> "Never mind, Twilight! Just get on your horse, and let's ride. And, J'layah...I > would take it as a personal favor if you would be very careful what you swallow > from now on." With a swirl of his blood-red cape, Balefire mounted and rode off, > leaving the others to follow. ---------------------------------- They had not travelled far when the ever vigilant Twilight reigned in her horse and cast a watchful eye behind them for signs of pursuit; not that she expected to see anything, but more than once her caution had paid off handsomely. She noticed J'layah and Tabanallis had also stopped a short distance back, and the troublesome elf was squirming uncomfortably in her saddle. She trotted over to investigate. "Is there a problem J'layah?" "No....well not really," replied the young elf. "I fancied I felt Balefire's cursed ring writhing in my stomach, but I must have been my.....oooh! There it goes again!" She winced and clutched at her midriff. For a moment Twilight wondered if J'layah was being overly dramatic, but judging by her expression she was obviously experiencing some discomfort. Without pause for thought Twilight intoned the words of a mild healing spell, and was genuinely surprised when J'layah's body became suffused with the familiar blue glow as the spell took effect. Tabanallis and J'layah were no less amazed. After all, this entire battlefield was supposed to be an anti-magic zone. "Hmmm...." she pondered, "it would seem there are places in this sandy wasteland where one may use magic after all, though I would wager they are few and far between. That would explain why you felt the ring pulsing so, for in 'normal' surroundings that is what it usually does." J'layah's eyes lit up. "Does that mean we can remove it from my innards without having to wait for it too.....I mean, can we bypass the er, natural course of events?" "I can but try." Twilight's face wore a thoughtful expression. "A localised teleport may do the trick. Of course Balefire would be best suited to the task, since he is attuned to the ring, but given the circumstances I think we should leave him well alone for the time being." J'layah looked at the rapidly retreating cloud of dust and billowing red cloak that was Balefire and shuddered. The last thing she wanted was to make him angrier still. She swallowed anxiously. "Please, let us waste no time!" Twilight sent Tabanallis ahead to catch Balefire before he'd ridden too far ahead, and set to work. First she had J'layah remove her dented cuirass and lie down, then she placed both hands above the young woman's midsection and closed her eyes, concentrating on locating the pulsating ring. There! She murmured the words to the spell as her fingers wove arcane symbols in the air, and in the blinking of an eye the ring popped into existence and tumbled to the sandy ground, looking none the worse for wear. Twilight allowed herself a small but satisfied smile. "It is done." J'layah sighed in relief and sat up. Her gaze lit upon the object that had caused her so much misery, glinting in the sand. "I have eaten some strange meals in the past, but none so unpalatable as *that*. How did I manage to swallow it without gagging, I wonder?" Twilight picked the ring up between thumb and forefinger and offered it to J'layah. "Methinks you should be the one to return it," she said, dropping it into the young woman's upturned palm. J'layah looked at the heavy band of gold and bloodstone as though it might bite her, then nodded reluctantly and closed her fist tightly around it. Both women looked up at the sound of approaching hoofbeats. Balefire had returned, the rest of the party in tow. By the look on his rage-darkened face he was ill pleased at having to retrace his steps, so J'layah took a deep breath and turned towards him, with what she hoped was her most winning smile. It was time to face the music........