Orindil regarded Khienro with surprise. Perhaps he'd underestimated the man's pragmatism after all. "Okandar will see the need to separate us," he said pointedly, then added to reassure them all, "if he allows Khienro and I to survive."

The demon dropped several feet below the cloudline. The looming figure of the citadel became ever more prominent.

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Khienro bit his lip, thinking. That would pose a problem, if they were separated. He supposed that if they thought it out thoroughly enough, Orindil and he could create some sort of diversion to drive the guards away from Naidele and Naikada, giving them the time to either escape, or personally rid the world of Okandar, who's name Khienro cringed at. Then, looking up at Orindil he voiced his thoughts. ((I really don't want to write all that out again...))

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

"Okandar knows Naidele and I aren't helpless or weak," interjected Nakaida as Khienro finished speaking, eyes still fixed on the looming fortress, "and I would be loath to pretend that we were. He knows how long we've prepared for this and he won't be falling for tricks."

She turned to face them. "We can't have a plan until we get inside. But I won't let him kill you. Either of you. I won't. I would die myself before I would let you pay the price for our - my - stupidity." Her voice was surprisingly intense, and though she addressed both Orindil and Khienro, her eyes lingered on the former.

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Naidele listened attentively to Khienro's words, but she agreed with Nakaida. "Unfortunately, I believe Nakaida is right," she said, "Okandar is not stupid, evil but certainly not stupid." She bit her lip in thought and worry. She thought about Orindil's words: "if he allows Khienro and I to survive."

"Neither will I let you die," she said after a moment, her eyes fixed on Khienro, "I couldn't live with myself if I did."

(Tur, you can jump in with your thoughts or whatever anytime you want)

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I'm back!

Orindil nodded. "Our thanks," he said, instinctively speaking for Khienro as well. He added bitterly albeit silently, For all the good it'll do us.

With a mighty roar, the fire demon landed in the courtyard before the citadel. Half-demon minions scattered before its wrath. A contingent of human soldiers in black armor strode forward to open the flaming cage. Together they none too gently seized Khienro and Orindil and shoved them onto the charred and blackened ground.

Spitting out burnt dirt - Orindil had landed face first - he forced himself back to his feet and looked over to the Keepers. The soldiers were handing them with markedly more tact, both out of fear and from Okandar's orders not to hurt them.

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Khienro coughed as he was shoved out of the not so spacey cage. Catching a moment to look over his shoulder, he looked on, none to pleased as he saw the ever shrinking forms of the two keepers. He then locked eyes with Naidele, wishing that somehow he could speak with her, think of some way to free them...

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

Nakaida shook off soldiers that instinctively reached to grasp her arms by hissing a command - and a chill breeze that certainly did not grace the rest of the gloomy courtyard ruffled the somber pennants on their helmets. They glanced at each other in intimidation and stepped back a little.

Drawing herself up to her full height - which was still shorter than them, but not altogether insubstantial - Nakaida nodded toward Khienro and Orindil. "Let them alone." She sounded remarkably authoritative, belying the apprehension she felt. "It's us you want."

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Naidele roughly wrenched her arms out of the demon's grasp. She hated to be touched by one of those vile creatures. She gave each of them a furious glare. She thought seriously of sending a ball of the flame through the one nearest her, but she knew that that would not accomplish much and there was no sense in angering her captors further.

"Where is your master?" she adressed the demons heatedly, "Why doesn't he show himself?"

(Do you think we should wait until Tur posts since she's back?)

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I'm back!

((I don't know... Should you PM her mabye?))

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

(Well, she pmed me asking if she should just jump back in, but when I recieved, read it, and pmed her back, she was already offline. But I suppose she'll post tomorrow, so I guess we can just wait till then.)

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I'm back!

((Ok! Works for me... I suppose Aeryn will go with Orindil and Khienro?))

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen

The human soldiers shrank back from the Keepers. They muttered among themselves, more than one drawing weapons. The soldiers that'd seized Khienro, Aeryn, and Orindil suddenly released them, uncertain.

The fire demon was none too pleased by the progress. "IGNORANT FOOLS!" it bellowed in a voice that fairly shook the courtyard. It shoved its great horned head down to look the dark soldiers in the face. Hellish fires leaped in its empty eye sockets. It stabbed a finger at the non-Keeper captives. "Take them to the dungeons! Interrogate them! And you!" He whirled on the Keepers. A bubbling laughter escaped its throat. "You shall bow before the might of Lord Okandar, or your friends suffer a fate worse than death!"

Bolstered by their superior's wrath, the soldiers prodded the elf back to his feet and shoved him towards the front gate. Orindil looked back one last time at Nakaida and Naidele before the great iron portcullis descended, blocking them from his vision.

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(awww, you guys are so nice!!! thanks, m8tes)

Aeryn looked around as the gaurds released him, blood on his forehead. He had been half unconsience during the entire capture. He struggled as the gaurds took hold of him again, for he now was fully awake.

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Just became a college freshman; be on sparingly

"No!" protested Nakaida, and despite all the winds she could conjure she found herself firmly grasped and forced into the main entrance of the forbidding fortress. "No, leave them alone!" she cried, panicked. She knew that unless circumstances intervened a hard choice lay ahead - to do what she knew she'd been sent for and defy Okandar, or admit defeat and save their friends. There was no question about what was her duty...

"But I promised..." Nakaida whispered, no longer struggling but fighting back tears.

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Naidele tried to shrug off the hands of the demons grabbing at her, but there were too many, and they were stronger than her. The fire demons words echoed in her head, driving her further to despair. She couldn't make that kind of choice. Let her friends be tortured and killed or abandon the world to a terrible fate. She knew what she must do, but she didn't know if she could.

As the demons pushed her along with Nakaida into the fortress, she turned around far enough to meet Khienro's eyes. She knew she shouldn't cry. Crying would get them no where, but crying is exactly what she felt like doing. "Let them go!" she screamed over the voices of the demons.[/i]

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I'm back!

Khienro looked over his shoulder at the keepers, locking eyes with Naidele. He saw her screaming. The worst thing to do right now. Looking quite ready to scream himself though, he couldn't blame her. He twisted his neck to see her, dispite the soldiers that wrenched his arms behind his back, and silently mouthed the words,

"Don't do it.... Don't do it." He nodded sadly and smiled slighty. "I'll be fine." He said this very quietly, rather than completely silently, feeling the need to reasure himself.

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You may (or may not) know me elsewhere as Elfpen