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.

In unison both guards snarled but remarkably held their footing. One of them caught sight of the thief's sneak attack and seized him by the cloak.

"Hey! Let go!" Neven cried out as the Guard grabbed him.

The rest of the patrons gave the group a wide berth. They'd seen this before and weren't having it.

"GOT'CHA!"

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

The other grabbed Serna so fast she couldn't retaliate with her shield. "As I said, girlie. You and your friend can explain to Major Zilc why you were aided and abiding two street rats with a sizable bounty on their heads!"

All the while, two more militia guards had entered the tavern to assist with weapons drawn. They surveyed the crowd especially the newest party in the tavern warily.
One of the armed guards took noticed of the ranger, "Friends of yours?" Gesturing to Serna and Neven, "Complaints will be heard by the Major at the barracks, center of town."

"Yes, they are our friends," Willow and Irzen walked up to the Guards and stood together with their hands on the pommel of their swords.

"Now, be nice like the young lady said, let them go and we will all gladly join you and pay a visit to your Major Zilc," Irzen spoke in a calm measured tone of voice.

"Refuse us and you will not like the outcome," Willow added in kind, "The choice is yours."

"Very well," The lead guard took notice of both elves with their hands at the ready, "After you." He gestured towards the door.

Mertul came out from the kitchen with a tray of food and noticed the commotion. She sighed setting the tray on the bar as she headed over to the crowd, "This stunt, my lords and lady, is not acceptable. The Militia are Asylum's police here. They're good at their job and do it well."

Turning to the Shield Maiden, "Young one. Do not be so hasty when charging into a situation that you don't fully understand. My tavern is neutral ground. No fighting. Certainly no magic allowed in dining area. Don't make me get Harley in here..."

"Harley?! Who's Harley?" Serna asked innocently enough.

"You need something, mum?" A voice spoke from behind the bar and proceeded to float over. All eight eye stalks surrounding the massive eye with a row of razor sharp teeth. This was Harley, a rare white beholder who EYED the whole group suspiciously. "As the lady said, no magic allowed."

Both the Shield Maiden and the Thief openly gasped at the sight of the White Beholder.

Without missing a beat, Irzen deadpanned, "You ever get the feeling that you're just outgunned?"

"Like now?" Willow asked without batting an eyelash.

"Yeah, like now!" The Swordsman replied evenly before he turned towards the Guard that earlier addressed them, "You said your Major Zilc resides in the barracks at the center of town, right? Well, lead on!"

Irzen walked over to Serna while Willow took a flanking position next to Neven as the Guards ushered them out of Mertul's tavern.

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

-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."

Without saying a word the ginger haired boy and his friend vanished into the crowd. Alyson did makes sure nothing else was taken. -All items accounted for.- And continued walking down the street as if nothing happened.