Madeous chuckled a little, "Don't pay any attention to the puns, Armendes. They're references to stories from Earth but still....Ha Ha Ha Ha."

Armendes grumbled again, "Hmph! Stories? I highly doubt that, sire. I've heard plenty of quotes from Alyson when she stayed here in Asylum. Some of which were rather amusing, other times....well lets just I'm glad I'm stuck in the golem. At least I can shut out any noise of my choosing."

"Does that noise include the squeaking of your joints?" War Scribe grinned from ear to ear, "Because to my ears, your gears sound like they need a little oil or an oil change perhaps. Muwha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

He hadn't thought of it like that before. He always stayed in the lighthouse, or was working at the embassy tower floating high above the city center. "Your reasoning is sound, chronicler. Thank you for the advice."

"You're welcome!" The Drowling smiled as she raised her glass, "And you know what, I'll drink to that!"

*****

The elementalist came into the dining hall, helped herself to another cup of coffee and sat back down.

The kurori tapped her arm, "Are you okay, Alyson?"

"I am now, Caliaphy." Alyson smiled at the kurori, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just said something really awkward to the ranger when I went over and said hi." Caliaphy became flushed with emotion.

"I see," Alyson motioned for her to sit up on her lap again and whispered in her ear. "Be mindful of what you say to Willow. Serna really likes him."

"Really likes him?"

Alyson nodded to Caliaphy.

"Oooh! Okay, I will be good!" She gave Alyson a chessy grin. "I am glad Serna didn't get it."

"Probably for the best." Alyson sipped her coffee and listened to the rest talk among each other.

Several minutes passed when the bronze man reentered the dining hall. He quietly made his way back around to his chair at the far end of the table. "Heard what, Caliaphy?"

Once again, the kurori turned beat red in the face. She felt embarrassed again. "Umm. Umm..."

~ She asked the ranger an awkward question. Fortunately, Serna didn't catch on.~

"Ah, I see." Lazheros took a sip of his tea and frowned. "This won't do. I like it hot not cold."

He got up and went into the kitchen and came out with hot cup of tea again. Sitting down to relax and listen to the conversation that had migrated to other end of the table.

Alyson looked over to the thief, "You weren't hungry were you, Neven? Have fun last night?"

Finally, after he had scarfed down his meal, Neven was able to respond, "I was starving, High Lady Alyson. Seri and I had a lot of fun last night. She showed me the ins and outs of Asylum and I really like it here."

The elementalist shook her head in disbelief, "Let me guess, you have a high metabolism and burned off the meal from the tavern. Which I might add was a big one at that. No one goes hungry at the Neverending Story tavern with Mertul at the helm. And Neven, call me Alyson. Titles are so over rated."

"Sorry," Neven apologized, "Force of habit."

Madame Mabel laughed in her chair, "Me darling daughter showed him the sights of Asylum and much, much more. Hahaha!"

Seri blushed quietly, "Aye, mum. I did show him the best view on a starlight night and it was grand."

"It was grand," Neven took Seri's hand into his own and gave it a comforting squeeze, "Grand beyond words. And so is your daughter, ma'am."

Madame Mabel gave the thief a warm smile, "As long as you treat 'er right, we'll get along just fine, lad."

"I intend to, ma'am, I promise." Neven reassured Madame Mabel.

"You like it here in Asylum, Neven?" The elementalist sat back in her chair with Caliaphy still on her lap, "Are you thinking of staying? Deeping Dale not appealing to you anymore?"

"I do, Alyson, I like it here in Asylum," The Thief smiled as he turned towards Seri, "And I've been thinking about staying here. And as far as Deeping Dale goes, we left it in the aftermath of a thieves war, remember. There's going to be a lot of jockeying for power among those thieves who survived it. Personally, I don't want to go back to that."

"Ditto. No offense to Baroness Meleranti but Storm Haven and the Shimmerhorn Mountains would be the farthest I would travel back there. Especially after dealing with the Legion of Evil." The elementalist agreed with the thief.

"I can't blame you," Irzen confessed, "We did leave Deeping Dale in a mess though I have no doubt in my mind that Baroness Meleranti is doing an admirable job cleaning it up."

"I would not mind a trip back there," Willow added, "To check up on her and her charges as well."

"That might not be a bad idea," Irzen nodded in agreement.

The Bronze Man listened quietly while the elementalist and the thief were talking. The boy was clearly in love with Madame Mabel's girl and vice versa.

Alyson moved forward and the kurori jumped off her lap, "Would you help me gather all the used dishes from our guests?"

"Okay!" Caliaphy went around to the other side and gathered all the dishes on Quake's side, while Alyson took the ones from her side into the kitchen.

In the kitchen Chef Hallas looked up briefly to Alyson and her little friend, "Thank you for bringing them in. I was about to have one of my staff go and get them."

"You and your staff are busy in here, Chef Hallas. It was the least we could do and help you out."

Caliaphy ran out of the kitchen ahead of the elementalist and sat back down next to Serna, "I can't wait to go swimming later."

"Me too!" Serna smiled, "It's going to be fun!"

~ I feel like flying again. ~ Alyson mused quietly walking back into the room full of friends talking and laughing.

~ Oh? ~ The Bronze Man chuckled at the kurori running back over to the shield maiden acting all goofy.

~ Flying on my own with you high in the sky. Are you up for the challenge?~ The elementalist casually walked around him to her chair. *Wux aujir daratrix ixen vorastrix.*

Lazheros was about to respond but found himself at a loss of words, which was rare. He also found himself being suddenly watched by both Madeous and Armendes.

At that point, Alyson burst out laughing. "Ahahahahaha!"

"Well now," The platinum knight gave the cleric a big smile, "This should be interesting."

"Indeed." Armendes agreed with Madeous, "Lazheros can't talk his way out this now. A challenge is a challenge. He must accept it."

"Lazheros, out of curiosity, how far is Deeping Dale from Asylum by airship?" Irzen asked The Bronze Man.

Madeous settled down and answered the swordsman question for him, "Think of the Realm modeled after the map of Earth. Storm Haven and Deeping Dale would be on the east coast of the United States. Asylum would be where Stone Henge is in England."

"I see," Were the only words that escaped from Irzen's mouth.

"Were you expecting Asylum to be much closer?" Quake chimed in.

"No!" Irzen replied honestly, "It would have been nice if Asylum was no more than a league away from Deeping Dale. However, it is what it is."

"That place where you all escaped from is literally on the other side of the Realm in the heart of Venger's territory." The Bronze Man told Irzen. "It would take you at least a week to fly across the vastness of the Fire Sea. Mind you, the central area of the Fire Sea is mainly uncharted water. Even I haven't ventured that far out. Talk to Captain Lion at the airship yard. He has the most experience traversing that part of the Realm."

"There is another way to go back to Deeping Dale. It requires the skills of a druid and a single tree. However, there are none in your party to do that." The Bronze Man said to the swordsman.

"I know of a way as well," War Scribe grinned from ear to ear, "And it involves traveling through The Great Library to get there, that is, if you are willing to wrap your arms around me and squeeze me tighter than your true love so I can teleport us all to The Great Library itself. Any takers?"

"I might actually consider going with War Scribe," Quake said flatly. "I DO NOT like leaving the ground. Granted, it felt good to give horn head a taste of his own medicine."

"WHAT?!" War Scribe looked at Quake in pure disbelief, "YOU want to travel with ME?! WOW! You really hate leaving the ground that much to want to teleport with me?"

The elementalist rubbed her wrists and the gauntlets activated in front of everyone. Irzen, and Willow recognized them as part of the armored set of the Crimson Dragon that Alyson wore briefly. "I am not being drawn back to Deeping Dale. I am being drawn elsewhere. I invoked the Nine Fold Law while surviving everything that 'K' was throwing at us. Had I known that Tommy planned on taking him down, I would of have done it. This is something that I must see through to the end, and it involves you, Willow."

"The Nine Fold Law?" Willow asked Alyson, "What is that? And how does your future plans involve me? I thought you wished to be rid of me after we ended our relationship."

Alyson closed her eyes for a moment, then looked over to the ranger, "The Nine Fold Law is how I was able to wear the armor of the Crimson Dragon, and when all was said and done the pieces scattered all over the Realm. The first piece of the set unfortunately ended up just outside of that place you rescued us from. Mind you, each piece I collect will give me more control over the armor. That is something even Venger cannot take from me since it is bound and attuned to me alone. Two, the place I am being drawn to is your homeland, Willow. Someone there has or found the next piece of the armor. And the next piece is the Helm of the Red Dragon and we all know conflict will soon follow. Three, I do not wish to be rid of you. We are still friends. So, are you ready to confront your demons, or will just run away again?"

"I have no demons to confront," Willow responded honestly, "Nothing terrible or tragic haunts me aside from the prospect of a loveless marriage. If you wish me to return to Northaven with you to act as a guide so you can retrieve the piece of armor that you seek, then I shall do it. My people would not look favorably upon a stranger entering their midst and searching for something in their possession without a proper letter of introduction or someone to introduce them on their behalf. My coming with you not only makes sense but also would improve your chances of survival."