Liana Willow-whispers glowered at her captors as they shoved her towards one of the wagons, cursing inwardly at her own stupidity. The wood elven ranger had been hot on the trail of a drow raiding party, but through her own lack of vigilance had been caught.
Now the filthy dark elves were loading their captives into wagons to be carted down to the Underdark; where they would be sold as slaves, or offered as sacrifices to the drow's demon goddess Lolth.
Before the wagon's door was shut, Liana took the opportunity to get one last look at the trees and sky that she wasn't sure she'd ever get a chance to see again. She offered a silent prayer to Corellion, then all light within the cart was blocked out as the door was slammed shut.
0*0*0*0*0
Days, maybe even weeks went by without much happening as the slavers made their way through the twisting caverns of the Underdark. Liana had given up on trying to remember all the turns they made, having gotten completely lost by what she judged was the third day.
About halfway through the third week since leaving the surface, there was a commotion at the front of the caravan. Shouting, and the occasional pained scream from the drow slavers drew Liana's attention. Most of what was said was unintelligible, but two cries came to her ears quite clearly.
"Catch him!"
"He's releasing the slaves!"
Her heart skipped a beat when she did hear shouts of triumph in the voices of men, and halflings. Someone had come to save them!
Something dropped with a thump to the roof of the wagon, and the door was flung open. Liana and the rest of the prisoners jumped out, to see a small figure crouched on top of the cart. He was dressed in tattered clothing and worn leather armour, with a mask shaped like a dragon's skull covering his entire face and head.
He tossed a bundle of weapons to the ground by their feet, and leapt at the approaching slavers; dispatching them with his knives. Liana and the others took up arms from the bundle, joining in fighting off the remaining drow.
Soon, only one of the dark elves remained, the others having all either fallen, or fled. He looked around him in panic as he realized he was outnumbered. Dropping his sword, he held up his hands in surrender.
"Don't hurt me, please!" He begged, falling to his knees.
The freed prisoners all glared at him, each wanting to see him killed; none of them willing to strike down a man in surrender.
After a stretch of awkward silence, the mysterious masked figure stepped forward, holding his blade to the drow slaver's throat.
"Stand." He ordered.
The dark elf complied, slowly rising to his feet while watching the other closely. Sheathing his blade, the masked man moved to bind the drow's hands; but as soon as he put away his weapon, the slaver grabbed him, slamming his head into the stone wall.
Liana fired an arrow at the drow with an angry shout, as the masked figure slumped to the ground unconscious.