One of the bцgnilim rushed ahead to announce the arrival of the heroic дlf. The company strode purposefully between the tents, heading in the direction that the bцgnil had taken.

"So I was right," came a muffled voice from Rodario's helmet. "I knew it had to be Nфd'onn's tent."

"Silence," commanded Narmora in her sinister дlf's voice, and the impresario refrained from further comment.

By now they had a clear view of the dark green cloth that was housing the source of Girdlegard's ills. They were only twenty paces away when the tent opened and an old acquaintance emerged: pointy ears, handsome features, and long fair hair. "Sinthoras," gasped Tungdil in horror.

Boпndil leaned over. "Was he in the story too?"

The дlf was smiling maliciously. He was wearing a tionium breastplate and a long tionium mail shirt that reached as far as his knees. He was prepared for battle. "It's always a pleasure to see you," he said to Tungdil with a bow. Then he turned to Narmora. "Congratulations on capturing the prisoners, Miss…?"

"Morana," she said, furnishing herself with an дlf name.

"Morana," he repeated. "Tion must prize you highly. Caphalor and I hunted the groundlings across the length and breadth of Girdlegard with no success." His cruel eyes roved coldly over the little band. It was impossible to tell exactly who he was looking at. "We inflicted some casualties, it seems."

"And yet they evaded you," she said scornfully. She decided not to be intimidated and to play the part of the arrogant stranger.

"Yes, they evaded us." Sinthoras sighed with feigned regret. "But we have them now. I'll take them to Nфd'onn. You may go."

Narmora stood her ground. "I captured them. Why should I let you steal my reward?"

Sinthoras circled her menacingly. "You've got courage, young дlf. It's strange that I've never heard your name."

"Dsфn Balsur is a big place. I don't believe we've met."

"You're from Dsфn Balsur? I know every inch of our kingdom; I founded it." He stopped in front of her. "What of your mother and father? Where do you live, Morana?"

"That needn't concern you," she retorted, unmoved. "Hurry up and tell Nфd'onn I'm here to see him-or get out of my way."

"The magus is asleep."

"Then wake him."

Tungdil was still reeling from the shock of meeting Sinthoras. What are we to do? Should we walk past him? If it comes to a fight, some of us will die. He glanced at Nфd'onn's tent, which was tantalizingly close. If we wait too long, we'll only attract an audience, which is the last thing Narmora needs. He couldn't see that they had a choice.

"Come and listen to this, Caphalor." Sinthoras threw back his head and laughed. "I've got a young дlf here who isn't afraid of her elders. It could be the death of her one day."

"She ought to be taught some respect," someone said behind them.

Rodario was caught off guard by the voice and whipped round, almost taking Balyndis's head off with his lance. His armor, which was slightly too big for him, clunked noisily.

Behind them was an дlf with long dark hair. Tungdil recognized him immediately as the sinister bowman who had shot at him in Goodwater and tracked the company through the Red Range. He knew they had to do something, but he couldn't for the life of him think what.

"I knew a Morana once, but she didn't look like you. Besides, the Morana I'm thinking of is dead." Caphalor's fathomless eyes settled on Narmora. He was wearing tionium-plated leather armor that seemed to swallow the sunlight. "You're not from Dsфn Balsur, are you?" He laid his slender fingers on the hilt of his sword. "Why did you lie to us? Tell us where you're from."

By now Boпndil was becoming restless. His eyes darted back and forth and he glanced at Tungdil, waiting for his command.

Should we attack? If we do, they're bound to overpower us. Tungdil didn't know what to do. The дlfar's ambush was entirely unexpected and it looked as though neither Sinthoras nor Caphalor had any intention of allowing Narmora to deliver her prisoners to Nфd'onn.

"I've had enough of your games," she said, her voice trembling slightly. For all her acting experience, she couldn't control her fear. "If you won't take me to him, I'll call him myself." She shouted out to Nфd'onn.

The дlfar laughed.

"That's too bad," Sinthoras said spitefully. "You're not the only one who's been lying. The magus is mustering his troops by the tower. We're just about to join him. My spear is looking forward to whetting itself on dwarfish blood."

"The tower?" She glanced at the mercenaries and the dwarves. "Then that's where I'll take them." She was about to push past Sinthoras when he whipped out his sword. Before the blade reached her neck, she parried the blow. "Another trick like that and I'll kill you," she said menacingly.

A knife whistled over the dwarves' heads, its sharp point embedding itself in the half дlf's armpit. She cried out in pain.

"My Morana sounded different as well," Caphalor said grimly.

Furgas couldn't contain himself any longer and lunged at the aggressor. The дlf stepped nimbly out of the way of his spear, drew his sword, and feigned a swipe at his head. Furgas fell for the ruse and readied himself to parry the blow. The dark-haired дlf rammed his sword into Furgas's belly. The prop master sank to his knees, groaning.

"Quick," Tungdil shouted to Rodario, who was rooted with shock. The impresario grabbed the sack and tossed the weapons to the dwarves. Throwing off their leather manacles, they seized their axes and hurled themselves on their hated foes.

As Rodario backed away from the smiling Sinthoras, Ireheart leaped into the breach, his axes twirling ferociously.

"So you want to dunk your toothpick in some dwarf blood, do you, hollow eyes?" He slashed at the дlf's hips, forcing him away from Rodario. The impresario seized his chance and fled. Ireheart took another step toward his opponent. "You'd better be quick because my axes are hungry for дlf flesh." They fell on each other, and Balyndis and Gandogar threw themselves into the mix, ignoring Boпndil's indignant shouts.

Andфkai and Tungdil were left to deal with Caphalor, while the injured Narmora went to Furgas's aid.

The half дlf's wound was relatively minor. The knife had missed the vein, nicking the flesh and drawing blood, but Furgas was in a critical state. By the time Narmora got to him, he was breathing shallowly, fumbling with his visor, and struggling for air.

"Furgas, my love," she said soothingly, pressing on his abdomen to stem the bleeding. The color returned to her eyes as she tended to him anxiously. Blood continued to gush from the wound. With a wild curse, she jumped to her feet, pushed Andфkai away from Caphalor, and harried the дlf with a series of blows. "I'll take care of him. You see to Furgas," she ordered. "He'll die if you don't." Her eyes darkened to hollows.

Andфkai retreated with a nod.

"How moving," Caphalor said scornfully. "I shouldn't worry, though. You'll be united in death." He dodged her weapon and kicked Tungdil elegantly in the chest. The dwarf fell backward and sat down with a thud. Caphalor smiled at Narmora. "Let's have some fun before I kill you."

He parried her next blow and punched her in the face. Struggling to keep her balance, she managed to duck beneath his sword, but his knee powered into her nose and she straightened up, placing herself unknowingly within reach of his blade.

Without stopping to think, Tungdil hurled his only ax at the дlf. Boпndil would have disapproved of the tactic, but he didn't know what else to do.

The blade whistled as it arced through the air, alerting Caphalor to the danger.

In a movement so swift that Tungdil scarcely saw it happen, Caphalor caught the weapon by the haft and tossed it back. The дlf used the momentum to whirl like a spinning top toward Narmora and knock her sideways. He raised his sword to kill her as she fell.