The kurori stood up on Serna's shoulder and began to braid her hair in a side french braid style that interwoved with another strand and so on. When that was done, Caliaphy flew around to the other shoulder and started braiding.

Serna giggled, "You work fast, don't you?"

Sir Gonagle was thumbing throug a journal and closed it loudly when he noticed the girl's hair braiding itself. "Huh. Well, deary. I have to go down into the ship to prepare some items for the captain. I won't be long."

"Okay, Sir Gonagle, I'm not going anywhere. I promise!" Serna reassured the Gnome.

Caliaphy nodded and jumped suddenly burying herself underneath Serna's hair, "Is he gone? Is it safe to continue?"

Maxim raised an eye brow at the alchemist, "Ever blunt as always, Sir Gonagle."

"You better believe it and I so much as see that blasted kurori make an appearance in here," The gnome muttered under his breath just before walked out of the cabin.

"Yeah, he's gone." Serna replied in a quick whisper.

"Eh. Just get going, will ya'." Maxim sighed closing the door again, "Don't mind that old gnome, young miss. He's the old fashioned type. Stubborn and down right cranky he is."

"That's okay, Mr. Maxim, I kind of like him." Sern smiled at the other Gnome, "Sir Gonagle strikes me as the kind of person who always lets people know where they stand with him. And I find that to be reassuring."

Maxim walked over and poured himself a glass of water and chugged it down before pouring another and sat down. He watched Serna's hair start braiding itself again and chuckled, "So it is true about what Sir Gonagle said, young miss. Don't worry I won't say anything but I do know of what happened in the past with your little friend."

"Thank you!" Serna replied with a smile, "And she said that she was sorry she did it. Although no amount of sorry can make up for that, I suppose."


*******

Usually it was Caliaphy giving everyone the quivering lip instead of Quake when she felt things were going bad. She couldn't help herself this time and the tears began to flow, "I...I...can't watch this...tell me you're gonna do right by this. Both of you..."

Lazheros brought Alyson into the smaller chamber and laid her down upon the table and stepped back. He had seen this done once before a long time ago and yet he could feel Quake's apprehension towards Captain Lion.

The Englishman pulled back his hood and bent down over the elementalist. Brushing her hair away from her neck, he could feel a pulse beating still. He spoke to her in her mind, ~ It is only by the wish of the Grand Cleric that I am doing this. For I am truly sorry.~ His fangs elongated just before he bit into her neck, drinking her blood. Infecting her with vampirism long enough to fight the rage inflicted by the Blood Mage. He pulled back and wiped his mouth of the blood where he found a chair to sit down in.

"She has three days to be cured of the vampirism, Grand Cleric. I suspect, she will recover soon and put everyone's worries to rest." Captain Lion said quietly.

"Captain Lion?!" Prince Birch walked into the room completely aghast, "Are you--are you a vampire?"

Suddenly, Irzen burst into the room, "What did we miss? What happened?"

Madeous stopped in his tracks. The whole scene before him slowed down. Lazheros approached him detailing what happened when he left the throne room. That she'd collapsed suddenly and hadn't woken up. Therefore, he sent for Captain Lion because of what he truly was and that he was the only one who give her something to fight the control of the blood mage.

The Englishman's gaze shifted to Irzen, then to Madeous with a forlorn look briefly, and finally to Prince Birch, "Yes and no, your Highness. I do come from Earth but from an alternate world and time. That I was born a pure blood vampire and lived for a thousand years, yes. Then I met my lovely mortal wife and gave up what I was to live out my days with her. I can assure you, Prince Birch of this, my arrival here was not a coincidence. For I had sensed it upon arrival coming to the aid of your father, King Sunrider. I had hoped that it would not come to pass, sadly I was wrong."

Prince Birch walked up to Captain Lion and firmly placed his hand upon his shoulder, "This changes nothing betwixt us, my good man! You have ever been our friend! And will ever more be! Vampire though you are you have proved your true mettle to my father and my brothers and I a hundred times over! I know your true heart, my friend, and I know it to be a good and just one. Take comfort in this knowledge, you have nothing to fear from the Sons of Sunrider!"

Princess Cauladra smiled softly and nodded her head in approval.

Captain Lion was visibly relieved at their response which was not was he expected at all. Most people even with his explanation of what he was met with suspicion and fear. He looked at the platinum knight, "I humbly apologize, sire for my deception for only the Grand Cleric knew."

Madeous replied, "Apology accepted, Captain. And Alyson?"

"She is strong and so is her will to resist the rage awakened by the blood mage. Only the bite of a pure blood vampire, such as myself is able to counter the effects that the rage can induce." The Englishman said.

"As for the precise and sudden assault on your life by the elementalist," He looked at the Swordsman, "had I been here when you arrived, this would of been prevented."

"Fair enough," Irzen admitted somewhat reluctantly, "But let me ask you this question: Considering how powerful she already is both as an Elementalist and as a dragon, do you REALLY want to give her the powers of a vampire? Alyson was a force to be reckoned with before, NOW, she'll be darn near unstoppable!"

"For the moment, Alyson is in a state of topar. She's incapacitated and will be this way until the blood mage is found and destroyed. Therefore, I will take her place for now as it is my duty to the Guardian of Asylum and his companion. And I've learned through her blood, that the blood mage is in the cavern. There is where we will find him." The Englishman stood up from chair.

"And what about the other master vampires?" Irzen asked, "Do you have any clue as to their whereabouts? Or are they with the blood mage in the cavern?"

"Where the others are I do not know but the mage is definitely there. Make sure everything is blessed before we go and be mindful of what thoughts you have once we enter the cavern. Thinking positive helps greatly. Doubt leads to ruin and death." Captain Lion's cloak billowed out behind him as if it had a mind of its own suddenly.

"That will not be a problem for me!" Irzen smiled with an evil grin, "I am POSITIVELY going to kill that Blood Mage. I am POSITIVELY going to make those master vampires' unlife a living hell! And I am POSITIVELY going to slay anything or anyone that gets in my way."

Lazheros turned to everyone, "You will join the platinum knight to find and destroy this abomination. I will not be going with any of you until Alyson is well. You will find that a true paladin and his righteous fury can be far stronger than even myself. Now go while the day is still young and time is on your side."

Quake wiped the tears away finally and made a fist, "For the Lady!"

"For Alyson!" Irzen added before he turned to the Elemental, "Are you up for this, Quake?"

"I am, Irzen. He's gonna pay BIG time," The elemental growled in disgust, "BIG TIME!"

"Alright!" The Swordsman nodded his head in approval, "Let's do this!"

Lazheros raised his arms and blessed the entire group including the rulers of Eastport. *nomag bahamut fehlim wux dastudr vur righteous wiivai ekess sweekmon ekik vur svent nomeno malsvir vorastrix.*

**Translation:: "May Bahamut grant you strength and righteous fury to seek out and destroy this evil sorcerer."**

Irzen bowed his head, said a quick prayer, crossed himself and looked up ready for battle!

Quake smiled feeling giddy, "I feel GLORIOUS! Now lets kick some blood mage butt!"

"Damn straight!" Irzen snapped.

Captain Lion pulled the hood back up over his head, "Perhaps this is your hour, Prince Birch to accompany us down below. Everyone here would welcome your inspiration in such matters."

"Nay, Captain Lion, this is OUR hour!" Prince Birch addressed one and all as a mysterious spotlight shined upon him, "This is OUR hour to be heroes! This is OUR hour to make things right! This is OUR hour to avenge the fallen! And this is OUR hour to save those who remain!"

The mood of the room began to change from somber to grim.

"This must be understood by all! These vampires are crawling like a slime all over Eastport. Our enemy expects us to be weak, divided and fighting amongst ourselves. And though we may have our differences, we must always remember that we have these vampires to fight!" Prince Birch pointed out. "Make no mistake about this: These vampires do not surrender and they don't take prisoners. They have only one idea in mind: Kill!"

"Yeah!" Irzen snarled.

"That's right!" The prince added as the turned towards everyone, "To kill you! To kill our families! To kill our friends! To kill our loved ones! To kill anything and everything that stands in their way! And to keep on killing until they conquer Eastport!"

"Well, I say NAY to that!" Prince Birch boldly declared as the mood of the room shifted from grim to hopeful, "This time we free Eastport or we lose it! We win or die tryin'! We sure didn't start this war but, by the gods, we're gonna finish it!"

"YEAH!" The Swordsman was getting caught up in the moment as a rush of energy filled him and everyone else in the room with renewed purpose.

"This is it! Let's show those lousy vampires what we got!" Prince Birch strode towards the door, "MOUNT UP! WE HAVE MY KINGDOM TO SAVE! FOR EASTPORT!!!!"

"FOR EASTPORT!" Irzen cried out brandishing his sword as he charged from the room.