After the first arcane arrow was loosed several more were released forcing what remained of the Horde to retreat. Captain Andaerean had seen this many times before, any of the horde that survives will return in greater numbers than originally encountered.

Lazheros glanced towards the arcane archers behind the line of elite swordsmen of Winter Marsh who came to meet them on the battle rather than wait. At their head was Willow's oldest brother, Prince Ash and his generals steadily advancing along the fields driving back the remnant of the Horde leaving none of them alive.

Irzen caught sight of the arrows and instinctively ducked as they exploded into their targets. Turning around to see who had fired them, the Swordsman caught sight of Prince Ash and his advancing soldiers and began to make his way back towards Lazheros' side.

"Vel'uss ph'nind? Bbil xor mua?" The Swordsman asked the Cleric.

Translation: "Who are they? Friend or foe?"

"That is the Ranger's oldest brother, the Crown Prince, Ash." Lazheros discerned from his position, "Hmm, I advise caution Lord Irzen."

"Venta'kyorl Irzen," The Swordsman corrected The Cleric, "Jhal dos ph'ditron. Uk kluthak mzild mua taga abbil ulu uns'aa. Gu'e! vel'drav xunus dos screa ulu telanth ilythiiri?"

Translation: "Captain Irzen," The Swordsman corrected The Cleric, "But you are right. He seems more foe than friend to me. Hey! When did you learn to speak Drow?"

The bronze man waved him off, "I cast the spell, Tongues, Captain Irzen. It allows me to understand a language that I am unfamiliar with."

Captain Andaerean immediately turned riding up to Prince Ash stopping not more than ten feet from the crown prince, "Excellency, I bring word from Westfall and Prince Willow has returned with allies hailing from Asylum."

Prince Ash and his generals looked at each other for a moment talking among themselves when the crown prince addressed him, "Captain Andaerean, report. What news of my brother Prince Yew?"

"A sizable portion of the Horde was sent to claim Westfall and failed through valiant efforts of Prince Willow's allies. Prince Yew and his company were ambushed during one of their patrols and was captured. We were successful in dispatching any threats to our kin, Excellency and were able to retrieve Prince Yew." The elven captain paused for a moment, "Your brother is healed physically but his mind is shattered, or broken by some fell magic. Prince Yew remains in Westfall under the guidance of Princess Liliandra."

The crown prince glanced about the battle field and noticed the drow swordsman and the elven healer, "And why is there a drow here among your company, Captain?"

"That is Lord Dy'var Irzen, a friend and ally of Prince Willow, Excellency. He has knowledge of Horde leader, Gruumasht. The other is from Asylum, a cleric of Bahamut, I believe." Andaerean replied.

Irzen merely cleaned his sword and re-sheathed it before he gave the Crown Prince a curt bow, "Vendui', Chuth, Eldalie Qu'ess! Vin'ult lu'al tha!"

Translation: "Greetings, Ash, Elven Prince! Hail and well met!"

Lazheros gave the crown prince a courtly bow stating his status, rank and position of his faith. "Vedui', taren lith, amin naa lazheros, Amandil en' bahamut."

"Amandil? Ah, healers are most welcome here," Prince Ash approached the bronze man and the drow swordsman. He eyed Irzen suspiciously for a moment longer, "Had the circumstances been different, your ally would of been asked to leave. We do not like their kind here, however, Captain Andaerean has been a long friend of the royal family and his word is true. As long as you stay with the cavalry from Westfall, you will be left alone. If you're caught doing anything suspicious, I won't hesitate to kill you myself, drow."

Lazheros looked at the swordsman, "Careful now, Captain Irzen. Careful."

Captain Irzen looked Prince Ash dead in his eyes and responded evenly, "Usstan kampi'un, eldalie qu'ess."

Translation: "I understand, Elven Prince."

*******

"Our people are well enough to travel, Prince Willow," The elven man in noble merchants clothes said approaching the ranger, "Either way is acceptable in these dark times and we are grateful for your assistance. I am Galifax, a merchant from Safe Habor, my caravan was attacked upon nearing the capital. We had heard the royal decree from the king and came as quickly as we could."

"Safe Harbor you say?" Prince Willow asked with increased interest, "What news do you have of my brother, Prince Birch? Is he well? Has he been attacked yet? How does he fair these days?"

Galifax scratched his head, "He's ah...umm...doing well, Prince Willow. Spends more time out to sea than his duty to governing the city. As far as the city goes, everyone there have been alerted to the Horde's invasion and preparations have been put in place."

"My brother spending more time at sea than on land is no surprise, Galifax," The Prince reassured the Merchant, "He has long favored the water over the land. But as long as Safe Harbor stands on alert, we have a stronghold from which we can attack and a safehold to which we can retreat if necessary."

A howl rose up in the distance beyond everyone's sight and the elementalist suddenly got down from her horse, "Take my horse, Master Galifax. For your wounded, I have other ways of traveling."

"Why thank you, my lady," Galifax gave her a courtly bow and motioned to the few who had been injured enough for them to ride.

"And mine too!" The Prince dismounted and offered his steed as well, "Your welfare and the welfare of our wounded comes first."

She rubbed the gauntlets again, "Captain Mandur, do you have any wagons to spare? It doesn't look they have much to carry."

The hill dwarf captain nodded, "Aye, my lady. I have one wagon available to help the prince's kin and we're almost to the city. Make haste, lads!"

The wagon came up with two wargoats pulling it, the rest of the caravan climbed aboard with the supplies from the wrecked wagon with a smile, "Those damnable orcs will pay for raiding the lands of Sunrider and his kin. We've left them a little surprise to show our gratitude!"

"Captain Mandur, I'm looking forward to seeing your 'gratitude' in action." The Prince responded with a slight smile.

"Willow, time to go," The elementalist told him as her form began to shimmer and change once more into the gold dragon.

"Go where?" The Prince gave the Elementalist a quizzical look.

"To the capital, my prince," Said Galifax who was now even more confused by the ranger's response.

Captain Mandur shrugged, "Aye, he seems to be under a lot of stress of late."

"What?" The Prince turned to both Galifax and Captain Mandur.

*******

The elementalist now as the dragon peered down at him and growled, "Hmm, perhaps you and I need to have a chat elsewhere, Prince Willow!"

Suddenly both the gold dragon and the ranger vanished from view of everyone. They reappeared some time in the future where Gruumasht and his horde had laid waste to his homeland. The heads of elves raised on pikes displaying those who chose not to obey. Those who chose death over slavery, and the royal family forcibly sent into exile or worse as described in hellish detail by the Drow Swordsman. Nothing of Willow's homeland looked or was the same as this possible future was presented to him in detail.

"This is WHAT WILL happen if the Horde succeeds," The dragon deadpanned, "So, whatever is bothering you right now, its time to come clean because if you don't this will all be on your head, Prince Willow. This FATE is guaranteed to become yours should you fail."

"I need not see this, Perthenexio!" The Prince turned towards the gold dragon, "Lord Irzen's description of what the Horde would do to my homeland was clear and terrible enough. What disturbs me is the answer to a riddle that eludes me: Why you are here? What are you after? I know Alyson is here to aid me and my people. But why are YOU here? You and Lazheros have been whispering about red dragons and gauntlets and magic for quite some time. Out with it then, come clean and tell me, what are you after in the lands of my fathers?"

The gold dragon snorted, "You already know the answer to your question, high elf. For a more DIRECT answer is that all the pieces of the armor are connected. To create a living weapon against ancient foe, three Gold and three Red dragons came to an agreement that neither side could dispatch on their own, so they set aside their grudges and beliefs for a greater cause. A cause to survive. A cause for all Dragon kind to remain and grow as they choose. The Red dragon that you saw earlier beyond the southern walls of Westfall is another piece of the armor the Elementalist seeks, a circlet of Intellect. When attuned properly by completing a trial set before the elementalist, is the helm of the Red Dragon. Unfortunately, the circlet was gifted to your betrothed, Eilionwy by someone unknown. Even if she did attune to it, the Red dragon's influence may or may not increased her need for power. The down side is that she must willingly relinquish it to the elementalist."

"And you would seek out Eilionwy now?! During the middle of a war for the very survival of my people?!" The Prince protested, "Your timing leaves much to be desired, Perthenexio."


*******

The princess pointed out one area for Serna and Caliaphy to search together in the hopes of finding a book or scroll having a wax seal with a leaf emblem in it. The chamber stood six feet high and fifteen feet long with shelves running down both sides covered in dust and cobwebs.

Caliaphy brought her hands together producing Faerie fire, a magical flame that does not burn but rather reveals anything that's hidden to the naked eye, "Okay, Serna, this will help us see if what we're looking for can only be found with magic."

"Thanks, Caliaphy," Serna entered the chamber and began to carefully take in her surroundings, "Wow! This place is REALLY old! Even the cobwebs have cobwebs down here. What do you think, Caliaphy, would this be a perfect spot for hide-and-seek or what?"

"Yeah, maybe but we have to help the princess first, Serna," The kurori winked, "Our friends are depending on us to succeed."

"I know, I know," The Shield Maiden replied as she began her search in earnest, "As Lord Irzen likes says, business before pleasure, now where is that book or scroll with the leaf emblem wax seal?"

The shield maiden found a scroll with the leaf emblem wax seal on it in the far corner of the chamber glowing a light blue from the Faerie Fire. The kurori found nothing herself except stirring up the dust and sneezed, "Ahh....AH-CHOOOO!"

"Bless you!" Serna smiled at her friend before she turned back to the scroll she held, "Hey! I think I got it. It's a scroll and his has a wax seal emblem of a leaf on it. Unless there is another here that we haven't seen, I think we need to get this back to the Princess and see if we have what she wants."

"Okay...ah...ahh...AH-CHOO! *sniff* Ugh this dust is really getting to me, Serna," Caliaphy wiped her nose, "Eeww! Gross! My kind doesn't sneeze! Oh man, some of Alyson has rubbed off on me!"

"I would dare say a lot of Alyson has rubbed off on you," Serna replied as she fished around for a handkerchief in her pouch, pulled one out and gave it to her friend, "Blow your nose and then we'll go and give this to the Princess."

The kurori took the handkerchief and blew her nose and handed it back to the shield maiden, "Thanks, Serna."

"You're welcome!" Serna replied as she received the handkerchief.

Liliandra checked one book shelf with no luck and went onto the next one and spotted a thin tome that lay between two larger tomes and pulled it out. It looked more like a journal than a book and peeked her curiousity, "Hmm? What's this?" She opened it to find some entries detailing notes regarding the wards and a series of traps that guarded the way to each one. Turning slightly to the sound of a sneezing faerie child, "Are you alright, Caliaphy?"

"I am now." Caliaphy walked over.

Serna walked over to Liliandra and offered her the scroll, "Your Highness, I think we found it. Is this what you are looking for?"

"Yes, thank you, Serna. That will help me out greatly," Liliandra took the scroll from her and opened it. The scroll detailed the symbolic meaning of each of the wards beneath Arbor Haven. "Well, two out of three, now we need to find the Tome of the Ancient Wards. Gideon?"

The Ent stepped out between the book shelves, "Yesss?"

"Where would I find the Tome of the Ancient Wards?" The princess asked him.

He pondered and muttered to himself as he scanned the books at his level. Spotting one tome, he grabbed it handing it down to her, "Is this the one you're looking for my lady?"

Lily scanned it over and shook her head, "Sorry. It is not, Gideon."

"Hmmm?" The Ent turned slightly to see a familiar gnome in red robes with gold trim sitting upon his shoulder, "Great Dungeon Master!"

"Greetings, Shield Maiden. To find the Tome you seek, you must be a Charmed one indeed." Dungeon Master smiled warmly to everyone.

"Dungeon Master!" Serna exclaimed in wild eyed disbelief, "It's been ages since we last saw you! Where have you been? Boy, do we need your help! What do you mean one must be Charmed to find the Tome of the Ancient Wards?"

"Charms are heard, seen, or perhaps right in front of you, Shield Maiden. Charms are expressions or words, or something else." Dungeon Master nodded again.

Serna thought about Dungeon Master's words for a long minute.

Caliaphy flew up to the old one and giggled, "Gosh! You really are an Old One aren't you?"

"Ah, a kurori away from Asylum. You are a long way from home but remember who you truly are in the light of the fading moon." He told Caliaphy with a smirk.

"Huh? Serna, does he always talk like this?" The kurori wrinkled her nose suddenly.

The Shield Maiden emerged from her thoughts, "Yes, he does, Caliaphy. Dungeon Master is not only a master of dungeons but also a master of riddles." Serna began to look at the charm bracelet she received from the Elder in Asylum, "But I think I might have this riddle figured out. I know how this charm bracelet works but how can it help us now? Dungeon Master, am I on the right track?"