Phoenix Phire

"No cheating," Rabi warned. "We both go in at the same time!"

Sasi nodded. She was going to help Nix with training today so she was dressed in her black shadow armor. "On three, okay?"

Rabi nodded, rubbing his tiny hands together in excitement.

"Three!" Sasi flung open the door and charged in, her feet skidding to a stop when she spotted Nix.

"SASI!" Rabi followed her in, collided with her back, sending them both to the floor.

Sasi's mouth fell open, her eyes staring. "Twister?"

Nix slept soundly in the eye of the windstorm. His bed and immediate surrounding were unaffected. However, as you moved away from the bed, a current of air formed a wide funnel cloud. The smaller objects in the area were spinning slowly around the room.

Sasi ducked an object that whirled passed her. "Nix's pants?"

Rabi nodded. "Think so. NIX!"

Sasi pulled her brother's arm. "Look at the airflow, I bet he can't hear us."

"NIX!" Rabi tried yelling louder, there was no reaction from the Inferno guild leader.

Sasi climbed back to her feet, her eyes studying the air currents. "Stay here!" She leaped toward the bed, only making it about halfway before she was picked up by the current and sent spiraling around the room in a large circle.

"Sasi!" Rabi reached for his sister's arm, missing it by only a few inches. "Hang on! I'll pull you out!"

Sasi nodded and reached out her arms. "Okay!"

Rabi missed her again, and then again. "Hey... Are you doing that on purpose?"

Sasi shook her head, hiding a smile. "No! This time for sure."

"Yes you are! Sasi is having fun!" Rabi jumped into the air current.

Chiba checked her hud, she was supposed to meet Nix at 0930 for breakfast. She opened her own door, walked into the common area. The sound of pounding and laughter could be heard from Nix's room. She stopped outside his door and knocked on it before flinging it open.

The two Qi siblings were spiraling around the room while holding tight to one another. Occasionally they kicked out at objects that threatened to collide with them. Chiba knelt down and touched the floor. "It's ice-cold," she mumbled. "Damn... cold air is moving down while warmer air is rising. It has formed a convergence in the middle."

Chiba lay flat on the floor and slowly crawled toward the bed, when she was close enough she reached a hand up and grabbed his foot.

"I'm up!" Nix bolted upright in bed, forcing his sleepy eyes open. Instantly the phenomenon halted, sending everything falling to the floor with a loud crash. "The hell is going on?"

His room looked like it had been torn apart, clothes, towels, and blankets were strewn everywhere. Rabi and Sasi were laying on the floor, both seemed to be having some sort of fit.

Chiba shook her head. "Elemental overflow again, it looked like a cross between an air funnel and a twister."

"Hmm? I didn't hear a thing." Nix shook his head to clear it. "Although waking up in Air'Voilla might be fun."

Sasi stood slowly, tilting one way and then the other. "Room is still spinning?"

"Nope, it stopped." He bent down and picked up both siblings, one under each arm. "I have to get dressed."

Rabi protested when he was placed on the common area couch. "Can Nix stay from now on?"

Sasi nodded. "Nix stays!"

Nix shook his head and shut the door. "Nix won't stay."

[1000 hours House of Tempest, Day 4]

Chiba held the practice blade and swiped it in the air before facing her apprentice. "No spell defense today. Sometimes progressing too fast leads to problems. Work on something unrelated and let what we've learned sink in."

Nix didn't bother to hide his disappointment, training was going very well. He felt like his growth as a spellsword might be catching up with his other skills.

Chiba threw an arm around his shoulders. "We are both learning new things. Today we work on weaknesses."

"Don't get so clingy." Nix nudged her arm off. "You are right, of course. I will show some patience and reflect properly."

Chiba gave him a crooked grin. "My weakness is melee skills. Want to wrestle me?"

Nix shook his head. "If we are working with weaknesses, then I should probably work my water abilities."

Chiba motioned for Sasi to approach. "I bet Tempest has a water mage that can help you out."

Nix dropped his weapon suddenly, it stabbed into the black sand between his feet. "F*ck."

"Nix?" Chiba stared at her apprentice, he was staring off into space as if thinking. She didn't speak or bother him, just watched as his mind worked. She held a finger to her lips when Sasi walked up.

Sometimes people had sudden epiphanies. Especially when they were under extreme pressure. Nix was the hero that was destined to stand across from the Winter Goddess, failure would likely mean an ice age for the continent of Everspire.

"I... I know how to restore the Titan Clans." Nix's yellow eyes refocused and turned towards Chiba. "I can restore the Clans."

Nix opened his hud and check the locations of his guildmates. Semmi was in Ionova.

[Whisper: Nix to Tai'Qui] Could I ask a favor?

[Whisper: Tai'Qui to Nix] Of course. What do you need?

[Whisper: Nix to Tai'Qui] Just a few minutes of your time. Semmi is in Ionova, I need her here at the House of Tempest Training Yard.

[Whisper: Tai'Qui to Nix] Right away. Could you visit me when you are done today?

[Whisper: Nix to Tai'Qui] Yes.

Sasi placed a concerned hand on Nix's arm. "Are you okay?"

Nix nodded. "Does the House of Tempest have a high-level Water elemental?"

"YES!" Rabi interrupted, his face showing excitement. "Mimi is a water mage!"

Sasi made a sour face at and wacked him on the head. "Quit drooling."

Rabi gave her an offended look. "No hitting! I was only helping."

Sasi sighed loudly, the air whistling softly between her teeth. "Sorry. You know that person vexes me. Ask her if she can come to the training yard."

Rabi went from offended to happy in a heartbeat. "Right. I will be back!"

"So no wrestling then?" Chiba played with the end of her braid.

Instead of answering, Nix gripped her by the arms and picked her up like he would a child.

"Huh?" Chiba tried to move her arms, it felt like they were clamped to her sides. A quick glance at her feet showed that she was being held several inches off the ground. "Why are you so strong?"

"Shall we have a 'Chiba tossing' contest?"

Chiba shook her head and used a burst of strength to try and break free. "Holy crap... Why are you so strong?"

Nix smiled up at her. "You already said that. Still want to wrestle?"

Chiba nodded. "You're restraining me. I didn't realize my apprentice liked that sort of thing."

Nix put her down and released her arms. "You should do something with the gold element you gained in Eidengal."

"You're right of course. I've only used it to form a blade, I need to devel..." Chiba's voice trailed off when her sharp eyes noticed Rabi returning. "I may have to take the rest of the day off."

"Huh?" Nix turned and focused on Rabi, the person trailing behind him instantly became the focus of the training yard.

Rabi was followed by a dark-haired demon hybrid with short spiked hair. Her brown skin was visible everywhere, leaving Nix to wonder why she wore anything at all. She moved with sinuous grace, her hips swaying with every step she took.

[Whisper: Nix to Chiba] Does Tempest have a succubus?

[Whisper: Chiba to Nix] A suck u what?

Rabi stopped in front of the pair. "This is Mimi, the Tempest Water Mage."

Nix glanced at Chiba, who was staring shamelessly. "I'm Nix, this is my Master, Chiba."

"Rabi says you wish to train your water abilities?"

[Whisper: Chiba to Nix] I feel like we're being f*cked with.

Nix was inclined to agree. Mimi's voice made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It had a smooth and comforting element, reminding him of Ducky's tone when she was bewitching someone.

"I recently gained the water element and was hoping to focus on it today." There was something odd about her, Nix couldn't quite place it.

Mimi smiled slightly, showing white teeth with small curved fangs. "Not sure what we can do in a day. Have you formed any water weapons yet?"

Nix equipped Wrath and pushed water into it. The blade that emerged was a dark blue, the same color as the Ocean in Colonial. "Only a water blade."

Mimi studied the blade for a moment. "You're a Spellsword. That will make this easier."

The water mage raised a hand and three orbs appeared in front of her. They were the size of a person's head and dark as India ink. "Can you form the orbs?"

Nix ignored her words, his eyes focused on the orbs. "Nether... Your water element is saturated with Nether."

Mimi nodded in approval. "Can you sense Nether? Do you carry the element?"

Nix shook his head. "Just an immunity to it."

"Hmm... Could you touch one of my orbs?"

[Whisper: Chiba to Nix] If you don't grab her breasts right now, you aren't my apprentice anymore!

Nix sighed and touched one of the ink-black orbs. It disintegrated the moment he touched it.

Mimi shook her head in amazement. "With that, you could take over all of the Nether."

"It's on my to-do list. Kinda busy with a goddess at the moment."

Mimi bowed slightly. "I carry the Black Water Element. I believe I can help you."

Nix formed a trio of water orbs. "Now what?"

Mimi moved behind him, studying the orbs from over his shoulder. "Every water element is slightly different, yours is old. Did you gain this in Everspire?"

"Yes."

"This is an easy exercise Nix, stretch the orbs toward each other."

Nix focused on her words, as soon as he attempted it his orbs combined with the middle orb and splashed to the ground.

Mimi placed a hand on his shoulder. "Again. You have to focus on maintaining their verticle axis, don't move them, stretch them."

Nix formed three new orbs. He focused and slowly the middle orb elongated, stretching outward toward the other two.

Mimi reached around his shoulder and touched the central orb her finger, causing all three to splash to the ground. "Not bad, you understand the concept. You're focusing too much on the central orb. If you focus on all three at the same time."

Mimi formed three black orbs in front of him, slowly they stretched toward each other. When they finally touched they resembled a long cylindrical tube. "From this point, you can form the melee weapon of your choice."

Nix clapped his hands together. "Something cool then. What do you use?"

"A water whip."

[Whisper: Chiba to Nix] Of course. We should invite her to Inferno!

/Inferno: Pon: You punk bastard. I knew you were messing around here!

Nix turned to see most of Alpha Team exiting a breach with Tai'Qui. He had only requested Semmi, but it didn't matter. "I need to talk to you, Sem. Urgent matter."

The old fire mage noticed the black orb floating in the air. With a quick gesture he turned it into a cloud of steam.

"Hey." Mimi frowned at the old mage. "You have bad manners old man."

Pon nodded happily. "I do. Teach me a lesson, if you can."

Nix and Semmi talked for a few minutes on the far side of the training yard, unaware that two elementals were dueling behind them.

Semmi's blue eyes showed her interest. "That might work Nix. What about security?"

"They'd have to be confined. I can influence the Krayven Clan."

Semmi nodded. "When will you approach them?"

Nix considered the question, he needed to recharge the Krayven Clan Totem is 9 days, that would be the best time. "Soon, better start prepping."

/Inferno: Chiba: This person was helping us, you shouldn't go overboard.

Semmi glanced over her shoulder. The demon woman was in full retreat, the ground around her was covered in scorch marks. Pon's fire wings flapped slowly as he hovered a few meters off the ground, the air around him spinning with fire.

/Inferno: Semmi: Stop at once, Pon.

Pon landed on the black sand and flamed out. He nodded his head toward the water wielder. "Well done."

/Inferno: Wind: We can't bring you anywhere.

Mimi bowed slightly. "You must be Pon, the Magnificent. I am Mimicry. I have heard many stories about you.

/Inferno: Wind: No she hasn't. She's heard of Nix.

Pon returned her smile. "Yes, I am. Well met.

***************

Alpha team ended up staying the rest of the day in the training yard. Several members of the Tempest House showed up to test them while Nix continued to work on his water element. Finally they called a halt to the training and Nix readied himself for a visit to Tai'Qui.

/Inferno: Wind: I can't believe how strong Sasi and Rabi are.

/Inferno: Semmi: It's cute how Rabi laughs while kicking your ass.

/Inferno: Wind: That's not cute at all.

/Inferno: Pon: It was good training. I learned a lot.

/Inferno: Semmi: Really? You spent hours with that Black Water mage. What did you learn from her?

/Inferno: Chiba: Besides her cup size.

**************

Nix stepped through the breach that Tai'Qui opened in his suite. The Earth Dragon was submerged in her mudbath, only her bare shoulders and head showing. She wore a red cloth wrapped around her head.

"Thanks for the help today." Nix's eyes caught a large stack of mud-pies. "Those for me?"

"Yes. They are all earth-based slows."

Nix walked to the pile and started stowing them away. Tai'Qui could infuse spells into the mud. "Thanks. What did you want to talk about?"

"Join me," Tai'Qui invited, turning slightly so she could face him.

After gaining the earth element, Nix discovered the guilty pleasure of mudbaths. The earth dragon constructed two for Inferno, one at the turtle house and the other at HQ in Ionova. He quickly disrobed and submerged into the mud.

"I wish to request Sanctuary in Haven." Tai'Qui watched his reaction with warm brown eyes.

"You realize that Deidra has also made this request?"

"I do. I will make a binding oath, to follow your will."

"I'm not against it," Nix admitted. He liked the earth dragon, she was much easier to be around than Deidra. "Inferno is important to me, we are a family that fights together and protects each other."

"I can strengthen your Scorched Earth Mages. Those Lamia acolytes, with training I could raise them all to the Archon level."

"At the end of the week, I will meet with the other officers in Inferno. I will personally champion your cause."

Nix spent a few hours relaxing before asking Tai'Qui to send him back. Dragons in Haven? He was curious as to what the rest of Inferno would think.

Chiba was sleeping on the couch in their common area when Nix returned. He returned to his room without waking her.

[Whisper: Fajii to Nix] I am back.

[Whisper: Nix to Fajii] How did it go? Was Eron able to separate Third's spirit from the others?

[Whisper: Fajii to Nix] Yes. Third is no longer part of the whole.

[Whisper: Nix to Fajii] Are you ready to raise the Greater House of Inferno?

[Whisper: Fajii to Nix] Yes.

/Inferno: Nix: If you aren't available, let Semmi know.

Greater House of Inferno Quest: Embassay 1800 Hours Tomorrow!

[Five Foundation Stones] Nix, Shae, Vooni, Chiba, Rhylia.

[Four Corner Pillars] Fajii, Wind, Semmi, Pon.