Life within Ariamis' elven sanctuary seems ideal after the torment of the last several months. The party settle down and try to study and train with their elven friends. Anstran maintains a vigilant watch upon Morven and his men from an Ishiaki circle within the encampment. He builds an Ishiaki grove and can watch undisturbed the movements of Morven.

He watches as the Imperial Huntsman meets two large Darkland spirits. After a long discussion the two newcomers move into the elven lands. Anstran informs Hyuga and the party go on the alert. The Darklanders split up and move cautiously into the encampment.

The first man moves slowly into centre and the elven children scatter to their parents as the warrior moves with the grace of a grandmaster, his katana hefted expertly. As the elves part like the waves on the shore only one man remains. The towering shape of Hyuga looms over the Darkland swordmaster. There is a brief nod of respect from the oriental warrior before he lunges into a ferocious assault. Hyuga does not buckle under the speedy and rapid strokes but merely turns them aside one by one. Defence becomes attack and Hyuga twists the katana from the warrior's grip before pulling his greatsword across his opponent's abdomen, opening it like a crimson shell. The second blow crushes his skull. The elves gasp in astonishment at the prowess of the barbarian master.

Their amazement turns to horror as the second Darklander emerges. He has come from behind to rush the tent where Dismet lies. There are howls of horror as everyone turns to react. Before the Darklander gains the entrance to Dismet's tent he is felled by a longbow arrow through the eye. The group track the arrow back to Anstran, who stands - longbow in hand - and casts a knowing glance to Hyuga. The two men exchange a brief smile.

Two days of quiet pass.

When a small child becomes sick no-one is unduly worried. Some time later five more children and their teacher become ill and Dismet investigates. Morven's next attack form is that of a deadly poison called Mallanthus. It is specifically designed to react and destroy elven blood. The Grandwood elves face a difficult and worrying time as Dismet works furiously upon an antidote. She takes samples of blood from each elf and after several failed attempts manages to create a void-based creation that destroys the poison and thus saves the elves.

Anstran now becomes alarmed, for he detects the presence of twenty thousand Imperial troops massing in the northern regions of the forest. Anstran, Hyuga, Andirion and Ariamis hold counsel. They decide that the best tactic is to use the elves as a decoy so that perhaps Dismet can escape the Grandwood and find a suitable birthing place.

The parting is a sad affair. They have become close to these elves during the last few weeks and the knowledge that they face insurmountable odds weighs heavily upon the minds of the party. As the elves move away a sense of fear grips the party. They know that they must break through the Imperial hordes and head north to the city of fugitives. They decide that Roland is the only place they can be safe...

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