Quake walked out of cobble stone base of the street next to the fountain to see the green haired Kurori waiting for her already. "Golly gee, you beat me! Must be nice to teleport anywhere you like, huh?"

"Teehehee! You're silly, for an elemental! You are her, at least apart of her!" Seama glowed brightly enough to light up the whole area of the fountain.

"Yup. She shaped me out of clay and gave me form. Then she came to the Realm, she gave me life and it felt really, really good!" Quake replied to Seama, "So, how do you know the Lady?"

"Why do you call her that?" Seama gave Quake a confused look.

"It's helps to tell us apart and it really annoys that drowling of a chronicler too." Quake could hear the sound of children coming in all directions headed north to the temple of Bahamut.

"Alyson came here for a few summers when she was little. The Bronze Man enjoyed her company and so did we all. Then we didn't see her anymore, and the Bronze Man was sad, so sad to not be able to be with his companion." Seama fluttered up and around Quake, "And then I heard him laugh! Really laugh! Oh my heart was glad again to hear him laugh! He loves Alyson. Her kind smile, her child like whims made him laugh and it was good."

Quake's jaw hit the ground with a thud, "Huh? He loves her? Like for real?"

"Oh, yes! Very much so! We hope that she will stay here in Asylum and keep him happy!" Seama giggled with joy.

The elemental stared at the fairy in shock. What she just heard floored her but after a few minutes she replied, "So, which way to Madame Mabels washer womens place?"

"This way! Follow me," Seama gingerly bobbed back and forth so Quake could keep pace.

Both Seama and Quake could hear whispers and giggles from children hiding in around the Commons as they approached Madame Mabel's place. "Stay on the path. Don't engage, just ignore them. Caliaphy gets upset when other people aren't apart of her games and interfere."

"Works for me. Honestly, I'm not in the mood to play games either. The Lady would really like to have her clothes cleaned and returned to her soon." Quake did her best not look and watch the children running around and having fun. At the fore front of the row of buildings sat Madame Mabel's washer womens place. The smell of steam and clean linens flapping from lines strung from the buildings to poles signified they were at the right place.

Seama snapped her fingers and the door opened. She went in first followed by Quake. An average, voluptuous red haired, green eyed woman approached the two of them. She looked more a like consort than a woman of business. "Aye! 'Ello, Can I help ye? Seama, my dear, who's your friend?"

Seama giggled and bowed before the woman, "Madame Mabel, this is Quake."

Speaking with an Irish accent and with a smile to match Madame Mabel, "Welcome to me establishment and business. What can I do for you?"

"The Lady would said you would know how to get these properly cleaned. The Bronze Man pranked her at the lagoon." Quake said sheepishly.

"The Lady?"

"Alyson has returned to Asylum. She came with her friends!" Seama beamed from ear to ear.

"Oh! I see! Well then, I'll have them cleaned right away." Madame Mabel took notice of Quake's strange features, "What are you...exactly supposed to be, lass?"

"An elemental dragon created by the lady. My first time attempt to polymorph to human didn't exactly go like it was supposed to happen." Quake sighed.

Madame Mabel placed a hand on the elemental's shoulder and winked, "You'll figure it out, lass. I bet the Bronze Man can help you out with that. Come on, this way. You can stay while Alyson's robes and gear get washed and cleaned and I'd like to hear how she's been all these years."

"It's too steamy and hot in here!" Seama waved both arms to fan the mist away.

"The steam doesn't bother me. If you think this is hot, try in a volcano." Quake laughed, "Now that's hot!"

Madame Mabel laughed with the elemental, "I can see a bit of Alyson in you. Makes sense. She was always silly little lass. She had a way of bringing out smiles and laughter to those who didn't have it. Except the one time where she gave the Bronze Man a hard time. That was epic."

"She did?"

"Aye! She didn't want to stay still for a robe fittin,' fought'em every second, and even attempted to get out of the lighthouse one way or another. She was a bit of tom-boy, and hated robes and dresses and such. Made me laugh when I went over to assist him. He said, I wasn't helping the situation. I told him, she's a child. They don't always want to do what you want them to."

"Sounds like the Lady!" The elemental laughed again.

*********

The Bronze Man walked to where to the room where Alyson slept. He opened the door and walked in. It was the same room, she had when she spent her summers here as a child. -Still asleep. As it should be.- Although he hadn't experienced her wrath on Earth after the way her parents had used her as a wild card in their eyes. He did feel the rage of a child back then. Her rage was potent and deadly. No one died according to what Madeous had told him but the very building was nearly liquefied and several people were sent to the hospital. Walking over to the window, he opened it to allow the cool night air flow in the room just enough. Glancing at her once more, he pulled the blanket up and covered her with it. Then left for the evening and quietly closed the door behind him.

Lazheros returned to his own chambers to meditate on the recent events of that day. His heart was filled with hope again. The elementalist had found her way back to Asylum without the help of Madeous. And she brought back the half orc, Bruno as well. He would read the report of Bruno's reconnaissance of the dreaded Black City in time. The surface thoughts that he had gleamed off of Alyson's friends told him much about that place, and how with luck they managed to survive and ultimately escape. The Black City itself in ruins and severally crippled Venger's war effort to conquer the Realm. He sensed someone in Alyson's room suddenly that was not there a second ago and went to investigate.

The main door of the lighthouse opened and elderly peasant man in robes entered. He looked about and admired the interior. Not too gaudy and simple display to guests alike. The man walked towards the spiral stairs and proceeded up to the second floor. He was passed by several attendees and servants who paid him no attention as they believed him to a resident of the city. Turning to the room where the elementalist slept, the door opened by itself and the man entered. The room was simple and meant for a small child not for a grown woman who slept soundly in the bed. The man smiled gently as he placed his hand on her forehead and whispered softly, *Vorelvoratrix wux. Ux darastrix.*

The elderly man withdrew his hand and turned towards the door with Lazheros standing in the threshold. The old man's blue eyes shown through the shadow of his hood enough portraying a celestial presence to the Bronze Man that he had no intention of harming Alyson by bestowing a blessing on her.

The Bronze Man stepped inside the room still facing the old man bowed before him with reverence knowing that this visitor was much more than he appeared to be.

The elderly man placed a hand on the bronze man's shoulder and in the common tongue, "Blessed be, Lazheros." With that he simply walked out the room and disappeared as if he was never there.

Alyson mumbled in her sleep, "Bahamut...."

The Bronze Man closed his eyes. He had a simple wish and now it had finally been granted. Smiling he neared the sleeping elementalist and brushed her hair back away from her face before returning once more to his own chambers.

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

He remembered when he first met her and barely recognized the child as Alysiane. She was seven years old, and had secretly followed her uncle through the portal from Earth to Asylum. Madeous had no idea that his niece had sneaked past him on his brief stop to the Kingdom beyond the Great Veil. She was walking through the temple of Bahamut more in awe and wonder than worried about getting caught. The acolytes and clerics wondered where this strange child came from. She didn't look like any of the children of Asylum when one came to him and told him that she was out in the garden area of the grounds.

There she was sitting on a bench in jeans, sneakers, and a t-shirt. Hair in a rough pony tail with glasses. She was petting one of the two dragonee on the nose. As he watched this seven year fearlessly stand up on the bench seat, and climb on the back of the other like a pony. "Giddie up!"

The knights and acolytes looked at each other in confusion. Some of them quietly laughed to each other and found it amusing to see this child of another world on the back of a dragonee. The creature merely walked around to amuse the girl a little and then decided it had enough of the human offspring on its back and sat down. The other one grabbed her by the shirt and pulled her off of the other one. "Awww!"

The Bronze Man approached slowly and in a calm voice, "Child, where is your mother or father?"

Without missing a beat, "In prison."

"What?" The Bronze Man looked confused for a second then asked again, "Aunt, uncle?"

"I followed Uncle Madeous here. I knew he a secret. This place is COOL!" The girl whirled around and finally looked up at him, "Who are you?"

Lazheros couldn't believe his eyes or ears at who stood before him. The last he saw this child she was an infant. "My name is Lazheros, may I sit down?"

The girl scratched her head, "Umm....sure I guess." She went back to petting the dragonee again.

Lazheros relaxed a little, "I am a friend of your Uncle Madeous."

"Really?"

"Yes. What is your name?" The Bronze Man asked while observing her.

At first she didn't answer. Petting the dragonee only seemed to matter. Finally she realized that this guy wasn't gonna hurt her, and relaxed a little, "I'm Alyson."

Again the Bronze Man was speechless. Had her time on Earth been harder there than here? He sensed that she was unhappy and hadn't gotten much in way of love of any kind or any nurturing that parents are supposed to do when raising a family. "Tell me, child. Do you dream of this place? Do you dream of the Realm?"

"Uh-huh," Alyson nodded while petting the dragonee, "Uncle Madeous has told me stories about place called the Realm of Dungeon's and Dragons before I go to sleep every night. He seems sad sometimes and lost when he talks of the Realm. I've tried to cheer him up but he gets really mad. He's scary when he's mad. You don't seem like the person to get mad like him."

The Bronze Man stood back up, "Come along, Alyson. Your uncle will have to told that you are here."

"What?! No! No!" She ran towards him grabbing his arm, "He'll send me back! He'll be angry, he'll be..." She started to cry a little.

Lazheros reached around and comforted young Alyson gently. "I am sorry, child but you cannot stay here unless he says otherwise." He took out a small cloth and dried her eyes. "Be brave, child and you may yet get your wish to stay here in Asylum."

He offered his hand and she reluctantly took it. She sniffed the whole way back into the main chamber of the temple itself. Madeous Khyng, was there but he hadn't seen her so she hid behind the Bronze Man as much as possible.

"Lazheros. I am ready to go forth to the kingdom beyond the Great Veil." Madeous said when saw him approach.

"As you wish but there is one issue that you and I must address first before you take your leave." The grand cleric said as he gently pulled Alyson out from behind him.

"Alyson? How? When?" The platinum knight gasped in utter surprise.

"I..I followed you when you thought I was taking a nap. Seriah taught me how to sneak better." She confessed to her uncle.

"Did she now?" Rubbing his chin trying to figure out how to bring Alyson back to Earth.

"Can I stay here? With Lazheros?" Alyson said suddenly looking up at the Bronze Man then at Madeous, "please?"

"I don't know--"

Lazheros offered, "Let her stay here while you're gone to your kingdom, Madeous. She's in good hands. You know that. Then on your return trip, Alyson will go back with you to Earth."

The girl remained holding the grand cleric's hand while Madeous pondered the question. All Alyson could hope for was at least to have fun and it would let him do what he needed.

"Very well. You may stay with Lazheros while I'm gone. Think of it as a long summer vacation." The platinum knight knelt down eye to eye with her, "Give me a hug, kiddo. I will see you in couple of months. Be good and listen to him."

Alyson let go of the cleric's hand and gave her uncle a hug. "Thank you! Thank you so much, Uncle Madeous!"

Madeous stood back up and both of his dragonee had joined him now. Taking the medallion from around his neck, he spoke words of sylvan and draconic and a portal appeared to the left of the group. "Good Journey!"

Lazheros held Alyson's hand again as the two watched Madeous and his dragonee pass through the portal and disappear. It shimmered a couple of time before disappearing.