<HTML> ** Natalie lay on the fifth floor ledge for just a moment, in case anyone could see her.  Then, doing her best to act like an injured bird, she hobbled around to the opposite side of the tower and waited, wings folded tightly around her as she made herself as small against the cold wind as she could. ** "We are in armory!" whispered Desuka as Blake dropped to the ground beside him.  Now we find stone..." "Not yet." said Blake.  "I have to find something else, first." "What?" "Trust me!" Desuka left Blake to whatever it was she was doing and peeked out beneath the door.  Two small creatures, wrinkly and gray and vaguely humanoid, stood before the door.  Though they seemed dizzyingly tall, Desuka figured that they were about two feet high each.  As he watched, the little gray things sent bolts of energy from their fingers toward the door.  The tiny valet cringed instinctively.  However, the energy was absorbed harmlessly by the door. "You lazy grugs!" shouted a gruff lutin.  "Why haven't you opened the door yet?" The wrinkled midgets turned and shouted back.  "We thrown every spell we got at this here door!  It ain't gonna budge!" Desuka brought his head in and turned to Blake.  "They are trying to break in using magic.  They do not know that the tower has antimagic." "Actually, the antimagic part stops two levels down." the little woman replied. "How you..." "I'm a Strander.  We notice these things.  Normally, the antimagic part of the tower stops right at the ledge on the fifth level.  Right now, it seems, the magic and the antimagic are swimming all over the walls and floors like a bottle of oil and water someone shook up." 'Would they not cancel each other out if they met?" "That's usually the way it works.  I don't know what's... AHA!  Here it is! "What?" "An antimagical ward, specifically designed for transformation spells.  I used one of these when I first came here to hold off the curse for a little while.  Didn't work very long, of course.  Come on over here." Desuka was hesitant.  "I am told that antimagic is lethal to one not acclimated." "That's chemical.  This is a ward.  You'll be fine.  Now get over here!" Desuka obeyed.  Blake dragged a necklace with a magical symbol out of a box and placed it on the floor between them.  Both touched the ward.  Both were instantly large again.  Both got a splitting headache when their scalps collided. Ignoring the pain, Desuka probed the walls, finally managing to find a stone that was just a little bit loose.  Taking a sword, he chipped away some of the mortar around it.  Once he had enough space, he stuck the sword through. Out on the ledge, Natalie saw the dark form of a sword blade cut into the air over her head.  That was the signal.  Down through the blizzard she swept, finding her way to the river and into the cave.  "They made it!" she called.   "They're in the armory!" "Excellent." said Oren.  "Stay and warm up for a second, then go back and help them take out the stones from the wall." "Got it." "LEO!" bellowed the otter. "Yes, Sir!" "Find me a good sized rock, about ten pounds.  Jagged, not smooth." "A rock, Sir?" "That's right, a rock!  Now!" "Aye, sir." ** 12/25 around 4am The mother looked down at her daughter, whose eyes started to water at the absence of the man she had loved since she had first met him at the keep. "Shush Carolinn," she whispered, "It's okay, just keep quiet." Above, the wooden floorboards creaked under the steps of many bodies, smaller than any man.  The light flickered through the cracks, as they reached the covered trap door. She prayed into her daughter's ear, a crooning sound that, for some reason, calmed the girl-child into a doze.  All the while, the cellar grew a touch lighter, as the carpet was drawn away from the entrance, and the handle pulled. She turned away, looking away from the light, shutting her eyes tight, trying to block the light out, or lack thereof, whispering into her baby's ear as the trapdoor thumped against the floor, followed by nearly half a dozen thumps that followed, surely the bad men coming down the stairs. Then, all was quiet.  She felt nothing, just an oppressive silence.  She stopped chanting her prayer, her ears straining as she opens an eye, to find the flickering darkness as before… only the flickering firelight didn't shine through some of the cracks as they once did, as objects on the ceiling of the cellar above them block out the lamplight. She hears a soft squeaking sound as the nails in the planks protest soft footsteps quietly, as the dropped trapdoor opens all the way. The mother flinches, as the light beams down into the cellar, illuminating the area around them as a figure peaks down.  A soft, deep, hope-bringing voice wafted down the stairs to her ears, "It's all right ma'am.  I'm here to help you.  I'll take you to safety."  She looked up at the hooded figure, a metallic silver muzzle just catching a glint of firelight, as golden talons shine gloriously, hand open to help. ***  The wife ran into her husband's arms, sobbing in relief in unison w/ her spouse as the cloaked stranger went to a load of supplies sitting in the corner.  In addition to the reunited three, 30 people stood milling around the large cellar, located in the rubble of the outer town of Metamor. The mother looked around, and saw a familiar face of an old opossum, making her way to her. "Hello, Michelle.  Are you all right?" the marsupial asked. "Ms. Tanner.  Oh, it's so good to see you," Michelle replied, "I almost wasn't?  Who is-" The stranger interrupted, and at the first intake of his breath, a not-even silent hush fell over the room, it just went did calm.  He spoke in a hushed tone, his voice capturing the attention of everyone. "Get your sleep, in six hours we leave.  It's not safe to stay, or to leave after that.  I'll be gone for two hours, seeing what food will be needed.  People who have been here awhile, teach your spouses, children, loved ones, friends, and even strangers what I have told you.  Get what sleep you can in three hours, then pack up the food, wood, clothing and shelter you can.  The trip south will be unrelenting." Before anyone could raise a question, the cloaked man had disappeared into the blizzard outside, without a sound, even without leaving a stir of air when the door had opened, the precious heat safe locked to the confines of the room.  Nevertheless, a chill fell over the crowd, as Michelle looked around at the assembled crowd of men, women, (both human and with animal characteristics), and children.  A large number of them were children, whether their ages were in their first decade or past their tenth birthday was unknown to her… but parents held them all, surrogate and natural alike. "Honey," said Darrel, her husband, holding up his fingers in a sweeping motion, "this means run as fast as you can…." *** "Whose rooms are these?" Jerome asked after retrieving the lanterns. "This one belongs to Hector, one of my fellow rats.  I wonder where he could be." Charles rubbed his chin with one paw, stroking the short fur there. Zagrosek opened the other four doors along the hallway, and grimaced. "Is this where the rest live?  They are all empty too." Charles nodded and then cast his eyes back to the Lutins. "They don't have any blood stains on their clothes.  Well, any old ones, so I don't think these four have seen any combat yet.  I imagine that my friends are probably somewhere else at the moment.  Saulius is in the Cathedral, that much I know.  The other four, I'm not so sure about." Jerome nudged one of the Lutin's with his foot, and then grimaced. "Well, where do they usually go on feast-days?" The rat shook his head. "Nowhere, they are almost always spending their time in these rooms." He then stopped and peered back in at the carvings laid out neatly in Hector's room. "Wait, I think I might know where they are.  They might not be there, but it is the only place that I can think of.  Follow me, it is not much farther." The other three Sondeckis fell into line behind the rat, eyes ever wary for more of the short, green-skinned invaders, and ears ever vigilant lest some untoward noise reach them. Yet, aside from the occasional drip of water upon stone, no sound did reach them while deep within the cellars of the Keep.   Their footfalls sometimes tracked through passageways replete with dust, and at others, across mildew and pools of stagnant water.  Even so, Charles knew that he must have been right, for he could smell his fellow rodents ahead of him as they neared that ancient and forgotten portion of the cellars. The door was as he remembered it when Goldmark had shown it to him over two months ago.  Old and musty, the oak creaked and groaned within its stresses.   The dust at its base was disturbed by many rat-shaped tracks, some significantly larger than the others.  From beyond the door, they could hear soft voices whispering back and forth. Charles smiled and looked to his fellow Sondeckis. "Give me a moment, I need to get them out." He pulled off his cloak, while both Zagrosek and Jerome stared at him oddly.  Their eyes grew even wider as the rat began to shrink, the humanoid features falling away to be replace by the more natural shape of the rodent.  Ere long, their friend was nothing more than a six inch long brown rat, nose atwitter as he pawed up into the air at them before scampering beneath the door frame. The four rats were on the other side of the door in the wine cellar as he had expected.  They were sitting around a small table with an old candle lit atop it, drinking from mugs that had not been used in several centuries.  Of course, they were each bereft of clothes, as they preferred to keep the door locked to everyone else so that they alone might share in this delightful discovery.  However, as they had already imbibed a rather tidy quantity of the wines, they did not notice Matthias had scurried beneath the door until he'd grown back to his usual four-foot size. "Charles!" Elliot cried, his light-furred face brightening, the splotch of red across his shoulder gleaming scarlet in the candlelight. "What are you doing here?  I thought you were going to be in the Chapel with Lady Kimberly and Sir Saulius?" "I was," Charles added, stepping over to his fellow rodents, eyeing each of them quickly. "But something terrible has happened.  Nasoj is invading the Keep again." As one, they shot up, eyes wide with sudden fright. "What?" Hector shouted. "How can that be?" "I don't know exactly, but I thin he is using the storm to cover his attack.   In any event, I need your help.  Nobody knows the cellars quite like you four do." Goldmark piped up, for once in his morphic form, standing as tall as he could. "As good as anybody can know a building that constantly changes." He then set down his mug, and crossed his arms. "Are you saying Nasoj's troops are in the castle itself?" Charles nodded, wishing that he did not have to. "We ran across a small group of them outside your rooms.  They were trying to steal your things, but we stopped them." Julian snorted, his red eyes glowering slightly. "They can have it, there's nothing there of value." Hector shot his fellow rat a sharp glare, ears and whiskers backing. Matthias considered the morose white rat for a moment before looking back at the others. "I need to know if there is a way out of Metamor in the direction of Glen Avery." Goldmark blinked. "Is our situation that hopeless that you are giving up already?" "No!" Charles shook his head emphatically. "That is not why I want to go there at all.  My student, Garigan, comes form Glen Avery, and has told me in no uncertain terms, that he is going there to see if his people need help.  I am accompanying him, because it is too dangerous a trek for him to make on his own.  I need your help in getting out of the Keep though, because it would be suicide to try leaving overland." The other four rats looked at each other for a moment, their eyes meeting, speaking silent words that years of voluntary confinement in the cellars had given them.  Charles was usually quite adept at understanding those glances as well, but this time, he was not sure if they were discussing possible routes, or attempting to ascertain if the Long Scout was completely sane.   Finally, Hector turned back to the other rat and nodded. "There might just be a way.  When are you planning on leaving?" "Immediately, or at least as soon as you four can be ready." Julian snorted at that, casting his eyes about the stacks of wine bottles.   Elliot however, leaned further forward, his paw reaching out to clutch protectively at his mug. "It's well past dusk already.  You'll never make it through the tunnels if you don't get some rest." Though he did not wish to admit it, the moment that Charles thought about sleep, he realised that he was very tired.  Having done battle with Wessex, the Shrieker, and a couple groups of Lutins had worn him almost completely out.  He'd only been able to stay on his feet from the pure excitement coursing through his veins.  Idly, he wondered about Jerome and Krenek, both of whom had to trudge through the snow that morning to reach the Keep.  They were probably worse off in fact. Grimacing finally, he nodded to Elliot. "You're right about that I'm afraid.   A little rest would do us some good.  Is there any place nearby where we can all fit together easily that the Lutins aren't likely to find?" "Here!" Elliot gestured about the room. "With the door as rusted as it is, as long as we keep quiet, no Lutins passing by would think that anybody would be in here." Charles thought for a moment.  He wondered if the red stained rat's unvoiced reasons didn't have something to do with the fact that the wine here was well aged.  Yet he didn't sound drunk, nor had any of the others. "The only problem is, two of my party are humans.  They can't fit underneath the door like we can." Elliot's face fell slightly at that, and he looked back to the other three, hoping to find some defence for his idea.  Hector rubbed his chin thoughtfully, his short paws digging through his brown fur, while his large teeth grated together.  Goldmark harrumphed and stared at the door, as if surveying a lovely a girl.  Julian however, was scanning with some other intent in mind. The albino rat's voice, when he did speak, was curious, missing the usual apathy that Charles was accustomed to. "What if the door were unlocked from the inside?  Do you think it would show?" Charles had to shrug. "I suppose that might work.  But the lock is rusted, and we don't have a key.  How do you intend to open it?" Julian drew his paws across each other, scratching at the claw on one of his thumbs.  The Sondeckis noticed that the albino's thumb claw was longer than the rest, and rather narrow.  Even so, as he scratched at it, he shaved it more, narrowing it further. Then, after a moment of quiet examination, he nodded in satisfaction. Crossing to the door, he pressed his face to the lock, feeling inside of it with his whiskers.  He shivered slightly, his long white tail twitching unconsciously. Leaning back, Julian looked to the others. "I think I can open this.  Give me a moment." He then pressed that narrowed claw into the lock, gently fidgeting it about, careful not to break the nail.  Charles peered in wonder at the rat who so far as he knew had never demonstrated any discernible talents.  And now here he was, picking the lock with his own thumb claw!  Yet, Charles knew it to be hopeless, as it was surely rusted solid. "What happened to your tail?" Goldmark asked suddenly, pointing at the slightly puffy section in the middle. Charles gave him a pained expression even as he peered at his singed appendage. "It was burned slightly in a fight earlier today.  It should be fine, I doubt it will even leave a mark in another two weeks." He then studied his fellow rats. "You have heard nothing this evening?" "No, not a thing," Elliot confirmed. "We've just been in here drinking and enjoying each others' company for the last few hours.  Not a soul has come down this way until you and your friends arrived." Charles nodded then, and glanced back at Julian who was still fiddling with the lock. "Making any progress?" He kept his tone hopeful, though he knew that it was not likely to open. "A little, give me another minute, and I think I will have this open." Julian replied, bending his head even lower of the rusted lock.  Charles blinked once, surprised at his fellow rodent's certainty. His face bunching up in curiosity, he finally asked. "When did you learn how to pick locks?" Julian gave a non-committal shrug of one shoulder and continued at his work, calling out to them in a soft voice. "My Father used to lock me in my room for long stretches of time.  I hated being confined like that so taught myself a few tricks." Suddenly, the door began to heave, and he gripped the handle and pulled inwards. "There!" Zagrosek peered in, his human face almost alien in a room full of morphic rats.  And it was then, and only then, that Charles, or any of his fellow rodents, gave any thought to their nakedness.  The black-clad Sondeckis did not appear to notice their sudden modesty though, as his eyes stayed mostly upon their no-longer human faces, and not their other prominent features. "Is everything all right?" Charles nodded, waving to the black pile at the base of the door. "Could you hand me my clothes?" "Oh," Zagrosek blinked, as if he had not been expecting such a question.  He reached down and picked up the garments, handing them to the rat. "Of course, here they are." End part 21a</HTML>