After the Fairies got Amy dressed. We were all ready to discuss what we needed when Rocky knocked on our door. I waved my hand, and the hidden door slid into the ceiling, and Rocky stepped inside. He nodded a greeting to me and waved us to follow him back to the throne room.

Looking around at the others, I noticed Tayna was nervous. Frowning with a slight nagging sensation in the back of my mind, when I scanned the dungeon, my view of the throne room was being blocked. Eying the fairy suspiciously, I followed Rocky. When we turned the corner heading to the throne room, I stopped in surprise, causing Amy to walk into my rear.

There was now a massive double door covering the end of the tunnel, with carvings of elementals dancing with a rising (possibly setting) sun on the horizon. With a shove, Rocky swung the doors open with a loud creak of rusty hinges. With a Boom, the doors hit the walls on either side, causing Rocky to scratch the back of his head in embarrassment.

However, I didn't notice. All my attention was on the person sitting on Rocky's throne, grinning like a fool. With a glance at Rocky, I can see he was not happy with the stranger being there. "Hello, little Rock, my how you've grown."

I tried to keep a straight face, but my lip's turned upwards, and I said. "Hey, old man, call me Nalle." The man clutched his chest and, with a fake grimace of pain, said. "Ah, you wound me, child, I am a mere 11 millennia young undead."

Amy asked. "How come you do not look like an undead?" Therlion responded. "well, my young descendent, have you met many?" "Descendant?" asked Amy. With a wink, Therlion nodded. "Yes, distantly, however."

I chuckled at the banter, then look around and noticed the changes to the room. The throne was now on a raised dais, and behind to the side was a rectangular stone table with six stone seats. They cover the walls with fancy red and purple drapes. And a crimson carpet with gold trim led up to the throne.

The nagging sensation I felt, and Tayna's nervousness, made sense now. I lifted an eyebrow at the fairy, who blushed and mumbled something about them wanting to surprise me. Then in a higher voice, while pointing, "He's not supposed to be here, though."

Since I still had the 5 mana, I can assume Rocky formed the new stone furniture from the surrounding stone this time. So copying the gesture Tayna always uses, I gave them a thumbs-up, which made the man on the throne chuckle.

"That generous, noble, really came through on the decorations" at my comment, the two fairies almost fell off my shoulders laughing.

Amy seemed troubled. I placed my hand on her head and told her not to worry about it. "But who is he? How come you're not panicking?" She asked me.

"Ah, how time flies, the man said. Seem's like only yesterday when I was holding you in my hand, so adorable and tiny. Yet here we are a mere ten thousand years later, and you have a beautiful daughter of your own."

I rolled my eyes at the dramatic act he was putting on. "Therlion Illiarth, let me introduce my sister and Champion of The Forgotten, Amelia Eversong."

Therlion rolled his eyes, "I believe I made it clear I knew her, well of her. I knew her grandfather at any rate."

I shot a glare at him, and he responded, "very well, we shall pretend otherwise," and gave Amy an exaggerated bow. Amy just stood there slack-jawed. She finally stammered out, "you are Therlion, the God of Death and Decay?"

Therlion grimaced at the title and said. "Some get to choose their titles." He mentioned this while waving toward me. "While others have titles forced upon them, Therlion finished solemnly."

The moment Therlion vacated his throne. Rocky rushed forward and sat like a stubborn rock that won't budge.

Therlion chuckled, patted the Elementals knee, and waved the rest of us to the table. Choosing the head position himself, which I couldn't explain, why annoyed me.

"So," I said, waving at the plaques I had left on the wall, proclaiming Therlion and the other three's death. "What is that about?"

Therlion glanced at them while grinning. "I thought it was funny."

"Figures, so what brings you here today?"

Therlion finally settles down and says. "The six of us," he pointed at the nameplates. "Blinks a few times. Where are the other two?"

I shrug. "I don't know. When I woke up, there were four coffins and four plates. Also, I am fairly certain I saw Thorgan in the Earth plane when we summoned Rocky."

Therlion scratched the back of his head, "weird, and Thorgan can come and go from his home plane as he wants these days. Or at least I think he can as far as I know he hasn't come back to this site in a few centuries."

"Are the other five in the city too?" I ask while pointing a slender finger at the ceiling.

"No," he says. "They scatter us all over the continent. But we have our own means of communicating."

I am about to ask how, but Therlion interrupted with a wave of his finger. "Nope, sorry, it's a secret. Get your own methods."

"Anyway, back on the topic were all heading to Asgard to keep our eyes on what's happening since the city crumbled to dust three days ago." He said, but the wink he directed our way seemed suspicious.

I frown, then have "Tayna send the translated message from the sarcophagus to Therlion so that he can read it."

"Interesting and very troubling." Therlion finally said with a grimace. "I should go soon. The others need to see this, after all, he said with a wink. Thorgan and I are the muscle heads of the party." (Although most likely those Elves already know.) Therlion thought to himself.

"Wait," I declared. "Before you go, I need two favors from you."

Therlion waggled his eyebrow. "That depends on what you need."

"First, how did you find my dungeon? I have it warded to stop all methods of detection."

"Well," Therlion mused. "Good question. For starters, I built this room. After my (-cough-) attempted rescue." There was a grinding sound from Rocky, and Therlion rephrased his comment to the old tomb.

Therlion rolled one eye, which made Amy shiver. And I found it weird wondering how he did that.

Therlion spoke again. "While I was considering how the neighborhood had changed in the last few millennia. I saw two fairies leading rodents into an old house and just followed them."

"I heard many fairies are living in the area. Why would that catch your attention." I asked while glancing at said fairy's.

Therlion smile grew crafty and slightly lewd. "Two reasons, my dear. First, Fairy's don't live in the slums. Second, the local fairy's wear grass skirts that leave nothing for a man's imagination."

The two Fairies just humphed and said. "The locals are all brainwashed and don't know better."

"How are your mini skirts any better?" I asked them with a stern glare. Therlion looked at me, grinned, and asked. "What's the second thing."

With a straight face, I looked him in the eyes and said. "I want you to take off your clothes."

Everyone just froze and stared at me. Confused, I say, "I want to see what the difference between genders is. This seems to be an excellent opportunity. You can tell by looking he has the male part Sally told me about."

Tayna looked askance at Sally and raised an eyebrow. Sally put her hands over her face while Amy burst into laughter.

There was an uncomfortable cough, and Therlion said. "Wow, didn't even buy me a drink first, and already wants me out of my pants."

"I Don't know what that means, but maybe Tayna can get some from the generous noble she knows."

Therlion sighed and said. "You should find someone a few millennia younger to uh experiment with."

"I am actually far older than you," I state as a matter of fact to Therlion.

"No, Nalle, if you can straightforwardly ask a question like that, your still a child Even Amy here knows better."

Amy huffed. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Therlion stood up to leave, then looked at our small party and smiled. "Word of advice, start fixing up the neighborhood. Prices are going to hit the roof soon," he said while pointing at the ceiling. Then he vanished, leaving no trace that he was ever there.

"How did he do that?" Amy asked.

I shrugged. Tapping my chin, I say. "It's not a bad idea to build up the area above our dungeon entrance."

"We could even ask the Guild to help. If they knew we had a dungeon, they would pay through the nose for rights to run it." Amy added.

Confused, I wave to Amy to continue. Amy tells me how the guild branch here in Darnath has been losing influence with slightly pink cheeks. Ever since, the last dungeon burned out nearly two centuries before.

Sally asks, "How does a slum rat know so much?" I shoot a glare at her, and she blushes. "Sorry, I didn't mean it to come out like that."

"My parent's worked for the guild until someone killed them on their way home." Said Amy.

I placed my hand on her shoulder, "were they adventurers?" She shook her head. With tears streaming down her cheeks, she explained. "No, they worked in the local branch."

While holding the crying girl, I look to Sally to continue, but she waves toward Tayna. "She follows gossip better than me."

Tayna landed on the table and began. "It was all political. The nobles wanted the profits raked in by the guild. So they Backed their own mercenary group. Had everyone with even a slight amount of influence assassinated in the guild."

That's it, the way she started, I expected a long, sordid tale of blackmail and torture. "Why don't the main guild headquarters send more people to help," I ask.

"There's nothing here, so they just wrote off the local branch and ignored Darnath city completely." Said Tayna.

"Perhaps it would be easier to build our own branch, and if they want to get involved, they can send us a representative to work out a deal that benefits both sides." Suggested Sally,

"Yeah, I agree," said Tayna. "If the nobles left those two old men alone, they're probably working for them."

"Think the lady upstairs would sell us her house," I asked while winking at Amy.

Amy put on a mock-serious tone and said. "I will speak to her about it. She can be fairly stubborn." Then added, "the Land Bureau won't allow a real estate deed transfer without proof of monetary exchange. Unless you can prove, the owner died without a next of kin."

"Government needs their slice of the pie." Remarked Sally. But will look the other way if it means extra paperwork.

With a snort, Amy said. "I'm not sure how it is in other parts of the city, but here in the slums, everyone must show every penny we earn to the local tax man. Who takes the pie and leaves us the slice. Then that slice gets divided again with the local gangs. Also, every business that hires those like me must register their ledgers to the government stooge once a week. To make sure we're staying honest."

Tayna asks. "What if we give you a copper for it? Can't split a copper too many times."

Sally retorts. "For a dwelling and land, even in this neighborhood, there is a 20 silver minimum."

Amy's eyes go wide. "I didn't know that my grandpa and I could live off that for two, maybe even three years if we were careful. That would also explain why no one bought my house, who would have 20 silver in the slums."

Tayna grins and tells Amy to hold out her hand. A gold coin falls into it.

Amy gasps, "I've never seen a gold coin before." The coin was one inch in diameter and an eighth inch thick. Had a picture of Asgard on one side. With the city name inscribed beneath. At the same time, the face showed a crystal and the name Tyrant.

Subtle, I thought. I pick it up after I noticed the picture of Asgard on one surface. "Why would this picture be here," I ask.

Amy looks and says. "I heard they minted all the coins before the chaos wars. Since nobody has figured out how to melt them down. There, perfect as anti-counterfeit coins. And that's why the coins are still being used today."

"Although many kingdoms have tried to make their own coins, they never last. People trust these better," added Tayna.

Sally pointed out that those kingdoms still use their own currency. But trade with another power requires these coins as the world system gives a much higher value to them.

"Why?" Amy and I ask simultaneously, causing us to grin.

"most likely, they mix metals to make them cheaper to make," said Tayna.

I laughed. "So the system accepts Father's coins, and people fear him as the Lord of Chaos." (Father, where did that come from?)

There was clapping, and a tinkling laugh before another tiny fairy appeared in a black lace dress that conformed to her body. It also barely covered her thighs, exposing her nether region. One look at her, and you could see she was far older than my two fairies. Yet, I felt a connection to her that told me to trust her.

"Oh, Mathew would have loved to hear you call him father. He spent so many years planning your rescue and all his remaining energy to fix your poor broken soul."

A name immediately popped into my head. "Trina?" I asked.

Trina gave a small smile and replied. "In the flesh, well, so to speak, this is, after all, an avatar, much like yours. My actual body turned to dust long ago. I placed it right next to you in Mathew's coffin."

"I'm sorry," I said. (why did I apologize?)

"Don't be silly. He protected this world for a very long time and exhausted himself. It was his time; he gave everything he could to let you have the life you deserve. His only regret was not being unable to save all those in the Council's clutches."

I sat back down at the table, looked at Amy and our fairy's, thought for a moment. "you two," I point at Tayna and Sally, "need to go shopping," I say with a wink. "Also, I want you to scout the guild and find out what you can about the two people remaining. If we can trust them, it will be easier on us."

"Amy, go do some basic bodybuilding exercises." Amy shot out of the room quickly as a rabbit followed by two reluctant fairy's. "Don't pick on the skellies," I shout, confusing her, but I wave her off.

"Rocky, go halfway up the passage and stand watch, please." (It's not likely anyone or anything will come, but I do not want Amy in danger. I thought towards Rocky.)

When Trina and I were alone, I faced her, "why is there a piece of my core inside your Avatar?"

She looked at me sadly. "when Mathew brought you back. Your core body was already breaking down. This tiny piece broke off before he could begin weaving all his spells around you. He used it to anchor my soul to this puppet and asked me to return it to you later."

"Matthew took three entire days looking over every part of you before he told me what it would take to wake you up again. However, he estimated around five thousand years for you to awaken. Boy, was he off. I've spent almost all that time watching over you, and both times you woke up. I was out taking a quick look around to see what was happening in the world."

(I don't think I should tell Trina, I may have woke long before, just wasn't aware of anything around me. And also she talks fast. I realized.)

Trina continued. "I was so mad when I returned to find those two brats staring stupidly at your inert dungeon core. I wanted to blast them apart, but unfortunately, Fairys are not the best with battle magic. After listening to their clumsy apologies, I directed Therlion where they should hide you till you woke up again." she smiled. "I knew you would."

I then told Trina my viewpoint of Therlion's attempted Rock napping, which made her laugh. Then I told of my time since I woke up in a statue of the Lord of Chaos, as the people who know nothing called father. Of meeting Tayna, Sally, and my sister Amelia. Everything up to where she came in, she listened with smiles, frowns, and once bitter hatred when telling what people think of my father.

"At Mathews's last breath, he promised we would be together again. I just had to protect you for a little while. With a sad laugh, Trina said, what a liar." Trina said tearfully.

"Those monsters from the Council spent nearly five hundred years. Erasing every single thing that mentioned Tyrant, how he spent thousands of years protecting this world. If anyone spoke out or contradicted them, they marked them as cultists."

Finally, after Trina got her tears under control, I asked. "What's the deal with the Templar statues next to the coffin," and shared the picture Tayna gave me.

"They were there to retrieve you. The templar's waited until Matthew's death to come in because they were no match for him.—Even as weak as he was at the end." Trina explained.

"Just as they were about to shatter the coffin, one archangel appeared, and both templars turned to stone with only a glance. After gathering Mathews's soul, the angel looked around, eyes focusing for a split second on you. He declared. 'WHEN YOUR MISSION IS COMPLETE, I WILL TAKE YOU TO HIM. YOU BOTH DESERVE A REST.' Right before leaving with barely a whisper, he added, 'don't waste this chance, little sister.'" "I never really understood that last part," said Trina.

A few minutes later, while we gazed at each other, lost in our own thoughts. We heard a whisper, "It's time to go now, Trina."

"A little while longer." pleaded Trina.

"I'm sorry, I have let you have too much time already." Said the mysterious voice.

With tears streaming down my cheeks, I said, "goodbye." Trina grinned. With tears flowing from her eyes, she rushed over and planted a kiss on my forehead. "Goodbye, my Nalle, and watch after Amelia."

As Trina's body faded away, a tiny piece of crystal floated to my broach and filled in a tiny chip. Then a low melodious voice said. "Good luck, little sister."