"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?"

"Indeed it does," Neven agreed, "Indeed it does."

She pointed to where the various other guilds were located throughout Asylum. They passed the fountain and saw a bunch of children there playing around it. "Hide and Seek, they call it. Must good enough to bring all the little ones out to play, huh?"

*******


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.

********

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.

"Thank you!" Willow replied politely to the construct.

"Greetings, Lazheros, I have to say that all of this is somewhat surprising," Irzen quipped upon seeing the Bronze Man, "I was half expecting your domicile to be a dragon's lair full of gold coins, silver chalices, chests strewn with emeralds, rubies and diamonds littered about the cavern floor. Not a lighthouse full of old books and even older scrolls. Or am I seeing only what you want me to see?"

The Bronze Man opened his eyes and leaned forward placing his arms up under his chin as he viewed the three of them. He viewed the swordsman in utter silence. His gaze pierced the swordsman mind enough to make him recoil as as a warning. "The lighthouse is my home. If you're referring to a dragon's lair, you'll find none here. Many have searched for what they believed to my 'lair,' and only found the remains of broken and ruined ships at the bottom of the sea."

Armendes clamored over with some drinks, "refreshments?" He needed to defuse the situation. He knew all too well, when someone learned about the Bronze Man's true nature, the conversation could go south fast.

Madeous gestured to Armendes, "I'll have one, thanks. Still acting as custodian of the lighthouse?"

"Yes, yes. Still not interested in venturing outside and having salt seize my mechanical parts solid. No thank you!" Armendes metallic voice echoed through the lighthouse.

*******

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!"

"Come back here you little brat!" The Drowling snapped as she gave chase to a little girl who jumped out from behind a building and taunted her, "I'll get you!"

"Teehehehe!" The little girl squealed excitedly and bolted down the street even faster before jumping over a couple of empty crates and down an alley way.