Phoenix Phire

Chapter 306 - Thornwood Keep (conclusion)

Jun Li was standing at the bottom of the landing, directly beneath a fairly impressive grand staircase. Although the stairs had rotted through and the rails were broke in countless places, it was apparent that this had once been an impressive entryway.

/Inferno: Nix: We'll start clearing the west wing.

/Inferno: Jun Li: East is ours then. Did you lose a mob? We had one scamper right past us a few seconds ago.

Vintner Jacobi has placed Jun Li in a barrel to age her to perfection.

Vintner Jacobi has placed Ronnie in a barrel to age her to perfection.

"THAT BASTARD!" The area around Pon burst into flames as he started slinging fire attacks at the elusive Vintner.

Semmi couldn't hide her big smile as she walked over and broke open the barrel. The normally unshakable Jun Li was red-faced, while Ronnie took it in stride.

/Inferno: Ronnie: No need to rush, those barrels are cozy.

The Vintner disappeared again, despited Pon trying to burn the place down. Nix put a hand on the old man's shoulder. "This place is mostly wood, let's leave a bit of it intact."

/Inferno: Ducky: Found her Nix.

/Inferno: Nix: Okay, Alpha goes in first.

/Inferno: Sharl: Goes in where?

Nix removed the two-way from his inventory and tossed it on the ground.

/Inferno: Ronnie: Ducky has the other one?

/Inferno: Nix: Yep.

/Alpha Team: Nix: Let's go.

Nix stepped onto the two-way and disappeared from sight.

"What is that?" The Nighthag's raspy voice carried through the dim room, a wave of her hand, and the two-way few in her direction just after Tess and Jun Li stepped out.

The two-way hovered in the air, while the Hag stared at it.

[Charm]

Ducky has charmed the Nighthag.

"Can I have that back, please?" Ducky's soothing voice echoed softly as she approached and gently removed the two-way from the air.

The Nighthag has resisted Charm.

The Nighthag is now immune to Charm.

[Capture]

The Nighthag has imprisoned Ducky.

A cloudy sphere encased Ducky and the two-way she held in her hand. The Water Witch looked perplexed, but she was otherwise unharmed.

/Inferno: Jun Li: No one else can come through. We'll handle it.

[Jun Li has joined Alpha Team]

[Tess has joined Alpha Team]

/Alpha Team: Nix: Sweet... we got the cleric.

/Alpha Team: Tess: Please take good care of me.

They were in a large room somewhere on the second floor. A large piano tipped onto its side sat by itself on an empty stage. Dozens of chairs were broken and scattered throughout the room. A barrier was in place around the room; all of Alpha team were inside. The Hag stared at the Water Witch from across the room.

Black ichor leaked out of her mouth when she spoke, a bubbling froth forming on her lips. "How did you get through the barrier surrounding this room?"

Ducky shrugged. "It's what I do."

/Alpha Team: Ducky: I'm stuck for a bit, it won't last.

"Visitors, at last, I wanted you to play with my puppets." The Nighthag walked towards them, the claws on her bony feet clicked on the marble floor. Stringy black hair hung over her plain face; her knobby deformed hands held a twisted black wooden staff. She slammed the end of it on the floor. "YOU! I WILL DES.."

[Ghost Step]

Jun Li appeared in front of the Nighthag; she feinted with a low cut before stabbing directly at the body of the creature. The black staff blurred and would have blocked it had it not been yanked away by a half dozen emerald flame strands.

Nix has disarmed the Nighthag.

[Champion Strike]

Jun Li has landed a critical hit on the Nighthag.

Nix stowed the staff in his inventory and pushed flames into Wrath; the white blade emerged with a steady hum.

[Weilterkin]

The Nighthag screamed in anger, her body suddenly bending unnaturally as she planted her clawed hands on the floor and arched her back. Dozens of popping sounds could be heard as black splines erupted through her back.

[Balefire: Burst]

Nix has landed a significant strike on the Nighthag.

[Dual Chain: Master Strike]

Jun Li has followed up Nix's attack with a significant strike.

A dozen black splines erupted from the body of the Nighthag, the wet thump of the pointed tips sinking into flesh could be heard before Jun Li managed to jump away.

Jun Li has been slain.

/Inferno: Semmi: Dead before we could heal her?

The black splines shimmered for a moment before turning blood-red as the Hag approached them on all-fours. "She will make a beautiful puppet."

[First Strike]

Semmi has landed a critical hit on the Nighthag.

[Critical Chain: Balefire]

Pon has followed up Semmi's attack with a critical hit.

The fire mages body shook as a dozen red splines impaled his chest, Pon dropped to his knees, both hands glowing red.

[Hands of the Goddess]

Tess has attempted to heal Pon.

[Evil Deeds]

Nighthag has reversed Tess's healing and sent it back to her as Melee damage.

Tess has been slain.

[Final strike]

Pon's body glowed brightly until it blurred and disappeared into a raging inferno; an instant later, it struck the Nighthag.

Pon has inflicted a mortal wound on the Nighthag.

Pon has been slain.

The Nighthag screeched in agony, one of its legs charred to the point where it hung uselessly. The Splines returned to their previous black color.

/ALpha Team: Nix: Black splines means no melee attacks.

/Alpha Team: Semmi: Right, the red is magic or range attacks.

[Comet Strike: Fury Flames]

Three fist-sized balls of white flame struck the Nighthag; her flesh sizzled for a moment before self-healing.

The Nighthag grinned at them from all-fours, her evil laugh sounded like breaking glass.

/Alpha Team: Nix: Suggestions?

/Alpha Team: Semmi: She knows two of us are melee, so she keeps the black spline active. She's adapting to different kinds of damage. She's a guild-raid boss after all.

/Alpha Team: Wind: And she can reverse heals, this boss is a bitch.

Jun Li has Activated her Lightning barrier.

/Alpha Team: Wind: Huh? How did you ge...

/Alpha Team: Jun Li: Light them up.

Pon has Activated his Lightning barrier.

Semmi has Activated her Lightning barrier.

Wind has Activated his Lightning barrier.

Nix has Activated his Lightning barrier.

The Nighthag growled menacingly at them, sensing the growing danger.

/Alpha Team: Wind: How did you guys Rez?

/Alpha Team: Tess: My little surprise from Shangri.

Heaven's Might

Ring: Legendary [Cleric Only]

Description: Resurrects the Wearer.

Uses 1/3

/Alpha Team: Wind: Even so, you can't rezz others while in combat.

/Alpha Team: Semmi: Smart Tess. She never reentered combat; she rezzed Pon and Jun Li.

/Alpha Team: Pon: Done chatting? Let's kill this bitch.