Askerian turned away from the door. There was a single wall that towered over him in the hall, a white barrier which held three doors and extended upward into a vaulted ceiling.

Flaming sconces, paintings and a different banner he hadn’t seen before; a red background waved at him, carrying an engraving of a wreath of golden feathers which were connected in the center by a brilliant golden flame, decorated the façade.

Red carpet stretched along the hall, where a large arched window stood proudly on either end, illuminating the large space as starlight filtered in, while angel fire danced in quartz on the floor that lined both sides of the scarlet matting.

Across from the wall, silver rout iron railing held hands with a quartz pillar on either side, while scarlet curtains tried to hide the iron fence. Askerian walked over to it and looked down, the mystery of what lay beyond the railing in the great hall, now solved.

Leaving the levee, he wandered back the way he came, taking a small flight of stairs at the left end of the Ardent wing, which sat before the arched window. A twin staircase stood silently on the right side of the hall in front of the other arched window.

Walking down the familiar path, Askerian took in more of the palace’s beauty as small arched windows stood guard on the left side of the corridor he chose, interloping with quartz pillars, while paintings and the familiar sconces dotted the other side, more red carpet lined the floor along with more quartz embraced in angel fire.

He came to a spot in the hall where two doors, standing face to face, across from each other in an intense stare off, greeted him.

He began to ponder on what lay behind the wooden frames protected by pillars, when the sound of voices caught his attention.

Curiosity wiggled it’s way into Askerian’s mind, taking over any sense of self preservation. He reached the door where the noise was coming from and leaned against the pillar beside it, and began to use his dragon hearing to discern what was happening behind it.

“Two weeks. This time it was two weeks.” Rain’s exasperated voice hung heavy in the air as she paced back and fourth in the space that separated the ardent table from the wall, where the only entrance to the drawing room loomed, rose colored carpet lay beneath her feet, taking the abuse of her repeated movements.

“The last time she left, it was only a few days, this time a week. I don’t think we should allow Lady Ardent to go to Gaia anymore.” Her words ended as she came to an abrupt stop.

“And how do you propose we stop her? She does control the portal and everything else in this realm.” Pai, a man with dark skin and hair, slinked against the wall behind the long table that stretched the length of the room.

His arms were crossed over his chest, strong muscles hidden behind the black fabric of his fighting gear. A belt of red and green fabric entwined together, wrapped evenly around his waist. His pose lax, despite the tension in the room as he glanced over the others in the room with emerald green eyes.

“I agree with Lady Rain.” Small, round white ears twitched atop the head of Lady Seraphina, a warrior of the Hamsternick, one half of her head white like the furred appendages, while the other half, a jet black color that matched the trim of her red and white armor.

“But as Pai just said, how do we do suggest that when she controls everything?” Knight’s fingers drummed the table in irritation, his mail armor hitching with the movements.

“Well, Adam and I have been working on something that might help, but it’s not finished yet.” The realm’s lead blacksmith spoke up then, all eyes turning in interest to the short statured guy with light tawny hair and blue eyes, who only had one arm that was always hidden under a heavy blue tunic, was still one of the realm’s top knights.

“Do you have any details to share?” Rain stared in stark curiosity with her bird like eyes.

Sekke shook his head. “Not yet.”

The faces of the other knights were heavy with dejection. “But I’ll let you know as soon as it’s done.”

“By the way,” Zoe's sakura eyes narrowed, “we’re being spied on.”

Knight’s frame appeared through the door as his gaze bore into Askerian. “What are you doing out here?”

The dragon rider leaned against the quartz pillar and crossed his arms smugly. “Waiting on an Ardent knight for assistance.” He then, nonchalantly, pushed passed Knight and entered the drawing room without permission.

“What is the meaning of this!?” Lady Seraphina rose to her feet as she met Askerian’s gaze. Several moments extinguished before she looked away. “Don’t stare.”

“I’m sorry… I’ve never… seen anyone with,” He took in a whiff of the air, “rodent….?”

“I’m a Hamsternick! You!”

“Out!” Knight ordered from the door.

“If you need a solution for your queen,” Askerian sauntered over to the table, pulled out an empty chair and sat down. “Why not just send one of you with her when she leaves?” Askerian quizzed the people standing around the room.

“An astounding idea.” Came a robotic voice from the table. Askerian’s eyes landed on a tiny figure that appeared to be a small doll dressed in a forest green cloak, it’s face hidden in shadow while electric green eyes lit up and peered out at him.

“What in the bloody blazes is that?”

“Renfred, a fellow Ardent Knight.” Seraphina answered.

With squinted eyes, he glanced around the room. “You mean to tell me, a tiny doll is a knight? Like an actual knight?”

Laughter rang out through the room as Seraphina erupted in a chorus of giggles and chuckling. “Heaven’s no. Renfred is down in the research lab, this here is a communicator.”

The dragon knight walked over to the tiny device and poked it with his finger, causing it to chime out in beeping noises. “Neat.”

He jumped back when Renfred’s voice came through it again. “As a matter of fact, we may have a solution yet. I’ve set up an alarm system that will go off if the Lady gets too close to the portal.”

“That’s brilliant!” Seraphina slammed her palms on the table. “Just brilliant Renfred!”

“It will notify us if anything strange comes through the portal as well. There’s just one down side.” Renfred explained through the communicator.

“And what might that be?” Sekke asked the question before anyone else could.

As soon as the words left his mouth, a loud roar pierced the air.

Pai fell to the floor, covering his ears with his hands, grunting at the onslaught of noise, Askerian and Seraphina hunched over as well, their sensitive ears taking on the brunt force of the sound.

“I’m guessing this is it!?” Sekke shouted, trying to make his voice an octave higher than the intrusive alarm.

“May day! May day! The Lady is nearing the portal! Repeat: The Lady is nearing the portal!” Renfred’s voice added to the symphony of chaos, garnishing the attention of the attending Knights and one dragon rider.