[center][h3][color=B22222]Somewhere in the Desert[/color][/h3][/center]
Bert could only tense himself as Amaya's Ice Dragon Roar swept through him, freezing his Supine Sidewinder in place and coating the rogue wizard in a thin casing of frost.  Under normal circumstances he might well have been frozen solid, but it seemed that the insistent desert sun and quavering, arid air were taking their toll in his opponent.  Breaking himself free, Bert prepared to cast another spell, only to find that Amaya had beaten him to it.  Shards of ice careened his way, pelting several parts of his body and solidifying each in a frigid cocoon. Caught off guard and off balance, Bert began to topple backward.

It was then that Nolan made his move.  Bert watched, trying not to let his fear get the better of him, as the Ash God's Bellow thundered toward him, a brutal amalgamation of heat, soot, and sound that smashed into him unimpeded.  Instantly, the warmth of the ash freed him of Amaya's ice, sending up a torrent of steam.  [color=B22222]“S-Sand Wall!”[/color]  In the wake of that steam a great quantity of sand flowed in, snaking in between Nolan spell and Bert's body to create a rudimentary shell that kept the full wrath of the Bellow from reducing Bert to a smoldering corpse.  Instead, the kinetic force of the Bellow took effect, sending the sand mage flying from his perch, his shell demolished.

[color=C2B280]”Oh, no!”[/color] Fleo exclaimed as her target was enveloped in a tumult of ash and then bodily tossed out of her field of vision.  Unable to see Bert any longer, Fleo was forced to release her Vacuum Rupture before it exploded on her, which roared toward where Bert had been standing a moment before and obliterated the now-vacant central tower of the enormous sand castle.  She looked at Nolan accusingly.  [color=C2B280]“I had a bead on him when Amaya froze him!  You melted the ice and then blocked my shot!”[/color]  It didn't take long for her to forgive him, however.  [color=C2B280]“Aw, never mind.  I'm hardly one to be complaining; teamwork has never been my fortè.”[/color]

Using her Sirocco as a boost, Fleo leaped to another pillar to regain vision of the enemy.  Before her eyes, Bert smacked into another one of his own pillars and sank into the surface.  For a few seconds nobody could tell where he was, but the next moment Bert rose from the top of that column, singed and angry.  [color=B22222]“For a single monster, your parts aren't working too well together, eh?  You did manage to hit me though.  Looks like we're getting serious.”[/color]  He resumed his stance, his visage grim.  [color=B22222]“Sable Dance!”[/color]  Sand began to whirl around each of the Powder Kegs, striking and slashing in small bladelike coils.  Fleo responded with several Dust Bombs, whose explosions dispelled much of the Sable Dance around her, though two of the Dance coils raked across her unprotected back, prompting a gasp of pain.


[center][h3][color=d8bfd8]Nero – Balsam Village[/color][/h3][/center]

Nero cupped his chin in his hand and pondered the nature of Trinity's wish.  Adults, he decided, always hosted the most complicated desires.  How could he possibly help find someone, when all of his spells dealt with enacting a change on someone he'd already found?  It presented a puzzling quandary, but it wasn't one that the genie would let pass him by.  [color=d8bfd8]“Hm...I hear your wish, musician Trinity, but I have no Curse Law that can help you.  But!  Heehee.  But because you've been nice to me, and a true genie never turns down a wish, no matter how hard, I will try anyway.  I'll stick around with you until we find who you're looking for, or you get tired of having me around!“[/color]  He stretched back, placing his arms behind his head.  [color=d8bfd8]“No need to thank me, tehee!  I go wherever people need me.  I expect that more Phoenix goons need wishes in the meantime, so I'll stay busy.  Besides, free food?  Can't turn that down.”[/color]

After that, the dark mage silenced himself to listen to the minstrel's song.  He only interrupted it to reply to Trinity's question, [color=d8bfd8]“...maybe?  I kinda saw his hand when he grabbed my homemade flyer away from me.  There was something on it, but I didn't quite see what.”[/color]