David looked down, trying to see what was going on down there.  He could 
heer someone moaning, and sounds of a possible fight.  Leaning closer, he 
peered in, only to be attacked from behind. 

Whoever it was, was fast.  There was a flash of a knife, and as David's 
reflexes kicked in, he felt himself being pushed into the pit.  The 
amulet around his neck was pulled off, and David felt as if a doorway in 
his mind had been shut.  All the wraiths voices were gone, and it left a 
sickly feeling along his brain, like putrid oil.  Falling a short ways, 
David landed on his feet and rolled to take the brunt of the drop.  He 
heard the sword clatter somewhere behind him.  He shook his head, trying 
to get rid of the contaminated feeling in his mind.

"Now you shall die, scum. You will pay for what you did to my Darrin!" 
A voice that could only be Diana's screamed.

David leapt up, knowing she was about to kill someone.  The sword was 
gone, too.  She probably had it, and there was no telling what the blade 
would do to a human.  Grabbing her shoulder, David held her back in an 
iron grip.
"No, ye will not kill him" David said, wondering who it was.  Looking 
over, he saw the crumpled body of Malk, looking wildly at him.  Now he 
understood.  Malk had been betrayed by the wraiths... David chuckled at 
the irony.

"You can not stop me!" Diana yelled & struggled to get free.

"I do not care particularly about this amn, but you can not let his 
dragon die! David said. "Would your Darrin want that?"  He knew that 
Diana would think on that, and it gave him time to access the situation.  
the wraiths were obviously coming, he knew that.  He had the sword, and 
the pit didn't look to be that deep.  The sides had grooves everywhere, 
and it seemed to be just a matter of climbing out.  

Diana dropped the sword & collapsed in David's arms crying.
"Oh my god, Darrin, what have I done" Diana sobbed.

David held the woman, knowing that she just realised the consequences of 
her actions.  Cradleing her head in his arms, a part of his mind 
registered the fallen sword on the ground, and a crawling Malk heading 
towards it.  But it was not very important, he would need this womans 
strength to help them all get out of there.  Wiping away the tears from 
Diana's face, David smiled at her warmly.  "Darrin would not be ashamed.  
Right now, we need t'get out o'here, Ok?" He said, and a nod of her head 
said she acknowledged his words.  Suddenly there was a scraping of steel 
on rock, and David spun to see Malk holding the sword dangerously, making 
his way to the side of the pit.

"Stay right where you are, or die." He warned, and started to try and 
climb the walls, broken leg or no.

David started inching forward, and the man pointed the blade at him.  
"Always the hero, aren't you boy?" He sneered.  David backed off, 
silently drawing the knife at his side.  He needed that sword.

"Malk, we have t'work together.  I don't want t'kill ye, but will not 
feel remorse if I have t'."  Savid said, drawing his knife and holding 
it, as if to throw it.  Malk saw it, and edged back down, wincing each 
time he had to use his leg.  He knew he couldn't dodge the knife if 
thrown.  "Now give me the sword." David said, moving forward.

"Kindly." Malk growled, and swung the blade in a deadly arc.  

David saw Malk's muscles tense, and his body start moving.  The man was 
fast, and David sidestepped, hoping to escape the razors path.  Fire 
erupted along his left shoulder and David could feel blood begin to wet 
his shirt, but that didn't matter.  The strike didn't kill him.  He let 
out a furious blow to Malk's temple, connecting as the man was trying to 
recover from the off balance attack.  A dull thud echoed through the 
cavern, and Malk dropped to the ground, uncouscious.

Moving his left arm, new pain seered through his mind.  Looking at it, 
David could see the severed tissue and muscle.  It was a bad wound, but 
would have to wait.  Taking a strip of cloth from his torn tunic, he tied 
it around his shoulder to stop the blood, which now had covered most of 
his shirt.  Diana rushed over to him, and David realised the whole event 
only lasted a few second.  He picked up the sword and put it in him belt.

"Is he dead?" She asked, looking down at Malk.  David shook his head.  
"No.  Let's get out of here." David started climbing, wondering where the 
wraiths had gone, who had pushed him into the pit, and how they were 
going to get Malk out.  'Kaylin, how's the battle going?'

*Good David!  We are winning.  Minty passed out, but we don't know why.  
She's all right, worried about you, but all right.  What was that thing 
you put on.  It was very evil.  I'm glad you took it off because...*

'Ok, ok.  I'll fill you in later.  Right now I have to get out of here.  
Be ready to pick me up.' David said, smiling for his overeager dragon.  

Malk started to stirr, and David tied his hands together with more strips 
of cloth.  That should hold him, he thought, and Malk opened his eyes and 
glared at Diana and David.  Both glared back at him, and he sighed 
heavily and looked down at the ground.  Now it was time to get out of here...

"Hello?  It's Tr'etram.  I think the wraiths are confused right now, I 
don't know why, but I think I can get you all out.  Who's there?" A voice 
shouted down at the three, and David looked up to their rescuer.  

"Trey?" Malk cried out.  "Trey, it's M'cos.  Get me out of
here, please.  I don't know how I got here.  Is Telnor Alpha here, too,
then?" For once he actually sounded sane, almost human again.

"No, M'cos.  I no longer lead Telnor Alpha.  Who else is here and are any of
you hurt?" Tr'etram said, a sad tone in his voice.  David wondered 
briefly why Tr'etram would have transferred if he was a wing leader, but 
those were questions for later.

"We're fine!" David shouted up.  "It's David and Diana.  We need a little 
help here!"

A sound of something being put down and then a reaching hand was seen 
above the edge.  Good thing the pit wasn't too deep.  Diana went first, 
her light weight easy for Tr'etram to haul her over the edge.  David 
lifted Malk to his feet and lifted him up to Diana and Te'tram's waiting 
hands.  He didn't want to untie the man after he had slashed him.  It was 
hard going, but they finaly managed to get the bound man up.  David was 
last, gritting his teeth as his arm was pulled.  He could feel the gash 
rip further, but the healers would be able to fix him up.  There was a 
slight dizzy spell from loss of blood, but he managed to hold onto 
consciousness.  

"Let's get out of here." Tr'etram said, and as David drew the black 
sword, the group set out for the exit, hauling Malk between them, 
watching him.  Tr'etram had some sort of flame devise, but he didn't 
ask.  Another question for another time.  They saw a few wraiths, but 
they dissappeared quickly, running from them into the darkness.  David 
was uneasy, something about this being too simple, but soon they were 
exiting the cave, the fading sunlight to the west warming their faces.  
Marrid Alpha was burning up the last of the remaining wraiths who still 
chose to fight, and the sight of so many dragons glittering in the sky 
gave David a little more strength.

They called to their dragons, and soon all four were lined up infront of 
them.  David put the special sword away carefully, looking at Yenal who 
was watchng Malk sadly.  'Ye will bring him t'Marrid right away, even 
if he protests.' David thought sternly at the dragon.  "If ye can't do 
that, I will take him."

Yenal nodded, and they helped Malk into the saddle of his dragon.  The 
man looked tired and worn, hollow eyes stareing straight forward.  
Whatever he was thinking, it was closed to everyone.  David mounted 
Kaylin with another grit of the teeth, his vision hazing again, and took 
off.  Tr'etram and Diana took off behind him, escorting Yenal and Malk.  
Soon all four teleported.

David almost fell out of his saddle, and would have if a medical 
assistant hadn't caught him.  He was carried into the healers and looked 
after immediately.  Soon David fainted from loss of blood and exhaustion, 
hoping his arm would feel better when he woke up.  'I hope Minty is all 
right.' He thought as his mind closed...

*********** SUBMITTED BY **********

	      Justin

NRPG:  I took some liberties and many jugleing posts, but I hope eveyrone 
       likes this ending.  *g*  There's still action for alot since 
       everybody is still about half-way through, so have fun.  I assumed 
       that since the queen wraith was dead, the others would have fled, 
       having nothing to do with the people in the cave.  David enjoyed 
       giving Malk a bash to the head! <el>  Well, Les, I told you David 
       would return to Minty, didn't I? <lol>

      /\     /^---_---^\     /\     "Pain?  What do you know of pain?  I've
     /  \    > |_\ /_| <    /  \     experienced anguish at the molecular
    /    \   |         |   /    \    level.  Let me show you what it's like."
   /      \   \  o o  /   /      \  "Dragons exist my friend, for the sheer
  /        \  |\_____/|  /        \  fact that in all cultures they are
 |          \ | \/ \/ | /          | present, weather separated by land
     ----------       ----------     sea or air."----  Justin Almeida