Chapter 190 Vampire Slayer Conclusion (1/2)
/Alpha Team: Semmi: So... That's a dark creepy staircase that descends into some seriously bad stench.
/Alpha Team: Nix: Sure, what could possibly go wrong?
/Alpha Team: Pon: We could get turned into vampires.
/Alpha Team: Wind: We could get eaten.
/Alpha Team: Semmi: Or step into whatever that smell is.
/Alpha Team: Fajii: Maybe all of those things.
/Alpha Team: Nix: That was a rhetorical question guys, we are totally going in.
Nix paused and addressed his spirit companions. Stay stealthed and trail behind us, once the fighting starts you may join in.”
Tor nodded, ”understood Nix.”
Ducky smiled pleasantly. ”I will wait behind you.”
[Aura Ignition: Emerald Flame]
Nix's led the group down the stone staircase into the darkness. The emerald flames of his aura lit the way for the entire group as they followed in a single file. He scanned the surrounding areas as he walked, there were no signs of thermal signatures. Alpha Team walked for nearly a minute before coming to a set of double doors.
Semmy studied the doors, ”this is a copper door. See the green patina? The jade-colored oxide corrosion is exclusive to copper.”
The large doors were covered in intricate engravings, the damp conditions of the underground staircase caused many of the marks to become unrecognizable. There was the slightest bit of dampness around the door handles. Nix grabbed Semmi's wrist when she grabbed for them.
/Alpha Team: Nix: It's a trap, probably ice spikes or something worse. It's set on the other side, so impossible to disarm without opening the door.
When Nix originally became a Tailor for the Gladis Hub, they used their influence to max out hunting and leather making, both prerequisites for his craft. Trap making in Colonial fell under two different disciplines, Hunting and Thievery. During the weeks when he'd been harassing Mid-tier Salamander, Nix had utilized and developed his trapping skills.
/Alpha Team: Pon: How do we get in then?
/Alpha Team: Semmi: Our Gemini Thief class has a trap disarm skill, but nothing on this side of the door is activating it.
/Alpha Team: Nix: Move away, I'm going to blast it down.
Nix moved up the stairs a few steps and then waited until his group retreated out of sight.
Nix targeted the door.
[Balefire Burst: Advanced: Gemini Flame]
The entire middle part of the door melted onto the floor like water, a moment later a hundreds of ice shards blasted through the hole and impaled the wall behind it. Nix advanced slowly, running a finger over one of the shards. ”Black ice, hard as steel and immune to just about everything.”
/Alpha Team: Semmi: This trap had to have been set up a while ago, there's no way Morana did it while fleeing.
/Alpha Team: Nix: Notice the brackets bolted into the stone around the door? This door was barred from the outside.
/Alpha Team: Pon: Right to lock out intruders.
/Alpha Team: Semmi: Positioning of the brackets indicate 'locked in' not 'locked out.'
/Alpha Team: Nix: We won't figure it out by standing around. Let's go.
Nix stepped through the ruined door into a long hallway. His green aura threw their shadows on the smooth marble walls.
/Alpha Team: Semmi: This is way too nice for a prison Nix, there has to be a story here.
/Alpha Team: Pon: Anyone notice that the temperature is getting colder, the further down the hall we go?
/Alpha Team: Nix: There's light up ahead, am flaming out so everyone stealth up.
Nix dropped his emerald aura and stealthed. He walked down the hallway and stepped into the dimly lit room.
/Alpha Team: Nix: Spread out.
Nix walked directly down the middle of the room, while the rest of the team paired up to take the opposite wall routes.
”Welcome, my friends.” A cold voice spoke from the shadows, the speaker took his time moving into the light. ”Permit me to illuminate things for you.” A clapping sound was heard and dozens of torches from the walls lit the room up.
/Alpha Team: Pon: Sweet mother...
Two sarcophagi lay open in front of them. On the left was the beautiful Ain'Dhassi vampire they had been chasing. She was completely nude and appeared to be sleeping. The other housed a muscular reptilian creature with large horns. His entire body was scaled with natural armor, his chest cavity had been cut open. There was nothing inside but emptiness.
/Alpha Team: Pon: F*ck... Those are demons, right? Fiends of some sort?
/Alpha Team: Nix: Maybe. Look at the empty chest compartment. It seems to be missing a heart.
/Alpha Team: Semmi: Take a close look at Morana's chest.
/Alpha Team: Pon: Right... very interesting.
/Alpha Team: Wind: Old bastard, you're just ogling her.
Nix had already noticed the long vertical scar that ran the length of Morana's chest. Suddenly he had an inkling he knew where the demon heart was. The voice stepped fully into the light. He was half the size of the first demon and although he didn't have horns, he did have wings. He was flanked by two companions nearly identical to him. Nix frowned at the trio. ”The light helps. You don't seem like Oasis creatures.”
”Correct, but then neither are you.” The small demons moved within a few meters of Nix, the rest of Alpha team were still paired up on opposite walls. Up close they resembled gargoyles, they were nearly the height of a human with lean but well-defined muscles.
”I've come for the Ain'Dhassi, you can step aside or be stepped on.” Nix pushed Ice Flames into his Archon blade.
/Alpha Team: Nix: According to Kedric, Morana is an origin vampire, basically that means she has the ability to make other vamps. The ones that she makes don't have that ability.
/Alpha Team: Semmi: Makes sense, otherwise Oasis would be overrun very quickly. Is the demon heart in her chest?
/Alpha team: Nix: My guess is yes.
[Whisper: Nix to Beta] The heart that you want is actually a demon heart, correct?
[Whisper: Beta to Nix] Yes, after a demon heart has been tasked as a vampire, it undergoes a significant change. Normal demon hearts are nearly worthless.
[Whisper: Nix to Beta] This vampire making process, voluntary or involuntary?
[Whisper: Beta to Nix] Does it matter?
[Whisper: Nix to Beta] Yes.
[Whisper: Beta to Nix] Involuntary.
The demon stared at him with cold black eyes, nearly the same color as Rhylia's, but hers were warm and friendly. ”We've put a lot of time and resources into Morana, perhaps we can come to an arrangement.”
/Alpha Team: Pon: Let's take em.
/Alpha Team: Semmi: Yeah, no deals with demons.
/Alpha Team: Fajii: Whatever you think Nix.
Nix shrugged at the three demons watching him. ”Let's hear it, I've already been here too long.”
The center demon held out a red heart that was completely encased in crystal. ”This heart holds a powerful Ice Enchantment, even planar creatures would pay any amount for it. I will give it to you, providing you leave in peace.”
[You have been offered a deal by a creature of the underworld, choose your words carefully.]
Nix could feel the cold emanating from the crystallized heart. ”Give me the heart and we will leave in peace unless forced to defend ourselves.”
”Deal!” The demon spoke quickly, his voice turning dark and twisted. He tossed the Nix the heart.
[You have received the Crystallized Heart]
[New Quest Available: Restore the Queen of the North]
”Thanks, ” Nix walked toward the two sarcophagi while keeping a close eye on the three demons.
”Where are you going human? You cannot break our deal!” The demon laughed loudly, his voice echoing in the large hall.
”Right... I only said I would leave in peace. I didn't specify when, nor under what circumstances.” Nix's yellow eyes stared at the three demons, ”I'll be taking the Ain'Dhassi with me.”
/Alpha Team: Nix: Don't attack them first.