"Not right now but I will consider it, Irzen." The platinum knight deadpanned.

"Fair enough," The Swordsman concluded with a nod.

"Seriously, Irzen. You really should heed the warning from my uncle," The elementalist said from behind him, "If you think you've seen me angry, you haven't seen him when he's angry. Now stop being a tool and just be civilized."

"Alyson," Her uncle crossed his arms.

"Fine, I will stop." She huffed and walked back over to the Bronze Man quietly listening in on their conversation.

"Sharp ears." Irzen replied with a grin, "And I did not hear her approach. I can be stealthy when I want to be but it is rare that someone can sneak up on me. I wonder, did she learn that from her mother or her father?"

"Both." Madeous held up his hand to his niece indicting her to be quiet. Then he turned his attention back to the swordsman, "And I had your complete and utter attention, Irzen, which is why you did not hear Alyson. A family trait passed down from my own father who could hold anyone's gaze while someone else approached unseen or unheard. A skill that I employed with every encounter when dealing with Venger."

"Good to know," Irzen smiled, "Mind teaching that skill to me when we have time? As a fair trade, I'll offer one skill I know."

He relaxed his fierce gaze, "To know your enemy, you must learn from your enemy, Irzen. Surely someone of your skill could engage an enemy in one on one combat without actually engaging said enemy into a stand still? I have yet to see how a single drow could go one on one with Venger and survive unscathed. Anyone can do it, it just takes the right set of skills, allies and trust to do it. Are you capable of such a feat, Irzen?"

"Am I capable?" Irzen laughed, "I actually performed that feat. I faced off against The Dark Lord himself and defeated him. Granted, I had him cornered in a cell that suppressed all forms of magic. I also had my sword in my hand and he had nothing but bad intentions. But I didn't let that stop me from emasculating him, driving my blade through his back and into his heart and rescuing my friends in the process."

Alyson growled quietly but was cut off by the platinum knight, "What?"

With an evil grin that was worthy of a Drow, Irzen concluded, "Sometimes you can beat the odds with a careful choice of where to fight."

Madeous paused briefly, "Why don't you and Lazheros find a tavern to rest and relax because it would seem that you need it, Alyson." He then turned back to the swordsman, "A smart decision on your part then, Irzen."

"Smart AND necessary," Irzen added with a broad smile, "Naked and unarmed, the Dark Lord was still a formidable opponent. One that I neither took lightly nor to whom showed any mercy. That is why I did my best to dispatch him in the manner that I did."

"Eh...," Madeous cleared his throat, "Some details are best left out of such conversations, Irzen. What Alyson would often say to me, T.M.I."

"Sorry to be so graphic," Irzen grinned, "We Drow love to provide the gory and not-so gory details of our victories--so few they are. I hope I did not offend you sensibilities too much."

"That would be different if we were in the middle of on-going battle, Irzen but we're not and enjoy our visit here without causing problems." Madeous replied.

"Fair enough!" The Swordsman acknowledged, "I have every intention of enjoying my stay here--brief though it may be. So, shall we round up the others and press towards the castle? Or shall we let them explore some more?"

She threw up her hands in protest and walked away disgusted.

Quake and company walked over, "Uh, Lady are you okay?"

The elementalist continued to sulk in silence.

"I take that as a no," Caliaphy whispered to Serna.

Serna whispered back to Caliaphy, "I agree."

"The conversation between Madeous and Irzen doesn't concern any of you, younglings." Lazheros walked behind the elementalist.

"Eeep!" The Shield Maiden nearly jumped out of her skin as The Grand Cleric walked past them, "Lazheros, stop doing that!"

"Hey!" The kurori ran up in front of the Bronze Man, "I'm older than those three."

"That may be but you haven't acted your true age in a very, very long time, Caliaphy." The bronze man told her.

"Not true! Not true! When I thought Serna might be harmed at the battle of Westfall...I did grow up but only for a brief moment." Caliaphy argued.

Lazheros glanced over to the shield maiden with a questioning look, "She revealed herself to you, young one?"

"She did, Laz," Serna spoke up proudly, "And when she did, she was--beautiful." The Shield Maiden turned towards Caliaphy, "She was as radiant as the morning suns coming over the horizon. As fair as a sea of stars upon the night sky. And as elegant as the finest robes worn by the greatest of queens."

Caliaphy batted her eye lashes, "Gosh!"

The Shield Maiden turned back to The Grand Cleric, "Caliaphy was magnificent and regal and wonderful!"

Quake rolled her eyes, "Good grief, Charlie Brown. We can't all be like little miss fancy pants now can we."

Lazheros chuckled softly, "I can definitely see much of Alyson's personality within you, Quake."

"You can say what you will, Quake." Serna snapped at the Dragon Elemental, "But I am only telling you what I saw and I am only sharing with how I saw it. My words, flowery though they may be, fall far short of what I acutally saw Caliaphy become. I just no know better way to describe it, that's all."

"Look, I'm just saying what the lady is thinking at the moment in regards to you two talking about little miss high and shiny there." The elemental pointed to Caliaphy.

"Okay, I can understand that," Serna acknowledged, "But let me ask you a question, Quake, can you speak independent of Alyson or do you always reflect her thoughts?"

The kurori crossed her little arms in defiance, "So what are you gonna do about it, rock head?"

"Enough!" Lazheros's voice deepened, "This is not the place to start a name-calling contest, or someone will find herself banished again. Do I make myself clear?"

Caliaphy's eyes watered with crocodile tears and ran over to Serna, "He's being mean to me, Serna!"

Serna gave Caliaphy a hug and took up for her friend, "Okay, alright, we get it, Laz! You're older, wiser, stronger and more powerful than all of us put together. And you can banish ANY of us ANY time you want. But just because you have to power to do it, doesn't mean you SHOULD do it!"