Chapter 216 - House On Fire (Part One) (1/2)

[Whisper: Beta to Chiba] You are one of the Pillars of a new house, right?

[Whisper: Chiba to Beta] What kind of way is that to start a conversation? Let's go drinking and we'll discuss how respectable I've become.

[Whisper: Beta to Chiba] Exactly what I have in mind. Why don't you bring a few of your new friends and I'll bring you someplace fun.

Nix walked casually down the cobbled sidewalks of Solomon City. The streetlights were just starting to illuminate, the last light of day having recently faded. He crossed a wide footbridge that hovered over the only river in Solomon City, pausing halfway, he turned his gaze north. He could see the large empty lot where the Oasis House use to be. After purposefully delaying for nearly an hour he restarted his journey, walking directly to the front door of the House of Aquarion.

With both his camo-overlay and the Ice artifact active, it was likely that nothing in Solomon City could casually detect his presence. Nix waited patiently by the front door of the Greater House, it was less than another half-hour before he was rewarded.

The door opened suddenly like someone used their foot to kick it. Two Aquarions walked out together, both of them wore smiles on their pale faces.

”I will trust your judgment in this Bikto, If she's as beautiful as you say...” The larger of the Aquarions spoke, his handsome face was marred only by a perfectly straight scar that ran down the side of his face.

Nix lost the rest of their conversation when he slipped easily pa.s.sed the closing door. When the topic of Greater Houses was first brought up, he had asked Ronnie to research the details of the matter. Greater Houses were always at least three stories. You could always make additional levels later, but the first three were locked in during the development process.

He explored the first level slowly, besides the occasional straggler, it was mostly empty. Nix already knew that there were currently 19 different people in the house, their thermal signatures stood out even through the walls and floors. It was easy to find the five rooms belonging to the Foundation members, they were always located on the 1st floor.

After carefully choosing the locations, he set seven different fire traps on the first level. The trick to setting a trap that wouldn't be casually set off? Hide it on the ceiling. Only one of the Foundation rooms was occupied. The body heat from two separate people lying p.r.o.ne inside told Nix everything he needed to know, someone was getting laid. Outside of this door, he put down the only floor trap, a shaped charge that would explode downward into the bas.e.m.e.nt below.

The trip to the second floor was a much shorter affair. As soon as Nix entered the house he knew where the perpetrator was. The essence that was stolen from Severance stood out like a raging beacon. The second level of Greater Houses is where the Pillars reside. Five of them were currently in their rooms.

Nix watched the pillars movements through the door and concentrated on the steps he would need to take. He waited until the pillar's back was turned and stepped in quickly.

[Create Breach: Gemini Temple: Lower Level]

Nix moved quickly into the room, a half dozen strands of Gemini Flame impaled the Aquarion's chest, before he could scream he was yanked forward, a flash of red steel removing one hand as he was flung into the Breach.

A quick glance around through the walls and floor of the house told him that no one had been alarmed. Nix bent and picked up the severed hand, he stared at it for a moment. ”Friends and family first...”

A delicate-looking hand stroked the pale Fire Lord's face. Shae's hair had come down during the fighting, strands of her errant red tresses stuck out in a dozen different directions. ”Hurry Nix... this old Lord isn't going to last ver...”

Her words were interrupted by a breach opening a few feet away from her. An object was tossed through and then the breach closed.

”Looks like someone is busy.” Shae pried open the fingers of the severed hand and removed the Essense stone from them.

The Salamander placed the stone in her own lips and then knelt next to Severance. Shae held the cold face in her hands, bending until their mouths touched.

Chiba frowned at the Albino and finished off the bottle she was drinking from. ”I thought it was going to be just me and you.”

Beta shrugged. ”Shouldn't you bond a bit with your new friends too?”

”Let's be buddies Chiba!” Semmi had her head propped up on the table, as drinkers go she was definitely in the lightweight category.

The old man sitting next to the blond was definitely not a lightweight, as far as Chiba could tell, he drank booze like it was water. The Fire mage offered a toast. ”To new beginnings!”

Chiba clinked her bottle against his mug. ”I'm the only one without a date, where's my apprentice when I need him?”