Chapter 213 - Gemini Temple: The Lower Levels (Part Two) (1/2)
/Charlie Team: Nix: Okay, keep an eye out for Chael. Looks like he's permcursed until this Instance is finished.
/Charlie Team: Sharl: Let's kill him right away, then he can sit it out until the end.
/Charlie Team: Jun Li: Agreed.
[Summons: Ducky]
Ducky appeared an instant later; she immediately donned her House of Inferno Armor.
Nix put a hand on her shoulder. ”Scout out the immediate area; look out for Chael until this instance is over. He is not on our side.”
”Understood Nix.” The Water Witch looked past him to the rest of the group and waved. ”Hi, everyone.”
/Charlie Team: Sharl: d.a.m.n... She's completely aware?
/Charlie Team: Nix: My little girl has grown up, I guess. Stealth up.
A long corridor led away from the entrance to the instance; there were no other paths to travel, so the team advanced cautiously.
/Charlie Team: Nix: There's a light ahead.
Ducky appeared in the middle of them without any warning. She smiled, apologetically at Nix. ”This path leads outside. Dense growth, like nothing I've ever seen.” Red dots started popping up on Nix's local map, indicating all the threats his companion had discovered. A red star hovered on the outer perimeter of the map.
Jun Li was leaning over him while studying his display. ”That red star is Chael.”
/Charlie Team: Sharl: We have to a.s.sume that charmed Chael still has his sniper abilities.
/Charlie Team: Nix: Stay close to cover, if the foliage is as dense as Ducky says, he'll have to get close for a shot.
A minute later, the group exited through a tall stone archway. They were on a slight hill at the edge of a valley basin. On the far side of the valley was a large stone pyramid.
/Charlie Team: Jun Li: Kinda looks like the Amazon, you can bet there are lots of hidden threats.
/Charlie Team: Nix: Mina, could you keep scanning for SeBeasts?
Charlie Team: Mina: There probably won't be SeBeasts here.
/Charlie Team: Nix: Right, but it will tell you what is close. Also, I landed the King in a swampy area, just like this.
/Charlie Team: Mina: Understood, scanning.
/Charlie Team: Nix: Chael is approaching from the west, 100 meters away, and fully stealthed.
[Summons: Fey]
The Silver Drakon appeared a moment later, her silver eyes quickly scanning the area.
”Need you to stealth up and take out Chael, he's been charmed.”
Fey nodded and stealthed immediately.
/Charlie Team: Jun Li: Do you think Vooni will give us all Dragon Eyes?
/Charlie Team: Nix: No idea. I had to best her for it.
The team descended the red dirt path that wound down to the basin. Nix moved forward and started using [Flame Throw] to clear the way.
/Charlie Team: Jun Li: Kinda putting a target on your back, Nix.
/Charlie Team: Nix: That's the po...
[Snipe]
Chael has inflicted a wound on you. [Critical Hit resisted]
Nix dived for cover, pushing Shadai to the ground while shielding her. A glance at his local map told him that the red star had disappeared. Fey circled above them a few times then started scorching the jungle between them and the pyramid.
/Charlie Team: Nix: Follow the flames, she got him.
The small group walked down the burning path, a large predator roaming the skies sent the more dangerous land creatures into hiding.
/Charlie Team: Jun Li: Not Chael's best moment.
/Charlie Team: Nix: He flopped when we brought him to Helfast too, maybe he needs better gear.
They stopped at the small stone courtyard that marked the entrance to the Pyramid. Nix already found himself missing Semmi's steady input; the blond officer was a fountain of knowledge and ideas.
Nix patted Fey's shoulder. ”Need you to stay here and keep an eye out.”
Fey bathed him in silver flames as a greeting. ”Chael disappeared after he died. Shall I eliminate all threats?”
Nix laughed at her antics. ”Sure, Fey.”
/Charlie Team: Sharl: Peculiar way to say h.e.l.lo.
/Charlie Team: Nix: It's sweet. Let's move in.
[ALERT: ARCHON FLASH IN THE VICINITY OF LAPU CRATER: COLONIAL.]
[Direct Contact: Gideon]
A surprised Gideon looked at him from the holo. ”Calling us in Commander?”
”Yes. Lapu Crater has an Archon Flash. I'm just sending your group in for now. If you are overmatched, scout out the area and report back. I'm designating your team as 'Pathfinder.' Two minutes and I'm sending you in.”
/Charlie Company: Sharl: Shouldn't we handle the Alert?
/Charlie Company: Nix: Gideon has a solid team, I want to see what they can do.
[Create Breach: Loki: Lapu Crater]
[Whisper Nix to Shae] Archon flash in the Lapu Crater.
[Whisper Shae to Nix] Lapu? That's Severance's territory.
[Whisper Nix to Shae] That's what I was thinking, I've sent in an Alliance Team to investigate.
[Whisper: Shae to Nix] I'm in Glory, I'll check up on Severance also.”
Nix felt a hand grip his arm, he turned to Mina who was pointing up the steep set of stairs to the entrance. On his second glance, it looked less like a mummy and more like someone straight out of a trauma ward. It was covered in bandages, with bits of blood oozing out in a dozen different locations. Ragged long hair and slim curves announced that it was female, she stared at the team with one hand raised in the air and black eyes filled with hatred.
[Thunder Strike]
Nix has been stunned
Mina has been stunned
Sharl has been stunned
Jun Li has been stunned.
The creature bound toward them, leaping down dozens of steps with each jump. Its screeching wail made the hairs on Nix's neck stand up. When it was halfway toward them, a Drakon flashed into view and scorched her with silver flames.
You've resisted stun.
Nix has activated his bloodline.
[Third Form: Archon]
A flash of Emerald Wings and he was next to the creature.
[Flashblade]
Nix landed a critical hit on the undead Queen. His sword bit deeply into her neck, instead of responding she faded into a cloud of sand and flew up the stairs in a gust of wind.
/Charlie Team: Sharl: Lightning attacks are the worse.
Nix nodded in agreement while he bent down and picked up a necklace that he sliced off of the mummy's neck. He stared at the symbol on it and then cussed loudly.