With a gasp, she came too. Immediately, her brain received a boatload of various signals of pain from her body, and for a moment, was numbed from the overstimuli. Her sight was hazy and her head was numbed by a throbbing headache. She was moving, and as she soon discovered, she was suspended above the ground, with her feet dragging behind her. She raised her head a little to try to see, and found two pairs of leather clad legs walking on both sides. Ahead was a large tent, and it seemed like they were in some sort of abandoned hall, footsteps and voices echoing.

Suddenly she was dropped to the ground, and she groaned as her face impacted with the hard stone floor.

"Wait here." A voice said, followed by the sound of the tent flap.

A few seconds later, the flap moved again, and she was once more picked up and dragged inside.

The tent, was much larger and longer than she had first thought. Expensively decorated, and even fitted with a fireplace, judging by the sound of crackling fire.

"So, these are the spies huh? Well, I'm sure it'll be interesing to see what they know..." A female voice filled with courteous spite came from somewhere behind her.

"Tell me... Who might you be?" The question was immediately followed by a sharp pull of her hair.

"A demonkin? That's a rarity... Quite fair... Tell me little lost lamb, what are you doing so far from home? Have you come seeking the big, -bad- wolf in its lair? Or did you get lost on your way home?"

"I... Want to go home..." She answered, failing to quell the fear in her voice.

"Adorable... Sword!" She heard a weapon drawn, followed by some quick steps in her direction.

The sword split the air, but no darkness consumed her. Instead, around her, what looked like ash was falling to the floor around her.

"Do, not, touch her!" A menacing voice boomed, its strength seemingly able to shake the very ground itself. The two holding her up were knocked over, and she landed once more on the floor, rolling around to see who was making the sound.

At the entrance, was a small dragon, its wings shimmering with energy, flaring and pulsing like a jet of fire. Behind it, stood a cloaked individial, weapons at the ready, holding both guards at the sharp end of a pair of daggers.

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The little mindling roared again, and elves around began to cower in fear, all except the regal-looking female elf opposite.

"Seize your foolish game, dragon! Or this place will be the end of your bloodline!"

"I don't think so... In fact, if you don't order your soldiers to lay down their arms, it'll be the end of your bloodline. The familiar, if ice-cold voice snarled from under the hood of the cloak. "Now surrender."

"Enemy attack!" Form u... Guuh!" From outside the tent, loud shouting was soon replaced with the sounds of a fierce fight outside. Explosions were followed by agonized screams, the clashing of metal against metal, and occasionally, the sound of metal piercing flesh.

"I will not be captured by the likes of you!" The female elf roared and a moment later, a hail of small needle-like spits of flame flew towards Siah and Siravin. Immediately, Siah took to the air and met the incoming storm right in front of Mariel. Siravin rushed up too and with a fluid motion, cut her hands loose.

"Hi Mariel, we're here to rescue you." He held her hand and pulled her to her feet. He passed her his sword and she raised it defensively in front of her. Meanwhile, the second barrage was being readied by the elf. This time, Siah quickly landed on Siravin's outstretched arm. A faint glow began emanating from the two. A violent, spastic bolt of lighthing shot forward from the elf's hands. Siravin opened his hand, and from his palm, jumped a gout of fire, which aimed straight at the top of the approaching bolt. The impact caused a loud crash and a blinding light.

Her eyesight soon returned, and she found Siravin next to the elven lady, having his dagger firmly placed against her throat.

"As I said, surrender."

"... I yield..."

The last sounds of battle from outside the tent were dying, and soon, another familiar face entered the tent.

"Yvrain!" Her shout had the elf smiling back at her. "I'm happy to see you are okay Mariel... I'll take it from here, you two, and of course the most revered dragonkin, should fall back to our camp. One of my guards will escort you."

Siravin sheathed his daggers and together with Mariel and Siah, left the tent. One of the guards outside saluted and led the way out of the apparent base and back in among the ruins. On the way, Siravin explained that he and Siah had entered the city earlier in the day, guided by Siah. They had arrived just too late, and only got to witness the ambush that had seen her captured together with another pair of elves and their guards. She had been separated from the others and so they had resolved to follow her. Her captors, Siravin explained, had been very careful to conceal their tracks, and if not for Siah, they would never have been able to follow her. At her question where they had found Yvrain, he shook his head, and replied that They were the ones being found. They had met a group of elves near the docks, and after an intense staredown, Yvrain had appeared as a third party, together with a small squad of guards. Together they had agreed to work together to free her.

"But what about the other elves who were with me?"

"No idea... They were taken somewhere else..."

"Actually..." Their guide interrupted them. "My lord Yvrain have scouts spread out across the city, we'll find them soon enough."

"You have to... I owe my life to one of them... He saved me from the shipwreck."

"Not the male elf right?" Siravin threw her a worried glance.

"Yes, him."

"Wonderful..."

"Why's that?"

"Yvrain can tell you more when he gets back."