Phoenix Phire

"You were surprised. Come on, admit it!" Fey banked slightly and corrected her course. In the distance, she could see the Moon Goddess sailing steadily southward.

"A bit, you'd have figured it out eventually." Nix patted her back from his seat behind her shoulders. Ten drops of dragon blood had done a lot more than give Fey human form. Her body was toughened substantially; her speed and strength were also increased.

"Going to drop you off Nix." Fey dropped her stealth about half a mile from the Moon Goddess, very quickly she was spotted by Captain Delphi's crew. She felt Nix stand up just as she closed in and stooped her wings to slow down. She banked away and started climbing again when she felt him jump off. "Summon me after I change back into human form."

Nix skidded and then tumbled on the deck of the Moon Goddess, knocking over several buckets and mobs that had been placed near the rail. The nearby crew members all looked away, except for Delphi, who he could hear laughing from the helm. "I was envisioning something cooler."

[Create Breach: Gemini Temple: Moon Goddess]

A moment later, two Aquarions stepped onto the deck of the Moon Goddess. Milat whistled softly, the ship was much bigger than he would have thought.

"It's big right?" Captain Delphi left the helm and was walking toward them. "She's bigger than a Dreadnought, there are three extra floating masts that I have no idea what to do with."

Nix shook his captain's hand and was favored with a smile. "It's great to be working with you again Captain."

"I hear there isn't a naval presence on Oasis." Delphi shook the hands of the Aquarions also, both Milat and Mina were long-time members of the Phoenix crew. You could build a city out of the ships they had sunk together.

Nix was staring at the landmass that seemed to pop up out of nowhere. Quickly he brought up his Breach Commander Holo since it was vastly superior to the standard hud maps.

The landscape had changed vastly since his most recent visit, most of the ice was removed from their borders. A large river leading inland to Lake Tysta was now visible. There were five Izzin cities, the capitol Tysta, Spiro, Cyli, Feska and Marabi. All five of the Izzin cities were built on the coasts of Lake Tysta.

The Moon Goddess entered the river channel an hour later, the riverbanks blossomed with every sort of green plant imaginable.

"This was all ice last time Nix?" Milat and moved to the rail and was watching the banks with interest.

"Dozens of feet of ice, this lake takes up nearly all of their territory. I haven't visited the cities, but I'm guessing they are quite large."

"Nix..." Mina pointed to the opposite bank. A few Izzin children were running along the banks of the river, waving and smiling at the ship. They scampered over and between obstacles quite easily with their crab-like legs.

[Whisper Shipwright Vy to Nix] I'm hearing reports that a ship has entered the Nix river.

[Whisper Nix to Shipwright] We just entered a few minutes ago. Nix river?

[Whisper Shipwright Vy to Nix] Yes, in honor of the man who broke the curse and restored our empire.

[Whisper Nix to Shipwright Vy] I'm honored.

[Whisper Shipwright Vy to Nix] I'm sending out a small boat to receive you, just follow the boat to the docking area.

Within a few minutes, the Moon Goddess was within sight of the docks. The roar of a giant crowd could be heard from their ship.

/Hunter: Mina: That's a lot of people. How big are these cities?

/Hunter: Nix: The capital city is probably close to a few hundred thousand.

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

Hyai wiped her brow with the back of her hand, she kept her armor on despite being told that the area was safe. Nix had told her, 'armor only saves your life when you are wearing it.' The first building in the NW corner of the city was the Golden Wings Inn. Hyai had been assigned the building.

The tall redhead walked up the stairs, comparing it to her own Inn was only natural. She found the Inn Keeper's room first, that was the most likely place to find valuable items. Walking in it was obvious the Inn Keeper had been a female. There were feminine trinkets everywhere. She took a seat on the bed and glanced around the room. She had until tomorrow night to finish the building, more than enough time to go through everything.

/Expedition: Hyai: I found some books, even a diary you can look at.

/Expedition: Ronnie: We can read the diary together, might be some interesting things in there.

Hyai smiled and started removing books from the bookcase onto the bed. "That girl..." A creaking floorboard caused her to spin around.

The blast took her point-blank in the chest and knocked her through the glass window to the street below. She slammed into the hard cobblestone street, nearly blacking out while she struggled to breathe. Hyai staggered to her feet, both hands glowing with fire.

/Expedition: Hyai: I've just been attacked at the Inn.

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

Jun Li ducked the slash aimed at her face and then used her blade to swipe at two arrows fired from the two remaining archers. One of them was batted away while the other stuck into her shoulder.

[Ghost Step]

Jun Li weaved her way between the next pair of shots and appeared next to the archers.

A mailed fist knocked the nearer one into the other while she spun quickly and removed the head of the swordsman that was following her. Two quick slashes after that and the archers were finished.

[Planar Trial Passed: Gemini Gladiator Jun Li]

Jun Li smiled and pulled the arrow from her shoulder, a moment later she appeared on the platform. The stone beneath her feet now bore the image of a Gemini Gladiator, a quick glance told her that Sharl hadn't finished yet. She wasn't concerned though, without a doubt she understood that Sharl was probably the best tank in the game.

"Jun Li!"

Inferno's Vice Leader turned at the sound of her name. She could dimly make out someone waiting for her on the other side of the instance entrance.

"Nix told me that you'd be finishing a quest here and to wait for you." The speaker was a man dressed in black, his jet-black hair was cut short and his dark eyes seemed to watch everything at once.

Jun Li smiled at the speaker. "Donri." She hadn't known the Seneschal very well before Nix assigned him to the Royal family of the newly minted Central Kingdom. He was the only Black Fire Mage in the guild and had distinguished himself when he was put in command of the Broyan fighters during the Cai'Song Battle.

Donri was a former tank and one of the first people Nix had grouped with when he first came to Colonial. Together with Nezbit and Sila, they had taken down the bear whose skin was later used to help Morti. "Nix told me to wait for you."

Jun Li shook the mages hand, noting that he obviously still possessed the strength of a tank. "Are we doing something for the royal family?"

Donri shook his head. "No, we are investigating something for Nix."

"Where do we start?"

Both turned their heads at the sudden disturbance, through the instance veil a figure staggered onto the platform.

The pair entered the instance and helped Sharl to her feet. Inferno's Main Tank was splashed with blood, her armor riddled with dings and scorch marks. Beneath her feet, an image of a Gemini Shield appeared on the tile.

Jun Li helped the exhausted woman off the platform. "Do you need a healer?"

Sharl shook her head. "Just a few minor wounds, this blood isn't mine."

"Nice to see you again Sharl." Donri offered the tank his hand. "Now the team is complete, time to find the Cabal."