"So, what are some of the things you can do with your shield, Serna? Are you able to show me?" Spencer turned around with a curious look.

"Sure, I'll be more than happy to!" Serna picked up her shield and began to demonstrate, "First, I can block any attacks against me or anyone standing near me. Go ahead! Try to attack me and see what happens."

Suddenly Sir Gonagle fired off a shot from his pistol. The loud ringing sound reverted enough to wake up a certain kurori who was sleeping on Serna's shoulder.

**BAMMM!**

In less than the blink of an eye, Serna's shield activated and the bullet from Sir Gonable's pistol bounced off of her shield, ricocheted off of the ceiling, bounced off of the floor and drilled itself inside of the hull of the ship.

"EEEK!! WHAT THE--!" Caliaphy squeeled and fell off the girl's shoulder hitting the deck with a thud.

"CALIAPHY! ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!" Serna looked down at the fallen fairy.

"Now I got you right where I want you, you blasted pest!" Sir Gonagle advanced towards them.

"No you don't!" The Shield Maiden turned her attention to the Tinker Gnome, "Nothing and no one can get past my shield when I have it up. Not even you!"

Spencer stepped in between them, "Alright old man, you've made your point! Serna's with me and you sir are getting dangerously close to pissing me off!"

"Get out of my way!" Sir Gonagle snarled pointing his gun at the kurori.

"No."

The Alchemist moved around Spencer and stepped in front of Serna poking the magic shield with his gun, "That little PEST RUINED fifty years of research! FIFTY YEARS! All because she thought the airship was polluting the environment! The airship runs on electricity or lightning and alchemy. It is very safe to use and reliable! Not that you wouldn't know you, you blasted pest! Just because you're fae doesn't give you the right to poke your nose into other peoples business. Besides, my ruined research, half the crew were seriously injured including Alyson! Dragon Rage is nothing to laugh at period!"

Serna kept her shield up but looked down at Caliaphy to see her reaction.

Caliaphy hung her head low and tears flowed down on both sides of her face.

Spencer just shook his head and listened.

Sir Gonagle lowered his gun slightly, "And that's when the Elder came into the city to retrieve your sorry excuse for a fae. Of course, we were all stunned to see the ancient arch druid make an appearance but we also knew that if he was there it was serious."

The Shield Maiden looked down at her friend, "Caliaphy, did you really do all of this?"

Maxim came over and stopped next to Spencer, "That's right young miss be careful about your fairy next to you or I won't stop Sir Gonagle next time."

"Then maybe it is good that Caliaphy and I are here," Serna replied to both Maxim and Sir Gonagle, "Maybe its time for Caliaphy to make amends and apologize and maybe its time for you to accept her apology after she finished making amends."

+++++++

The party walked along a black and white dusty path. The sound of crunching bones cracked beneath their feet as they neared the large iron gate. It was massive. The gate itself was two doors banded together by four iron bands spanning the width of it. Each band had a key hole on them, while the center lock appeared to be a large dial with symbols on it. Each had a stick figure striking a pose.

"Charades anyone?" Quake asked quietly.

"Your jokes need work, Rocks For Brains!" War Scribe quipped, "Like your whole meaningless life."

"Okay you two knock it off!" Irzen cut into their conversation, "Get your game faces on. We could be attacked by anyone or anything at anytime."

War Scribe merely turned towards Quake and stuck her tongue out at the Elemental.

"I wasn't joking, Scribe," Quake grumbled.

"Charades is only a part of this puzzle I'm afraid." Captain Lion walked up to the massive iron door, "If we place our keys in each of these holes, I believe it will be up to us as a group to unlock the door."

"Does anyone other than me really think this is a bad idea?" The Swordsman asked no one in particular.

"Aside from the charades and the keys, Captain Lion, what must we do?" The Prince asked in earnest.

"Pray we get do the correct poses in the right order for the doors to open." Madeous studied the stick figures on the dial. "Looks more like step aerobics or something you'd see on a workout commercial back home with Gene Simmons."

"Well, count me in!" War Scribe smiled from ear to ear, "What's the first pose? Dead Man Walking or Play Dead or, my favorite, Dead Men Tell No Tales? Muwha! Ha! Ha!"

"My preference has always been See No Evil, Speak No Evil, Hear No Evil but I doubt that's one of the charades we must perform," Irzen added with a shrug.

++++

Lazheros placed both hands on her shoulders and muttered words in draconic. Any and all traces of the blood mage's influence was gone and the vampirism from Captain Lion's bite gone.

"Blessed be the wonders of Enoreth!" Princess Cauladra declared, "You look much better, Lady Alyson. How do you feel?"

"How do I feel? I feel like I got ran over by a mack truck a couple of times." The elementalist sat up all the way and finally noticed the bronze man's armor, "Oh and I thought Armendes was shiny."

He gazed at her, "Perhaps I was too hasty calling upon my legendary armor, Alyson but your life was teetering on the edge of death itself. Something I was not willing to gamble."

"A Mack truck?" Princess Cauladra asked no one in particular, "Is that a herd of animals or a very heavy cart?"

"A very, very heavy all metal wagon, your highness." Alyson told her.

"OH!" The Princess replied in surprise.

The elementalist went to stand and fell backwards suddenly as dizziness washed over her.

Lazheros steadied her and helped the elementalist sit down in the chair. "Careful now. Your highness, you have some fruit she could eat, perhaps an apple or grapes?"

"I have anything she desires, Grand Cleric!" Princess Cauladra turned and called for a servant. When one arrived, the princess commanded, "Please go and fetch some apples, grapes and other assorted fruits for our guests."

The servant nodded and ran off to fulfill her request.

Alyson closed her eyes for a moment, "They're walking down a path of bones towards a massive iron gate. Iron would indicate that something of Fae origin lies behind it. Something not meant to be seen or spoken to unless they have no option left."

"Hmm," Lazheros rubbed his chin thoughtfully, "Perhaps the Unseelie court placed something there. Your highness, would any of your sages here in East Port have any knowledge of the area before the city came to be?"

"There is one who specializes in the history of East Port before our kind came to these lands," The princess replied quickly, "His name is Deceridan. I can send for him if you like?"

"Yes, I believe he would be of great help." He replied.

The servant returned with a platter full of fruit and offered it to the princess.

Cauladra said, "Please go and give some to Lady Alyson. It is she who hungers, not I."

The servant presented the tray to Alyson so she could eat off of it at her leisure.

In a matter of ten minutes the elementalist had literally eaten everything off the platter. "Thanks. I needed that."

The servant said nothing. She merely stood stock still in complete amazement.

"My primary element is Fire, therefore I consume lots of food when I'm low on energy." Alyson grinned.

"I'll take your word for it, my lady." The servant replied with a bow.

"I can tell!" Princess Cauladra blinked her eyes in pure surprise before she turned to the servant, "Please go and find the Chamberlain. Have him request the company of Sage Sudestren on our behalf and without delay. His presence here is both required and urgent!"

"Yes, your Majesty!" The servant turned and ran out of the room.

"She will not be long, Grand Cleric," Princess Cauladra reassured them both, "Master Sudetren is both learned and wise beyond his years. He will have the answers to all that you seek." The Princess suddenly snapped her fingers, "But I just remembered something. Mayhaps Lady War Scribe would have the knowledge you seek? She is a Chronicler of Validor and as legend has it, she is geased to not only tell the truth but to help anyone find the knowledge they seek. All you need to do is but call her name and she will appear. What do you think, Grand Cleric?"