There was a loud banging upstairs, accompanied by yelps and screams of pain. It sounded like there was a slaughter going on up in the tavern. "Part of the army, hidden as citizens of this town, should be here soon. They should take care of those Dattun," Helinoc said. Sudden battle cries were heard, accompanied by more yelling. The six people in the cavern winced as they heard the icebox slide, then sighed with relief as the sound of the walls grating apart wasn't heard.

The battle raged on for what seemed like hours, and it really was. Jubal and Kyten wanted to run up there and help, but Helinoc, Juliy, and Mara were able to keep them off of the stairs and quiet. The girl Helinoc had brought down with him sat, scared, in a corner, watching them all warily as if they might hurt her. Her jade green eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, and Mara thought her red hair was letting off a faint glow as well. Her dress looked worn, though in the darkness Mara couldn't ascertain its color or the quality of it.

They had offered her something to eat, but the girl only took the bread and potatoes, she refused to eat the meat. She hadn't even responded to Juliy when she had asked the girl who she was. Helinoc still offered no introduction. In fact, he had been almost as silent as this strange girl after telling them what was going on up in the tavern.

Finally the fighting noises stopped. The four new recruits got to their feet immediately, and stood at the foot of the spiral staircase, listening desperately for news of who had won. They heard the icebox slide, and all of them drew in a sharp breath at the same time. Jubal drew his sword and stood off to one side of the staircase wall, and the others followed his example, moving as quietly as possible. Helinoc and the girl still hadn't moved. The man was staring into space, thinking deeply about something, and the girl was sitting silent, just as she had been since she had finished her meager meal.

A shaft of light abruptly filled the chamber and the four by the staircase tightened their grips on their swords. They heard footsteps coming down, many of them, and they were hurrying. Mara noticed though, that the footsteps didn't sound heavy, just echoes, like they were fading into nothing. She swiveled around to see if Helinoc had made a move yet, and when she faced the stair again, a very odd sight met her eyes. It was a person, or something like one, only a very, very tall person, with long dark hair and a shining blue eyes. As the person stepped down the last stretch of stairs, Mara gasped as she saw pointed ears, revealed as the person walked briskly down the stairs.

"Hello," the man called. "It is alright, the Dattun are gone. We have driven them off, that is, killed them off."

"And who might 'we' be?" Jubal asked suspicously. The man looked at him incredulously.

"Have you never met an elf?" was the reply that greeted him, cheery as ever.

A/N: What happens next? I don't even know. Please R&R!