"Help me?" Leaf laughed, "Give me a knife and that'll help for sure."

"What you mean?" a young little girl asked her innocent eyes gleaming up at Leaf, "Give you a knife, for what?"

Leaf couldn't bring herself to tell the girl bluntly what she meant, after all the girl looked no more than seven years old. What was a child like her doing here? Gabriel was sick and twisted to take a young child like this especially from her mother. Not even considered an adult among humans.

"How long have you been here little one?" Leaf asked trying to seem as though it was a casual question.

"Only a year now," she stated smiling at Leaf, "everyone here takes care of me and watches out for me."

Leaf looked to the young woman they had called Cleo she nodded her head to Leafs unspoken question. Sighing Leaf ruffled her hair. She could see that there were at least ten people in the room. How they got in, well she was going to find out.

"Hey look I got a question for you all," Leaf began, "from what I've seen so far about this place is that the doors are locked from outside. How on earth did you get in here? When I left with that jerk Gabriel there was one other person in here. Male or female I didn't care to investigate at the time, I was to busy trying to figure a way out."

"Well those that came before us have dug tunnels that Gabriel doesn't know about," the woman named Cleo stated, "we've been using them to see how the others are. Josh here is a healer and that's how he knew you'd probably fall to the floor or puke."

Looking to Josh, Leaf saw that he was human not that old either about in his twenties. He had dark brown hair, actually all the people had dark brown hair all but Cleo that is she had bright blonde hair. Everyone was dressed in drab old clothes that seemed useless in trying to cover themselves up. The material was so faded that you could see through it. Leaf's clothes would soon be like that only stained with more blood then there's.

Sighing she adjusted herself to a more comfortable position.

"Okay one question down," Leaf whispered, "Now one of you said that Gabriel did the same to you as he is doing to me now. Do any of you know what he is looking for?"

"No we don't all we know is that apparently the gods told us," Josh muttered his hand going unintentionally to his arm, "but the gods never told us anything. Well I guess that isn't true one god always came to one of us telling us a wonderful story. A story of our freedom we tell even today."

"A story?" Leaf stated raising her eyebrows, "A story of something you don't have. What a kind thing for the gods to taunt you with."

"Didn't one of them tell you the story?" the little girl asked.

"No they told me this crap about my people that turned out to be a lie," Leaf stated stretching her arms, "which led to me figuring out Gabriel's intentions for me. And of course I get caught and imprisoned. A story you say?"

"Would you like to hear it Josh is best at telling it," Cleo eagerly stated.

"Sure why not after all nothing else to do but wait for more torment," Leaf said looking to Josh, "that is unless you have to go and do something else. Some other commitment today."

"You can quit the sarcastic banter I'll tell you," Josh acknowledged, "I have one concern though about telling you."

"Come on Josh she'll like the story too!" the little girl protested.

"I'm sure she'll like the story Rebecca but," Josh stated trying his hardest to make the the girl see, "the gods didn't tell her. That could mean that they don't want her to know what we know."

"Look I'm sure they wouldn't really care if you told me a story," Leaf mumbled rolling her eyes, "what harm can it do?"

"I guess so," Josh muttered, "Well then the beginning starts out like this a young elf girl living in the woods was like us. She had the same powers except on an elevated level. She could see other Solana's past experiences; she could feel their emotions when in these trance sort of things. Her body was frail and took a major toll on these past memories. Her thoughts were always in turmoil, always alone and discontented. She couldn't help but be the frail and sickly child that had to lean on her family or another who came telling her of a better life. This man I'm sure you know to be Gabriel, but he took her away from her family away from all that she knew. But when she figured out what he had planned, as we all did figure out sooner or later, she was angered and demanded revenge. No matter how much she and her people revered life he could no longer live for his lies.

"She rallied up the others, helped them to see that they obviously overwhelmed him. Fighting their ways out they was free from Gabriel's tyranny!"

"That's it?" Leaf asked as Josh had stooped talking.

"Yeah we all like the story though," Rebecca stated smiling, "we all think its great."

"Then why not actually make it come true?" Leaf asked looking to each, "If you've known about this story for however long you've all been here then why not rebel against Gabriel?"

"We've all tried one way or another but," Cleo whispered picking Rebecca up who looked crestfallen, "he's always been able to thwart us."

"They learn from those mistakes that you had made," Leaf stated looking around at the rest, "do you seriously want to die here?"

"Well of course not but what are we supposed to do?" Josh snapped, "We've told you we've tried and well one way or another the leader who led us always died. If we just stay here and cause no problem then well get to live."

"What!" Leaf shouted standing to her feet, "Look I may be an elf and this may sound like what any other elf would say but, you guys are a bunch of pussy humans!"

"Hey now come on that's uncalled for!" Josh shouted standing himself, "You've only been here a little while and already I'm beginning to dislike elf's more and more. He has help from other mages you know. Of course you knew that!"

"So we overpower him just like in the story," Leaf stated.

"Look at Rebecca and answer me this," a young woman stated coming to stand up to face Leaf face-to-face, "would you risk her life?"

"No I wouldn't cause you know what she'd stay down here while we fought," Leaf whispered calmly.

"Do you even know the mages he has to back him up?" Josh snapped.

"Then tell me Josh," Leaf said looking him in the eye, "tell me so that I will know then."

"He has the entire conclave on his side," Josh alleged his voice soft with the mere fact of facing such powerful mages, "they all believe his story about us being able to destroy the world with our power and such. He has them all believing everything he says Leaf. Even Raistlin Majare believes his tales of us, and we all known how powerful he is."

"How could you all know about him?" Leaf stated shocked that they knew off the outside world at all, "From what I've been able to understand I'm the newest one to this nice little family."

"Gabriel taunts us by telling us the details of the outside world," the woman who challenged her face-to-face whispered.

"Yeah he especially loves to torment Diane here," Josh said pointing to the woman who had talked previously, "got a crush on her."

Leaf thought about that for a moment. If Gabriel had this crush on Diane then they could use that as a way out, a way out of these confining prisons. Of course they'd have to be discreet about how they executed the plan of course.

"What are you thinking?" Josh asked squinting his eyes at her, "I know that look your plotting something, what?"

"Me plot come now trust me some," Leaf said trying to act innocently.

None of them were believing her of course, and what reason did they have to believe her anyways. Hearing footsteps down the hall everyone stopped actually breathing to hear the footsteps.

"Its Gabriel!" Diane hissed, "Everyone come on out!"

Everyone except Cleo left the room by prying up the stones that hid the tunnels. Amazingly they all made it out of the room before the door flung open revealing Gabriel and a stooped little man. Leaf heard Cleo gasp at the site of Gabriel he ruled them by fear. He didn't have to worry about them revolting; they were all scared witless of them. Closing her eyes for a moment she thought long and hard. How could she show them that this was no way to live? Her eyes snapped open her mind clear as her brain had thought of something. She'd be an example, if she showed them that no matter what Gabriel dose he won't get anything from her then she could possibly convince them of the cage they have imprisoned themselves in.

"Leaf where are you?" Gabriel's loathsome voice stated, "Come on out time for some more quality time Leaf."

"I'm right here imbecile," Leaf snapped getting to her feet uneasily, "lets get this over with Gabriel."

Gabriel gestured for her to come closer and she did. While walking towards him Leaf heard a rustle from behind and was surprised to see Cleo holding her leg. Cleo was trying to stop her from getting hurt. But why?

"Don't go Leaf it'll be worse this time!" Cleo yelled, "Just tell him everything and get it over with."

Leaf was touched by Cleo's concern over her. So touched that Leaf vowed to get Cleo out Gabriel's clutches.

"Get off her now!" Gabriel shouted angrily.

Coming up Gabriel kicked and kicked at Cleo till she let go. Cleo curled up into a ball trying to protect her while he continued on with his assault. Shaking with anger Leaf kicked Gabriel in the face sending him back stumbling over the stooped little old man. Bleeding from the mouth Leaf glared at him. Kneeling down she took Cleo's hand and soothingly stroked it like she would with a child.

"I'll be fine I'm strong enough to handle the pain Cleo," she whispered her other hand stroking her hair, "so don't worry I'll be fine just have faith in me."

"I do have faith in you Leaf," Cleo muttered still curled up, "please be careful and come back to us alive."

"He want something from me and I would rather die then tell him what he wants Cleo," Leaf whispered standing up she turned to face Gabriel, "If you ever do that again I swear by my people that you will die."

"Your people?" Gabriel mocked, "They are nothing they are to afraid to even come into the light. Your threats are empty Leaf!"

"So be it for now Gabriel but wait," Leaf snapped, "I'm not the type anymore to lie around and allow others to be hurt while I do nothing. I'll help them and make sure of that Gabriel."

Glaring at Leaf Gabriel snapped his fingers having two very large men come in and take Leaf. Putting up no fight she went willingly, not afraid of what they would do to her anymore. She was nervous and had a right to be; this time it was going to be worse then last time.

Cleo was on the floor for a while crying for the pain that Leaf was about to be put through. It wasn't fair; she seemed so kind and caring to her but before she was so angry. Was it cause she had been betrayed? But elves don't get betrayed, do they?

"Cleo are you alright?" Josh's voice sounded from behind her.

"Josh yeah I'm okay just got a little beat up," Cleo whispered, "Where are you?"

"Right behind you with some water and a cloth to clean your cuts and such," Josh said taking the rag and washing Cleo's arms and such.

For a while neither talked still in shock from what Leaf had said to Cleo. Josh must have been waiting for them to be gone so he could help Cleo.

"Why did you try and stop her?" Josh asked his voice hard and cold.

"Cause I believe in her to save out people Josh," Cleo whispered still remembering the soft reverent voice that had been Leafs, "you heard her she does care about us."

"Cleo she's to much like those of our kind in the legends," Josh stated still cold and defensive, "she's a risk to us all and you know it. Deep down I know you know it. It'd probably be better if she just died."

"What?" Cleo rounded on Josh upturning the water bowl, "How could you say such a thing? Leaf's trying to help us I know it! I'll believe her more then anything in this world. Even so there were nice Solana like Leaf is."

"Cleo she's to dangerous!" Josh snapped throwing the rag and standing to his feet, "How can you trust her and not me? We've been together since the beginning."

"Yes and that's why you don't want me to believe in what Leaf says," Cleo whispered still sitting on the ground wrapping her arms around herself, "and that's why I'll believe her cause her eyes are unclouded from years of hatred. Tell the others that I'm fine Leaf will be back soon and you have to go and see to Ryan he's been a little off lately."

With that Cleo sat there her eyes closed her mind made up. She believed in Leaf and that was all it was. Josh would have to understand that for now on. Josh left not saying a word but Cleo could have sworn he had said "goodbye" before he left.

"Good bye Josh," she whispered to the stillness of the night.