Sorry that happened to you mell :hrm Live and learn. Could you have possibly asked a Berserker if the combined item/items were "no drop" ? There are few other items in the game once you do the final combine it is "No Drop".. If I remember correctly from YEARS ago (not sure if is still the same) the rogue epic has at least one if not more items that end up being no drop.

As far as GM's not being able to return the non-combined items to you, that is bullshit.. Perhaps not now with the new system and robot like CS, but back in teh day they were fairly kind and understanding.