Standing just within the arena doors Blaine inclined his head slightly in greeting, not seeming at all worried about keeping an eye on the others within the coliseum. "So good to see you again," he said. The tone of his voice spoke volumes more than his words; he was confident that nothing was going to get in his way of winning his own twisted game. At the moment he certainly did seem to have the upper hand, but that didn't mean that the others were willing to give up just yet.
Kelan shrugged, a noncommittal response. "I must say that this is a bit of a surprise. I expected you to show up earlier, or not at all."
"Well you see," Blaine responded, his grin growing slightly as he stepped over the rubble that lay before the doors, "I ran into a bit of a distraction back at the entrance to these tunnels." He gestured lightly over his shoulder at the dark passages behind him. "I must say, I didn't expect anyone to have remained behind in that basement....But at any rate, it was merely a short delay; I'm here now, and that's what counts."
It was Jabez, with a dagger suddenly clenched in one fist, that spoke up through clenched teeth. "What did you do to her?"
"Me?" Blaine questioned. "Why, I didn't do a thing to her." His grin turned taunting as he added, "However, I did leave her in Alerik's capable hands."
"Well in that case we have nothing to worry about," Kelan said quickly even though Jabez looked far from reassured. "After all, Keena's returned quite safely from visits with that demon on previous occasions."
Blaine's grin wavered slightly as Kelan called his bluff. "I suppose perhaps you have a point..." he replied slowly. "You've nothing to worry about...as long has he still has use for her, that is. Perhaps the question is what that use might be...."
Kelan could tell that Jabez was becoming anxious with the possibilities that Blaine pointed out--possibilities that were all too plausible. "Well then," Kelan said, stepping slowly towards Blaine while inching around the amorphous form that shuddered at their feet, "I supposed we'd best be on our way quickly."
"I'm afraid that won't be possible," Blain responded. "Right now, you've got a more pressing engagement...." Blaine's gaze shifted suddenly to the strange substance on the coliseum floor. Hardly had Kelan and Jabez followed his line of vision than the creature began to sink from sight, a loud rumble and minor quake accompanying it's movement. However, as the creature disappeared from sight, the shaking, minor as it had been, stopped all together, and judging from the frown that suddenly crossed Blaine's face it was not what he had had in mind. Kelan and Jabez cast one another questioning glances, neither quite knowing just what was going on, only knowing that evidently Blaine's plans had somehow suddenly gone awry.
"Looks like that 'pressing engagement' has been canceled," Kelan retorted as his hand closed around the hilt of his sword. "Now, how about stepping away from that doorway?"
Blaine shrugged, an unconcerned response that succeeded in putting the others a bit off guard. Without delay he moved aside, away from the arena's only exit, stepping casually through the rubble and over the cracks that webbed across the floor.
"Well Jabez," Kelan said, keeping his gaze on Blaine, "shall we flip another coin to see who goes first?"
"I don't think that's necessary," Jabez replied. "I don't suppose I need to tell you that there's a chance that there's something nasty waiting for us beyond those doors....And I suppose it's useless to remind you that you're the one who can see best in the dark...."
With a sigh Kelan responded with a brief wave of his free hand. "Okay, I get the point; I'll go first. Then Nuala will follow, and then yourself since you're so eager to stick around here." Not hesitating, Kelan strode towards the exit, bypassing without incident the place where the creature had disappeared beneath the surface. With one hand still on his sword, and his gaze still warily on Blaine, Kelan paused just within the exit before passing through the ajar doors into the blackness beyond. There was a long moment of tentative silence before Kelan's call of, "S'all right. There doesn't seem to be anything out here worth worrying about." Poking his head back through between the doors he looked to Nuala. "You're next."
Nuala nodded slightly in acknowledgement before slowly heading towards Kelan, steering well clear of where Blaine stood in silence, his gaze directed at the floor. Jabez frowned, his attention strictly focused on Blaine.
As Kelan ushered Nuala through the doors he called finally to Jabez. "Let's go chucklehead. We'll close the door behind us and see how Blaine likes being locked in the coliseum all by his lonesome." Casting a glance Blaine's way, Kelan frowned slightly to see that Blaine seemed to be paying no attention whatsoever to what was going on around him. Then, as a sudden, violent tremor shook the coliseum, Kelan realized why--Blaine was fighting for control of the creature that still lurked beneath the surface of the floor, the creature that was the cause of the earth shaking around them. "Jabez..." he said, his tone uneasy. "I think you'd better hurry...."
Realizing the truth in Kelan's words Jabez started forward, but as another shudder shook the floor beneath his feet the elf drew to a quick halt; it wasn't the shaking that stopped him, but the sudden reappearance of the strange creature from beneath the floor. This time, however, it wasn't an amorphous shape that rose to continual tremors, but a giant hand, followed by a long, thick arm. The arm bent suddenly at the elbow, and the hand dropped to the floor with a violent movement that cracked the already battered floor and added to the tremors already shaking the arena. Momentarily a large, ovoid shape that resembled nothing so much as a featureless head was followed by a thick neck and broad shoulders rising up through the ground; another hand and arm followed, the hand dropping to the ground like the first and pulling with it from the coliseum floor a massive torso.
It was about this time that Jabez decided that he had seen enough. The elf made a dash for the exit, but as Blaine shouted something barely audible above the steady rumbles and crashing of the arena falling to pieces around them, a massive hand suddenly dropped down in his path, forcing him to backtrack with haste. As Jabez stepped quickly back, the huge appendage moved with surprising speed, sweeping in an arc through the air towards him. Ducking out of its way with hardly inches to spare, Jabez watched with slight surprise as the arm continued its sweeping motion, heading now straight for Blaine.
Seeing what was happening Blaine moved quickly, dodging the hand and moving well out of the creature's reach, shouting orders and condemnations at the thing all the while. For a long moment the creature seemed torn between continuing its advance on Blaine, or turning around and obeying Blaine's shouted commands.
Jabez stood motionless, waiting, having no desire to attract the creature's attention. The elf tensed slightly as the strange form inched slightly towards him, but then with a suddenness that rivaled anything Jabez had ever seen the creature seemed to topple, throwing itself not at him, but at Blaine.
The whole coliseum shuddered violently, and as huge portions of the ceiling collapsed to the floor Jabez made for the exit, slipping easily through the narrow space between the heavy doors.
"We'd best get out of here," Kelan said as Jabez paused just within the doors. Gesturing lightly to a thick crack that had formed on one of the walls of the anti chamber he added, "If that creature keeps it up, even the tunnels are going to weaken and collapse."
Jabez nodded, the only agreement needed, but as Kelan moved to close the doors that led to the arena Jabez couldn't help but take one last look into the collapsing structure. Briefly, through the choking dust and crumbling ceiling he could have sworn that he saw a familiar form standing in the arena seating. "Keena?"
"What?" Kelan asked as he finally succeeded in pushing the doors firmly shut, casting the room into utter darkness and obliterating Blaine's shouts of anger and pain.
Shaking his head slightly Jabez frowned and replied, "I thought, for a moment there, that I saw Keena...up in the seating."
Kelan raised an eyebrow. "I think you're losing it chucklehead. Even if she had followed us down here she would have had to take the same tunnels we did. How could she have gotten into the upper levels? It's just not possible." Pausing briefly to eye Jabez's lingering frown Kelan continued, "C'mon, we'd better get going. I'll lead the way, of course, for my blind companions," he added with a grin as he took Nuala's hand to lead her, leaving Jabez to once again use his keen sense of hearing to follow along.
As they passed through the tunnels the shaking underfoot slowly diminished to the point where it was no longer a concern, and soon the three of them were back to the dead end from which they had started, the ladder and a small area of tunnel dimly illuminated by a single torch and the lantern light that filtered down through the open trap door. With a sweeping bow Kelan gestured for Nuala to go first, then himself followed her up to the basement utility room. With a quiet sigh Jabez followed the others, pulling himself up through the opening and looking expectantly around the room.
Keena wasn't there.

Jabez led the way quickly through the busy tunnels beneath the city, following faded arrows that had once been used to direct the way to Aceldama Coliseum. As the small group made their way towards the abandoned arena the crowds thinned, leaving only the odd wanderer in their place. Jabez ignored the strangers, approaching the decrepit ticket booths that had once been used to sell admission to those seeking to view the coliseum events. He, Kelan, and Nuala bypassed the booths without a second glance, entering the forsaken hallway that had corralled guests through the coliseum's sole entrance.
Hardly had they approached the first intersection than Jabez saw what they were looking for. Down the hallway to their left a small form sat on the floor, slumped against the wall with hands laying limply in her lap and head drooping forward. Dust colored her hair and clothes, and as Jabez hurried towards her he could see that her eyes were closed and her form unmoving.
"Keena!" Jabez exclaimed as he dropped to his knees beside her, grabbing her by the shoulders as if to shake her awake. "Keena!"
Keena groaned slightly. "What?" she questioned, sounding nothing so much as annoyed. When her question got no immediate response she rubbed at her eyes with the back of one hand before looking to Jabez. "What are you doing here?"
Jabez sighed in relief. "Looking for you, of course. You're alright?"
"Of course I'm alright," she replied, stifling a yawn. "I just stopped to rest....I guess I fell asleep."
Jabez returned her gaze with one of relief and vague amazement before pulling her into a tight hug.
A grin crossed Keena's usually serious expression and a genuine laugh escaped her lips. "I'm glad to see that you're alright too," she said, returning the embrace. Then, turning her gaze to where Kelan and Nuala stood, both grinning broadly, she added, "And I'm glad you two are okay as well. We're all lucky to have gotten out of that place alive...."
"Aw, c'mon now," Kelan responded, waving away Keena's serious words. "That was nothing. Keeping you from killing me, now that was the hard part."

The young, blonde girl approached the round, wooden table, a full mug in each hand. Gracefully she set one of the mugs down before the only woman seated at the table before taking a seat herself, taking care not to hit the dog-shaped shadow that lay beneath the table, and keeping the second mug for herself. "So," the blonde said cheerfully, glancing around the table at the others seated there, "what's going to happen next?" After a silence that saw no more of a response than uncertain looks shared among the patrons seated at the table the girl pressed, "C'mon now, everyone must have something that they're going to do now...."
"Then why don't you go first?" questioned one of three men seated with the women. Gloved hands were wrapped around a half-empty bottle--the first, and likely the only drink he would have that night.
The young blonde grinned. "Me?" she replied. "I won't be doing anything different than usual. Going back to work-"
"And back to hitting on the store manager," the other woman added with a teasing smile.
Blushing slightly the blonde girl merely shrugged. "Everyone needs a hobby."
The other woman at the table laughed lightly before speaking up. "Well, I won't be doing much differently either," she said. "At least, not for a little while."
"You mean you two aren't..." The blonde girl trailed off, her gaze shifting between the woman and the pale-haired elf that sat beside her.
Smiling slightly the elf replied, "Well, I have to go home for a short time. There are some things I need to settle there before I can, with good conscience, go on with things here." Almost tentatively he cast a glance at the brunette woman beside him.
She smiled up at the elf. "And I'm willing to wait," she responded earnestly. "So," she said, glancing to the gloved man across from her, "what about you? Where are you going from here?"
"Well," he responded, raising one hand to his chin thoughtfully, "I don't really know. I've been thinking that maybe it's time to pay a visit to some old friends down south....It's been a long time, and I could use a bit of a vacation."
"A vacation certainly sounds good," the other, smooth-spoken male at the table spoke up. "Of course," he added, running his fingers through ashen blonde hair, "I have a few things that I have to wrap up here first, and then back home...." With a sigh he finished, "It'll be nice to disappear for awhile."
"Just don't disappear too completely," responded the brown-haired woman with a grin. "You don't want to make me hunt you down."
"Wouldn't dream of it," the blonde man replied with a grin.
"And what about you?" questioned the blonde girl, looking to the gloved figure beside her. "You'll keep in touch, won't you?"
"Of course," he answered with a reassuring smile. "After all," he added, casting a glance at all the figures around the table, "we can't very well let our story end like this."

The End

AN: Yes, it's cliche, I know....but I'm sad to see this end. ;_; Of course, I do have ideas for various short stories involving these characters...perhaps explaining a few things that got left out in the long run and maybe a couple whole knew plot ideas. And I DO have something else in mind for a story that involves these characters, but....Well, maybe I'll post a bit of a teaser.... ^__^