"We can't hear you, kurori." Maxim crossed his arms, "Speak up nice and loud for everyone here, will ya."

"I'm sorry." Caliaphy said still sniffling. "I'M SORRY! I'M SORRY ALL THOSE PEOPLE GOT HURT! I'M REALLY, REALLY SORRY ALYSON GOT HURT, OKAY!"

"Hmph! Bout time!" The alchemist grumbled at the kurori, "Next time you do that little stunt of yours, fae. I will put an IRON bullet right between your eyes, mark my words! There will be NO coming back from that!"

With that said, Sir Gonagle turned around and walked away from them. Everyone could hear him grumbling like Yosemite Sam.

Serna breathed a sigh of relief before she asked Maxim and Spencer, "Aside from apologizing, is there any way Caliaphy can make up for what she did?"

"Well she apologized to us but she still needs to apologize to the captain, the bronze man, and Alyson." Maxim added, "Guess, you'll have to wait until they come back."

"I don't think that will be a problem." Serna replied, "Will it, Caliaphy?"

+++++++

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!"

Captain Lion began to mimic the poses on the dial starting with the one at high noon and proceeded to the next one at the nine o'clock position.

"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.

Quake followed suit by watching what how Captain Lion did his and went over to the ten o'clock one. It lit up and she decided on the six o'clock position and did that one. "Like this, Scribe. Not Thriller."

War Scribe followed suit, moved into position and did a five o' clock and eleven o' clock pose.

Madeous handed Quake the lantern so he could 'dance to the beat' in his own way. He chose three o'clock and seven o'clock. "So far so good. Irzen, you're up."

The Swordsman scratched his head and then took a two o'clock and eight o'clock position.

Meanwhile, Prince Birch performed a one o'clock and four o'clock pose.

Amazingly all the numbers on the dial lit up and with a series of clicks, whirls, and grinding sounds of the massive doors. The locks released and opened the way forward into a gothic courtyard with an altar surrounded by candles that burned in an eerie grey light. At the center stood a lone figure in black noble attire. The hair long and black draped over the shoulders and down the back. Deathly pale skin laced with black veins running down either cheek and along the neck line. The eyes solid black with a singular red pupil eyed the party. This was no man but one of the Unseelie Court banished from the Fey Wild.

In a deep eloquent voice he smiled, "Ah. Welcome. Mortals to my humble abode. Have you come to offer yourselves freely? Some doors must be left alone while others such as mine have been opened. I must thank you for setting me free."

"No, pal, you got it all wrong!" Irzen replied with a dismissive wave, "We're not here to free you--quite the opposite in fact--we're merely passing through."

The Shadow Man merely laughed, "Oh you jest, surely you do. It has been decades since I've had this much entertainment. Tell me, platinum knight, did the Guardian of Asylum tell you I once sought out your precious niece?"

Madeous gripped his sword harder, "He did, fiend! This time there will no going back for you!"

Irzen looked at Madeous, "You know this guy?"

"Know him? Not personally. I was told afterwards when I returned to Asylum." The platinum knight said quietly.

"And should you get in our way!" Prince Birch concluded with pure venom and determination in his voice, "Know this: We will end you!"

The Shadow Man said mockingly, "Oooo! You should know I detest violence, wouldn't you agree, Chronicler?"

"He does!" War Scribe gushed, "He does hate violence but he's not afraid to use it." The Chronicler teleported next to The Shadow Man's side and leaned against him lovingly, "Aren't you, you evil hunk of evil you?!"

The Shadow Man glanced down at the chronicler with a wicked smile and pulled her against him, "Oh my dear, you shall give me all your of heart and knowledge and revel in it."

He leaned down like a predator and kissed War Scribe with decadent passion and fervor. One hand snaked up and through her hair yanking her head back. His fangs elongated and plunged into her jugular vein drinking all the knowledge within her. His other hand slid down to her stomach and with a sickening thrust into her abdomen sliced up and under the rib cage all the way to her heart. He squeezed a couple of times causing a heart attack before ripping it out of her.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," Quake brought her hand up to her mouth, gagging.

Captain Lion holstered his pistols and pulled out the rifle. He cocked it a few times and muttered a word in Romanian and the gleam of silver blade materialized under the muzzle.

In the distance a faint glow of light entered the Shadow Fell and a great wailing arose.

++++

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 Deceridan 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?"

"I suggest we wait on that option, your highness," Alyson stood up slowly and stretched, "They're in the middle of a puzzle at the moment."

"A puzzle?" Princess Cauladra raised her right eyebrow.

"I am in agreement with the elementalist. I would like to hear what the sage knows before I confer with the chronicler." Lazheros replied.

"Fair enough!" The princess added, "Is there anything more that we can get for either of you while we wait?"

Alyson closed her eyes again to see through Quake's eyes. The individual she saw sent shivers through her. "The Shadow Man. He's here. I mean this is where they imprisoned him."

Lazheros's expression dimmed, "What? Are you positive, Alyson?"

"I mean they've crossed over into the Shadow Fell and ran into him. Who's powerful enough to stop him?" The elementalist looked scared.

"Caliaphy is powerful enough. She can stop him. It's her light that can dis-spell the shadow. Stay here with the princess while I go and tell the kurori that it is time for her to grow up." The bronze man disappeared in a flash of light.

"The Shadow Man?" Princess Cauladra asked Alyson, "Who or what is that?"
"One of the Unseelie Court who," She glanced about the chamber for a moment, "should not be."

"The Unseelie Court you say?" Princess Cauladra responded, "Mayhaps he can be bargained with! Some members of the Unseelie Court can be quite foul but most of them are not beyond the point of being reasoned with."

"Not this one. He deals in absolutes. It is the very reason why he was permanently banished by both courts. Let's just say he wanted to use the Realm to breach other worlds in his conquest for power." Alyson ran her fingers along the arm of the chair.

There was a flash of blue light and Lazheros now stood next to the elementalist. "It is done. The light of the heavens will clash with the darkness of the Shadow Fell. That is what Caliaphy's purpose is. It is why she came into being. She is not a goddess or divine being, rather born of a celestial and seelie union. Which is why most see here as the kurori child. Her true form can only be invoke when someone she loves and guards like Serna is in danger or something like the threat of the darkness leeching out of the Void comes to a head."

******

A flash of light appeared behind Maxim and Spencer as the Bronze Man stepped through. "Caliaphy."

"Laz?" Serna looked up at the Bronze Man, "What is going on?"

The kurori jumped in surprise, "Bronze Man. What is it? You have a funny look on your face."

"Ta naa coiasira ten' lle alaa de ar' quanta quanta lle maranwe. Lle must anta i' dae edan ar' tyela ta." Lazheros spoke in Sylvan.

Translation:: "It is time for you grow up and fulfill your destiny. You must face the Shadow Man and end it."

"What? What are you saying?" Serna shook her head, "I can't understand you."

The bronze man nodded and glanced towards Serna, "Caliaphy must grow up to defeat an ancient foe, child."

"An ancient foe?" Serna scratched her head, "Caliaphy, would you like for me to come along and watch your back with my shield?"

The kurori gave the girl a hug, "It's okay, Serna. I will be okay. This is what I must do to help everyone."

"Okay, I guess!" Serna replied uncertainly.

Caliaphy's form began to glow and grow from the tiny form into a tall Seelie elf. Beautiful and heavenly in front of everyone and in a blink vanished.

"I shall take my leave everyone. Take care of Serna." Lazheros disappeared in a flash of blue light.

"Bye!" Serna just waved to Lazheros before she turned to Maxim, "What just happened here?"

Maxim and Spencer just blinked. "Eladrin."

Sir Gonagle turned around and came over, "Well, that was sudden and unexpected. Never would of figured that pest to be a Star Elf."