Loten looked at the missing & damaged walkway as it gaped out in open space before them.
� This was a wizard�s tower, wasn�t it? I�ve heard tales of illusions used to deter would-be intruders. Perhaps the collapsed flooring and wall beneath us is just that.� He moved forward and peered over the edge.
Darkness prevailed and naught was to be seen.
Teflar cautioned " Be careful, paladin. Do not venture too far."

Suddenly, a harsh yell was heard calling behind them! The five turned around as an alert was raised. " It is the elfmage. He is alarmed by something." rumbled the dwarf, his warhammer at the ready.

The team quickly filed through the broken door and descended the staircase. They found Aramil at the bottom quite visibly shaken. He held his breath while clutching a brilliant sunrod. They helped him out of the tower as he choked hard on the urine odor. Gailwind tripped over a loose rug and dropped the torch. It whisked out and rolled away to the far corner. He apologized profusely, but Erelis disregarded it.
" Not to worry, sir Lorist. Aramil will bear the light now. Let's go!"

1:30 AM ~ Aramil coughed a few moments before regaining his composure. " I hope you all had no intentions of hanging around much longer. We must leave and rejoin the warhost. They have cornered the orcs against the mountains and are moving in to attack. If we do not accompany them, then it was informed to us that we pay a visit to the jails. " He twisted and looked over at the hobbit who sat busily on a nearby boulder. " Nanith stumbled upon Salimen. " He gave pause for the information to sink in and the fellowship stood in stunned silence. " He was found propped among the rocks. I would like to take his body with us, but sadly he would slow our team and cause more problems with the army I think." The mage appeared luminary as he guided the team with strong directives. " Perhaps a quick funeral pyre as we had once decided in the Landrettas."
Loten agreed with the wizard and suggested returning back to the fortress once the primary agenda was taken care of.

Nanith climbed down off his perch and made his way over to the group. He reached behind his back and produced a broken scrollcase. " I found this amongst the gravel were I discovered your departed friend." Nanith looked at the odd container and shrugged. " It means nothing to me. Does anyone else recognize it?"

Teflar stepped forward and took the wooden case " Yes, all of the original members of the Ravens were given one. A lot of good it will do him now." Gailwind frowned " Not everyone, ranger. You may forget me since I lack brutishness." The sage took the casing from the ranger and ran his slim fingers over the cracked edges. " And this, an added insult to an even graver error in judgement. For sure our secret is in the wrong hands now."

Teflar glanced back at the tower with a slight smile. " Hey Loten, Oktavianus, what do you say we drag those piss-soaked rugs out of the tower? That should allow the rooms to air out enough so that we can get Nanith and Aramil in there to further explore."
The dwarf nodded and followed the two warriors through the black door. They towed out five large carpets and lay them across the courtyard.
Nanith's nose contorted in disgust as the three men lined them up in uniform fashion.

Aramil took a moment to switch hands with the sunrod and pointed out the exit the mercenaries used to leave the yard. Going this way would prevent further peril against the barbed stakes and jagged rocks they encountered on the climb in. The fellowship left the fortress in single file, carrying the dead bard's corpse, and discovered that the last platoon of cavalry were just leaving the clearing.

" Bah, we can't make a pyre now." scoffed the dwarf " Takes too much time! Let's have a few of us dig a shallow grave for the lyre-strummer and deal with him when we return. Besides, it wouldn't be proper to have a ceremony without knowing the whereabouts of Leah and Torynth!"

As the team discussed this issue, two figures came quickly running out of the darkness from the northern woods!