"Neven, would you like to hang out with us?" Seri stepped forward towards the thief, "I'd like to know more about you and my friends would like to hear more of the Realm since we don't go very far from the city itself."

"Sure," Neven smiled at Seri before he turned back to Irzen and Willow, "Guys, I'll catch up with you later." The Thief turned towards his new friend, "In truth, I would like to get to know you better and learn more about Asylum as well."

Gabe waved to the others to meet them back at the guild or the Gallows pub in the poor district. "Right. Seri, see you in a bit. You too, Neven."

Seri whisked her hair back over her shoulders and took the thief's arm, "Shall we?"

"Absolutely!" Neven eagerly took Seri's hand as they walked out of the temple together.

Seri gingerly walked out with Neven and down the hill back into the city. "So, what would you like to do? We could go and get a drink at the Gallows pub, or would you like a tour of Asylum?"

"Give me the grand tour of Asylum!" Neven declared boldly with a smile, "I know so little of this place and I would like to see a lot more of it--" With a sheepish grin the Thief added, "--And a lot more of you as well."

"It would be my pleasure," Seri winked at Neven. "Let's see, I'm sure you've started at the Neverending Story tavern, been to the poor and merchant districts, and the temple of Bahamut. So that leaves the rest of Asylum to see, eh?"

"Looks like Neven has made a new friend," Irzen mentioned to no one in particular.

"Or his new friend has made Neven," Willow responded with a knowing look, "They are Thieves after all. Only time will tell if their interest in each other is true."

The Swordsman nodded in agreement.

*******

Lazheros and Alyson stepped through the threshold of the lighthouse. The interior was deceptively bigger on the inside than on the outside. Typical of a mage creation. The main room had a two large couches on either side with book shelves behind both. At the far end was a desk covered with scrolls and various other writing tools. A set of spiral stairs could be seen just to the right and behind the desk that went further up. Plants hung from the twelve foot ceiling with long green tendrils glowing softly in the room.

Lazhreros ushered Alyson forward for her to have a seat on the couch to their left. She gladly sat down remembering how comfortable it was. He then walked to the back of the room just past the spiral stairs and came back with cup of hot mint tea for her.

A scuffling sound followed by clanking came from the stairs as someone descended them. A figure resembling a tin man, or construct stopped as it saw the elementalist sitting down and talking with the bronze man, "By Bahamut! Alyson? Is that you? You've grown into quite the woman!"

The elementalist took a sip of the mint tea and turned towards the figure, "Armendes. It's good to see you again."

Armendes was once a powerful wizard. A silver dragonborn who in an attempt to create a construct as a servant botched on the spell which left him without a body. Initially he believed that his spell was flawless failed to see the true cost of the work and magic that was required. In his haste, the magical spirit he summoned destroyed his mortal form and forced him to inhabit the construct instead. For the last five hundred years he has been a long friend and aid to Lazheros when ever his area of expertise was required.

Alyson let out a giggle at Armendes, "Teehehee!" It wasn't intentional but it did slip out loud enough for the wizard to crane his metal head around.

He sighed, "I heard that."

"Yes. You did. Sorry, after the day I've had, me laughing is a good thing," Alyson sat back against the back of the couch. "It's when I am not laughing you should be worried." An aura of fire surrounded her body in the presence of both the cleric and the wizard implying that her powers were returning faster.

"Ah! You've awakened! Truly awakened! That would explain the random storm that formed earlier. It always called to you. In fact, I clearly remember having to Teleport your younger self out the direct path of a lightning storm that naturally blew in. You're not immune to lightning you know." Armendes clamored forward some more in his construct body.

"No, I am not immune to lightning. Only resistant to it." Alyson stretched and yawned inconspicuously , "I am, however, immune to fire."

"Is that a fact?" Armenedes walked past her to look out the window towards the city and noticed a boat with three people heading in their direction.

Lazheros had went in the back room briefly and returned with his own cup of hot herbal tea. One of his own making. He didn't care for fermented beverages like wine or ale. To him it was foul tasting. He set it on the desk and walked over to see what Armendes was looking at. "Ah, it would seem that the king is coming for a visit, as well as two of Alyson's friends."

"She has friends?" Armendes asked sarcastically. His metallic voice reverberated within the construct body.

The mint tea that Lazheros had given Alyson to drink was taking affect on her. It made her sleepy and she struggled to keep her eyes open. It was a natural tea with a mellow sweet taste to calm the person who drank its contents. Sometimes causing the person to fall asleep and since she was already tired, it made it easier. When the bronze man glanced back to the elementalist she was asleep. The cup grasped loosely in her hand as she leaned against the arm of the couch.

The Bronze Man merely took the cup from her and placed it on the desk. Then he reached down and gathered her in his arms and ascended the stairs to the sleeping quarters on the second floor. A few minutes passed when Lazheros came back down and settled into the chair behind the desk. Grabbing his tea, he sipped it until it was gone.

He closed his eyes in contemplation. Had it not been for Alyson's friends, Sorvor might not have been exposed and found out. The test was a simple one that the young shield maiden had finally admitted to her mistake but her stubbornness will either make or break her. Caliaphy will now get the chance to see the rest of the Realm as it was her wish. The ranger cares not for his heritage or the simple fact, that there are emissaries from his homeland here in Asylum. The other two, the swordsman with two souls and the thief who could find a new life here depending on what he does. Young love is such a precious thing. The swordsman is always cautious, and his human half taking a ride in a body that's not his own. Time would tell....

From the back of the lighthouse, a pair of minstrels began playing their instruments softly. Lazheros liked to listen to them play whenever he visited all the taverns in Asylum. Each of them played something a little different, and the vibration was soothing. Breathing in deeply, he rose from his seat and grabbed both of the cups and returned them to the back room. The elementalist was sleeping soundly this time and wouldn't awake upon entry of her uncle and friends coming to the lighthouse for a visit. At the sound of foot steps approaching, he returned to the lobby and sat back down in his chair.

Armendes rotated forty five degrees to watch as the trio of men entered the lighthouse.

*********

It took Madeous, Irzen, and Willow several minutes to reach the docks where a single medium sized boat lay anchored there. The night watchman turned around upon hearing the trio approaching him. "Your majesty. Heading out to the lighthouse this evening?"

"Yes, and so are these fine gentlemen." The platinum knight grabbed a hold of the mooring rope and stepped into the boat."

The night watchman held up a lantern to signal another guard posted on the far side next to the lighthouse. He swung it back and forth three times to indicate how many people were coming over. "All right, if you will climb aboard, you will be received on the far end." The guard gestured to the swordsman and ranger.

Both Willow and Irzen joined Madeous in the boat.

Once all three were in the boat, a large rope popped up out of the water and pulled it across the one quarter mile ride from the docks to the lighthouse. It took about ten minutes for the boat to dock at the other end. The trio was met by another night watchman and a knight who patrolled the island.

"Welcome to the home of the Bronze Man. The lighthouse acts as both a beacon to ships and houses the entire history of Asylum itself from its beginnings." The knight said quietly as he waited for them to debark and head down the path. "I shall escort you to the lighthouse."

"Thank you," Willow added.

"By all means lead on," Irzen encouraged.

The knight led the the group of men to the lighthouse entrance, "This is where I take my leave, sire. Good evening to all." And he returned to patrolling the island once more.

Madeous headed up the stairs towards the doors as they opened by themselves revealing the lights within the building itself. They were greeted by a metallic, somewhat humanoid construct, "Do come in and have a seat please." At the far end of the large room sitting behind a desk lit with candles and a stack of scrolls on it, sat the Bronze Man.

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

"We learned Hide and Seek from Alyson long ago," Caliaphy smirked, "Well, first of all, not it. You are it. Two, we all hide and you count to fifty. No peeking. Then you say Ready or not, here I come. The safe area is the fountain in the center of Asylum. If any of us reach it there before you find us, we're safe. If you find and tag someone else, it's their turn to be it. You can start right outside the temple since its the one place that's off limits and we don't want to anger the Bronze Man. No, hiding in the buildings either. And no magic once the game starts by the person who's it."

"No magic by the person who's it?!" The Drowling screeched, "That's not fair! You and the rest of your little imps can use magic all day to evade me, but I can't use any? That's not fair at all."

The Kurori snapped her fingers and the children dispersed so fast that it would impress any battle field commander. She then looked at Serna, "Since your new to this, you get one free-bee." Still holding her hand, the two blinked in a flash of light and reappeared down below the temple at the edge of the city proper. "Okay, we hide now."

"Sure thing!" Serna ran with Caliaphy as they reappeared.

Meanwhile, War Scribe was more than a little perturbed that the rules were so obviously set up so that she would lose. In a huff, she stormed out of the temple, "No magic, indeed! That scheming little Elf and that pest with a shield won't be able to hide from me for long. I'll get them before they can even reach that stupid fountain!"

Caliaphy gestured to Serna to pick a spot near the docks. There were plenty of empty barrels for both to hide in while the chronicler counted down.

The Shield Maiden quickly looked around and selected a row of empty barrels that appeared to be set aside against a warehouse. Meanwhile, War Scribe started her countdown certain in the belief that she will win this little contest.

To make sure War Scribe didn't cheat, there were some among the normal children, those of human, gnome, or halfling that kept an eye out for her mischievousness. Providing an adequate distraction for the crafty drowling should she make an appearance.

When War Scribe finished her count, she whirled around to check the streets, "Come out! Come out! Wherever you are! You little rascals! I'll get each and every one of you sooner or later. So you might as well come out now and save me the trouble of finding you. Muwha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

She could hear multiple giggles of children hiding in places all around her. There were even some who bravely darted out into the well lit streets, taunting her, "Nah! Nah! Nah! Nahna!"