Chapter 246 - Dragon Slayer (part one)

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.

Dias was a surprisingly clean looking city. The streets were quite narrow, obviously made for foot traffic although there were a few hand-pull carts being moved around. A multitude of colors blasted viewers when they walked into the gates, it was as if every building was painted the opposite color of the one next to it. It was a bit hard on the eyes, but Nix decided he liked it after a few moments.

/Inferno: Nix: I bet this city would look beautiful in flames.

/Inferno: Mina: What was that?

/Inferno: Nix: Nothing...

The alleyways between buildings were narrow enough for a person to touch both sides if they had their hands held out. The city was divided equally between the Che and the Drahk. The front gate accessed Drahk-town and the back gate Che-town. Although the two sides weren't in conflict, they were definitely segregated.

Drahk and Che walked the crowded streets, no one seemed to take any great interest in their presence. Nix noticed a few Ain'Dhassi, some humans and even a squad of Aquarions. The Aquarions took note of Mina and Milat before quickly leaving.

/Inferno: Nix: Friends of yours?

/Inferno: Milat: No, but then we are very well known to the Aquarion people.

/Inferno: Nix: In a bad way?

/Inferno: Milat: Change is coming slowly. The catch and release that Alpha Team was doing helped spread the word about the human/Aquarion connection.

/Inferno: Mina: I'm surprised that Ishna adapted so quickly.

/Inferno: Nix: Going to forgive her?

/Inferno: Mina: I... She tried to take you, even now it hurts to think about.

They passed out of Drahk-town and into Che-town. There seemed to be more metal-oriented shops among the Che. Armorer, weapon shops, general stores were the norm, while in Drahk-town it had been tailors, trinkets and carpenters. There was even a small adventurer's guild.

Nix studied the Che while they walked. Without a doubt, his friends were definitely this race. How did they end up in a Mermaid City prison?

Yuli brought them to Halla's rather large house, she fidgeted from side-to-side outside the door. "Strictly speaking, I'm not allowed to enter Halla's residence."

Nix smiled at the blushing albino. Sensing a story, he couldn't help himself. "Why not?"

"Um... well... me and Halla's son are in a relationship. Halla thinks I have corrupted him."

Nix nodded as if he understood perfectly. "I may have been accused of something similar once or twice. No worries, I can take it from here."

"I'll just stand over here, Boomer may come out if he knows I'm close by." Yuli walked across the street and waited in plain view of the house.

/Inferno: Mina: What's the plan here?

/Inferno: Nix: Diplomacy of course.

Nix took one giant step and kicked the heavy wooden door off of its hinges. He followed it in, stomping loudly.

[Aura Ignition: Emerald Flames]

"HALLA? YOU PIECE OF SHIT! GET YOUR FURRY ASS OUT HERE!" Nix strode quickly into the entryway of the house. A younger-looking Che seemed to freeze in place at the sight of him. Nix grabbed him by the arm and flung him through the doorway.

A rather squat looking Che with glasses pulled down his nose walked onto the stairs. "Have you lost your mi..."

[Flashblade]

Nix covered the distance between them but didn't draw his blade. Instead, he punched the Che in the chest, launching him up the stairs like he was weightless.

"YOU BASTARD!" Nix followed him and grabbed him by the front of his shirt, easily picking him off the ground. "MY FRIENDS ARE DEAD! YOU SENT THEM BACK!"

Halla's face seemed to progress from anger to confusion. "Boomer! Call for the guard at once!"

Nix tossed him into an open doorway and followed him inside. It was obviously some sort of study. "Tofo, Po and Amb... all dead because of they f*cking Spectrum."

Halla's alarmed face suddenly took on a different demeanor. "You're Nix? Of course you are, emerald flames and yellow eyes. Please calm yourself!"

"They were killed for the Spectrum they carried. Yandro and his minion army have killed my friends." Nix let his voice grow softer. "Those three, fatty, striped cat and shorty... fierce friends."

"Yandro has taken the Spectrum?" Halla's black nose twitched. "He's going to raise his fallen city. Once he does, it won't take long before he comes back for the rest."

Nix frowned at the words. "Explain that, before I lose my patience with you.

"Dragon's are beasts of the core, their bodies slowly saturated with spectral to the point where it has seeped into their marrow." Halla stood up and glanced at Nix. "Please put the flames out, before my house burns down."

Nix nodded, everything in the core seemed highly resistant to flames even houses. He let the flames go and walked in the door. "Give me the short version of the difference between spectral and Spectrum."

"A small cup of water and a vast ocean." Halla ushered the two Aquarions into his study and then closed the door. "A dragon uses his marrow to keep the cities in the air for hundreds of years. A small pellet of Spectrum can keep all the cities in the air for thousands of years."

Nix glanced at his companions. "We've been tracking an envoy sent by a Nether Overlord named Zylanex. He suspects you have Spectrum here."

Halla cursed under his breath. "Zylanex? That must be Zylanexor, the dragon master of Chyanama."

Nix shrugged as if the name meant nothing. "Is he going to raise his city also?"

"It doesn't matter if he does, Yandro's city is the key to everything."