At the digsite with Janissa, Cat, & The Panther

The village militiaman brought Janissa, Cat, & Trini to the dig site where Oriana was working. It was about 10 clicks northwest from the village, and 5 clicks deep in the foothills, right at the base of the mountain range. Janissa could see just how comprehensive the dig site is. Most of the centuries of dirt and foilage have been cleared away to see more of the Ancient Elven ruins. They could also see what looked like a mountainside tunnel, where they believe Oriana had made the seemingly important discovery.

"This is the place. This is where the Orcs took Oriana." The human soldier looked to the three guild members.

"Yeah, and the Orcs semeed to try their darned hardest to clean up after their bloody mess." Janissa pointed to the pile of burned bodies or the archaeologists and militia guards that had been assigned to guard them. "No debris of broken armor pieces or tools, or broken weapons. It's as if the Orcs took those pieces, to melt the metal and rework them into things they could use themselves."

"Who knows how many of them have returned to investigate the dig site further, setting up traps along the way." Trini spoke softly, then looked to Cat. "That's why you're with us, Cat. We don't know what nasty surprises await us in there."

"We're going in there? Just the four of us?" Cat looked to Janissa &Trini.

"Yep, we're going in." Janissa drew out her Elven longsword, and with as much stealth as they could manage, she led them towards the dig site.

The stench of burned corpses filled their noses as they got to the entrance, a stench that was later replaced by the stuffy smell of an ancient underground lair. Taking a torch, Cat lit it up, and carefully led the two ladies further in. As they went further in, they could hear the sounds of Orcs setting up camp deep inside, likely at the spot where Orianna was doing her work. Along the way, Cat did indeed found a few crudely prepared Orc traps, more than likely from the Orcs inside setting them up in the utmost haste. Using the sounds of the Orcs, they soon saw a light source.

Creeping in, Cat could see at least 10 Orcs and 12 Goblins there, setting up tents and campfires. However, it was something further down that brought a sense of dread upon them. There were about 8 Dark Elves there, all of them well armed and armored, and one of the women seemed busy strumming through Orianna's diary and other works, all the while speaking in Drowish.

"We need to alert the king." Janissa looked to the others. "We have Dark Elves working with the Orcs of the 'Sabretooth Triad' this time. Not only have they taken Orianna, they're busy trying to uncover an Ancient Elven relic, whatever that may be."

They all nodded, and snuck out as best as they could. Little did they know, though, was that the militiaman had clipped a piece of stone with his foot, and that sound being made, reached the ears of the Dark Elves first. With hand signals, they alerted the Orcs, who took action quietly. By now, the four of them were on a full run. But as they got out of the dig site, they could hear the sounds of Orcs chasing them down. As they reached the foothill path, Cat dug into his pouch, and dropped some caltrops behind them. While that did slow down the chasing Orcs, as those caltrops dug into their feet, it didn't stop the Dark Elves from continuing the chase, and some of them were just as speedy as they were, if not faster.

And so, as the four of them continued their run back to the village, a faint clicking sound can be heard. Before she knew it, Janissa felt something sting her in the back of her neck. When she reached back, she felt a Dark Elven hand crossbow bolt on it, then she felt her movements slow, as the sleeping poison that coated the tip of the bolt started to seep into her bloodstream.

"Keep going, and don't stop! Tell Cesar and the others that there are Dark Elves with the Orcs! You must get--" Janissa's words slur, and then she collapsed onto the dirt road.

Trini stopped, and tried to turn around to retrieve the High Elf, but then a wall of fire blocked her path, as the Dark Elven wizard caught up to them. Cat tugged on the Amazon woman's arm, and looked up to her.

"We must do as she asked!" Cat told Trini. "There's too many of them, and the Deirdre forces must be notified! Orcs and Goblins are one thing, seeing them with the Dark Elves is a whole new ballgame!"

Trini sighed, and then continued to run with Cat and the militiaman towards the village. In the meantime, the Dark Elves and the Orcs caught up to the sleeping Janissa. As the witch doctors tended to those with the caltrops on their feet, the Dark Elven leader directed the Goblins to tie up the High Elf.

"Tie her up real good, and gag her." The Dark Elf told them. "Then we'll bring her back inside, while the others bring this...Orianna and all the other women we've taken, to the spot. If my interpretation is correct, then whatever's inside those sealed doors, will bring us more power, and I want them to be the first to bear witness to it...before I slit their throats myself!"