Phoenixes Part I: Dark Morning

[OokamiShiroi]

I glance at him as he turns away to the demon girl, "Forges do not do well on cliff sides." I explain shortly, setting eighty kin on the counter. In my language the tones and inflection of what had said would explain the whole story, but this language works a bit differently. Thankfully at least the currency was the same. I stay in the shop, peering at all the different types of blades, some I couldn't see a direct use for, others it was obvious what they were for.  

[Inarath]

"Well, I have a friend named Nira, and she is a rather large spider. About 6 inches from leg-to-leg. I was asking because a lot of people seem to be afraid of her, which is why she didn't come into this store with me." said Ki.  

[Athios von Krauss]

It is strange in the Isha'mon culture to own a pet, as we believe that all creatures are made of the elements, and the elements cannot be controlled. But, obviously, Ki had come from a far different culture.
"Nira, huh? And where is Nira right now?" I ask.
"Oh, hidden from sight." Ki replies.
"Okay, thanks for that. Now, Ki, do you remember me telling you about my little 'expedition'? Well, I'm thinking that it might fare better if I had a partner. I was planning on leaving right after I get my shop in better condition. Care to join? And Kiri, what about you?"  

[OokamiShiroi]

I am startled that this draconian, who I had just met, was inviting me to go adventuring with him. Well, it wasn't that I didn't want to go, ... Oh to the depths with it, I want to go with him. For once someone wants to be my friend not just because I am the wind sage. A sadness gripped my heart as I think that, but I push the old memories to the back of my mind. I can feel the wind around me brighten and loosen. No longer must I act as the wind sage, I can merely be Kiri.

My blue eyes glint as I smile, "Really?" I am abjectly proud that my voice does not carry ALL of the excitement that I feel inside and is tinged with disbelief, which was all real.  

[Inarath]

(OOC: Notice I said "friend," not "pet." Nira is a Friend.)

"Sure, why not?" Ki thought that this would be fun and exiting."So where are we going?" She turns to the side, just noticing the other person in the store. "Hi, I'm Ki." Ki smiles and holds out her hand.  

[OokamiShiroi]

"Kiri. It's a pleasure to meet you Ki." My hand clasps her warm furred one and a small breeze escapes my control, ruffling the fur up her arm. I smile, releasing her hand, "And don't worry, I like spiders."  

[Inarath]

Ki could tell that she would like Kiri already. She seemed really nice, and Ki liked the way Kiri smiled, not like other people who only have fake smiles. Ki smiled back. Well, since both of them seem to like spiders, I guess Nira can come out. "Nira! You can come down now!" A large black spider with red legs and red spots on her back detached herself from the ceiling and landed on Ki's head. "Nira, this is Kiri and this," Ki points toward Athios, "is Athi. Be nice to them." Ki pauses, as if hearing a small voice. "OK, I'll tell them. Nira says 'Hi.'"  

[Athios von Krauss]

I gaze at the spider for a second or two, deciding that as much as I didn't hate spiders, I didn't want to get on Nira's bad side.
"Alright, well, now that we're all here, let's get to work on cleaning up this place." I say, and point specifically to the weapon racks strewn about the room. "These need to be filled, cleaned, and then put back against the walls. I suppose I can do that. Uhh...the weapons and guns in the back room need to be put back on their shelves. Ki, can you and Nira take care of that? Hey, wait, on second thought, Kiri, can you take care of the weapon racks? I need to fix up my foundry. There's some last-minute weapons that need to be made before we embark. Sound like a plan?"
I don't really wait for an answer before walking through the back room to a large metal door. My foundry is not very big, but it can produce some of the best weapons and artillery avaliable. Of course, I've never seen a gun that was bigger than a single-shot rifle, but still. I start to hammer away at a fiery piece of steel, making sure not to crack the hot metal. The hammer sounds echo throughout my store.  

[OokamiShiroi]

I decide to take this a acceptance, and who Athios is, rather than an affront. I begin to clean the racks, making sure they are spotless before I stack them neatly against the walls. I nearly sneeze as one of my breezes pulls a poof of dust into my nostrils.
"Might as well get all the dust out of here while I'm at it." Carefully I release a few of my more polite breezes, the ones that won't find it funny to throw all the dust they pick up into some stranger's face, and direct them in a way that will pick up the dust in the room without smudging it onto the clean surfaces but rather condense it into a small ball. They do so and bring the ball over to hover above my hand as I put it in a trash bin.  

[Inarath]

Ki gives Athi a smile and goes off to the back room. It's kind of dusty in here. "So where should we start, Nira?" Ki pauses, "OK! Guns it is!" Nira gets off of Ki's head and helps her put the guns onto the correct racks.  

[Athios von Krauss]

It has been only a few minutes in the forge, and already I start to feel a little woozy from the heat. I take off my shirt, but still the heat takes its toll. I open a window, and listen to the outside world for a moment. There are shopkeepers' bells, laughing children, chatting locals and travelers alike. It's this type of world that doesn't exist forever. It seems that this Greatwar is taking its toll on the entire world. But there's also the news of that new rising power. I sigh, and turn back to my work. The blade I was working on, an onyx-metal longsword, is a special order.

I retreive my behemoth-slayer, a massive sword, the blade measuring five and one-half feet long and one foot wide, and a two foot handle. The handguard is decorated with symbols and words representing a warrior, but also rightousness. I set the blade in the furnace to heat up and then turn back to the window, singing a song I learned as a child.

"The dragon's blood runs through my veins,
The valor shows in the hardest rains.
And so I sing this song of might
And so I sing this song of might..."  

[OokamiShiroi]

I stand outside for a moment, enjoying the ambient breezes -they always have good tales to tell-, when I hear a voice singing. A beautiful baritone I wander around the side of the shop to see where it is coming from. Finally I find it, coming out of a tall window of the shop. Listening to the simple but melodious song I lean back against the wall, freeing my breezes to drift where they will. Curious winds they choose to circle Athios, cooling down his hard toned body.  

[Athios von Krauss]

A sudden gust breezes through the window, and I actually shiver a little at the sudden coolness. Without thinking, the light in front of me starts to bend, creating different shapes, ones of dragons, others of warriors, and still more, countless, seemingly random, in only a few seconds. I blink, and the shapes vanish, leaving no trace. And still the breezes blow. I feel quite thankful for them.

I turn back to the furnace, and pull my fullblade (as it's officially called) out of the fire and begin hammering away the cracks in the edge. It only takes me a few minutes. The hammer sounds echo once more.

Afterwards, I put on my shirt again and walk through the back room to my shop. I notice that all of the weapons have been put back in their spots, and without mishap. In my shop, Ki and Nira are there. Kiri is nowhere to be found.
"Hey, where's Kiri at?" I ask Ki.
"I think she went out for a walk or something." Ki responds.
"Well, she had better return so we can shop for supplies for our adventure." I say.  

[OokamiShiroi]

What do you mean that was Athios? I am startled by the fact, brought to me by my breezes, that the odd weapons crafter was also a singer. Though thinking about it I realize that I'm really not so surprised. I calm the breezes circling me until they stop rustling my clothes and make my way back to the front of the shop. I find Athios, Ki, and Nira waiting.
"Where'd you go?" Athios asks.
"I just heard a curious sound and went to investigate. Amazing things you find in cities like this." I smile, "So what are we doing next?"  

[Inarath]

"Well I think that we should go get some supplies for our trip, like Athi said," said Ki. "But you guys will have to pick were to go, since I don't know where any of the other shops are. By the way, Athi, you sing prettily." Ki smiled at Athios. 3nodding