Quake looked around to notice she was alone with Irzen, Birch, and Cauladra, "Umm. That's okay. I'll be fine here...all by myself...well not completely."

"Nonsense!" Prince Birch slapped Quake upon her back, "Come! Let us make merry! Thanks to you, Lord Drow and the rest of your friends, the Black Gate is now sealed and East Port is now free of a great evil which could have devoured it whole."

"Indeed," Princess Cauladra smiled as she offered her arm to Lord Irzen, "We have every reason to celebrate in spite of the fact that our friends lack the constitution of Elves."

The Drow Swordsman took Cauladra's arm a little uncertainly but then smiled as she smiled, "Agreed! Now is as good a time as any to celebrate, Quake."

Quake shrugged and followed suit. She was wary of the fine wine of elven kind. Sweet or dry, it gave the unsuspecting person the worst kind of hangover. But it was her stomach that growled loudly this time and her last meal was interrupted yesterday.

As they walked back to the main dining hall, a sumptuous feast was being prepared for all of them.

Quake immediately grabbed the largest plate and filled it up like Ash Catchem from Pokemon. Filled out so much that it was stacked twice as high than everyone else's plate. All that polymorphing and battle really gave her an appetite. "Mmmmmm!"

Both Prince Birch and Princess Cauladra silently looked on at Quake with a raised eyebrow.

"Gee, Quake, hungry much?" Irzen quipped while he added a few choice meats and vegetables to his own plate.

"Umm, well only you presently have seen my actual form, Irzen. They haven't" She gestured towards Birch and Cauladra, "I may appear human but I'm not. I am elemental dragon. Fire and Earth. Fire is all consuming and I mean when I'm hungry, I will put the lady to shame when I eat."

"Yeah, I bet!" Irzen just laughed before he turned to Prince Birch and Princess Cauladra and chuckled, "Your Majesties, it's not polite to stare."

"Quite right, Lord Drow!" Prince Birch snapped out of his amazement before he began to sit down at the table.

"Indeed!" Princess Cauladra shook herself before she regained her full composure, "We should be feasting instead."

She grinned, "At least its food and not just hearty beverages. Thank you for the fine food, your grace."

"You are most welcome, Lady Quake," Princess Cauladra replied as she took her seat.

"And thank you for all of YOUR help in dealing a final death blow to vampires and blood mages which plagued us as of late," Prince Birch added with a knowing smile, "Your contributions to our cause not only ensured our victory but also hurried it along!"

******

Captain Lion made his way back up to the airship and was immediately greeted by Maxim, "As you were."

"Aye, captain." Maxim stood next to him. "The girl is resting in your cabin, sir. All this excitement and lack of sleep finally caught up with her. Spencer is keeping vigil at the moment."

"Thank you, Maxim. Inform the crew that I have returned." Captain Lion told him.

"Aye, captain."

The vampire opened the cabin door to see Spencer sitting at the table reading a book. He motioned to him to be quiet and relieved him of his post. "You may go now, lad. For I am in need of rest myself."

"Aye, sir." Spencer gave a nod and left the cabin.

Captain Lion walked over to the desk and pulled out a bottle of blood wine, emptying the entire bottle to sate his thirst. Then sat down in the high back chair and closed his eyes to rest.

The kurori opened her eyes and wrinkled her nose to the sound of Serna sleeping. Slowly she sat up and looked about to see Captain Lion sitting in the high back chair resting, "Ulp."

"Behave, kurori, or you may find yourself elsewhere." Captain Lion said with his eyes closed.

Caliaphy blinked out of the shield maiden's lap and onto the chair opposite of the captain's desk. "Umm....so how long she been asleep?"

"Not long, Eladrin. Now that I know what you are, my perspective has changed, however, you have yet to make amends." He opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Hmph!" Caliaphy's wings twitched, "Still looking for the one to fill the gap. Didn't work with Alyson, Vampire King."

Captain Lion leaned forward now, "Careful, you don't wake the girl. I have not forgotten the agreement between your king and I. She is your charge, Eladrin. I know this now what you could not have with Alyson, you are making up for lost time with Serna. Regardless of my old status, it doesn't exist here in the Realm. I am just an ally, friend, and servant of the Guardian of Asylum."

Serna moaned in her sleep wistfully.

At the sound, Caliaphy turned in Serna's direction. A look of pure mischievousness appeared across her face. She tip toed across the captain's quarters and produced a multicolored brush. She went about 'painting' Serna's face like a flower and added the finishing touch with glitter.

Captain Lion took a deep breath and leaned back. He was partially amused by the Kurori's artistic side but at the same he knew full well it would be only a matter of time when Serna woke up and saw her reflection.

Serna slowly began to wake after Caliaphy finished applying the last of the glitter to her face, "Huh? Wha--what is going on? Did I fall asleep or something?"

Caliaphy hid the paint brush behind her wings, "Oh. Hi Serna. I was just drawing like Alyson used to do. You'll know when you see it."

"Oh! Hey, Caliaphy, what happened to you? Where did you go?" The Shield Maiden asked the Kurori.

"Oh, yeah. I had to grow up and kick some evil bad guy's butt. He ain't never ever coming back. He's permanently D.E.A.D. dead. Guess that's what the Bronze Man and the Elder told me a really long time ago." She danced around proudly.

"Awesome!" Serna ran over to Caliaphy and gave her a hug, "That's wonderful! When you put your mind to it, there is nothing you can't handle, Caliaphy."

The captain watched quietly as the Kurori's paint brush vanished. He stood up and walked over to the table where a plate of fresh roast beef lay. Something his crew always prepared for him when his true nature came out, a pleasant way for him to sate his hunger.

"Captain Lion, um, how did things go? Did you and the rest of the others defeat those mean, nasty vampires?" The Shield Maiden asked the Captain.

"Hmm," He looked up from his dinner and swallowed the piece of meat before replying. "Yes. The vampires have been defeated and driven off, if they're any left. Furthermore, the city is once again safe for everyone including the citizens."

"That is good to hear, Captain Lion," Serna breathed a sigh of relief, "I am glad East Port is free of those mean, nasty vampires. Is everyone doing alright? No one was harmed were they?"

"Everyone is fine at least to my knowledge," He sipped his wine between bites, "Although it seems that certain enemies regardless of who they are or where they come from seem to target Irzen and Madeous."

Caliaphy fluttered over to the book shelf while they were talking quietly humming a tune.

"Why is that?" Serna scratched her head, "Alyson is the most powerful one in the group. I would expect more enemies would want to destroy her than either of them. What do you think?"

"Ah, well that is something you should ask yourself, young lady. Irzen and Madeous represent the leaders of the group with the most experience which is why enemies tend to gravitate towards them. If they can take down the leaders, the rest would fall or scatter." He took another sip of wine.

"Oh!" Serna quipped, "Now that I think about it, that makes perfect sense." The Shield Maiden turned towards The Fairy, "Caliaphy, what in the Realm are you doing? Please don't be up to any mischief! That's the last thing we need right about now."