"Did you think you could get away with that?" Kharith asked, blasting the scimitar more than a few yards away. Now Tarik was helpless, without any weapons except the knives in the pouch under the cloak. But those wouldn't do much good against Kharith or Biziel.

The red flecks on the edge of Tarik's vision now grew into a haze. In just a few moments, Tarik would fall into the embrace of sleep...and then death.

"As I was saying," Kharith said, putting on a rather bored look, "Raev joined that little group Falin made. It was after you left, so I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't know." Another muted sound. It was going to come any second.

Tarik bit his lip. First and foremost, he was blocking out the pain radiating from his twisted leg, but second he wanted to look like he was pondering something. "I am surprised you aren't unhappy about it."

Kharith glared at him. "Idiot! I'm furious! Why would you think-" He was cut off by something behind Tarik, something that must have caught both Biziel's and his attention.

"Leave the man alone," a deep, firm voice replied. Tarik was surprised that he was comforted by it. Too bad it wouldn't work - before this encounter with Kharith and his lackeys, Tarik had tried to kill them time and time again but nothing seemed to work.

"This is none of your affairs, old man," Biziel growled. Tarik almost brought his hands to his ears; It was the first time the man had spoken and it sounded like an avalanche!

There was a shuffle of footsteps behind Tarik, and then, on the edge of Tarik's vision he could see both the red haze and, now, a brown, woolen robe. Tarik lazily looked up, trying to see who his 'savior' was, and was surprised to see a man with graying, black hair wrapped in a topknot. The strange thing was that, no lines stained the man's face - it was smooth, like an Elf's.

In the man's hands was a large crossbow, and already the man's finger was ready to click the trigger. Not that it would do much good against the Shadows that stood before them. Yes, Shadows fitted Kharith and Biziel quite well...quite well...

Two things happened at once. First, the click of a crossbow sounded, but it was distant, like it came from a mile away. Second, before the first had happened, the direction of the wind shifted and Tarik caught a smell coming from the crossbow: It was fire imbued with a whole lot of power behind it.

As Tarik faded into unconsciousness, the roar of the explosion found it's way into his ears...