Phoenix Phire

"I can't identify the spell, but I will say that I've seen Greater Spells for sale from the Vendors in the Solomon City." Nezbit held one of the broken canisters in her hand. "None of them are offensive spells; only buffs are sold."

"Solomon City?" The Ravager fixed Nezbit with a yellow-eyed stare. "You finished your Planar Trial?"

Nezbit nodded. "Jun Li made it a requirement for all Embassy Floor teams." She played with the end of one long braid when she spoke, one of her nervous habits. "You were probably off fighting dragons or goddesses."

"Probably," Nix agreed. "Good job."

Nez's pretty face broke into a wide smile. "Don't get all cocky with me. I had to tell you what mana, adds, and CC was when we first met!"

"Hmm... Did you? I don't recall." The Ravager scratched one ear with its wickedly curved claws.

"No?" Nez narrowed her eyes. "Convenient. Do you remember charging me two thousand credits to group with us?"

"Maybe, next time we group, I'll waive the fee." Nix hopped down from Fajii's cot.

Any further discussion was stopped with a tiny speck of light appeared over Fajii's sleeping form. "Nix?"

The Ravager stared at the bright pinpoint; the voice being emitted was easily recognizable. "Eron? You were able to escape?"

"Yes, three may enter."

[You've been invited to visit Kitsu]

The pinpoint of light lengthened and then expanded until it was roughly the size of a door.

Nix stared for a moment before glancing at the tent's occupants. "Who's in?"

Unexpectedly Alfie raised his hand. The skelly archer took a step closer to the doorway. "I'll come if you don't mind."

"I'm going." Del eased off of the sleeping Guild leader's feet and padded softly toward the door.

Ravager Nix considered the two volunteers before swinging his gaze back toward the dark archer. "Double the guard until we return, Ronnie."

Ronnie flashed the group a smile. "Bring back something fun."

The Ravager jumped through the door, followed closely by Del and Alfie. The light grew unbearably bright, causing Nix to close his eyes. He experienced a long moment of vertigo before being tossed onto a very soft landing.

Nix shielded his eyes for a moment, stopping after a second to stare at his own hand. "What happened to the Ravager?"

"Nix?" A shocked but very familiar voice sounded from behind him.

"Huh..." Nix stared at the Ain'Dhassi ranger; she looked much like she had the day he fused her with the dragon egg. In truth, he had forgotten how beautiful Del Tali was. "Where's my damn, Orion puppet?"

Alphie stared at his arms before looking up at them. "We revert to our natural forms here?" He pushed his short brown hair out of his eyes. "This is Kitsu?"

They stood in the middle of a green meadow; knee-high grass swayed gently under a warm breeze. A single pond filled with assorted lilypads added color and teemed with life as several waterfowl species could be seen wading and swimming in the shallows. Small grass-covered mounds started at the edge of the clearing and extended outward as far as the eye could see.

"Three have entered, and three may go. There is a time limit that you must know." A voice sounded from the edge of the meadow. A slim man with long blue hair stood watching them. He was dressed in brown leggings and a sleeveless white shirt. Although his size ratio was perfect, he was only about four feet tall.

Nix bowed slightly. "I'm Nix, and this is Del Tali and Alfred Eidengal."

"One full hour you have to play, dwell here longer, and you must stay."

"Er... Sure. Where's Eron?" Nix waited for an answer; when none came, he felt Del nudge him with an elbow.

"Try rhyming, Nix."

"You gotta be fucking kidding." Nix frowned at the smiling Ain'Dhassi, who was obviously enjoying the moment.

Alfie shook his head slightly. "Not me, I'm terrible at that kind of thing."

Nix muttered a curse and cleared his throat. "I'm here to visit the land of dreams. Breath-taking in nature but not as it seems. If you value your life and would stop my attack, take me at once to Eron the Black."

The blue-haired man stared at Nix for a long moment before grinning widely and clapping. "Well done, Mr. Nix! Come, follow me" Without speaking further, the man turned and walked hurriedly out of the clearing.

The trio from the Bone Fortress fell in step behind their escort, who, although very small, had no problems walking fast.

Del slid an arm through Nix's as they walked. "Well done, Nix."

"Shut up."

Alfie chuckled from the other side of Del Tali. "A hidden talent, perhaps."

"You have a girl's name." Nix ignored his two laughing companions and focused on their escort. "What the... tails?" The small blue-haired man had three tails trailing behind him. They were the same color as his hair and quite bushy.

As they continued to pass mound after mound, Nix noticed they were all nearly identical. The only difference from one to the next appeared to be the door's color that decorated the front. The trail they walked on was paved with white cobblestone; each time they passed a dwelling, the stone would branch off.

Finally, after several minutes of walking, they came to a large wooden gate that seemed to mark the housing's end. A single red-haired man stood guard. Like their escort, he was quite small, and since Nix was paying attention, he noticed the guard only had two tails.

The guard held a hand straight out, ignoring the blue-haired man, he stared at Nix. "Perhaps it is clear whom you will see, but as the guard of this gate, you must convince me."

[Burning Aura: Emerald Fury]

Bright green flames enveloped Nix, causing both of his companions to jump back. "Like your fur the way it is?"

The guard laughed and stepped to one side, his dual red tails wagging furiously. "Sorry for teasing you, Nix. Eron is right; you are worthy."

Their original escort nodded slightly. "I'm Oli, and the gate guard is Rumzi."

"Pleased to meet you!" Rumzi bowed from the waist. "Eron is expecting you."

Oli waved at the gate guard and then gestured from the group to follow. "Just a joke between new friends, Nix. No need to mention this to Eron."

Nix smiled pleasantly and followed. "It's fine. I like a good joke."

Thru the gate was a large courtyard that featured several fountains and gardens bursting with color. There were three more mounds; they were covered with the same bright grass that the others had, only these were several times larger. The group stopped in front of a set of double doors; Oly opened them and then motioned for the trio to enter.

"Nix!"

Although he'd never seen Eron's human form, without a doubt, it was him. He was slightly taller than the other Kitsu inhabitants, close to five feet in height. Seven black tails followed behind him as he walked closer and greeted the Inferno Leader with a hug.

"Unfortunately, time is short. Please sit, I've been researching the spells." Eron had a tanned, handsome face with dark, intelligent eyes. If not for the presence of the tails, he could have passed for a young teenager.

Several books were opened on a circular table. Nix waited for his companions to sit and then did the same. "I was in a puppet when I stepped through the entrance."

Eron nodded slightly. "Those shells will return to you when you leave, in Kitsu, you arrive in your natural form."

"Time is short then. Did you discover anything?" Nix leaned closer and scanned the opened page in front of Eron. The writing was in unrecognizable runes.

"The spell is called the Blessed Veil, although it has been twisted by witchcraft." Eron glanced up from the book. "It's a dragon healing spell."

"I figured as much." Nix had seen something similar from Tai'Qui in Cyphix. Putting a group of humans down with a dragon healing spell was some kind of workaround for their inability to attack first. "The Dragon Accord sets limits on when they can use offensive spells."

Eron's handsome face was solemn. "Even shackled by their oath, dragons are a threat to everyone."

"You said it was twisted by witchcraft. There were seven traps set. How were they activated? Were they meant to take everyone down?" Nix's tone showed his frustration; there were too many questions and not enough answers.

"Tell me what the aftermath is like?" Eron turned the pages while he spoke. "Does it seem contained?"

Nix nodded. "It cycles the width of the Dawn, Misery and Agony Burroughs. It doesn't cross the borders, nor does it enter the ocean."

"That part is random, I believe. The Bone Fortress's rules of engagement cannot be broken. Linking Greater Spells together likely violated that somehow." Eron stopped, turned pages, and pointed to a long list of runes. "The scrolls must have been contained in something."

"Canisters," Nix replied. "I didn't think to bring them."

"I did." Alfie sat a broken canister on the table. "I was going to let King Duran examine it, put it in my inventory."

"Greater spells must be contained, or else the power of it will consume the parchment." Eron pointed to a small rune on the canister. "This should identify who it belonged to."

Eron scanned the page, his finger running down the list before stopping at the matching rune. He turned the book sideways for Nix to see. "Identical?"

Nix nodded. "It's a match. Whose is it?"

Eron sat the canister down and leaned back in his chair. "Deidra Mtui."