OK, its time for the first chapter of the new year, and things are hotting up, literally.

Thanks to: Meg, and a warm welcome to Angela, for their reviews.

A special I Love You to: My mother-in-law, who passed away in Indonesia last week. You'll be sorely missed Mum, may Allah grant you a place in paradise.

Random Quote: Don't waste your time or time will waste you ('Knights of Cydonia', by Muse)

Charlotte and the Red Fountain specialists stood restlessly in the large lift as it slowly sank beneath the surface of Planet Nahri.

"Man, it feels like we've been standing here forever." Riven grumbled.

"So how much further do we have to go?" Sky asked.

Timmy walked over to the control panel and checked the display. "According to this, we've just passed the thirty mile mark... which means there's just one or two more to go."

"Thank goodness for that. At least the temperature's more bearable down here." Sky replied.

"Hmph! Speak for yourself." said Charlotte, all bundled up in a pink winter jacket. "I'd hate to work down here - it's like a fridge!"

"Hmmm... it's not really that cold." Riven chuckled light-heartedly as he put his arm around her. "You're just not a cold-air girl, are you?" Charlotte smiled sweetly as she cosied up to him, trying to get as much warmth out of him as possible.

"There's one thing I don't get though Charlotte," Brandon said to the fire fairy.

"What's that then?"

"Well, when we approached the planet, I noticed there weren't any clouds."

"That's right. Beautiful huh?"

"Um, sure. So I guess that means there's no rain here?"

"That's right. In fact, I don't think it's ever rained here."

"And yet you're able to grow chillies and stuff."

"Yes."

"And you have these massive reservoirs which are normally full of water."

"Yes."

"So if there's no rain, and there's obviously no rivers or seas here neither... where does all the water come from?"

"Andros."

Jason's eyes lit up when she said that. "Andros? You mean Layla's homeworld?"

"That's right. It's a trade agreement we have with them - they give us water, and we give them heat for their spas and saunas and hot tubs and stuff... although quite how anyone could use water to relax in is totally beyond us. As far as we're concerned, water's only good for three things - drinking, washing and growing plants. But SWIMMING in it? Yuck!"

The look on Charlotte's face, which had been a slight look of bemusement as she pondered this wierd thought of people actually swimming for pleasure, soon gave way to a slightly startled look as the lift suddenly ground to a halt with a loud judder - they had arrived.

"Finally. Right guys, draw your weapons." said Sky, leading by example as he activated his phantoblade and shield. "There could be anything down here, so we gotta be ready." Charlotte followed suit, transforming into her fairy form.

The lift doors sighed open and the occupants stepped warily out into a long, winding corridor lit by banks of strip lights on each side. As they peered down the corridor, Timmy looked at his wrist-computer.

"Hey, do you guys feel that? The air's become more humid, and the temperature's just shot up ten degrees."

"Yes, I feel it alright. That's much better!" Charlotte said happily, taking her jacket off, folding it neatly and laying it on the floor. "Come on, let's go!"

And so they made their way down down the corridor, cautiously, slowly, taking extra care when they came to any corners just in case there were any nasties lurking about the place. All was silent except for their footsteps on the smooth stone floor and the soft steady fluorescent hum of the lights, a hum broken by the occasional - and annoying - flickering of the odd tube here and there that were in desperate need of replacing. All in all, everything seemed to be reasonably clean and in order, although they could've done without the eery silence. They tried their best, but they just couldn't get that tired old cliché out of their heads...

"It's quiet... too quiet."

Riven groaned. "Tsch! Yes Sky, trust you to come up with THAT corny line."

"Well, I'm just saying." the prince said with a shrug of his shoulders. "I mean, this place looks totally deserted, like it hasn't been touched in..."

He stopped abruptly as they turned yet another corner to be met with a rather unpleasant sight. The walls and ceiling were covered with huge gouges and craters, and bore heavy scorch marks. A faint mist seemed to hang in the air, and the walls dripped with water. Most of the lights had been smashed, and those that still worked flickered on and off with a couple spitting out blue sparks from their exposed cables. But worst of all was what lay on the floor - skeletons. It was impossible to tell exactly how many just by looking - some of them were still more or less intact, some were scattered over a wide area... all of them were blackened and smouldering. A few scraps of clothing identified one of them as a reservoir worker.

Charlotte let out a little yelp and clung fiercely to Riven. The group continued down the corridor - yet more damage, yet more scorch marks, and sadly, yet more bodies. Finally, they reached a vast, open chamber. The lights here were still working, and they gasped at the sight before them. They were stood on a wide walkway skirting along the edge of a enormous stone bowl, so enormous they couldn't see the other side, partially due to its sheer size, and partially due to the veil of mist that hung above it. The bowl itself was almost empty with just a relatively shallow puddle at the very bottom, some fifty feet or so lower than them.

"Phew! Look at the size of this thing! It could probably supply an entire planet." Brandon remarked.

"Actually this is one of many." Charlotte explained, trying her best to put those horrifying sights firmly out of her mind. "Nahri chillies are thirsty little things... but that doesn't explain where all the water's gone though."

"Hey guys, look at that." said Sky, pointing at a large inlet pipe. "What's that inside it?"

"Inside it? What do you mean?" Brandon asked, before seeing for himself what the prince was referring to - a faint green glow could just be seen coming from within.

Timmy used his equipment to analyse it. "It appears to be some sort of portal."

Charlotte gasped. "That must what's blocking the water off - its being diverted elsewhere."

"But who would do such a thing?"

Brandon's question was immediately answered in dramatic fashion, as an orange flame suddenly erupted in mid-air barely ten yards in front of them. Instictively, they stepped back to a safe distance.

"You just had to ask, didn't you?" Riven grumbled.

The group looked on as the flame slowly grew in size and brightness, shaking the ground as it did so. It began to take shape until finally, in a bright flash, all was revealed. There in front of them, engulfed in plumes of thick acrid smoke stood what they could only described as a gigantic, sinister shadow, no less than twenty feet in height, the darkest shade of green in colour with grey wisps wafting from every part of its lean, muscular body. It glared down at them with its pupil-less deep amber eyes, their faint glow being the only thing visible on its otherwise featureless face.

Charlotte screamed and jumped behind Riven, who stood his ground clutching his scimitar. She broke out into a cold sweat as she stared up at the creature looming menacingly above them, her breathing shallow and shaky. Even though this thing gave no visible sign of expression or emotion, she could see that it simply oozed evil... and that scared her something rotten.

The shadow tutted. "More stupid fleshlings... and ones with toys. As if those puny things could ever harm an Ifrit!" it said in an unnatural, deep voice.

Sky took a step forward and addressed the Ifrit. "You're the one responsible for all this, aren't you? Why are you doing this?"

The Ifrit looked at Sky, seemingly disgusted that such an insignificant being would have the sheer nerve to speak to it in such a manner.

"I want this planet. I want Nahri for myself, and to get it I need to get rid of the vermin on the surface." he eventually replied, putting an emphasis on 'vermin' just to prove how much he hated the people of this world.

"We can't let you get away with this, especially not after what you did to those innocent people. Restore the water supply and leave!"

The Ifrit laughed hard at this, so hard it felt as though the reservoir chamber could cave in at any moment. "Are you threatening me? You FOOLS!" it boomed, its clenched right fist suddenly bursting into a mass of flame. "Now you'll meet the same end as the others!" With that, it slammed its hand onto the ground and a huge pulse of fire suddenly flared up out of nowhere and bore down on the group at lightning speed. The Specialists let their training take over and they jumped aside to safety, but Charlotte... poor Charlotte was rooted to the spot, trembling in blind fear.

"Charlotte! Move it!"

But she couldn't.

She just stayed where she was, transfixed by the wall of fire as it raced towards her like a hungry predator racing hungrily to pounce on its helpless prey. She stood, terrified, paralysed, only able at the last minute to put her arms up in a futile effort to shield her face. Riven looked on helplessly, horrified by the sight of his girlfriend being quickly engulfed by the scorching inferno.

"Charlotte! NO!"