Chapter 574: Desert Winter

Nix removed a boxed lunch from the fridge and ate while he considered his options. He didn't want to risk losing the Titan puppets to degradation due to long-term inhabitance. Both Nihlus and Sindi were working hard on Inferno's behalf as they attempted to revitalize the Titan bloodline within the Everspire Clans. "Shit... All the fucking freebies."

Nix exited the Turtle House and followed the sound of splashing. The turtle pond that came with the home was occupied by Soup, Ducky, and a stray Vilas. "Fey been around?"

Ducky nodded and pointed south of their position, where the silver drakon could be seen gliding through the clouds.

[Whisper: Nix to Fey] Could you come to see me for a moment? I'm at the Turtle House.

[Whisper: Fey to Nix] On my way.

The sound of Ducky laughing made Nix turn back toward the water; Soup was trying to ride an uncooperative Vilas. "Nix! We need to get Soup a saddle!"

Fey landed a few meters away and walked towards them; she wore a guilty look on her face. "I didn't mean to hide my breach ability. I've been trying to perfect it. It only works half the time."

Nix shrugged slightly and patted her silver hair. "This is for you. Go to Shae's elemental world and consume it."

Fey lifted the box's lid and peeked inside. The teen's pale cheeked reddened immediately. "You're giving this to me?"

Nix nodded. "I plan on giving you two more, depending on the effect of this one." The Inferno Leader had all the wildling dragon hearts that Hulo had used to cast Greater Magic in the Bone Fortress.

Fey's normally serious face smiled at Nix. "Thank you."

Nix waved her off. "We grow stronger together." He waited until after she left before summoning Mortimer.

The Titan cub glanced around at his surroundings before coming to rest on Ducky and Soup. "Are we playing?"

"This is for you, Morti. I was able to put a few upgrades onto the Battle Harness." Nix showed him the altered [Mortimer's Black Sparrow Battle Harness] and then helped him put it on.

The Titan Cub stood patiently still until Nix finished putting it on. "Do I look good?"

Nix nodded. "Like cool, fresh water on a hot desert day."

"That's pretty good," Morti agreed. "Should I try it now?"

Nix held up a hand to stop him. "Gotta have a good catchphrase, Morti. Something you say when you change forms."

Morti's big nose huffed a few times as he considered it. "I can't think of anything. Will you help me?"

Nix leaned against the Titan cub while they considered his plight. "A lot of the good ones are already taken; 'Up, up, and away' for starters.

Morti's tongue lolled out one side of his mouth. "That is a good one."

"Then there's; To Infinity and beyond!"

Morti plopped down on his overly large behind. "That's a really good one too."

Nix scratched Morti's ears, turning his face when the cub pushed a wet nose at him. "Anyways... It's something to think about."

Morti nodded. "Thanks, Nix. You're my best friend."

Nix chuckled and stepped away from the cub. "You know it."

"TITAN WING!" Morti's shout caused the Vilas to bolt out of the water, the enormous Titan vanished, leaving only a small fluttering bird in its place.

"Morti?" Ducky stared at the black sparrow as it swooped near her. An instant later, she activated her Archon form and took to the air. "Come on, Soupie!"

Soup morphed into her osprey form and chased after them, leaving Nix to watch for a few moments as they pursued the black sparrow. A smiling Nix waved at the circling trio before opening a breach into Tai'Qui's nursery.

The warmth of the Earth Dragon's nursery always put him at ease. It was probably the exact temperature of Deidra's, but Tai's was imbibed with a deeper warmth. The two Titan puppets stood off to one side. They appeared to be deep in thought and didn't turn when Nix stepped in.

"NIx!" Tai welcomed him with a smile; her brown hair was tied up with a red bandana, she wore a simple white shirt with brown leather leggings that were rolled up to the knee.

Nix jumped right in since he had other places he wanted to go. He explained about the degradation of the puppet that Del had spent months in and his concerns regarding the Titan animations. "As I told Del, I'll reverse my stand on putting you in these Titans. But if you can't bind in Haven, then I won't let you leave until Khione is dead."

Tai glanced at her sons, then at the two Dragon Eggs they'd been placed in months ago. The Inferno Leader had saved both of their lives and made her family whole again. "Is there a risk?"

Nix shrugged slightly. "In truth, I don't know. I've done this procedure and similar ones in the past without issue."

Tai walked toward the two dragon eggs where Sindi and Nihlus were stored. "You heard Guild Leader Nix. What are your thoughts?"

Nihlus walked toward his mother and took a seat next to his dragon egg. "I'm willing to take the chance."

Sindi nodded in agreement. "My stupid decision in Eidengal led to the death of myself and my friend. I will trust Nix."

Tai watched as both puppets slumped against their eggs. "Nix, I know the value of these Titan animations."

Nix whistled softly while examining the Titan puppets. "There's a bit of wear, but neither is starting to degrade yet. I'd say in another six to nine months; these puppets would be trash."

[White Lion Titan: Animation][Infused Dragon Egg: Nihlus][Dragon Scale]

[Camoflauge Fabric V]

[Scorpion Titan: Animation][Infused Dragon Egg: Sindi][Dragon Scale]

[Camoflauge Fabric V]

Tai peeked over his shoulder as he set up the crafting queue. "Is this similar to what you did with Del?"

Nix nodded. "Pretty much exact thing, except these are Titans. I have no idea what to expect."

Tai'Qui's pretty face showed her nervousness, but she nodded anyway. The Earth Dragon put up a shield around the Titan puppets and the two Dragon Eggs. "Do it."

Craft the Queued Items?

"Yes."

White Lion Titan (E)

[Elemental Bonus: Lightning]

Scorpion Titan (E)

[Elemental Bonus: Ice Flames]

An eruption of energy slammed against the shield, Tai's creation absorbed it easily.

Nix took a step back, giving the two Titans space; he could feel the power radiating off of the new arrivals. "How do you feel?"

Nihlus shook his mane, causing tiny bolts of energy to spark from his coat. "Different. Really strong."

Sindi snapped his pincers together, the temperature around him plummeting. "These are flames?"

Tai smiled and nodded. "Those are Nix's Ice Flames; I had him infused elements into both of your eggs."

Nihlus raked the rock floor beneath him as if experimenting; it grooved effortlessly. "This lightning too?"

Nix crossed his arms over his chest. "First my puppets and now my elements. Apparently, I'm really generous."

"Out!" Tai opened a Breach and ushered the two Titans outside. "Your elements are still fluctuating; I can't have you in my nursery."

Nix waited while she drove them out; he didn't want to linger since he had plans. "Something else on your mind?"

"Payment. I don't know what I can offer you. You already have everything a dragon would want." Tai's laugh seemed tinged with frustration. "Would you be my spirit companion?"

Nix shook his head. "No."

The Earth Dragon frowned at his abrupt answer. "It's not like what you already have. Dragons are only allowed one; usually, it's a Primal Beast."

"Not interested." Nix smiled and shrugged. "I'll figure out a payment.

***************Author's Note******

A few names popping back into the story. Here's a quick reminder.

Zhava: Aquarion Scout

Milat: Aquarion Trickster

Banz: Human Tank (Wylie's Love Interest)

Sila: Hyai's old flame was in the original group that kills Bulo early in the story. She has been grinding in the embassy.

Saji: Aquarion healer; she is also Hyai's spirit companion.

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

The three men stood at the frozen ridgeline overlooking the Central Kingdom War Camp. Their destination was Eidengal, but Semmi insisted they stay long enough to help form the raid.

/Alpha: Pon: This is lame; Sharl's the most experienced raider around. She doesn't need help.

/Alpha: Wind: Agreed. Plus, Shae is in the group.

/Alpha: Pon: Where's Del at?

/Alpha: Nix: Oasis. Since she was able to bind in Haven, she wanted to get a firsthand look at how the Dhassi are coping.

/Inferno: Sharl: Here's the grouping for Lessard. Depending on how fast the Howlers are cleared, we probably won't do him for two or three days.

[Bravo]

Sharl: Tank

Milat: DPS, CC

Fajii: Buffs, DPS

Zhava: DPS

Saji: Heals

[Charlie]

Banz: Tank

Sila: CC, DPS

Rhylia: CC

Shae: DPS

Donri: DPS

/Alpha: Pon: See? Easy...

Jun Li has joined Alpha.

Semmi has joined Alpha.

/Alpha: Nix: You two ready to go?

/Alpha: Jun Li: Yes.

/Alpha: Semmi: Sure.

[Create Breach: Central Kingdom, Great Desert]

Nix took a step forward and then plunged downward several feet, his entire field of vision suddenly submerged in white.

Nix has activated [Aura Ignition: Emerald Fury].

Instantly the snow in his immediate vicinity evaporated. The howling wind made hearing anything next to impossible.

/Alpha: Pon: The fuck is this? I can barely see the snow.

/Alpha: Nix: Mount up.

[Summons: Chupa]

The Shadow Raven appeared in front of him a moment later. Its black eye's studied him briefly before lowering a wing so that he could mount.

Although visibility was near zero, the Shadow Raven took to the sky and started gaining altitude.

[Chupa has called for the others in her flight to join the formation]

After a few moments of flying, the group finally cleared the clouds. The steady and very heavy snowfall swirled and drifted as it buried everything in its path.

/Alpha: Jun Li: It's been snowing this hard the entire time?

/Alpha: Semmi: Looks that way. See that summit in the distance? Half of it is covered in snow. That means they've had six or seven meters of snow.

/Alpha: Pon: Why didn't we just gate here from Haven? Or have Nix breach us into Eidengal?

/Alpha: Semmi: The gate between Haven and Eidengal was closed in the last few hours. I'm not sure why.

/Alpha: Nix: I tried to Breach us in; the city is shutting us out.

After several minutes of flying, the walls of Eidengal came into view. To Nix's eyes, it looked like one large clump of ice. No buildings or colors of any kind could be discerned.

/Alpha: Semmi: How can we land when visibility on the ground is zero?

Semmi has been slain.

Jun Li has been slain.

Wind has been slain.

[Group and Personal communications have been disrupted.]

Nix's mount dodged to one side suddenly before banking into a dive. The Inferno leader spotted dozens of projectiles closing on him at once. He felt the impact as Chupa was struck multiple times; he was plummeting toward the ground a moment later.

The white-out conditions made the free-fall extremely scary; Nix morphed into his Phoenix form and extended his orange flamed wings.

"Look out!" Pon's voice was directly on top of him; his Ice Wraith form barely missed the Phoenix. "I'll follow you down!"

"Stay close! Group chat is disrupted!" Nix glided into the general direction of Eidengal; the landing was sloppy and unexpected as he buried himself into a snowdrift. He dropped the Phoenix form and helped the Fire Mage to his feet.

Pon's curses were lost in the wind. "Looks like another fucking shit-show."

"Seem like it." Nix tried to raise his hud, but it wasn't working. "You think the rest of the team respawned in Haven?"

Pon shrugged slightly. "No idea. Let's head toward the gate."

Nix ignited his aura. "Stay close; if you lose contact with me, stay put and start spamming fire spells."