• Maria sat with her head in her hands, thinking. What was she going to do? Isabeau had come in blazing, shooting magic around, and had gotten captured, wrecking all of Maria's carefully set out plans.

    Maria looked up, her eyes drawn to the cart that held the mages, their magic chained, she could not rescue Isabeau alone, she needed help. Her eye scanned the slave caravan, noting the guards without emotion. No-one noticed her, chained in the line of women slaves, but that was her job. The guards were moving through the lines of slaves, choosing their first victims of the night; they passed Maria, not giving her a second look. She kept her face clear of emotion, while inside she was fighting with the urge to stab them.

    It had gotten dark quickly, and the guards were well into their entertainment, when Maria, her chains unlocked, stole away from the camp.

    On the edge collapse, Maria found another camp. It was occupied by a small group of fighters led by a half elf. Maria, watching them, soon found out that the half elf's name was Leos; he fought with sword as well as bow, proficient in both. There was also a striking elven maiden, her name Tilliana, who wore only leather and carried a staff that gleamed with healing power in Maria's magical sight. There was one other female, human, called Bronwyn, a fighter; she wore plate armor and fought with a light short sword. Then there was the impressive human, Marlos, who was huge, almost 7 foot and bulky, his plate armor adding to his bulk; he fought with a long sword and carried a shield. Next, gleaming in Maria's magical sight, was the mage Waylan, thin yet tall, leaning on his staff. Finally there was Luin, quiet and unobtrusive, wore full plate and carried a b*****d sword in a professional manner. By morning Maria was sure, this was the group needed.

    Maria sat in the tree, slightly disorientated by the weeks of little or no sleep in the slave caravan and the change in environment. She was shaking, surprised to find she didn't know how to approach them, when Tilliana's keen elven eyes spotted her; sitting in the tree wearing pants and a long sleeved tunic, her hair drawn into a ponytail, plaits descending from that ponytail to her knees. Everything but Maria's pale skin was pure black, her nails, her hair, her clothes, and her eye; the other eye was impossible to see, hidden behind a lock of black hair. Maria seemed so pitiful, so small, shaking, seemingly afraid.

    'Little one,' Tilliana called, her musical voice seeming to caress the air, ' Come down, we will not hurt you.' The others waited off a bit, watching.

    'Come down,' Tilliana crooned, calming Maria somewhat, 'Tell us what is wrong.'

    'Slavers...' Maria said coming down from the tree, trailing off as she reached the ground.

    Bronwyn came forward, wineskin in hand. 'Here, this will calm you,' she said handing the skin to Maria. Maria gulped it down, straightening as she did so.

    'Did I really just act like that?' Maria asked, with a small chuckle.

    Maria stood up straight, she was tall and lean, with the grace of a cat; she gave the impression of being relaxed while at the same time seeming ready to spring into action. A dagger seemed to appear in her right hand, she tossed it into the air, catching it by the blade. She beckoned to Leos with the other hand.

    'Now I have a problem with some slavers,' she calmly explained, 'they have captured a friend of mine, I need to rescue my friend, but I need some help. You in?'

    Leos stood there gaping, amazed at Maria's sudden change in character.

    'My name's Maria, by the way.'

    This seemed to jerk Leos out of his stupor, 'But Slavers,' he stammered, 'that foul trade disappeared decades ago.'

    'You've obviously not been paying attention,' Maria said, 'it started up about five years ago, women slaves are the most common.'

    Marlos rushed forward, 'We must rescue them!'

    'I agree,' Waylan said, 'but we must be careful.'

    'Luin?' Leos queried. The quiet fighter nodded.

    'We must help them.' Tilliana and Bronwyn said together.

    'I guess that means we're helping.' Leos said with a chuckle, turning back to Maria.

    But Maria wasn't there, she was quite a way away, leaning against a tree, beckoning to them, to hurry up, to follow her.

    Maria led them through the forest for almost two hours, often ranging ahead, her tracks so light that even Leos's keen elven eyes had trouble picking them out at times. Finally they found her, sitting on a hill next to a dead sentry propped up against a tree. From this hill they could see the slave caravan easily. Marlos went to rush in, but Maria grabbed him by the shoulder. She turned to Waylan.

    'There are defensive spells all around the camp.' Maria told him.

    A confused look spread over Waylan's face, 'How do you know?'

    'I can see magic with this eye.' Maria replied, tapping the eye hidden under the lock of hair. 'Can you break the defensive spells? Quietly?'

    'Yes, I think so.' Waylan said, still looking slightly confused.

    'Ok, stay here, I'll go scout out the camp and get my staff.' Maria said, ' You stay here, do not break the defensive spells or rush in, at least not until I get back.'

    'But...' Tilliana started to say, but Maria was already gone.

    Maria walked through the defensive spells confidently, why would they stop a slave re-entering the camp. No-one noticed her walking freely through the camp. Maria made her way to one of the carts. Out of the cart she pulled a tall fighting staff, it was black-wood and dead straight, as tall as her and with grips in the middle. Maria also pulled out a few black hilted daggers, like the one she had been throwing earlier. After getting these things she simply walked out of the camp.

    'Leos...' Maria began.

    'Huh!' Leos jumped, 'When did you get back?How'd you?... ' he trailed off.

    'Ok, everyone, two are out cold, three are too drunk to put up a proper fight, but that still leaves sixteen in good fighting condition.' Maria told them, 'Oh, and a Mage.' she added turning to Waylan.

    'Well, if everyone's finished talking, let's go and rescue the ladies,' Marlos said, seeming frustrated.

    'I'm ready if you lot are,' Maria said, directing a questioning look at Waylan.

    'I'm ready.' Waylan replied.

    Maria nodded, 'I'll know when it's gone, we'll be down there ready.'

    Tilliana had stayed on the hill with Waylan, but Maria had taken the rest down to a spot near the camp to wait. Marlos was fidgeting, he wanted to get into the battle, to help the women who would no doubt be very grateful. Marlos couldn't see this magical barrier and he was sure that something he couldn't see wouldn't be able to stop him. Just as Marlos was about to rush forwards Maria spoke.

    'It's breaking up, be ready.' Maria said, readying her own weapons.

    They waited for what seemed an eternity, but was really only a few minutes. Suddenly Maria signalled them. Everyone charged forward into battle. Maria was swinging her staff around, sometimes twisting the grip, causing a blade to shoot out one end to stab someone, or to cut their head off, only to quickly twist the grip again to retract the blade, making it look like it was never there; all this so fast that the blade was rarely seen.

    There was a lull in the battle, the mage was chanting, everyone watched, almost in fascination. Just as he reached the climax of the chant one of Maria's daggers sprouted from his neck. Everyone turned to look at Maria, her hand still poised from the throw, surrounded by slaves that she'd freed during the lull in the battle. That's when the tide turned. The battle was over in a matter of minutes.

    Maria soon had the rest of the women unchained and Tilliana set about healing the with her staff. Maria stood up and stretched, Leos walked over to her.

    'So which one is this friend of yours?' he asked.

    'None of these, my friends' in that cart over there.' Maria said, waving her knife at the mage cart.

    'Then why haven't you freed them yet?' Leos looked puzzled.

    'Because she'd be angry with me,' Maria saw that Leos still looked puzzled. ' Let's put it this way, say my friend had a belly wound, and all those around her had only minor wounds, she'd still tell Tilliana to heal them before her. All white mages are the same,' Maria added.

    'Oh...' Leos said, not sure what else he could say.

    'Well, let's go get her,' Maria said.

    Maria entered the cart, where there were two women. One was wearing a white robe with purple edges, she had brown hair, and dark brown eyes. The other woman wore a brown smock, and had brown hair, but these had a sparkly almost metallic look to them. Her eyes were her most amazing feature though, they were gold. Leos and his group gathered around the entrance of the cart and were struck by the beauty of these two women.

    The one in white spoke, 'Maria, have you helped all those outside?'

    Maria laughed, 'Isabeau, of course I did, I knew you'd be angry if I didn't.'

    Maria bent down, inserting a lock-pick into the lock on Isabeau's chains. Isabeau began to protest, when suddenly there was a fizzling noise. Maria jumped back, sucking her burnt fingers and looking at the pile of melted metal that had once been her lock-pick.

    'Damnit, I should have seen that coming!' She looked at both locks. 'Damnit, both of them are lock-pick-proof, and I have only one of my special picks with me.'

    She looked at Isabeau, smiling slightly. 'Now I have to get you out first, only you can take the pick-proof charm off the chains.'

    'I guess you're right,' Isabeau said, smiling a bit as well. 'But you're always right, aren't you?' she added with a giggle.

    'That's right, I am,' Maria said with a straight face.

    Maria pulled out a glowing lock-pick. Everyone went silent, holding their breath as she inserted it into the lock. She twisted it, meaningless movements for those who don't know how to pick locks, it seemed the whole world was silent. The noise the lock made as it opened seemed deafening in the silence that had reigned. The shining pick's glow was now gone.

    'Ok, Lellwyna next,' Isabeau promptly said. 'What kind of pick-proof charm is it?'

    'Just the basic one,' Maria replied.

    Isabeau placed her hands over the other woman's chain, not actually touching it, a kind of power built up. Maria waited for a bit and then inserted a lock-pick into the lock. This time she spoke.

    'So how did a dragon get caught by these petty slavers?' she asked.

    The dragon, Lellwyna, jumped, almost pulling the lock out of Maria's hands. She began to protest, to say she wasn't a dragon.

    'Don't bother,' Maria said, stopping her. ' I could tell you were a dragon before I even entered this cart. Your presence hangs over the whole slave caravan, and I had enough time to figure out what it was while I was a slave.'

    Lellwyna was struck dumb by this comment. The chains clanked to the floor; freed of their confining magic, Lellwyna could see something she hadn't seen before.

    'You're a dragon...' she stuttered, unable to go further.

    'Quarter dragon,' Maria replied calmly. 'Unlike you this is my natural form, and sadly I didn't inherit any dragon magic.'

    Leos butted in, stuttering, 'But, but, Maria looks elven.'

    'Quarter elven,' Maria replied, 'and half human.'

    'Against the point,' Lellwyna snapped. 'She is a quarter black dragon and that means she's evil.'

    Maria just stood there, silent, holding her dagger, though not in a threatening way. Isabeau stepped between them.

    'Lay off it, Lellwyna,' Isabeau said. 'Maria's sensitive about that...'

    'What? Because it shows her true nature?' Lellwyna snapped.

    'No, because she's ashamed of that side of her.' Isabeau calmly explained, 'her human heritage allows her to choose her side and she is good.'

    'The black dragon in her would be too strong.' Lellwyna was all but yelling.

    'It is not!' Maria shouted, storming out of the cart.

    'Look what you've done,' Isabeau said sadly, shaking her head. 'She is our best ally, a spy, her black dragon heritage allows her to get closer to the enemy than any other spy.'

    'What was she doing in a slave caravan then?' asked Bronwyn, hoping to stem any further argument.

    'Destroying the slave trade, what else?' Isabeau replied, 'Now Lellwyna, we both had better get back to the war. May I ride you?'

    'Of course,' Lellwyna replied shortly, still looking angry.

    Everyone left the cart, all of the slaves were gone now, Maria was nowhere in sight. Lellwyna walked to the centre of the clearing. She shimmered. Like a mirage, she was gone and standing in her place was a bronze dragon. Isabeau mounted the bronze dragon and together they flew south.



    'One of the odder events we have been caught up in,' quiet Luin muttered.

    And with that, picking up their weapons, the small group departed.