Sergeant Talos took the lead, "Follow me." He lead the party outside of the barracks and took the street north for about a block before opening up to the large gardens that surrounded the base of the hill. The temple could be seen anywhere within Asylum, or by sailors coming into port. Paladins and knights patrolled the outer perimeter while normal folk traversed the grounds. The Temple itself could easily compare with the cathedrals of Earth in sheer size. White marble, granite, quartz made up of the exterior. Fine cloths draped the walls in and around the entrance. The crest of Bahamut was a shield with blue outlaying a Platinum dragon head. Some of the paladins, though, were dragon born. Mostly metallic. The rest were human or dwarven. Even fewer were elven.

The Adventurers just gawked and stared as they went. They were completely overwhelmed by their surroundings and did their best to take in all that they saw.

Upon entering, the adventurers saw the large dais that the elementalist had seen only an hour before. Once again, stood the cleric in Bronze robes, his arms tucked into his long sleeves quietly observing them as they approached.

Sergeant Talos stopped about fifteen feet and bowed out of respect for the Bronze Man, "Major Zilc has sent these adventurers per your request."

The Bronze Man reached up and removed his hood again and in a calm voice, "Well done, Sergeant. I see you are assigned to see this task through?"

"Yes sir."

"Ah. So, who are these fine people that found themselves in a bit of a fix?" The Bronze Man asked Irzen and company, "As well as two younglings all too eager to help, hmmm?"

"I am Dy'var Irzen, Swordsman," The Dark Elf replied simply.

"A Drow swordsman in the service for good. A rare one, that you are, Irzen," The Bronze Man noted.

The Swordsman nodded in agreement.

"I am Willow the Ranger," The Wood Elf added with a brief nod.

"Just a ranger or someone in exile, willingly or otherwise?" The Bronze Man questioned Willow.

"Both," Willow replied without batting an eyelash.

"My name is Neven," The Thief responded without batting an eyelash, "And I am a Pilgrim."

"Since when does a pilgrim don a Cloak of Shadows, young man? More like a Thief with a specialized skill set." Said the Bronze Man raising an eye brow.

"Why can't I be both?" Neven replied in kind, "People can be many things depending upon the circumstances."

"Hi! My name is Serna," The Shield Maiden beamed from ear to ear, "And I am a Shield Maiden."

"Aren't you a bit young to be a Shield Maiden of Deeping Dale, young lady? Where are your elders? Are you sure you are prepared for what awaits to challenge you in the Realm entire?" The Bronze Man replied.

"Dungeon Master doesn't think so," Serna replied earnestly before she waved her hand back to her friends, "And you're looking at my elders. And if I were not prepared to face the challenges of the Realm then I would not be here today!"

The Bronze Man sighed, "Hmm, children are unpredictable such as the group of young ones he summoned from Earth nearly twenty years ago in the hopes of turning Venger to his former self. However, Dungeon Master is by no means infallible in what he sees in using and or having children doing what previously failed groups of adventurers couldn't do. Save for Madeous Khyng and his friends but in the end, they were forced to leave the Realm by doing too much good according to Dungeon Master."

"And who, pray tell, are you?" Irzen asked with a raised eyebrow, "Doc Savage?"

"Ah-hah! As I thought! Two souls sharing one vessel." The Bronze Man chuckled at the Swordsman sarcastic reply, "One soul of the Realm and one of Earth, correct?"

"Correct!" Irzen smiled with a vicious grin.

The Bronze Man's posture straighten as he addressed the party, "I am a cleric of Bahamut. Known to the residents of Asylum, as the Bronze Man but known as--" He paused as sensing someone waking from a dream.

"--someone who pauses for dramatic effect?" Serna quipped sarcastically.

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

The elementalist awoke from the deep sleep that the Bronze Man placed her in to silence the darkness. She felt completely refreshed and better than she had in a month. Stretching she heard the voices of her companions echoing throughout the temple and went to investigate.

Alyson entered the main chamber and saw Irzen, Willow, Serna, and Neven with one of the militia guardsmen there as well as The Bronze Man. Walking over and standing next to the cleric, "Oh, hey guys. This is Lazheros, he's an old friend of my Uncle Madeous."

The entire party was stunned to see Alyson although Irzen was the first to speak, "Wait a minute! Didn't we leave you at the inn so you could take a nap?"

"You did?" She blinked then shrugged, "...couldn't sleep. Bad dreams and all. Don't remember anything after that."

"Yeah, what in the Realm are you doing here, Alyson?" Serna asked shaking her head.

"Sleepwalking, I think." The elementalist scratched her head.

Lazheros was glad to see Alyson revived and sensed the darkness sealed away once more. Just as it should be. "Your friends have found themselves in a bit of a fix."

"Really? What happened? Who did it? And why?" She looked kind of confused at the cleric then at the party.

Willow calmly explained to Alyson all that happened in her absence leaving nothing out and holding nothing back.

The elementalist still remembered Willow's brutal honesty. Cut throat as ever, or damning from a certain point of view. She recoiled from him somewhat not sure why it bothered her.

Lazehros took notice of Alyson's body language and placed his hand gently on her shoulder reassuring her that all is well.

"Now do you understand why we are in the mess that we are in?" Irzen asked nonchalantly.

"Okay. So now you're the Realm's version of the 'Scooby Doo?" Alyson chuckled.