Chapter 99 Sudden Disappearance (1/2)

”Hmmm... so delicious.” A soft female voice purred from the darkness. Red eyes gleamed from the shadows of the dimly lit hall. A large raised stage had been placed in front of three empty thrones.

Nix shivered at the sound, something about it creeped him out. He stepped onto the stage and Mina followed. When he did, torches mounted on the stone walls burst with light, pushing back the blackness that had covered the room a moment earlier. ”I'm Nix, Champion of the Fire Palace on Glory Island.” He felt his medallion pulse suddenly, it was obvious that hers had done so also.

She moved toward the stage, one step seeming to close the distance. Long black hair fell down her back like an obsidian waterfall, high cheekbones, and blood-red lips completed the image. She was a vampire. She drew her weapons while she watched him, the twin daggers from her belt slid free of their scabbards with a soft metallic scrape. ”I'm Josora, Champion of the Black Temple.” She wore simple black armor that seemed to cling to her body like a lover. Her long fangs showed when she smiled at him. ”It's been a while since I had a new toy.”

Nix shook his head to clear it.

[You have resisted Charm]

A half dozen small clouds of fog formed on the edges of the stage, slowly solidifying into human forms.

/Inferno: Nix: A whole nest of Vampires. Wonderful. Leave the Champion to me Min.

/Inferno: Mina: Understood.

[Flight of the Gryphon]

Nix advanced with a giant leap, drawing the scythe and flaming it on in midair. It slammed into the daggers that Josora raised like an 'X' to block and drove her back several steps.

”Where did you get that weapon?” She leaped to one side but was interrupted when a half dozen emerald strands settled around her arms. Her scream of agony made Nix's ears ring.

Nix felt the tremendous strength of her when she tried to pull away. The smell of cooking meat and the sound of sizzling filled the air. Nix swung the scythe at her legs, scoring a hard hit that nearly severed her right leg before he could follow up her body changed to a crimson cloud of mist and moved to one corner where a vila was fighting with one of her minions.

When he pursued, a second vampire blocked his path. He was bald and pale skinned with exaggerated fangs that hung down to his chin. The nails on his hands looked like small daggers and flashed toward Nix scoring a hit on his side.

Nix raised a hand and four emerald strands shot out to encircle his target's neck. Nix ignored him, dragging the growling creature toward the red cloud that was starting to grow thick as it absorbed the two fighters.

/Inferno: Nix: Unsummon this Vila Min.

Nix leaped into the air and swung the scythe horizontally, a moment later he released the minion he had been fighting. Its head landed with a wet thump before rolling across the floor.

Nix targeted the minion in the red cloud, it was shriveling up as if the life force was being sucked out of it.

[Balefire]

The minion in the cloud evaporated when the white-hot flame tore through its torso.

”NOOOO!!” The cloud solidified into Josora, the leg that had nearly been removed looked better, but she retreated with a pronounced limp.

/Inferno: Nix: Minions first or she'll use them to recover. Traditionally, wood through the chest and decapitation kill these creatures.

Mina and one of her Vila were attacking a minion while the other three were protecting them from a group of four. The Aquarion who had been swinging her staff like a club, quickly turned it and with a lunge drove it into the chest of her opponent. The blunt end of the staff sunk into the creature's chest and with a flash of light, it turned to dust.

”You can't ignore me Champion!”

A screech from behind him was all the notice he needed.

[Aura Ignition]

Josora was wrapped in emerald tendrils, the end of the fight coming when the yellow eyes closed in. Tremendously strong hands gripped her throat, instead of squeezing they wrenched in separate directions. A loud shuddering crack drowned out by a scream of blood lust were her last sounds as Nix removed her head. Her minions disintegrated upon her death.

Mina grabbed a torch from the wall and joined him in the middle of the platform. ”We still need to find the portal out.”

Nix nodded and removed Josora's champion medal, immediately he felt a surge of strength as it disappeared before his eyes and was absorbed by his own medallion.

[Medallion Promotion]

[New Champion's ability: Josora's Stealth]

A small stealth icon appeared on his hud, Nix hid his smile from Mina. No more invisibility potions. ”Let's take a look around.”