Chapter 32

The next morning found Ianite's back against my front and my right arm draped over her side, my hand resting against her stomach and my left arm in the small gap between her neck and the mattress, stretched out.

"Good morning my beautiful goddess."

"Good morning my dear champion." I pressed closer to her in a 'hug', as best a hug as you can get in this position.

"I wanna stay like this for a while. But something tells me having Gandus here won't let me do that." Ianite giggled softly.

"I think your something is right." We both heard Gandus shuffling about in the kitchen. I sigh.

"Well, maybe tonight before bed we can continue our cuddle. How's that sound?" She turned on her other side to face me.

"That sounds perfect." She gave me a quick kiss then we got up, I cleaned my wound, then went out to the kitchen and I washed up after discarding the dirty patch.

"Why are there more vegetables than meat?"

"I'm a vegetarian, I don't eat meat," Ianite replied gently.

"Hmph." She grabs one of the meats out of one of the barrels and eats it. I take a chicken and Ianite takes a mushroom stew. She washes out the bowl and puts it away.

"Gandus, would you like to sit on the hill with me? We can catch up on times, get to know each other again."

"Fine." Gandus and I went outside and sat on the hill.

"What did you do after we split Gandus? Where did you go?"

"I swam across the river and climbed a tree, waiting for daylight. When daylight came and all the zombies and skeletons burned, I ran as far away from the village as I could. I was found by the elders of the Wizard Order. I was raised with the wizards. All throughout that time, I vowed to become the best wizard the order has ever seen. But I became too ambitious. It corrupted me. I met Hermod during this time. We were friends for a while, then we fell in love. As time passed, I wanted power. More and more power. It got so bad they threw me out. By this time Hermod and I got married, so I wasn't homeless. This time, I vowed my revenge on the wizard order.

"Eventually I met Ianite. She tried to help me, but I never accepted it. Though one time I did go to her for help with Hermod. I already told you of his boat obsession... I divorced him because of it. He loved his boats more than he ever loved me. Then I met the Darkness. He promised me all the things I ever imagined I could have. Revenge on the Wizard Order, all the power I could ever have, anything. It sounded so good. I agreed to his terms. Nix, I'm scared to tell him I broke our treaty (A/N: for lack of a better word). He's going to be furious. I might die, if not seriously injured..."

"Gandus, I promise you I won't let anything happen to you. Remember what I said yesterday. I can make a soul fire barrier around you to protect you. Also, it sounds like you had a fine life, up until you became too ambitious for your own good. Me, I had it rough. I was all on my own. I lived off the land, I took from villagers' crops, though I replanted all the things I took, so I never left villagers without food. Somehow all the villages ever had were carrots... fate was messing with me, I swear it." I chuckled. "It sucked though. Carrots are not good for hunger... I never talked to the villagers though. I didn't wanna stay too long, lest they be met with the same fate as our village. I went to the Nether and the End during my time too. I got an Elytra from finding an End City. I was feeling pretty proud.

"Then, I learned about Ianite's sword. It sounded powerful and like it could help me. I set out to find it. After days of flying, I finally found it, but at a cost. My Elytra broke mid-flight and I plummeted toward the ocean. The fall dazed me pretty badly, but I was fortunate enough to have been saved by Sparky. He was the first person I met after fleeing our village. He was so kind to me, still is. He gave me food and shelter. Then I met Ianite herself. She told me I could keep the sword after examining it, making sure it was actually the one she forged. It was, is. I still have it. Also, it was love at first sight for me with Ianite. For Ianite, I'm pretty sure it wasn't. But you'd have to ask her that at some point. I can't really speak for her there. As time went on, hanging out and fighting alongside the guys, my powers started coming through." I proceeded to list my powers to Gandus and how I gained them. (A/N: I am too lazy to look back to see her powers or list them .)

"Wow Nix. That's amazing. No wonder you're to be named High Priestess."

"Yeah, well, I kind of ran into some trouble on becoming High Priestess. I was supposed to be that immediately, but I did something stupid to keep me from doing so..." I then told her about my action concerning Ianite and Ianite's and my argument once we met back up. The look on Gandus' face was one of 'ouch'. I nodded. "Yup... I hope to never do that or go through another argument again but... only time will tell."

"Seems like you've learned that particular lesson though. Which is good. Separating yourself from your loved ones hurts. A lot. We both know that..."

"Yeah, but ours wasn't our choice. The zom-"

"Yes, yes. The zombies... the bastards..."

"Agreed..." We sat in silence for a while after that. I brought my legs up to my chest, hugging them, and rested my chin on my knees. Gandus did the same. After a while of silence, "I'm glad we've found each other again Gandus."

"I am too... now that you've gotten through to me. Thank you... by the way..." She turned her face away from me.

"You're welcome." More silence then Gandus stood up. I followed her lead.

"I wanna let the Darkness know now. Get it over with..."

"Ok, lemme let Ianite know and we can go find him, the three of us." Gandus nodded and we went and found Ianite in the back yard area hanging out with the foxes. "Ianite, Gandus would like to find the Darkness and cut ties with him. Could you help us find him so she could get it done and over with?" Ianite looked up and nodded. She stood up and came to me.

"Phoenix, use your presence sensing. You need to reach it to the far reaches of our world. Focus. You can do it." I closed my eyes and lowered my head, then took a deep breath. I focused my presence sensing on the Darkness, and where in the world he could be. It was very hard and it took me a while, but I eventually found the Darkness' presence at a sea temple. I could feel the environment around him, it was wet and cold. I told Ianite this and she was impressed. I asked Ianite if she had any brewing stands and she just conjured some out of nowhere. She said she doesn't usually use potions, as she's a goddess. Fair enough. I made water breathing potions that last long for Gandus and I then I packed some extra, just in case. I wondered if I could make infinite water breathing potions. Oh wait, I had a dream once where father and I did. Hmm, I'll try what we did another time, right now, we don't have the time.

Gandus, Ianite, and I all headed out, with me directing where to go. It took a long time, but we finally reached our destination. I gave Gandus her potions and we both drank one. We've got 8 minutes. We all jumped in the water and swam to the front arches and walked through. I followed where his presence is coming from and the two just followed me. I could feel Gandus' nervousness and I took her hand in comfort.

"You'll do, and be, just fine Gandus. Ianite and I won't let Wot hurt you." She gave me a small smile.

"Thanks Nix. I know." I put my arm around her shoulders and we walked further into Wot's lair, I guess you could call it. As we approached the room where his presence was the strongest, I glanced at Ianite. She gave me a small nod in return, telling me everything will be fine. Finally we stood in the entrance to his main room. I immediately conjured up a soul barrier. Yes, I said 'soul' barrier instead of 'soul fire'. Ianite, Gandus, and Wot all looked at me with surprise.

"How?" Wot asked.

"I... I don't know..." Ianite approached it cautiously. The barrier bounced her back, rejecting her. "Huh... Wot, I apologize for bossing you, but... you try." He did give me a dirty look, but he was definitely intrigued. I could feel it. When he got close, the barrier whipped soul fire at him. "Hmmmm... Gandus?" Gandus was just as cautious as the other two, but it let her through. "Go back in?" She walked right back in with no problem.

"I think it knows Nix," Ianite said. I nodded, I think it does too. I think it knows my true intentions with it. Protect Gandus at all costs. I then wondered something new. Could I go into it? I walked toward it and it let me right through. Figured. Wanted to try anyway. This time, I stayed inside.

"Now that we've satiated our curiosity... what brings you three here and how did you find me?"

"I can feel presences, no matter how far they are. As to what brings us here." I looked at Gandus.

"I'm resigning from my allegiance to you. Phoenix right here, is my sister. The one I never found when I was young. Now that I've finally found her after all these years, I want to be with her again. Catch up on the years we lost." I could feel Wot's anger, but he was scarily calm when he spoke.

"Fine, no matter. I'll just find someone else. Someone more... loyal." The three of us got chills. Ianite teleported us immediately back home. We still had goosebumps.

"I'm surprised, but I shouldn't be. Your barrier rejected him violently. No way would he have tried something," Gandus said.

"Yeah... a soul barrier? What?"

"Maybe Dianite was wrong with how many powers you'll gain. Or... maybe he forgot some. It had been over a thousand years since the prophecy."

"Soul magic though? Why? How powerful am I gonna be?"

"I don't know Nix... Maybe we should go to Dec, he might know something. Or even Mianite or Dianite," Ianite suggested.

"Yeah, hopefully one of them will." Ianite teleported to Dec, then teleported Gandus and I and also telepathically communicated to Mianite and Dianite to meet us at Dec's.

A/N: uh, oops... downside to writing this after Mianitian Isles is I know everything I know and also I have something in mind for Phoenix here. Well, here's the re-written chapter X . X