Chapter 246 - Dragon Slayer (part one) (1/2)

Nix has activated his bloodline.

[Third Form: Archon]

Nix summoned his scimitar and pushed Ice Flames into the blade.

[Flashblade]

Nix has slain a hell hound.

[Flight of the Gryphon]

Nix appeared next to the Nether creature and slammed him in the face with the spiked guard of his weapon. He didn't recognize the type of Nether creature but he understood the class.

/Inferno: Nix: Can you charm this guy Ducky? He's some sort of pet class, these are all part of his stable.

[Bewitched]

Ducky has convinced Hrazi to take up your cause and fight for Inferno.

Hrazi looked like the result of a bad science experiment. He had natural plated armor like an armadillo but had the arms and legs of a man. He was thin and walked bent over like an old man. All of the hellhounds in his stable stopped fighting when he fell under Ducky's influence.

The Drahk retreated a few yards as if confused by the sudden turn of events. Nix dropped his Archon form and unsummoned his blade. ”I have a healer with me if you need medical attention.”

”Medical attention?” The Drahk seemed slightly surprised by the offer but then nodded her head. ”Thank you. I'm Yuli, a scout from the Dias Fortress.”

Nix stared at her for a long moment. They were all albinos, but this particular one bore a striking resemblance to Beta. ”You look like a friend of mine, but we were going to help no matter what.”

Shadai healed the wounded among the Drahk, a few of the injuries were very serious. While the winged healer was busy Nix continued to question Yuli. ”What can you tell me about the spectral lakes?”

The albino considered the question for a moment while she watched her people being taken care of. ”Spectral is the powerful element that resides in the core, especially closer to the center where the rocks are like water.”

”The Che and the Dragons make use of this element?”

Yuli nodded. ”The dragons absorbed the diluted form of the element directly into their bones. The Che mine the spectral endlessly, I'm not sure why.”

Nix noticed that Ducky was done speaking with Hrazi. ”One last question. You said you don't understand the reasoning behind the mining?”

”I don't. There is already enough Spectral present to power the Fortress and our way of life. Unless of course, they mean to form Spectrum, which of course is insane.”

”Spectrum is different than Spectral? I thought they were the same.”

Yuli shook her head. ”I'm no miner, but you can think of spectrum as extremely concentrated spectral. Speak to Halla at the Fortress, she understands such things better than I.”

”Nix?” Ducky had moved away from the group with Hrazi.

Nix excused himself and approached the Water Witch. ”Something wrong?”

Ducky nodded. ”He's after a single bit of spectrum that is being kept here in the Core. Once he finds it, his Master will lead an army through to secure it.”

”His master wouldn't be Zylanex would it?”

”Yes.

/Inferno: Nix: Let's wrap things up quickly. Have Hrazzi come to see me with his beasts. Fey, I want you to recruit these Drakes.

/Inferno: Fey: I will influence them if I can.

Nix placed a black-hand disc on the Nether creature.

[Create Breach: Core'dium]

/Inferno: Nix: Tell them to step through the Breach Ducky.

Nix waited until they were all gone and then he turned back toward Yuli. ”Lead the way please.”

/Inferno: Mina: Where'd you send those guys?

/Inferno: Nix: A few hundred meters away, I tacked on a few thousand feet of altitude for good measure.

Yuli led them to a footbridge that crossed the flaming river. The Fortress became visible almost immediately. Walls that extended 50 feet in the air surrounded a city twice the size Glory. Embattlements were visible on the walls as well as multiple cannon positions.

Nix was certain that the fortress would be taken by conventional means. ”Did you run into Hrazzi by accident?”

Yuli nodded. ”We were scouting the area North of the Fortress and they stepped out of thin air right into our path.”

The portcullis protecting the front gate of the city made a loud ratcheting sound as it was slowly raised. A squad of Drahk archer watched from overhead.

/Inferno: Mina: I don't think these Drahk are actually Dhassi.

/Inferno: Nix: I agree, Dhassi or Dhass both mean roughly the same thing. 'Child of the Earth.' I don't believe they come from Oasis, although some have obviously made their way there on occasion.

/Inferno: Mina: You are referring to Beta?

/Inferno: Nix: Yes. I might bring her here in a bit if we can lure Zylanex.