408 House of Tempest: Black Water (1/2)

Sasi nodded. She was going to help Nix with training today so she was dressed in her black shadow armor. ”On three, okay?”

Rabi nodded, rubbing his tiny hands together in excitement.

”Three!” Sasi flung open the door and charged in, her feet skidding to a stop when she spotted Nix.

”SASI!” Rabi followed her in, collided with her back, sending them both to the floor.

Sasi's mouth fell open, her eyes staring. ”Twister?”

Nix slept soundly in the eye of the windstorm. His bed and immediate surrounding were unaffected. However, as you moved away from the bed, a current of air formed a wide funnel cloud. The smaller objects in the area were spinning slowly around the room.

Sasi ducked an object that whirled passed her. ”Nix's pants?”

Rabi nodded. ”Think so. NIX!”

Sasi pulled her brother's arm. ”Look at the airflow, I bet he can't hear us.”

”NIX!” Rabi tried yelling louder, there was no reaction from the Inferno guild leader.

Sasi climbed back to her feet, her eyes studying the air currents. ”Stay here!” She leaped toward the bed, only making it about halfway before she was picked up by the current and sent spiraling around the room in a large circle.

”Sasi!” Rabi reached for his sister's arm, missing it by only a few inches. ”Hang on! I'll pull you out!”

Sasi nodded and reached out her arms. ”Okay!”

Rabi missed her again, and then again. ”Hey... Are you doing that on purpose?”

Sasi shook her head, hiding a smile. ”No! This time for sure.”

”Yes you are! Sasi is having fun!” Rabi jumped into the air current.

Chiba checked her hud, she was supposed to meet Nix at 0930 for breakfast. She opened her own door, walked into the common area. The sound of pounding and laughter could be heard from Nix's room. She stopped outside his door and knocked on it before flinging it open.

The two Qi siblings were spiraling around the room while holding tight to one another. Occasionally they kicked out at objects that threatened to collide with them. Chiba knelt down and touched the floor. ”It's ice-cold,” she mumbled. ”Damn... cold air is moving down while warmer air is rising. It has formed a convergence in the middle.”

Chiba lay flat on the floor and slowly crawled toward the bed, when she was close enough she reached a hand up and grabbed his foot.

”I'm up!” Nix bolted upright in bed, forcing his sleepy eyes open. Instantly the phenomenon halted, sending everything falling to the floor with a loud crash. ”The hell is going on?”

His room looked like it had been torn apart, clothes, towels, and blankets were strewn everywhere. Rabi and Sasi were laying on the floor, both seemed to be having some sort of fit.

”Hmm? I didn't hear a thing.” Nix shook his head to clear it. ”Although waking up in Air'Voilla might be fun.”

Sasi stood slowly, tilting one way and then the other. ”Room is still spinning?”

”Nope, it stopped.” He bent down and picked up both siblings, one under each arm. ”I have to get dressed.”

Rabi protested when he was placed on the common area couch. ”Can Nix stay from now on?”

Sasi nodded. ”Nix stays!”

Nix shook his head and shut the door. ”Nix won't stay.”

[1000 hours House of Tempest, Day 4]

Chiba held the practice blade and swiped it in the air before facing her apprentice. ”No spell defense today. Sometimes progressing too fast leads to problems. Work on something unrelated and let what we've learned sink in.”

Nix didn't bother to hide his disappointment, training was going very well. He felt like his growth as a spellsword might be catching up with his other skills.

Chiba threw an arm around his shoulders. ”We are both learning new things. Today we work on weaknesses.”

”Don't get so clingy.” Nix nudged her arm off. ”You are right, of course. I will show some patience and reflect properly.”

Chiba gave him a crooked grin. ”My weakness is melee skills. Want to wrestle me?”

Nix shook his head. ”If we are working with weaknesses, then I should probably work my water abilities.”

Chiba motioned for Sasi to approach. ”I bet Tempest has a water mage that can help you out.”

Nix dropped his weapon suddenly, it stabbed into the black sand between his feet. ”F*ck.”

”Nix?” Chiba stared at her apprentice, he was staring off into space as if thinking. She didn't speak or bother him, just watched as his mind worked. She held a finger to her lips when Sasi walked up.

Sometimes people had sudden epiphanies. Especially when they were under extreme pressure. Nix was the hero that was destined to stand across from the Winter Goddess, failure would likely mean an ice age for the continent of Everspire.

”I... I know how to restore the Titan Clans.” Nix's yellow eyes refocused and turned towards Chiba. ”I can restore the Clans.”

Nix opened his hud and check the locations of his guildmates. Semmi was in Ionova.

[Whisper: Nix to Tai'Qui] Could I ask a favor?

[Whisper: Tai'Qui to Nix] Of course. What do you need?

[Whisper: Nix to Tai'Qui] Just a few minutes of your time. Semmi is in Ionova, I need her here at the House of Tempest Training Yard.

[Whisper: Tai'Qui to Nix] Right away. Could you visit me when you are done today?

[Whisper: Nix to Tai'Qui] Yes.

Sasi placed a concerned hand on Nix's arm. ”Are you okay?”

Nix nodded. ”Does the House of Tempest have a high-level Water elemental?”

”YES!” Rabi interrupted, his face showing excitement. ”Mimi is a water mage!”

Sasi made a sour face at and wacked him on the head. ”Quit drooling.”

Rabi gave her an offended look. ”No hitting! I was only helping.”

Sasi sighed loudly, the air whistling softly between her teeth. ”Sorry. You know that person vexes me. Ask her if she can come to the training yard.”

Rabi went from offended to happy in a heartbeat. ”Right. I will be back!”

”So no wrestling then?” Chiba played with the end of her braid.

Instead of answering, Nix gripped her by the arms and picked her up like he would a child.

”Huh?” Chiba tried to move her arms, it felt like they were clamped to her sides. A quick glance at her feet showed that she was being held several inches off the ground. ”Why are you so strong?”

”Shall we have a 'Chiba tossing' contest?”

Chiba shook her head and used a burst of strength to try and break free. ”Holy crap... Why are you so strong?”

Nix smiled up at her. ”You already said that. Still want to wrestle?”

Chiba nodded. ”You're restraining me. I didn't realize my apprentice liked that sort of thing.”

Nix put her down and released her arms. ”You should do something with the gold element you gained in Eidengal.”

”You're right of course. I've only used it to form a blade, I need to devel...” Chiba's voice trailed off when her sharp eyes noticed Rabi returning. ”I may have to take the rest of the day off.”

”Huh?” Nix turned and focused on Rabi, the person trailing behind him instantly became the focus of the training yard.

Rabi was followed by a dark-haired demon hybrid with short spiked hair. Her brown skin was visible everywhere, leaving Nix to wonder why she wore anything at all. She moved with sinuous grace, her hips swaying with every step she took.

[Whisper: Nix to Chiba] Does Tempest have a succubus?

[Whisper: Chiba to Nix] A suck u what?

Rabi stopped in front of the pair. ”This is Mimi, the Tempest Water Mage.”

Nix glanced at Chiba, who was staring shamelessly. ”I'm Nix, this is my Master, Chiba.”

”Rabi says you wish to train your water abilities?”

[Whisper: Chiba to Nix] I feel like we're being f*cked with.

Nix was inclined to agree. Mimi's voice made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. It had a smooth and comforting element, reminding him of Ducky's tone when she was bewitching someone.

”I recently gained the water element and was hoping to focus on it today.” There was something odd about her, Nix couldn't quite place it.

Mimi smiled slightly, showing white teeth with small curved fangs. ”Not sure what we can do in a day. Have you formed any water weapons yet?”

Nix equipped Wrath and pushed water into it. The blade that emerged was a dark blue, the same color as the Ocean in Colonial. ”Only a water blade.”