[h3]Freeze.[/h3][hr]
Busker and Wink had been huddled under the bar, their hands over their ears, when the siren song froze them.

The Drow was invisible and still deadly.

And Edward, who had been unconscious and thus immune to Milo's spell, was free to move about but certain he had awoken in Purgatory. No help would be had from him.

Milo lay bleeding -- [i]dying[/i] -- and not one of them had brought a healing spell.

If only there were some deux ex machina to resolve the dire turn of events.

[h3]Release.[/h3][hr]
Edward had only just laid down his head when --

[i]BLAM[/i] -- the door slammed open; icy wind burst into the tavern and the siren's spell was broken. Like a flipped switch, the patrons of the tavern could move once again.

While Wink cowered under the bar, Busker clambered heroically to his feet. He gripped the bar, scowling at the splintered stools and broken flagstones, the blood on the floor and the alarming absence of the Drow.

[b]"EVERYONE OUT!"[/B] Busker roared, his beady eyes bugged with fear and rage. [b]"Leave your money on the tables and get [i]out[/i] of my establishment! Take your injured with you, I --"[/b]

Busker was suddenly cut off when a needle shot out from the doorway and pierced his throat. He stood gurgling, pale with confused horror, the needle protruding from his quivering neck.

Wink, on the floor behind the bar, screamed.

[h3]The Salvagers[/h3][hr]
Three masked figures stood in the doorway, dressed in pristine white and gold. They appeared to be faceless: the gold masks they wore were smooth and void of any human feature; there were no holes for eyes, only blank shining gold where the face should be. Each was clothed or wrapped from head to toe; there was no skin to be seen between the folds of white and gold cloth.

These were a few of those known throughout the kingdoms as the Salvagers. They were known for their silence, their smooth and efficient killing, and for taking objects and people of power. They were quiet pillagers and silent murderers, and they had been attracted by the shot of a hand-cannon and the scream of a siren.

One of them held a fistful of needles in his bandaged hand. He tipped his head slightly and shot a needle directly at Fade, who was invisible to all who could see.

One of them held a long dagger, and moved around the hearth, past the bard, with the intention to simply take Edward's hand-cannon for himself.

The third, who carried a scimitar, stepped into the tavern, heading directly for Milo with silent steps.

There were two well-known rumors about the Salvagers. One was that they never left anyone alive who had seen them. The other was that each Salvager carried with him a bottle of elixir that could cure every ill or injury.

Busker collapsed behind the bar, and Wink sobbed.