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many of his slashes, though most of the cuts were barely skin-deep.
    Finally, after turning to parry an attack by one of the wererats, Kaiyr’s foresight told him that Cobain had made a critical error and had bared his undefended side with its useless arm in the blademaster’s direction, hoping to kill the wolf and have done with it. Without even looking, the blue-haired elf whirled his soulblade around in his hand and struck out behind him. His attack was rewarded with the slight pressure of impact, followed by less resistance as his blade slid into Cobain’s body, angled upwards and into the werewolf’s heart. Kaiyr released his soulblade, and Cobain dropped to the ground, transforming back into his human form in death.
    Almost immediately, the last three wererats broke off the attack, stepping back and raising their arms in surrender as they shifted back into their human forms. Vinto continued to nip at their heels until they retreated several paces away from the blademaster, druid, and rogue.
    “We… we give up,” panted one of the brothers, whose name none in the party cared to recall. “Please spare us. We… oh, gods, we were just working with him because he threatened us!”
    Breathing heavily, Kaiyr, Caineye, and Wild exchanged looks. The blademaster took the initiative, the better to cow the wererats into submission. “And why should we spare you? You attempted to kill us.” He stepped forward, his soulblade held confidently at his side in a manner that told the three cowards that he could—and just might—kill them at his leisure. In truth, Kaiyr knew his role was to play the aggressor, and unless these three tried anything untoward, he had no intentions of killing them now that they had surrendered.
    “We… we promise to help you, and to make amends,” offered one of the creatures.
    Caineye stepped forward, still spinning his loaded sling in one hand. “Do you promise to repair and consecrate this holy ground which you have desecrated and used to achieve your own ends?”
    “Y-yes, we’ll do anything you wish. Just don’t kill us!”
    Kaiyr fixed each of them with his unavoidable stare. At length, he nodded and released his soulblade. “I suppose we can grant them clemency,” he said, beginning to turn away. “But I shall warn you once, and only once. I give my enemies one chance to redeem themselves. Betray this mercy, and I shall be relentless in pursuing you. Should that happen, you will not escape, and you will not live. This I promise you. Until then, I pledge you my protection.”
    Caineye nodded at Kaiyr then looked at the bodies on the floor. “What should we do about this mess?”
    Kaiyr grimaced, glancing at the bloody bite wound on his elbow. “I have wounds to tend, as does Vinto. If you wish to clean it up now, do so. Otherwise we can handle it come morning.” He looked back at the wererats. “Get some rest. We have much work to do after the sun rises.”
    The wererats shuffled away, their heads bowed in shame.
    Returning to their room, the adventurers noted that the wererat they had bound had slipped his bonds.
    “He probably shifted form and got away,” Caineye suggested.
    “I cannot decide whether I should be glad or annoyed,” Kaiyr admitted. “You two may rest. Master Caineye, you should be familiar with this, but Master Wild may not. We elves, when we rest, do not relinquish our vigil. Even as I dream, I shall be watching over us all. You may rest easy tonight. I am going to bathe in the spring and repair my robes. I bid you both a good night.” He bowed once and left, heading for the spring.
    “Good night, Master Kaiyr,” both the human and halfling replied respectfully as Caineye tended to Vinto, who did not seem too troubled by his injuries. After Kaiyr returned, the three of them went silently to their beds. The others lay down, but Kaiyr sat with his legs crossed and his eyes partially open. As the night drew on, dreams filled the minds of the unusual group