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Jadrian cocked an eyebrow at Mary Ann.

"I saw my entire village burned down by a single man. Since, then I have distrusted magic in all but a few select choices...Like Xander and his Lantern over there."

"i guess i kinda understand why you distrust magic then. we really shouldnt be a divided group so what would it take for you to be able to trust me?"

Faring looked up at Mary Ann:

once again straight to the point. is this going to become a habit?

Mary Ann looked down at Faring and shushed him. she looked back to Jardrian:

"when we go to the west part of the city we should all be able to trust each other so we dont get killed. so what will it take?"

OCC: Happy little bunnies are living in Jadrian's skull. Let's move on.

(I'm going to ignore that last post John, it's really confusing)

Xander looked at the group, they were ready and with a nod to Amannia they set off to the spiral stairway which led to the catacombs.

along the wall were flaming torches which Xander grasped and puled out of their holder. he handed one to Jadrian, Mary and Reene, Orb was enough for him. they reached the bottomof the stairs and before them stood a mighty Oak door. it swung open, as if by magick, and was accompanied by a gush of cool, damp air. they troop stepped through and into the catacombs.

Xander: ok everyone stay together and don't go off anywhere on your own, I fear these Catacombs are very large.

he looked to the floor, there was a white line leading into the distance.

Xander: come on then.

Jadrian sidestepped Xander and got to the front. Holding his torch in one hand, he discovered thathis claymore was too big to hold when he had the torch in the other hand. He cursed and grasped his dirk, knowing that he was doomed if any undead were down here, but it was still going to have to go through him to get to his freinds, and he wouldn't die without a fight.

Mary Ann looked around

"this place gives me the creeps. how long are we going to be dowm here. im really not the type of person that can stay in dark places too long its kinda like a phobia so can we hurry?"

Faring looked up at Mary Ann,

there is no need to be frightened, you are not alone and if there was any danger then i will know it so dont worry

Mary Ann stroked Faring she turned to Xander,

"is there any way that we can travel any faster i really dont want to be rude or anything but it would make me feel better"

Xander: it is wise to be on guard in here.

he glanced at Jadrian clutching his weapon.

Xander: but we can only go as fast as our feet may take us.

a blood curdling scream came from behind them. Xander stopped and nodded to Orb who vanished into the gloom.

Xander: we wait for Orb to scout out what may be there.

Xander felt the summoning belt the Archmage had given him and it seemed to want him to put it on Orb...he reassured himself he would when there was need of it.

Orb came to a whistling stop by Xander's head

Orb: Trolls, they've taken a human prisoner and have jsut slaughtered her. they have our scent and are heading this way.

Xander: TROLLS everyone! make haste!

Mary Ann looked around

"that was from behind us was anyone following us?"

she turned to he others

"did anyone see anyone following?"

Faring fluttered his wings

something doesnt seem right we should continue or we may be in more danger.

Mary Ann turned andf ran with the rest as she caught up to Jadrian she asked,

"you'll will be able to run faster if you werent carrying that if you want i can make it so that it will travel beside you in the air while you run. do you trust me?"

Jadrian shook his head

"I'm done running!" He turned and planted his feet. He graspedthe torch in one hand, and drew his claymore with the other. When a troll turned the corner, he threw the torch at it. THen he stood, waiting for the next to turn the corner. He may not last long, but the others may escape

Xander looked at Jadrian taking on the troll. sometimes it was wise to run, now was such a time, but things had taken the turn to the unwise.

Orb: you can't let him face two Trolls alone!

Xander turned on his heel and made his way to the back of the group.

Orb: let's use...

Xander closed his eyes and held out his hand, he touched Orb and a simple image command flashed before his minds eye. when his hand touch Orb it ignited him...Orb's red colour burned with the intensity of the sun and grew and stretched until the outline of a huge cat like creature stood before Xander. as the flames cleared the Emporer Tiger stood before Xander.

Orb: nice! I can only imagine what fire would do to a creature so used to the darkness!

with that Orb dug his claws into the ground and braced himself whilst he charged up his fire ball in his mouth. a ball of fire, the size of a volley ball was hurled at the second troll and knocked it to the floor with a satisfying crunch.

Xander turned to Mary-Ann.

Xander: anychance we could find the dead woman and see if she is alive? it's a long shot I know but maybe Faring could go? Orb said she was slaughtered but he had a hint of doubt in his voice.

Orb was bringing his paw down on his prey, claws extended

Renee had stayed out of the battle, knowing there was little that she could do.

"I could go with him and check on the victim. With my size and stealth, I can easily hide in the shadows. If the woman is alive, she might be a little less likely to become hysterical if there is a female around." she asked Xander, wanting to do somethi ng useful in the group.

Xander watched as Orb, jaws around the Trolls throat, sufficated it to death. he didn't like the thought of it but it was needed.

Xander turned to Reene.

Xander: yes, go...and make haste, she may yet be able to be saved.

Amannia stood next to Xander and unleashed a few arrows, they flew through the air and embedded themselves in the eye of the Troll Jadrian was fighting, the shocking burst from the arrow, ripped the eye out of the socket, this served to enrage the troll further. The arrows flew back to Ammania.

Orb meanwhile was exhausted and had reverted to his orb form. he hung around Xander, watching keenly.

Xander: Orb, go with Faring and Reene, shed some light on the situation and see if the woman is alive. hurry.

Orb hovered over to Reene's head and bobbed expectantly.

JAdrian seung hios claymore once more, and lowered it as THe troll's head hit the ground. He knealed, and started breathing again. THe red glaze around his eyes vanished, and he felt back to normal. THen he turned around. Xander was staring at him, as were the rest of them, except for Renee. Jadrian shrugged off their glances and grabbed his now extingueshed??? torch.(can't spell sorry) "Let's move on shall we?" Jadrian panted

Renee looked at Orb, silently thankful that he was coming along. She looked at Faring, "let's be quick about this, She may still yet be alive."

Renee moved quickly, pausing only now and then, when she saw an unknown shadow. She saw the woman, lying against the wall.

She approached cautiously, not sure what to expect. She placed her had on the woman's throat. "I think a feel a pulse, but I'm not positive. She's been hurt pretty bad."

Faring looked at Renee:

stay here with her ill go get Mary Ann she should have some herbs that will help her wounds and then i can do the rest"

Faring flew to Mary Ann:

come quickly the woman is still alive there is a chance that she can be saved

Mary Ann nodded:

"lead the way"

Faring took of with Mary Ann close behind him. when they reached Renee and the woman Mary Ann knelt down next to the woman.

"she very close to death are you sure you can do this Faring?"

Faring nodded

"okay then"

Mary Ann opened her pouch and took out some dried herbs. she put some on the womans wounds and handed the rest to Renee

"could you hold these for a bit?"

she turned back to Faring

"if your wrong and you cant do this....."

dont worry i can

Mary Ann bit her lip and nodded

"then go ahead"

Faring fluttered across the ground over to the woman and laid his small head on her chest and slowly breathed out. as Mary Ann watched the woman wounds slowly began to heal and her breathing became normal. she looked up at Renee

"when Farings done we are going to have to get out of here fast i can carry her but you will have to run ahead to clear the way a bit"

she looked down at Faring again he lifted his head and nodded at her

"okay lets go"

she lifted up the woman on a water pallet she had created and they both started running. when they got up to the rest she found Xander

"come on lets get out of here!"

Xander looked down to the woman, who seemed to be resting peacefully, unaware of the horror around them. Orb had told him all that had happened and he in turn had told Jadrian and Ammania. it was she who spoke first.

Ammania: this woman, I know her...she is, I mean was a good friend of mine.

Xander: then it is fortunate we found her!

Ammania: no, I said she WAS a good friend of mine. she has succumbed to darkness and leads a life unholy now!

Xander: what do you mean?

Ammania: she has been turned to the path of a vampire and there is nothing in her but hate, greed and an unquenchable thirst for blood!

Xander: but she was attacked by Trolls, surely they are working together?

Ammania: no, it's common knowledge that Trolls despise Vampires. Even in the dark Queens army, the vampires are kept far from the Trolls. she was probably sent here to kill us before we got to the Western part of the city!

Xander: then the question is how did she get behind us?

Ammania: they can move through the shadows as though they were shadows themselves. un-noticed by all but their own kind.

Xander: but Trolls can't do that!

Ammania: that I can't explain, but they did meet her, that much is clear. but how we missed them as we came down here, I just don't know.

Xander: what is her name?

Ammania: Lucile!

at the sound of her name Lucile's eyes snapped open.

Lucile: yes Ammania?

Jadrian jumped, then flicked his claymore down toward the girl's throat, waiting for Xander's order

Ammania was the person who spoke though. she was grateful of Jardian's sword pinning Lucile to the pallete.

Ammani: Lucile, how did you know to find us here?

Lucile: he said if I told you that, then I would die, so I shan't tell you anything.

Ammania: but you were sent here to kill us?

Lucile didn't respond.

Ammania: kill her someone

Xander: NO, I've heard of those who have been turned, who have come back to the light...we can save her!

Ammania: and risk our mission by having her come along?

Lucile smiled as she realised that there was a power struggle here between Xander and Ammania.

Lucile: you can bind me, I'll take you to him! if you promise not to harm me I'll help you.

her words were like sugar. she enchanted them to convince her captours.

Ammania: don't listen to her lies, she's using the vampiric voice..

Xander: Ammania, I say we take her.

with a though Orb was at his side. Orb had no affilations except to Xander and good or bad he followed Xanders word.

Ammania drove an arrow through Luciles chest before Xander could do anything. lucile jerked and convulsed and then lay still. her body started to crumble into dust.

Ammania: too many times this thing has tricked me, by ending it here, she can trick me no more.

as though snapped from a hazy cloud the party came to their senses and looked at the pile of dust.

Xander: probably for the best, but who would have sent her to us and we still don't know how the Troll's got behind us.

Ammania: we have time to ask those questions when we are in the Western part of the city.

she looked at the floor, some runes were enscribed by the white line.

Ammania: it says we have not far to go to the entrance into the Western part. let's keep moving.

Mary Ann stared down at the pile of dust on the ground. she couldnt believe that Lucile was a vampire. but something seemed odd.

"Ammania she said something about a "him" do you know wht she meant?"

Ammania: It could be a number of people. there are many males in the Black Queens army. any of them could have ordered her to follow us.

Xander: but for someone to over come the power she had and order her around, why he must be a very powerful person. look at the way she had some of us under her enchantments!

Ammania was going to respond but was cut off by a HOWWWWWL from behind them.

Xander: and there are still monsters behind us? wolves?

Ammania: werewolves are more likely, I suggest we move out of these catacombs and get top side. Make haste.

With that she grabbed her torch and darted off, following the white line.

Xander: what are we waiting for? come on let's go!

JAdrian shook his head. He was still trying to clear the vamiress's spell as he heard the howl. He knew that speed was neccesary, so He covered the back of the party, looking over his shoulder every so often. He knew that if he fell once, he was doomed.

Renee tossed a herb pouch at Jaridan. "Here, it'll help with the after effects of the vampiress's spells."

She grabbed her torch from where she had dropped it earlier and took off running, eager to catch up with the front of the group.

"I'm going to run ahead, disable any locks that may be up ahead", she yelled to Xander, as she passed him.

Xander nodded and urged the group onwards. there was a light coming up ahead of them and then suddenly they were outside, in the moonlight. the perpetual night that the black queen had cast over the city.

Xander: everyone ok?

he turned to see them come safely through. there was a snapping sound and the air in the tunnel shimmered. it was fortunate as the werewolves were right behind them and then they were trapped, frozen in time.

Xander: looks like the Archmage has resealed the tunnels.

they were standing in the northen corner of a large market square. around them stalls were damaged, their awnings torn and tattered and fruits and veg spilled everywhere, slowly decaying. The situation was indeed a grim one.

Xander looked about for some way of telling a direction, the only land mark was the Archmages tower. he judged its position and then pointed to the West.

Xander: that way, we have a long journey ahead so lets get moving

Mary Ann looked back at where the Archmage had resealed the tunnels. she turned to Xander,

"what happens if we need to go back that way? if the Archmage has the tunnels resaeled then arent we basically stuck here? doesnt that worry you that that could possibly happen?"

"That's one reason why I stay on the surface out of the tunnels and catacombs. Too many dark secrets from not only the archmage and now the horrors from the Dark Queen."

Ammania looked around them surveying their surrounings and slung her bow over her shoulder and pulled a map out of a small case on her leg.

"We need to find shelter and be very careful here. We're deep into one of the first lost sections now, Dragon's Thorn."

She replaced the map in it's case and pulled her backpack off and pulled out several different cloaks, "Here, everyone were one of these, they've all been enchanted to conceal us from some forms of regular and darkvision."

After everyone had one she discarded the empty pack and drew out two small hand crossbows and proceeded westward once more. "We musn't draw too much attention to ourselves until we can find our outpost and regain contact with the Archmage. So no unneccasry battles."