The next day Phoenix woke up slowly. Suki wasn't there, but he smiled anyway. She was waiting for him at one of the tables downstairs. "Have a good night's sleep?" She asked munching away at a piece of toast. "Yeah, the best since I've been trapped in this nightmare." Phoenix replied. Suki flashed him a wiry smile. "It's not that bad." She said finishing her breakfast. "What's on the agenda today, apart from the funerals I mean?" Phoenix asked, ordering a fried egg from the NPC waiter. "Well, I guess there is one thing I need to do." She said placing both hands under her chin. "Oh, and what's that?" Phoenix asked raising his eyebrows. She gave him a gentle shove. "Never you mind, but you do have somewhere to be." She grinned mischievously. "Ok, and where's that?" He asked getting suspicious. "Oh, you're just going to see some people." She smiled walking out the door to let Phoenix finish his breakfast.

Suki was waiting for him just outside. And when they reached the outside of town Suki told him he would have to change into some more casual attire. Still not sure why this was such a big deal, Phoenix changed into his white tribal designed thermal t-shirt, and black track pants, he insisted on carrying his sword however. But as they went further into the woods he had to be blindfolded. He knew there was people around, he heard more footsteps behind him and hushed voices. "I feel like I'm being led away to be shot." Phoenix sighed. "Just keep moving Phoenix." Suki scolded him.

About ten minutes later they stopped. Suki finally took the blind fold off, and Phoenix was very surprised by what he saw. He saw a small house in the middle of the woods, a brick house, with a tiled roof and chimney. "Why are we here?" Phoenix said raising his eyebrows. "Look there's a surprise inside, I'll run along and fetch you on around three hours, ok." Suki replied, running off before Phoenix could stop her. Walking up to the house he gently opened the door. It was pitch black inside the house. He felt around for a light switch and a minute later found it. The inside of the cabin was nice. There was a small lounge room, it had a stone fireplace, three small couches, a tiny kitchen, a small circular dining room table sat in the centre of the room. And off to his left, there was a small bedroom with a double bed and a few bookshelves. But something was bugging him, this house looked allot bigger from the outside, that and he knew he wasn't alone in this house.

He could hear someone breathing, it was light, but definitely breathing. Suddenly someone's hands were over his eyes. But this wasn't threatening, it was actually kind of playful. "Guess who." A female voice whispered in his ear. Phoenix could never forget that voice. "Takara!" He exclaimed, spinning around. It was her. But instead of her battle dress, she was wearing a pair of jeans and a loose singlet. It was a nice change for her.

Quickly giving her a hug, he then backed way, but still smiling. "What are you doing here?" He asked, quite frankly overjoyed to see his friend again. "Your friend, Suki, she told us you were having a tough time, so who were we to decline." She said gently. "Well I guess you could say that." Phoenix said trying not to think of two weeks ago. "And who's we?" He asked. Takara pointed up, and just as Phoenix looked up three figures dived from the wooden supports in the roof and tackled him to the ground. Phoenix tried to fight back, but he was overwhelmed by a giant fit of giggles, because they started tickling him. "Come on guys give it a break." Phoenix cried out, tears streaming down his face.

The three figures then let him go and Phoenix stood up and saw who his assailants were. And was very happy with who he saw. Mono who was wearing a long sleeved shirt, and a pair of black jeans. Tatami who wore an unzipped grey jumper, a t-shirt with a typical tribal design and short jeans. And a small girl he had never seen before. "Who's this?" Phoenix asked smiling at the newest member of the group. Mono introduced her. "This is Tem, she's the friend I went off to get, and she wanted to meet you today.

Tentatively the small girl stepped forward. She couldn't have been older than fourteen, short turquoise hair tied up in a plat, sea green eyes, five and a half feet tall and wore a pair of shorts and a knitted jumper. "It's an honour to meet you Phoenix, I've heard allot about you from Mono, and I can't believe I'm actually meeting you." She said nervously holding out her hand. Phoenix squatted down until they were eyelevel. "Tem, the honour is mine." He said shaking her hand. But standing up He realise he had a few questions.

"The five of you here?" Phoenix said baffled. "Dude, Suki and Mono called all of us here, she told us you needed some company." Mono said slapping him on the shoulder. "So wait, you're all here for me?" Phoenix said still not believing they were here. Tatami punched him on the shoulder. "Were your friend's dummy, of course we came." She laughed. They each got a drink from the kitchen and, sat down in the tiny lounge room and started talking.

"So addressing the elephant in the room, what's been going on with you?" Takara asked. Phoenix took a deep breath. He hadn't told anyone else what had happened, Mono knew, and he didn't really want to say. But god knows what they had given up today to be here, so he decided to tell them. "Ever since floor one I'd been playing solo, I'd raid the dungeons with some of you and join in with the boss fights." Phoenix started. Everyone nodded. This they already knew. "But two months ago, I joined a tiny guild, they called themselves the Honour guard, the members were myself, Suki, and two others names Gander and Jonny." Phoenix explained further.

"Wait, you're in a guild, Man I thought you were a solo player through and through." Tatami said confused. Phoenix smiled, yeah he had thought that too. "Yeah, but they intrigued me, and to be safe I hid my real level from them and helped them train and fight, two weeks ago we even found ten thousand gold, in a single dungeon raid." Phoenix said smiling at the fond memories. The others smiled seeing that some good fortune had befallen him. "But what happened if everything was going well?" Tem asked nervously. Phoenix tried to put on a brave face, but he was fighting to hold back tears. "We had a party to celebrate our raid, the next morning Suki and I had a training session in the woods,,," Phoenix began but Mono started chuckling. "Oh, training, is that what you call that little date." Mono said grinning. Phoenix blushed, and for a second felt normal. "No, we trained, I was joking around, and you just caught us as we had tumbled down a hill." Phoenix shot back. This got a crack out of everyone. "But after that me, Suki, and Mono walked back to the town, and Gander and Jonny had unknowingly entered a death battle. I threw everything I had at the force field, but I ended up busting my ribs and breaking my arms, and I watched as they were killed by those two orange PKer's." Phoenix sighed this time unable to hold back the tears.

The last thing I saw before I blacked out was See Gander say three words, I forgive you." Phoenix said bitterly wiping away some of his tears. Everyone in the room looked uncomfortable. Most of them had never seen Phoenix cry before. "But ever since then, I haven't been able to forgive myself for what happened." He said placing his head in his hands.

But he quickly out back on his happy mask and tried to sound up beat. "But that's enough about me, what about you guys?" He asked trying to change the topic.