506 Shadow Ranger

"What happened?" Cyra appeared in the doorway of the med-tent. Closing it behind her, she approached the team.

"There were dozens of them. They attacked the OPs at the same time, almost like they were coordinating with each other." Nix glanced at his team, who were all nodding in agreement. "We did manage to kill the one that wounded this scout. I lost one of my people in the fight."

"Windal?" A broom appeared in Cyra's grasp a moment later. "That scout was in OP Five. Wait for me in your tent."

Nix watched until she was airborne before turning back toward the group. "You heard her."

/Alpha: Semmi: Think she suspects us?

/Alpha: Nix: Hope not. She's too dangerous; we need to take her down.

/Alpha: Pon: Agreed she's smart like Sem.

/Alpha: Nix: Cyra is heading toward the OP. The four of you should be able to handle her. Don't let her slip away.

/Alpha: Wind: Understood.

/Alpha: Nix: Switch to Skelly form, in case Cyra escapes. I reported you as KIA. (Killed in Action)

****************

Nix studied the hud map of the surrounding precincts. The Burrough Graveyard for Fury was in the Striker Precinct. "You three do realize that I'm not the only one with a hud?" Pon, Fajii, and Semmi were crowded around him; each taking turns pointing out different targets.

Fajii's warm hand rested lightly on his neck. "It's easier when we all use the same one."

"Easier for whom?" Nix used his hud and brought up his Golem interface. He ordered all of his recently constructed black-ice golems to head toward the front lines.

[Whisper: Nix to Jun Li] Sending my golems up the western shoreline into enemy territory. Don't be alarmed.

[Whisper: Jun Li to Nix] Got a target?

[Whisper: Nix to Jun Li] One high-value commander and the Burrough Graveyard.

[Whisper: Jun Li to Nix] We can't hold the graveyard yet, Nix. We have no idea how big their forces are in Fury (15) and Peril (14).

[Whisper: Nix to Jun Li] I know we can't hold it, but we can still hit them hard.

Semmi moved away from the group and sat down on her bunk. "How do they know when we approach camp? There's no way they have that kind of perimeter alert."

"The brooms are trackable; maybe it's the comm rings." Nix pulled his broom out and studied the black comm ring. A groove had been carved into the handle to seat the ring properly. "Wind says the broom from the coven doesn't have one."

/Alpha: Semmi: Being able to track our coming and going is problematic. Maybe we can ask Shuri.

/Alpha: Pon: I don't call her that!

/Alpha: Nix: Why so sensitive? On that note, how can you summon her? She should have been banned the moment you killed her.

/Alpha: Nix: Her binding point is in the Bone Fortress? We should ask Alfie about that. Sooner or later, we'll lose more people.

***********

Wind slipped his [Thine Enemy] ring off and stowed it away. He moved one of the Fiends to the position near OP five and then stealthed. He jumped slightly when a pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

/Alpha: Wind: Switch to Bravo.

Sasi has joined Bravo.

Shae has joined Bravo.

Rabi has joined Bravo.

/Bravo: Sasi: Sasi forgot to welcome you to the Qi family! Welcome!

/Bravo: Rabi: Yes! Welcome, welcome!

/Bravo: Wind: Thanks.

/Bravo: Shae: What can you tell us about our target?

/Bravo: Wind: Not much, an experienced Shadow Ranger. She has daggers, but I'm guessing they are her secondary weapons; after the longbow she carries.

Rabi turned toward the north and crouched down slightly.

/Bravo: Rabi: Stealthed figure approaches.

Shae waited several meters back behind the group, hiding behind a thick grove of trees. Without a natural stealth or Nix's camo enhancement, she could only let her teammates engage first.

Rabi has shared [Enemy Information]

I. Cyra Yun Ghost Ranger, Range/Melee fighter, Fire Weakness.

[Flare][Quartered][Backstab]

Cyra Yun has resisted Blind.

Cyra Yun has been slowed by forty percent.

Rabi has landed a critical hit on Cyra Yun.

[Sudden Switch]

[Pickpocket][Backstab][Void Strike]

Sasi has successfully pickpocketed Cyra Yun.

Sasi has landed a critical hit on Cyra Yun.

Cyra Yun is immune to Void damage.

[Shadow Fade][Jump Starter][Flank Shot]

Cyra faded from view, causing all three of her attackers to back away. A moment later she appeared several feet in the air with her bow drawn back.

Sasi has been slowed by fifty percent for the next minute.

Rabi has been slowed by fifty percent for the next minute.

Wind has been slowed by fifty percent for the next minute.

The Shadow Ranger turned and ran toward the treeline, skidding to a stop when six Fiends stepped out. Cyra's bow fired several shots in succession as she accelerated toward them.

[Brillance][Path of Ice][One Shot, One Kill]

A Blood Fiend has been blinded.

A Blood Fiend has been blinded.

A Blood Fiend has been blinded.

A Blood Fiend has been blinded.

A Blood Fiend has been blinded.

A Blood Fiend has been blinded.

A Blood Fiend has been frozen in place.

A Blood Fiend has been frozen in place.

A Blood Fiend has been frozen in place.

A Blood Fiend has been frozen in place.

A Blood Fiend has been frozen in place.

A Blood Fiend has been frozen in place.

A Blood Fiend has been slain.

The Shadow Ranger flashed between the fiends and entered the woods, her form fading from sight. Shae arrived at the woodline an instant later.

[Dawn's Herald]Lake of Fire][Hell's Breath]

Cyra Yun has been marked by Dawn's Herald and may not use any camouflage skill for two minutes.

The ground beneath the ranger turned to molten lava for several meters in all directions, trees and plants immediately erupted into flames as Cyra scurried up one of the larger trees in an attempt to escape. A moment later she was enveloped by a cloud of fire.

Cyra Yun has been affected by Hell's Breath and will lose two percent of her health every ten seconds for the next minute.

"You lousy Bitch!" Cyra leaped to a tree several meters away before stowing her bow and drawing two daggers. Another long jump brought her clear of the burning ground.

[Shadow Walker][Backstab][Double Strike]

Cyra appeared behind Shae, her blades flashing at the skeleton salamander.

Triple Combination Partially successful.

Cyra has landed a critical hit on Shae.

The ranger pulled her blades back for another strike, just as a bony foot slammed into her groin.

[Low Blow][Pickpocket][Disarm]

Triple Combination Successful.

Cyra Yun has been stunned.

Sasi has successfully pickpocketed Cyra Yun.

Cyra Yun has dropped one of her weapons.

Rabi flashed in and picked up the dagger that bounced on the ground. "Rabi has new dagger!"

[Call of Shadows]

Cyra has resisted stun.

The Shadow ranger stowed her dagger away and rearmed herself with a longbow. "Want to play with us?" The older woman retreated toward the edge of the flames.

[Summons: Bensic]

A heavily armored man appeared in front of her a moment later, he carried a long spear in one hand and a heavy shield in the other. He slammed the shield onto the ground in front of him, causing a wave of power to flow outward in all directions.

[Knights Challenge][Shield Slam]

All enemy within twenty meters of Bensic must focus their attacks on him.

Rabi has been stunned.

Sasi has been stunned.

Wind has been stunned.

Shae has resisted stun.

The bone salamander retreated several meters, as the Ice Faction duo exchanged glances.

/Bravo: Shae: Use AoEs that target both! We need to take her down first!

The salamander circled the duo, pulling their attention on her just as Bensic was buried under a pile of Fiends.

[Shadow Shot][Dark Triage]

Cyra Yun has landed a critical attack on Shae.

A portion of Shae's health has been siphoned to Cyra Yun.

[Greater Beastial Roar][Spear's Length]

All attackers within melee range of Bensic must resist Fear.

Bensic has created a defensive stronghold.

Rabi, Wind, and Sasi retreated several steps while spreading out in a large circle.

/Bravo: Wind: We aren't equipped to handle him. Options?

/Bravo: Shae: I can only l think of one.

**************

Nix carefully removed the teardrop explosives from his inventory. Originally they had planned to drop them from Fey.

*All Teams, prepare for Battle!*

"That can't be good." Nix stowed the bombs back in his inventory, a moment before a message popped onto his hud. He slipped his [Thine Enemy] ring off and assumed his skeleton form. "Create a diversion here, bigger is better!"

[You've been Summoned by Shae Balefire. Do you accept?]

"Yes." Nix waved at his team and then disappeared.

Pon stared at the empty space for a moment before removing his [Thine Enemy] ring. "You heard the man." The skeleton Fire Mage exited the tent, already bathed in flames as he started tossing teardrops in all directions. Two more skeleton's followed a moment later.

Semmi grabbed Fajii and pulled her toward the perimeter. "Let's head to the graveyard! They can't risk leaving it undefended."