Nix stepped into the control room, followed closely by the rest of the group. When he approached the control console, it lit up. "Looks like we found our Spectrum."


    Deya leaned closer to view the crystalized spectrum. "This one can''t be removed without shutting everything down."


    Nix touched the console, causing a menu to disy.


    [Bone Fortress Main Menu]


    1) Burrough Management.


    2) War Game Management.


    3) Environmental Controls.


    4) Security.


    "Disy sub-menus." Nix noticed a warning that shed on the disy before the menus came up. "No changes to settings will be allowed until after the current conflict has been resolved."


    1) Burrough Management.


    a) Graveyards


    b) Terrain


    c) Borders


    2) War Game Management.


    a) Factions


    b) Objectives


    c) Special Directions


    3) Environmental Controls


    a) Climate


    b) Elements


    c) Map


    4) Security


    a) Restricted ess


    b) Binding Points


    c) Mobility Functions


    /Pathfinder: Pon: This ce is one big training facility?


    /Pathfinder: Nix: Looks that way.


    /Pathfinder: Chiba: We can''t take the Spectrum? What''s the n, Apprentice?


    Nix stepped away from the console. "We''ll lock the door and return to HQ. We''ve been gone long enough."


    When the Dark Craft exited the cavern a few minutester, guild and personal messaging were once again restored.


    /Inferno: Nix: We''re back! How goes the war?


    /Inferno: Ronnie: NIX!


    /Inferno: Pon: I''m fine too, Ronnie.


    /Inferno: Semmi: Wee back!


    /Inferno: Jun Li: You can bring the craft to Turncoat Bay. We''ve moved our TOC to that location.


    /Inferno: Nix: What about all the ice?


    /Inferno: Jun Li: All melted. Even the two Burroughs under the Ice Faction control are showing signs of green.


    Nix changed the new Navpoint to the Turncoat shore before turning to his passengers. "This mission was a bit weird."


    Pon grinned at the Inferno Leader. "Is that a joke? I spent four days getting drunk with myself. Best vacation ever."


    Gideon smiled at the old man''s expression. "The Pons do know how to party."


    Pon''s grin faded slightly. "Can''t really return thepliment."


    Gideon sighed unhappily. "Until you spend a few days with a bunch of yourselves, you have no idea howme you are. Admittedly, I''m not much fun."


    Chiba''s pretty face was expressionless, but everyone knew what she was thinking. She had missed a prime opportunity to have sex with herself. "What a waste... It would be best if you had been with the Valkyrie. They weren''t much fun either."


    A short whileter, the craft started an upward ascension toward the shore; when the craft finally broke the surface, the shielding dropped and let the sun in.


    Nix stood on his seat, waving at the group that had assembled. The crafted tilted precariously when a very excited Titan cub put his paws on the rails and leaned over. "Easy there, Morti. You''ll sink us." He scratched the cub''s wet ears roughly. "Missed you!"


    "Same here, Nix" Morti pushed his head into Nix''s chest, nearly knocking him over the far edge.


    /Inferno: Nix: What''s the timeline for the next Burrough?


    /Inferno: Semmi: We are ready to take Tribunal, just waiting for you guys.


    /Inferno: Nix: Take them when you''re ready. Pon and I have some preparations to do for the Tempest Burrough.


    /Inferno: Jun Li: Ground fighters only, we''ll move in four hours.


    /Inferno: Nix: Officer''s meeting at our crafting area in 30 minutes.


    **************************


    The Officers sat in a circle around the table that Pon and Nix used for crafting. A scaled model of the Keep was on disy. Semmi had the first two levels highlighted.


    The blonde officer pointed to the area in question. "This is the approximate water level as of right now. Are you going to get Soup to raise it again?"


    Nix shook his head. "No. Hulo is many things, but stupid probably isn''t one of them. He''ll be expecting us to do something like that."


    Semmi nced over to where the two over-sized Golems were standing. Nix and Pon had worked for several hours on a HEP round. "We''re using them when we breach?"


    "Yes." Nix pointed to arge crater that their test round had created. "We''ll bombard the top of the Keep, hopefully driving them down."


    Jun Li studied the image, between her and Semmi, they always came up with solid ns. "The Water team will being up at the same time?"


    "Yes." Nix leaned back in his chair while the big thinkers ironed out the details. "CuppiecakeNinja and PetraZi will destroy any anti-flier deterrents they have in ce on the roof. Then Fey and Muncie will swoop in with our AirPower."


    Semmi whistled softly. "Once the Keep is glowing like a ripe cherry, we''lle in from the top with everyone. All boots on the ground!"


    A loud banging noise sounded from behind the two Golems. A momentter, Deya poked her head out. "Sorry! Just getting familiar with my boys!"


    /Officer: Semmi: Her boys?


    /Officer: Nix: She''ll be controlling them. I want to keep her safe; this was apromise we worked out.


    /Officer: Pon: Twenty-four HEP rounds between the two of them. It''s going to be glorious.


    Alfie sat between her brother and King Duran. The trio kept out of the nning but asked to be part of the assault. "We''lle in with the Main group."


    Sharl nodded in agreement. "You three will be with Nez and me."


    Wind tapped the table to get Nix''s attention. "What''s Alpha going to be doing?"


    "We''lle up with the water team, with Sasi and Rabi in Ravager puppets. Hunt down Hulo and kill him." Nix yawned and stood up. "Shae''s already back in Haven; I''ll summon her after tonight''s fight."


    /Officer: Nix: Me and the old man are sitting out the Tribunal fight.


    /Officer: Ronnie: Why are we going over the Keep Fight already? After tonight''s fight, we still have the Tempest Burrough.


    /Officer: Jun Li: In just over three hours, we''ll hit Tribunal. Half of our forces will be held in reserve in Tempest.


    /Officer: Ronnie: We''re going to take Tribunal and then p a pincer on Tempest?


    /Officer: Semmi: Yes.


    Nix smiled at the dark archer, who immediately winked at him. "Prey waits."


    /Officer: Jun Li: We''ve been sitting on our asses for nearly a week. It''s time to fight.


    *************


    "Why am I carrying two buckets of sap?" Pon frowned at Nix even though the Guild Leader was also carrying buckets.


    "Gotta send a message to a friend of mine." Nix gave Pon a deadpan look and brought him to arge clearing in the Zed Burrough. "Think they can see us from the Keep?"


    Pon nodded. "I think so since we''re in the middle of a fucking field."


    Nix clucked his tongue at the Fire Mage. "They reopened the windows after the water dropped a few levels. Smart move on their part, and it helps us out."


    "What are we doing out here, Nix?"


    The Inferno Leader pointed to a spot a few meters away. "I want you to stand there and then walk in a straight line to the big rock. Once you get there, turn left in a gradual arc until you arrive at that patch of brush."


    Nix put one of his buckets down and then gestured for Pon to do the same. When he did, Nix pushed ck Ice into his sword hilt and punctured the bottom of the bucket. "Move your ass, Old Man."


    By the time they finished, Inferno was already pushing into the Tribunal Burrough. Thest light of the sun turned the sky crimson as the Bone Fortress quickly fell into darkness.


    Pon cackled loudly. "I ran out of sap, Nix!"


    "No worries, I got enough to finish." Nix ran to where the Fire Mage was standing. "You do good work."


    Pon nodded in agreement. "Thanks, Punk Bastard."


    /Inferno: Jun Li: They''re folding like cheapwn chairs. In five minutes, Tribunal will be ours.


    /Inferno: Nix: Sounds good. Alpha team report to the Dark Water Craft. Sasi and Rabi, get those Ravagers ready and meet us there.


    /Inferno: Sasi: On the way.


    /Inferno: Rabi: Rabi is on the way too!


    ****************


    Tronzil stood in front of the Faction leader''s desk. The mood in the Trifecta alliance was bitter and depressed.


    Hulo sat behind the desk, carefully contemting their next move. "You worry too much about the Undead Faction."


    Tronzil, Brachi, and Yuma represented all that was left of the Trifecta hierarchy, with the exception of Hulo. Over thest few months, their overwhelming advantage had decreased by leaps and bounds. "They had two of people against thirteen thousand not that long ago. Now the numbers will be rtively even."


    "Fire in the Zed Burrough." Yuma watched from the window as the random mes spread quickly.


    Hulo mmed his hand down on the desk. "Doesn''t matter. Do you think the war is over because they''ve arrived here? We''re behind walls! Without siege equipment, this Keep won''t fall."


    Yuma chuckled from the window before nudging Brachi; immediately, he startedughing also.


    Hulo frowned at the Trifecta leaders. "More mes?"


    Brachi shook his head slightly. "Who is Jargon?"


    Hulo froze in ce, his purple eyes glittering. "Where have you heard that name?"


    Brachi gestured out the window. "Big old ming letters. JARGON SUCKS...."


    Yuma stopped holding it in andughed loudly. "Wait... there''s a drawing next to it."


    "Yep. It''s a penis." Brachi pointed at it when Hulo joined him at the window. Hisughter turned into a scream when he was tossed out the window a momentter.


    "What the fuck are you doing, Hulo?" Tronzil put a hand on his sword and backed away from the open window.


    Power gathered around Hulo, his eye''s burning purple with rage. "He knows... How could he know?"