Phoenix Phire

"Deidra Mtui?" Del's pale blue eyes stared at the two runes. "What does that mean, Nix?"

Nix shrugged slightly, his thoughts dwelling on the Dragon Master of Solomon City. Her demeanor was cold and ruthless, but they shared a certain amount of earned trust. "Is there a way you can contact her from here?"

Eron nodded, "from here, I may speak with anyone, but it won't be possible for her to hear you."

A pinpoint of light formed over the table; as Eron focused his will, it grew substantially brighter.

After a few moments, the familiar voice of Deidra Mtui could be heard. "Impressive trick, sending a communication into a closed World Seed. Who is this?"

Eron's mouth didn't move, but his words reverberated throughout the room.

[My name is Eron. I'm part of the Inferno Force currently fighting in the Bone Fortress.]

"The Spirit Fox? Are you speaking from Kitsu?"

[Unimportant. Something has happened, and a good portion of Inferno's people have been neutralized.]

"Neutralized? Do you mean killed? Is my son alive? Is Nix okay?"

[Time is short. They are both sleeping. They triggered a trap that released seven Blessed Veil spells. All of the fighters on both sides have been defeated.]

"Blessed Veil? That's a dragon spell. Combining them would be nearly impossible."

[Witchcraft twisted it, my knowledge on this is limited.]

"If the spell is expired, then they will recover within a few days."

[The spell isn't expired, it's currently cycling back and forth across the battlefield.]

"It's persisting? Is there a power source?"

[We assume that it is using the land to power the spell.]

"Tied to the land? Remove them from the path of the Veil at once, but avoid contacting the spell."

[That has already been done. Both your son and Nix have been recovered.]

"You've taken the proper measures. Without constant connection to the Veil, they will awake in a few days."

[There is another issue. The canisters that contained the Greater Spells have been recovered. They bear the mark of Deidra Mtui.]

"They have my rune?" A short pause turned into a long one. "I had no hand in this, nor do I have any information. Dragons submit annual spells to the council for use at the Tembai Academy."

[I see. As a favor to you, I could keep this a secret from Nix.]

"No. Tell him as soon as he wakes. Regardless of where the spells came from, combining them through witchcraft would take a potent witch and the cooperation of seven dragons. One for each of the Greater Spells."

[I must go. Anything you want me to pass on?]

"Yes. Tell Nix to trust only his friends."

The pinpoint of light vanished, its departure bringing a long moment of calm. Eron studied Nix while the Inferno Leader considered his next move. "Do you believe her?"

"Yes. Her oath and the Krelandur binds us. The Dragon Master of Solomon City has my trust."

Eron handed the canister back to Alfie before standing up. "I will escort you back to the meadow."

Nix nodded and stood up. "The hour is up?"

"Nearly." Eron ushered them out of the room and then fell in step beside Nix while Alfie and Del walked behind them. "Do you have a suspect?"

"Could be anyone. To Dragons, the rest of us are little more than ants. Tai'Qui, Sinfaya, and Deidra are the only ones who view us differently."

"I will send you through and then research a bit more. I will return to the Bone Fortress sometime tomorrow."

A short while later, a door appeared where they were standing. Instead of going through, Del motioned for Alfie to continue without them. "I would speak with Guild Leader Nix."

Nix waited until Alfie stepped through before raising an eyebrow. "What, Del?"

She smiled slightly and shrugged. "I've been an Orion for so long; I forgot what it feels like to be human."

"Leave anytime in the next ten minutes." Eron bowed slightly and left with his seven tails swishing behind him.

"We can wait a few minutes." Nix grinned at her. "Still angry about getting your butt kicked by my Ravager?"

Del laughed loudly and shook her head. "Could you look at me until we have to leave?"

"The hell does that mean?" Nix eyed the doorway; the temptation to escape the Ain'Dhassi was steadily growing.

"Exactly what I said. See Del, the woman."

Nix sighed heavily. "So... just stare at you for a few minutes, and we can go?"

"Yes."

"Fine. I don't mind it if you don't." Nix started counting in his head, intending to put up with Del for a hundred count before leaving. 100, 99, 98...

"Nix?"

"Yes?"

"Are you going to stare at my chest the entire time?"

"Yes. Are we done yet?"

Del shook her head. "Quit trying to be so difficult."

Nix chuckled at her expression. "I don't really need to try."

Del nodded in agreement. "That's true. We should talk more."

"I talk to you all the time."

Del tucked an errant strand of white hair behind one ear. "Don't purr so loud. Quit sleeping on my bunk and stop licking my face when I'm sleeping; doesn't count as conversation."

"Times up." Nix took a step toward the door before pausing. "Wait... You lick my face when I'm sleeping?"

Del favored him with a slight smile. "No. Of course not."

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

"Are you okay?" Ducky smiled at her thief as she tightened the bandage applied to his forearm.

Pradi nodded. For the second time in less than a day, he'd been jumped by the Trifecta members. Both times he managed to kill one of them while escaping with only minor wounds. The stealth of his new hidden class was vastly superior to his old one. "I caught sight of the Nymph that lurks in the depths of the castle."

Ducky moved off the edge of her bed and opened the trunk that she'd been storing items in. She removed a small stone and handed it to him. "Hold this up and try to look at me through it."

Pradi turned the small stone over in his hand; it looked like an ordinary stone that you'd find anywhere. "You teasing me again, Ducky?" He held it between his pointer finger and thumb and did as she asked. "Woah... it became clear."

"It's a Water Nymph stone. One of my sisters gave it to me." Ducky smiled at the hazy memory. In truth, the days of playing in the swamps of Colonial were too vague to recall properly. "If this person is a Water Nymph, then you will be able to see her through the stone."

Pradi pocketed the stone. "The lower depths of the Keep are completely submerged. What if something happens to me?"

Ducky patted his head gently, a habit she got from Nix. "Don't worry, Pradi. Trust in yourself."

"If you say so." Pradi stood and started walking toward the door. "I'll stay in contact."

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

The Ravager entered the med-tent, followed closely by the Orion. The feline climbed up on Nix's bunk and sat facing the wall.

Nix ignored the pouting cat and scanned the room. "We miss anything."

Ronnie nodded. "Maybe. Follow me."

Nix followed the dark archer down the long line of cots. Within a few seconds, that arrived at the three sleeping Titans. "What's going on?"

Ronnie shrugged slightly and bent to lay strong the Titan cub's head. "Not sure. One moment he was in Bone form, and then he changed."

The Ravager stood on its hind legs, staring at his spirit companion. He had shifted back to his bear form while under the Veil spell. "Morti! Quit messing around. Time to wake up!"

The Titan cub didn't respond; his long steady breaths continued without interruption.

Ronnie flashed Nix a smile. "Seriously? Did you think 'Wake up' was going to work?"

The Ravager tried to shrug but found that his shoulders didn't support the idea. "Guess not. Did Alfie brief you on what we learned?"

Ronnie nodded. "Yes. What took you and Del so long to exit?"

"Not sure. For some reason, Del insisted that I stare at her boo..." His sentence was interrupted by a sudden rumbling as the ground beneath them started to shake.

[The Greater Spell that binds your Spirit Companion is being resisted.]

"Back up, Ronnie" Nix watched as an aura of power formed around the Titan cub; it pulsed steadily like the heart of an enormous beast.

Mortimer has formed [Emperor's Will].

An instant later, the Titan cub's eyes popped open as the deafening roar of an angry Titan made the tent's occupants cover their ears. Angrily it scanned the tent until its gaze fell upon the skinny mage dressed in white robes. A second roar of anger sounded, causing everyone but Nix to run for the door.

Mortimer has strengthened Fey's Will.

The silver-haired mage opened her eyes slowly, confusion showing as she looked around the tent. She spotted Morti and Nix before making an effort to sit up. "Don't be so loud, Morti."

Morti flopped down on his butt, the anger in his eyes rapidly fading. "Sorry, Fey."

"Morti!" Nix nudged the cub's fat belly with his snout. "Try waking up someone else."

"Huh?" Morti looked around at the Inferno members sleeping on cots. "How do I do that?"