> 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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"All may not be lost but we must act quickly!"
Tenaka's voice penetrated the heavy silence and everyone in the room
turned to look at him, puzzlement on some faces, hope on others.
"Our friend here," he grabbed a double handful of Orim's robes, lifting
him none too gently clear of the floor, "may be able to take us to Balefire's
side. I'll wager he knows the citadel quite intimately."

The mage tried to deny this but one look from the dark elf silenced
him.
"Well?" Tenaka's patience was wearing thin. "Can you take
us to the source of these rumblings or shall I just kill you now?"
Orim needed no more convincing.
"Yes...yes I do know...or at least I think I know where your friend
may be, though if he is, he is already lost."
"Let us be the judge of that!" Twilight snapped, her eyes flashing
angrily.

Tenaka lowered Orim to the ground but did not ease his grip on the man's
robes.
"Now, you shall teleport me there...you *do* know the spell?
Good, you shall send me there and will be released once I have opened a
Window for my companions. Let me warn you though," and he lifted
the man off the ground once more for emphasis, "if you think to send me
to my doom you shall die a slow, horrible death at the hands of this lovely
lady here," he indicated Twilight who was toying with her katana, an extremely
sharp and deadly looking katana. Orim swallowed nervously and nodded,
and Tenaka reluctantly released him.

At first the mage found it difficult to concentrate -his situation similar
to that of a hapless bug in a spider's web, only instead of one hungry
spider there were several- but eventually he found his focus and began
chanting the words that would send Tenaka to the bowels of the citadel.
For several long moments he incanted the spell, drawing on his reserves
of magicka and calling up a clear mental image of the destination, then
suddenly Tenaka disappeared with a blinding flash.

The group held their collective breath for the space of a dozen heartbeats,
during which time another petal fluttered to the ground, leaving only two
clinging forlornly to the rose. Sweat was pouring down Orim's face
as Twilight edged closer to him, sword held aloft. Another bright
flash and Tenaka's magical portal was open, and the portly mage heaved
an audible sigh of relief.

Orim forgotten, the companions leapt through the portal one by one....straight
into a scene from hell.
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