"Laz, is there anything Caliaphy and I can do to help?" Serna had finally caught up with the Cleric.

The Bronze Man stopped and handed the sage to Serna, "If you watching me with the sage, then hold in one hand and wave the smoke to and fro. Left and Right. The smell of sage repels negative energy and protects the positive energies."

"Thanks!" Serna graciously accepted the sage and began to wave it around as directed, "This sage smells so dry. Is it always like this?"

"Most of the time, yes, Serna, unless it is freshly harvested." Lazheros said continuing the cleanse the perimeter, "So, you spent most of your life assisting Baroness Meleranti in Deeping Dale, did you ever find the time to wander outside of the castle?"

"I did sneak out of her palace from time to time," Serna replied honestly, "Just to go to the markets or visit some of the shoppes or meet friends who were serving other nobles. Most of my life was spent in the palace serving the baroness. Why do you ask?"

"Sneak out?" The bronze man paused for a moment looking at her, "Were you not able to leave on own without permission?"

*******

"Asylum, huh," The draconian's shadowy form shifted a little, "Then you'll be happy to hear that the guardian of Asylum is here too."

"What?" Mandur's eyes went wide, "Then where is the guardian?"

"Traveling with The Prince," The Swordsman stepped forward, "I am Lord Irzen, a friend to your Prince, he has heard about the plight of his people and he has come and sent us to aid you in your hour of greatest need. We helped save your colleagues when an Ettin and some Goblins fell upon them."

Irzen added regretfully, "We regret not saving them all, but we did the best we could, Captain Mandur. Is there anything further you need now that we have returned your kin to you? If not, then my friend and I will be on our way and rejoin the Prince."

"I am grateful you and your friends came along when you did, Lord Irzen. My kin have not seen battle on this scale before and it will only get worse before its gets better. The horde is vast. I'm guessing what you and your friends have seen are only a handful."

"A giant, an ettin, goblins, and a pack of worg riders is all they've seen," Dragolem said nonchalantly.

"You may be right," The Swordsman agreed, "Still, we will deal with the rest of this vast horde when the time comes. Is there anything further that Dragolem and I can do for you?"

Captain Mandur rubbed his bearded chin, "There is something you can do for us, a messenger was sent from the king himself on why one of his older sons, Prince Yew went missing after receiving word to mobilize when the horde began its conquest. His domain is off to the west of the capital. The messager got waylaid and was forced to take an alternate route for reasons unknown."

"And what would you like for us to do precisely?" Irzen placed his hands on his hips.

Captain Mandur turned and went through a saddle bag pulling out a scroll. "This is the message for Prince Yew. See to it that he gets this, or better yet give it to Prince Willow."

"We'll do the latter as opposed to the former," Irzen graciously accepted the scroll from Captain Mandur, "If we try delivering this message directly to Prince Yew, me a Drow and my friend here a Walking Nightmare, I doubt we would receive a warm reception by him or his soldiers. We'll deliver it to Prince Willow and give him your instructions as well."

Mandur whistled and armored goat trotted up, "Here, you're gonna need a strong hardy mount to traverse the valley here, and the goat can even climb into areas that horses can't go."

"Thanks!" Irzen awkwardly took the reins of the creature before the mounted himself upon it.

Dragolem snickered, "Guess that means you're a 'butthead."

A bunch of the dwarves chuckled at the draconian's comment.

The Swordsman groaned, "That joke was so lame, Dragolem, that it hurt! WOW! I thought Alyson's puns were bad; you, my friend, take the cake."

"Nah," Dragolem said in half common and dwarven, "I will let the guardian know that the knight-captain's kin are here to help out. Best of luck and Moradin Akhoral othok Nak!"

Captain Mandur and his kin bowed before the draconian out of respect for him and for the All Father of the Dwarves.

"This should be no different than riding a horse," Irzen half-said to himself after he bowed to the Dwarves, "Okay, Mister Goat, let's go. Giddy-yap!"

Dragolem face palmed and smacked the butt of the goat and it took off through the scrub brush, "Ride like a horse, Irzen. Don't speak it, just do it. This is embarrassing."