Bon ran with the rest of the party. They had been outside for some time. They wanted to reach the hill’s local crest so Kadn could provide more distance in the next pair of wormholes he created. In the distance behind they could see three pursuing male elves. Bon hadn’t realized some male elves could run so fast.

“Can you camouflage us or something, Kadn?,” asked Bon, as he huffed and puffed.

“I can’t conceal us from anyone who’s specifically looking for us. Also, they can see us. In any case, they aren’t tracking us, they’re tracking the orb. Its power level isn’t something I can conceal. They won’t be fooled if we try to conceal it or if we split up the party. We may as well stick together and run.”

The party could see, in the distance ahead, the volcano that was their destination. The volcano wasn’t special per se, but it was the nearest volcano with open lava. The plan was to toss the orb into its lava, then use a wormhole to get away. The lava would soon compromise the orb’s structural integrity. The resulting explosion would remove part of the volcano. Kadn and Ti believed that with wormholes they would be able to get far enough away from the explosion so they wouldn’t be killed. Probably.

Kadn created a pair of wormholes. The party ran through them. The volcano was visibly closer.

Bon looked back. He couldn’t understand how the three male elves kept gaining on them.

Ti said, “we’re far beyond most of the male elves pursuing us, but those three will soon catch up to us. The fate of humans depends on us succeeding. Bon, are you willing to fight?”

Bon said, “it’s not like I have a choice. Yes, of course.”

The party continued their run through the plain, using wormholes as they could. The three male elves continued to gain ground.

Kadn said, “there’s no time for another wormhole. We’ll need to stand our ground here.”

“Well,” replied Ti, “positions.”

All in the party turned towards the male elves. Zent the tank was in front. Ti put himself on Zent’s right and behind, Xio stood on Zent’s left and behind. Kadn put himself between Ti and Xio. Bon put himself behind Kadn, so there were four fighters surrounding Kadn who was in the protected center. All hoped this would give Kadn the time he needed to pop off powerful spells.

Aareesha cowered behind Bon. Her tit-bells jingled with her every move. She wanted as many bodies as possible between herself and their pursuers. No doubt the elves had figured out she was responsible for the theft of the orb. She didn’t want to discover the consequences.

The three male elves came at frightening speed towards the party. The humans readied their weapons.

Bon asked Xio, “how about some arrows?”

Xio replied, “no point. They’ll easily dodge the arrows. Male elves have impressive reflexes.”

Kadn sent out three bullets of fire at their enemies in the distance. Each bullet steered towards its corresponding elven target. Each elf raised his hand and swiped the bullet of fire away.

Kadn shook his head and said, “well, I had to try.”

The male elves continued to close the distance. Once they were about 100 feet away, the lead male elf stopped. He raised his hand, signaling to his partners to pause as well. All three male elves raised their swords, making it clear they were ready for a fight.

“Well,” said the male elf leader, “Warrior Ti. I can’t say I’m surprised. Your reputation, and the reputation of the magician, precede you. All humans are vermin compared to elves, but I’m not stupid enough to ignore power. You are two of the better human warriors. I believe your group could defeat a lone male elf. I think you’ll notice we are not one lone elf. We are three powerful male elves. I believe we have the advantage.”

Ti replied, “I’m listening. I can’t say I’m eager to fight the three of you. Do you have an alternative?”

The male elf leader said, “We can do this the hard way or the easy way. We elves are honorable and keep our promises. Give us the orb and the female elf. In exchange, we’ll let you humans leave this place with your lives and possessions.”

“Oh?,” said Ti, “and what do you elves plan to do with the orb and the female elf?”

“Regarding the orb, I can only say that our king has need of it. Regarding the female elf, she is a traitor to her people. All of elvendom is now hunting for her. The elves will never rest until she is captured. Elvendom is temporarily diminished, but we are not powerless. We will capture her, sooner or later. The king has focused all of elvendom on her capture. He has demanded that, if possible, she is to be captured. She is to be brutally tortured, more than any in history, for the rest of her long life. It would be unwise for you to protect such a female elf. She is not even of your people.”

“Well,” said Ti, “I think that’s a terrible deal. You plan to use the orb as part of a plan to eventually kill all the humans on this continent.”

The male elf leader squinted his eyes. He replied, “you are well-informed. I supposed I should have expected that. You have, in your custody, a female elf who is actively betraying her people. We shall ensure that does not last much longer.”

Ti defiantly stared back.

Aareesha spoke up, cowering behind the humans. “I was compelled! I had no choice!”

The male elf leader shrugged. He replied, “A likely story. All female elves say that. As you know, maidservant, that defense is not a valid defense for female elves in elven law.”

The male elf leader turned towards Ti and continued, “I require both the orb and the female elf. You have not relented, so this parlay is over.” The three male elves raised their swords. They again began running towards the humans and the cowering female elf.

As the male elves came closer, Bon could see each male elf being visibly slowed.

« The belts, » Bon gleefully thought, « we’re all using belts that slow male elves! »

Bon raised his sword and realized how slowly he was moving. « Oh shit, » Bon realized, « these elves have belts that slow humans. »

Bon had been massaged. He now magically surged his speed and strength. This somewhat compensated for the elves’ powers, but not enough. The elves were still visibly faster. They were almost certainly stronger.

All three elves seemed to targeting Zent, presumably in hopes of breaking through to kill the squishy glass cannon behind Zent. Zent parried one sword, with the other two swords unparried. One unparried sword bounced, but the other sword deeply cut into Zent’s flesh. It wasn’t mortal, but clearly Zent was not invulnerable. The elves continued, as the two side elves decided to attack Ti and Xio. The middle elf decided to go around Zent towards his target, Kadn.

Bon charged past Kadn towards the middle elf, in an attempt to protect Kadn. The middle elf smiled with blood lust and raised his sword towards Bon. Bon managed a parry of sorts. Bon saw red lines trace to each male elf from Kadn’s position behind Bon. The middle elf’s great strength turned Bon’s parry into Bon’s disarmament, as Bon lost his grip on his sword. The middle elf turned his sword towards Bon for the kill. Bon could see Xio and Ti being disarmed in front of him as well. Bon prepared for the end. He had done his best. His best hadn’t been enough.

All three male elves exploded into vapor. Nothing was left of the elves and their equipment except heat and a few pieces of dust.

Kadn said, “That was closer than I prefer. Attacking three elves was that spell’s absolute maximum. I had to let them get close and strain my concentration to even have a chance for that to work against the elves’ native counter-magics. It worked, though. Thank you, all of you. Let’s not take on three elves again.”

Ti said, “I’m glad it worked. We need to hurry and destroy the orb. If we delay, the next wave who are tracking the orb will be more numerous. Let’s not screw up the final moves of our game.”

Kadn made a wormhole. They passed through. Soon Kadn made another. They were now one wormhole’s distance from its summit. Kadn carefully placed the next pair of wormholes so the far wormhole was above the volcano’s caldera. Kadn poked his head through the near wormhole, looked down, and smiled.

Ti said, “Bon, it was your slave who made this heist possible. I think you should do the honors. I’ll hold you to make sure you don’t fall through the wormhole.”

Bon took the power orb and poked his head through the wormhole. On the other side there was no ground directly underneath him. Instead, a lake of lava simmered far below. The caldera surrounded him. Bon thought this was one of the most amazing things he’d seen. It was also one of the most dangerous. Bon could feel Ti hold on to Bon’s belt to ensure Bon wouldn’t fall through the wormhole. Bon hefted the power orb up from his feet, tossed it through the near wormhole into the lava below, and pulled his head out of the wormhole.

The party began running away from the volcano. Kadn created new wormholes as he could to gain distance. In twenty minutes an explosion erupted in the volcano, followed moments later by a larger eruption. The party ran and ran, using wormholes to increase their distance. They continued until the exploding volcano was safety far away.

“Our mission was a success!,” announced Ti. “I’m sure the elves won’t reveal themselves again where we last found them. We don’t know where their headquarters is and we don’t have many good leads. Still, we’re alive. We’ve destroyed a power orb, so humans in general have a chance at staying alive. In my book, we’ve won today.”

Every human was relieved. The party began their trek back toward Ston.

Bon commented, “I don’t like the branding on Aareesha’s breasts. Can those brands be removed so her breasts look the same as before?”

Kadn replied, “yes. I can’t do it but I know someone who can. It doesn’t cost that much but it will hurt her like hell.”

“All the better,” said Bon with an unkind chuckle. Aareesha looked at Bon. She stayed silent but wore a worried look.