Mia entered the darkened living room and looked around. She was slightly puzzled that no one was home, Ryo should have been here at least. 'Oh well,' she thought to herself as she switched on the lights.
"SURPISE!!!! Happy Birthday!" yelled a chorus of voices as all nine armor bearers as they left their hiding places.
Mia smiled, "I should have known! How long have you guys been planning this?"
"About a week," answered Ryo.
"So, what first? Food or presents?" asked Sage.
"Please pick food, please!" begged Kento who hadn't had anything to eat since lunch. Everybody laughed at that.
"Okay Kento, we'll eat first," said Mia, as she set down her things from work.
Meanwhile
"Look," said Calisto as she paused at the edge of the cliff. Wintrin looked where she had indicated. At the base of the cliff was a ruined temple, a small altar, made of a white stone the color of ivory, stood in the center of the ruins. Beside it was a circle that was made of the same stone.
"The Temple of Tranquility," stated Wintrin with a hint of awe in his voice, "So that is why the tear was needed."
"Yes," agreed Calisto and then she began to climb down to reach the temple. Wintrin followed quickly behind.
Once they reached the altar, Calisto placed the Pheonix Tear in the center and began to chant in a strange tongue that Wintrin could not decipher. When the chant reached its end a silvery portal opened.
Back at Mia's
After supper was over it was time for Mia to open her gifts.
"Hmmm... I wonder what this is?" asked Mia as she picked up a large box wrapped in blue holographic paper. The tag announced that it was from Rowen. She carefully removed the paper to reveal software.
"Thanks Ro, I needed to upgrade my PC," said Mia as she picked up her next gift. It was the small box that Ryo had bought the day before. Mia gasped when she opened it. Inside was a silver necklace with a small ruby pendent.
"Ryo, it's beautiful!" exclaimed Mia then she hugged the warrior of virtue. Her other gifts were: