Chapter 618: Deep Winter War: Embattled Oasis

An endless glowing tunnel that weaved and banked endlessly like a rollercoaster ride that refused to stop. The moment stretched on for an undetermined amount of time before ending abruptly.

Alpha team exited the breach to the screams and explosions of land already ravaged by an extended battle. Smoke swirled with the blowing ice and snow, creating white-out conditions that were tempered with the acrid smell of sulfur. The ground beneath their feet was surprisingly soft, blackened by the flame strikes of the 12 Pillar's Fire Mages.

/Alpha: Pon: The fuck is going on?

/Alliance: Nix: Status Report!

Nix stared in disbelief at his hud. The Oasis raid sheet had been decimated, nearly all of the members were slain. Most of the Dhassi were dead, including Raine and her mentor, Delyn Xai. The edges of his vision blurred slightly; his flame aura ignited in response to the sudden change of his mood.

"Calm yourself." Pon's gnarled hand gripped the Inferno Leader's shoulder. He knew that Nix was close with Raine. "Del must be around here somewhere; she isn't listed as a casualty."

/Alliance: Gideon: Nix! Where were you guys?

/Alliance: Nix: Not sure, some sort of time displacement spell. What's your status?

/Alliance: Gideon: Wiped out, mostly. The 12 Pillars have been decimated; the dhassi forces are down. Pathfinder is intact, along with a group of Su'Dhassi called the Sand Killers. A group of Ain'Dhassi disappeared a few minutes ago; we've had no contact with them since then.

/Alliance: Nix: Is Del Tali with that group?

/Alliance: Gideon: Yes.

/Alliance: Nix: Bring them into our raid, Junie.

[Whisper: Nix to Del] Why haven't you answered?

[Del Tali may not be contacted at this time.]

/Alliance: Jun Li: Understood.

The Sand Killers have joined the raid.

The Pathfinders have joined the raid.

/Alliance: Jun Li: None of the missing Ain'Dhassi are answering whispers, but they aren't listed as deceased.

Nix morphed into his Hotter form and immediately cycled his vision to thermal. Pon changed into his wraith form and waited. "The Ain'Dhassi are probably concealing themselves.

/Breach Commander Mtui: There's an isolated ridge to the northeast; it would make a good sniper nest.

/Alliance: Darsi: On our way, we'll let you know when we're set up.

/Alliance: Jun Li: I need to know what happened here. What sort of tactics are they using?

/Alliance: Gideon: The boss is called Operative Valenzi. He has enhanced stealth and senses. His backstab attack is an insta-kill. He spawned here with a full company of rogues, maybe fifty or so. Each one of them takes a strong group to handle. They killed all the healers first, then the mages. We couldn't see them until after they attacked. Valenzi kills three people every time and then disappears.

/Alliance: Jun Li: Vooni, take your team and scout our perimeter. I want to know if [Dragon Eyes] can pick them up.

/Alliance: Vooni: Understood.

Vooni stealthed and shot into the air, followed closely by Omak, Nunzo, and Aja.

/Alpha: Nix: Rabi, take Sasi and find Del for me.

Wind shared a smirk with the old fire mage. "Just Del? Or all the missing Dhassi?"

Nix shrugged slightly, not bothering to address the innuendo. "Find Del. I'm sure the others are with her."

Sasi has joined Alpha.

/Alpha: Rabi: Rabi will find Del first!

Sasi appeared next to Nix, hugging his waist while favoring him with a fanged smile. "Don't worry."

Nix patted the tiny demon's head. "Be careful."

/Alpha: Sasi: Careful are we!

The demon siblings morphed into their Ravager forms and immediately stealthed before disappearing into the blowing snow.

Nix stared out at the darkening landscape. Unfortunately, the Oasis raid hadn't been properly equipped to fight an ongoing stealth engagement. To his knowledge, only Del's Slayer form had any sort of thermal or night vision capabilities.

/Alpha: Nix: We should have made sure the 12 Pillars were equipped for this kind of Op.

/Alpha: Semmi: Agreed. It was an oversight, but we've been fighting nonstop for months. So they can share some of the blame with us.

/Alliance: Vooni: The immediate perimeter is clear. Three stealthed fighters are watching us from the North. My team could easily isolate and remove them.

/Alliance: Jun Li: Do it. And then keep an eye on our perimeter.

/Alliance: Vooni: Understood.

/Breach Commander Mtui: We are in position above the camp, updating raid maps to reflect current enemy positions.

/Alliance: Jun Li: This isn't a traditional raid. We should adjust our tactics.

/Alliance: Semmi: Agreed. We should split up and trim the rogues. If anyone finds Valenzi, hold him, and the rest of the raid will converge.

Nix raked the frozen ground with wickedly sharp claws while his thermal vision picked up several targets in the blizzard-like conditions. "You're heading east with me, old man. Wind, Sem, and Fajii will head west."

Pon had already morphed into his Ice Wraith form, circling the group while waiting for the group to move out. "Don't try and take Valenzi by yourselves."

Semmi smiled and nodded. "No worries"

Fajii rubbed the Hotter's white fur with both hands, letting them rest lightly on his head. "Same goes for you two."

The ice wraith followed Nix as he exited the makeshift perimeter. The white cat's long body moved with an unnatural sinuous grace. Even with visibility at less than five meters, it moved sure-footed across the fresh snow.

/Alpha: Nix: Contact. Three targets.

The feline hybrid struck without warning. A powerful swipe took the stealthed rogue by surprise, sending a spray of crimson blood toward the second rogue, who barely had time to respond before the ice wraith impaled him into the snow.

"W-What?" The third target attempted to flee but was driven into the iced turf when the Hotter pounced on him. A strong bite followed by a sudden wrench was all it took to remove his head.

/Alpha: Pon: Gross... You've got his blood in your mouth.

/Alpha: Nix: In this form, it tastes okay. Don't be such a girl.

Over the next hour, the divided Alpha team managed to take out nearly two dozen rogues. Then, finally, both the Sand Killers and Pathfinders made their way into the War Camp. But, unfortunately, neither Sasi nor Rabi had reported in on Del's location. Meanwhile, slightly west of camp...

"Those guys bagged two more." Wind frowned and the red dots that inhabited his mini-map. "That makes it eighteen to six."

Fajii shrugged slightly, her verticle irises studying the surroundings carefully. Unlike her two teammates, she wasn't driven by the need to compete with either Pon or Nix. She knelt on the frozen ground and touched it with her hand. "We are doing well. Don't compare our results with Nix and Pon. Something feels wrong..."

Fajii has cast [Earth Mire].

Fajii has established an [Earth Domain].

The frozen ground under their feet changed from ice to warm earth, creating a circle around them that spanned nearly thirty meters. Wind had both daggers held low while his eyes studied the ground. He didn't see or hear their target as it stalked him through the mud.

Near the top of the Gemini Thief's collar, a slight motion occurred as a horned head, complete with a golden crown, peeked out from the warmth of his hiding spot.

Valenzi has struck!

[Backstab-InstaKill: Wind].

[Interupted!]

[Fear the Demon King]

The Operative Commander backed up several steps, his dark face appearing shocked for a few moments as he struggled to regain control. "What is the...?"

/Alpha: Semmi: Valenzi contact! Our position!

A head-sized boulder formed around Fajii's hand as she leaped toward Valenzi.

[Rock Slam]

Fajii has landed a significant strike on Operative Valenzi.

The Scorched Earth Mage retreated quickly but not before tossing one of Tai'Qui's Mudpies at her target.

Operative Valenzo has been slowed by fifty percent.

[Dual Chain][Backstab][Void Slash]

Triple Combination Successful.

Semmi has followed up Fajii's attack with a significant strike.

Semmi has handed a critical hit.

[Dual Chain][First Strike][Backstab]

Triple Combination Successful.

Wind has followed up Semmi's attack with a significant strike.

[Interupted!]

Operative Valenzo has activated [Turn-Around] and has broken the Dual Chains!

/Alpha: Semmi: Gonna need help! How close are you?

/Alpha: Nix: Close enough! Light them up!

Semmi has activated [Lightning Barrier].

Valenzi howled angrily. "The three of you are dead!" The operative was dressed in black leather armor; his body faded in and out of view in a rhythmic pattern that pulsed like a rapidly beating heart. Dark eyes stared from behind his mask, taking in the barrier that had suddenly surrounded one of his targets. "I sense the power of storms..."

Wind has activated [Lightning Barrier].

[Operative Valenzo has been charmed.].

Ducky appeared from nowhere, her lean figure stepping out of the snowstorm to stand in front of their target. Her all-blue eyes shone with amusement. "I love the mask, very mysterious."

Pon has activated [Lightning Barrier].

/Alpha: Nix: DO IT!

Nix has activated [Lightning Barrier].

The chained-lightning strike started with Semmi, it's glowing path lit up the night blizzard as it zipped through all of the Alpha members before arriving at Nix. The Inferno Guild leader pointed at the Operative. "Special delivery, Shithead!"

A thick bolt of white lightning struck Valenzo directly in the chest, the power of it picked him up and flung him into the night sky.

Nix has landed a mortal strike.