaga said grabbing his claws and strapping them on quickly. He was a swordsman but he fought with claws in the beginning and used his swords as a last resort. Most of the people cant stand up to his claws. Once he puts on the swords it just makes it that much easier.

If you accept or don’t accept does not matter. I am going to remove your name from history.” Nobunaga said clutching his claws tightly never once taking his cloak off. He kept his head low but high enough to see Valriek’s full body. This fight was going to start if he wanted it to or not. If Valriek attacked first it was his last, if he waited for Nobunaga to go first, he was still dead. What would he do in a situation like this Nobunaga did not know but he was ready for anything and everything.

When Valerik's fingers at last clasped the cold elusive key, a cold voice penetrated the silence, “Well. You might as well not even try to open it. Keys fake. Chest is fake. Gold is fake. You were duped to come here all because I wanted to challenge you personally here and now.” Valerik scowled, the hatred showing obviously showing on his face. He turned around with a chuckle, murmuring, "I'm going to kill that peasant."

One thing Valerik did not play around with was money. Getting scammed on gold was the biggest (and only) sin someone could commit in Valerik's opinion. Money was the vampire's only source of happiness, and lying to him about money or gold was a big mistake. Valerik drew his long sword as his opponent drew a pair of claws. His foe was huge, his muscles much larger than that of an average humanoid. His claws protruded from his massive fists, intimidatingly pointed at Valerik.

Unfazed, Valerik swung his long sword through the air, the metal singing through the silence. He stretched his arm, preparing for the large fight to come. 'I need to use the environment to my advantage!' Valerik thought. 'But that is going to be difficult,' he thought grimly. 'I don't want to risk getting to close quarters with this beast.' He spat at the ground, trying to hide his worries. "Your going to kill me?" Valerik asked rhetorically.

He clutched his stomach in laughter. "Do you know who I am?!?!" He asked, still doubled over. "I am a vampire, spawn of night, more evil than any demon or big bad tough human,' he added mockingly, his jeering tone obvious. "If you truly wish to lose your life tonight, then so be it," he said grimly. With that, he began his first offensive move.

Before the fight had even been mentioned, he knew what his first maneuver would be. Chain lightning, the most powerful spell in his arsenal. Not only was that spell powerful, it was Valerik's strongest connection to lightning. It was his most deadly connection to lightning. He focused his mana from his core, sending it through his body. He outstretched his arm, pointing it at his opponent. He focused his mana down arm, a orb of electricity aimed at his adversary. He released the bound mana, the lightning bolt heading straight towards him. The lightning branched off minuscule amounts, hitting a low flying bird. Even though one minor bolt branched off, the brunt of the attack was aimed at the man who wanted to kill him, the lightning sizzling through the air.