From: Mike and Micky Gunn "It is hopeless! We shall shrivel up in this heat ere we manage to shift this lot. How do we even know the others still live?" J'layah dropped the heavy rock she was carrying and sat down despondently in the sand, frustration all too evident on her face. Their attempt to dig through the rubble was becoming an exercise in futility. Mea paused to rest her aching muscles, arms akimbo as she threw back her head and stretched, cat fashion. Twilight too snatched a moment's respite from the heavy toil, her expression troubled as she kneaded stiff shoulders with blistered hands - wearing gauntlets had made not a whit of difference. She turned to the other two. "They live," she said with conviction, "of that I am certain." She indicated the sunken area that had almost buried them. "See there? The cave-in is no more than twenty feet in length, and the others were a good ten feet ahead of us. As the ceiling came crashing down 'pon our heads I glimpsed Elfiran dragging Alduin to safety, and since they were immediately afore us, methinks everyone is accounted for." Reassured, J'layah sipped water from her canteen, resisting the urge to gulp it down. She noted with some alarm that it was more empty than full. They would have to find water before day's end. All three women were hot, sweaty, ill-tempered and covered in dust - except for where trickles of perspiration had painted Khajit-like streaks on their faces. Perhaps later - assuming they'd survived the ordeals yet to come - in the company of good friends and excellent wine, they would simply laugh at tribulations past, but here in the stifling heat and hostile environment of Thoth Durghanti the situation was all too serious. Twilight turned toward the citadel, and suddenly noticed a stranger approaching - not fifty yards distant. Another apparition perhaps? No, even though the air shimmered around him it was only due to the heat...he was real enough. Had she been able to use the Art in this gods-forsaken place she would have sensed him long ago, but the time for wishful thinking was past and it was far too late to hide. She hissed a warning to the other women as the stranger closed to within hailing range, his stride both purposeful and confident. At first glance he bore a striking resemblance to Balefire - his dusky skin marking him as a Dark Elf - and he was even wearing Daedric plate, but since the big warmage was far below ground she discarded that notion, hopeful though it was. Maybe it was the heat, or maybe just the fact that she was dishevelled while this stranger had not a hair out of place (in fact he hadn't even broken a sweat), but J'layah's temper snapped and she leapt up from her sandy perch and confronted him. "That is close enough you red devil! I know not how you came to be here - this desert has certainly become popular of late, but if you had thought to take advantage of three apparently defenceless maidens you are sorely mistaken!" So saying she whipped her trusty katana from its sheath with a flourish and waved it high above her head. "Hah!" The stranger's eyes widened slightly and for the space of several heartbeats did not respond, then a giggle broke the silence - Mea. Mea was *laughing* at her! Annoyed that her act of bravado had been ruined by the Wood Elf's mirthful outburst, J'layah turned to give her a withering stare. "What is so funny?" Mea, hand clamped over her mouth to prevent a full-blown belly laugh said nothing, only pointed above J'layah's head. J'layah looked up and saw.....only the hilt and about two inches of blade in her hand. The rest of the sword still lay in its sheath. It must have snapped during the cave-in! "Methinks young J'layah," said Twilight, somehow managing to keep a straight face, "you would have made a better impression had you brandished a stick of wet celery in the poor man's face!" Turning to the dark elf - himself struggling not to laugh, she said in a sterner tone of voice, "but what she said holds true. Think you to attack us you will not live long to regret your mistake, now who are you and how did you come to be here?" Her eyes narrowed dangerously as she awaited his answer.........