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-----The heroes enter into a corridor that runs nearly perpendicular to the one they exited from. To their right, the light shines on the end of the corridor and an ancient rusty metal door. To their left, they see the corridor continues beyond their lantern light. Somewhere beyond that, they see the warm light of day weakly shining from above.
-----Raven slowly begins to walk to the left. Within a few steps, Sol's light picks up a few shapes lying on the floor. The stench of blood is heavy here. Before them lay the three bodies of men wearing leather armor. There is also a blanket and a tree limb that has been burned at one end. "Guess we know where we're at now," Raven quietly muses.
-----From down the corridor, toward the descending sunlight, comes the sound of yelling and whinnying. In a very quick reaction, Raven looks around at the others and says, "The horses!" Quickly he begins to move forward. Within a few feet, he slows cautiously as the others follow and they pass the dark side passage now to their left. They pass it by without incident and the glow of the sunlight grows steadily brighter. They begin to see the ancient stairway they had descended. The sound of movement from above becomes recognizable.
-----The men light upon the steps struggling to move upward. The brightness of the morning slows their progress as they fight to adjust their eyes. Raven stops at the top of the stairs peering up above the ground level. He blinks into the daylight and stops as if focusing on something. Drawing his swords, the others see him grit his teeth and growl out, "On my word, get ready to come out fighting!"
-----Sol quietly opens the lantern's shutter, and blows the light out with a quick breath. He then lowers the object to the ground, just on the side of the steps. He then waits expectantly for Raven's word to advance. A notable tension is showing on Sol's features, and a small smile plays on his face.
-----The others hear Raven suddenly say, "Our friends are trying to run off, let's go!" With that, Raven sheaths his swords and springs fully up on the ground level of the foundation. Grabbing his short bow off his shoulder, he runs to the edge of the raised foundation. As the others follow, they can see about fifteen yards away, three forms run away from the ruins heading toward the south. One wears a cloak and the other two wear leather armor.
-----Raven kneels and notching an arrow, he shouts after the retreating men, "Stop where you are or I'll drop one of you with an arrow!"
-----The three men suddenly stop and slowly turn to face Raven.
-----Sol confidently strides south towards the men, though slightly off to the side so as not to obscure Raven's line of sight. Still marching forward, Sol calls out, "Drop your weapons, or we'll do this the hard way."
-----The three men look at each other and then slowly drop their short swords. The man wearing a cloak over his leather armor speaks up. "Aw right, we give up. We'll tell ya whats we knows. Jest shows us some mercy," he says, sounding a bit defeated.
-----Raven, to the men, "Lay face down NOW! Are there any more of you around here? If I hear a twig snap I'll kill one of you first and ask questions later. If you're straight with us, you won't be hurt."
-----Raven motions to Sol, "Check 'em for weapons. I'll cover you." Raven pauses, "Keep a look-out, I've got a bad feeling." Raven scans the area around him for any other movement.
-----Two of the men slowly lay down on the ground. The third man puts one hand behind his back as he sinks to one knee. "Mercy on us, sirs. I cannat lie down. Me poor back does pain me so." With a wince on his face, he looks at Sol. "Could ye search me wif out me lying down?"
-----"In a way I'm sorry," Sol remarks as he walks up to and then behind the three men, "but for the most part I am not. Until yer weaponless for sure...." He trails off as he places his boot firmly on the back of kneeling man, then shoves him forward.
-----The man drops forward, letting out a surprised grunt as he does. From the man's hand, he was holding his back with, Sol sees something drop. In the grass beside the man's leg is a dagger.
-----Suddenly from behind Sol a voice says, "That one is still armed." As Sol turns and Raven, Thalog and Rand look, they see a being no more than five and a half feet step out from behind a large stone block. A dark cloak drapes over him from neck to ankle held in contrast to the light complexion of his elven face. A short bow and quiver of arrows are securely strapped to the side of a sturdy leather backpack, which in turn, hangs loosely from his shoulders via leather straps. Intelligent green eyes look at Sol from a face framed with black hair.
-----The elf holds a longsword in his hand, which he points at one of the other men lying flat on the ground.
-----Two of the prone men turn their heads and gasp in surprise toward the unexpected newcomer.
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