Phoenix Phire

Nix, Shae, Tess, and Wind took the portal to Wisteria. The Wisteria portal wasn't connected to a city, it was literally in the middle of nowhere. Perhaps at some time, someone was going to build a city there. It was the only portal on the Archipelago continent.

[Summons: Fey]

Nix hopped up on the Drake, patting its shoulder. "We're facing a Necromancer, you up for it?"

Fey snorted, "I hate dead meat."

The rest of the group summoned Manta and a few minutes later were flying west toward Corso, the capital city of Wisteria.

/Inferno: Nix: Tu-Khat suggested we put down on the Palace roof, I'm not against it.

Although the hour was late, the skies were clear. Even with the dark, they stood out while they were in flight. In an effort to avoid detection, they purposely spread out and went to maximum elevation. Fey stealthed and didn't bother.

The city of Corso was a sprawling settlement on the largest island in the Wisteria Archipelago. Roughly five times the size of Glory, Corso was known as a smuggler city. You could find whatever you needed, provided you had the credits. The city itself didn't have walls, however, the Palace did. Gigantic stone walls nearly thirty feet in height surrounded a pristine looking palace made from white marble. The grounds of the palace were quite large, in the event of an invasion, the population would fall back behind the walls, completely abandoning the city.

There was only one roof access door, Wind unlocked it quickly before turning back to the group. "Plan?"

Nix smiled in the darkness. "You're the scout... Find that Necromancer for us."

Tess nodded in agreement. "We'll wait here."

"Hilarious." Wind stealthed and entered the door quietly.

They waited a few minutes before they were given the all-clear.

/Inferno: Wind: The fourth floor is completely empty, no bedrooms up here at all. You can come to the landing outside the third level.

Just to be safe everyone stealthed and advanced to the next floor. It was here that Shae suddenly stopped.

/Inferno: Wind: Shit, I've been discovered. Need assistance.

"Nix... I recommend we abandon this mission now." Shae looked calm on the inside, but Nix could feel the radiating heat of her body rising.

"Can't now, Wind needs help." Nix moved out the door, with Tess on his heels.

/Inferno: Shae: There's a Fire Nemesis here, he's been masking his source.

Nix skidded to a stop.

[Summons: Mortimer]

When the bear appeared, Nix began running again. "Protect Shae!"

/Inferno: Nix: F*ck... Can you hold him?

/Inferno: Shae: He's stronger than me but I can hold for a bit.

*****************

Wind tried to move but couldn't. The Necromancer had been in bed when the Inferno Scout decided to risk a quick assassination. The black eyes had popped open the moment he stepped toward the bed.

The Necromancer wore Tu-Khat's face, his dark smile giving it an evil visage. "An Assassin? Not even a good one." He ignored Wind and slid on a black robe. He armed himself with a long black staff that had a large jewel mounted on the end.

/Inferno: Wind: Hurry... Found the Doppelganger stone.

"Where are you from little Assassin? No wait... please don't say. I prefer to find these things out myself." He moved closer, his foul breath smelled like a graveyard. "Takes a brave man to be a Kingslayer." The Necromancer's eyes turned blacker, his freehand glowed with Necrofire.

Wind gritted his teeth, struggling desperately to move. "You're not the King." blood oozed from his mouth when he forced the words out.

"No?" The Necromancer seemed to find his words amusing. "If I'm not, then who..." He stopped speaking when a small creature crawled from beneath the scout's armor. The tiny gecko patted Wind's cheek with a webbed hand.

[Fear the King]

The Necromancer's black eyes widened in terror, covering his head with both hands he screamed and ran for the door.

Nix grabbed his sword hilt, an instant later emerald flames lit up the hallway. They turned the corner and instantly dodged to one side when fake Tu-Khat ran passed them screaming.

/Inferno: Wind: I have the doppelganger stone!

/Inferno: Nix: Gate back to Glory now!

/Inferno: Wind: Understood.

Wind smiled at the little gecko who was still standing on his shoulder. The doppelganger stone was a big part of the mission. Even if they missed killing the Necromancer, they could destroy the stone and expose his disguise. According to Nix, this would be plan B. Wind activated his guild portal icon and a moment later he disappeared.

The Necromancer stopped suddenly, the terror in his eyes quickly turning to rage. An eerie green light flooded the dark hallway, he turned towards it while producing another staff.

Nix stared at fake Tu-Khat, the man's brown hair was sticking straight up, his eyes seemed crazed. "I see you met the King. How'd that go?"

[Turn Undead]

The Necromancer screamed in agony when Tess suddenly appeared next to him and place both glowing hands on his back.

[Deadly Counter]

An explosion of Necrofire burst outward from the Necomancers's hands.

Saintess has been Slain

Nix charged into the Necromancer, slamming him through the wall, both men landing in the next room.

[Aura Ignition]

A dozen strands of Emerald flame wrapped around the Necromancer's body, pinning his arms. "You've hurt my friends pretend King."

[Absolute Corruption]

The strands around the Necromancer held but slowly began to turn black. Nix dropped the strands and summoned his flame blade, slashing at the Necromancer's face.

[Deaths Gate: Lich King]

Nix leaped backward, as a spear-wielding Lich King stabbed through the air where he had been standing a moment earlier.

The Entire Palace suddenly trembled, a deafening roar filled with power shook the floor.

[Your Summoned Creature has initiated Rage]

Nix grimaced. "I don't have time to fuc..'

[Ducky has charmed Lich King Soto]

The Lich King flashed toward the Necromancer, impaling him into the wall with his spear.

[Turn Undead]

The Necromancer screamed in mortal agony as the Inferno cleric pressed both glowing hands into his chest. She ducked away a moment later, just when a blade of emerald flames removed the fake king's head.

Nix stared in shock from Tess to Ducky. "How did you two...? Never mind, get out of here now. I'm going to help Shae!"

************

The entire palace grounds had been leveled, a huge crater formed where an orchard had once been. Two Elementals faced each other a dozen meters apart.

"You've done well, it's my good fortune to meet you now. In a year or so, this might have gone differently." A refined-looking man with white hair spoke quietly, he wore blue robes that matched his bluish tinged flame.

Shae scowled at the arrogance of the old salamander, his name was Sogan and he was powerful. The area around her was splashed with red glowing blood, her anger welling up at the sight of the titan cub. Morti's rage had caused his size to instantly triple, forty feet of angry bear had slapped the other Nemesis twenty feet into the ground, like a hammer striking a nail. If only rage was a bit longer. "This won't be our last meeting, I promise you that," the redhead's words dripped with venom. Despite how it looked, she knew he was wounded.

Sogan shook his head. "I'm afraid it is. Unlike you, I have no problems wasting this entire city."

Shae's brown eyes reflected her disbelief. "You'd change here?"

/Inferno: Shae: I want everyone to leave Corso immediately. This city is about to disappear.

The light cast by the red flames of Shae and the blue flames of her opponent changed slightly when the smallest bit of green mixed in.

Sogan watched the newcomer with interest. "A lord class Salamander? The green flame is nice... I'm going to have to take it from you.

/Inferno: Shae: Please run Nix. Escape now.

"Take it from me?" Nix walked slowly toward the center of the crater. Morti lay unconscious off to one side, Shae was obviously badly wounded. "Messing with my woman and f*cking with my bear... Someone your age ought to know better."

/Inferno: Nix: How long can you channel brown flames?

/Inferno: Shae: Long enough.

Nix moved behind Shae and wrapped his arms around her waist, he pushed all of his emerald flames into their joining.

"Why would I be scared of y..." Sogan stopped when the flames around Shae turned a deep, rich brown. "Brown Flames?" His hands glowed suddenly, his body shrinking as it began to morph.

[Balefire]

Brown flames shot out from Shae's extended hands and struck Sogan on the shoulder, his right arm disappearing while he howled in agony. He scurried backward, caught between forms.

[Flight of the Gyrphon]

The distance between them closed in an instant. Nix shouted in pain, pushing the brown flames into the hilt of the Sythe, he slashed downward, scoring a deep hit on the Nemesis's wounded shoulder.

Sogan used his life-saving measures and disappeared, his agonizing scream echoing in the crater.

Shae ran towards Nix, who had collapsed on the ground. "Drop the brown flames Nix!"

By the time Tess and Ducky arrived a few minutes later, Shae had helped Nix to his feet and Morti had been unsummoned.

Nix crossed his arms and stared at the pair. "Explain your presence here Ducky."

The Siren looked down at the ground, her lower lip sticking out slightly. "I ran away last time I faced a Lich King, this time I did not run."

"Well... very nice job Ducky." He patted her blue hair before turning to Tess. "You shouldn't have been able to recover during combat."

Tess smiled sweetly, "Area 5 in Shangri." She held up a ringed finger and then linked it to him.

Heaven's Might

Ring: Legendary [Cleric Only]

Description: Resurrects the wearer.

Uses: 2/3

"What a cheat!" Nix shook his head in disgust.

Tess laughed at him. "Right... says the raging forest fire to the little spark."

Nix frowned at her. "What's that even mean?"

/Inferno: Jun Li: Real Tu-Khat has been put into his bedroom. He's currently yelling at his guard for allowing thieves in the palace.

/Inferno: Shae: You didn't evacuate?

/Inferno: Semmi: Nope, we knew the two of you could handle it.

[Onion Quest: Mystery Map has been completed.]

Colonial System Message: A Colonial Embassy has been built on Glory Island.

Onion Quest: The Final Layer

Abominable Creatures

Description: Investigate the origin of the creatures on Mystery Island.

********************

"Just rest Nix. Morti is fine." Shae stroked his head softly while the hot water of her elemental pool healed their wounds. The bear cub was sleeping soundly on the soft grass and Festa had returned to Lohai.

Nix opened one eye, smiling up at the Salamander. "What do you think will happen with them?"

Shae shrugged, "there's no telling. We'll talk later, rest now."

Nix yawned, "fine. Thanks for your hard work."

*********************

[Whisper: Darsi to Nix] I'm back. Miss me?