"I suggest that you let the young lady go" came a pleasant, baritone voice. It belonged to a faun, a hairy goat-man, naked, whose chest, arms and legs were prodigious masses of muscle and who was carrying a club in one hand.
"Who are you?" asked the slaver, nonplussed.
"Never mind who I am. Let the lady go or face the consequences." He slapped the club against his hand.
The slaver made a gesture, and sent a spell at the faun. The faun dodged easily.
"Very well" he said, and covered the distance between himself and the slaver with blinding speed. He raised the club with his right hand, and as the slaver turned away the faun struck him a mighty blow on the chin with his left hand, knocking him out.
The dryad sent out a vine to seize Niki and undo her prison.
"Thank you" said Niki to the faun. "Are you the one who protects women in the forest?"
"Yes" he said "My name is Silvanus. Are you well?"
"Yes, I'm OK. That guy was really creepy--he wanted to use fairies to kill elves or something."
The faun laughed. "I can't get over how he's dressed! Dude, it is possible to overdo it with the 'black looks cool' thing!"
Niki and the dryad joined in the laughter, Niki more out of nervous relief than anything else.