"They will be here shortly, Irzen." Said the platinum knight walking up the gang plank. He stopped just short of him and folded his arms.

"Good to know!" Irzen quipped with a knowing grin, "Are you ready for some vampire hunting?"

A handful of hunters and slayers came out armed to the teeth with wooden stakes and silver crossbow bolts attached to the sides of the crossbows.

The Swordsman made note of the new arrivals, "Someone clearly is ready to kill some vamps! WOW!"

"All of us here, sir, have encountered vamps at some point in our lives. There are very, very few that escape our combined talent of tracking them down and giving them a final death." Maxim stated from the men.

"Then I know that I'm in good company!" Irzen smiled with a nod, "And I am glad to have you and your men with us!"

Sir Gonagle came out of the armory carrying a modified heavy repeating cross bow. The chamber looked similar to a six shooter commonly held by gunslingers from Wild, Wild West in America. "One modified heavy repeating crossbow with specialized bolts already loaded with wooden silver tipped bolts laced with divine energy."

"Nice! Very, very nice, Sir Gonagle!" Irzen accepted the weapon eagerly, "Thank you very much! This will do very nicely. I have to hand it to you, you Tinker Gnomes do know your craft and you know it well. Nice work! Excellent craftsmanship! And perfectly balanced! Thanks again!"

Quake walked up to the swordsman, "Are you sure you want both me and the lady to go to the caverns? Is there some reason why you want to separate us from the real fight?"

"Quake, I will be perfectly honest with you," Irzen replied, "The real reason I want you and Alyson to go to the caverns is to simply cover all of our bases. Honest to God, I don't know where the real fight with the vampires will be. It could be in the caverns. It could be on the docks. Hell, it could be here at the palace itself. But I do know this, if you two want to join us. Then please join us. I like our chances of victory a whole lot better if you two are with us rather than not. But, I leave that choice up to you and her Ladyship. Do what you will!"

She narrowed her eyes at the swordsman, "I think you'd like it to be just her and you. I know its been along while since you two hung out together fighting the good fight."

"True, it has been awhile," The Swordsman admitted, "But she now has a dragon with whom she can fight the good fight. And I intend to respect that fact!"

"Quake is quite capable of going underground with Sir Gonagle and his company." Madeous joined the conversation now, "unless the alchemist has any objections?"

"No your majesty my fellows and I do not. Besides we have been missing the underground a little here and there." Sir Gonagle motioned his kin over.

Captain Lion came back out of his cabin with Serna behind him, "I will stay here with Serna. Maxim and the slayers/hunters will split up with each group that decides to split off."

Abruptly in a flash of blue light came both the Bronze Man and the Elementalist. Alyson looked around to see everyone armed to the teeth. "Over kill much?"

"Says the woman who has a Bronze Dragon as her back-up!" Irzen quipped with a sardonic grin.

Lazheros merely shook his head, "Who will accompany myself to guard the rulers of East Port?"

"Having royalty all in one place is not a good idea, Lazheros. It makes for an easy target for a vampire master's minions to hone in on." The platinum knight suggested.

"I agree!" Irzen added, "Lazheros, you can stay here and guard the princess. Meanwhile, I would like to have Prince Birch accompany us on our raid on the docks. He is one hell of a warrior with a sword in his hand and we can use someone with his battle skills."

"So I guess you're idea is to have Quake and myself permanently bury any vamps underground, Irzen. But hey its your idea. Have fun with my uncle then." Alyson shot him annoyed look before she headed out with Quake and Sir Gonagle.

"What was all that about?" Irzen asked no one in particular, "Alyson, if you have a better idea, now would be a good time to share it with the group."

"Fine Quake, Sir Gonagle and company and myself will go to the caverns. I'm tired of arguing with you, Irzen." Alyson climbed onto the railing and jumped over the side. A minute late a gold dragon flew back up to let the gnomes climb on as well as Quake.

"Staying put on this ship is a good idea for Serna, however, I said I will remain to protect Princess Cauladra in the palace, swordsman. I have my own methods of her highness safe." Lazheros told him.

"Okay! That works for me." Irzen replied with a grin.

Maxim approached the swordsman, "Half of my men with go with you and half with the platinum knight. Lead on."

The gold dragon banked hard right towards the northern caverns and landed out of the sight of the airship.

Madeous gestured to the hunters to follow him, "Prince Birch, I will patrol the perimeter outside the castle walls and the surrounding areas. Am I to guess that you and Lord Irzen will be searching the palace itself?"

"You are correct, your Highness!" Prince Birch offered, "Come, Lord Drow, I know every square inch, every nook and cranny, and every crawlspace that those verminous vampires could be hiding in! We shall ferret them out for sure and finish them off for good!"

"Lead on, your Majesty, lead on!" The Swordsman followed taking with him some of Sir Gonagle's retinue.