 
Endings

By Lisa Williamson

Published by Lisa Williamson at Smashwords

Copyright 2012 Lisa Williamson

Adventures of Loralil Greyfox

Book one

Endings

# Chapter One

Life Ends

Screams of terror and betrayal filled the clearing. Blood flowed as the vicious invaders looked for their prey. They weren't here but the sounds from below should bring them forth. Death was not quiet on this afternoon.

Once the noise from the attack reached up the hill to the smithy, the Blade master looked up. He was tall for these small folk. He came to a height of 5'6". Tall for an elf. He had blue black hair tied back in a club. His eyes were a deep purple, odd for a surface dwelling elf. He had massive muscles from years of smithing. He grabbed up the nearest weapon, a sword he made years ago for a king who did not live to collect his custom job. A flame brand. He yelled back to the open door of his home, "Silvershine! Greyfox! Come out here!"

"What is it, Stoneblade?" Asked his wife as she came out of the house. She was a beautiful woman. Long silver hair pulled back into a myriad of tiny braids. She was slender and graceful. She had kept a fine figure after the birth of her child and the following years of settled life. She was a foot shorter than her husband and had a voice that would make birds stop singing in envy.

"The village is under attack," Stoneblade replied quickly has he turned to intercept his child as she tried to fly past him. "Stop right there! Greyfox, you must go to the hiding place."

"Father! No! I want to help!"

"Do what your father tells you child. This is no game." Silvershine held out her hand to her only child. She needed to be sure that this precious child was protected. Chastised the elven child turned and re-entered the dwelling. The two then ran down the hill and entered the slaughter below. Even though they were trained warriors and masters of their crafts they could do little to save those below. The raiders' wizard knew of their presence and planned accordingly. Watching for the arrival of the only two members of the village who could tip the balance away from an easy victory, he had trap spells set to hold them when the appeared.

Just as he planned they fell for his trap. They found themselves enwrapped in layers and layers of webbing. They could not cut themselves free and fell to the ground. As they watched they saw the people they had lived with for the last 30 years being put to the sword for being too old to be worth transporting to the slave markets. When the raiders were done with the killing, all that they could see left of their friends and neighbors were five women and to their horror their fourteen year old daughter.

The leader of the raiders was a tall, ugly half Orc named Samuel Elvenbane. He was the product of rape and he lived his life trying to outdo his father's legend. He had raped and pillaged his way across three countries, always looking for the villages of elves. He was seeking two very specific elves. He had found them at last. Stoneblade and Silvershine. They had participated in the death of his father, the only being Samuel ever looked up to. Now he would have his revenge.

"Are they paralyzed wizard?"

"Yesss, my leader," hissed the cloaked being at his right.

"Good," he turned back to his prisoners. "I have waited twenty years for this. You two will pay for killing the only being greater than my perfect self." He pontificated. "First, I shall have you elf bitch. Right here in front of your mate. Or even better," looking at the young elf maiden brought before him. He reached forward and grasped her chin. Tilting up her face he saw the parents blended into a new and even more striking combination. Eyes of deepest purple surrounded by long moon-silver lashes. Hair of the same color cascading down her back freely to her hips. Slender yet just blossoming into womanhood. She was straight and proud in front of these killers. She had her parents contempt for them. She had been told all about the world without. The humans, Halflings, Dwarves and others. But mostly she had been told about this particular beast. She wrenched her face out of his hands and spat at him. Hitting him square between the eyes. There was a shocked silence from his followers and then he burst out laughing.

He liked the audacity of this child.

"Strip her," he ordered. Her mother tried to move. Straining inside the spell, she tried to form the sound of the music she needed for the counter spell. She couldn't think. The snake wizard had a way of making her thinking muffled only when she tried to cast a spell. She was in her full capacity as she watched her beloved daughter raped just as she had been by this thing's father fifty years ago. She survived then and got her revenge. Now she knew she would not. Tears of rage and pain rolled down her face. When the beast finished up he invited his men to have go, as long as they didn't do any permanent damage to the goods.

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Earlier

Greyfox climbed down the ladder into the cellar, grumbling all the way. She had always been indulged by everyone around her. She had never been told she couldn't do anything. It was frustrating to be treated like a little child. She knew that she was good at fighting. Her father had taught her how to use knife, sword and bow. She was the best shot in the village. Of course she had the best teacher in the world. Her father. He had been the king's Blade Master back when he lived in the outside. Mother was almost as good as father with a sword and his better with a bow. How could they send her down her as if she was still a baby?

Greyfox looked around down here. For years she had been using this room as a playroom. She had pretended when she was little that she was a great general of some outside army. Fighting and defeating Orc armies. Hunting down and slaughtering Drow and other evil creatures. As she grew older she hid her treasures here. A cast off sword that her father decided was not good enough to bear his mark. Her mother's old practice harp. A bow and arrows that she had made herself. Her first attempts at song crafting and the small target she used to practice throwing daggers. She had many a happy winter day down here but now she was all grown up. Her mother told her that soon she would become a woman and would learn the mysteries that each Elven mother taught her daughters.

"Well, I'm bored down here. Maybe I can just go outside the house. Surely if I bring my bow I can help Mother and Father damage those raiders." Grabbing up her bow and arrows she snuck up the ladder and back into the kitchen. She looked carefully out of the window before she opened the door to the outside. She didn't want to be captured before she had a chance to pot some Orcs. She opened the door slowly, seeing no one in the yard she scooted out and sprinted under the trees.

Going from tree to tree she got close as she felt was safe to the valley floor. Climbing her favorite tree she found she had a clear view of the carnage below. She choked back the vomit that came to her throat. Laying on the ground like broken dolls were all her friends from the village. The old baker, his wife, the seamstress. The cooper, the wheel right and the storyteller. Greyfox saw bodies clear across the valley. All her friends lying on the ground, surrounded by blood.

Her eyes flew, looking for her parents. She didn't see them at first. Then in horror she saw them run down into the valley. Right into the trap that had been laid for them. They were quickly enveloped in long sticky white strands. She cried out as she saw them fall and a tall ugly creature walked up and stood over them. She raised her bow and started releasing her arrows. She took down three of the attackers before they found her tree. She kept firing, hitting what ever she aimed at. It was as if her horror lent her an accuracy she normally lacked. Just as she was running out of arrows she heard a strange sound. It sounded like chanting but in some weird language. As she listened she found herself becoming very tired. She fought to keep her eyes open and to continue to fire but she couldn't. Her eyes fell shut and she fell out of the tree into the waiting arms of the chanting creature.

He easily caught her. His master would be very pleased. He looked down at his burden. This was well worth the trip. In his arms he held a lovely elven girl child just on the brink of womanhood. She was obviously the daughter of his master's two enemies. He turned and carried her toward the village.

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Lying on the ground were she had been abused, Greyfox tried to bring her thoughts together. The horror of what had been done to her kept sending her thoughts scattering out of her reach. She knew that there was something she should be doing but she just couldn't remember. Why was she lying here? Why did she hurt? Mother would know. But where was Mother? There was some reason that her mother couldn't reach her. What was it? She tried to form her mother's name but all that came out her mouth was a whimper. Was that me? Think Greyfox. What happened? Just as she seemed to touch on what happened she smelt something. With a quiver of fear the smell brought back the memories. THAT SMELL. IT BELONGED TO AN ORC! With a cry Greyfox sat up and scooted back away from the source of that smell. Her mind running in

circles in its fear. She had to get away. Find her parents. They would make it all right. They never let anything bad happen. The were the strongest, smartest people in the world. Looking around in fear she tried to spot them. As she moved backward she bumped into something. Turning she screamed as she realized that what she had bumped into was one of her friends. The body of one of her friends. She quickly reversed her course. Trying to stand she made it to a crouch when she looked up and saw the ugliest creature in her world. Her memory came back. This was the creature who raped her! She froze.

"Good, you're back. Now it is time for you to see what I do to my enemies, child. You will remember this day for the rest of your sorry days." He reached down and pulled her to her feet by the hair. Pushing her in front of him they walked toward the center of the village.

There his men had erected a scaffolding with two tall stakes with crossbeams in the center. Greyfox saw that her parents were tied to these and stripped. Turning to his hooded mage he spoke in an undertone. "Have you made sure that they can in no way interrupt my pleasure?"

"Yess, the spell is laid. They will not be breaking free thisss time."

"Good." With that he dragged Greyfox forward by her hair. He spoke into her face, his breath like rancid meat. "You will watch now the revenge of Samuel Elvenbane." Turning to the crowd of his followers. "Let no Being say that they can get the best of me or my people. Start the punishment." He waved his hand at the scaffold.

Two large, burly men stepped up to the two elves. Raising their arms in unison, they each brought down a whip on the backs of the prisoners. As they pulled back their arms for a second blow Greyfox could see the sparkle of something woven into the whips. Bits of glass and metal, used to tear the skin off the bones of those whipped by it. Quickly blood was flowing down the backs and legs of Greyfox's parents. No sound came from the two though. Samuel looked over at his mage. "Can you lift the silence enough to let them scream but not enough to use the bitch's bard tricks?"

"Of course, my lord" The snake twiddled his fingers and the spell was partially lifted. Now harsh breathing could be heard, but to Samuel's disappointment there we no cries. He dragged Greyfox up onto the scaffolding and grabbed one of the whips from his men, handing her off to that being. Raising the whip he brought it down with all his strength on Stoneblade's back. He got no other reaction than a tightening of the jaw. He repeated and repeated his blow until Stoneblade's back was in tatters. He then moved on to Silvershine. He got not more satisfaction out of her. Finally he dropped the whip and walked around to face his two captives.

"Why won't you scream?!"

Lifting her head took more strength than Silvershine believed she still had but she did. Looking straight into his eyes she cursed him in low elvish to live a long and empty life. He raised his fist and smashed her in the face. Stoneblade continued her curse by adding that someday he would find his doom by elvish hands and that he would have no son or daughter to follow in his footsteps. Laughing shakily Samuel gestured to his mage to bring Greyfox forward. "I will have an heir. He will be made on the body of your child!" He then grabbed her and squeezed her small breasts to show his ownership. "I will use her and use her until I get what I want and then I will throw her used up body away." With that he pulled out a long knife from his waist and slit the throats of the two elven parents. Greyfox, whimpered and tried to go to her mother. Samuel let her, thinking that it was just the right thing to place his mark upon her.

"Mother!" She tried to stem the flow of blood from her mother's throat but there was nothing she could do. Turning she grasped her father's hand. He too bled out as she watched. As the light of life fled their eyes Greyfox let out an anguished keening that she would only stop when she was clubbed into unconsciousness. So started Greyfox's life beyond the village of her birth.

The bandits rounded up their few prisoners and set the village to the torch. Soon there was nothing left to show that a peaceful people had lived in this place for the past 2,000 years other than a pile of smoking timbers.

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CHAPTER TWO

ENTER MIKA

Mika Silvershaft walked down into the center of the remains of his sister's village. There were remains scattered around the village common. He could see burnt timbers and bones. What was once a thriving village was now the site of a massacre. He slowly walked toward the only remaining complete structure. It was a scaffold.

As he climbed the stairs he could see the two stakes and the grisly remains still chained to them. For some reason the two bodies here were not attacked by the scavengers who had cleaned the bodies of the other towns' folk. He could still see the bright colored cloth worn by the two elven bodies resting there. He looked down at the corpses for a long moment before a sound escaped his lips.

Across the clearing his companions could hear the high pitched keening sound and turned to look at their friend. Karleen rushed toward him. She knew without asking that he had found what he had been looking for. The keening went on as she climbed the stairs and looked over at the corpses. She could see two slumped bodies, surrounded by a grey mist, untouched by the ravages she saw below. One dark haired and one silver haired. These were the two people they had come to find. Mika's sister and brother-in-law. The cause of their deaths was obvious. The blood from their wounds had pooled around their feet and had not dried. There were no flies or other insects around the corpses. The mist had kept the course of nature from the corpses.

She walked over and placed her hand on Mika. He spun about, with his weapon in his hand. Karleen could see no sanity in his eyes. She quickly whispered a spell under her breath and he slowly fell into her arms. "Talen! Come here!" She called out to one of their companions as she sagged to the floor. A strong looking human turned from the house he was examining and ran toward her.

"What happened?"

"We found Stoneblade and Silvershine." She pointed to the two corpses. He nodded and took the unconscious elf from her arms. He would take him back to the camp and then he and the others would start cleaning up the village. Sliap, the only priest in their group was all ready praying to his god to help the souls of those in this village. Masq may be a god of the humans but he had been known to help out elves before.

"I'll put him down near your stuff, Karleen. Then I'll come back and gather up what remains we can find." He turned slowly, with a quiet voice he continued. "Do you know what burial rites this tribe used?"

"No. We'll have to ask Mika when he wakes up." The sadness could be heard in her voice. She had never met Mika's sister but she felt that she knew her from the stories that Mika had told her over the years. She watched Talen walk away and then turned back to the pitiful bodies before her. Something wasn't right besides the condition of the bodies. For a moment she wasn't sure what but after a moment it dawned on her. Where was Mika's niece? She quickly turned and ran down the stairs.

Calling out to the other four members of her party she asked if any of the bodies they had found belonged to a child. So far no one had found a small corpse. "Karleen, we've only searched the village so far. Didn't Mika say that his sister lived up in the woods a ways. Maybe the child is there." Sliap responded sadly. He turned and called out to one of their comrades. "Katlin! Why don't you go up there?" He waved toward the hill were the family's home had been. "We are going to start laying out the bodies in the village square." He paused for a moment, looking up at the two bodies on the scaffold, "We must do something about them."

"Yes. Right now." Karleen turned and walked back, Sliap following behind.

"There's something wrong here." Sliap said. He walked toward the two bodies. "I can feel some type of spell here. Something terrible." He reached out his hand and a flash of light sprang out at him. With a cry he stepped back, covering his eyes. Karleen rushed over to him. She took his hand into her's and gently turned it over. The palm had been burned by the flash of light. She took and deep breath and sent a wave of healing energy over the wound. The priest took a deep breath. "Thank you, Karleen."

He turned back to the bodies. "There is some type of spell over the remains. It feels like a trap spell."

As he said that Karleen finally understood the strange sensations she had been feeling. The sense of being trapped was coming from the two inside the spell. A mage had placed a trap spell on the two elves just as they were dying. Their spirits were trapped inside a globe of energy and could not escape into the next life. Karleen turned and ran away from the horror she felt. She had to get some distance between herself and the two in front of her. She would be no good to Mika if she got sucked into the despair above her.

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Back at the site of the camp Talen gently placed Mika on the ground. He wasn't surprised that their leader had collapsed on finding his only kin up on the scaffold. Stronger beings than the elf had been known to crack under less stress. He quickly put up Mika's tent and set him down inside. Mika should stay asleep until after the grisly work of gathering the bodies together was done. In Talen's twenty years of adventuring he had only come across sites like the one below a blessed few times. He had made sure to stay away from war zones. Though he was a swordsman he had found out very young that he wasn't cut out for the all out slaughter of war. He believed in fighting for good causes and would take on commissions to take down monsters and the occasional bandit troop. He had been lucky, not since he was a child had he seen death on such a scale. An entire village wiped out, not by disease but by the hand of thinking beings. Usually the village would have been rounded up and sold into slavery. By the number of bodies scattered around he would say that no one had been spared, except the very young.

This village was very isolated. Mika had told him that it had few visitors and that his sister and her husband had been the last to move here. It was a peaceful place the few times Mika had visited. Full of happy people living simple lives. Now no one lived here. It was a shame.

He looked up to see Karleen careening out of the village and toward the camp he was setting up. He reached out and grabbed her as she ran by. "Whoa there girl, what happened?"

"The-there's a trap spell." She shook as she spoke. Just the idea of the two trapped spirits made her sick.

Talen understood though. He had come across trap spells before. "Have you told Levy yet?" he paused. "No, I can see you haven't. Stay here with Mika. I'll go tell him." He gave her a gentle push toward the slumbering elf and walked back to the village. The rest of their party was pulling the bodies out of the burnt buildings and laying them out in the village square. He found Levy gathering the bones of what must have been a lame old man. The leg bones were twisted, and not by fire.

"Levy, Karleen tells me there's a trap spell up on the scaffold." Levy looked up in interest.

Levy was a slender human man with long brown hair and serious grey eyes. Unlike most mages he dressed in a tunic and breaches and carried a weapon at his side. A weapon that he knew how to use almost as well as Talen knew his own. "A trap spell? Now why would there be one there?" He mused out loud.

"The two beings up there are Mika's family. Their bodies have been preserved in the state they were in when they died. Even the blood is still fresh."

Levy nodded at that information. That was obvious from the way Mika had reacted on coming upon them. What intrigued him was why was there a trap spell laid on their death site. "Give me a few more minutes to finish up here and I'll look it over. You and Samis should start digging."

"Why?"

"If I remember correctly the grey elves bury their dead. We will need a large grave to bury these poor souls." He looked out over the village. So far they had laid out over fifty bodies. There shouldn't be too many more to be bought out of the ruins. He could see the other elf in their party carefully shifting through the ruins of what must have been the bakery and their little halfling friend gathering together what ever goods he could find that had survived the massacre and the fire that followed. From a brief spell he had cast on finding the village he could tell that the destruction they had found had happened over a year ago. There was little to be found here in one piece. The elements had finished the destruction of almost everything had been left by the attackers.

He went over to the scaffold while going over the various means he knew to take down a trap spell. The two spirits inside needed to be set free carefully. In the past the release of a trap spell had been mucked up enough times that it was one of the first things a journeyman mage was taught to insure that there were no mistakes. Levy had seen a mistake just two years ago. He had been a few days behind a Blood mage who had tried to release a trapped elf soul. He had inadvertently created a creature of great power in his slip up. He had released the spirit without the knowledge of how to send the spirit on. It had sprang free and become a danger. A banshee. It had eaten the blood mage and stayed attached to the site of its death. Luckily for Levy he had been traveling with an elven priest of endings. He was just strong enough to hold off the banshee until the priest could banish it to the beyond. That spirit had been dead for a very long time.

Over one hundred years. These two spirits had been dead a much shorter time. He knew that they were very unlikely to become a hazard. They had been good people in life and it would take more than a year trapped in a spell to turn them into banshees.

The sight before him as he climbed the stairs was a gruesome one. The two elves had been tortured, whipped and beaten before their throats had been slit. The stasis caused by the trap spell had kept everything in the state it was when they were killed. He could see the blood pooled around their bodies. It looked fresh. He could even still smell the iron tang of it. His empathic senses were not as strong as Karleen's but he could just feel the emotions that had been trapped inside the globe of power. There was a great sadness here. As he studied the runes he could see he found that this was one very strange spell. It was not cast by one of the races he was familiar with. The runes were the same for most races but there were some he had never seen before. He was still studying them when Slias came over to him. "Any luck, my young friend?"

"Not much. This wasn't cast by any school of mage craft that I'm familiar with. The runes move about like a snake."

"I think that you may have hit upon your answer."

"What?" Levy turned to face the priest. "What do you mean?"

"I have been doing a little investigating of my own. Masq has granted me a partial vision of the massacre here. The spell was laid by a snake man."

"Snake man? I haven't run into one of those before."

The priest nodded. "They are from very far south of here. It is odd that one would be traveling so far into what they consider the frozen northlands. They usually stay close to their homelands. The few I have met in the past have always been good souls. I do not understand how one of them could have been part of the evil we see about us." He shook his head. This was a contained evil. Even the most hardened of the travelers felt uncomfortable here. "We must do something soon. The night will be falling in a little over an hour. I would not want to be here after dark."

"I can agree with you there, priest. Are you up to laying these ghosts soon?"

"A proper burial is all the others need." He paused. "The two here will need the combined efforts of both of us. And one other."

Levy looked at the priest. He knew that he meant Mika. The poor elf would have to be here to lay the spirits of his sister and brother-in-law. There was no other way. "Should we wake him now?"

"No, not yet. The two here will not be able to do anything. They can't interrupt the funeral of their friends."

"Then let's check on the others. They were almost through all the ruins when I came up here."

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Katlin carried the last body to the village square. The small bones she found were not those of a child, she knew, but she felt the same as if they had been. She could tell that this set of pitiful remains belonged to a woman who had given birth at some time. She could see the widened hipbones. The day had been terrible. Of what had been described to her as a thriving village of gentle elven craftspeople she had found only bones. In all she and the two human fighters had laid out fifty five piles of bones. There was only one place that they hadn't searched yet. The home of her friend's family. She had put that off for last. Never in her over four hundred years of life had she been able to face the bones of a child. Mika had told her of his little niece. Though he had never seen her face to face he had read the loving letters his sister had written to him. He had been so happy to know that his sister had found a place to live where she was accepted and loved. Katlin remembered the sweet young elf when she had lived in their home city of Mer'Beryl. She had always been full of laughter and song. Never the serious young bard that the elders had wanted her to be. It had been many years since she had last seen her friend and when Mika had told her that he was worried about the lack of letters from his sister she had agreed to come along.

She gently placed the bones on the ground next to the others and walked out of the village and up the hill leading to the forge. She could just see the foundation through what remained of the trees. The stone that the house had been made of had protected it somewhat. She could see one wall still standing. The one containing the fireplace.

Standing just outside she gathered her courage and stepped over the tumbled rock onto what was left of the floor. She looked about but she could see little left. Near what would have been the back wall there was the remains of some type of instrument. She carefully picked up the pieces. It had been a small lute. Now all that was left was a bit of the neck and some of the metal strings. She lay it back down. Standing up she sighed. There were no bones here. She was turning to go when she spotted a large metal ring in the rubble. She bent down to pick it up when she noticed it was attached to a door in the floor. Stepping back a bit she examined the floor. Yes, there was a trap door here! She planted her feet firmly and pulled up on the ring. The door came up easily. She let it fall over with a crash. Inside the hole revealed was a ladder leading down. She paused for a moment and then climbed down.

The ladder led to a small room under the house. It was untouched by the fire that had taken the house above. She found a child's treasure trove inside. There was a small cracked harp, a child's sword and a few other toy's here. In a small chest she found a leather covered journal. It was filled with songs. She looked them over. They were like but not quite like the ones she remembered Silvershine singing. These must be from little Greyfox. Mika would want these. She stuffed the book through her belt and gathered what little there was. She had not found the bones of the owner of these things. Maybe the child was alive somewhere.

Climbing out of the little room she hoped that these treasures would help Mika with his grief. The child, if she still lived, would be his only remaining relative. His sister had been allowed to leave the city only because she had other brothers and sisters. That had been many years ago. Time had taken away Mika's three brothers and two other sisters. It had been thought amazing that their family had been so large back in Mika's youth but time had made sure to take away the gifts that the gods had given them. The brothers had left to fight in a war and never returned. The sisters had been taken by a fever that had swept through the city not more than ten years ago. A fever that had never been seen before. It had taken over half of the young women in Mer'Beryl before it left. Katlin hoped that there was some clue to who had taken this village. Some way of finding the young girl who was missing. Mika needed his family. The girl would be fifteen now. Just starting to grow into womanhood.

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Back in the village Talen and Samis had finished digging the mass grave for the pitiful remains laid out in the square. They sighed and lay down their shovels. "What a terrible waste." Samis said as he wiped his brow. "A whole village of craftspeople killed. Who would do something' like this?"

"I don't know my friend but I'm pretty sure that we'll find out. Slias and Levy are working on that right now."

The little halfling came up and sat on the ground near his large human friend. "There wasn't much left. The fire burned near everything up." Their was a catch in his voice. The little thief had always been a sensitive soul. He let out a sob at the bodies he could see stretched out. Talen sat down and put his arm around him.

"Its all right Meryl, let it out."

"There were no swords, no weapons anywhere....." Meryl said with a sob. "These people didn't have any way of defending themselves!"

"I know. I know" Talen patted the halfling's back and looked over at Samis. Samis just shook his head. He had known of this village. He had visited here bringing Mika's letters to his sister. He had known many of the elders and had liked them and been liked in return. He sat stoically not letting his feelings show. He thought back on his last memory of this place. Filled with smiling folk. He remembered little Greyfox. The only child living here. He just couldn't understand the mind of those who slaughtered his friends.

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Katlin walked over to her friends. She could just hear the sobs of Meryl. The little one was always so sensitive. They should have made him stay and set up the camp but he had refused to be protected. He sat with Samis and Talen near the burial pit. It would soon be time to bury the bones of those who lived here. She sat next to Samis a quietly asked him if they had found everyone.

"As far as I can tell all but seven of the villagers are here. Did ya find anythin' up there?"

Katlin brought out the little book and the other things she found. Samis took the book into his large hands and gently turned the pages. He recognized the letters as elvish script. He had never learned to read elvish but he could tell that they were songs by some of the notations. He had seen this book once when had visited Silvershine. Little Greyfox had been so proud when her mother had given it to her. He looked up. "Nothing else?"

"No. I didn't find her." Katlin sighed. It was both a good and a bad thing. Now they would have to look further. She looked over toward Slias and Levy. "How are things going with them?"

"I don't rightly know. They've been working on somethin'. Just what I don't know."

"I should probably let them in on my news." She gathered up her findings. She reached to take the little harp from Samis but he asked if he might hold onto it. She nodded. She had forgotten that he had known Greyfox. She quietly got up and walked over to Slias and Levy

They looked up at her approach. "Hello Katlin, any luck?" Slias looked at once hopeful and afraid. He didn't want to hear that the child was up in the burnt house.

"Just these." She once again showed her findings. Slias took the little sword and Levy the book. They both got a faraway look in their eyes. She knew that meant they were spell casting. Waiting impatiently she tapped her foot. After a moment Slias came out of his prayer. "The girl still lives, but I can't get a fix on her."

"We should tell Mika. He will be glad to hear that." Katlin sighed. There was at least one survivor. Now all they had to do was track down one small elf child in the whole of the twelve kingdoms. What a task! Levy slowly came out of his spell. The look on his face wasn't good. He didn't say anything as he turned and walked toward where Mika was sleeping. Katlin and Slias following behind.

Karleen looked up as Levy entered Mika's tent. He obviously had some news and it wasn't good. "Is it about Greyfox?" He nodded. "Is she?"

"No. She lives but...." The look on his face said that his news wasn't good. Karleen turned to Mika's sleeping form. She didn't wish to wake him but this was something he needed to know. She reached out and placed a hand on his brow. Sending a gentle surge out of her palm she woke him. He blinked a few times, confusedly, before the memory of what he saw rushed back to him. His eyes filled with tears and he took a deep breath. She bent and whispered something to him before he could start to keen again. He slowly sat up, breathing deeply. His friends could see the struggle on his face. After a moment he spoke.

"All right, I'm back now." He voice cracked. The pressure of holding in his grief could be plainly heard. Turning to face Levy he spoke. "What do you have for me?" Levy held out the book in his hand. Mika took it. He recognized it. He had sent it to Greyfox for her tenth birthing day. He opened it and looked at the songs inside. They were a little unpolished but he recognized her talent and her mother's training. "Is she.....?"

"No, Mika, she is still alive." Levy spoke gravely.

"Tell me what you saw."

"She's in the hands of Samuel Elvenbane."

Silence fell in the tent. All within had heard of Elvenbane. The Half- Orc killer who had it in for elves. Mika closed his eyes. He knew of his sister's history with that particular Half-Orc. That he had found her and killed everyone here was bad enough. That he had his young niece was terrible. In a low hard voice Mika spoke. "Can you track him, Levy?"

"I'm not sure." Mika's gaze was horrible. It was like he expected betrayal from his friend. Levy put out a hand to stop Mika's train of thought. "He has a mage of very strong powers with him. A snakeman. He put up the trap spell around your sister and her husband. Slias and I are trying to find a way past it."

"Do it."

Mika stood up and pushed past his friends. He was no longer trapped inside his grief. He strode purposely down into the village. He stopped when he reached the square. Before him he saw the bodies of his sister's friends. He wanted to ride now after his niece but there were things that needed to be done now. The pitiful bones before him must be laid to rest and his sister and her husband must be released. He called out to the others to gather before him.

"It is time to bury these poor souls." He told them as he stepped forward and picked up the first bundle of bones. He gently placed them inside the grave that his friends had dug. It took over an hour to place all of the bones reverently in the grave and to cover them over with the loose soil.

After that had been done he paused for a moment and as Slias prayed to what ever gods where listening he started to sing. It was the elvish song of passing. The others stood in silence as his deep voice filled the clearing. He rarely sang. He had left the pleasure of music to his sister but now he showed that he carried in him the same ability to reach into the souls of those listening. Not all of those understood the song but they were all moved. After the first verse Katlin joined him with her low alto. Together they sang the spirits of the dead to rest. Levy could see the spirits lifting from the buildings around them as they paused a moment and then drifted off to some distant destination. He looked over at his other human companions and the halfling and he could see that they were enthralled by the song. They could not see the souls of the elven dead leaving their home. Each soul drifted over to the two elves singing to them, touching them with feathery touches of gratitude before leaving. Levy could see Karleen looking over at the two souls trapped in the globe of power on the scaffolding. The tears in her eyes were enough to tell him what she felt. As the sun set Mika and Katlin's voices slowly drifted into silence. The village was peaceful. Most of the spirits were free now.

"That was so beautiful." Meryl said in a quiet, little voice. He had never seen a elven funeral before. He was young enough to not have seen many funerals in his short life.

Mika and Katlin turned without a word and walked back to the tents on the hill. There was little they could do now. The two needed a few minutes to rest before they would be good company for the humans. Levy turned to Slias. "We need to work on the release spell for the other two now."

"No, my boy, we don't. That spell can't be done until morning."

Levy started to speak and then after a moment he realized that the priest was right. It would be best to work the spell in the morning. It would take a lot of energy and the dangers were less during the light of day. They followed the others to camp. It was time for food and rest.

*********************************************

Karleen had set up a pot with soup while she had been tending to Mika. The soup was ready to be eaten and she dug out some bread to go with it. The party ate in silence. Each sunk deep in their own thoughts about the day. As they finished up Mika and Katlin returned to the fire and sat down on the ground. Mika reached out for the bowl Karleen held out. "Levy, Slias, I know that you have been working on a way to release my sister. Can it be done?"

The priest and the mage looked at each other. Levy spoke up. "It can be done but it will be difficult. I have never before dealt with this type of trap spell."

"Nor have I," added Slias. "The snakemen rarely leave their country and never any of their mages."

"How much time do you need?"

"I believe that working together Levy and myself could bring down the spell in a short time." Slias paused. "There is one thing, Mika, we will need your help here."

Mika looked surprised. "My help? I'm no mage or priest. How can I be of help."

"During my study of the spell I found that there is a message link inside. A message for you."

Mika looked surprised. A message. How could that be? His sister was a bard but he didn't think they could do such a thing. "How?"

Levy responded. "There is a little known power of the bards. When the bard knows that they are dying they can imprint a message to those they love in something near them as they die. It looks as if your sister found a way as she died to imprint a message in the spell trapping her spirit. The only way to free her and your brother-in-law would be with you in the spell loop."

"All right, if you say so. You are the magic expert in the group. When do you want to start?"

"In the morning." And before Mika could object. "Its best to do these things during daylight. The type of spell we will be working tends to attract things if done at night." Mika subsided back into thought. He knew what type of things Levy was referring to. He had come across the night dwellers himself many times. Best not to attract their attention.

"All right. We should probably make sure to get a lot of sleep tonight. What's the watch

schedule?"

Talen spoke up. "You, Slias and Levy are out of it tonight. Samis, Meryl, Katlin and I can take care of it. Just get some sleep." Turning to the others, "that's two hour shifts. Shouldn't be any problem."

The party broke up and set up their various tents. Katlin walked over to Mika's tent and

scratched for entry. When he said enter she lifted the tent flap. "Mika, I'd like to talk with you."

"Fine, sit down." Mika answered.

"We need to make plans for after tomorrow."

Mika sat staring into space. After a moment he spoke quietly. "I know that, Katlin, but right now all I can think of is my sister and her husband. I can feel their souls from here."

"I too can feel their pain, my friend. Tomorrow we will see them freed from their prison and onto their proper resting place. But your niece is still alive and out there somewhere. We must think of a way to find her."

With a sigh Mika agreed. The child was all he had left of his favorite sister. A child he had never met but knew so much about. She would look like her mother had when their own mother had died. Small and slender with lots of silver hair. Silvershine's letters had told of how the girl had inherited her mother's hair and stature but her father could be seen in the girl's eyes. She was too young to be out among the humans. She would look very young to them. An elven girl of fifteen would look to the humans to be a child of seven or eight. Soon though she would hit puberty and her apparent age would nearly match her physical age. In fact it could have happened anytime since this village was destroyed. He didn't want to think of what had happened to the girl since then. What little he knew about Samuel Elvenbane boded badly. His sister had once been in the hands of the creature's father. If it hadn't been for Stoneblade she would have died there.

"We need to find out where Elvenbane has gone. Where he is we will find my niece."

"That may be true, but what if he had decided to sell her?"

Mika didn't want to think of that. There were many cities along the inland sea who dealt in slavery. He knew that elven slaves where very popular in many places. Many races preferred to have slaves of those they considered better than themselves. The city elves outside his home mountains tended to think that they were better than the other races. Hell, he admitted to himself, many of his own people held the same belief. That was one of the reasons his sister had left Mer'Beryl. "We will find her. That much I can assure you of. I will not stop looking for her as long as I live."

Katlin was glad to see the intensity he put in his words. The first few hours after finding out about losing his sister had been bad. He needed something to keep him from the deep melancholy he had suffered from when his sisters died all those years ago. "Good, then I will leave you to your rest. Good dreaming my friend."

"Good night to you, Katlin." As she lowered the tent flap she heard. "Thank you my friend."

"You're welcome."

*****************************************

In the morning each of the party members found that they had little sleep. They had all been thinking of the two poor spirits locked in stasis in the village. They silently gathered around the camp fire and ate a quick breakfast. As one they lay down their bowls and walked down into the village.

Slias, Levy and Mika climbed the scaffold and stood just at the edge of the globe of energy containing the two corpses. Levy and Slias each took one of Mika's hands and as one they started their chants. Mika standing in the middle felt surrounded in sound. Somehow the two separate chants melded together into a whole. He could feel the power flowing from his friends into his body. He held tight to the power. He knew that he had to push it out once they reached the end of their chants. Any moment now. The two came to the end of their chants much more quickly than he thought they would. They opened their eyes and nodded to him. He concentrated and imagined the power as a key and himself reaching out and unlocking the globe around his family. With a flash the globe of power expanded to included Mika.

The others were alarmed at first but with a wave from Levy they stepped back. "Its all right. He's in no danger."

Katlin spoke up. "What do you mean, Levy? No danger. The globe has enclosed him."

"No, it hasn't. What you see is the spirits of his family giving him the message they left for him." Slias turned and walked down the stairs. "There is no longer a trap spell about them, look carefully."

Katlin and the others looked up. It was true. The glow had left the bodies of the two elves and had surrounded Mika. It was a different color now. When it had been around the bodies it was a dull grey color and now the glow was a silvery color. They could also see the changes in the corpses. Where they had been held in stasis before, their final agony written plainly on their features, they had been released. The chains holding them to the stakes let go and the bodies came to rest gently on a clean floor. The pooled blood disappeared. Katlin and Karleen walked up the stairs and around Mika to the bodies. They placed the bodies' limbs into more restful looking positions. They carefully arranged the hair of each over the open wounds on their necks. Katlin looked down on the elf maid she remembered as a child. Tears fell upon the forehead of her lost friend.

********************************

Inside the globe of power Mika was facing two beings that he had no idea he would ever talk to again. Silvershine and Stoneblade looked strong and healthy. Just as they had on his last visit, all those long years ago.

"Hello my brother. My eyes see with joy."

"As do mine my sweet sister."

"How we have missed you, my friend. And how we wish that we had better times to be with you."

Mika reached forward to grasp his brother-in-laws arm. His hand met the solid flesh of an arm full of muscle. He looked down and sighed. "I am sorry I couldn't come earlier. I might have been able to save you if I had been here."

Silvershine reached out to brush his hair from his eyes. Mika felt her gentle fingers brush his brow. "Do not blame yourself. You had your own life to live and even if you had been here you would have just died with us."

"Brother, our time is limited. We can only stay long enough to tell you of our child." Stoneblade said, always one to come to the point. "She is in grave danger."

"I know. She is in the hands of Samuel Elvenbane."

"Yes, she is, at the moment."

"At the moment?"

Silvershine spoke next. "She is being taken to the slave markets in Greymer as we speak. She will be sold, along with the six other young women of this village."

"Then I will meet the bastard on the road to Greymer and take her from him along with his life."

"That may be harder than you think my brother. Samuel has with him a very strong and sneaky

mage. The one who trapped us here."

"I know, a snakeman. Levy and Slias discovered that as they were looking for a way to break the spell you were under. I'm confident that they can stop him. I promise I will get her back."

"That is all we could wish. Take her home Mika. She will need special care after being with that beast for such a long time."

"I promise that I will take care of her just as if she was my own child."

"We know that you would, my friend. Just promise us that you will be careful. Samuel is a viscous killer. He would think nothing of staking you out over an anthill in the sun."

"I will be on guard."

Stoneblade looked out toward a glow that was coming nearer. "Our time is almost done. Mika I promise you that we will watch you from the other side. Tell our daughter that we love her." He embraced his friend and slowly faded from view. Mika turned to his sister.

"Good-bye my brother. Know that I love you. Be careful. Don't join us too soon."

"I promise." He held on tightly to her. He didn't want to let go. But as she raised her lips to place a kiss on his check she faded from view. The last thing he heard before the globe dissolved was a faint, "I love you."

As the glow receded Mika sagged to his knees, tears flowing freely down his cheeks. His sister and brother-in-law were free. Their spirits winging to the elven afterlife. In their passing they had given him the best information they could about their only child's whereabouts. Karleen placed an arm around him and helped him to his feet. He looked up and spoke. "I know where she is." The others understood. He looked down at the empty shells of his family. "I will keep my promise."

With a solemn silence the two bodies were gathered up and laid together in one grave in the remains of their home. The simple ceremony of last night was repeated with the others adding short speeches from their memories of the two buried there. Afterwards they gathered their belongings and rode away toward the road to Greymer.

******************
CHAPTER THREE

On to Market

Greyfox's days after her parents death were a maze of pain and blood. She rarely understood what was being done around her. She remained locked inside her mind, reliving the final moments of her parents lives. After a year of her total lack of response to what ever was done to her Samuel Elvenbane decided she was not worth the energy of keeping. He ordered her fellow elves to clean her up for sale. Under the grime and neglect she was still a beautiful young creature. In the time that she had been with him she had reached puberty. Her breasts and hips had swelled.

Once washed her hair gleamed like the moon and combed out it came to the tops of her calves. Her skin had only taken a very slight glow in all the time she had spent in the sun. There was a disturbing lack of conscious thought in her eyes. Those who remembered her as a vivacious girl were saddened at that loss. She had looked to follow her mother's footsteps as a bard but now it was anyone's guess at what she would become. The horror of what had happened seemed to have snapped her mind.

Elvenbane took his string of seven captives to the slave mart. The women had various skills that should bring plenty of money. The child was stunning and docile enough to go to a brothel. He would be sure to visit her every time he was in town. He still thought to get a child on her. In the year he had her she mustn't have been fertile enough to conceive. He would have his complete vengeance on her parents and disprove the curse they had thrown.

He had lost more than a few of his followers to that curse. They knew enough to be afraid of a bard's death curse. No matter how often he took the child she never conceived. As did none of the other women he kept. Before the curse he had strewn he seed far and wide and had seen the results. In the past year all of his children that he knew of had died one way or another. Well, he would just keep it up. Surely someone would catch. This time he would be sure to keep the child out of the clumsy hands of its mother. Women couldn't be trusted to do anything right. His mother had tried to make him into a eunuch. He had shown her. When his uncle had come to town when he was ten and told Samuel all about his father, he had struck his mother. Even at ten he was immensely strong. That one blow had killed his mother. He then spent years training to follow in his father's footsteps. That training had culminated in the raid last year. He had his vengeance.

*********************************
CHAPTER FOUR

TOO LATE!

Mika and his companions rode hard and fast. He pushed them long into the night and up early in the dawn. He needed to reach the road to Greymer before Samuel Elvenbane had a chance to enter the city. Once he sold Greyfox it would be next to impossible to find her. He wanted to be sure that he got his hands on the half-Orc who had killed his sister. The creature needed to be removed from the face of the kingdom. He had been raping and killing his way across the kingdoms for the last seven years. Mika just hoped that he didn't have his army with him. The seven of them could not hope to kill off an army.

After five days of dawn till dusk riding the company found themselves on the road to Greymer. There was only one road leading into the great port city. From their hiding place on a hill just outside of the city they could see anyone on the King's road. "Mika, we need to rest the horses." Katlin said as she walked up to his side.

Mika looked up. He knew he had been driving them hard. He also knew that if he hadn't they wouldn't have made it here in time to stop the beast who had his niece. "I know, Katlin. Take them back over the hill. Have Talen brush down Star for me will you?"

"Sure thing."

"Also, can you send up Levy?"

"Just a moment." She paused. "Are you all right?"

"Yes, just anxious." He reached out and grasped her arm. "Thank you for all your help, Katlin. I couldn't have made it through the last week with out you and the others."

"We know, Mika. We know." She turned and drew Star over the hill. After a few moments Levy walked up over the hill and joined Mika at its crest.

"You wanted to speak to me, Mika?"

"Do you have anyway of telling whether we have beat Elvenbane to the city?"

"I can try. Give me a moment." Levy pulled a small bowl and a flask from his satchel. Placing them on the ground he poured a small amount of water into the bowl and strew some powder over the surface. Closing his eyes he whispered a few quiet words. Opening his eyes he looked down into the bowl. In a far away voice he spoke. "The beast we are searching for is but a day away. He carries with him the child."

"Who else?" Mika tried to nudge more information out of the spell bound mage.

"The beast rides with six elf women in a cart and ten men at arms. They are careless, riding with their weapons unready and joking. Two of the men are drunk and have been since the beginnings of the ride. There is someone else. He is.......Aaargg!" Levy screamed and clutched his head. Mika knocked the bowl over and grabbed his young human friend. He pulled him away from the bowl and the cloud that was now pouring out of it.

"What is it? Levy, tell me what I can do!"

The young man couldn't answer. He was in a battle for his own mind. His cry brought the others boiling up the hill. Karleen came up to him and took him out of Mika's hands. "What happened?'

"That isn't important right now!" yelled Talen, "Look!"

Out of the cloud came two of the most terrifying beasts that the party had ever seen. Talen and Samis pushed ahead of their friends, drawing their swords. Mika and Katlin reached for their weapons and Meryl circled around trying to find someplace to throw his knives in. The two beasts looked like a mix of lizard and wolf. Their teeth were long and their eyes glowed a sickly green color. Without a sound they leapt toward the two humans. The battle was begun. Talen and Samis were quick but the lizard- wolves were faster. In the first moments of the battle one of the beasts had managed to bowl over Talen and the other had fastened its teeth on Samis' sword arm. Mika went to Talen's aid and Katlin to Samis'.

The creature bit down and its teeth penetrated Samis' metal armguard. With a hiss Samis tried to shake the beast off. It just bit down harder. Katlin stabbed in toward its spine but found that her sword had little effect on the beast. The sword slid in but the wound sealed up as she pulled the sword out. She tried a different stroke but this one just glanced off the scales of its neck. "Katlin," Samis hissed, "cut the head off. He was plunging his sword into the belly of the beast. It had little effect. She backed a little off and tried again. She didn't want to take off Samis' arm.

The beast that had bowled over Talen turned like a weasel and sunk its teeth into the human's neck. With a strangled gurgle, blood spurting in the air, the valiant man died. Mika screamed out a battle cry and lay about with his sword. Just as was happening with Katlin he found that his sword had little to no effect on the animal. He cut and thrust, trying to keep it from the non-combatants. It was only his speed and the fact the beast was more interested in him that gave Slias the opening he needed.

Unlike his friends he knew what these creatures were. They were a type of demon dog called on from the hell belonging solely to the snake people. The only way to stop these things was to send them back to their homes. Chanting in his loudest voice he prayed to his god to send these beasts back to the hell that spawned them. He was very lucky that day. His god was enraged that a mage had the audacity to send such creatures to this world. With a loud crash the two creatures were sent back just as they were turning to attack their elven opponents.

As the smoke cleared the party stood looking about themselves. In under three minutes they had suffered major injury. Levy was lying on the ground, his eyes closed, moaning. Samis stood clutching his arm to his chest and worst of all Talen was dead. Mika fell to his knees next to his friend's body. He gently closed the staring eyes and removed the weapon from his hand. The rage he had felt upon seeing his sister's village was growing deeper. Those demon dogs had to have been sent by the snake mage. He looked up at Samis. The man just nodded, a grim look on his face. Slias was praying over him as the wound on his arm slowly healed before their eyes. "I'll be fine. How's Levy?" Karleen looked up and shook her head. There was nothing she could do. The battle was being fought inside the mage's mind.

After a few moments Slias turned from Samis and kneeled down next to the young mage. He lay his hands on tortured face and prayed loudly to his god. The others could see a golden glow flow down his arms and onto the struggling mage. As it covered his head a look of peace came over him and Levy took a deep breath. "He'll be fine now. I've broken the connection."

"What happened?"

The priest stood up slowly. The healing and the following battle of wills had taken a lot out of him. "Elvenbane's snake mage tried to trap Levy's mind and take him over. With the help of Masq I fought off the creature and released Levy from his grip. It was difficult and our young friend here will need rest before he can fight with us."

"How long?"

"I have no idea. The snake was winning when I joined the fight. When he comes out of his sleep he will be very weak. He could have his powers back tomorrow or he may not get them back by the end of the week. All I can say for sure is that he will get them back and that he will be in his own mind." The priest looked down sadly at his young friend. He was telling Mika only part of the truth. The mage was free of the Snake at the moment but he would have to be guarded until he regained his strength and powers. If he wasn't the snake could gain control of his mind and powers.

"What do we need to do?"

"I will care for our young friend."

"Thank you, Slias," Mika turned to the large human fighter. "Samis how's our arm?"

"As usual our friendly priest has made me as good as new." Samis looked down at his comrade in arms, Talen. "What are we going to do now?"

They each looked from the sleeping mage to the body of their friend. "We will have to bury him here." Mika stood and walked back to his gear. Pulling out his shovel he walked off a short ways and started to dig. Meryl, Katlin and Samis soon joined him. Karleen stayed to take care of the slumbering mage and Slias prayed for the souls of his brave friends.

Too soon for the grieving friends the hole was dug. They lay Talen's body down and covered him with stones. Once again the elves sang their burial song as the others cried. After they were done they picked up the unconscious mage and moved to another site to watch for Samuel Elvenbane. Day turned into night and the mage continued to sleep.

"Time for my watch, Mika." Samis walked up the hillside to stand next to Mika. "You need to have something to eat."

"I'm not hungry right now."

"All right." Samis stood next to his friend and watched the sun set. "You do realize that we aren't going to see anything until the morning?"

"If Levy's scrying was accurate." Mika replied grimly. "We have no idea if the snake changed what he saw."

"Come on. You know Levy would have guessed that he was being blocked."

Mika turned to look at the mage stretched out by the small fire Meryl had built. "I should. I never expected him to be attacked through a scrying. They've always been safe before. If the mage you were scrying on didn't want you to see him he would just block you out. When did someone develop a way to attack through the spell?"

"Again, it is something that the snake people learned." Slias joined in the conversation. "They have many abilities that the other races do not. Their connection to their chosen deities is very strong." He took a deep breath and continued. "It seems that this mage is a priest at the same time. I have been going over what happened during the battle and I am convinced that he must be a priest of Sandroc, god of the underworld."

"Sandroc? Never heard of that one."

"He is worshipped exclusively by the snake people. Even among them he is only worshipped by a small number. He is cruel and delights in torture. Levy was lucky I was here and had some knowledge of the creature he was fighting. If hadn't joined in and recognized what he was fighting he could have become an unwilling traitor."

"A traitor?" Mika was surprised. "Do you mean that he could have been mind controlled?"

"Yes. He has strong shields against most types of mind attack but this is something he would never have seen living in the far north." He paused. "Did you know that our young friend is from the Wall around the world?"

Mika and Samis whistled low. That was the last mountain range at the top of the world. You could go no farther and still scratch a living. Many believed that you couldn't live up there. The winter was ten months long. The people lived by hunting the great mammoths and caribou herds. They traded the skins and fine carving for the other necessities of life. That Levy had left that notoriously clannish people and took up a life as a traveling mage was amazing. The Targelds tended toward shamans and any child showing magical abilities was co-opted into the shaman's family and trained to follow in that elder's footsteps. "How had he come to live down here? So far from his home?"

"Levy doesn't talk much about his life before he met you, does he?"

Slias knew more than he liked about the young man. He would keep most of what he learned quiet. He had read much of the man's memory while helping him fight off the snake mage. "He found that he preferred a different type of mage craft from that taught by his people."

Samis looked thoughtful for a moment. "Don't they tend toward demon calling?"

"Yes, that was what he had a problem with. He was too good to want to deal with the minions of hell. He left his home at the age of 14. He hasn't been back in years."

"What school did he train in?" Mika was becoming interested in spite of himself. It was

something to take is mind off the upcoming battle.

"That is another oddity about our young friend. He didn't study in a school. He has picked up his knowledge by studying with one traveling mage after another. He has great potential but little liking for formal training. He has gained all he has in just six years."

"You mean he's only 20? I thought he was at least my own age."

Samis looked over at the mage. "Hell, most mages aren't set loose until his age. I've traveled with him for the last four years."

"He reached masterclass at the age of 16. He is within Adept status now but put off his testing until after this quest. He has real respect for you Mika and wanted to help when he heard of your troubles."

Mika nodded and turned to walk back to the camp. "I think you're right, Samis. It is time I had something to eat." The other two just looked at each other and shrugged. They turned back to face the road. He lost in their thoughts.

Mika took a plate from Karleen and sat down next to the halfling. Meryl was busy sorting through his pouches. There were little piles of odd things on the ground in front of him. A small ring caught Mika's attention. He reached out a picked it up. "Where'd you find this?"

Meryl broke off sorting out his latest pouch to look at what Mika held. "Oh that one. I picked it up back in the village. It was on the ground near the.." He fumbled his words. The little one didn't want to remind Mika of the scaffold.

"Did you have Slias or Levy look at this?" Mika gave the impulsive halfling a sharp look. "You never know whether it could be dangerous."

"I was going to have Levy look at it but then, well."

"Yes, I know." Mika put down the ring and reached inside his pouch. He pulled out a small square of silk. "Wrap it in this. It should insulate it and protect you until you can have it looked at."

The halfling did as he was told. "Mika, can I ask you something?"

"Sure thing."

Meryl looked down at his toes. After a moment he spoke up again. "Is Levy going to be all right?"

Mika tousled Meryl brown curls. "According to Slias, he'll be fine. Its just going to take some time."

"That's really good." Meryl looked very relieved.

"You're pretty close to our young mage, aren't you?"

"He was the first big person to take me seriously. He saved me from a press gang two years ago. I'd do anything for him."

Mika was impressed. It was hard for anyone to get a halfling to care for someone not of their clan. He was learning a lot about the young man who had volunteered to help Mika's quest. He hadn't even met him when he had asked Samis and Talen to come along. They had brought the halfling and mage when they rode into Mika's camp a little over a week ago. Mika had met the halfling before and had even traveled with him. He liked the little guy. He was more honest than many of his people and was good in a tight spot. He just shrugged when they told him about Levy. Now he wished that he had spent more time talking to the young man.

"Mika.."

Mika looked back at Meryl, "Yes."

Meryl looked down again. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry about your family. I really wish we could have gotten there before that happened."

"So do I, my friend, so do I."

**************************************

The next morning dawned wet and dreary. Levy slept on. Slias recommended that he not be awoken until he came out of the sleep naturally. "It could damage him to be awoken early."

"What if he doesn't wake up by the time Samuel rides by?" Karleen asked worriedly.

"Then you'll have to stay by him." Mika answered.

"But -"

"No buts. You're not a fighter. I'd rather you stay out of danger. We might need your healing skills when this is over." He put his hand on her arm. "I know you want to help but this weather would make sighting your arrows almost impossible. Stay here and protect Levy. He will be in the most danger from the snake mage."

"He's right, child. You can link in to Levy and protect his mind from invasion. We don't need to have him taken over and casting spells at our backs." Slias paused a moment. "I can show you what you need to do." Slias took her other arm and walked her over to the tent Levy was sleeping in. Checking him over quickly she could tell that he wouldn't be coming out of his healing sleep until sometime tomorrow. By then everything would be over. She nodded and listened closely to Slias' instructions.

Up on the hill Mika, Samis and Katlin were all waiting, watching the early morning traffic into Greymer. There were the usual farmers and merchants. No carts of elven women, no hooded mages and no Half-Orcs carrying young women in front of them. The morning passed slowly. The three fighters walked about, stretched out and sparred lightly. Anything to make the time go faster and to loosen up tense muscles. It wasn't often that they knew about an upcoming battle so far in advance. Finally about mid- morning their target came in sight. Katlin gave a whistle, calling Meryl and Slias to them.

"Here they come." The companions mounted their horses and rode down to meet the troop coming down the King's highway.

***************************************

Samuel rode in front of his men as they neared the portion of the road considered the King's highway. He held a docile Greyfox before him in the saddle. It would be good to get rid of her and those whining females in the cart behind him. They had been fun for a while but he needed his men to be better disciplined. They were always fighting over the captives. They weren't worth the effort. It was time to start the raids again. Time to think about taking territory and holding it.

Next to him rode the hooded figure of his mage on one side and his uncle on the other. He was confident that nothing would bother them on this trip. Yesterday there had been a mage trying to watch their progress but Nath'Sthiss had sent him a couple of hell hounds to battle. He was sure that a death had happened. Teach whoever it was that they couldn't spy on the leader of the most feared mercenary troop in the ten kingdoms. He rode contemplating just what he was going to do with the women riding behind him. Should he just sell them to the same place he planned to sell the little slut in his arms to or should he take them to the slave pens and sell them separately? He just couldn't decided. It didn't matter right now. He could decide once he was in the city.

He was surprised when he saw the troop riding up the highway. In the lead he could see two of the hated elfkind. He pulled up when he saw that they weren't going to pull off to the side. What arrogance! Who did they think they were? They should pull over. Wasn't he the leader of the strongest troop of fighters in this or any other kingdom? Wasn't he going to become the leader of the largest kingdom there was? He started to toss the girl in front of him off the saddle when the mage next to him hissed in anger. He paused and turned toward Nath'Sthiss. "What is it, mage?" He asked in a deep, angry voice.

"The priest. He helped the mage I fought yesterday."

"What! I thought you told me that you defeated them."

"I don't see the mage with them." The snake pointed out.

Samuel raised his arm to call his men to attention. They quickly sat up straighter and loosened the weapons in their sheaths. Five of the men rode forward and the other five surrounded the cart carrying the other elf women. Samuel sat proudly and watched the riders as they slowed to confront his party.

Mika called out to the being of his nightmares. "Samuel Elvenbane prepare to die!" He kicked his horse into a gallop, drew his sword and rode directly toward the killer of his family. Elvenbane tossed the girl on his saddle toward his brother and spurred his horse forward. Their swords clashed as their horses met. Samuel's forward men rode up and attacked the other riders. Soon there was a silent battle going on. The sides were unbalanced. Mika and his small troop were better warriors but they were outnumbered. Soon they were unhorsed and fighting for their lives. The snake mage was tossing magics against Slias, who was praying loudly to his god. Katlin and Samis was surrounded by five warriors but they were holding their own. Little Meryl was using a sling and had scored a number of hits, throwing the warriors off their stride.

Katlin was back to back with Samis, fighting off two warriors at the same time and third lying at her feet. She was doing fine until one of Meryl's flung stones missed its target. It bounced off of her sword arm, causing her to lose her timing of the strikes. She missed a parry and her opponent's sword connected with her side. She went down with a cry. Samis felt her fall and stepped back, placing his legs on either side of his fallen comrade. He fought harder now. Battling four opponents and protecting his friend. He took three bad wounds quickly and was disarmed within moments.

Meryl ran forward when he saw Katlin fall. He may be small but his daggers were sharp. He came in low and stabbed two of the warriors in the back of their knees, hamstringing them. He was reaching for two more knives when a wild swing by one of the men he had stabbed took off his head.

The battle between Mika and Samuel was fierce. Samuel was mostly on the defensive. He tried to figure out just where he had seen this particular elfin scum before. "So where do I know you from, elf?" He asked with a grunt, parrying Mika furious sword strokes.

Mika grunted and stepped back to circle his opponent looking for an opening in the Half-Orc's defenses. "My name is Mika Silvershaft. You killed my sister and stole her child. I will kill you now." With that he rushed forward. Samuel was pushed back a few steps as Mika's words sunk in. This was the brother of the elf bitch he killed last year! Oh this was just perfect. He hadn't felt entirely happy in his revenge in the past few months now he would have lots more fun at this family's expense. He went on the offensive and quickly disarmed the surprised Mika. He had never fought someone as good as the half-Orc before. Samuel battered Mika with the flat of his sword until he had knocked him to the ground, dazed.

The most dangerous battle was taking place between the priest-mage and the priest of Masq. They were flinging spells at each other with no regard for those around them. First Nath'Sthiss would call forth a beast from the depths of Hell and Slias would quickly send the screaming back again. It was an even battle until two of the guards watching the elf women left the cart and pulled out their bows. Slias was protected against anything that the priest-mage could send against him but he wasn't proof against arrows. He went down with two arrows in his back. His screams could be heard as the latest of Nath'Sthiss' demons tore his soul from his body and carried it back to hell.

**********************************

Samuel Elvenbane looked down at the human and elf bound and kneeling in front of him. He wore a very pleased expression on his face. The battle had been a good way of waking up his men. He would be sure to reward both the warriors and Nath'Sthiss. "Just what should I do with you two?" He murmured as he walked around them. "Should I kill you right now or take you and sell you off in the slave mart with the girl you came to rescue?" He stood for a moment and then a slow smile spread over his features. "No, I have a better idea." He signaled for the two guards standing behind the prisoners. They dragged the two to their feet and pushed them toward the corpses of their friends. Samuel walked ahead of them looking over the ground. Soon he found what he was looking for.

There were two low mounds, a hundred or so yards from the road. He studied them and then nodded. With a gesture he had the two guards force the prisoners to the ground. Once there, they were staked to the ground, spread-eagle. Samuel took a knife from one of the guards and slit the two's clothing and pulled off their tunic and breeches. Then he put out his hand for a pot that the snake carried. He knelt down and smeared a thick, sticky paste on their chests and stomachs. Standing he told them in a arrogant voice just what he had planed for them. "Do you see the two mounds over there?" He nodded toward the mounds not more than three feet away.

"They are the home of fire ants." He paused. "Do you know what fire ants favorite food is?" He waited a moment for his prisoners to answer. When they didn't he continued. "There favorite food is the paste I have just spread on your pale skin, elf." With that he walked over and kicked the mounds, causing the ants to run about agitated. He then reached out a pulled Greyfox toward him. She came with no resistance. Mika was sickened to see the creature's hands on his niece and saddened to see that there was nothing in her eyes. "This little bitch is what you came for, hmmm?" He wrapped her in one large arm and pawed her breasts, slobbering all over her face. "I've had this little bitch for the last year. She was sweet and tight but now she's lost her luster, don't you think?"

Mika twisted in his bonds. "Let her go, you animal!"

"Why should I?" Samuel responded with a fake look of puzzlement on his massive face. "I have a better idea. I'm going to take this little bit of trash and sell her to a whore house. Someplace where I can come and use her anytime I wish. What do you think?" Mika growled. Samuel walked over and kicked Mika in the ribs. After a moment he decided that would be fun so he laid into the elf staked out before him. After a few minutes he tired of this and moved on to placing shallow cuts along his arms and legs. He signaled to the guards to do the same to Samis. Soon the two prisoners had broken ribs and were weak from blood loss. Samuel tired quickly of the lack of response from his victims and stood up, waving the guards off. "I'm going to leave you now, scum. Think about just what will happen to your little niece in the hands of all those men.

Just the thing to take you down to hell. Good-bye you pitiful excuse for a warrior. See you in Hell." With that last remark he turned and strode off, dragging an unresisting Greyfox behind him.

Mika let out a low moan as he saw his only remaining family being taken away to be sold into slavery. He had failed his sister and worse yet he had led his friends to their death. Little Meryl, sweet Katlin and strong Slias all dead because he didn't plan well enough. And soon he and Samis would be eaten alive by the fire ants. He knew that their bites were poisonous. Samis turned his head and tried to calm his friend. In a low voice he reminded Mika that Karleen and Levy were still alive and waiting not far away. They would come soon and free them and they could find out were Greyfox was sold and buy her free. Not everything was lost. He knew that what he said was being heard but he doubted that Mika was understanding a word. The elf was sinking into the melancholy that they had thought they had stopped.

*********************************

Katlin awoke disoriented. Why was she lying on the ground? She started to move and pulled up short as the wound in her side pulled open. Gasping she placed her hand against the wound to stop the flow of blood. She weakly pushed herself upright with one hand and looked about her. Lying on the ground just to her side was the body of the halfling, Meryl. She let out a little cry as she saw his head lying off to one side. Tears slid down her cheeks as she said a silent farewell to the young creature who died trying to help her. She used her sword to push herself to her feet and looked around again. Off to the side of the road she saw Slias lying facedown with two arrows in his back. She hobbled over to him and slowly knelt down to check if he still lived. He didn't. Another friend gone. She looked about trying to find Samis and Mika. She didn't see them anywhere obvious. She also didn't see the horses. It was unlikely that they would have left her lying in the road, so they didn't take them. Taking a quick glance at the sun she saw that about a hour had passed since they rode out to meet Elvenbane. Karleen should be getting curious right about now. She listened carefully and she could hear two horses coming down the road. She walked back out to the middle and waited. Within moments Karleen and a very tired looking Levy rode up. The look on the young mage's face was terrible. She could tell he blamed himself for what he saw in front of him. They dismounted and rushed over to catch Katlin as she started to fall.

"Where are the others?" Levy demanded.

Katlin looked up. "Slias is over there. I'm not sure where Mika and Samis are." With that she lost her hold on consciousness. Karleen eased her to the ground and started healing the wound on the maiden's side.

Levy walked heavy footed over toward the corpse of Slias. Looking down at his friend and tutor's body he spoke quietly. "Thank you for saving my mind. I wish I could have been here to save your life." After a moment he shook his head and tried a low level seeker spell. Nothing happened. His energies were still too low. He would have to rely on the old tracking skills his father taught him so long ago. Within a few minutes he found the trail and followed it back beyond the road. He found his two friends staked to the ground and covered in fire ants. He called out to Karleen to hurry as he pulled off his cloak and used it to remove the masses of ants. He cut them free and dragged first Mika and then Samis away from the disturbed mounds. The ants tried to climb up him but he had just enough power to place a very low level shield around himself. The type used to scare off bugs. It made him more tired than he like to do so but he didn't need to be bitten too. Karleen had enough troubles.

She came over the hill just as he started dragging Samis up the hill. She knelt down next to Mika and examined his wounds. The fire ants had bitten him all over his chest and belly, trying to get to more of the paste Elvenbane had smeared on his skin. His was shivering in reaction as the poison worked its way through his system. She sent a wave of healing energy into him but she knew that it was just a stop gap measure. They had to get the wounded into Greymer to a real healer. She just wasn't strong enough. She reached out her hand to send a wave of energy into Samis. His larger human form stood up better to the bites of the fire ants. The poison hadn't spread as far.

He looked about and tried to push himself up. "Karleen, where's..?" He stopped when he saw Mika lying on the ground next to him and Katlin slowly walking over the hill leading three horses. She was a sight. He had thought she was dead when she fell under his feet. "Katlin! You're alive!" He struggled upright. She came over and placed her arms about her friend.

"Yes, I live. Others weren't so lucky."

Samis looked about. He didn't see Meryl or Slias. He hung his head. The little one had come on this journey at his suggestion. It was one of his first trips out of the city. He had been so excited to be part of adventure, now he would never be excited again. And Slias. Wise, gentle Slias. They had their arguments but never had he made the loser feel slow or of lesser a mind. He felt slow and hot and knew that it was from the poison of the fire ants bites. "We need to do something for them." He tried to stand but he couldn't find the strength to get past his knees.

"Don't. I'll take care of them." Answered a quiet Levy. "I haven't done anything today." He turned and walked back toward the bodies of their two friends.

"But that's not your...fault." Samis tried to tell him. Karleen just shook her head. Nothing could be said to make the mage feel better. Katlin silently agreed with Samis. She let go of the reins and carefully bent down to help Karleen lift Mika off the ground. She held him up as Karleen mounted one of the horses and then aided the healer in pulling the elf up to lay in front of her saddle. Next she helped Samis to his feet and then onto the second horse. She turned the third animal about and led the other two back toward the mage and his sad duty. He had no strength or time to dig graves so he placed his two friends together and was slowly building a caern over them from the stones at the side of the road. Katlin got down and gave him a hand. Samis started to get down when Karleen ordered him to stay put. "Your in no shape." He nodded. It took Levy and Katlin well over an hour to cover the bodies. Katlin sang the requiem and they rode

off toward the city.

As the sun set they reached the gates of Greymer. The gates were just getting ready to close. The guards looked over the party in front of them. "What's your business in Greymer?"

Karleen spoke up. "What does it look like! I am a Carmelite Healer and I am bringing in some patients!" ,

The guards were taken back by her tone of voice. She had put just enough command in her voice to make them believe her. "I'm sorry Lady. We didn't recognize you. Please go right in. Would you like an escort?" The left hand guard stepped forward.

"Why, thank you. These people really need care as quickly as possible."

*******************************************

Mika awoke in a strange room. He didn't remember how he got there. He looked about, after a moment his eyes focused on a face above his. It was Karleen. "Where?"

"Your inside the Carmelite Healing college. You've been here for four days."

"Four days!" He tried to sit up. He fell back dizzy. He waited until his head cleared again before he spoke. "What happened to the others?"

Karleen closed her eyes. Mika could tell that the news was bad. "Samis suffered the same bites as you did but his human constitution held off the poison better. They let him go yesterday. Katlin is alive and doing quite well. Her wound was not as serious as we thought at first." Mika let out a sigh at that. He thought she had died during the first few minutes of the battle. "Levy is slowly regaining his power and seems to be fine." She paused for a moment. Mika looked into her eyes. "What about Meryl and Slias?"

"Meryl and Slias rest together in a grave outside the city." She closed her eyes and Mika could see the tears sliding down her cheeks. He closed his own. It was his fault that those two gentle beings were dead. They suffered together in silence for a long minute.

Karleen took another deep breath and wiped her eyes. "There's more news. After we got you three here Levy and I went out to try and find your niece."

"And?"

"We checked all of the slave marts, none had received a shipment of elf maidens in the last month. They told us that it was common for the girls to be sold under the table, directly to the houses."

"Into the houses." Mika repeated. It would be much harder to find his niece. One girl, who looked not to be in her right senses, alone. There had to be dozens of houses in the red lantern district.

"Levy and Katlin are looking into them right now." She pushed him back down as he tried to sit up again. "I'm sorry Mika, but you're going to have to stay in bed. The poison left you very weak. The Lady Healer told me that it will be weeks before you can get out of bed."

************************************

A week later Levy and Katlin stood by the side of Mika's bed. "I'm sorry but she doesn't seem to be in any of the houses. We checked every one of them. Not a one had elf maids working for them." Katlin spoke, the disgust clear in her voice.

"Levy?"

The young mage didn't look at his friend as he spoke. "I'm sorry too, Mika. My powers have only just begun to come back. I can hardly cause a candle to light. I've been worthless." The pain and self hate in his voice was evident. Mika reached up and took his hand.

"Levy, don't be like this. It wasn't you fault. You didn't know that the snakeman was a priest along with being a mage."

"I should have."

Katlin put an arm around him. "No, you shouldn't. Levy, you are only twenty years old. Even for a human that's young. How can you expect to win every battle? Most mages are still apprentices, a very few are journeymen. Never have I heard of a masterclass mage at the age of twenty. You do not blame you for what happened and you should not blame yourself." He just stood, silently listening to her words. Mika found that he was more worried about this young man than he was upset about the news of his niece.

Mika tried a different approach. "Levy, I think you should come with me when I return home. There is someone there I want you to talk to." Karleen had been at Mika to go home and leave the investigating to herself and Samis. Humans were less noticeable she told him. He just decided that it would be for the best, if just for a few months.

Levy thought over the offer. "What does it matter? I'll go with you." He replied in a quiet voice. Mika and Katlin both let out the breath they had been holding.

"I'll need your help to keep me going. Karleen says that I'm going to be weak for another month at least. We'll have to travel slow. Do you think you'd mind going out and getting the things we'll need. You know travel rations, horses, etc."

"No problem." Levy turned and left the room. Now that he had something else to think on he seemed a little less gloomy. Maybe this trip would pull him out of his despair.

"I'll go along with him. Make sure he gets everything." Katlin grasped Mika's outstretched arm. "That was a good idea. I hope it works. The kid really thinks its all his fault." She turned to leave. "Oh, don't you worry about Greyfox. Karleen and Samis have put together a team of the local busy boys to help them. They are confident that they'll get information on her whereabouts before you reach Mer'Beryl. So rest easy, we'll be ready to leave first thing in the morning. Good day to you my good friend." With that she hurried out of the room to catch up with Levy.

********************************
CHAPTER FIVE

GREYFOX IS SOLD

The sale of the captives went quickly. Elven slaves where always desired. They would outlive their owners and could take a lot of damage. He sold all of the women to his favorite brothel, with the stipulation that he could use them when ever he was in town. It was a place where no one would think to look for the women. The house was not a 'known' brothel. Only special customers allowed inside.

It was ten years later when Greyfox finally came out of her own mind. She was now called Loralil and was the favorite at Madame Ursa's house of Elven pleasures. Madame Ursa only had Elves and half Elves as her girls. She catered to the type of men who preferred docile women they could do what ever they wished to. No need to woo or be gentle. And Loralil was her prize. Due to the early treatment she received at Samuel Elvenbane's hands she was a witless little thing. She could take any amount of abuse and never fight back. In fact she would cringe and quiver just the way they liked all the time. It was too bad that she had to be cared for. She would not take care of herself at all. But then she had plenty of girls here who were willing to bathe and dress the girl. They all seemed to want to take care of the silly chit. Why anyone would want to she just couldn't fathom. As long as she was presentable each evening Madam Ursa didn't care.

On one such evening Loralil turned her gaze outside her own mind. At first she was confused. How had she gotten from the basement of her parents' home to this cloth bedecked chamber? She looked around as she sat up. That was when she realized that she wasn't wearing anything. She quickly grabbed the sheet and covered her breasts as she heard a sound coming from behind the partition in the room. BREASTS, WHAT BREASTS? Loralil looked down at herself. Last she remembered she was just starting to grow breasts, now she had two large masses on her chest. She touched them to be sure they were real. Where was she and what happened? She couldn't have grown breasts overnight. As she was furiously thinking a man came out from behind the partition. He was naked and carrying a strop. He was lightly tapping it against his palm as he gazed over at the whore he had rented.

"Now, my little one, we shall have such a ride, " he said as he walked toward the bed. Loralil tried to back up but was stopped by the headboard. What did he mean? The fog she had between her thoughts now and the memory of the last ten years was thinning but not enough. She had images of men, lots of men, like this one using her in ways that turned her stomach. She reached out for anything she could reach to use as a weapon. By some trick of fate the man had laid his dagger on the stand next to the bed. Loralil's hand landed on it and in an instant she grabbed it up and threw it. All the skill earned in secret when she was a girl came back to her in a rush. She knew exactly how to grasp the knife for the best throw and to send it where she wanted to. It flew straight and true into the chest of the man walking toward her. He stopped with a puzzled look on his face, looked down and then crumpled to the floor. Loralil heard a muffled scream and a thud from inside the wall to her left.

She scrabbled off the bed and went to rummage in the wardrobe she saw. Inside she found only frilly, shear things that would barely cover her skin and did nothing to cover her nakedness. Within moments she heard boots stamping toward her door. She crouched over the body of the man and pulled to dislodge the dagger from his chest. The door crashed open and she spun to face the intruders.

Standing in the doorway was Madame Ursa and her bouncer Bobby the Club. Madame Ursa took one look at the scene before her and let out a screech of rage. The man at Loralil's feet was one of her best customers. She pointed at Loralil and Bobby rushed forward and grabbed the hand that held the dagger. Prying her fingers off the hilt, he lifted her until her feet dangled in the air. "What do you want me to do with this Mistress?"

"Put me down, you oaf!"

"Well, well," Madame Ursa drawled as she walked toward Loralil. "You can talk. When did you learn to do that?"

"When I was a baby, when else."

Madame Ursa had Bobby lower Loralil to the floor, then she stepped up to her and slapped her across the face. "When you speak to me, you will be polite and address me as Mistress. You got that chit."

"Like hell I will. Your not my mistress. I don't belong to anyone!"

"Yes, you do. I bought you from Samuel Elvenbane ten years ago. You've been my property for a long time now. What I want to know is when you decided to come out of the little world you lived in and why."

"I don't have to tell you anything, you flesh monger." She struggled against Bobby's grip. "Let me go, you mountain." Loralil tried twisting, kicking and biting to no avail. Bobby had a grip like iron.

"Bobby, let her go. I've got to figure out what to do with her. Let's go." She turned and swept out of the room. Bobby followed his mistress, locking the door.

Loralil leapt for the door but it slammed in her face. She tried to open it futility for a few

minutes. Giving up she sat on the rumpled bed and thought furiously. Now matter how hard she tried she couldn't think of a way out of her current position. There was no window in this room and the only door was locked. She had no experience with getting out of locked rooms. In fact she had very little experience at all. She remembered being trapped in this room with no mental stimulation. Mostly just sensations. Feelings of pain, of soft materials and of a weight crushing her. And faces of human men, lots of them, all misty. Her last clear memory was of the night the village was sacked. She could still clearly see her parents as they died. But even that seemed to be wrong. She had the intense feeling that she had been watched over by her parents while she was out of her head. At the time when she seemed to be surfacing from her nightmares she could hear her mother singing a lullaby.

Now if she just relaxed she swore she could hear the lullaby. She broke down and cried the tears she had not shed when her parents died. As she curled up and let vent to her feelings she found the lump she didn't know she carried easing. After about an hour she calmed herself down and found that she could just barely hear the lullaby that had followed her all this time. She wasn't sure how she knew that it had but she just did. She lay back on the bed and composed herself the way her mother had taught her. Breathing deeply, she centered herself and went deep into her own mind. It took a lot to ignore the body on the floor across the room.

She found her mindscape had changed in the time she didn't know herself. There were new doors to be explored and old ones to be found again. A large part of herself was still sealed off. That which made her an elf and not a cipher. She keenly felt the loss. During her internal search she found the lullaby getting louder. She turned inwardly until she found herself getting closer to the sound. It came closer until she could see two figures walking toward her in the mindscape. She let out a little whimper of loneliness when she saw their faces, their beloved faces. It was her parents.

They reached out for her and she jumped into their arms. "Mother! Father! I thought I'd never see you again. How?"

Her mother stroked the long, soft hair, so much like her own. "Hush, my little flower, we can only stay a short time."

Loralil looked up into eyes like her own. "Father....."

"Shhhh, little one. We can only talk to you here this once. We have an important message for you." He looked over at his wife and reached out a hand to grasp hers. "We will never be able to be with you as you grow. You know this but we want you to be strong."

Loralil nodded, listening intently to the beloved voice. "You are destined for a very hard life, my daughter. You must live and learn how to take care of yourself. The gods have granted us a short time to give you some knowledge of the future."

"Father, can't I come and join you? I miss you."

"No, little flower, you can not join us. It is not your time. You will live a very long life and you must find your way back to elven hands. There only can you learn about your heritage." Her mother sighed as she spoke. She knew much about what her only child would be going through in the years to come but she was not allowed to tell her. Just to give her comfort on her first day back in sanity. "We miss you too but some time in the future you will join us. We were allowed to come back this once to tell you we love you and the you must learn to be strong and depend upon your abilities and not others. You will find friends and lose them but you will always have yourself. Make yourself strong and we will always be proud of you. Know this, that no matter what, we will always love you."

As she said this Loralil's mother started to fade. As she did she had one more thing to say. "Find your name my child. Protect the one we gave you. It is your true name and you should only tell it to those you trust. Find a working name." With this she faded out of sight.

Loralil's father gazed at her and parted with one last thing. "My daughter, find my sword. It will work for you and you alone. You know the key word to make the flames appear. If you can find my sword and your mother's harp you will have your destiny in hand. I love you, my wee one. Take care of yourself. We will watch you from beyond." As he faded from sight she could hear him say he loved her again. Then all she heard was the lullaby. Then it too faded. Loralil came up out of her trance with tears in her eyes. She now truly felt alone. Her parents were really gone. They would never return. How was she to go on by herself? She was only a child by elven standards and would continue to be one until she reached her fiftieth year. Even with the time she had spent in this brothel she was still a lonely child. What now?

As she lay crying into the pillow she heard the door opening. She quickly dried her tears and sat up on the bed. Looking about she tried to find something she could use as a weapon. There was only the bedding. The door opened slowly and in stepped Mother Ursa, Bobby and another young woman. The women looked Loralil over as Bobby removed the body

"Well, Terry do you think you can do anything with her?" Mother Ursa turned to the young woman and raised an eyebrow. Terry was a sleek woman dressed in black leather and chains with short black hair. She was tall and had a hint of the cat in her movements. Her face was striking with high cheekbones and a slant to her eyes. There could just be some elven blood in her family tree.

"I think that she has possibilities. Now that she is in her right mind. I see definite possibilities." Turning to Loralil she spoke. "Well girl, stand up, I want to look at you." Loralil raised her chin but stayed right where she was. She didn't know who this woman was but she wasn't going to make things easy for these three. "I said stand up chit. How can I evaluate you from where you are?"

Again Loralil stayed put. What evaluate? They wanted her to continue what ever it was she had been doing in the past. She wasn't sure what it was but she knew that she didn't want to do it anymore.

Mother Ursa looked over at Bobby. He walked over to the bed and picked the girl up and stood her on her feet. Loralil knew better than to fight Bobby. He was the size of an ox. Walking around Loralil, Terry hemmed.

"She is a very pretty little thing." She reached forward and flicked Loralil's right breast.

Loralil blushed. "Developed more than I expected for an elf." Turning back to the older woman. "What you do, feed her something special?"

"No, she was that size when I bought her. I do wish she had grown a little taller but you know these elves. Never very large. She seems to be a runt though. Shorter than the other girls I've bought in the past. Maybe that's why the larger breasts. I don't have much use for a gel who can fight back though. Think you could use her in your place?"

"Sure, I always have openings. Elves are always in high demand. Pack her up, with what ever belongings she has."

"That's easy." She shrugged. "She has no belongings."

"What! After ten years in your care?"

"My guests don't tend to leave gifts for the whores. She didn't come with anything but the rags on her back. Her last owner tended to keep his slaves with very little in the way of personal equipment."

"Well, fine. Dress her in something and I'll take her off your hands."

Turning back to Loralil she looked her over again. Accessing how much money she could make from this body. She spoke over her shoulder to Ursa. "How much?"

"I'll give you a real deal. Only 12 for her."

"TWELVE! You have to be kidding. She isn't worth that. Four."

"FOUR! Come on, she's an experienced whore. No way I could sell her for under ten."

"Trained, right. You told me she spent the last ten years in a cloud. Her body may be trained but her mind, hardly. Besides she will have to be retrained in the techniques that my patrons prefer. I'll offer you no more than eight. That is my final offer."

Ursa sighed and then smiled. With a shrug she said, "Ya drive a hard bargain Terry. All right, eight, but you'll have to equip her yourself. She can just have the piece she is wearing."

Loralil had had just about enough of being talked about as if she wasn't there. Who were these two women to talk of her price and her body? She was more than a piece of meat. Wasn't she?

"Come on girl. Its time to go to your new home."

"What are you talking about? I'm not going anywhere with you!"

Loralil tried to dodge past the two women and out in to the hallway. She knew that if she could get out of this room she just might get out of the house all together. No such luck. The one who had just bought her grabbed her hair as she flew by. "You're my property now, bitch. Live with it." With that she slapped Loralil across the face.

Loralil brought a hand to her face. It stung. She wanted to run but knew she would have to wait. This woman was too fast. In the hallway outside the room Madam Terry handed Loralil off to her bodyguard. A smaller man than Bobby but with a cruel look to his face. She meekly followed her new owner out of the building and down the street to her new 'home'.

*****************************

The building she entered looked like any other on the outside. Inside was another story. The lobby was hung with plush materials, in all black, with chains and whips hanging on the wall. Overstuffed chairs and couches lined the walls. There were few men here. The hour was a tad early for Madam Terry's clientele. The girls were just coming down to arrange themselves decoratively about the place. Loralil blushed as she saw the attire on most of the girls. They wore much less than she was used to seeing. In fact even in the few memories she had of Madam Ursa's place the girls wore more. That and they never dressed in leather. These girls wore strange outfits made up of leather straps and scraps. They either just covered the essential bits or moved to display those essentials. Each of the girls had finely toned bodies with sleek muscles. Loralil felt as if she was a kitten in a den of tigers.

She followed Madam Terry up the stairs to the second floor. They walked down the plush hallway to a panel set in the back wall. Madam Terry tapped it three times and it slid open revealing another set of stairs. She ascended them. Loralil followed. The third floor of the brothel was where Madam Terry's girls lived when they were not on duty.

Loralil looked around as she followed the madam. This floor was much more utilitarian than the lower two. The floors were bare wood and from what she could see in the few open doors the girls lived four to six per room. Not much personal space. There were a few rooms with shut doors and just a couple with only one or two beds. Obviously for the favored girls.

Despite herself Loralil became curious about what she was expected to do here. She remembered no training in the whores' arts. She only remembered her training from childhood in music, woodcraft and the use of small weapons. What could have made Madam Terry buy her? Madam Ursa could have just as well killed her for what she did to the man in her room. She was very confused. She continued to follow the madam to the back of the building. They entered a room like none she had ever seen. It was full of equipment that Loralil did not want to even guess the use of.

"Now I'm sure you are wondering why I bought you. Well, Madam Ursa told me of your little error at her establishment. It is not wise to kill one of the patrons of the house you are working in." Madam Terry looked closely at the girl she had bought. "Now tell me child. Do you have any memory of the past ten years or were you just playing stupid?"

"I have no idea what you are talking about. The last clear memory I have is of the attack on my village." Loralil looked down, wrinkling her brow. "After that I only had shadows, images that flee as I try to grasp them." Loralil truly tried to remember. She hated having no memory of so much time. The madam watched the elf maid in front of her as she worked through the lack. It was a good thing. The girl's body was remembering how the child had held it. There had been training in the past.

"Well, that does not matter. We shall train you up proper."

"Train, Mistress?"

"Yes, train. You are now the property of the House of the Singing Wind. You will be trained in the specialty of the house. With your natural attributes and the training you received as a child I believe that I have the perfect position for you. It shouldn't take me more than a few weeks to properly set you up for work." She walked around her new acquisition. She liked what she saw. A small woman, well under five feet. Maybe 4'9". She had long silver colored hair freely flowing down past her calves. Large purple eyes in a heart shaped face. She looked no older than a human at thirteen. Her skin as fair as could be and looked to be free of scars. Madam Terry reached out and tore the shift from Loralil's body. Loralil gasped and tried to cover herself with her hands. Madam Terry was amused at modesty in a whore. The whole body was as fine as could be. There was good muscle tone and quite a bit of potential. It would be fun training a new girl. She hadn't had a chance to train new talent in over a year. Maybe she would indulge in a few of her milder fantasies. She was very pleased. Pleased enough that she purred as she next spoke to her waiting toy. "You're going to learn a lot in the next few weeks, my pretty. I will teach you the best ways to service my clients. But first, come here pretty."

Loralil looked up at her new owner. What did this woman want? She felt a little premonition of fear. She was sure she wasn't going to like what was going to happen. She was right.

Mistress Terry reached for Loralil and when she didn't move she smiled. "Good," she thought. Now I can have fun. Terry stepped forward and grabbed Loralil by the hair. She pulled her forward and with her other hand tilted her chin up. Then she kissed Loralil full on the lips. Loralil stood still in shock. She didn't understand what was going on. This woman was trying to use her body like a man! After a moment she fought back. Mistress Terry easily parried Loralil's clumsy attempt and continued her conquest. Her laughter could be heard down the stairs into the rooms the girls' worked. Those who heard shuddered in remembered pain, glad that it wasn't them and sorry for the unlucky soul in the madam's hands. They all knew well that the girl who entered that room would never be the same.

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CHAPTER SIX

FOUND AND LOST

It took almost ten years for Mika and his friends to finally get a solid lead on where Greyfox had disappeared. Mika and Karleen were back in Greymer. They were staying at a small inn that Samis had just bought. Samis had decided to retire this year. His old wounds were really starting to bother him and he had met a fine woman. In fact she was the cook at the inn he had bought. One of the reasons he had decided on this particular place.

"Good morning, friends. How was your night?"

"Just fine, Samis. You have the softest beds in all of Greymer."

Karleen had grown into a confident, strong woman. She no longer had the gangliness of youth. She moved with the confidence of a seasoned campaigner. "What has your sweet wife made to tantalize our palates this fine morning?"

"Oh, mistress Karleen, you are so kind." This came from the open doorway leading to the kitchen. "I've made you my special griddle cakes with real butter and maple syrup."

"What are you trying to do to me, Sari? Your rich cooking is going to added ten pounds directly to my hips." Karleen added with a laugh.

"You have nothing to worry about there, Karli. You have never looked better." Mika added with a leer in her direction. The two had become quite close over the last ten years. Karleen giggled and punched him in the arm.

"You cad! What are you implying!"

The banter between the two went on as they walked toward the private dining area Samis had built. It was just a small room with a round table and some good chairs. The food in here was served on good wooden plates with eating utensils and bits of cloth to use for wiping your hands. Samis had dreams of making his inn one of the better places to stay. Right now his place was squeaky clean and had some of the best food for the money anywhere in Greymer. The only place you could get better food was in some of the better brothels.

As they sat themselves down and dug into the heaping plates that Sari placed in front of them there conversation turned to a more serious note.

"Has Levy or Katlin showed up yet?" Asked Mika.

"Not yet." Answered Samis.

Karleen piped up around a mouth full of griddlecake. "They should be here sometime this afternoon."

Samis and Mika looked at her with surprise. "Now how would you know that, little lady?" asked Samis.

"I'm not sure. I just know."

Mika shrugged. "She been coming up with these little bits of information for the last few months. I think our little healer is coming into some new abilities." He smiled at Karleen. He was very proud of the woman before him. She had taken time to get some training of her healing gift. She could heal anything up to a serious sword stroke now. The fire ant poison that had laid him up for months all those years ago would be an afternoon's work for her now. She was developing some new abilities, curious abilities. She seemed to be able to feel the emotions of those about her and to help those whose spirits were in conflict. She had found a way to ease the guilt that Levy had been carrying around for years after their failure to save his niece. It had been holding the boy back from his true potential. Now at the age of thirty Levy was the youngest human to be considered Adept class. He now had an apprentice of his own. They ate the rest of their breakfast in silence. Sari's griddlecakes were too good to waste talking.

After their breakfast Mika and Karleen separated. Each to their own business. Karleen had duty at the healer's college and Mika wanted to check out a rumor he heard of a silver haired elven whore working at the House of Joy on Market Street. It took him half the morning to find the place and the other half to talk his way inside. They didn't like opening their doors before sunset. Most of their business was done from dusk till dawn. But Mika flashed enough gold to get the attention of the door guard. He let him through and had him wait in the anteroom while he sent a girl to get the madam.

Mika looked about the room. It was furnished in early tacky. The madam had obviously tried to set it up as she thought the elves did their homes. There were a few things of actual elven make but most were cheap knockoffs of the more expensive items sold in the bazaar. He was studying a truly awful example of statue art when the madam breezed in.

"How may I be of service, my lord?" She positively gushed. Mika was hard pressed not to cover his nose. The perfume hit you a good minute before the woman got near you. He carefully controlled his breathing and asked about the silver haired girl working in her establishment. "You must mean, Tarla. She is my finest lady. She is not available at the moment. She had a long evening with a special client last evening." She paused obviously expecting Mika to offer her a bribe to see the girl.

"I don't wish to hire her for the day, my good woman. I am looking for a girl who matches her description." He went on to describe Greyfox as he remembered her.

"You say that this niece of yours would be about twenty five years now?"

"Yes. She is quite small for her age. She would probably look like a child of half that age."

"I am sorry, sir. Tarla is not the woman your looking for."

"If I could just see her?"

"All right," she waved to the girl who brought her his message earlier. "Sanni, child. Please go and tell Tarla I need her for a moment." She turned back to Mika. "I'm sure she is not the girl your looking for."

After a few minutes the girl Sanni came down the stairs with a silver haired figure dressed in a sheer robe. Mika was hopeful for a moment until the figure stepped into the light. The madam was correct, this wasn't his niece. She was much too tall and as he got a better look at her it was obvious that she was only partially elven. A quarter blood at best. "You're right. This is not the girl I'm looking for. I'm sorry to have bothered you so early in the day." Mika took the madam's hand and placed a gold coin in the palm. "This should take care of any inconvenience I caused." With that he bowed and left the establishment.

The madam turned to the girl standing quietly by her side. "Now you see why I will always deal with elves. The always pay well for what ever service you give them. Remember that my gem." She gave the coin to the part-elven girl and sent her on up to bed. She was definitely one of her best money producers. She deserved the coin.

********************************

Mika returned to the inn in quiet contemplation. That was the sixth lead that hadn't panned out since he returned to Greymer. It looked as if this trip was going to be like the last five he had made. It was becoming very frustrating. It was like the girl just vanished. How was he to keep his promise to his sister's shade if he couldn't find the girl. He had a good lunch and returned to his room to ponder the information he had.

It was mid-afternoon when a knock came upon his door. He put down the papers and walked over to let in who ever it was. His mind was preoccupied and he had lost track of the time. He was pleasantly surprised when he opened the door. "Hello, Mika." Standing before him was Levy, looking very pleased with himself.

"Levy! Long time no see. How have you been?" Mika embraced his human friend and gestured for him to enter the room.

"I've been fine and I have news for you." He stood by the window and rocked back and forth on the balls of his feet.

Mika looked him over. The boy had grown a bit in the last few years. Never really tall for a human he had an unfinished look when he traveled with Mika ten years ago. Time had taken care of that. Time and confidence. Levy had grown a beard to help make him look older. Even at thirty the mage looked like he was barely out of puberty. "Well, don't keep me in suspense, what's the news you have for me?"

"I believe I now know where Greyfox is."

Mika's whole body came to attention. "What!"

"I have found the place your niece was sold to."

Mika stood in shock. If Levy was willing to say he knew where she was then he must. "That's fabulous. Where is she?"

"According to my sources there is a private house on Maple Street that is known in the trade as the House of Elven Pleasures. Your niece has been in this house since we lost track of her."

"The House of Elven Pleasures." Mika mused aloud. Turning to Levy, "why haven't I heard of this place?"

"Its very exclusive. Only the richest and strangest of the human lords use the place. It caters to the 'baser' instincts of those men." Levy had a look of distaste on his face. He didn't want to explain just what the girls were expected to do. The men preferred girls they could terrorize. Girls who would not under any circumstances fight back. He had checked the place out himself a week ago. He had been disgusted by the psychic aura radiating from the place. A few discreet mind taps on the men who entered and left the place gave him the information he needed. He sent out the message to Katlin to have Mika come in to town.

"What is it?" Mika knew his young friend well. There was something he didn't want to tell him.

Levy looked out the window. After a moment he cleared his throat. "Your niece....um, she is one of the favorites there."

"What else?" It was like trying to pull teeth to get the mage to talk.

"There is little of her mind left. The rumor is that she is the favorite because she only responds to the terror. Anything else and she just hums a quiet little song." Levy turned back to face Mika. "I'm sorry. I tried to reach in the house and touch her mind but there's some type of shield over the place." His eyes showed the concern he had for his friend. He knew how much Mika needed to have his niece back.

Mika was quiet for a moment and then he spoke calmly to his friend. "Don't worry. There are mind healers in Mer'Beryl. If there is anything to save they'll be able to find it. I just want to get her out of there."

"We'll do that. Don't you worry." Levy walked over to Mika. "Has Katlin checked in yet?"

Mika smiled. He knew that the mage and his swordswoman friend had gotten very close over the years. Like himself Katlin found that the elves of their home city were too stratified for her taste. She wanted someone with a bit more life to them. "No, she hasn't come in yet but Karleen believes that she should be hear this afternoon."

"Karleen does? Since when has she been predicting things?"

"Its a little talent she seems to have developed in the past few months. Very handy to have around, our little healer." Mika let out a low chuckle. Levy smiled, he knew just what Mika meant.

"When Katlin shows up we can work a plan for getting your niece out of that place and back to Mer'Beryl where she belongs."

"Have you had anything to eat yet?" Mika asked.

"Not yet."

"Then you must go down and ask Sari to make you something."

"I wouldn't want to bother the woman. Surely she's busy making the evening repast."

"No such thing. If Sari knew that there was someone standing in her inn who hadn't been fed yet she'd be right here with a try. She has a real thing for feeding people." Mika steered Levy out of the room and down to the inn's kitchen. Sari was more that glad to make up a few sandwiches for the mage. She was always glad to do anything for friends of Samis.

****************************

Half way through the meal Katlin showed up. She was greeted with open arms by Samis and immediately brought her into the private dinning room to talk with her friends. Levy gave her the news and the three worked out a fair plan for getting the elf maid out of the House of Elven Pleasures.

First they planned on having Levy enter the house as a paying guest. He would request the services of Greyfox and after a short while he would offer to buy the girl out of her contract. Mika had amassed a large amount of gold for just this purpose. They hoped that would be all that was necessary. If the madam refused to sell they had a backup plan. With Mika and Katlin causing a commotion at the front door Levy would sneak the girl out under an invisibility spell. Which ever way they should have the girl free by the time the night was over. They would take her to Karleen's healing house and hope that she could heal her mind. If not she should be at the very least able to get the girl healthy enough to travel to Mer'Beryl. On that happy thought they parted at sunset to prepare for their various roles. Levy back to his inn to put on his very finest garb and Mika and Katlin to case the house. They followed Levy's directions carefully.

When Mika and Katlin arrived outside of the House of Elven Pleasures they were at first unsure that they were at the right place. The house looked like any other respectable house on the street. There was a stable to one side and stairs leading up to the front door. The only thing to give it away for what is was, a single red lantern in the front window.

"This must be the place." Katlin said. "I wonder where Levy is?"

"He'll be here any moment." Mika scanned the street behind them. He ducked down an alley as he saw the first patrons of the night walk up to the house. They all seemed to be overdressed fools. Each with a look on their faces of anticipation. One in particular had a swagger to his step. When Katlin got a good look at him she stifled a giggle.

Mika raised a brow at her levity. She sniggered again and then brought herself under control. Quietly she said. "Mika, Levy's here."

"What? I don't see him."

"Yes, you do. You just don't recognize him."

"What are you talking about? All I've seen so far are a pair of drunken fops and that swaggering fool with the rapier."

Katlin smiled and touched the tip of her nose. She couldn't mean the swaggerer, could she. Mika took a longer look. The man was at least six inches taller than Levy and thirty pounds overweight. His hair was long and blonde and he had a dueling scar under one eye. He looked nothing like the slender, short mage with his short dark hair and beard. "Good disguise, don't you think?"

. "How?"

"Levy's been working on that particular spell for the last couple of months. I talked him into the dueling scar. He thought it was too much but I think it adds just the right touch, don't you?"

Mika was amazed. The amount of detail in the disguise was amazing. Levy was definitely an adept class mage now. To make yourself look taller and heavier took lots of power. "Well, here's hoping for the best."

******************************

Inside the house Levy was encountering some difficulty. The girl he asked about was no longer here. He stood for a moment in shock. How could she not be here? She had been here just a few days ago. He was sure of it. What happened?

"No, Madam Ursa? I believe." The woman before him nodded. "I was told that your very best girl was this little elf. I didn't come here to be put off on some other slut. What happened?" Madam Ursa calmly told the man in front of her that the girl hadn't worked out and she had been sold.

"Can you tell me where to?" With that question Madam Ursa became suspicious. There had been a couple of others asking about the whereabouts of the little slut but they had been house regulars. This man had never been to the house before. With a raised brow she called the bouncers forward.

"I'll have to ask you to select a girl or leave. The one you have asked for no longer works here and we do not give references to the others houses."

Levy took one look at the two men flanking him and bowed deeply and apologized to the woman in front of him.

"I am also sorry. I had been given the impression that a man could get whatever he asked for here. I see that isn't true. Too bad. I will have to take my business elsewhere. Good evening, Madame." He handed her a small coin for her troubles. When their hands met, he whispered a word and tried to pry into her mind. He was met with a wall. Someone had put a very strong spell about this woman's mind. That was going to be a problem. He bowed again and released her hand. Turning, he left the room with a flourish of the cape he had donned for the costume. Madam Ursa whispered to her men and sent the larger of the two after the man. Her suspicions were roused and she wanted to be sure that the man did go to another house. She had to be sure that Elvenbane hadn't found out that she had sold off his little prize.

He had been visiting a lot less in the past three years. Busy with his conquering of one of the outlying kingdoms. This man could have just been a fop who wanted the best or he could be a spy sent by Elvenbane or worse, his uncle, Madeth.

******************

Levy caught on to the man tailing him before he got a hundred yards from the front of the house. With a smile he touched the brim of his hat to signal his waiting friends and turned down the first alley that opened near him. With a flick of his fingers he dropped the spell changing his appearance and continued down the alley and out the other side.

Ursa's thug followed the fop at a good distance but lost the man when he entered the alley. He entered the alley just a few moments after the fop but when he did there was no one there. He jogged quickly to the end but he saw no one matching the height and dress of his quarry. Madam Ursa would not be pleased.

Levy joined the others and filled them in on what he had been told. "I don't know what's going on here. The madam running the place has some very powerful magical shields around her mind. I tried to look into her mind to check if she was telling me the truth and got stopped cold. She also got real suspicious."

"Yeah, we noticed your little friend." Katlin looked back over her shoulder. "Wonder where he went?"

"There he is." Mika pointed back toward the alley. The man was just leaving it with a worried and puzzled look on his face. It was obvious that he had no idea were his quarry went. He re-entered Madam Ursa's house and the street fell quiet. It had quite a bit of traffic during time that Katlin and Mika had been waiting for Levy. In the distance could be heard the calling of the watch. It was close to midnight and those wanting services must all be at their destinations. "Its time to regroup. Lets get back to Samis'." The others agreed and they scooted away from the house.

*****************************

After a few hours of trying to brainstorm someway of getting the needed information out of the madam the friends separated and went to bed. In the morning the discussion resumed in the main dinning room over some of Sari's fine cooking.

"You say that the madam had a spell shielded mind?" Karleen had rejoined the group earlier that morning. "That is highly odd. There's no reason for a woman of her profession to need one. I wonder just why she does?" She turned to Levy, "Did you recognize the signature? Could it have been put on by Elvenbane's mage?"

"No, I assure you that is one signature I would recognize." He responded with a shudder. He still had nightmares about the fight for his mind. He could sometimes feel ghostly fingers prying into his mind. He always succeeded in fighting them off but he never wanted to come that close to becoming a mind slave ever again. "This mage has a flavor much more human. She probably had one of the locals put it on her."

"Again, why would she have a spell shield?"

Katlin thought for a moment. "Maybe she had something to hide from one of her partners?"

"She has partners?" Mika was surprised. Most of the houses where owned wholly by their madams. Maybe she had some financial difficulty.

"Yep. It seems our target has a tendency to play the game." At the others puzzled looks she elaborated. "She makes investments in new businesses, shipping firms and the like. She has abysmal luck when it comes to such things but she just has to play. It the status of being in the game that keeps her making such mistakes.

"That's all very interesting but it has nothing at all to do with my niece and her whereabouts. We need to get that woman alone and find out where she sold Greyfox." A glint came into his eyes as he thought about the girl he had seen briefly ten years ago. He couldn't see her features but he remembered the long flowing silver hair. So much like his departed sister's. He had to get the girl free. No matter if she was a drooling idiot he would bring her home and somehow find a why to bring her mind back. He would no longer be alone in the world. An elf without family was an elf only partially alive. He needed to find that child almost as much as she needed rescuing. "Just how suspicious do you think the woman is?"

"No idea. Want me to try going in again? Maybe a different costume." Levy flicked his fingers and his normally fine boned frame filled out. His hair lightened to a dirty blonde and he was now clean shaven. When he next spoke his normal tenor had dropped to a deep baritone. "What cha think?"

Katlin chuckled. She had gotten used to Levy's trying out various shapes and colorations in his training toward his new skills. Mika and Karleen had both been out of contact with them for the last couple of years. Karleen busy in the healer's hall and Mika in his search. The looks on her friends' faces was priceless. "Stop showing off, you jackanapes." She threw a roll at the smiling face across the table from her.

"How long have you been able to cast spells so easily?" Mika cocked a brow at the now familiar face.

"I finally got the knack down about six months ago. I'll tell you it wasn't easy. The teachers you and Katlin found for me are real task masters. They didn't want to admit that a human could do what they could. Never mind a human who was so young." Levy was rightly proud. Very few beings made his level of ability, even less of them were humans. It was a very rare human who survived the power fluxes that came at puberty if they carried the potential that Levy had. That the boy had and then left his home and picked up knowledge enough to use his powers without formal training was simply amazing. Mika's mage acquaintances were all elves and didn't think that the young man had the discipline to become a great mage. He had proven them wrong.

"Well, that ability will come in quite handy when you do return to the place. Do you have any other little things to tell us?"

Levy laughed once again and launched into a tale of his training. He had learned much in the last two years and after the tale was finished they cleared out of the dinning room and went upstairs to work on their new plan. The dark mood of earlier had been lifted and spirits were high. They expected that the quest for the girl would soon be over with a happy ending or if not happy at least an ending.

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Ursa sat like a spider in the middle of her web. She dismissed the guard after he told her that he had lost the trail of the foppish visitor. With another flick of her finger she sent one of her specially trained little gifts after him. It settled quickly on his collar and waited. Sometime during the early morning the slack guard would find himself quite dead. Ursa disliked incompetence. Sighing she turned her thoughts to her enemies. There were only two beings in the world she feared. One was Samuel Elvenbane and the other was his snake mage. The creature had given her the little gifts and she had wisely only used them rarely. The local mage guild has ties to the peacekeepers. If a suspicious death had the scent of magic on it they would send a searcher out to find and detain the caster. There were many deaths every night in Greymer but few ever had a taint of magic. Besides being too expensive for the common peasant or street thug, the lower mages who would be willing to work of pennies had not the power to cast such a spell. The rich had little to fear if they used magic in their 'business deals'. They could just pay off the judiscars. It was those of the middle class and those of the 'underclass'. Those like Ursa herself. They had to be very careful. Luckily the little gift given to her only contained enough magic to implant itself on the target, drop its poison and then to dissolve. The actual death came from a very slow acting poison.

It was important that she find out if the fop who asked for Elvenbane's favorite whore was a spy or just a fool. She opened the concealed drawer of the table next to her and pulled out a large piece of glass set in a loop of gold. This little trinket was very expensive. She had the scrying glass made up by a spell crafter she found living in the Caverns. There were any number of strange beings living in the cities most downtrodden neighborhood. Penny whores, thrives, assassins and the odd magic worker. Those who were addicted to something and had been thrown out by their guilds. It was just such an addicted mage who made the glass. It was tuned to only one being, Elvenbane. It was made so that the Half-Orc could not tell that he was being spied upon. Even his snake had no idea. She had been careful the first few months after she had it made but the following years had proven that the strange little creature had told her the truth. It was too bad that he had to die, she could have used more of his little trinkets. Well that was all water under the bridge. She lifted the glass and breathed on it. As the mist of her breath cleared she saw an image appear.

Samuel Elvenbane was in the middle of speaking with his mage. She could just hear what they were talking of. It seemed that the battle for some obscure city in the north was going slowly. He was upset and was taking it out on the mage. She listened for over an hour and heard nothing that led her to believe that Elvenbane knew that she had sold off the girl. That was good but she wasn't confident. He could have sent the man as a check on her. He had done such things in the past. She had grown to confident of his continuing absence and had let down her guard. She would have to set up some type of trap for dealing with the man quietly and permanently

**********************************

Two days later the four friends had a plan. They would all be going in to the house. Levy would put disguises on them so that they all looked like human males. He would use a different one this time so that the woman would not be on guard. It would take a lot of concentration and power. Over the past two days they had learned a little about the woman and her tendencies by watching the house during the day and night. The guards of the other night were only visible during the evening hours. After midnight half of the guards would leave the house, the other half would stay to insure that the customers would leave before dawn That way none would be seen by the soon to be entering farmers and merchants. All of the guards tended to large and muscular. And as far as Levy could tell none of them were too smart. The house was scry guarded. That wasn't surprising as many of its patrons were of the upper-class ruling families. It would do much damage if any knowledge of one of them entering a house such as this. There didn't seem to be any other type of spell guarding or blocking the place.

The four friends gathered outside the house at about a half hour before midnight. Karleen and Katlin now looked like a pair of eastern lordlings. Decked out in silk and ribbons and carrying perfumed balls which they held close when ever anyone walked by. Mika looked much like Samis with a few changes. The weapons were gem bedecked and the clothing was finer than anything that Samis ever felt comfortable in. Levy himself was in the guise of the blonde haired man mountain he had showed his friends a few days before. His clothing was also silk, but of a different cut. It was obvious that he was a mage by the robes but one who had more attitude than ability. And more money. They had found out that the average price of a whore in this house was a gold crown for an hour, ten times that of a girl in a normal house. The added touch of the scent of dream dust completed the picture. It would explain why a mage would be using her house. No man on dream dust would be of any use to a woman if there was any resistance to his desires. Hopefully any scent of magic around them would be put down to Levy's persona of a failed mage and the difference of the easterners. He could hide only so much of the power needed for these spells.

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Inside the house Ursa had been very nervous for the past few days. She had expected less subtlety from an agent of Samuel Elvenbane. The man should have returned before now. Before she retired this morning she had one of her contacts in the mage community visit. The little creature, race unknown, had been paid to set up a short term trap spell. Anyone entering the House of Elven Pleasures with anything other than lust on their minds would be sent to a special room. They would not notice the difference, it would be like they just stepped from the lobby into a showing room. She had even placed a few of her less valuable girls in the room. Those girls who had not been bringing in the kind of money they used to. The food and the drink had all been drugged. The food with a powder that tasted like a common spice but would cause a general slowing of reflexes and a loss of visual acuity. The sweet elixir she added to the wine would mix well with the powder and amplified the effects of whatever it was mixed with. She had four of her larger guards stationed around the room in alcoves covered with false fronts. If that didn't work she had some special little packets made up with sleep powder. Those and a couple of special trinkets she had in storage were now in her hidden pockets.

The early part of the evening went well. Her business was brisk this night, with the advent of the lust goddesses of five different pantheons holding celebrations. She had a few customers who looked like the man from the past week but none were him. She had two men who tripped the trap spell but they turned out to be just thinking of their business affairs first. She let them out after they chose a girl and she made sure that the girls had the antidote. She was beginning to believe that she had been overly cautious when four men entered the front lobby of the house.

They didn't look to be together. Two of them were of the eastern nations that had just started to trade with Greymer. She knew little about them but it was common knowledge that they didn't think much of the people they had met in Greymer. Very insular types. She had heard that they held harems of at least ten women per man in their countries. What two of these men were doing her she could only guess. She swayed over toward them, using all of her age old seductiveness to gain their attention. "Welcome to the House of Elven Pleasures, my lords. I am the house's mistress, Madame Ursa. How can my humble establishment bring you pleasure?"

The two men looked at each other and then at the woman before them. The taller of the two spoke, his voice was very deep. "We have heard of your house as far away as the eastern sea and have come to check out the services that we have been told of."

"Yes," replied the second man. "We don't have many of your 'elves' living in our country and have heard that they are exceptional harem material. We thought it would be an excellent idea to 'try' out some here before we went to the 'market' and brought a few home with us."

"Oh, you are in for a real treat gentlemen. I have the finest ladies in all of Greymer working under my roof. If you will just go through the beaded curtain to your left you will find the lounge and I believe tonight's selection holds many rare beauties." She waved them toward the curtain and turned to the other two men standing in the room. The first was a large specimen. He looked to be a mage who had given in to a desire for dream dust. How amusing! She had many clients with the same problem. Usually not mages but then this one looked to be big on money, not brains. The second looked to be a well paid hire sword. Probably working for the first. She turned her attention back to the first and took a step toward him.

"Madame Ursa, I believe?" The mage squinted past a truly huge nose. He was obviously nearsighted.

"Yes, good mage. How can I help you?"

The mage actually blushed and stammered. "I-I-I have a problem and and I heard that your girls could help me with it." The swordsman stood behind his employer. Ursa gave him a quick wink. He was just the type of man she loved in her bed, all muscle.

"I believe I can help you. I have just the girl. Gentle, quiet and very pretty. She is very sweet." She lay a hand on his arm and stroked the fine silk of his sleeve. "If you will just follow me I will lead you to her room." She paused a moment just before the beaded curtain. "And what will your mercenary friend here be doing during your appointment'?"

"Oh, I don't really care. He is just my guard. Do you have a less expensive service for those who bring along their 'servants'?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact I do. After we bring you to your special young woman I think I can find something to keep your 'servant' busy." She added with a sly look at the man, who returned her look with interest.

********************************

As Karleen and Katlin walked through the beaded curtain they felt themselves transported. It was obvious to anyone who had regular dealings with magic that the room they now stood in was not the room that they had originally stepped into. Katlin turned quickly and saw that the beaded curtain was gone. Behind them was a solid looking wall. In front of them was a boring room. It contained only a table, covered with food and drink and two bored looking whores on couches.

"Interesting, don't you think?" Karleen spoke in elvish. The two whores were lounging on the couches with looks of pure boredom. They didn't even look up at the sound of their native language. She walked over to the first girl and took the slack face in her hands. After a quick probe she found that the girl had been heavily drugged. She used just a touch of power to clear out some of the drugs in the girl's system.

Meanwhile Katlin was busy checking out the room for possible enter and exit points. She spotted the false walls over the alcoves quickly but just filed the information in the back of her mind. Nothing seemed out of place here. She turned to the table and looked over the offerings. They looked good. Lots of fruit in sauces and little pastries. There were two bottles of different colors at each end of the table. She picked up one and sniffed. It smelled like blueberries and wild flowers. An unusual combination for a wine. She reached for a goblet and poured a small amount, more for something to do than for any thirst she had. She walked over to Karleen and whispered in her ear a reminder that it would be best to leave the girls as they were. Karleen nodded and took the goblet from her hand and peered at it for a moment. With a careful movement she placed it on the table. "I wouldn't drink that, if I were you," She whispered. "Its drugged." Katlin looked toward the table and back at Karleen. Karleen nodded. It was a good bet that the food was drugged too.

After a moment three more people appeared in the room. Levy and Ursa, with Mika trailing behind. For a moment the madam was surprised but she quickly recovered. "Ah, I see that these two gentleman have not yet chosen a girl. Let me help them." She let go of Levy's arm and stepped toward the two eastern lordlings, her mind working overtime. To have four men whisked to this room within moments of each other was definitely strange. She placed her left hand on the arm of the taller of the two men and spoke softly. "I am sorry, it seems that these two are the only girls not engaged at the moment. Would either of them be to your liking?" She paused and cast a quick glance at the ring circling her middle finger. It was a special ring. It would detect magical disguises. The one on the next finger would remove them if she pressed it against the flesh of the wearer.

"These girls seem to be very 'relaxed'. Is that normal for elfin maids?" Karleen asked, grasping one of the girls by the chin and tilting her eyes toward the light. Ursa removed her hand from Katlin's arm and stepped toward Karleen.

"Sometimes the girls take something for a headache, so that they can continue to work." She moved the strong-looking hand from the girl's face, with a quick glance at her detection ring. The same result. Both were in disguise! She pretended outrage at the drugged girl in front of her. She slapped the face below her and pulled her up by one arm. "Go to your quarters and sleep it off!" She quickly turned to the other and shooed her out with the same orders. Turning back to the men in the room she apologized for having two such sluts in her house. "Its so hard to get good help these days." She held her hands out and Levy took them and replied.

"It is alright dear lady. We all understand these things. Sometimes the dear things just have to have their drugs." He babbled on for a few more sentences. Ursa wasn't paying attention. She glimpsed her ring. The mage was under disguise also. She hid her reaction. If the mage was disguised, then the man at arms probably was too. She glanced over at the hidden compartments. Pulling her fingers from the mage's hands she gave a quick signal to the men in hiding. In a moment they sprang from the hidden compartments and attacked the four 'men'.

Katlin spun about as she heard the first scrape of the paneling moving aside. "Watch out!" Karleen tucked out of the way, pulling her dagger from the sheath at her side. She was little good in a fight and did her best to stay out of the way. Mika stepped forward to protect Levy's side and was momentarily stunned by a bag hitting his face. A puff of some powder surrounded his face and he breathed some in before he realized it. In less than a second he found himself sinking to the floor.

Levy caught Ursa's movement out of the corner of his eye and held his breath. What ever was in that little pillow had put Mika down in one breath. He whipped out his blade and threw it in one movement, hitting a guard heading toward Karleen squarely in the throat. The man went down with a gurgle. Then he immediately prepared to cast a spell. Before he could get a sound out he was grabbed from behind. He put all of his slight weight into fighting the man off long enough to cast a spell. He quickly charged the air about his body and shocked the man into releasing his arms.

Katlin battled two men at the same time. There was no space for her to pull her sword so she had to make do with just her long knife. Fighting knife to knife in close quarters was always bad. Fighting two to one odds against larger opponents was worse. When the fight started Levy had to drop the disguises so that he would have the power to cast other spells. The men had paused a moment when they saw that they were fighting a woman but just smiled when they saw that she was elfin. In their experience no female was up to fighting one, never mind two, human males. They started to play with her. It wasn't until she scored a solid slash on one of the bulging forearms that they got serious.

Karleen knelt on the floor, her eyes following the action. She tried to get up to reach Mika as he fell but was stopped by a tug at her hair. "That's as far as your going, slut." She grabbed at her skull and looked up at the person holding her hair. Ursa had snuck behind her and now was holding her. Ursa pulled Karleen up by the hair and placed a wicked looking blade against the girl's neck. She cleared her throat and spoke. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" The two man fighting Katlin paused as one scored a hit on Katlin, a low stab in her upper thigh. Levy looked up from the spell he was casting. The shout interrupting his concentration. "PUT YOUR WEAPONS DOWN! NOW!" When neither the mage or the elf moved she pressed the blade into the thin skin of Karleen's neck, breaking the skin. "Do it our I'll cut her throat." Ursa looked straight at Levy. "And you mage, no spell casting. I feel anything in the air and I'll push this through her throat." Levy stared at the woman for a moment and then lowered his hands.

"Alright, let her go."

Ursa just smiled at shook her head. "Now that would be very foolish. Why should I give up a perfectly good hostage?" She nodded at the remaining guards. "Tie them up and bring them down to my work room."

The men moved to do her bidding. "Make sure to blindfold and gag the mage. We don't want him getting loose now do we?"

They quickly tied his arms behind him and pushed a rag into his mouth before settling a sack over his head. He could hear just fine through the thick cloth. "Come on, bitch. Join your little friend over here on the couch. Wouldn't want one of you uppity elf bitches thinking that I'll go easy on them. He could hear a crack of flesh against flesh and a low grunt from Katlin. Next he heard the sound of a drawer opening. After that he felt something slipped around his neck. "There. Now you're harmless, mage.

************************************

Mika came around after what felt like an eternity. He tried to bring his hand forward to rub his eyes but was pulled up short by something. As his eyes focused he saw that it was a chain. What was going on? It took a moment for his mind to clear enough to remember what had happened. He cast about, looking for his friends. He spotted Levy chained to the wall opposite from him. "Levy, where are the women?"

The young mage lifted a battered face toward the elf. He worked his mouth and throat for a moment and spoke, in a croak. "I don't know." He tried to say something else but nothing came out.

In the uncertain light of the torch Mika could see that Levy was dressed only in part of his breeches. His torso and lower legs were covered in vivid purple and black bruises. "What's going on?"

His answer came from the doorway. "I have been trying to find out why I have had suchdistinguished visitors to my humble house. Your young friend here took exception to the

treatment of the ladies in your party." Ursa stepped into the room pulling Karleen by the hair. The woman was also covered in bruises and there was a blank look on her face. "This one seems to have lost herself somewhere. Too bad. She would have brought me a lot of money at one of the other houses." She pushed the girl down on the floor at her feet. "Maybe you can give me more information." She ran a hand down Mika's throat and chest to his waist. "Such a fine example of a man. I could have lots of fun with you."

Mika spit. Hitting her on one rouged cheek. She stepped back and slapped him hard across the face. "That was not wise. You better learn or you will be joining the elf bitch sooner than expected." With a gasp Mika pulled his eyes from the woman on the floor to the young mage across from him. Levy's hung head and shaking shoulders said much. He closed his eyes. Another friend gone in this fool quest. Another blood cost to lay at Samuel Elvenbane's feet.

"What do you want." Mika growled.

"That's better. I just want to know why your hear, love."

"To find my niece." The words came out in a low hiss. The madam was back, with her hands on his body. The revolution could be plainly heard in his voice.

"Oh, are you related to that little bit of tail I got rid of last week?"

Mika closed his eyes. So she wasn't here after all. They had lost her once again. "Yes."

"My, my, isn't this just perfect. Here I thought that you were from Samuel and all the time you were really just looking for a lousy two bit whore." She laughed low in her throat at Mika's reaction when she said that. "If you are really, really good you just might get out of this situation and find out where the little twit went." She ran her hands down his bare torso. "Hmmm, you have a very fine body for a point eared little weakling. Satisfy me and maybe I'll tell you what you want to know." She continued to purr and stroke his skin, enjoying his shutters

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Some time later Karleen pulled herself together. She was still lying on the floor where Ursa had thrown her. She slowly pulled her head up and look around. She was in a cell of some type. After another long moment she realized that she wasn't alone in the cell. She looked up and saw that it was Levy chained to the wall. She could feel the pain pouring off of him. She reached out a hand and tried to pull her healing force to ease his pain. She stopped, she couldn't find it. She had lost her power! "Oh, no." she whispered. Levy lifted his head when he heard Karleen's voice. She gasped as she saw the depth of the pain in those eyes. Her memory flooded back with that look. Katlin was dead. Tortured and gang raped by the men who worked for madam Ursa. Levy had

worked his way out of the bonds holding him but his magic was stopped by the collar around his neck. He had tried to stop the thugs with his bare hands, taking many blows before he fell at the feet of the woman controlling their fate. She laughed as the men kicked and beat the prostrate mage, breaking bones with their hobnailed boots. Karleen had tried to help both her friends. She had reached out with her healing gifts to find they had been blocked by a collar similar to the one worn by Levy.

The collar blocked out magical powers but did nothing to block out the psychic gifts. Karleen had been slowly gaining in her empathic gifts. Now they were full blown and she had felt every blow as it landed on his flesh and every thrust of the men on her friend's tender body. She felt the anguish as Levy watched his love raped before his eyes and she felt Katlin's body die. Katlin had managed to grab up a loose knife and drive it home in her own throat. That was the last thing Karleen recalled. "Levy?" She tried to stand but found she hadn't the strength. He just hung in the chains. She could still feel his pain. He hung in the chains because he could not stand on his left leg. It was broken between the knee and the ankle. She tried again. She knew that he was conscious. He had to be reliving the night before over and over in his mind. It wasn't a good

thing. Somehow she had to break him out of his concentration. She cleared her throat and spoke again. "Levy, Levy, where is Mika?"

Levy slowly lifted his eyes to look into hers. She could see the pain he held inside himself. She tried to reach out but he spoke. "He's with Ursa. He has been for the last three days." His voice was gravely and full of pain. He dropped his eyes as a sigh escaped his lips. "She has been trying him out for 'business'. Last time she came down to gloat she sounded very frustrated."

Karleen barely heard the last part. Three days. She had been unconscious for three days. How had that happened? Levy had been hanging here for three days with a broken leg? And Mika in the hands of that twisted woman. Things were very dark. She started to speak when she heard a key in the door's lock. She pressed her lips together and tried to brace herself to deal with whoever would enter. She was awake now something had to happen for the better.

The door slowly opened and into the cell stepped the person she hoped to see but the last she expected to. Mika stepped quickly in and strode over to Karleen. He knelt down and quickly ran his hands over her body, checking for injuries. When she drew a breath to speak he placed a finger over her lips and spoke. "Hush, love. We're getting out of here."

He turned as another figure stepped into the room. "Anyone suspicious?" Samis shook his head. "Good. Get Levy down."

Samis turned to the young mage and carefully removed the shackles holding him up. He eased the battered body to the floor, careful of the leg with the open gaping wound. The smell of infection overcame the other odors in the cell. "Mika, this doesn't look good. We've got to do something about it." Samis looked over at the healer lying in Mika's arms. Karleen shook her head. She couldn't do anything.

"It going to have to wait, my friend. We've got to get out of here and get the collars off our friends." Samis nodded and carefully picked up the battered body of the young mage. Against his bulk the mage looked like a child. Mika quickly picked up his lady love and strode out of the cell. They quickly but quietly moved down the hall and into a tunnel that appeared out of the darkness. Mika led the way as he could see better in the looming darkness. Quicker than Karleen thought possible they were outside in the night air. Mika carefully climbed aboard a small wagon that Samis' wife Sari had been waiting in. Samis carefully placed Levy on the bottom of the flatbed and got up on to the driver's seat. Sari starting bandaging Levy's wounds as Samis drove through the night. Near dawn they arrived at the healing college and the wounded were taken in.

*************************

The next morning Karleen sent a message to Mika that she was going into seclusion to heal up and to build up shields around her empathic sense. Mika understood and sent her back a message of encouragement and love. He knew that he would see her again when she could take being near people again. His real worry was Levy. The young mage had taken some serious damage. The leg looked like it would not heal up cleanly. He was going to be left with a limp a best, at worst he might lose the limb.

Five days later Mika was readying himself to return home. He had to tell Katlin's family of her fate. They were not going to like the fact that she had died in a brothel. They would be proud though that she had died trying to save a young elf from slavery. He paused for a moment to look out the window when he heard a click on the tiles of the floor. He looked up and found Levy standing in the doorway of his room. "Hello, my friend. Feeling any better?"

Levy stood for a moment just looking at the elf. The pain in his eyes was no less than the day when they escaped. His body was better but his soul was still in agony. "Yes, some." His voice had little inflection. It was like he hadn't the strength to put any soul into his words.

"Will you be coming with me to Mer'Beryl?"

Levy took a deep breath and closed his eyes. "No." He stood that way for a few minutes. Mika waited for him to add something else. When the quiet had stretched too long Mika started to speak but Levy added something else. "I'm going to the healing center's mother house. The Mother healer said she could teach me come spells to help me walk easier." He tapped his leg with the cane in his hand. "There's a possibility that I can get most of the movement back with time and rest." He stopped. It was like he was embarrassed that he had said what he had. Mika understood. There were two reasons that Levy couldn't go with Mika. The first was just as he said. His leg still needed work. It was very stiff and he would be in agony if he rode into the mountains with Mika. The second was that the young mage didn't want to see the city that he had come to know at the side of a beautiful elfin woman. He needed to heal that wound also.

Mika took a step and placed his hand on the human's shoulder. "Its alright. I understand. We'll meet again."

Levy looked up at the taller elf. "Thank you." He turned and limped out of the room. Mika went back to packing. There wasn't much but he would need the supplies that the healers had pressed on him.
CHAPTER SEVEN

S&M

Three months later Loralil was introduced into the main lounge as the new star attraction. She had been trained in all the ways of pleasing a client, male or female. She had learned how to give pleasure and pain. This establishment catered to those who preferred to deal and receive pain with their sex. Loralil was soon mired in the depths that humanity could sink to. Madam Terry had found that training the small girl took longer than she thought. She enjoyed the breaking of what little spirit the girl had. In the beginning Loralil tried to escape dozen times. She now had a few scars to show for those escape attempts. She would not try again, of that Madam Terry was sure. The first night of her service she brought in offers of fifty gold. Terry was pleased. The small woman would be a treasure trove. With careful manipulation she had made the self esteem of the elf plummet. The girl was convinced that the best place for her was here.

She spent five years servicing the human's and half-humans who were sent to her. Her training had destroyed any feeling of worth she had. She felt like a piece of property. The only thing that she had to feel proud of was that she got no pleasure in the things she was doing and the condition her body. Someday she dreamed that she would escape and follow the advice of her parents. She serviced members of all the races that came into the brothel. All races except two. Orcs and half-Orcs. She couldn't stand to be in the same room as one of those people. Madam Terry knew enough not to send them to her. After a mistake in the training of Loralil she never allowed another Orcs near the elf. She didn't need to explain another body coming out of her establishment. Bad enough to have to pay for the whores who didn't control their clients but if she had to explain a clients death she would be out of business. But she trusted her training of the girl. She even trusted the training enough to allow the elf maiden out of the house. At times clients wished to have a girl service them in their own homes. Terry sent them out with a bodyguard. Loralil was sent out with a double or even triple guard at least once a month.

It was a dark, ugly night when she finally snapped. When she could no longer be someone's toy. She was tied up with a fine threadlike rope. She could slip out of the ropes anytime she wished. She had pleased the mistress enough that she had recently been shown how to get out of almost any knot, strap or set of locks. She was lying trussed up on the 'altar'. The fake temple room setup. Only the really rich weird clients liked this place. The script called for the sacrifice to be tied up and waiting for the 'priest'. She was ready. She played this game a hundred times. Madam Terry found that having an elven maiden tied to the altar really added to the experience for the clients. As long as she was careful who she allowed access to the elf maiden. They loved to think they were getting the upper hand over one of 'uppity' elves. They paid her lots of money and even left little 'gifts' for the girls. When the orcish asked for this set she used one of the other elf maids she owned. She didn't want to lose her money maker. Loralil didn't understand the attraction. She didn't care. She just played along but tonight would be different. She had no idea just how different.

She lay back on the hard surface beneath her. She really wished that she had been scheduled for the little girl set. The bed was so much softer and she could be in charge of the situation. This set up had her in the receiving end. She really hated this. She never would be comfortable with being the victim. It brought back too many memories. She still was a victim. No matter how much leeway Madam Terry gave her she still was a slave. With no recourse, no way out of the life she was living. She knew. She had last tried to escape three years ago. She didn't like remembering the punishment that she had been made to suffer. She stopped trying to talk her clients into helping her after the twisted elf who said he loved her and wanted her had turned her in to Madame Terry. She hadn't understood his real desires. She had thought he had heard of her and wanted to help her get free. He had really pulled the wool over her eyes. He got two free nights with Madame Terry's newest at the time after he turned her in. And he got to help with her punishment. "Well, I'll just relax. Maybe this guy will be one of the quick ones and I can get a good night's sleep for once."

Just as Loralil was getting a little cramped from being in the awkward position that the ropes put her in, her client came in. She closed her eyes and gave out the fake moan of terror she had been trained to use. She worked up to the whimpers as she listened to the man moving about the room gathering the equipment he wanted to use. Shedding his clothing and donning the robes set out for the client. She waited to open her eyes until she could feel him standing over her. This was part of the script. She was to open her eyes and stare at the client in wide eyed fear. Then she was to beg and plead for her life. It was all routine. She prepared herself and opened her eyes. At that moment she had the shock of her life. Standing in front of her was the being of her nightmares. A half Orc. A moment later she was out of the ropes and in her hands was the 'ceremonial' dagger for the use of the 'priest'. She stabbed the creature repeatedly. She stabbed and stabbed and stabbed. By the time the muscle had showed up to investigate the screams there was little left of her client. They were amazed. They had run when they heard male screams coming from the set where there were to be female screams. The two guards took one look and turned away. One to get Madame Terry, the other to lose his lunch on the floor. He had never seen such a sight working in a brothel. Never had one of the girls lost control and attacked a client. And he couldn't understand how the girl had done that much damage with the blunt toy knife that was the prop.

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"What happened here!" Into the mess stepped Madam Terry. She was dressed only in her favorite black leather buster and spiked heels. She had been getting her newest prize to service her. She loved breaking in the new toys. When she heard that there was trouble in the altar room she thought that the client had gotten out of hand. She did not expect to find her client in pieces and her muscle holding down the diminutive elf she had thought was totally tamed. She was amazed. What could have triggered this?

"Tree, let her up." She waved the muscle away and squatted down next to the elf. "Well, are any of you going to explain?"

Loralil lay on the floor and stared up at the ceiling. She didn't say a word. Her eyes were turned inward and her face held an expression of total horror. Madam Terry shook her shoulder. Nothing. She lightly slapped her face, nothing. Finally she pulled her arm back and slapped Loralil across the face as hard as she could, rocking the elf's head. Finally some life came back into her eyes. The horror left her. She looked at her owner and tried to speak. Nothing came out.

"Well, explain why I shouldn't kill you right here. You just killed a very good paying customer."

Loralil opened her mouth a few times before she could get any sound to come out. Finally she spoke. "He was an half-Orc." That was all she needed to say.

Madam Terry looked up and bit her lip. Oh. A half- Orc. What fool had set Loralil up in this scene. She had told all of her agents that the elf was to be kept from all Orcs and half-Orcs, just for this reason. The madam she had bought the elf from told her some of the girl's history. An Orc or Half- Orc would send the child over the edge again. Now she had a problem. The elf had killed a second client. It could happen a third time. She would have to sell her away. It was too bad. She was a big money maker. Why, she didn't even have to give her a cut of the money she brought in. Heads were going to roll. Which ever fool had just cost her her best money maker and her second highest paying customer was going join the girl in what ever fate she decided. Oh, well, she shrugged. Something was always coming up. She should be able to replace her easily and make some money on the girl in the process. Nothing to do here but clean up the mess.

She stood up and gestured to the muscle to pick up Loralil and remove her from the room. She needed to have the household slaves come in and clean up this mess. It was too bad that this particular half-Orc was well known and connected. There would be inquires about how he died in a whore house. Also there would be calls for the death of his killer. There had to be a way to make money on the situation. She just had to think about it. She strolled out of the room and back to her waiting toy. She always thought better after a good fuck. Maybe she should have the other new toy brought to her. She thought she would need a really long fuck to think this mess through.

**************************************

Loralil meekly allowed Timmy to lead her to the basement. She knew that they had a dungeon set up there with real cells. She also knew that she had just blown it. She had killed a client. She was now a liability. Madam Terry would not keep her around for long. She knew that in Greymer whores were a silver piece a dozen. She had hours to wonder what was going to happen to her. The half-Orc was her first client of the evening. The mistress wouldn't stop her business for anything. In the morning she would deal with the situation Loralil had dropped in her lap. She would have to spend the night here, covered in her client's blood.

As the night passed, she sat locked in her thoughts, ignoring the sounds of the clients and whores working in the set. She tried to find anything in her life that could in any way be considered a step up. She had never done anything to lift herself up. She never met any normal elves. Madam Terry did not cater to them. She surely had a few show up but she never sent one to Loralil. She probably thought that Loralil could convince any healthy Elf she serviced to help her escape. Now she never would. She wondered how she would be put down. Put down, that was what they did to slaves who killed a free man. She just hoped it would be quick. She would be glad when it was all over. She had had enough of this miserable existence.

After a very long night of watching the other girls using the dungeon set up, Loralil saw Mistress Terry come down into the dungeon. She stood outside the cell holding Loralil. Looking at her student coolly. She had figured out how to clean up the situation that this girl had left her. She was going to sell this chit to the arena. That way the half-Orc's friends could watch her die and it wouldn't be on her hands. Too bad she couldn't keep her but she was bad for business.

"All right, Loralil. I have a solution to the problem you have dropped in my lap. I will say to the friends of your corpse calling for your immediate death that I have found a way to appease them."

"And what is that mistress?" Loralil asked her owner in a sarcastic voice.

"Don't take a tone with me, you stupid bitch! I have just sold you to the arena. The half-Orc had lots of friends and they will be at the arena to watch you die." She sneered with a smile of pure pleasure on her face. "You won't cause me anymore trouble, bitch."

Just then the door to the dungeon opened and in stepped one of the most ugly individuals she had ever seen. He obviously was only part human. The rest was a mystery. He looked Loralil over and then turned to Mistress Terry. "You have got to be kidding! This child hacked Cendric Half-Orc to death?"

"Yes, she did. I saw the corpse with my own eyes." A sick look past briefly over her features. "It was torn to bloody shreds. I was amazed. It seems the girl has a real hatred of half-Orcs." With a shrug she turned and rested her shoulder against the cage. "I think she just might give the crowd a good show. Put her in the ring with one." She looked down and played with her ever present whip. "I would bet my money on the girl."

The man nodded his head slowly. It could be interesting. It was definitely different.

*******************************

Two days later Loralil was standing in the middle of the sands. She was dressed awkwardly in a loose brigandine and held a short sword in her hands. She had no idea what to do with it. She held onto it with both hands. Her wrists were weak and she had trouble keeping the tip up. Why had they given her this for a weapon? After fifteen years as a whore she did not have the wrist strength to wield a sword. A dagger would have been better. She had the quickness to evade most thrusts. Plus in secret she had been practicing throwing. Just a tiny blade that she had traded another girl for. It was lost now with all the other small things she had accumulated in the years with Mistress Terry.

The crowd roared their approval when they saw her standing there. She looked like a child in her father's clothing. They were bloodthirsty today. Many of the crowd loved to see elves in the ring. To hear that she was a killer added an surprise to the show. As she stood trembling in the sun she heard the announcer call out the name of her opponent. She took a quick breath. The name of her killer was Marcus the Hill. He was a half Orc. Loralil had learned the name of a few of the fighters in the past two days as they prepared her for the fight. They didn't do much. They just asked her what weapons she had ever used. Now she was out here to die.

The crowd quieted down as they saw the Half Orc enter the arena. He was an ugly creature. He was missing an eye and an ear. There was a large scar visible on his left leg. The rest of him hulked large as he started toward his victim. He was sure that this was to be a very quick fight. Just a quick thrust and he could go back to the barracks and have his pick of the women. Too bad he had to kill this one, he heard she was a whore who had killed a client. He bet she would be real good in bed.

Loralil took one look at her opponent and a red haze covered her sight. The crowd in the stands watched amazed as the child in the ring changed. Her stance altered from the quivering young woman waiting to die to that of an Elven warrior. The sword came up off the ground and she came up onto the balls of her feet. She crouched in readiness to counter what ever attack the Half Orc would use. The creature charged her expecting her to cringe and try to flee. That was not what happened. Loralil stood her ground and as the Orc reached her she attacked. He had left himself wide open, not expecting a whore to know anything about weapons craft. It was his last mistake. With a spin and a sweeping cut she dispatched the unbelieving Orc. He tried to speak but his head tipped back and exposed the slice across his throat. He sank down onto the ground, his blood soaking the sands. She didn't stop at killing her opponent. She hacked and hacked at the body until there was little left in one piece. Soon Loralil's vision cleared and she

stood in shock over the bloody pieces of the Orc she had killed. The tip of her sword wavered and dropped back down onto the sand as she let out a low keening sound. The crowd roared. This wasn't what they expected but they loved to be surprised. The only members of the audience who were upset were those who were here to see the killer of Cendric Half-Orc made to pay for his death. As one they left the stands and made their way down to the pens. They pushed their way past the guards and up to the Arena owner.

"What is this! Did you train the bitch? She was to die today!" This came from many voices. The small scared man who was in charge of Loralil faced them all. Standing, silent, with his arms crossed on his chest he waited for silence. After a moment the Orcs and half-Orcs became silent.

"There was no guarantee that the girl would die in the match."

"No one told us that the child could go berserk. She must die!"

He looked directly at the speaker. It was Cendric's brother. "I assure you that the girl will not leave the arena. She is a slave. How long can an elf maiden last in the arena? Berserking doesn't lend ability, it just adds power."

His opponent nodded. It was true that no elf maiden had ever been in the arena. Even the elf males only lasted a few months if made slaves. "All right. She is a slave. Don't pit her against anymore of my people though. She should be dead soon enough if she doesn't have the added benefit of beserking every time she fights. If she isn't dead within six months, I'll buy her from her owner."

"If she lasts past the six months you state, he would be a fool to sell her."

The Orc stepped forward. He would take no insults from a mere human. But after a good look at the man in front of him he backed off. Something in the eyes of this man told the Orc he would rather spit him than talk to him.

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CHAPTER EIGHT

A LOSS OF HOPE

The search for the missing maiden moved even more slowly. Karleen and Levy tried their best to keep Mika's spirits up. The lack of any reliable information on Greyfox tended to put the elf in a deep despair. How could one small woman entirely disappear? Even in a city the size of Greymer there should be some lead, some chance of finding out her fate. The only sure thing was that the girl still lived and that she was somewhere within the city's subculture. Levy could no longer get a lock on her position. He could tell that she still lived but he couldn't get anything else.

"Mika, we need to talk with the owner of the House of Elven Pleasures."

Mika lifted his eyes toward his friend. "What do you mean? Don't you remember what happened to us when we first encountered that woman? It took us four days to get out of the trap she laid for you. Never mind losing Katlin in the process!"

Levy winced. He didn't need to be reminded of what happened back then. The injuries he took trying to save Katlin still gave him trouble. If he hadn't had his magic he wouldn't be able to walk now. Poor Karleen hadn't been able to deal with the loss. She had felt all of Katlin's dying agonies. Carrying her back to the healing sanctuary had been the only thing keeping Mika going.

"Mika, listen to me. The woman running the house is not the same."

"What?"

"A few months ago I helped a young woman gather the funds to buy out Madam Ursa. She has taken over the house and changed the way its run."

"And this is important how?"

Karleen spoke up, her eyes lighting up. "The new owner of the house would not know who you are and would have no connection to Elvenbane. She just might know who bought your niece. Even if she had no idea who you were she would be a connection into the madam's network. She might be able to tell you if any house was using a girl matching Greyfox's description.

He thought for a moment and then responded. "All right, one of you go check it out and tell what you find out. I be waiting with baited breath." He voice was a bit sarcastic.

Karleen and Levy looked at each other. "Mika, I really think you should go. You need to get out of this inn and doing something. Its time." Karleen put an arm around the elf. I can't stay much longer you know. I'm late as it is."

Mika nodded. He knew that Karleen was expected at the healing house in Pastine in two days. The trip from Greymer would take over a week. She had sent word ahead that she would be late but she was pushing it. "I know, love. You have to leave. You're needed out in the field. You have stayed with me longer than I expected."

Mika, I'll go with you."

Mika turned to look at the mage. "Thanks Levy. I'm not sure I could go in there by myself." He paused. "I'm surprised you could." He raised a brow at his friend.

Levy winced. "Yes, well. I'm over that. I just want to get this over with. I've got things to get back to also."

"Alright. Let's check this place out. How's tomorrow morning sound?"

"How about right now? I've set up an appointment with the new owner today."

"You're kidding, right?" Mika looked surprised as Levy shook his head. "Okay. Okay. Let's go then."

*************************

Mika and Levy walked up the steps and in the door of the house they had last snuck out of years ago. It was the same, yet different. The hangings and furniture were about the same. As they stood in the foyer a young woman of part elfin descent greeted them and took their names and cloaks. She then led them to a small sitting room and went to tell the madam they were here. After a few moments a tall and graceful full elfin woman entered the room. Her name was Salanithia Gracefall, known to her customers as Madam Sheila. She explained the house and its changes to the two beings sitting with her and as them a few questions.

"I have looked into the records of the house and found that there was indeed a young woman by the name of Greyfox working here years ago. She was sold off to another house a few years before I acquired this house."

Mika leaned forward, eager to hear what she had to tell him. "I talked to my connections in the other houses and found that she had been sold into an S&M place called the House of the Singing Wind." Mika started to get up but she stopped him with a hand on his arm. "No, don't." She paused and took a deep breath. "She no longer is in residence there."

Mika closed his eyes and sank back. Another loss. "Where is she now?"

"As far as I can tell, she was sold once again after she killed a client."

"What!"

"According to the rumor mill she lost control of one of her clients and killed him. She was sold out after that. After she was sold again I have no idea what happened to her. Madame Terry refuses to even hear the girl's name. She told my contact that she never had a girl by that name working in her house and even if she did she never let out information on her past slaves. She just said to look in the pit." The woman slowly got off her chair and kneeled down by Mika's side. He didn't notice. He turned to Levy, looking for something.

Levy understood. He sighed and reminded Mika that he had not been able to scry for the girl ever since before she left this house. "There is some type of scry shield on her. I can tell that she's alive but that's all." He looked down at his hands. "I'm sorry. If I had met the girl I would have a better chance of breaking the spell but...." He shook his head in defeat.

Mika understood. He sat in silence for a few moments and then started to sob. Levy looked at the elfin woman as she put her arms around his friend. He nodded at her look and rose to leave. Mika didn't need him now. He needed what the woman could provide.

***********************
CHAPTER NINE

LIFE AS A GLADIATOR

In the months and years that followed Loralil spent much time training to use many sorts of weapons and killing many different beings. She collected many scars. Her body quickly lost the softness that even being an S&M whore had not removed from her body. She was as sleek as a seal. Her trainers were amazed that such a small woman could become so strong and so proficient at killing. She was still a slave and she still could not spend time with people who were like herself. In all it had been thirty years since she had been taken from her home. Her body had changed much in that time but to the human eye she still looked to be a child. A girl of fifteen. Her eyes were the only thing to betray this image. Anyone who looked into them saw worlds of pain. She made few friends for she would soon be fighting them in the arena. It was a lonely life but here there was no real chance to escape. If she could make two thousand kills she would finally be released and made a free Elf. She spent her free time training. After her first six months she had been given over to only one trainer. He name was just that, Trainer. He made sure that she learned something new, all the time. She knew how to use many different weapons. In the many years of loneliness she had found that a good way to forget was to increase her strength. To do this she lifted the weights usually reserved for the stronger races. In the years she spent here she had moved from the human weights to those used by the bigger races.

***********************************

One dark drizzly day Loralil was sitting in her room on the fighters wing of the Arena grounds. She had finished her bouts for the day and she had the next three days off to do what ever she wished. She could visit the baths, take one of the male whores or even go out to the market near the arena and buy some trinkets. She would have to go with one of the guards. They never let her go anywhere outside alone. She longed for the freedom to walk alone and the cool quiet of a forest. The city was dirty, noisy and too filled with humans. She had seen Elves here at the arena and had been pitted against them at times. She always hated that. She wished she could just talk to them, not kill them. The barracks she was kept in was small and for women only. She was the only female elf here.

On the few times she had taken advantage of the male whores offered to the fighters she tried to pick the half Elves. There were very few in that business and no full elves. She had only done that four times in all the years she was here, just on the days when she was the lowest. Her only fond memory of those times was the one male Elf to enter the arena under caverns. He had heard of Loralil and came to see the Elven woman who killed for pay. When he found out why she was here he told her he would stay the night. He held her in his arms and comforted her, singing soft elvish songs that reminded her of her mother until she fell asleep. He never touched her in a sexual way. She felt protected and safe for the only time since her parents died. He left too soon.

He had been here only for the once yearly competition. He would return in a year, he vowed. He also vowed to raise the moneys needed to free her and return her to her people. He never returned.

***************************************
CHAPTER TEN

REUNION

A year later Loralil watched for her friend. He wasn't to be seen. There was only one elf competing from outside the arena. He was very good and he quickly got through his bouts, disarming his opponents instead of killing them. She could teach him a few tricks but he had obviously fought for his life sometime in the past. Loralil watched from the entrance of the fighting grounds, he wasn't the elf she remembered from last year. She said a quick prayer for that elf. She hoped that he had just forgotten his promise. She didn't want to think that he had died in the outside. She turned her attention to the elf fighting in the ring. He was quite good. She stretched out and compared his style to her own. She would be up next. He wasn't her opponent. He had won his fight easily and stayed to watch Loralil.

When she had re-entered the barracks complex he had snuck over to talk to her. After a fight Loralil was always very depressed and would lie down and try to mediate. She never expected to have company, in all the years she had been here no one came to her room so soon after a fight. If she wanted company she had to seek it out. Her owner made sure of that. Even the elf from last year had to wait in the common room for her to appear.

She looked up when she heard someone clearing their throat. She just let her mouth fall open when she saw the Elf before her. He was the most handsome creature she had ever seen. He looked much like the father she remembered. With black hair and green eyes, he was slender and lithesome. Just the thing to make an elf maiden swoon.

"Hello. Am I interrupting?" His voice was musical, a deep tenor.

"Umm, not really." She sat up and eased herself into a comfortable position.

"My name is Mika Silvershaft. I watched your fight. You are very good."

"Thank you, so were you," Loralil replied quietly. She didn't know what exactly to say. He was the first Elf she had ever seen who was not on the point of her sword or dressed like a whore.

"How long have you been here?" He leaned against the door way of Loralil's room. His casual stance concealed the turmoil of his thoughts. He could see in her face the features of two dear friends who had been killed thirty years ago. Could this young Elf maiden be the daughter of his sister?

Loralil thought back and counted the years. She spoke, "I've been here for almost fifteen years. Are you a freelancer or a new recruit?"

"Freelancer." This was good. She could easily be the child he sought. He had tracked her down finally. The male whore who had told him of the Elf maiden who was a slave and a killer in the arena had been very sure she was the one he was looking for. He had bought the Elf out of slavery and sent him back to the elven homelands under a guard. The creature had no training in how to take care of himself. He had been sold into slavery at an even younger age than this girl. He had been only eight when he had been taken away from the caravan on its way to the elven bardic college. He was a very talented young child and had been sold many times. He had been brought into the arena as a special treat for the Elven maid who brought in the most money for her owner. They had been trying to perk her up. She had been depressed after having to kill a fellow elf. He never told her he was a whore and that he had been paid to cheer her up. The elf had felt bad enough when he met her. He told Mika that he had only held and sang to the girl. She had seemed very delicate to the boy.

In elvish he asked her the names of her parents. Loralil looked suspiciously at the Elf before her. Should she tell him. She had not spoken those names in all the years since her parents had died. "Why do you want to know?" she replied in the same language. Her accent was different from his but it was the same language.

"I have been searching for a very long time for the daughter of my sister and her husband. They were killed thirty years ago. This daughter is the heir to an estate. You look a bit like my sister. It has been a long search and I grow weary. I hope you are her."

She looked deeply into the eyes above her's and thought. Could it be true? She tried to remember if her mother had told her of any relatives. Loralil had thought that all her family lived in the little village she grew up in. She dimly remembered her mother telling her of a brother who lived far away. There was something else but the memories where still hard to find. She had spent too much time living in the present to think of the past. With tears in her eyes she spoke. "Their names where Silvershine and Stoneblade. They were a Harper and sword master." She closed her eyes. One tear slid down unnoticed. "They died at the hands of Samuel Elvenbane." The last came out like an oath. Mika could here the utter hatred in her voice. He now had the information he was looking for. This maiden was his niece. The search was over.

"Little Greyfox, I have finally found you." He reached out and enfolded her into his arms. She stiffened as she felt the arms go about her. He didn't care. He had found his lost family member. Now he would have to find a way to free her.

Loralil started to hear the name she had not heard since she was in her home village. She stood stiffly in his arms but she soon relaxed and gingerly placed her arms around the man who claimed to be her uncle. She was stunned. A family? Someone who remembered her parents? Was this the way to bring herself back to her elven heritage? She pushed herself out of his arms. Looking suspiciously at the elf before her, she asked. "You are my uncle?"

"Yes, little one. I've been looking for you for so long. Silvershine's spirit came to me after she died and asked me to find you."

"I'm glad to meet you and ashamed to meet you, here." She turned away and stepped toward the door. "I have not been able to leave this city in the many years I have lived here. You must know that I am no one to be proud of knowing." She looked out the door and then spun back and strode up to him. "I have spent years here killing every creature placed in the ring with me." Silvershaft opened his mouth to stop her but she continued.

"Before I came here," she closed her eyes, "I spent fifteen years being a whore for who ever could pay my price." She turned away again. "I only ended up here because I killed two clients. I have been in the depths of depravity for thirty years." She curled her hands into fists. "I am not worth saving." She looked down at her feet. Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I do not remember how to be an elf. I am less than a human."

Silvershaft looked at his niece. He could see the damage that her time here had lain upon her soul. Her's was not the innocent soul of a elven maiden just reaching adulthood. He had known that she would be damaged but he had wanted to bring her home and ease her mind and spirit. Now he knew that he had to bring her home. She was hurt deeply. If she was to find peace she would need to go home. "Greyfox, I don't care about that. You are of the same blood as I. You must come home and let me heal you." He spoke with conviction and the look in his eyes made Loralil think maybe she was worth something other than an object to be used for money. "I will go to your owner and try to buy your contract, child. You must not stay here a moment longer. Soon, you will be a woman and you must spend time with a elf matron to learn how to be one."

He wrapped his arms around her again and sung a quiet song in elvish to her. She found that she was relaxing. She relaxed so much that Silvershaft lifted her up and placed her on the bed and tucked the blanket around her. Within moments she was fast asleep. Deep in what he hoped was a healing sleep. He left her and strode toward the office of the owner of the arena. He had quite a bit of gold on his person and knew where he could lay his hands on more. He would buy out her contract. No matter what it took, she could not be left here any longer. He walked into the office. Sitting behind a desk was a large being. Mika could not be quite sure what race this being or even what sex it was. "I would like to speak to the owner of the arena slaves." He spoke common in a harsh voice. The creature looked up and then it rose and walked into the next room. After a moment a very ugly Human male entered the room.

"Hello, I am Leander. I own the arena slaves. You wished to see me?"

"Yes, I would like to purchase one of your slaves."

At this the man got a cunning look on his face. He knew that Elves did not believe in slavery. This Elf could only be after one thing. Loralil. She was a good money maker but she would soon be free. She had only to kill three more opponents and he would have to free her without recompense. Here was a way to make more money on that little killer.

"I believe I know which one you are interested in. Loralil, the elf maiden."

"Yes." That was all Mika said. He didn't want this human to realize just how important this particular slave was to him.

"Well, she brings in a lot of money to me but her attraction is starting to pall. I just might be willing to sell her if the price is right."

"How much?"

"Well again," he paused with a sly look, "with all the money she has brought in I couldn't sell her for less than" another pause, "one hundred gold pieces." He expected this elf to start haggling. He knew that Elves always paid to get their brothers and sisters out of slavery. They just made sure not to pay too much. He was surprised. The elf didn't bargain. He just slung off his pack and took out a heavy bag. He tossed it onto the table next to the human.

"That should cover it. Please have her escorted here."

Leander looked down at the bag. It had landed on its side and three coins spilled out golden in the candlelight. He reached down and scooped them up. He bit into one to be sure they were real. They were. He signaled to his mountainous assistant to go get the elf maiden as he started counting the coins. It returned after a few minutes, Loralil at its heels.

"Girl, you have a new owner." He waved at the taller elf. Without looking up he said, "Go get your stuff together."

Loralil looked over to her uncle. He had done it. She was free. She turned and ran back to her room. She had little to pack. Just her armor and weapons and a few pieces of clothing. She was packed in ten minutes and on her way out of the city within thirty. With just one stop. They stopped at a blacksmith to have her collar removed.

As the collar fell from her neck Loralil lifted her neck in freedom for the first time in thirty years. There was a look of gratitude in her eyes. "You are free, niece. Now we can go home."

"Home?" Loralil liked the sound of that. Home was a place she hadn't had in a very long time. She savored the word. It felt right.

So ends the first of the tales of Loralil Greyfox.
