For once, she felt like her uncle was being truly sincere about his travel plans perhaps the curse that Venger had placed had no affect here in the Realm. "A part of me wants to go with you and see this grand kingdom but I need time to think, uncle. I feel that's there's more to me just being of the Realm entire."

Madeous was a man of strong will and could mask and or hide whatever to anyone else except for Alyson. With a heavy sigh, he told her of origins. "That last battle...knocked us off our feet. In our stubbornness, we believed that Venger could be stopped, or at best be put in his place for a long time. He won with the aid of Dungeon Master in a manner of speaking. There's some connection between those two."

"I heard there was a group of children from Earth, that Dungeon Master had summoned to thwart Venger's plans and something about redemption. I don't know how far they got or if they made it back home." The elementalist told her uncle.

Lazheros walked over to the table nearby refilled the cups with wine for them. They both looked like they needed a drink. As he walked back over, "I disapprove of children being coerced into solving problems caused by adults. Children are children. Let them be and let them enjoy their time of innocence whenever it arises."

Both Madeous and Alyson gratefully took the cups of wine and drank them.

"Thank you," The elementalist made eye contact with the cleric. There was a sense of understanding between them, more so, than before.

Lazheros's gaze allowed a telepathic connection with the elementalist, -Child. You are a wonder to behold. Your friends are truly blessed to have you in their company. Come visit sometime for I wish to show you your birthright.-

"Uncle Madeous, how long will you be staying in Asylum?" Alyson out of the trance turning to the Platinum Knight.

Madeous Khyng finished the cup of wine. He did noticed the connection between his long time friend and his niece. He knew what it was. The same connection he had with Celestra. A Telepathic Bond is formed between a metallic dragon and a chosen human. "I will be here for another day before I take my leave for *Ux Verthicha Arux Darastrix.*

At the mention of the sacred city by Madeous, several acolytes, clerics, and patrons of the Platinum Dragon approached and bowed before him. They held him with great respect for being one of Bahamut's legendary Platinum Knights.

**********

The older teen who invited Neven to sit down shuffled the dice in his hand and threw it on the table, "I'm Gabe. I run this lot throughout Asylum. Information is our game. So, you want to see the guildmaster, eh? Where you transferring from? You certainly aren't from around here."

"True enough!" Neven nodded in agreement, "I'm from Deeping Dale! Have you ever heard of it? We lost our guild master, three more rose up to take his place and then we had a full fledged thieves war. Nasty business it is. That's why I'm here. To practice my trade in peace."

"Never heard of it." The one in the far corner said eyeing Neven's friends standing near the entrance of the pub.

"Don't mind them," Neven smiled at the lad in the far corner, "They're my backup. They're not looking for trouble. They just want to keep me out of it."

The girl with the reddish brown hair smiled at Neven again, "You're cute. So, who's the one in charge now?"

Neven smiled back at the girl, "You're cute too! No one's in charge. The thieves war was still raging when I left. It's awfully hard to practice your trade when your fellow guild members are either trying to kill you or rob you or both. I got out of there with my head still on my shoulders and my skin still intact and I haven't looked back since."

"Now I see why you wanted to get out. Can't be in a guild with no system to keep things going like. No sir." One of the teens who was playing dice stopped momentarily then went back to throwing the dice.

Some of the others playing dice glanced occasionally at Neven and the party from time to time. Talking among each other or hap-haphazardly starring at him. The gaze made Neven uncomfortable as if the teen was reading his thoughts.

"A copper piece for your thoughts?" Neven asked no one in particular before he turned towards the girl with reddish brown hair and gave a friendly wink of the eye.

"How thoughtful," She reached across the table, grabbing Neven's shirt pulling him close and kissed him. "I'm Seri."

Neven was at first surprised by the kiss but then began to enjoy it before Seri released him, "I'm Neven. By the way, beautiful, did you happen to lose this?"

She giggled clearly impressed with his skill set, "You're good. I think you'll fit right in nicely, Neven."

Neven opened his hand to reveal a small silver ring that he had slipped off of Seri's finger without her noticing, "I hope it has as much sentimental value as what you took from me."

"Are you sure about that?" She rubbed her hands together in a ball like motion and then opened them producing some gems. High value gems and very real.

"Nice! Very nice," The Thief smiled, "From which Jeweler did you liberate these trinkets? If I am permitted to join, then I might pay a visit to the one who crafted these."

A few feet away from Neven, one of the regulars who frequented the pub growled suddenly aloud, "What?!? Gods, I swear this district is cursed! Is nothing sacred here? That's it! I'm done doing business here!" And he stammered out of the Gallows Pub angrily.

Neven's eyes cut toward the man though he did not turn his head to look at him, "What's his problem?"

*******

"What is Neven doing?" Serna asked Seargent Talos, "Is he trying to make friends or trying to make out?"

Sergeant Talos kept his eye on Neven and the others not saying a word. He simply observed the whole scene as it happened. Without missing a beat, "He's working. Maybe if you got out more and viewed how people less fortunate than you worked and lived, you might understand better."

"I travel The Realm, fight monsters, free people and save lives," Serna retorted sharply, "I have lived and worked among the less fortunate. How much more getting out do I really need to do?"

Now slightly curious about Serna's response Talos asked, "Is that so? And what pray tell have you and your friends fought of late? Monsters? Villains? Terrible foes?"

"All of the above," Serna boasted, "From ancient black dragons to evil black witches to the Dark Lord of the Realm himself. You name it, we've encountered it, fought it and vanquished it in that order."

"I have to admit, Willow, the lad's got skills," Irzen took note of Neven's interaction with his fellow thieves, "He's got the red-head all but eating out of his hand."

"It's not the girl that concerns me but the company she keeps," Willow walked over to the bar and raised his hand to order a drink, "They keep watchful eyes upon him and us."