Nix feinted with an overhand strike before spinning and attacking low. Chiba saw through the move and brushed his blade aside before easily sweeping his legs.

"Trying to use your dreaded 'peni$ slicer' move on me, Apprentice?" Chiba's old ugly face cracked a smile before she helped him to his feet.

"Who gave it that name?" Nix didn't really have to ask, he brushed the sand from his back and grabbed a towel from the weapons table. "How about the Wood Cutter instead?"

Chiba gave him a creepy smile and took off her shirt. Although she was female, Chiba had the concave chest of an old man. "Show me something impressive and I'll change the name."

"Fine." Nix circled the old woman, his blade held up. Focusing, he pushed Gemini flames up the blade, the pulsing flames crackled with heat. "Hope you're ready."

Chiba smirked and mouthed a yawn. "Going to get me a new apprentice if you don't do something amazing."

Nix charged in and faked a low attack, his booted foot scooped up sand and kicked a cloud of it at the swordmaster. Chiba backed away with a bored smile, already knowing the next strike. As predicted Nix leaped through the cloud and came at her with an overhead attack. Her silver blade flashed upwards to block, easily knocking the blade to one side. A moment later a huge explosion blew both of them high into the air. Chiba somersaulted away and landed gracefully, while Nix bounced hard on the sand a few times before rolling to his feet.

Chiba shook her head in disgust. "Resorting to sabotage?"

Nix spit a bit of sand out of his mouth. "Nope, that was straight blade-work. Wood Cutter it is!"

"The f*ck you say." The old woman frowned at her smiling student, when he shrugged without admitting it, she followed him. "Wait... Was it something you did with the blade?"

"Yep, I'll show you if you admit to the new name." Nix laughed at the old woman's face.

"Fine, but if this is bullshit, I'm taking it back." Chiba crossed her pale skinny arms across her bare chest and waited.

Nix held his blade out and pushed Gemini flames into it. His eyes glowed white suddenly, as lightning pushed up the blade, spinning around it as the air filled with electricity.

[Spellsword Ability Unlocked: Lightning Blade]

"Lightning Blade?" Esta's voice carried from the far section of the yard where she was working with Acolytes. The Storm Singer flowed easily towards them, her transparent face locked in a smile. "That's the Lightning Blade! You're a Spellsword Nix?"

Nix nodded. "That's how I met Chiba."

Chiba stared at the lightning that swirled around his red scimitar. "Nix show your master how to do that! I haven't unlocked Lightning blade!"

It only took Chiba a few minutes to unlock her own version of the blade. She swiped the electrically charged blade back and forth like a kid playing with sparklers. "In your honor Nix, I will change the name of your awesome move to 'the Wood Cutter.'

Nix clapped his hands together. "That's why you're the best Chiba." He extended a hand and a single strand of emerald flame impaled a nearby training dummy. He held the strand, focusing on the heat.

"What you doing Nix?" Chiba stepped beside him and lowered her pants slightly to shake the sand out. "Let's take a shower together! I'll wash all that sand off your back."

"Nix? Don't try that, you aren't a Storm Singer." Esta warned him as soon as she sensed the build-up of lightning.

A bit of lightning formed around Nix's fist, as soon as it contacted the flame it blew up, sending a wave of power outward.

You have been slain.

Chiba has been slain.

Nix's corporeal form hovered over his corpse for a moment, his body had literally be blasted apart.

Elune has offered to resurrect you.

Nix accepted the rez, noting that the entire Training yard was staring at him.

/Inferno: Semmi: What was that boss?

/Inferno: Pon: Did you blow yourself up?

Your gear has suffered damage and must be repaired.

Your level has been lowered to 117.

Nix glanced at his swordmaster who was staring at him with a disgusted look.

/Inferno: Nix: Just slew Chiba in single combat. I am the master now.

/Inferno: Chiba: What? Are you insane?

/Inferno: Fajii: Nice job Nix.

/Inferno: Shae: Way to go hun.

/Inferno: Chiba: The F*ck you say! That didn't happen.

/Inferno: Wind: Looks like you were just rezzed, Chiba.

/Inferno: Floyd: I saw it, Nix took you out.

Nix laughed at Chiba's sour expression. "Sorry about that, some times stupid gets the better of me."

Esta glided closer to him. "Nix... You can master the lightning blade because you are a Spellsword. Trying to push lightning up your flame strands is like me trying to cast balefire."

Nix shrugged. "Gotta try stuff right?"

/Alpha Team:Nix: Get some rest, tonight at midnight we are turning all of Oasis on its ear.

/Alpha Team: Pon: I love doing shit like that!

/Alpha Team: Semmi: Special mission boss?

/Alpha Team: Nix: Yes. Wait for me at the Inferno Ranger compound on Loki. Don't say anything to anyone.

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

"How does your Breach Interface work Nix?" Leva watched as he inspected the basin she had built in a few hours. The clever Chancellor has placed it underground next to the Dragon Master chamber, one of the few places in the city that the occupants couldn't access easily.

"As long as I'm not actively blocked by an artifact or other forms of limiter, I can open a Breach to anywhere that I've been. I can also manage if I have the coordinates." Nix nodded in satisfaction. "Is that similar to yours?"

Leva nodded. "So how are we going to take the Nether liquid? We collapsed the main structure on top of it, to buy some time."

"As long as the basin itself is intact, it will be fine."

"We were careful Nix. Wait... are you going to open a Breach directly into the basin?"

"Well, I did fall in." Nix focused and waited up Leva scurried away before starting. His body had sunk to the bottom by the time Fajii had fished him out. He concentrated on that moment where he touched bottom and passed out.

[Create Breach: Belchi's Compound: Nether Basin]

Leva understood the concept, if he stepped through quickly there would be no leak. However, if he stayed in the Breach... "I'm going to pull you out of there if things go badly Nix."

"Yep." The Breach opened and Nix stepped into it and stopped.

An instant later the half of his body that was still visible disappeared as the dark nether liquid flooded in. The Chyanama basin only took a few seconds to completely fill up. Nix closed the breach and staggered out of the basin.

"You okay?" Leva watched as he collapsed on his hands and knees, coughing up and vomiting black nether.

Nix nodded and changed into another set of clothes before equipping his armor. "I'm immune to the effects, but it's still some disgusting shit."

"What do you want me to do with it Nix?"

"Use it of course. Dickless must have gotten it from Khan in order to build his strength."

Leva stared at the black liquid. To her, it looked beautiful and inviting. "I will grow stronger Nix."

Nix followed her up the ramp that led away from the chamber. "Let's head to your office for Phase II."