(Hey, just be happy I didn't stick "truth" and "beauty" in there too. And yes, I've been watching too much Moulin Rogue. xD ...as for Nankojiva's attacks--I don't actually know them either. xDDDD)

"Now we battle."

"What?"

"Phyre!" The beautiful, magnificent, and ever intimidating phoenix BIT streaked towards Kith.

Kith stumbled backwards and dodged the swooping phoenix only because he had managed to trip. "Are you mad?" he yelled at Tier.

"Fire stream, Phyre," he said, completely ignoring Kith's question.

"Ahhhhhhh!" Kith ran while flailing and screaming in the other direction. "You're mad, you know--!"

He tripped over something black and furry.

"Nankojiva!"

About time you remembered me.

"Help me!"

She grinned that same strange cat-like grin, and her eyes took on a menancing light. The air in the room seemed to ripple, as if something was changing its composition. The light became dimmer until the only glow in the room was from the radiant phoenix.

"What is this?" Tier whispered.

And then suddenly the darkness was complete.

"Phyre!" Tier called. Never in his life had he seen Phyre's light extinguished. That was why Phyre had had to work so hard to become obscure. She could never hide in the dark. She was too bright and conspicuous, always easy to find.

But that light was suddenly gone.

There was a fierce, beast-like snarl that sounded like it most definately didn't come from a simple house cat.

A sharp scream rented the air. It was strangely musical but utterly devasted.

"Nankojiva?" came Kith's small voice. "I can't see you."

In an instant, the lights were back. Nankojiva appeared as a regular domestic cat. Phyre's light was back--the only difference was that she was lying on the ground.

"Phyre!"

The phoenix raised her head. It had to be done. It was a sort of suffocating attack. It felt like everything was cut off... and that everything was being drained out of me.

"You did well."

Tier, I hope you know that that's not just an ordinary house cat. It changes in the dark. You couldn't see it, and I doubt that the boy knows unless she's revealed it to him. Even I could only see flashes of it in that darkness.

"Well, we'll just have to find out what that BIT is capable of." He stood up and directed his next words to Kith. "Ready for round two?"