Nix appeared on the beach outside of his hut. The turtles started moving toward him with Soup leading the way. He walked toward the side of the building and smoothed out a small area, then created a foot high sand barrier before carefully putting the manta eggs down.

Soup was the only one who seemed interested in the eggs but she didn't move beyond the sand wall.

"You better not eat my eggs Soup." He left them in place and walked to the edge of the water and knelt down. Each of the mantas he had killed dropped a pearl specific to their color. He had 25 blue ones, 16 black ones and a single white one. He dropped them all in the sand and started washing them off. The moment they hit the water, all of the turtles surged toward him, clamoring while trying to get to the pearls. Immediately he picked them back up.

Soup was leaning against his legs, gazing up with sea-blue eyes. He carefully held out the white pearl. "If you bite me..." The pearl was slightly smaller than his fist, Soup eagerly took it in her mouth and then flapped away in the water.

"Not going to chase her?" Nix gave each of them one of his blue pearls, they completely separated themselves and enjoyed their meal in various parts of the lake.

He took out the item he had taken from the Aquarion in the crater. Turning it over, he tried to remember how she wore it. It started out looking like a bracelet, but then it looped about three inches, two rings were attached to the loop. "It's a damn puzzle?"

After trying a few different ways to fit, he slipped his hand through the bigger circle and his middle finger through the two rings. The item glowed slightly in his hand and a menu popped up on his hud.

[Defining New User... Please wait....]

Nix

Level 43

Strength 58

Endurance 61

Intelligence 25

Dexterity 25

Perception 25

Cold Resistance 90

Fire Resistance 100 [Burning Aura]

Weapon Skills:

Rifle 90

Whip 77

Support Skill:

Flame Strands 0 [14]

Swimming 2 [100]

Skills:

Hunter 100

Leather Making 100

Tailor 100

[Support Skill: Sea-Beast Master:8 Has been added to your Character]

[Level 1 Stable has 0/20 Beasts]

[Scan Surrounding Areas?]

"Yes."

[Scanning, Stand By...]

[20 Sea Beasts and 4 Embryos have been located.]

[Type 1: Elite Black Sea Turtle: 19]

[Type 2: Spirit Animal: 1]

[Type 3: Manta Embryos: 4]

[Do you wish to Train the Available Sea-Beasts?]

"Yes."

[20 Sea-Beasts have been added to the Taming Queue.]

[Do you wish to place the Sea-Beasts in your Stable when Training is Complete?]

"No, leave them here."

Nix activated Deep Blue and selected Jenzi. The Provost Marshal Office was on the other side of the city, it was an enormous stone structure with gray granite steps leading up to large steel doors. He walked in to the fragrant smell of fresh flowers, the last scent he expected to encounter. A familiar-looking bald man was patiently trimming a pot of flowers on his desk. He looked up when Nix walked in.

"Oh, it's you. Great job keeping that Aquarion at bay, impressive piece of work. I'm Sergeant Ton."

"Nice to meet you Sergeant. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions."

The large man looked at his flowers and then back at Nix. With a heavy sigh, he slid them to one side. "Of course. What may I help you with?"

"I'm looking into the Aquarion attacks. Would you mind if I asked you some questions?"

"Open your hud, Mr. Nix." Sergeant Ton opened his own hud and sent him a file.

[You have received all the pertinent data regarding the Aquarions]

[You have been offered a quest. Do you accept?]

Aquarion Attacks: Hidden Faction

Description: You inquired into a

mystery that no one else seems to

want to solve. Will you be able to?

"Yes."

[Aquarion Attacks has been added to your Quest log.]

The big man moved the flowers back to the center of his desk and resumed his work. Nix couldn't think of anything else to ask so he left quietly. A voice called to him as soon as he stepped onto the street.

"Nix!"

He turned to see a small blonde-haired woman walking toward him. He recognized her from the Salamander guild. "Hi, Semmi."

She smiled, "you remembered my name. Thank goodness, it's so awkward when that happens."

"Were you looking for me? Or is this happenstance?" He started walking toward the market square, she fell in beside him.

"Both... I was walking around, hoping I might run into you."

"I'm not going to join Salamander nor help them as a guest player." Sometimes it was better to get the hard stuff out of the way.

The small woman didn't seem surprised. "Could we purchase raid merchandise from you? I hear that you are really good at improvising new recipes."

"I won't make any aquatic gear for Salamander. Unfortunately, you are competing against my friends."

"Dammit. You're a tough nut!"

Nix shook his head, "I'm not trying to be."

They arrived at the Jenzi gate, she looked disappointed. "Okay. Let's grind some levels some time. What level are you?"

"Forty-three. Sure we can do that." He stepped onto the gate, but activated Deep Blue instead and chose Cyphix.

His good mood at being back instantly vanished in the screams of pain and wails of despair. Multiple buildings throughout the town were on fire. Smoke hung thick in the air, Nix broke into a run and headed toward the Kindled Spirit.

As he moved away from the gate, the damage from fire lessened but was replaced with entire buildings encased in blocks of ice. "The F*ck is going on here?"

The Kindled Spirit appeared undamaged, but there were three scorched bodies. The first two people he saw when he opened the Inn door were Sila and Hyai. The innkeeper was calmly bandaging her friend. Sila looked at him when he walked in.

"Nix!" She seemed relieved to see him, "they took Nez!"

The inn was empty except for the two women. Nix lay a hand on each of their shoulders. "Sorry, but I'm getting you two out of here." He activated Deep Blue and chose Lake Cavern.

Hyai didn't seem as surprised as Sila, "an origin stone?"

"You are safe here. Tell me everything." He brought them to the table that the Daybreakers had left behind and had them sit down.

Hyai took a deep breath. "Raiders came through the gate, dozens of them, all at once."

He sat a bottle of wine on the table. "What were they after?"

Sila took a drink, her hands were shaking slightly.

Hyai shook her head. "At first they were just burning and killing, but then Aquarions descended from the clouds, more than I've ever seen at one time."

"A bit of a coincidence."

Hyai waited until Sila sat the bottle down, then she took a long drink herself. "They were working together. They were taking people. Cyan, Nez, Kyla and a dozen other women."

Nix leaned back in his chair. "Where did they go?"

"The Aquarions escaped into the clouds. They brought all the women and the raiders away with them." Hyai stared at him, "the raiders were part of Burning Sea."

Sila frowned at the name, "that explains why they were so talented with fire magic. They had me too Nix, until Hyai..."

He had seen the bodies in front of the Inn. It wasn't the work of someone who knew a little bit of fire magic. "I won't judge Hyai."

"I use to run with Burning Sea, years ago before I got married. Even my husband didn't know." Hyai looked down at her hands, refusing to meet his gaze. "I was a bad person Nix, someone who did horrible things."

Sila looked at her in surprise, she only knew Hyai the Inn Keeper. "You saved my life. Thank you Hyai."

**********

Two hours later, Sila and Hyai had fallen asleep on the bed. Nix was sitting on the floor studying his hud. The Provost Marshal had given him exact details of every attack, interviews with the victims, even the notes of the investigators.

They always took females. Until today their ages tended to be between 6 and 13. This also the first known instance of Aquarions working with humans.

Nix activated the Sea Beast Bracelet. The menu options appeared on his hud.

[All Available Sea-Beasts in the Area have been Tamed.]

He chose the add to Stable option.

[Level 1 Stable has 19/20 Occupants]

"Why only 19?"

A movement next to his feet brought a smile to his face. "You don't like Stables Soup?"

He bent closer and lay a hand on its smooth head.

[Bind this Spirit animal to you?]

"Yes." Despite the circumstances, he chuckled, "you my spirit animal Soup?"

[Spirit Animal has been bound.]

"Display my stats."

Nix

Level 43

Strength 58

Endurance 61

Intelligence 25

Dexterity 25

Perception 25

Cold Resistance 90

Fire Resistance 100 [Burning Aura]

Weapon Skills:

Rifle 90

Whip 77

Support Skill:

Flame Strands 0 [14]

Swimming 2 [100]

Sea-Beast Master 8 [Lvl 1]

[Level 1 Stable has 19/20 Beasts]

[Spirit Animal 1/4]

1: Soup [Elite Black Sea Turtle]

Skills:

Hunter 100

Leather Making 100

Tailor 100

"Let's see what you're made of Soup."

Soup: Spirit Animal

Elite Black Sea Turtle

Description: If your spirit

beast dies, it cannot be summoned

again for 3 days.

[Atttack Rating Medium]

[Defense Rating High]

[Special Attack: Sonic Boom]

He cycled through the menu, familiarizing himself with the commands. There were Four basic Commands: Attack, Defend, Hide and Retreat.

He looked at the Sea Beast Bracelet. "No wonder the Aquarions are constantly kicking our ass."

"What are you going to do Nix?" Hyai had her head propped up with one hand.

"Suppose I'll gather some allies and go find our people." Nix shook his head before she could speak. "You can't come with me."

"I'm an old woman, but still pretty strong."

Nix smiled at her words, "strong yes, old... not so much."

A few hours later, he dropped them both off at the Kindled Inn. All the fires had already been put out and the ice had been removed.

Sila looked a lot better after some rest. "Be careful Nix."

"I will. Both of you stay close to the Inn."

Hyai nodded, "what will you do Nix?"

He activated Deep Blue. "Gather some strong allies."