"Some call it the Tree of Life, some say its called, Yggdrasil, the World's Tree, and those of a place called Pandora, call it the Aiwa. We've always known it be the Ancient Tree. All the fey in the Realm live there. They have one Elder that counsels them and their ties with the Sidhe are also present there too. How old it is, even the Bronze Man doesn't know. Your guess is as good as mine, Neven." Seri held out her hand and several of the lightning bugs landed on it, "Make a wish."

"Do you want me to say it aloud or do so silently?" Neven asked a little unsure about what to do next.

Seri smiled warmly before him, "Say it with heart, say it with mind, and always believe." The cool breeze of the late evening picked up a little on the top of the wall. She stepped to the left as the wind blew between her and the thief. The starlight sky was both mesmerizing and dangerous at the top of the wall.

Neven closed his eyes and silently made his wish. Upon opening his eyes he smiled at Seri, "My wish came true."

Seri released the tiny creature back with its fellows and wrapped her arms around the thief again, "And what is your wish?" The wind swirled around the young pair on the wall over looking both the Ancient Tree and the city of Asylum. Lights of a different kind flashed in the western sky though. Seri was too engaged with Neven to notice the storm on the horizon.

"That I would find happiness," Neven replied, "And I have found it--with you!" With that said, he gave Seri a kiss.

Seri embraced him again slowly and lost in the moment when she began to feel rain drops. "Oh, my dear Neven, we should continue this under cover. I only tell you this because the rain here will soak you to the bone in minutes and that would totally kill the mood. And I don't want to lose you to the elements either."

"Okay!" Neven replied, "Where should we go?"

"I borrowed these from the watch early today," She held up a set of keys. "They'll unlock any tower on this wall. Pick one."

"How about that one?" Neven picked the tower that was closest to them though it was fifty yards away.

"Okay!" She headed straight for the one he pointed at. She ran through the keys until she found the right one to unlock the door. It opened and she pulled Neven in behind her just as the wall of water hit. **WHOOSH!** Closing the door, she scoped out the tower just in case they were not alone. "All clear. We have our own private tower for the evening."

"Sounds like a winner to me," Neven wrapped his arms around Seri's waist, "Now, where were we?"

She giggled and teased him a little with her hands running down his chest to his belt then back up to his chin. She licked her lips hungrily, "Show me what you got, Neven." She took off her cloak and dropped in on the floor. "You're not shy are you?"

"Far from it," Neven took his cloak, pulled it over his head and slipped both himself and Seri into the Shadow World, "You showed me your world, Seri, now let me show you mine. What do you think?"

She looked around, everything was black and white. Even her and Neven, "Umm...its kinda cool. Not what I was expecting."

Neven laughed, "It never is what people expect. Welcome to the Shadow Realm, Seri, it's the world behind our world. And portals to it exist everywhere. All you need is a shadow--any shadow--and you can get here."

"It's kinda of creepy here, Neven and there are things looking back at us. Take me back, please. I'd rather see Deeping Dale or Storm Haven, not the Shadow Realm." Seri was starting to freak out, "Take me back to Asylum where's there's color and real people."

"Sure, no problem!" Neven and Seri emerged from the Shadow Realm and back into the tower through one of the shadows cast by candlelight, "We're back! Are you okay?"

"All I want to do is spend quality time with you, Neven, tonight. Just the two of us, and then I planned on going to the lighthouse for breakfast. The Bronze Man is hosting a buffet for Alyson and her friends." Seri hugged the thief again and whispered in his ear, "Okay?"

"Sure, that's fine with me," Neven smiled as he returned Seri's hug with one of his own, "And I have no plans for tomorrow either. I'll join you for the buffet. Now, where were we?"

Neven planted a soft kiss upon Seri's lips.

***********

For a moment the platinum knight pondered the questions at hand, and finally gave him a reply. "She's the Golden Lady. A paladin of Bahamut, righteous to the core, my bonded companion--," He stopped mid sentence and gave the swordsman a hard stare, "What you playing at, Irzen? I can hold my liquor. You don't strike me as the type that can hold yours. Careful, you don't get yourself hurt."

A couple of militia guards doing the night patrol came in drenched. They rung out their cloaks at the door. One spoke up to the patrons of the tavern, "Storm blew in folks. Watch your step if you choose to leave out in that mess."

The other added, "Better yet just stay inside where its dry."

The regular patrons broke out into laughter at the sight of the militia guards who both went up to the bar and asked for a stiff drink each.

Irzen looked at both of the guards before he turned his attention back to Madeous, "I am playing at nothing! Venger banished her to another world, right? And Celestra is a paladin of Bahamut, right? Well, considering the importance of the players in that little drama, I bet dollars to donuts there was a Chronicler of Validor around at the time to record that event. And if there was one present, then she probably recorded which world Venger sent Celestra off to. So--"

"--so all we have to do is get War Scribe to take us to The Great Library, find the right tome that would have that knowledge and then we would know where Venger sent her." Willow nodded his head in agreement.

"The Great Library? It doesn't exist!" Madeous downed another gulp of his drink. He wiped his chin off and sighed, "There might of been here during the invasion of the Torque Armanda thirty years ago. Mind you time is different here in the Realm than on Earth. And I recall that Armendes stated there was one."

"It does exist," Irzen replied calmly, "How do you think my friends and I sneaked into The Black City without Venger's knowledge? The Great Library has a portal that connects to the Draznien Library located in The Black City. Or at least it had one until we sucked the city into a black hole. However, we have a Chronicler of Validor who can take us to The Great Library."

"And War Scribe is bound by her god to aid all who seek knowledge there," Willow added, "She cannot refuse us even if she wanted to."

"So, what are you afraid of, Madeous?" Irzen asked the Platinum Knight, "Or, more to the point, what do you have to lose?"

"Look the only place I know of is Sigil, the city of Doors which is located between the Prime Material and the Outlands. Alyson spoke of a great library but that's the Akashic Records which is only attainable by Astral Projection, or physically going to the Etheric Plane." The platinum knight took another big gulp of his stein and waved Mertul over for a refill.

He sat back and stared across the tavern and then blinked, "I will consider what you've offered at least."

"Why don't you consider instead what War Scribe has to say," Irzen counter-offered, "I can summon her here if you wish. All you have to do is say the word and I can bring her here."

"So what say you, Madeous," Willow added, "This is as good a chance as you are liable to get."

The platinum knight finished his second stein of Dragon Fire and stood up, "As I said I will consider what you suggested, Irzen. Two, you both are invited to the lighthouse for the breakfast buffet, or you may get breakfast here, your choice. I bid you good night."

Madeous brought the stein up to the bar and headed up to his room for the evening. There was a lot on his mind or was it the alcohol talking. He was glad to see Alyson again and how far she had come in the Realm thus far. Her choice of company was somewhat questionable but more so, he figured that she might actually stay in Asylum to be with Lazheros. He couldn't say no anymore, she was a grown woman quite capable of making her own decisions. In the morning, he would head back to the lighthouse for the breakfast buffet one last time before he would depart.

"Blunt, direct and to the point," Irzen turned to Willow, "In spite of my best nature, I am beginning to like this man."

Willow nodded as he followed Madeous' example, "But he does have a point. Rest would be most welcome right now. How about you?"

"I agree," Irzen pulled himself up from the table and walked with Willow back to the bar, "A good night's rest would do me a world of good."

***********

Quake got done lugging in the heavy loads of laundry and came to find Madame Mabel and found Serna, Caliaphy, and least of all, War Scribe. "It's the three amigas! Hahaha! Wait a minute," It dawned on the elemental, "you actually stayed and played with the kids, War Scribe?"

"Yeah, fright face, and I actually had fun!" War Scribe chided the Elemental.

Serna gave War Scribe a hard nudge in the ribs, "You played nice earlier today, so be nice now."

The Drowling sighed, "Okay, yes, Quake, I played Hide and Seek with the kids and I actually had fun."

"Better?" The Chronicler turned towards Serna.

"Better." The Shield Maiden replied with a grin.

"Wonders never cease," Quake laughed again, "Wait 'til the Lady hears about this one."

Madame Mabel sat down on one of the many stools that randomly littered the main room, "So, will ye be staying for the night 'ere too? I don't have beds just hammocks 'ere. Then in the morning was heading to the lighthouse for some breakfast. The Bronze Man does host a fantastic variety of foods for guests."

"I might, I might not, it all depends," The Chronicler replied dismissively.

"Thank you for the offer," Serna declared as she sat down on a stool, "I really would not mind waiting out the storm here."

"I'm sure the lady will be glad to have her clothes and gear back as well." Quake grabbed another stool and sat down next to Madame Mabel.

"Aye." She gave the elemental a wink. She also took notice of the chronicler's outfit, "So, little drowling, what profession do you do that requires one such as yourself to wear that?"

"Little?!" War Scribe stared in shock at the Washer Woman, "Who are you calling 'little'? I will have you know that I am TALL for a Drow. I will also have you know that I am War Scribe, Chronicler of Validor, Chief Librarian of the Great Library and Keeper of Knowledge for The Realm of Dungeons and Dragons. My profession does not REQUIRE me to wear anything. I CHOOSE to wear what I wear because it is beautiful, seductive, form-fitting and smoking hot! And what of you Washer Woman? Do you choose what to wear because of YOUR profession?"

Quake burst out laughing from Madame Mabel's inquiry towards War Scribe, "Hahahah!"

"Laugh it up, dragon bait!" War Scribe snarled at Quake.

"Hahaha! I was trained in the old profession, a courtesan and enjoyed every bit of it. I entertained men or women for pleasure. Sometimes both at the Horizon's Crest, and now my friend, Gaston runs it. So, if you're looking for a 'special' kind of loving that's the place to be." Madame Mabel kept the conversation from getting too risque in front of Serna, who may or may not of known what she was implying.

"The only loving I'm looking for is a newer way to die," War Scribe replied honestly, "For me, hanging out with my best friend Death is its own reward."

"I've retired from the business to run a better hard working one and I like keeping the ladies in line. They're a rowdy bunch and any man who comes in 'ere barking and treating women like property gets softened up here then they're sent up to the fighters guild to blow off steam in the arena." She winked at the chronicler.

Caliaphy turned red with embarrassment, "Awkward."

"Softened up?" Serna asked no one in particular as she scratched her head.

Quake looked at the shield maiden, "She was really saying that stupid men who bully women get beat up a little by a mob washer women armed with wet towels."

"OOOOOOHHHHH!" Serna nodded in acknowledgement, "NOW I understand. Thanks, Quake!"

"That's quite a boast!" War Scribe acknowledged as she rose from her seat, walked over to Madame Mable and placed a finger under the Washer Woman's chin forcing her to look up at her, "You must be very good at your craft to soften hardened men to that extent. But I'm curious, why not soften me up? Show me your talents and let me be the judge as to whether your boasts are true or idol chatter."

Madame Mabel shook her head in disbelief, "Whatever you do in your spare time is not 'me business. Two, if there weren't younglings present I might oblige ye. There are some things that are just for adults only."

"Point taken!" War Scribe teleported both herself and Madame Mabel into a vacant bedroom upstairs, "But bear two things in mind: One, you started this conversation, I did not. And two, neither Serna nor Caliaphy are here."

"So," The Drowling seductively sauntered up to Madame Mabel and once again placed her finger under the Washer Woman's chin, "Show me how you soften men up, Madame Mabel, and I'll show you how I break them down! Mwuaha! Ha! Ha!"

((O.O.C: Post your response and the new thread will be Breakfast at Sunrise.))