Celestial Storm: Blazing Eye

Chapter Six: The Alliance

"Good morning!" Murina called happily as she opened my door.

"It seems the locks don't work in this guild," I muttered as I rose from bed and rubbed my eyes.

"Oh, they do work, however, once someone knows the nature of the locks, it is easy to unlock them," Murina said cheerfully.

"That explains how Vlukyn keeps getting in my room despite the fact that I lock my door," I muttered.

I thought I heard a hiss from the hall just then and a slight scuffle as though someone had moved their feet swiftly while wearing slippers.

"Oh, it seems that Nifrael and Vlukyn are awake too. How wonderful!" Murina commented as she glanced over her shoulder.

I was getting dressed in the meantime, and I accompanied Murina down the hall with all my gear strapped to my body. Murina knocked on Tamira's door.

"Good morning, Tamira!" Murina called.

She opened the door. A lot of the walls were taken up by shelves that contained stuffed animals. The ceiling had stars, moons and planets painted on it. Tamira's pillow seemed to have been made to resemble a large bear. I saw ears and a nose at one end of the shaggy pillow.

"Good morning," said Tamira sleepily.

Tamira sat up. Her hair stuck up in several strange directions. Murina took out a comb and began combing Tamira's hair.

"How did you sleep last night, dear?" Murina asked.

"Not bad. I dreamed that Vlukyn got turned into a dragon and everyone was riding her through a black hole," Tamira replied.

"That sounds like a fun dream," Murina said happily.

"Yeah, but Dukhiza and Khanordhoi got turned into these evil frogs when we got too close to the black hole, so we had to stuff them in jars," Tamira said.

"Oh, my," Murina said simply.

"Good morning, Tamira," I said.

"Good morning, Lucina," said Tamira, "How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you. You have a lot of cute stuffed animals," I replied.

"Thanks. My mommy got me some of them when I was younger. Murina, Irina and Sreldes got me most of the others," Tamira said.

"Duuuu-oooorrrr! Stealing my woman again!" I heard Vlukyn growl.

"Now, now, Vlukyn. You don't want Flame to hear you say that," Murina said happily.

"I don't see him anywhere," Nifrael's voice said from the hall.

"You two aren't going to bother her on the mission, are you?" Murina asked.

"Of course not!" Vlukyn cried, "We're going to make sure that nothing touches her!"

"We have to make sure that those ruffians from Blazing Eye don't steal opponents from her, so we can't afford to bother her," Nifrael added.

"And we have to make sure Khanordhoi doesn't try to use her as a shield or something like that," Vlukyn said as an afterthought, "I won't tolerate that sot trying to push my woman around!"

"Aw, that's so sweet of you two to be so thoughtful!" Murina said.

"Stop it, Murina! You're making us blush," Vlukyn said pretending to be embarrassed.