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The rhythmic tremors were powerful enough to be felt many levels above,
dislodging small pieces of masonry from the ceiling, strong enough even
to wake J'layah from her magicka induced slumber.  She stretched
languorously, yawned and sat up to see her companions scattered about
the room, worried expressions on their faces.  Another rumble chased
away the last vestiges of sleep with a sharp jolt.

J'layah looked around her.  The room was certainly a mess...blood,
bodies, apple cores, shards of rock, fragments of wood...somehow the
door had been blown to smithereens.  She struggled to stand, brushing
stone chips, splinters and dust from her clothing.
"What has happened?" she asked Mea, who was crouched nearby.
"Not sure," replied the elf, apprehension evident in her voice.  "One
minute we were mopping up after dealing to these mages, and the next we
know the ground starts trembling!"

Seemingly in reply to the elf's remark the intensity of vibrations
increased, accompanied by an ominous rumbling, and everyone dived for
cover as larger chunks of ceiling smashed on the floor.  Indeed this was
an unnatural earthquake, and it seemed an eternity before the worst was
over.
After clutching Ariana's soul gem to reassure herself it remained
intact, J'layah began rummaging through the contents of her pack,
checking for any breakage.  At that moment Skeetr, who'd been keeping an
eye on the unconscious mage, called out excitedly.
"He's waking up!  Quickly!"
Twilight, Tenaka, Pilar and Mea rushed over to the young boy's side,
picking their way through the fallen timbers and stone.

Orim, favoured apprentice to Archmage Al'ali - now laying in a pool of
congealed blood with an apple wedged in his mouth - groaned loudly as he
returned to consciousness.  His back ached, his head hurt, there was a
heavy pressure on his chest...he even felt an unusual stinging pain in
his neck.  Forcing open one eye he squinted up at a vision of loveliness
in black standing above him, one booted foot planted on his chest, and
holding an ebon sword to his throat.
"Am I dead?" he wondered aloud.
"That remains to be seen," replied Twilight levelly, twisting the katana
a little for effect.  The fine point bit into Orim's fleshy jowl and he
whimpered.  "Do as we bid and you shall in all likelihood live to see
another sunrise.  Try anything foolish however, and you shall join your
master ere you can draw another breath!"
The man's eyes were drawn to Al-ali's quickly cooling corpse, and he
hastily reassured Twilight of his complete co-operation.

J'layah gasped loudly, drawing the attention of all but Twilight.  Oh
the floor where she'd dropped them lay a scroll case and a wilted,
blackening flower.  She quickly bent to retrieve the flower, a -once
blood red- rose, and several delicate petals fell to the ground as she
lifted it up.
"The rose....Balefire....he said that while he yet lived the rose would
continue to thrive."  Tears welled in her eyes and she suddenly found
herself unable to continue.
Succumbing to temptation Twilight hauled the stocky apprentice to his
feet, handing him over to Tenaka before forcing herself to look at the
rose.  Her expression unfathomable she touched it gently, and another
petal fluttered to the ground leaving but three remaining...
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