"Nix..." Mina was leaning against the rail next to him, a pod of dolphins was keeping pace with the Phoenix off the bow. The Aquarion was watching them with great interest.

"You like dolphins Min?"

Mina nodded, "quite tasty."

Nix stopped his gazing and turned toward her, "that's a joke right?"

"Why would it be a joke?"

"Nevermind." He closed his eyes and listened to the sounds of the ocean, the sun warming his face gave him the urge to take a nap.

"Have you seen Fajii lately?" Mina moved closer, her personal boundary was basically nonexistent.

"Earlier today, I'm afraid that you won't recognize your friend next time you see her."

"Does this have anything to do with the Earth Temple?"

"Yes." Nix gave up on watching the dolphins, the normally quiet Mina was too intent on talking.

"Do you find Aquarion women beautiful Nix?"

"Some of them are I suppose." Nix kept a straight face, "especially Fajii."

"What about Wylie and Semmi?"

Nix turned toward the pair she had referenced. Wylie was technically very beautiful, but her demeanor was a bit cold for his taste. Semmi, on the other hand, seemed like a handful for anyone. It would be hard to explain to an Aquarion that female avatars are almost always beautiful. They are the reflection of how they want to see themselves. His own avatar was an exact match for himself, he hadn't known enough about the game to change his features properly. "They are both very attractive. What's with the sudden interest?"

Mina shrugged. "What about me?"

Nix clucked his tongue at her, "I would say you are average. Nothing really special about you in the looks department." He had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing at the expression she made. He didn't feel obligated to tell her the truth, not when she had repeatedly said how ugly she found him to be. Average was worse than being butt-ugly. For some odd reason, Chiba popped into his head, he shuddered slightly at the thought of her.

Captain Delphi wandered over during the tail end of their conversation. "This ship fast Nix, I've never seen anything like her."

"We are going to teach Salamander a lesson." Nix summoned Fey, Ducky, and Soup. He knelt for a moment and rubbed the giant turtles head. "Going to torpedo something for me again today Soup?"

Fey snorted, a bit of smoke coming from her nostrils. "Don't spoil her anymore Nix. She's hard enough to deal with as it is."

Ducky made a face at Fey and then promptly hid behind Nix when the Drake stared at her. Nix felt a wet hand stroke his hair. The Siren had a water creature's fear of Drakes, but Nix didn't bother her. She spent a great amount of her time playing with Soup in the Sea World, so they were very close.

"That reminds me, Fey, I need to shore up your defenses a bit." Nix took a seat on the deck and started setting up his craft.

[Fey] [Enhancement: Kraken Leather] [Thread: Ceramic twine] [Needle: Brimstone Hook] [Primary Material: Kraken Leather] [Secondary Material: Salamander Leather]

[Do you wish to process the Lamia skin?]

"Yes."

[13 Lamia Leathers have been sent to your inventory]

Lamia Leather: Legendary

Description: Anything made with this material

gains a poison counter with each attack.

+200 Poison Immunity

+100 Charm Immunity

Nix examined the queue again. "You don't really need the extra fire protection, so I'll just switch out Salamander for Lamia."

[Fey] [Enhancement: Kraken Leather] [Thread: Ceramic twine] [Needle: Brimstone Hook] [Primary Material: Kraken Leather] [Secondary Material: Lamia Leather]

[There are two legendary items in this crafting attempt, do you wish to continue?]

"Why mention that? It's not going to blow up or anything is it?" Nix queued up the recipe grimacing at the amount. "9 million credits for one attempt? That's f*cking highway robbery."

After one-click, he received a success notice.

[Primal Gear has been created. Please name the creation.]

"Death from Above."

[Primal Gear 'Death from Above' has been created.]

Death from Above [Drake: Fey Only]

Armor: Primal

Description: Tremble and Despair in the face

of certain death. A Primal beast soars the skies

and nothing is safe. Each successful attack places two

poison counters. Chance to deflect attacks. All-natural abilities have been greatly

enhanced.

+200 Poison Immunity

+100 Charm Immunity

+500 Strength

+500 AC [Armor Class]

+100 Flight Speed

Even with Nix's high strength rating, it was a challenge slipping in onto Fey. When he finished the armor was barely noticeable.

"Nix!" Fey felt her strength surge, she raised her head spat flames. It was much thicker and hotter than her previous ones. "I feel stronger!"

Nix stared at her, his face unimpressed. "That f*cking thing was 9 million credits, I expect you to make it up to me."

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

Captain Delphi stood calmly, she kept glancing upward to the crow's nest where one of her sailors was keeping an eye out for enemy ships. "Make ready! Make half sails and open the cannoneer doors. We are closing on Espana Bay!"

Both Ducky and Soup slipped over the side and into the water together, they would keep pace with the Phoenix from below the surface where they would be much safer.

/Guildchat: Jun Li: Semmi? Where are you guys now?

/Guildchat: Semmi: Almost to Espana Bay.

/Guildchat; Jun Li: What?

/Guildchat: Semmi: It's true Junie, the Phoenix has wings.

/Guildchat: Ronnie: Nix! I want to be on your crew!

/Guildchat: Sharl: Forget it, you are stuck with me.

/GUildchat: Nix: I'll consider it princess!

Nix climbed onto Fey's back, the armor protection for her torso included a comfortably padded seat for the rider, it was positioned on her shoulders, just forward of the wings. He pulled out the hilt that Chiba had given him and poured his focus into it, a moment later the emerald flamed blade emerged, Nix took a few practice swipes in the air.

Mina was watching from nearby, she took a step back when he pulled out the emerald sword. It hissed in the air menacingly. She held up a hand to the other Aquarions nearby that had also retreated from the blade. "It's still Nix, our ally grows stronger."

A voice shouted down from the crow's nest. "Fleet spotted sir! Espana Bay dead ahead, more than thirty ships Captain!"

Delphi frowned slightly and glanced toward Nix. She was the Captain but it was his ship, he was always careful not to interfere with her command. "What do you think Nix?"

"I think they're a flock of sheep and the tiger has come down from the mountain!" Nix patted Fey's shoulder and without a word, she took to the air. She climbed much faster than she had previously, in a flash of brown she disappeared into the clouds.

Delphi stayed at the helm and steered the Phoenix directly at them. "All hands prepare for battle, cannoneers ready your weapons! Assault teams prepare the grappling hooks."

Mina put a hand on the rail and turned toward her assault team. "On me! We'll coordinate with Nix from beneath the surface." She dived effortlessly into the water, no splash marking her entry. A moment later her assault team followed.

"Captain!" The crow's nest sailor shouted out again. "They have a Dreadnought!"

/Inferno: Delphi: Dreadnought spotted Nix. Center of their formation, the big black ship.

/Inferno: Jun Li: We are ten minutes from the bay Nix!

"The Aquarions have entered the water Nix." Fey's enhanced vision spotted their allies moving toward the fleet. She hid in the clouds, just out of the enemy's view.

"Min, move to the group of ships on the left! We'll take the middle ships and slow down the Dreadnought's progress." Nix stared at the Dreadnought, three hundred 50-pound cannons, enhanced armor and a full contingent of Elite commandos.

He targeted the Dreadnought for a moment.

[Command: Attack my Target]

From the air, he spotted the trail of water moving toward the Dreadnought as Soup accelerated under the surface. He tossed down his last stealth potion and activated the icon. "Disappear Fey!"

[Command: Stealth]

"Are we going to hit the ugly black ship Nix?" Fey flew easily, her speed and strength-giving her added confidence.

"First we'll slow down the front so the Phoenix can operate without worrying about the Dreadnought."

/Inferno: Nix: We'll scorch the four ships in the front and create a blockade.

/Inferno: Delphi: We'll leave them be then, going broadside and hit the ships on the right flank.

/Inferno: Nix: Don't worry about the Dreadnought, for now, don't engage her.

/Inferno: Delphi: Understood.

Fey climbed steeply for several seconds before apexing, her form seemed to freeze in place at the height of her climb, then she corkscrewed and banked toward the front of the ships.

"Attack at will Fey."

"I love those words." Fey leveled off suddenly, Nix felt himself pushed further onto his seat by the sudden change of direction. From forty feet above the surface, she let them have it.

[Carpet Bomb]

Hundreds of tiny explosions rocked the decks of the first three ships. Fey's bombs shredded the sailors, she banked away from the fourth ship, but not before she felt Nix leap into the air.

Still stealthed, Nix landed hard on deck of the Neverwinter, the rolled nimbly to his feet and beheaded the nearest sailor who had sensed the hard landing. His head bounced across the deck like a ball, the sound was oddly loud given the noise of battle. There was no blood, just the smell of scorched flesh as his emerald flame blade instantly cauterized the fatal wound.

A woman jumped at him, her blade flashing through his defense to slash at his side.

[Kraken's Strength: Reflection]

The sword wielder gasped in surprise and leaped away, her wound dripping blood.

[Aura Ignition]

"An expert?" Nix crouched slightly and moved in a slow circle, the rest of the crew quickly giving them space.

The woman took one look at him, she wasn't the least bit scared. "I can tell you're new to the blade. Let this be your first real lesson."

Nix nodded wordlessly, she had moved so fast originally that he hadn't the time to react. Her silver blade was roughly the same size as his longsword, however, it was curved slightly. "Come at me then."