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"Ah, truly a beautiful weapon," Toede says at the sight of Sturm's sword. He has a sudden vision of himself walking into audience with Lord Verminaard, the sword of a Solamnic knight hanging at his side. "Perhaps I should take that into custody myself. Bring it--"

Before he can finish, Raistlin steps forward swiftly, adding his staff and pack to the pile. A bright flash of light springs from the mage's hand. Raistlin closes his eyes and begins to murmur strange words, holding his outstretched hands above the weapons and packs.

"Stop him!" yells Toede. But none dare.

Finally, Raistlin ceases speaking and his head slumps forward. Caramon hurries to help.

Raistlin stands. "Know this!" the mage says, his golden eyes staring around the common room. "I have cast a spell upon our belongings. Anyone who touches them will be slowly devoured by the great worm, Catyrpelius, who will rise from the Abyss and suck the blood from your veins until you are nothing more than a dried husk."

The goblins back away from the pile of weapons, which seemed to almost glow with a green aura.

"Get those weapons, somebody!" orders Toede in a rage.

"You get 'em," mutters a draconian.

No one moves. Toede is at a loss. Although he is not particularly imaginative, a vivid picture of the great worm Catyrpelius, rears up in his mind. "Very well," he mutters, "take the prisoners away! Load them into the cages. And bring those weapons, too, or you'll wish that worm what's-its=name was sucking your blood!" Toede stomps off angrily.

The kapaks begin to shove their prisoners toward the door, prodding them in the back with their swords. Laurana, Gilthanas, and Goldmoon are carried instead. None of the draconians touch Raistlin, though.

"That's a wonderful spell, Raist," Caramon says in a low voice. "How effective is it? Could it--?"

"It's about as effective as your wit!" Raistlin whispers and holds up his right hand. As Caramon sees the tell-tale black marks of flashpowder, he smiles grimly in sudden understanding.

Tanis is the last to leave the inn. He casts a final look around. A single light swings from the ceiling. Tables are overturned, chairs broken. The beams of the ceiling are blackened from the fires, in some cases burned through completely. The windows are covered with greasy black soot.

"I almost wish I had died before I saw this," he says softly.

The last thing anyone hears before stepping outside are two kapaks arguing heatedly about who was going to move the enchanted weapons.

After a few minutes of walking, the party spots their destination up ahead. A series of iron cages on wheels, part of some kind of caravan.

"Magpie, no like cages." She frowns, following Laurana as close as she can, the Elf had been nice to her, " Me stay with her, make her feel better... Me have cure." He face falls when she remembers she doesn't have her bag. "Oh, well me stay with her."

Laurana fumes, she couldn't move, these creatures were man handling her! A Princess of Qualinesti! Of course it would be the same for Gilthanas, what was he doing here? Had he come looking for her?

Sturm moves slowly saying nothing, he had surrendered his fathers blade and allowed himself to be captured. It was for the right reasons, but it didn't mean he had to like it.

Tas is unsure of what to do or say at the moment. It's not right that they simply let these creatures do what they with them in his mind.

Tika bows her head as she looks at the cages. She wanted to escape this fate, but there was a whole lot she could do right now. "You guys have a plan, right?" Tika asked softly to Tanis, hopefully.

Tanis is unable to look Tika in the eye, for he has no answer to her question. He has no idea how the party is going to get out of this one.

Tanis, Flint, Caramon, Raistlin, Raven-eye and Sunstar are placed in one of the wheeled cages, the rest of the party (including Gilthanas and Tika) are placed in the other. Their weapons and equipment are wrapped up in cloth and placed in a supply wagon.

"We leave in two hours!" Toede announces to his men, who start preparing to depart.

Gilthanas comes to first, and after being informed of what happened, he keeps to himself in one corner of the cage.

After about an hour, the feeling begins to return to Laurana and Goldmoon again.

===========

It is now half past Last Watch (8:32 PM).

Rising awkwardly Laurana looks straight at Sturm, bowing, "Your Gallantry saved my life, thank you." she says as she rubs her aching limbs, looking kindly on Magpie who sat by her side the whole time. When the feeling has returned enough she confronts Gilthanas.

"Did he send you? I had time to think, while I couldn't move, and you didn't expect me, so I don't think you are here for me, are you Brother?" She moves closer, taking his hand. "Why are you here?"

Magpie watches the scene before her, the cage was nothing new, she knew cages, "This your Brother?" The Dwarf asks, moving with Laurana.

"Yes, this is Gilthanas."

"And your foolishness nearly cost us ours, I warn you Tanis will not take kindly to such behaviour." Sturm looks at the Elf Maiden with a frown. His eyebrows go up at the mention of the Elf being her Brother?

After that he sits in the corner, saying nothing else.

"Did you guys know that those dragon men could melt like that?" Tika asks curiously. "You could have warned me before I started hitting them with my pan."

"Yes we did, but they arrived so quickly, and with the silence, how could we warn you?" Laurana turns giving Tika a friendly smile, "Sturm tried to stop you, but it was too late."

Riverwind moves from the pile of weapons with a sullen walk. He feels some shame in not fighting out of the situation, but is torn by the feelings he has for his friends.

As the time passes, Riverwind speaks quietly to the others. "It seems we will be moved, so now is not the time. Perhaps on the road."

The woodsman starts a methodical search of the wagon, looking for a weakness to work on.

As the feeling comes back to her limbs, Goldmoon is doing her best to stretch them. When Riverwind does his search, she tries to shelter his actions from the enemy's view.

"Lauralanthalasa," Gilthanas says, shaking his head. "As I thought, you are not dead after all. But your human friend is right. Now is not the time. There are too many eyes and ears on us," he adds, motioning with his head to the goblins and hobgoblins outside, their red eyes glowing slightly with infravision as the night gets deeper.

Looking about, Riverwind notes that the steel bars of the cage are quite thick and the gate to the cage is locked with two separate padlocks, both of which must be unfastened to open the door.

With not much else to do, and unable to talk freely for the moment, the party is forced to wait...