Nix leanedfortably against the rail. Jun Li, Sharl, Pon, Semmi, Wind, and Tess were all gathered in a circle as they discussed the ransom prices for crew and officers of the ships. He wasn''t giving them his full attention because he was looking at the new guild options for Tier 4 Sea-Farer factions.
"Hmm. So that''s interesting and very nice." Nix realized that most of the new options were cosmetic, but there was one addition he liked. NPCs could be invited into the guild.
Fmina has joined Inferno.
Hyai has joined Inferno.
K has joined Inferno.
Shae has joined Inferno.
Fajii has joined Inferno.
Delphi has joined Inferno.
/Guildchat: Nix: Wee to Inferno.
[Create a Raid Channel?]
"Yes." Nix decided thatmunication with the inhabitants of Glory Ind would be important to future growth. However, he also realized that people doing missions should use a different channel. He assigned Mina as a ''Recruitment Officer'' so she could add the Aquarion Assault teams to the roster.
[Please name new raid Channel.]
"Inferno" Nix closed the guild menu and turned his attention back to the group in front of him.
/Inferno: Nix: From this point forward, this will be our mission and vital information channel. Guildchat will be used for all non-essentialmunication.
/Inferno: Jun Li: Our Aquarion allies will need ess to both.
/Inferno: Nix: I already included them.
/Guildchat: Jun Li: You still want me to open up recruitment for three dozen people?
/Guildchat: Nix: Yes, today''s additions were already part of ourmunity, them joining didn''t increase our capability.
/Guildchat: Tyrant: The Temple Acolytes are holding the two prisoners for us.
/Guildchat: Nix: Great thanks. We''ll have a chat with themter.
Jun Li shook her head at the numbers. "Initial count was seventeen ships, right? Four were able to retreat, six were sunk, seven more were disabled."
Semmi nodded, "repairs on the disabled ships have already started. We are just a bit under-manned when ites to repairs."
Sharl was standing closest to Nix, she noticed that his thoughts were wandering. "Everything okay Nix?"
He nodded and addressed Mina who was talking with a few members of her team. "How are Aquarions at ship repair?"
Mina smiled at him, "I can direct repairs, there are a few others who can do the same."
"Start repairs on the six ships that were sunk. With those, you can start your own fleet." Nix had given the matter a bit of thought. The American Pacific fleet had beenpletely destroyed at Pearl Harbor. What many didn''t know was that with two exceptions, those ships were returned to service before the end of the war.
Jun Li had caught the tail-end of the conversation, "you want to return those ships to service?"
Nix nodded, "after repairs are made, we should be able to do it with a little help from Ronnie."
Sharl looked skeptical, "this I gotta see."
/Guildchat: Nix: What''s the lunch special at the Kindled Spirit today?
/Guildchat: Hyai: Kraken stew or fresh Cod.
/Guildchat: Semmi: Lunchbreak?
/Guildchat: Nix: Yep, we''ll go in shifts. Things busy Hyai?
/Guildchat: Hyai: Very busy. The ferry arrived a while ago, this time it was nearly full.
An hourter Nix was having lunch with Ronnie, Banzi and Wind. He had chosen the Kraken special since there was no room in the main room, the four of them were eating in Nix''s room.
Wind nced around the luxury suite in appreciation. "Nice ce Nix."
Ronnie was ying with Wilo while she shared her cod with the tiny elemental. "She''s read for promotion Nix, when are we going to do that?"
"Tonight after the two of you bring the ships up." Nix leaned back in his chair, there was something very satisfying in eating a creature that had eaten you.
Wilo walked across the table, refusing to look at Nix''s te. She was scared to death of even trying the Kraken. Wind put out his hand and she stepped nimbly on it. "You''re going to batten down the hatches and then have Wilo expand air into the hull?"
Nix nodded, he knew that the quite scout had a sharp intellect. "All the hatches but one. If she can disce enough water, and if the repairs hold. Then that should be enough to bring them up."
Wind considered the n, "lets use manpower too. We can put a few dozen hands on the hulls and ease them up slowly."
"I hadn''t thought of that, good idea. I''ll leave that to Mina and her people, they''re the strongest in the water."
Ronnie finished off thest of her lunch, her dark eyes staring at Nix. "Are you really giving them those ships?"
"Yes. As we strengthen ourselves, we also need to look to our allies strength."
Ronnie shed him a smile. "You''ve changed a lot since we first met Nix."
He returned her smile, "you mean when I carried you through those Elite Turtles?"
She nodded in agreement, "my arrows just bounced off those things."
****************
The baster was the first ship they attempted to bring up. Mina thought it fitting that this would be the first ship to be part of the Souza ord''s new fleet. The hull repairs werepleted and the Aquarions were in ce ready to guide the ship to the surface. Ronnie and Nix had swum inside the hull.
Ronnie nced at him, "So... Wilo just pushes out all the air she can. Why are you here then?"
"I''m going to heat the air, causing it to expand further." Nix had left one of the lower hatches open so that the water could escape.
Wilo hovered in the middle of the hull and started pushing air outward.
[Aura Ignition]
Nix focused on his own me, causing the air to immediately be super-heated. The water level slowly dropped in the main hull, when it had dropped to waist high, the entire ship shifted and started to raise up.
Mina and the Aquarions guided the ship upward, slowly it rose to the surface. After a few minutes, the baster sat on low on water. Nix sloshed through the knee-deep water in the base of the hull. "Get the pumps down here and lets clear this hull!"
More Aquarions started showing up as Inferno worked hard through thete afternoon. By dinner time, they hadpleted the operation.
/Guildchat: Jun Li: That''s all of them, great job Nix!
/Guildchat: Nix: Well done guys.
/Guildchat: Fmina: I''ll be assigning assault teams to each of those ships, they will need captains and crews.
/Guildchat: Semmi: That''s my thing Mina, I''ve been interviewing captains for weeks. I''ll give you the list and you can choose.
/Guildchat: Fmina: Thank you Semmi.
Mina climbed on deck, taking a look at the broken mast and shredded sails. "I wonder if my tailor friend can repair these sails... maybe even make them better?"
Nixughed at her expression, somehow coy didn''t fit the Aquarion face very well. "Of course I will do my best Min, this going to be your gship?"
Mina shook her head, "I''m not leaving your side, my team and I are staying on the Phoenix with you."
/Guildchat: Nix: Want to take a trip with me, Junie?
/Guildchat: Jun Li: We heading to Lohai?
/Guidchat; Wind: Me and Banzi areing too.
/Guildchat: Nix: Meet at the Phelinomia tform in an hour.
A few minutester Nix was walking on the temple grounds, as soon as he entered the temple Acolyte Dervi approached him.
The thin fire mage bowed deeply, her jet-ck hair nearly touching the ground. "Temple Lord Nix, wee back."
Nix smiled at the reception. "Bring me the two prisoners, also a few healers."
A few minutester Dervi returned with two the two prisoners and a handful of Acolytes. Two of them were obviously healers that walked the path of air. The Head Acolyte motioned toward the two healers. "These two are Bo and Chakali."
Nix nodded pleasantly at the two acolyte healers. They were both males who shaved their heads. "Keep these two prisoners alive please."
Bo and Chakali nced at the two men in irons, both of them were a bit scuffed up but neither had taken any damage.
Two emerald strands shot out from Nix''s hands, encircling the necks of the two prisoners. They immediately started screaming. A sound like sizzling bacon filled the air, the two men had fallen to their knees.
The Acolytes watched wordlessly while Nix burned them. His yellow eyes showing no concern for their blood-curdling screams. Suddenly one of the prisoners died and Nix dropped his strands.
[Balefire]
Bo has been in.
Chakali has been in.
Since they were standing next to each other, they were both caught in Nix''s balefire. Both acolytes respawned a momentter next to the tform.
Nix ignored the dizziness from using all his mana, wordlessly he drank a mana potion. He shook his head while looking at the single prisoner, the other having died and respawned safely at his binding point. "So... these are the healers of Shae''s temple?"
/Guildchat: Nix: Tess and Rose, pleasee to the Temple at once.
/Guildchat: Tess: Right away Nix!
/Guildchat: Rose: On my way.
The two men had recovered and were standing next to Dervi. Nix gestured toward the temple door. "Find another ce to practice healing. Leave now and nevere back."
Dervi''s face turned pale as the healers walked toward the door. "Those are the only two healers in the temple my lord."
"Acolytes in the only Fire Pce in Colonial aren''t allowed to fail. You serve a Nemesis, not somemon Fire Lord."
Dervi shuddered when he turned his yellow eyes on her, she bowed deeply again. "As you say my lord!"
The surviving prisoner was still on his knees gasping for breath. "What are you doing? This kind of thing isn''t allowed!"
Nix turned his gaze toward the man. He was from the Nottingham guild. "My guild isprised of NPCs whose death is permanent, please bear with me while I ask you a few questions."
"Questions?" The man''s voice was hysterical, the emerald mes were worse than anything he had ever felt. "You haven''t asked anything yet!"
"Right...first I have to put you in the right mindset." Nix smiled pleasantly, "call it motivational."
"Y-Your crazy." The man looked like he wanted to cry, he stayed on the floor not daring to stand.
"Crazy?" Nix shook his head, "it would be better for you if I was."