Phoenix Phire

"You're a very odd man, Nix."

Nix inserted the Talumbir Key and made Una the new Dragon Master. "Told you we'd find it. Might as well change the name while we're here unless you want to keep it."

Una shook her head. "Verynzai, please."

"A good choice." Nix changed the name of the city and stepped away from the console. "You remember how everything works. Let me see what the House of Swords wants to do."

Una followed him up the ramp. "I will put the word out; those of my blood will slowly return here. I'll limit access for now to the House of Swords and Inferno."

Nix exited into the now eerily quiet Dragon City, formerly known as Talumbir. A short walk past the Main residence led them to the first Greater House. "Is this City anything like the original Verynzai?"

Una shook her head. "No, by comparison, this one is much more luxurious. Surprisingly Jargon has invested a lot of gold into cultural initiatives."

"Well... Inferno did blow-up quite a bit of it." Nix stopped in front of the Greater House and took a seat on a nearby bench while Una reset most of the Greater Houses and all of the residences. She left businesses and shops alone as long as they bore no direct affiliation with Jargon Kane.

The entire process took about thirty minutes, but the architectural impact was immediately obvious. When a Greater House is reset, all the amenities are removed, and it becomes a regular House again. To restore it to a Greater House would require a group to follow Inferno's same path when they raised their Greater House. However, stepping into an existing Greater House only requires the Dragon Master's approval.

Una nudged the Inferno Leader with her foot, unable to tell if he was awake because he hadn't moved in several minutes and his eyes were closed. "What was the name of the House you're bringing in?"

"The House of Swords, I've seen them fight in the past; they are strong enough." Nix stretched slightly and stood up. "You left three Greater Houses?"

"Yes. I'll put the House of Swords as the first of my Greater Houses. I saved one for the eventual Greater House of Chelonia, and the third is a gift for you."

"For me? That's very sweet." Nix opened up his Breach Commander Interface.

[Direct Contact: Bracot Yu]

This time when Bracot Yu's holo popped up, it was obvious that he was standing in a large crowd. The leader of the House of Swords was barking orders and only stopped when he spotted Nix. "Tell me you're on the level, and this isn't some sort of hoax."

Nix held back a laugh. "I'm on the level, and this isn't a hoax. It needs to happen now. Are you ready?"

Bracot's rugged face seemed torn by indecision. Their house would be removed from Solomon City once they became part of another Dragon City. "I... Fine, bring us in."

Nix nodded and closed the holo. "Can you still open a breach?"

"Of course." Una made a gesture with her delicate hands, and a breach appeared directly in front of them. A moment later, Bracot Yu entered, followed closely by the House of Swords.

Nix whistled softly; the eyes of everyone they had fought while raising the Greater House of Inferno were focused on him. The Inferno Leader raised a hand to quiet them down. "This is the Honorable Dragon Master Una Chelonia, and you are now standing in the City of Verynzai. Una and Verynzai have a long and storied history; she will share with you what she wants. However, this is where I exit."

Una grabbed his hand before he could say anything else. "Going to leave? Just like that?"

Nix nodded. "Yeah. I still have things to do before heading back to the Bone Fortress."

Una released his hand. "You contacted me and asked for a favor, but then somehow I ended up with a Dragon City."

Nix grinned and opened up a breach to Have. "Jargon Kane was a blight on the Sky Kingdom, but if you find anything nice in his residence..."

Una returned his smile with a nod. "I'll set it aside for you."

"Thanks."

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

"What's this one?" Mina sat on the floor next to the couch where Hyai was taking a nap. They both were watching Nix craft puppets but the InnKeeper had fallen asleep.

Nix checked his queue before answering. "That one is a Ravager, we already have one in the Bone Fortress, but we could use two."

Mina stroked the soft black fur. "Sinfaya gave you a size limit?"

"Six items only." Nix used the Ranch interface to browse the trade market for crafting items. "Damn it... those otters are too big." The inferno leader had been crafting otters since he returned from Verynzai, the problem was that the only available otter components were the large ones found in Titania.

"I've seen you shrink things before." Mina slid closer to him until their arms were brushing.

Nix nodded in agreement. "Just talking out loud, I have to make an emperor level Otter puppet to combine with my Nether Rat." He made several purchases and then closed the hud. "Why are you so close?"

Mina's pale face seemed bluer than before, something she said was caused by pregnancy. Normally, her pale skin had only the slightest blue tinge to it. Unexpectedly, she leaned closer and pressed her lips against his, holding the kiss for a moment before moving away. "Hyai said I should try that, it went better than I thought."

Nix turned toward the redhead who was no longer sleeping. "Don't put ideas in her head."

Hyai smiled and stood slowly. "Did closing your eyes help?"

Mina nodded. "It's better when I can't see his face."

Nix frowned at her before walking into the kitchen. "You definitely had your eyes open in Ever Flame."

"Don't snack now, Nix. I have something in the oven." Hyai stretched her arms overhead and followed him.

"Got something in the oven?" Nix grinned at her. "Maybe a bun?" A muffled laugh from behind them caused him to turn. Mina was biting her lip while studying something on the table hud.

Hyai shook her head and let Nix wrap her up in a hug. "No."

Nix glanced at the Aquarion who had closed her hud and was watching them. "Two buns?"

Hyai pushed him away with a smile. "What are you talking about, Nix?"

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

Morti splashed through the surf, tossing sand and water in all directions as he chased after Fey and Milat. Gil was in his Bone turtle form, basking in the sun next to the sleeping Soup.

The Inferno Officers were watching the cub while talking amongst themselves.

Pon's wrinkled face showed a scowl. "How long has it been?"

Semmi's blue eyes were content to stare at the water, the breaks in the Bone Fortress didn't come often. "How long has it been since Nix left? Or how long has it been since we asked Morti to summon him?"

They had approached Morti three times in the past six hours since the cub claimed he could summon Nix. Each time he considered it for a moment before refusing.

Wind laughed at the old man's sour expression. "Go make him, Pon. I'd pay money to see that one."

Pon's face slowly turned into a grin. "Yeah right. He keeps saying Nix isn't ready yet. How would he know that?"

Semmi nudged the old mage with an elbow. "Shush, he's coming."

Morti was in his bear form, his soaked fur was matted with sand and dripped sea-water onto the ground as he approached them. "He's ready."

[Summons: Nix]

An instant later, Nix appeared in front of the group.

"Oh god..." Semmi covered her eyes and turned around. "Naked Nix strikes again."

Fajii handed him the clothes she prepared since she was expecting him to show up this way. Nix got dress quickly and then removed Sinfaya's box from his inventory.

"Anything going on?" Nix hugged the soaked cub, his eyes scanning the beach until he spotted the sleeping Sea Turtle.

"Darsi and her group managed to close most of the windows in Keep. Only a few holdouts still have them open." Semmi fell in step beside the Inferno leader as he headed up the beach where Soup was sunning herself.

/Inferno: Semmi: What's in the box, Nix? Presents?

/Inferno: Wind: Gotta be puppets.

/Inferno: Nix: Had to choose carefully, since the box is limited to six items.

/Inferno: Pon: It's like Christmas. I bet you brought some weapons! Maybe some kick-ass armor!

Soup sensed Nix's approached and slapped the sand with her flipper.

"Keep away from my turtle, Gil!" Nix frowned at the Turtle Titan before sitting down beside the Sea Turtle. "Got you something nice."

Sea Breeze: Shape Shifter Set

Description: This lightweight jumpsuit is an [Osprey]

Shape-Shifting Set. [Custom: Soup only]

All ambient sound

within one meter of the wearer is

completely suppressed.

+ 2000 to Armor Class

+ 100 to all Base Stats.

+300 to Speed.

+ 200 Poison Resistance

+200 to Lightning Resistance.

Enhancement: Complete Camouflage

is activated at will.

Enhancement: The Cooldown on all water abilities is divided by two.

Bonus: Wearer is Immune to Fire Damage

Bonus: Wearer is Immune to Nether Damage

Nix held the jumpsuit in front of Soup so she could see it. "Want to try it?"

/Inferno: Semmi: You made Soup some gear? How is she going...

Soup morphed into her evolved form, her round green eyes staring at the jumpsuit as she reached out a jade-colored hand. "Soup?"

/Inferno: Semmi: Soup evolved a human form?

/Inferno: Nix: Not quite, but this is probably the best she can do.

Nix nodded and handed her the jumpsuit, the seaweed wrap that covered her, disappeared a moment later to be replaced with a skin-tight green jumpsuit that closely resembled a wetsuit. "Try it out."

Soup stepped into the surf as she walked across the surface like a water-spider.

/Inferno: Milat: That's impressive.

/Inferno: Gil: Why do you even have a turtle companion? You should let me have her bond!

An instant later she disappeared into the water only to reappear several meters away when she burst free of the surface and rose high into the air. At the apex of her jump, she transitioned into an Osprey and started gaining altitude.

/Inferno: Fey: I better help her.

A moment later, the Silver Drakon took to the air in a storm of sand and seawater. Several disgruntled faces frowned as Fey effortlessly caught up with the flying Soup.