[center][color=9ACD32][h3]Xyster – Phoenix Wing Hall[/h3][/color][/center]

When Damian pulled the door open, the four Frenzy Plant soldiers piled inside.  Joakim grumbled and refreshed his Arctic cooling spell, while Harper, done bothering Nandy for the time being, looked around the guild hall with wide eyes.  Xyster's head smiled leering upward at Damian's discomfort, and  she held out her hand to shake.  Unfortunately, with her right hand occupied with the cradling of her noggin, she had extended her left, and after realizing her mistake just waved with it instead.  [color=9ACD32]“Hi there, sir!  Wow, first person right off the bat is the Blade himself!  Nice to meet ya!  I'll have to cross that off my bucket list.  Here, hold this, sir, please.”[/color]  Xyster handed her head to Damian, and its smile only grew wider.  Her body pulled out a pen and pad of paper from an inner pocket of its jacket, and commenced flipping through it.  

Meanwhile, her head had not finished.  [color=9ACD32]“Anyhoo, yeah, we're just here to visit!  We meant to come earlier in the year, but there was this a squabble over some gold mines out near Clover Town that escalated into a private war, so we had to spend like three weeks sorting that out.  What a pain!  Then there was a little civil war-sorta thing in Caelum that we got called into help with.  Won that one, even though it took like half the guild!  And now this most recent uprising in Web Valley.  Bottom line is, we're here now!”[/color]

A tap on her shoulder caused Xyster's head to look back at her body.  Nandy stood beside it, holding one finger in the air.  [b][color=324AB2]“Uh, Corporal?  You didn't even introduce us yet.”[/color][/b]

Xyster's body snatched her head back from Damian and performed a face-palm.  [color=9ACD32]“Oh yeah!  Silly me.  Joe, Harp, let's do the thing I had us practice on the way here!  Ready...?”[/color]

The young ninja, currently occupied with examining Maddox's hair, bounded back to her guildmates' sides.  With a look that said [i]'This is stupid.  You are stupid'[/i], Joakim joined her.  The soldiers gathered up into a line standing four abreast, holding their left hands in fists across their hearts, and called, with varying degrees of enthusiasm, [b]”Hail, Phoenix Wing!  On the behalf of Guildmaster General Sanders and our entire guild, we've come to greet you as noble opponents in the upcoming Grand Magic Games, of the warrior guild Frenzy Plant.”[/b]

[center][h3][color=E0115F]Zander – the Frenzy Fort[/color][/h3][/center]

Following Gabriel's call, the vast Training Room fell into silence.  The Frenzy Fort's front door didn't lead directly to the Training Room, the open doors of the 25-foot square adjunct chamber allowed his exuberant shout to reach it easily.  Zander, after nodding in respect to the guild master, strode at a brisk pace over the polished, russet-hued hardwood floor toward the entrance.  After reaching the doors, he removed his helmet and bade Gabriel to come in.  [color=E0115F]“A potential applicant, have we?  Walk with me then.”[/color]

As the two went into the Training Room and headed for its center, Zander shouted, [color=E0115F]“Form a circle!”[/color]  and then, at a normal voice, initiated his explanation.  [color=E0115F]“Good morning.  We have a bit of a process for joining Frenzy Plant, as you almost certainly know.  What is your name?”[/color]

After receiving his response, the Ruby Knight continued.  [color=E0115F]“Well then, Gabriel, it works like this.  To become a rank, and therefore earn a place, you must defeat one of our current soldiers in a battle of the rank you wish.  For every rank higher than C, you must also duel a soldier from each of the lower ranks.  After you're defeated, we'll give you your guild mark on the back of your neck, and let you on in a probationary period.  It won't last long; after we assure ourselves of the quality of your character, your probation will be ended, and you will be permitted to perform jobs, and eventually campaigns.  Make no mistake; while you will become a wizard, and potentially a great one, and will also earn money, you are first and foremost a soldier.  You will obey your superiors but also respect your subordinates.  Understand?  Good.”[/color]

A quick look around the assembled guild members provided Zander what he was looking for.  [color=E0115F]“Alright.  Private van der Putten, you will be Gabriel's first opponent.”[/color]  With a disappointed sigh, the blonde he had indicated stepped forward.  Drawing his sword, Zander cut two shallow lines in the floor twenty feet apart, and bade the combatants to step behind them.  The lines themselves glowed a reddish hue, courtesy of the blade.  Andrea didn't look very pleased to have to exert herself, but nevertheless she held her hands up in summoning position, and they began to glow with orange magic circles.  Patiently, or perhaps lazily, she waited for Gabriel to prepare himself.  Against the walls near the staircase, Sanders watched with interest.

[color=E0115F]“Begin!”[/color]