/Inferno: Nix: I have a mission for you, Ronnie, if you aren't too busy.

/Inferno: Ronnie: Sure. What ya need?

/Inferno: Nix: A woman named Elena Anders killed herself in the City Management Office. I'd like you to examine the body.

/Inferno: Ronnie: Doctor Ronnie is in the House! What am I looking for?

/Inferno: Nix: A dragon scale covering her heart.

/Inferno: Ronnie: You suspect she is Tainted?

/Inferno: Nix: Yes. Don't get caught.

Nix has used [Ghost Step].

Instead of using his foot movement to attack, Nix used it to retreat and manage to parry an all-out attack from his opponent.

Stepping forward he locked blades with Beryl, the female apprentice smirked at him. "Trying to match my strength? Are you cra..."

Nix picked Beryl up and slammed her onto the stage; her sword clattered loudly off of the platform onto the stones of the courtyard.

Beryl has been stunned.

"STOP!"

Nix backed away from his downed opponent and turned his gaze toward the speaker.

A blond-haired woman bowed towards him; a single sword was belted across her back. "Honorable Apprentice, if you allow it, I will concede this match on behalf of my younger sister."

Nix nodded. "Of course, we were only exchanging pointers as students of the blade."

The next opponent made his way toward the stage; Nix waited patiently while his former opponent was helped away.

A slim teen wearing red robes stepped onto the platform. He wore his black hair in a mohawk; his youthful face was covered in scars. "I'm Borsha; your progress stops with me."

[Storm Rider][Thunderfist]

Combination Successful.

Borsha has been stunned.

Nix sliced his blade casually across the back of his opponent's legs and then dodged away.

Borsha has been crippled.

Borsha has formed [Ice Blade]

Without moving, the injured apprentice swiped his blade at Nix, sending a half dozen shards of Ice at him.

Nix has used [Rock Shield].

[Ghost Step] [Pelt] [Execution]

[Critical Intercept] Borsha has interrupted Nix's earth attack.

[Deep Abyss] [Ghost Step]

An orb of water enclosed around Borsha, Nix appeared next to him and stabbed a single blade through the center of it. The orb turned red and then burst onto the platform, the wounded apprentice coughing water.

"Please Hold." An older man wearing leather armor stepped onto the stage. "Thank you, Apprentice Nix, for giving Borsha instructions on real fighting. He admits his loss."

Borsha coughed out more water, and accepted the healing potion his master handed him. "I apologize for my performance, Master."

The old man shook his head slightly. "What you thought of as a performance, your opponent viewed as a fight. Apprentice Nix is an Arch Elemental, contemplate what you should have done differently, and we'll discuss it once you've rested."

Nix watched as two attendants helped Borsha leave the platform, the old man turned toward him and bowed slightly before leaving.

The heavy steps of a large man warned Nix of his approach. Instead of entering from the challenger side of the platform, he brushed past Nix, nudging him with an elbow before preceding to his side.

The black-haired man stood close to seven feet in height, his legs and arms were thick with corded muscle. Surprisingly he wore heavy plate armor with a single red singlet pulled over the top.

Malice has activated his [Fire Aura].

"I am Malice; my Master has promised me a reward if I deal with you."

Nix shrugged nonchalantly, his thoughts on the red singlet, it was the same one that was worn by the group that ambushed them the first time he came to Favi. "Why are you wearing that shitty red singlet? Shouldn't you be wearing a green one?"

[Demonizaton]

Malice's eyes glow red as he activates his demonic bloodline.

"This is the singlet of the House of Mogel. Your brash words have sealed the fate of you and your family."

Nix laughed at the posturing. "Going to hurt me?"

"After I tear your f*cking arms off, I'll drag you back to Ionova and f*ck your women while you watch helplessly."

Nix pushed lightning into Wrath, the white blade crackled with the sound of thunder as he casually pointed the sword toward Malice.

[Lightning Strike]

A single bolt of lightning struck down from the clear skies and tore a fist-sized hole through Malice's plate armor and his chest.

Blood poured out of the large man's chest, the great blade he gripped in one hand dropped heavily to the platform.

[Storm Rider: Advanced Execution]

Nix appeared beside the giant man; an instant later, the sound of an overly large head bouncing off the platform echoed in the silence of the courtyard.

Clash of Swords has been completed.

You have been awarded Dual-Wield [Spellsword Blades Only].

The crowded courtyard instantly erupted as everyone started talking at once while Nix made his way toward the Fighters Guild exit.

[Whisper: Beryl to Nix] Well fought Apprentice Nix. Malice was sent to deal with you, retreat now before others from his House show up.

[Whisper: Nix to Beryl] He mentioned the House of Mogel. Do you know where I can find that place?

[Whisper: Beryl to Nix] Directly South of Favi, about an hour ride.

[Whisper: Nix toBeryl] Thanks.

/Alpha: Nix: Looks like the dots have connected.

/Alpha: Fajii: What's that mean?

/Alpha: Nix: Last time I was here, a group tried to ambush us. It's the same people who took our shipment.

/Alpha: Semmi: You said the woman in Management Office felt like she was Tainted. Does that mean we've picked up the trail of Goralpri?

/Alpha: Nix: Smart money says yes.

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

A stealthed Ronnie trotted after the wagon that headed toward the South Gate. She arrived at the City Management Office just as the clerk's wrapped body was being placed in the horse-drawn carriage.

Within a few minutes, the wagon left down with Ronnie following closely.

/Hotness: Bali: I have them on track.

/Hotness: Ronnie: Good job, Bal. I will reward you later.

/Hotness: Bali: Don't even think about it!

Ronnie laughed softly and increased her pace. The wagon moved slowly down the southern road for a few minutes and then turned off on a narrow path.

/Hotness: Bali: Be careful, I'm in front of them.

/Hotness: Ronnie: Close in from that side, and we'll pinch him between us.

The wagon stopped, and the driver jumped down before moving around to the tailgate. He lowered the wooden barrier and then rolled the body onto the ground.

/Hotness: Ronnie: I'm going in. Don't attack unless I do.

/Hotness: Bali: Okay.

The dark archer left the safety of the tree-line and walked toward the parked wagon. Unexpectedly, the driver climbed back into the carriage and rode back in the direction of Free Trader City.

/Hotness: Ronnie: Close in, and we'll investigate. Keep track on.

Ronnie spotted Bali leaving the woods and moving toward her at an all-out run. Thanks to the sound dampening effects of Nix's camo-overlay, she moved silently as a ghost. They stared at each other for a moment, from opposite sides of the corpse.

/Hotness: Bali: Something isn't right.

/Hotness: Ronnie: It seems off... Think it's a trap?

An instant later, a breach opened next to the corpse. A cloaked figure stepped out and picked up the body.

/Hotness: Ronni: GO!

Ronnie sprinted toward the breach; she arrived there right as the figure stepped through. Without hesitating, she followed. The dark archer twisted agilely to avoid running into the person carrying the body. She felt Bali brush lightly against her.

Bali grabbed Ronnie's arm and pulled her to one side. They were in the back courtyard of a rather large estate. Two guards were looking in their direction as they walked along the top of a ten-foot stone wall.

/Inferno: Ronnie: Someone beat us to the corpse; we followed them outside the town a few miles.

/Inferno: Nix: Did you get to examine it?

/Inferno: Ronnie: No. A breach opened up, and someone retrieved the body.

/Inferno: Pon: F*ck... It's always dragons.

/Inferno: Nix: It's okay. Head back to town.

/Inferno: Ronnie: No need. We entered the breach and followed them.

/Inferno: Bali: I'm here too!

/Inferno: Nix: Damn... Excellent job, guys. I'll send you a group invite.

/Inferno: Bali: Nope, we're here first, so you have to join us.

Nix has joined group Hotness.

Semmi has joined group Hotness.

Pon has joined group Hotness.

Fajii has joined group Hotness.

Wind has joined group Hotness.

/Hotness: Pon: The hell is this?

/Hotness: Semmi: I love it!

Nix chuckled and summoned his Shadow Daiken.

/Hotness: Nix: This is why you're my favorite Ronnie.

/Hotness: Ronnie: You know it!

/Hotness: Nix: My hud says they are south of us. Mount up, and we'll scout it out.

/Hotness: Semmi: Be careful; we're on our way.

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

[Authors Note]

I'll be taking the next ten days off so that I can help assist some of my elderly relatives that live in rural areas. We've been rotating the responsibility during the quarantine, and now it's my turn. Be safe and cya soon.