The fairy buzzed through the woodland shrubs and low lying dense brush on the steep hill side to see roughly a dozen elves trying desperately to hide anywhere among the trees or up in them without making any noise. Some of them were bruised and bloodied, and the rest comprised of families with children. They went quiet suddenly to the loud crashing sounds to the south followed by a harsh guttural sounds of some horrible language that hurt Caliaphy's ears.

********

She backed away behind a thick tree and teleported back to the party reappearing. "There's some elven people up ahead. Mostly families. They're really, really scared, and I heard something REALLY BIG smashing its way towards them!"

"How far off was this thing smashing its way towards them?" The Prince asked earnestly.

"REALLY CLOSE! WE HAVE TO--MMPH!!" Caliaphy got too excited and silenced suddenly by the hand of the elementalist over her mouth.

"I said quietly," Alyson whispered.

Irzen came to a stop and advised Alyson to do the same as they awaited Caliaphy's assessment of the situation.

In the distance the party clearly heard a tree falling down followed by the thunderous foot steps of something big and ugly singing a horrible rendition of Elmer Fudd, "Hehehe! I'M HUNTING ELVES TODAY! HAR! HAR! HAR!"

"That sounds like an ogre!" The Bronze Man hissed to Willow. "We need to intercept it before it finds your kin!"

"It is and we will," The Prince hissed back to The Bronze Man as he waved everyone back to him. When he got them together into a huddle, Irzen asked, "Okay, Willow, this is your home field. What's the play?"

"Intercept and eliminate," Willow replied, "Irzen, Caliaphy and Alyson, I want you three with me. We're going to cut off that ogre and cut him down before he can reach my people. Serna and Lazheros, race towards my kin, set up a defensive perimeter and stand ready to protect them if we should fail. Let's go! We have no time to waste."

Lazheros nodded in agreement as he blessed the four of them, "May Bahamut grant you favor this day!"

"Thanks, we need all the prayers we can get," Irzen nodded with a smile.

Willow nodded in agreement but said nothing.

Willow took off at a trot towards the direction of the ogre with Irzen by his side. Serna took the lead in heading towards the elves being hunted by the ogre.

Alyson and Caliaphy kept up with the Swordsman and the ranger easily enough. As they made their way to the ogre, the terrain became steeper and loose gravel littered the exposed areas of the valley's hillside. Alyson had to adjust her footing here and there to prevent falling. Caliaphy went invisible and buzzed ahead to see where the ogre was and nearly smacked right into the brute. She scared herself enough to pop into full view of the monster. "EEEEKK!"

"HEY! A FAIRY! ME HUNGRY FOR FAIRY! ME WANT TO EAT FAIRY NOW! GET BACK HERE YOUUUUUU!" The ogre swung his giant club at the fairy.

"AHHHH! You MISSED ME! NAHNAHNAH!" The fairy angered the ogre enough for it follow her from its original path. "INCOMING!!"

The elementalist activated the gauntlets out of pure instinct and readied an earth based trap for the oncoming threat thundering towards her, Irzen, and Willow.

Willow pulled out his bow and arrow, nocked an arrow and readied himself to take a shot the moment the ogre came into view.

Irzen drew forth his sword and dropped into a battle stance as he waited for the ogre to stumble into their ambush.

*****

Meanwhile, Serna began to make her way towards the Elves with Lazheros by her side, "Um, sir, if Willow's people cannot speak Common, can you please be the one to speak to them? I never learned any Elvish when I was coming up. Okay?"