Nix put up with the old woman throwing an arm around him. For once, she didn''t stink of booze and body odor. Her gray hair smoothed back, and her clothes seemed to be without any significant wrinkles. "How''s your advancement, Quest?"


    Chiba pulled him close to her t chest. "I''m done except for your part."


    Nix walked with the old woman, while hispanions fell in behind. They entered the lobby of arge building and exited almost immediately into a courtyard that had been made into a training area. "What''s my part?"


    Chiba held up her hands. "Not to worry, Nix, it''s merely a disypetition."


    Nixughed at the old woman''s expression. "You have no idea what I need to do."


    Chiba shook her head. "Not really, no."


    The old woman walked him to the edge of a raised tform where three old men waited with three younger people. Two men, wearing red, sat in chairs on either side of the wooden stage.


    One of the men in red stood up and gestured from everyone to clear the stage. He waited until everyone was off before speaking. "We are here to test the pupils of the Masters who are undergoing advancement. Master candidates, please take your seats."


    Chiba, who was dressed entirely in dark blue, followed the three older men and took a seat on the side of the stage. The second man in red stood up and joined hispanion.


    "I''m Renlo, the judge for his demonstration. The first phase is the de demonstration." Renlo looked at one of the old men. "Xesai, please send up your apprentice."


    A white-robed man in his mid-20s climbed onto the stage and awaited further instruction.


    "A minimal of three different des are required here; they may be from the same elemental base." Renlo moved to the side of the stage and gestured for the apprentice to start.


    The apprentice was a lean man with short ck hair. His movements were fluid and graceful. He raised a sword hilt, an instantter a blue de extended.


    Renlo raised his g. "Water de, please continue."


    The apprentice nodded, and a momentter, a second de appeared, parallel to the first.


    Renlo raised his g again. "Dual Water des, very good. Continue."


    The apprentice swung the de once, making them vanish entirely, pausing for a moment he exhaled slowly, and a clear de emerged from the hilt.


    Renlo raised his g. "Air de, you''ve passed."


    Once the apprentice left the stage, Renlo read the next name on his list. "Chiba, please send your apprentice to the stage."


    [Whisper: Chiba to Nix] Do your best, Nix.


    Nix jumped on stage and waited for the judge to address him.


    Judge Renlo nced at Nix. "Three different des are required here, apprentice. You may start."


    Nix nodded and focused his thoughts on Wrath, slowly, the ck ice de emerged.


    Renlo stared at the de for a few seconds and then moved closer. He sighed heavily after a moment and made a gesture to the other judge. "Wait a moment, please."


    The second judge ran into the building they had walked through; a few momentster, he returned with an old woman. Her hair was white as snow, and although she looked ancient, her stride had a fluid efficiency to it.


    She stepped carefully onto the stage and approached Nix. A quick nce at the de made her wrinkled face break into a smile. "ck Ice de, very nice."


    Renlo nodded and raised his g. "Pass. Continue."


    The old woman walked to the edge of the tform before turning to watch.


    Nix pushed mes into the Wrath, the white crackling sound of his fury de emerging seemed loud in the quiet courtyard.


    Renlo stared at the de for a moment; without speaking, he nced at the old woman again.


    The old woman studied Nix for a long moment before she spoke. "White Sonic me de, exceptional."


    Renlo raised his g and spoke, his voice barely audible. "Continue."


    Nix nodded and pushed Ice mes into the de. The bluish mes sending the temperature around him plummeting.


    Renlo looked like he wanted to throw his gs at Nix. "I don''t know this one either, Grand Master."


    The Grand Master moved closer; she gestured with her hand for Chiba to approach also. She nced casually at Nix. "Why hold back now?"


    Nix shrugged and pushed lightning into the Ice me de, a bolt of lightning escaped upward before it stabilized with the rumbling sound of thunder.


    "Ice me Thunder de." The woman pped her hands together before turning to Chiba. "Help an old woman back to her office. Ask your apprentice and his friends to apany us."


    Renlo held up his g. "Pass."


    The old woman stopped at the edge of the tform. "Chiba passes her advancement; you may continue to test the rest of the candidates."


    Renlo''s mouth opened and closed. "But Master, there are still.."


    The woman stared at him and waited for him to finish his sentence.


    Renlo''s face turned white, and he bowed low. "Forgive my words; I will do as you ask."


    A few minutester, they were seatedfortably in the Grand Master''s Office. Nix and Gil sat with Chiba on the couch while the Qi siblings watched from behind them.


    "I''m Elena Sersao, the Grand Master of the Spellsword Order." The old woman was seatedfortably behind her desk; she poured herself a small ss of wine with rock steady hands.


    Chiba licked her dry lips, silently cursing the Grand Master for drinking in front of her. "Please introduce your friends to Master Elena, Nix."


    Nix nodded. "This is Gil, the two behind us are Sasi and Rabi."


    Elena sipped the wine, letting her eyes close for a moment. "I offer you a quest. The Sword of Kings was stolen from us centuries ago. I would like you to return it to us."


    "Of course, Master." Chiba nudged her apprentice with an elbow until he nodded in agreement.


    New Quest avable.


    Sword of Kings


    Description: The Sword of Kings was


    stolen by a Swordmaster from the lost


    city of Eidengal. Enter the armory through


    the School''s secret entrance and search for


    this treasure.


    Objective: Enter the Eidengal Armory through Elena''s


    secret entrance. Find the Sword of Kings and bring


    it back to Elena Sersao.


    Nix kept his face expressionless as he read the quest objectives. He already had a quest involving the Armory of Eidengal.


    "When would you like to start?" Elena Sersao smiled amiably at her guests. She hadn''t expected the chance to get the sword back woulde in her lifetime. Nix had fulfilled the requirements for being givenQuestquest, the formation of three God des.


    Nix nced at Gil, who nodded in consent. "We will start as soon as ourstpanion joins us."


    The group sat quietly while they waited for theirstpanion. It was only a few minutes before a soft knock sounded at the door, and the white-haired rogue stepped through. She greeted Nix and the Sasi siblings with a wave before bowing toward Elena. "Are we all done?"


    Nix shook his head. "We have a quest if you are willing toe with us."


    Beta nodded her consent. "Of course."


    A few minutester, Elena led the group down a steep staircase that ended in a raised tform. "This is the gate to Eidengal. It may only be used to travel there; you will have to find your own way back to us."


    /Alpha: Chiba: This is a bad idea; we should opt-out.


    /Alpha: Beta: I agree, we know nothing about Eidengal.


    /Alpha: Nix: I''ve been to Eidengal, it''s in the Great Desert.


    /Alpha: Sasi: Nix knows ce? Let''s go!


    /Alpha: Beta: Yep, changed my vote.


    /Alpha: Chiba: I''m in then.