"Uh-huh." Smhee's mate eyed the ranger suspiciously as he downed another Greater Kobolds Fire Cracker. The drink burned all the way down but the seasoned sailor cared not.

The Ranger drained both of his tankards quickly and then waited form Smhee to finish his before he ordered another round of two drinks, "I did not know that any brew made by Kobolds could be this good. Thank you, good sir, for showing me a new delicacy. Shall we drink some more or have you had your fill?"

Smhee and his crew stopped momentarily from the game of drinks to the intrusion of militia and children. "Great! You kids know you're not supposed to use the tavern as an escape route to whatever dealings or wrong doings you've been up to. Take it outside!"

Willow took notice of the children and began to rise from his seat when the militia approached them.

*******

Both Serna and Neven sat quietly as they took more than a little passing interest in this drinking game.

At the entrance, a group of kids came running in a hurry which was followed by the sounds of weapons and curses from outside. A loud booming male voice bellowed, "FIND THOSE BRATS, NOW! SEARCH EVERYWHERE! THEY COULDN'T HAVE GONE FAR!"

Serna and Neven immediately took notice of the kids rose from their seats and ran towards them, "Hey! What's going on?"

A girl about Serna's age brought up a finger, "SHHHHHHH! Quiet!"

"You'll give us away!" Snarled the ginger haired boy next to her.

The sound of armored guards stepped through scanning the patrons of the tavern. One of them spotted the shield maiden talking with the kids, "YOU THERE! Step aside! NOW!!"

"What?" Serna turned towards the Guards.

"NOW! YOU'VE DONE IT! THANKS FOR NOTHING!!" Scowled the ginger haired boy at Serna, who promptly shoved her backwards while his friend bolted.

"Hey! Don't push her!" Neven called after the boy, "That's my job!"

The ginger haired boy then bolted through the kitchen and out the back door leaving Serna and Neven to deal with the militia guards instead.

Serna gave Neven a dirty look.

"Sorry," Neven replied sheepishly, "Bad joke?"

"The worst!"

The guards wore blue and red colors over their armor of the local militia. The one who spotted the trio talking advanced but caught Serna instead, "Well now. What do we have hear? The Major will be interested to see what your story is, girlie!"

"If you ask nicely, then I will be more than happy to come with you," Serna replied evenly before she dropped into a battle stance with her Shield at the ready, "But if you choose not to be nice about it, then I won't be nice to you!"

"Ditto!" Neven pulled his Cloak over his head, "Be nice or else!"

"Or else what, kid?" One of the guards advanced towards him.

The other just laughed, "Your little tricks and magic won't work in the tavern, girlie! You should of minded your own business! Too late now!"

"You mean too late for you," Serna responded with a smile as she brandished her shield, "Neven, if you please."

The Thief stamped his foot once and suddenly the shadows beneath the guards turned as translucent as water. Both of the men dropped into the shadowy pool up to their chins before they knew what hit them.

"Thank you, Neven," The Shield Maiden asked with a coy grin as she turned towards the guards, "You were saying?"

************

Alyson stirred in her sleep. The image of the Black Witch shimmered in the mirror across from her bed. Smiling wickedly, she stretched out her hand offering it to the elementalist. -You and I are one. We shall serve the Force of Evil always.....- Alyson bolted out of her sleep screaming at the mirror, "NEVER!"

The sound of the mirror shattering reverberated through out the entire upstairs. Some of the visitors were woken up, while some slept through the noise.

Alyson fire-balled the mirror melting into slag before grabbing her gear and jumping out the window. This place felt off and strange that it allowed the darkness to follow her from the Black City.

-Why? Damn Venger and his Black City. Serna was still the same. Defiant little brat. Eventually that place would of had an effect on the shield maiden. Eventually....- The elementalist told herself as she walked through the streets of Asylum. The place had a familiar ring to it somehow...

The two street kids that bolted out the Neverending Story tavern raced through the street brushed the elementalist but she caught the one trying to scalp her money bag. "Wrong answer!" She seized the ginger haired boy by the wrist and twisted his arm around behind his back hard. "Not interested in being robbed today, kid. You will have to do better than pilfering money from someone who was trained by two master thieves!"

The elementalist took the boy aside and slowly released him, "Take this silver. Twenty pieces for you and your friend, who's eyeing me from across the street there. Ten for you and ten for her. Now go."