The Guild Masters Assemble, Birth of an Inferno

Walking into the guildhall Aeolus is greeted by V at the front desk. Surprisingly the normally filled halls were nearly empty and quiet. "The other guild masters are waiting for you on call", said V from behind her desk.

"And the situation", questioned Aeolus.

"It's best you join the meeting and hear for yourself sir," she said with a grim expression.

"Very well", replied Aeolus walking toward the elevator.

As he walks into his office he hangs his coat before pouring a drink into his glass.

Eventually, he rested in his chair in front of his desk. Activating the crystal embedded in its center, it portrayed a holographic image of guild masters from the nearby sections. "How nice of you to join us, Aeolus", said a woman's voice. Her holographic image was small and slender but her voice held a stern tone. "My apologies Ms. Ashford", Aeolus responded in his usual calm manner. "Ohh Aeolus you don't have to be so formal with me," she joked. "It's not like you to be late to a meeting, urgent or not,'' said another. His voice was rough and his build huge, easily towering over Aeolus. His image showed him sitting at his desk, which was way smaller than him by comparison, wearing a bored expression. "You could afford to spend some more time in your office wouldn't you agree Mr. Sunden ", Aeolus uttered back.

"Calm down, now that we're all here," spoke another, stopping the imminent argument between the two guild masters. He was well built and relatively younger than the rest of the guild masters present "Let's continue discussing the problem at hand."

"Agreed Mr. Fair," said Aeolus, taking a sip from his glass. "As you know my section has been getting continuous reports of wildfires for about a week or two. Earlier today when some of my members were sent out to help with one of the fires the entire group suffered from extreme burn injuries and a couple of deaths. "Problems of a weak guild master", laughed Mr. Sunden. "Your puny members can't handle a fire, pitiful."

"Shut the hell up Garris!'' yelled the young guild master. "My guild members are strong. It's myself who is weak."

"Relax Nathaniel take a breath," spoke Ms. Ashford.

"Of course," he replied. "When they radioed for back up I myself went out to help. As I got there, I could tell immediately this was no mere forest fire. The fire Zen in the air was too intense. Pushing through the waves of heat that encased the town I encountered an Inferno. All the other guild masters including Aeolus gasped. "An Inferno", Garris repeated. His bored expression was replaced by one of excitement.

"A beast of that level hasn't crossed over onto our realm for years", spoke Ms. Ashford. Her voice was still stern but her body language showed she was a little worried.

"Are you confident, Aeolus questioned.

"Very" replied Nathaniel. "I tried to subdue it alone having already lost so many of my men but eventually the flames it produced left me incapacitated. Before I completely lost consciousness I saw the beast heading west toward Aeolus's district."

"Why involve all of us if it's headed towards Aeolus's district," Scoffed Garris. I got us all together because I felt like this was a threat to all our districts," Nathaniel replied. "And I only saw it walk in the direction of Aeolus's territory. We have no idea whose territory it could end up in. That's why I propose we handle this as one unit,"

"Declined," Garris said immediately before deactivating his crystal leaving the meeting.

Nathaniel let out a sigh, "What about you two?"

"I'll join if you do Aeolus", said Ms. Ashford. "I'd love to see a man like you in action." Aeolus took another sip from his glass. I'm not denying your offer of uniting under these circumstances however allow my section to see what we're up against first. If we determine we can't handle it, we will call for backup."

"I'd advise you not to, but it's not like I can change your mind can I," said Nathaniel rubbing the back of his head. "Alright, hope you know what you're getting yourself into."

"I've been in combat for some time now, I'll manage." With that Aeolus deactivated his own crystal before lying back in his chair letting out a deep breath.

For now, it doesn't seem like any of this could relate to the young master and Doza, but I should still attend any more discussions between the GMs just in case something else does come up.

My body's shaking. Oh yeah the Inferno, been a while since anyone's dealt with a creature like that. If it does reach my section It'll make for a good hunt."

After returning to his estate later that night, Aeolus found Doza drooling out his mouth in the meditation room. His eyes were rolled back but Aeolus could sense he was still breathing. Shaking his head he drags Doza's limp body out of the room before giving him a slight tap on his back, shocking him awake.

"I told you go easy on it, '' he sighed. "I'm fine," Doza managed to say. "It was just a little harder to take it all in than I originally thought."

"If I was gone any longer you might've actually"

"Shut it", Doza interrupted

Aeolus chuckled, "Did you make any new ground finding your Voidscape at least."

"Not at all", Doza responded, "But I definitely feel something. I'm just not able to grasp it quite yet.

"Describe the feeling for me.," asked Aeolus as he rested on a chair.

"It was… Intense," Doza responded. "Like being in a raging storm but not being able to keep your head up against the winds. I try to fight against it but every time I manage to pick my head up a little I'm struck by bolts of lightning and I fall out of the meditative trance."

"Struck by your own affinity", questioned Aeolus. "Why would you be scared of that?"

"I never said that," snorted Doza. Aeolus chuckles, "but it obviously left you fazed. So what is keeping you from reaching your voidscape."

Doza grits his teeth, "It's nothing. I just need to keep working on my breathing technique."

"Repetition is a good way to grasp a new skill. However to overcome this problem you'd have to look into yourself and find the answer.

"Shut it old man," snapped Doza. "The only thing keeping me from reaching it now is you talking my ear off."

Keeping his composer Aeolus managed to keep himself from backhanding Doza. "How bout we just come back to this tomorrow you've trained enough for the day.