Eelzad stood at the entrance of one of Hosenka's renowned hot spring inns, his gaze fixed on the steam rising from the natural pools nestled within the resort's serene garden. The owner, a nervous man named Takumi, had just finished explaining the problem plaguing the hot springs. The usually tranquil waters had become dangerously hot, thanks to the influx of elemental creatures seeking warmth during the colder days.

Eelzad's adventurous spirit and sense of duty had led him to accept this mission without hesitation. Salamanders and other heat-loving critters had taken refuge in the springs, their presence not only raising the temperature to dangerous levels but also deterring visitors. The owners were willing to pay handsomely for their removal, whether by peaceful means or otherwise.

"Thank you for taking on this task, Eelzad," Takumi said, his voice tinged with desperation. "These creatures are making it impossible for our guests to enjoy the springs. We've tried everything, but they're drawn to the heat like moths to a flame."

Eelzad nodded, his expression serious but determined. "Don't worry, Takumi. I'll handle it. These creatures won't cause any more trouble once I'm done."

Takumi handed Eelzad a detailed map of the hot spring area, marking the locations where the elemental creatures had been spotted most frequently. "Please be careful. Some of these creatures can be quite dangerous."

Eelzad gave a reassuring smile. "I've faced worse. Just make sure no one else enters the springs until I've cleared them out. Oh, except for one. There is another individual that should be giving me a hand today with the clearing process." A comrade gave word to Eelzad that someone should be joining him today on a couple of errands that he wanted to run. With Eelzad being as welcoming as he is, he would want to put a name to a face with the newcomer.

WC: 310

Elijah turned at the corner and finally saw the sign of the Hosenka hot springs. He let out a sigh and a frown having finally found his way to the meeting place, complaining to himself about the streets and alleys of this place that can easily get you lost. He walked up to the entrance noticing a young raven haired man talking with a more mature man who was trembling until the former man spoke. What a silver tongue, he said to himself and smirked softly while approaching.

"I assume one of you gentlemen is the owner of the springs and my employer for the day~" he said with a warm smile looking at the two. The owner nodded and introduced himself as Takumi and Eli exchanged a few pleasantries when his eye caught the emblem of Paradise Dawn on the chest of the black haired man. Delightful, he thought as he looked up at him "Ah you must be my coworker for the day then~" he exclaimed and introduced himself.

After introductions were over and the plan was to shoo away or eradicate the elementals plaguing the springs, Elijah jumped straight to investigating. But where to? He looked at Eelzad puzzled squinting his eyes in a comical way "So where are we off to? That guy left and this place is huge!" he said while stretching his arms to show an accurate representation of how big the springs were. Then he noticed the piece of paper that the topless man held in his hands "Oh a map, fun!" he exclaimed and rushed to Eelzad's side with eyes wide open trying to read the map.

Problem was his sense of direction was somewhat of an issue so he then pointed towards the opposite side letting out an excited "Let's be off!" before realizing that was the entrance with the sign he saw earlier. Defeated he let his coworker be the guide for this extermination tour.

WC: 327

Eelzad chuckled at Elijah's enthusiastic but directionally challenged approach. The newcomer's energy was infectious, and it reminded Eelzad of his own early days with the guild, full of excitement and the occasional misstep.

"Welcome, Elijah," Eelzad greeted warmly, holding out his hand for a firm shake. "I'm Eelzad Kors. It's good to have another pair of hands for this task."

He glanced at the map, then back at Elijah, who was clearly eager to get started despite his initial misdirection. Eelzad appreciated the enthusiasm and decided to channel it productively.

"Alright, let's get down to business. This map shows the areas where the Salamanders and other elemental creatures have been spotted most frequently," Eelzad explained, pointing to various marked locations. "We'll start with the nearest hot spring and work our way through each site. Our goal is to remove these creatures without causing too much harm, but we need to be prepared for anything."

Eelzad led the way, navigating the path through the serene garden with practiced ease. The sound of bubbling water and the faint scent of minerals filled the air, creating a calm backdrop for their mission. As they approached the first spring, the air grew noticeably warmer, a clear sign of the Salamanders' presence.

"Here we are," Eelzad said, stopping at the edge of the first spring. The water was steaming more intensely than usual, and the ripples on the surface indicated movement below. "Stay alert. These creatures can be unpredictable."

Eelzad knelt by the water, channeling his Ripple Magic to create a gentle, calming effect on the surface. He spoke softly to Elijah, explaining his approach. "I'll try to coax them out peacefully first. If that doesn't work, we'll have to be ready to act quickly."

As Eelzad's magic spread through the water, the first Salamander emerged, its fiery eyes glowing with curiosity and caution. Eelzad maintained his calm demeanor, focusing on the task at hand. "It's alright, little one. We need you to move to a different place. This spring is too hot for the people here."

The Salamander seemed to consider his words, and Eelzad felt a flicker of hope. He continued to extend his Ripple Magic, guiding the Salamander towards a safer area outside the hot spring. The creature responded, slowly moving away from the spring and into the surrounding garden.
"One down," Eelzad said, standing up and dusting off his hands. "Let's move on to the next one."

WC: 406
TEC: 716

Elijah followed dutifully behind Eelzad, happy that someone else was in charge of guidance and directions. His coworker seemed like such a sweet and nice guy that Elijah couldn't help but have a soft smile on his face the whole time. After arriving at the first spring the raven haired man got to work as Eli simply observed as it seemed that everything was under control but the Nephilim was ready to intervene at any point. The heat of the spring was unlike what he had felt before even when he visited Desierto and then he saw those fiery beady eyes rise from inside the spring.

The salamander spirit was adorable with its confused and cautious look and Eelzad's magic seemed to soothe it and guide it outside of the spring and into the nearby garden. As the mage seemed content with his action he began to walk towards the next destination but Elijah tried to stop him on his tracks by slightly sprinting and touching his arm momentarily. "Are you sure we can safely move on? After all this is a fire elemental and it just jumped into a garden." he said with a worried tone and look in his eyes, after all he didn't want a fire breaking out, that could have caused even more trouble.

Elijah cautiously approached the bushes where the elemental had gone to hide earlier and after a bit of searching and a small animal cry he came out of the bush with a branch stuck in his hair and the little elemental on his hand. "Look at what I found!" he exclaimed with a soft laugh as the elemental let out a yawn and curled up for a nap. "Well the nap part was unexpected." he said surprised as he put the elemental in his pocket carefully and walked towards Eelzad. "Shall we continue then?" he said and took off towards the direction the other mage was about to head a minute ago.

Eventually after a bit of small talk they arrived at the second spot, the air became unbearably hot making it hard to even breath. "Now that's a sauna if I've ever seen one" he said with a frown. As he was about to ask his coworker if he could work his magic again, two large sized salamanders jumped out of the water ready for a fight. Pity and I was looking forward to seeing him exercise authority again, he thought and whimpered softly waiting for Eelzad's move.

WC: 423 | 750

Eelzad had to suppress a smile as Elijah approached him with a fiery little Salamander curled up in his hand. "Good catch, Elijah," he said, nodding in approval. "You're right. We can't leave these creatures unattended. Let's make sure they find a safer spot away from the garden."

After Elijah carefully placed the napping Salamander in a safer area, they continued towards the second hot spring. The air grew hotter and thicker, and Eelzad could feel the intensity of the elemental magic resonating in the area.

"Now that's a sauna if I've ever seen one," Elijah commented, frowning at the oppressive heat.

Eelzad took a deep breath, focusing on the task ahead. "Alright, let's handle this carefully," he said, scanning the steamy surface of the spring. Just as he was about to suggest a plan, two large Salamanders erupted from the water, their fiery eyes blazing with aggression.

Eelzad's instincts kicked in immediately. He stepped forward, positioning himself between the Salamanders and Elijah. "Stay behind me," he instructed, his voice calm but firm. "I'll try to calm them down first. If that doesn't work, be ready to assist."

Channeling his Ripple Magic, Eelzad focused on generating a soothing, sun-like warmth. He extended his hands towards the Salamanders, hoping to replicate the success they had with the first creature. The Salamanders, however, seemed more agitated and less receptive to his initial attempts.

One of the Salamanders lunged at him, and Eelzad had no choice but to react defensively. He shifted his stance, readying himself for combat. "Sunlight Yellow Overdrive!" he called out, his fists glowing with radiant energy as he struck the attacking Salamander. The light-infused punch sent ripples of energy through the creature, stunning it and causing it to recoil.

The second Salamander, seeing its companion attacked, hesitated for a moment. Eelzad took advantage of the pause to address both creatures. "We're not here to hurt you," he said, his voice steady and authoritative. "But you can't stay here. It's too dangerous for everyone involved."
The stunned Salamander began to recover, shaking off the effects of Eelzad's punch. The other Salamander, sensing the tension, seemed to consider its options. Eelzad maintained his defensive posture, ready to act if they attacked again.

"Elijah, when was the last time that you have been into a fight? You have good looks, I'll give you that. But a cute smile and a pose won't get us out of this small altercation. Think you can discourage them?"

wc: 416
twc: 1132

Now that was an exciting turn of events, Elijah didn't know whether to blush from the steam and general heat of the area or from the comment Eelzad made about taking cover behind him. Eli complied with a few theatrics and a soft giggle, the theater kid in him not letting him be very serious in such a situation. At the same time he knew that these creatures weren't that big of a threat so his teammate wouldn't be in any real trouble but he would be cautious just in case. With every display of Eelzad's magic the nephilim would shower him with words of encouragement while assessing the situation.

Meanwhile, the little elemental was woken up by the commotion and poked his small head out of Elijah's pocket staring at the fighters. While Eelzad was dealing with one of the salamanders and warning them to leave this place for everyone's safety he noticed the small guy fixating at the cautious salamander, his beady eyes widening with anticipation. Just when that observation was made, Eli heard his coworker's comment about him helping to de-escalate the situation. "Now, now. I believe a cute smile can go a long way~" he said as he walked in front of the man gently taking the small salamander in his hands and presenting it closer towards the two bigger elementals. "I believe this little one is yours~" he said in a soft tone while looking at them.

The one that had been cautious from the start and less aggressive looked excitedly at the baby salamander, its glowy fiery eyes giving way to a more calm look with black beady eyes. The small elemental rushed to jump from Elijah's hands and make its way to the parents' side. "That's what I call...heartwarming~" he said with a small chuckle. "Now I know that the springs here are heavenly but it's not safe for the little one." he said with a soft smile as the family of elementals nodded and made their away home, probably, away from the springs.

Elijah turned to his teammate "Elementaly, my dear Eelzad~" he said with a laugh as he approached him ready for their next destination, ever following close to him and teasing him as a way to show friendliness. Up to now things were quiet and the elementals on their way really not that dangerous, more like a nuisance. But he didn't know if the same could be said about what was to come next. And if things were really going to take a bad turn he wasn't going to risk a single injury on his lovely teammate.

WC: 451 | 1201

Eelzad couldn't help but smile at Elijah's playful demeanor and quick thinking. The interaction with the Salamanders had gone better than expected, thanks to Elijah's gentle approach. "Nicely done, Elijah. That was indeed heartwarming," Eelzad said, chuckling at the clever wordplay.

As the family of Salamanders made their way out of the hot springs, Eelzad turned his attention back to the map. "Alright, let's keep moving. We've still got a few more springs to clear."

With Elijah presumably following closely, Eelzad led the way to the next marked location. The path wound through lush gardens and past several smaller springs, each one seemingly untouched by the elemental disturbances. The tranquility of the surroundings was a stark contrast to the intense heat and activity they had just encountered.

They arrived at the third hot spring, and immediately Eelzad could feel the oppressive heat radiating from the water. The steam was thick, and the air was heavy with elemental energy. He could sense multiple presences beneath the surface, more than they had encountered before.

"Stay sharp," Eelzad cautioned, scanning the water for signs of movement. "There are more of them here."

As if on cue, several Salamanders burst from the water, their fiery eyes locked onto Eelzad and Elijah. These ones were larger and more aggressive, clearly agitated by the intrusion. Eelzad stepped forward, his Ripple Magic already flowing through his body, ready to respond to any threat.

"Let's see if we can calm them down," Eelzad said, extending his hands and channeling a soothing warmth into the air. "We don't want to hurt you. We just need you to find another place to stay."
The largest Salamander roared, steam billowing from its mouth as it advanced. Eelzad held his ground, maintaining the calming aura of his Ripple Magic. The other Salamanders seemed to hesitate, sensing the peaceful energy but still wary.

"Rawr"

The sight of the smaller Salamander seemed to suddenly have an effect. The largest one paused, its aggressive stance softening slightly as it recognized the youngling. The tension in the air eased just a bit, and Eelzad took the opportunity to reinforce the calming influence of his Ripple Magic.

"That's it," Eelzad encouraged, his voice steady. "Let's all stay calm and find a solution."

The largest Salamander seemed to consider the situation, its fiery eyes meeting Eelzad's. With a slow, deliberate movement, it began to back away, signaling the other Salamanders to follow. The calming energy continued to flow, guiding them towards a safer area away from the springs.

Once the Salamanders were a safe distance away, Eelzad let out a sigh of relief.

Eelzad checked the map once more, noting their progress. "One more spring to go. Let's finish this mission strong."

WC: 464
TWC: 1596

"Bravo!" Elijah said excitedly as he clapped and cheered for Eelzad "That was such a magnificent display of skill, even I felt more calm!" he continued as he patted the man on the back softly. Eli tried to look at the map from behind Eelzad but his towering stature wouldn't allow it even when the nephilim tippy-toed, comically frustrated he instead popped his head from the side, a bit more than he'd like as the mage's muscles were in the way, but eventually he took a look at the map and pointed towards the direction they should take. This time he wasn't wrong as he might be directionally challenged, but he observes and adapts and even though he had to make some calculations in his head to not look like a fool in front of his partner again he was confident in his answer.

The duo continued towards the final spring as Elijah looked at the sky. The sun had already changed position from when he entered the springs, signaling that it was already afternoon and with that thought his stomach growled. He laughed about it and commented on needing lunch soon, inviting Eelzad to join him once their work was done.

The happy atmosphere suddenly changed when he felt a concentrated rise in heat. He pushed his partner to the side, something that wouldn't be possible if the mage was focused as he was towering over Elijah, and he ducked to avoid an incoming fireball. "That almost singed my hair and I'm not happy about it." he said in an angry tone as he turned to look at the perpetrator. A large elemental sat inside the spring, big enough that the water couldn't cover it. Lovely, he thought sarcastically not seeing a way to resolve this conflict peacefully. He turned for a moment to check on his teammate "Sorry for the push love, couldn't have it burn that handsome face~" he said with a playful wink before focusing on the salamander again.

Now to put you in your place, he thought as he placed his hand on his chest "The cost is my life. Matariel~" he said in Lucian dialect as he retracted his hand and opened his palm to reveal a handful of gold coins that erupted in light. Seconds later the angel of rain, Matariel, was beside Elijah ready to be commanded. "Snuff out its flame." he said in Lucian as bright golden circles formed in his eyes. The angel did as instructed and with a movement of its hand trapped the elemental in water sphere, reducing its size until the salamander inside it disappeared. The angel dispersed as Elijah dropped to the ground semi-conscious, he still wasn't used to this magic and used it as rarely as possible.

Matariel:

"This state isn't fitting to look at, apologies." he said to Eelzad trying to smile but instead coughing and softly moaning in pain. At that moment, another rise in heat, it couldn't be the same elemental as it was definitely quenched, but Elijah didn't have the strength to even look at it or even identify what "it" was.

WC: 534 | 1735

Eelzad felt a rush of concern as he saw Elijah falter, his strength depleted after summoning Matariel. The heat rise indicated another threat, but Eelzad's priority was ensuring his teammate's safety.

"Elijah, you've done more than enough," Eelzad said firmly, placing a reassuring hand on Elijah's shoulder. "Just rest for now. I'll handle this."

Eelzad quickly turned his attention to the source of the new heat, his senses sharp and his Ripple Magic ready. He scanned the area, spotting a massive Salamander emerging from the spring, its eyes blazing with elemental fury.

"This one's going to be tough," Eelzad muttered to himself. "But I'm not backing down."

With a deep breath, he channeled his Ripple Magic, feeling the energy surge through his body. "Sunlight Yellow Overdrive!" he shouted, his fists glowing with radiant light. The heat from the Salamander clashed with the warmth of his magic, creating a palpable tension in the air.

Eelzad moved with precision, his enhanced speed and strength allowing him to dodge the incoming fireballs. He struck the Salamander with a powerful punch, the light-infused blow sending ripples of energy through the creature. The Salamander roared in pain and anger, its fiery aura flickering as it staggered back.


"You need to leave this place!" Eelzad commanded, his voice strong and authoritative. "Go now, and find another home where you won't cause harm!"

The Salamander hesitated, its eyes meeting Eelzad's. For a moment, it seemed to consider his words, the calming influence of the Ripple Magic slowly taking effect. Eelzad took a step forward, maintaining the soothing warmth of his magic. "There's no need for this conflict. Just go."

With a final, reluctant growl, the Salamander turned and began to retreat, its massive form disappearing into the depths of the spring. The heat in the air slowly dissipated, leaving a calm and serene atmosphere in its wake.

Eelzad let out a sigh of relief, his shoulders relaxing as the immediate threat passed. He quickly returned to Elijah's side, kneeling to check on him. "You did great, Elijah," he said softly, helping him sit up. "Let's get you some rest and some food. You've earned it."

Supporting his teammate, Eelzad lifted Elijah and carried him back towards the entrance of the hot spring inn. The mission was complete, and the springs were safe once more. Eelzad felt a sense of accomplishment, but more importantly, he felt a deep appreciation for the bond they had formed during this challenging task.

As they approached Takumi, Eelzad gave a nod of satisfaction. "The springs are clear. The Salamanders have been moved to safer areas."
Takumi's face lit up with relief and gratitude. "Thank you both so much. You've done a great service for us."

Eelzad smiled, glancing at Elijah, who he still carried in his arms. "It was a team effort. Now, let's get some well-deserved rest and enjoy a meal together. Preferably free, my friend here needs his strength."

WC: 500
TWC: 2000/2000

Elijah laid on his back watching his partner take care of the last salamander, he wanted to help but he wasn't in a state to do so. His ripple magic seemed to be working and the elemental calmed down before turning around and leaving the spring. Elijah let out a sigh as he managed to calm down, he wasn't afraid only for himself but for Eelzad as well. "That was a beautiful display of kindness Eelzad~" he said weakly as he looked at the mage with a soft smile. The man helped him up and carried him towards the entrance, the nephilim felt a slight jolt of happiness being wrapped in his arms, he exuded kindness in every way possible. With a little help he managed to get back his bearings as the owner approached them letting him know of what had occurred and that the springs would now be safe. At least until the elementals decide to come back, he thought, but that was a story for another adventurer.

The prospect of having food really appealed to Eli but the thought of being given free food when they would already get paid seemed a little too much. "Now, now, let's not be greedy, this gentleman is paying us for our effort~" he said going back to his usual cheerful tone "Food and drinks are on me, after all I was the one that invited you first~" he said in a chirpy voice, the thought of food making his stomach rumble. Once they got their reward Elijah held on to his partner for support feigning a sudden weakness until they made it to a restaurant, nothing fancy but it would fill their bellies.

WC: 286 | 2021