Gabriel followed closely behind, but stopped when he saw a flash of something through the trees. He signaled for the others to wait a moment and crept through the brush to investigate.

Moments later he returned and waved for the others to follow him. He lead the group on a short walk that brought them to the crest of a hill, and the edge of the forest.

"There it is." he said, and as the others looked on, they saw the Fortress of Bastion.

It was on a steep hill less than a kilometer away. An extremely wide Keep rested on the top of the hill, and surrounding it in a Star-shaped pattern stood a 7 meter stone wall, with a 3 meter trench dug in front of it. Stone Sentry towers were positioned at the each point of the star-walls, while hundreds of miniature Archer Trenches crisscrossed the landscape just outside the Keep. It was an impressive site.

Or it used to be. One wall had been completely crumbled, and even as they saw, hundreds of soldiers milled about it attempting to repair it. gapeing holes were seen throughout the keep and walls, while the northmost tower had completely collapsed. burn marks were seen all over the keep. Yes this city had seen quite a siege.

Gabriel plodded down the hill, motioning for the others to follow. "If there is an elemental out there, we would be best off defending against him in a fortress than out in the open."

Alec stayed in the bushes, waiting for a breeze. When it came, he moved so it looked like the wind disturbed the breeze. He also said out loud, "Metrius, just leave scouting to us."

Then he slid down the hill and looked at Bastion. "Holy shit. That place got a number done on it."

Jerick gawked at the destroyed fortress as he walked up next to Gabriel. This definitely wasn't going to be some field day. Maybe for Gug it would be, but the goblin always found some way to make something enjoyable, unlike Jerick. The blacksmith knew he would be busy making weapons for this fragile shell of a defense force instead of helping the other elementals rebuild the fort.

"I'm guessing it's going to take a miracle to protect this place?" Jerick asked Gabriel. It was obvious that it would, even if an army of Avariel was going to help out.

Metrius, a little annoyed at the comment, decided to ask Alec about it later. When he came upon the scene that was the Bastion, however, he stopped in mid-stride. My God, Metrius thought to himself. This truly has been a siege upon this place. I can only hope that this does not turn into a second Elemental War, Metrius thought to himself as he started off towards the city with the rest of the group. "I truly hope that we are not too late to stop the Siege."

OOC: SS, I may know why Alec doesn't want Metrius scouting ahead with them, but Metrius himself does not.

OOC: Of course. Which means, that by his very nature, Alec is going to be a jerk about it. Somehow...I find myself really liking Alec...

IC: "Of course we're too late. Best, we head off the siege but it's doubtful that this place can ever be used again. Worst, we get there, find it's overrun, and we all die."

"Some 'Bastion'," Hakar said grimly, walking to stand beside the others, his cloak flapping in the slight breeze, "I don't suppose our two Earth specialists can rebuild stone walls with their magic?" he looked over at Alec and Sarin.

Gabriel surveyed the scene grimly.

"...It will hold." he said, his gravely voice as hard as steel.

He began plodding towards the Fortress, the others in tow. As they approached, a great many archers appeared at the two nearest points of the Star-Walls; Dain pointed to them as they walked.

"Yes Hakar, it was as powerful as it's namesake. As you can see the star-shaped walls means that if one were trying to scale them, their backs would be prone to the Archers on the other side." He said.

Laine shook his head as he pointed to the crumbling wall. "It doesn't look like they tried to go over them to me..."

He stopped as a man leaned over the wall and called down. "Who goes there?!"

"Allies of the Avariel. We come to offer assistance in the defense of the city." Gabriel replied.

The man snorted, but signaled for the gates to be lowered and the archers to stand down. "There are so few of you here. Is this all that Gwaethir can spare?"

"Over Fifty Thousand Avariel are on their way as we speak; Lead by Lord Gwaethir himself!" Gabriel bit back harshly. "You asked of our assistance, do not mock it."

"Of course." the man replied. "I mean no dis-respect." he disappeared for a moment, and re-appeared at the gates as the Elementals entered. "My appologies; Your arrival is indeed a ray of hope as a Dark Storm approaches. I am Baron Arkhon of the Southern Empire, and I have been assigned to recapture and defend this fortress."

Ebon-skinned fingers pulled back sharply, almost before the white teeth of the supposedly unconscious Avariel girl snapped at them.

The assassin chuckled cruelly, smirking, "You almost got me, that time..."

Kiiri growled in anger and frustration, struggling once more to get free of the chain that connected her to the wall. The half-drow, perhaps more terrifying because of how much he resembled kind-hearted Hakar, had already threatened to cut her wings off...and looking into his cruel, yellow eyes, she knew that he would do it if she continued to try and secure her freedom.

He had already proven that he could catch her if she tried to run, and she knew on some level that she couldn't get away even if she hadn't been manacled. She bit back a helpless sob of terror and rage, Jaral's smile growing as he noticed it.

"Poor little bird, locked in a cage...don't worry, I won't kill you. Not for a good, long time..." his smile widened, looking over at the braziers filled with hot coals, the iron implements with hooks and saw-toothed blades, letting his eyes rove over each of them....knowing her own eyes were following his gaze, "Of course, Ashtar may ask me to use some of these fine tools to chastise you, if you prove unwilling to cooperate..."

He grinned, selecting a curved, red-hot dagger with a saw-edged blade. Pulling it from the brazier by its fireproof handle, he lifted it to her cheek, moving the keen blade closer to her skin, using the hooked tip to tuck an errant lock of her long hair that had fallen over her face back behind her pointed ear.

"I hope you do try and escape, princess." he chuckled, laughing at her terror and the way she trembled as he brought the knife closer to her vulnerable skin, "I might enjoy this..." he smirked, removing the knife and returning it to the brazier. Kiiri's head fell, looking down at the floor. She dimly heard the door slam as Jaral left, her shoulders heaving as she began to sob...

************************************************** ****************

Near the citadel of Bastion, Hakar suddenly felt a pang of utter loneliness and terror, helplessness and rage roiling like a tempest. Another, more alien feeling entered his mind...cruel triumph. The emotions felt nothing alike, almost as if they had come from entirely different beings...

Hakar sighed, shaking his head to banish those thoughts, blaming it on nerves and on his worries concerning Kiiri's safety. He trudged toward the fort after the others, wondering if this was more than it seemed...

Ashtar was waiting in his study when Jaral emerged. He belatedly scratched at the newly bandaged gash that ran down his right arm. His eyes flicked to Jaral's shoulder, the one he had punctured with Melifus. Indeed they had both proven themselves to be equal in the realm of combat.

"How long until she is broken?" He asked.

Jaral grinned, "As soon as you command it, General." he laughed slightly as he continued, "As a matter of fact, tonight would be a good time to break her....give her some time to let her recover a bit of her nerve, so that she feels relief at avoiding punishment for her latest attempt to escape, then strike just as she least expects it. The terror of that alone will leave her vulnerable, and the torture will break her like a child's toy crushed in an ogre's grip." his grin became decidedly sadistic as he spoke.