The level above is identical in layout as the one below - a square room showing signs of disturbance - except this time the stairs lead up through an open archway. As the line proceeds the ringing sounds of clashing steel can be heard echoing from higher above, whilst the persistent thud of the barbarians trying to break into the bell tower is becoming considerably louder along with what sounds like some strange murmuring.

THUD!

[The bell tower is situated in the centre of the inner wall and although it does not give direct access to the Inner Fayre, it does allow anyone entering to gain access to the battlements of the inner wall.]

As Hy-Jinx reaches this second set of stairs she starts whistling softly but tunefully, in such a low key manner that Carlisle makes no comment. With each step Hi-Jinx’s whistling increases imperceptibly in volume and jaunty tempo until mid flight she reaches forward her free hand to flick Bembry’s ear from behind.

Flick.

Bembry seems to register it slightly.

Flick.

Bembry stiffens slightly, batting the back of his ear. “Cut it out,” says Bembry sullenly but firmly.

Hy-Jinx lashes out a foot, catching the heel of Bembry and making his foot collide with the back of his other leg causing him to stumble forward into Hood, who grabs hold of the arch to steady himself.

Bembry is incensed, picking himself up off the steps and turning quite naturally to Hy-Jinx.

THUD!

Hy-Jinx stops and leans back, a natural response to Bembry, as angry and intimidating he shouts into her face. “What in the nine hells are you doing, are you trying to get us killed?!”

Hy-Jinx's abrupt halt causes Carlisle to stop mid-step, whilst the remainder of his troops bump into each other and him.

The whole incident plays out without subterfuge and as it does so Carlisle is at a loss as to how to react, simply observing Bembry’s outburst and Hy-Jinx’s reaction, his mind disturbed momentarily as his troops bump into him causing him, for an instant, to spend time maintaining his balance, a balance manipulated by Hy-Jinx as she drops her hips, turning them, allowing her twisted arm to untwist to the front of her. Lifting her now untwisted arm slightly, she ducks and side steps so that she now stands behind Carlisle’s arm, which she locks at the elbow. Spinning her body, she in turns spins Carlisle, first into the wall, causing him to drop his dagger, before throwing him down the steps into his already unbalanced troops, who collapse like skittles, banging off the walls and tripping over each other, to land in a tangled heap at the bottom of the steps on top of the torch that one was carrying thus plunging the room into darkness.

Hy-Jinx, having performed this feat in the exact location that she did, leaves Clem and his three soldiers, having made it onto the level above, blissfully unaware that the prisoners are no longer being guarded and observed.

Hood stands in the archway looking backwards and forwards, listening to the strange grunts and thuds, as he stares between the darkness below and his would be captors in front. He clears his throat loud enough for Madeleine to hear. Madeleine smiles, Madeleine is always smiling.

THUD!

The flickering torches carried by the two guards in front illuminate a large square high vaulted hallway, interspersed with supporting columns, with a narrow flight of stone steps cut into the east and west walls respectively, both running up into darkness. Whatever sounds of commotion there are below - and above - are drowned out by the loud slam of something hitting against a set of huge wooden doors that are the main entrance in the south wall from the Outer Fayre. The doors barely move, a large, thick heavy crossbeam lying across both, bracing the doors from whatever force is being thrown against them. But with each thud, a shower of dust, disturbed by the vibration of the pounding, dances down from above, filling the air with motes, some of which, drifting through the torches’ hot flames spark and fizz.

As Clem and his troop move to the centre of the hallway, they turn back to check the progress of those behind. Helmet, Dozer and Madeleine are where they should be but Hood is still standing in the archway which causes an air of suspicion. Clem’s eyes narrow and the body language of his three guards changes to one of alert wariness. Above them the sounds of fighting still reverberate down into the hall, whilst before them, on the other side of the great doors a dull chanting can be heard.

THUD! CREAK!

Dozer, standing next to Helmet, suddenly gasps, his eyes widening, points and screams: “Barbarians!” All four of Mupert’s men turn towards the door, swords drawn to see absolutely no change whatsoever in the door’s status. The two guards at the rear, however, suddenly find their vision obscured by massive fingers as Dozer’s large hands grip the tops of each of their heads and slams them together. They fall unconscious onto the stone floor, the torches drop from their grasps, guttering and spluttering as they roll away.

Helmet, grasping the timing of the situation suddenly leans forward and, shouting a battle cry “For honour and glory!” runs like a charging bull, head down, full force into the third guard, knocking him aside, before continuing to career directly into Clem who is catapulted backwards just as the door bulges inwards slightly with another…

THUD!

Clem slides onto the floor, knocked out cold.

Helmet stands proudly, turning back to Dozer and Madeleine whose shadows dance and twist in the flickering torchlight, “I learnt that move from a very dear friend - I shall have to tell you of her one day.”

Dozer walks over to the guard that Helmet has just knocked to the ground and chokes him out, dragging his unconscious body and then that of Clem’s, so that all four of Mupert’s guardsmen are piled together.

Hood wanders over and carefully examines all four, murmuring something and waiving his hands over them. After doing this he gesticulates somewhat more and a large yellow glowing orb blossoms from his palms and rises high into the air, illuminating the hall.

“I know!” states Hy-Jinx loudly, sauntering through archway at the back of the hall behind them, and causing the four companions already in the hall to turn to her. “You don’t need to tell me…” she says as she skips and pirouettes around before turning a back flip over the unconscious pile of guardsmen and landing on her feet. “I’m wonderful!…But even more wonderful is Bembry!” She says this as if announcing someone at a formal banquet, lifting out an out-stretched hand in the direction of the archway she has just appeared through. As she does this Bembry slowly emerges carrying everyone’s weapons which he dumps unceremoniously before them on the floor - clearly a heavy burden.

“Here’s your stuff,” he says, wiping the sweat from his brow with the back of his forearm.

“Let’s move this lot to the back of the hall,” Madeleine says, motioning to the heap of guards at her feet.

Hy-Jinx, Dozer, Helmet and Madeleine each drag a guard whilst Hood wanders over and reclaims his satchel, checking that the contents are all still there. Having moved her guardsman, Hy-Jinx skips over to Bembry, whilst the others rummage for their weapons.

“Forgive me?” Hy-Jinx asks, planting a kiss on his cheek.

“I suppose so,” says Bembry, ruefully, as he rewinds a rope about his torso, before rubbing his cheek where Hi-Jinx has just planted a kiss.

THUD!