Alpha team waited patiently in the holding area as the match between Dotha and Lariat was underway. Una and Raine were both fawning over the awesomeness of the King, while the rest of the group watched the fight. Almost immediately, the Dotha Team lost one of their sword experts.


    Chiba frowned slightly when Mmber appeared a few meters away, but she didn''t look at him. The holding area was separated into four sections by an energy barrier; this kept teams from fighting between matches.


    "Ellisand?" A male voice called over from the Dotha area.


    Unexpectedly the old fire mage answered. "The fuck do you want?"


    Wind shook his head at the sword user. "Yousted nearly a minute. Impressive work..."


    Nix smiled at his teammates, Chiba was an odd duck, but she was their duck. He squeezed her hand and motioned toward Mmber. "Who''s this clown, Master Chiba?"


    Chiba shrugged slightly. "Not really sure, ignore him Apprentice, and focus on those still fighting."


    Nix nodded and immediately returned his attention back to the two teams, still fighting.


    "Chiba..." A cruelugh escaped the Dotha swordmaster. "Wasn''t that the name of that mutt I killed?"


    Pon moved to the edge of the containment area, his old face pressed close to the energy barrier. "Why the fuck are you yapping, little dog?" He nced over his shoulder toward Wind and used two fingers to sh the ''L'' sign at Mmber. "Remind me what this means again? LOO..."


    "SUH..." Wind finished before the pair startedughing.


    Mmber scowled unhappily, his face darkening as two of his more of his team joined him in the holding area.


    Pon shook his head sadly. "Too bad, little dog. It appears that being pathetic is contagious."


    Wind nodded sagely. "Good luck in the next round."


    /Alpha: Una: They held back too much, and it backfired.


    /Alpha: Nix: The Necromancer didn''t really do anything. I need to get a message to Ronnie.


    /Alpha: Pon: We win the next round, and we''ll be in the finals tomorrow.


    Nix brought up the guild interface and quickly sent a written message to Ronnie.


    Ronnie,


    I need some intel on Necromancers, specifically what kind of uses they may have for a dragon body. There''s something odd going on, but I''m not sure what.


    Nix.


    /Alpha: Nix: Do you think Dotha ns on bing a dragon?


    /Alpha: Una: I''m not sure. Necromancers generally have no tolerance for the living. It''s not like he can enve the dragon bodies and turn them undead.


    Alpha team watched as Lariat dismantled what was left of Dotha and advanced to the next round.


    /Alpha: Una: We face Lariat in the next round, and Hades will take on Team Dotha. Here''s the scouting report for Dragon Spawn Lariat''s team.


    Hilo: Ranged DPS: Ranger


    Buchot: Melee DPS: Rogue


    Visa: Healer/Tank: Dark Knight


    Goth: DPS: Fire Mage


    Viceroy: Tank: Guardian


    Lariat: CC: Wood Elemental/Fire


    /Alpha: Nix: Don''t show anything this round that you didn''t dost time. We win this match, and we''ll end up fighting someone we''ve already beaten once.


    /Alpha: Pon: I love this kind of shit. No matter what, I''m starting some fires in the finals.


    /Alpha: Una: The Dark Knight is an off-tank ss that heals by siphoning life from their target. They can redirect the stolen life to their team.


    /Alpha: Cheap bastards...


    /Alpha: Nix: Yep. Let''s change things up and get that CC out of there right away. Chiba and Pon can distract the Tank. Wind, I want you to pretend you''re targeting the cleric but then take out the rogue.


    /Alpha: Pon: Snaking it up again?


    /Alpha: Nix: Nope. Gonna do some melee damage first.


    [Whisper: Nix to Raine] Got any special attacks that do a lot of damage?


    [Whisper: Raine to Nix] I have a leap attack that is very effective against a stunned opponent. Can I get a boost?


    [Whisper: Nix to Raine] A boost? My favorite thing.


    Alpha Team appeared in the arena a few momentster, all eyes on the torch overhead.


    /Alpha: Nix: Stealth up and spread out.


    [Dragon Eyes]


    All of Alpha team disappeared from sight and promptly moved in separate directions. Lariat team stared in disbelief for a moment. Lariat nced at the rogue on his side, who shrugged and shook his head.


    "I protest!" The Dragon Spawn looked toward the judge''s seating area, three dragons in human form. "No spells should be allowed until after the start."


    The middle judge stood up, she was the only female of the group and reminded Alpha Team of their close ally Tai''Qui. "This would be considered a preparation spell and may be used since it is non-offensive in nature."


    [Hardened de]


    Raine''s de has taken on a diamond edge.


    /Alpha: Pon: Heh... Fucknut.


    Lariat scowled, and his eyes glowed as he activated his own thermal vision. His face immediately turned red when he caught the thermal image of the old man giving him the finger.


    The torch went off a momentter.


    Lariat has cast [Fire Net]


    Nix is immune to fire spells.


    The charging Nix appeared next to Lariat faster than the dragon spawn could have believed. He dipped one hand toward the sand floor of the arena and threw an uppercut skyward. "SHOR-YU-KEN!"


    [Ashobel Strike]


    Nix hasnded a crushing blow on Lariat.


    An instantter, Nix half-turned and caught Raine''s foot when she leaped toward him; he flung her into the air as high as he could before turning toward the Dark Knight.


    [Basilisk]


    The desert viper shed toward the Dark Night.


    Rain shot into the air, her hand gripping her sword and lowering it when she hit the apex of her leap.


    [Wrath Strike]


    Her de piercedpletely through the armored chest of the prone Dragon Spawn, pinning him to the ground as her hilt impacted his chest.


    Raine has delivered a mortal strike.


    Lariat has been in.


    "Bastards!" The Dark Knight''s hands glowed ck as the Basilisk closed on his position.


    Visa has cast [Nether-Siphon.]


    Nix is immune to Nether spells.


    The Basilisk ignored the casting and closed the distance. [Petrify]


    Visa has been turned to stone.


    [First Strike][Backstab][Gutted]


    Triplebination sessful.


    Wind hasnded a significant strike on Buchot.


    Wind hasnded a critical attack on Buchot.


    Buchot has been slowed by 40 percent.


    [Sniper Strike][Arrow Burst]


    Hilo hasnded a critical strike on Wind.


    Hilo has wounded Wind.


    Hilo has wounded Wind.


    [Miss]


    [Vacuum][Null][Wind Tunnel]


    Una has summoned Hilo


    Hilo has been silenced.


    A pocket of air formed around the ranger, locking him in ce as he spun around faster than the eye could follow.


    [Unbnced Chain: Ice Spear]


    Pon has followed up Wind''s attack with a mortal strike.


    Nix fangs punched through Bochot''s leather armor a momentter; his long coils wrapped up the panicked fighter.


    [Unbnced Chain: Master''s Parry][Beautiful de]


    Chiba has followed up Pon''s attack with a mortal strike.


    Buchot has been in.


    Chiba''s second de shed out and removed the head from the nearby statue.


    Visa has been in.


    /Alpha: Una: Stand down, they have given up.


    Nix nced up at the torch that had gone out before checking his team.


    /Alpha: Nix: Great job... wless win.


    /Alpha: Una: Thank you for the hard work.


    /Alpha: Pon: Shoryuken? Really?


    /Alpha: Wind: That was old-school, Boss.


    /Alpha: Nix: Had to be done.


    A few minutester, they found themselves back in the holding area while Team Dotha faced off against Team Hades. With the possibility of elimination looming over their heads, Dotha pulled out all the stops and quickly put down Hades.


    /Alpha: Pon: The Necro has necro-fire also.


    Nix shuddered; a momentter, Raine''s cool hand rested on his neck. "Creepy, right?" Dotha had reanimated the in Durox during the fight and used him to fight his own people.


    Raine''s pretty face smiled as she leaned forward slightly. "Please finish me quickly if that happens to me."


    Nix nodded in agreement. "Same here. How was the boost?"


    Raine shrugged slightly, her lips curved in a smile. "I think you could have tossed me higher."


    Since Alpha team already had two wins, they watched the next match that pitted Dotha against Lariat. Neither team held anything back; in the end, it was the dual swords of Mmber and Raya that finished the match. Chiba watched the fighting with interest, one hand around Nix''s shoulders as she pointed out both strengths and weaknesses of the two sword users.


    /Alpha: Nix: You''ve caught up and passed him, Master.


    /Alpha: Chiba: Yes, I have. In tomorrow''s final, kindly leave him to me.


    Nix handed Chiba a small ck disc.


    /Alpha: Chiba: A ck hand?


    /Alpha: Nix: Yeah. I''ve got something special in mind.


    /Alpha: Una: The finals will be tomorrow at noon. Us versus Team Dotha. We''ve already faced them once, and we''ve seen most of their strengths.


    /Alpha: Nix: Go all out. Save Mmber for Chiba. I don''t care who takes care of the rest of them.


    Several hourster, the group was enjoying a rxed dinner at Una''spound; Fey and Ducky were both present.


    The skinny mage was sitting next to Nix, every once in a while she''d nce at him. "I''m going to fight tomorrow?"


    Nix nodded while he cycled through his inventory. He had Fey bring several of his puppets so he could do some experimenting. "Yep. I''ll summon you, Ducky and Morti."


    Ducky pped her hands excitedly. She was sitting next to Raine, talking to her on asion when the Fir''Dhassi had a question. "This is for the wildling dragons? What are you doing with the second one?"


    Una motioned to Nix with her wine ss. "Whatever Nix wants. I will only im the first."


    Nix shrugged slightly. "Not sure yet. It could be used for resources or even held for Tharaka."