Manis'tae moved slowly toward him, her staff held out before her, they both stopped when they were within five meters. "Greetings Filamina. Perhaps you would introduce me to your friend."

/Inferno: Nix: If she summons her creatures, use yours to defend us.

/Inferno: Mina: Kill her Nix! She's a viper that poisons everything with words!

[Flashblade]

Nix struck with all of his strength, the impact of his sword on her armor pushed them both back.

/Inferno: Nix: High fire immunity... try this one on for size.

[Aura Ignition: Ice Flames]

Nix raised a hand and a half dozen Ice Flame strands encircled Manis'tae's waist. Her eyes went wide in shock and then she shrieked in pain.

You have been stunned

Mina has been stunned.

Manis'tae flashed toward Mina, the end of her staff coming off to expose a deadly looking blade. Before she could make contact, Soup slammed into her, sending Manis'tae flying backward.

Manis'tae has been stunned.

[Swapped Out]

Jun Li has changed places with you and scored a critical hit on Manis'tae.

[Critical Chain]

Nix has followed up Jun Li's attack with a critical hit.

[Critical Chain]

Jun Li has followed up Nix's attack with a Critical hit.

"ENOUGH!"

Manis'tae has cast [Ice Maw]

[Ghost Step]

Jun Li has evaded.

Nix felt several ice spears impact his armor.

You are immune to Ice Damage.

[Balefire Burst: Ice Flame]

Several balls of bluish flame slammed into Manis'tae driving her into the arena floor.

Nix raised a hand and a half dozen strands of Ice Flame wrapped around the ricoli artifact on her right arm. Manis'tae swung her bladed staff at the strands only to have her left arm wrapped up by a half dozen more Ice Flame Strands.

Five shots rang out simultaneously.

[Snipe]

Ronnie has landed a critical hit on Manis'tae

[Snipe]

Chael has landed a critical hit on Manis'tae

[Snipe]

Dalton has landed a critical hit on Manis'tae

[Snipe]

Darsi has landed a critical hit on Manis'tae

[Snipe]

Moki has landed a critical hit on Manis'tae

[Execution: Advanced]

Nix's swung a wrist-thick strand of razor-sharp Ice Flame at Manis'tae's neck, at the last moment she managed to throw up an arm and block the killing blow. The flame blade sliced through her arm and deep into her side. Nix kicked the floating limb away from the Water Nemesis.

[Manis'tae has activated her bloodline]

[Battering Ram]

Soup slammed into the changing Water Nemesis, knocking her backward.

Manis'tae has been stunned.

[Unbalanced Chain]

Nix has followed up Soup's strike with a powerful attack.

Manis'tae has been stunned.

[Three Round Burst]

Chael has scored a critical hit on Manis'tae

/Inferno: Jun Li: Pour it on her!

[Unbalanced Chain]

Jun Li has followed up Nix's strike with a powerful attack.

Manis'tae is stunned.

[Three Round Burst]

Ronnie has scored a critical hit on Manis'tae.

Manis'tae has been slain.

The Water Nemesis floated slowly to the arena floor, the lower half of her body had been replaced with long tentacles. Nix examined the corpse and then looted her remains.

An Ivory Key has been added to your inventory.

/Inferno: Jun Li: The hell was she changing into?

/Inferno: Milat: Looks like a Cranksai Demon.

/Inferno: Mina: The key dropped?

/Inferno: Nix: Yep, it dropped.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Why would she have it if she wasn't part of the stage?

/Inferno: Mina: My guess is she came here to take it and saw an opportunity to take us out.

/Inferno: Chael: What was that Unbalanced Chain skill?

/Inferno: Jun Li: Similar to Critical chain, Unbalanced Chain lets Gemini classes stack stuns together.

/Inferno: Milat: She was stunned for nearly 10 seconds.

Nix picked Manis'tae's severed arm and pulled the Ricoli artifact off it. He let the arm drift to the floor before handing the bracer to Mina. "Train another Sea-Beast master."

Mina nodded, she already had three Aquarion Sea-Beast Masters training, not counting her. This bracer would bring their total to five and Manis'tae was bound to have great beasts.

"You asked me to strike her even though she wanted to talk," Nix said it as a statement, he wasn't concerned about Mina's motives.

"She is a powerful charmer Nix, you'll see when we pull out her beasts. I've seen her CC dozens of attackers at once." Mina watched him for a moment, "those Ice Flames, what are they?"

"Just something I picked up. Her armor had a high fire resistance. Too bad the Ice Flame isn't really fire." Nix checked on Soup who was floating nearby, normally her 'battering ram' was a one and done skill. She was badly hurt, but nothing critical." Nix rubbed her head fondly and unsummoned her. "Go get some rest.

/Inferno: Nix: Let's head to 11.2.

A black chest sat on their exit platform, Nix looted it while the rest of Inferno scavenged the remaining corpses.

[Shield of Flames]

[Fire Bolt Ring]

[Inferno Cloak]

/Inferno: Nix: Looks like three fire items, I'll link them in Guild Chat.

Shield of Flames

+2000 AC

Perfect Reflection: Any attack blocked is partially

reflected back in Fire-based damage.

Chin Strike: Slam your shield into your enemy

to stun them for 3 seconds.

/Inferno: Nix: Tank shield, send me a whisper if you want it.

FIre Bolt Ring

Jewelry: Unique

A Fire Bolt spell strikes your

enemy. Damage is based on your

agility rating.

10/10 Charges.

Cool Down=5 seconds.

/Inferno: Nix: Damage is agility based, so anyone with high agility can bid. Let me know.

Inferno Cloak

Fire Immunity.

Surrounds the wearer

in an aura of flames. Anyone striking

the aura receives flame damage.

/Inferno: Nix: Basically a flame shield, melee types only. Send me a whisper if you want it.

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

[1000 hrs. 11th Floor Staging Area]

Colonial System Message: Congratulations to Inferno for being the first guild to clear Stage 1 on the 11th floor. All Inferno members receive the Poseidon Badge.

/Inferno: Jun Li: A permanent badge that you don't have to wear. Gives a nice 10 percent reduction in all Water-based damage.

/Inferno: Semmi: Good job guys! I wish I was there too.

/Inferno: Pon: Me too, keep it up! Thanks for the free badge!

Nix lead the group to the next platform and immediately stepped in. The entrance was in the middle of a curved corridor that went off in both directions.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Milat scout east, Zhava scout west. We'll wait here.

Nix stealthed and moved off the platform, he felt Mina's familiar presence beside him. "What's a Cranksai Demon?"

"It's like an octopus and humanoid hybrid. Their upper half is housed in a very strong shell-like armor. They are capable of both Ice and Water magic. We are lucky we were able to stop her from changing."

/Inferno: Milat: First room in the east hall, completely empty. Continuing eastward.

/Inferno: Zhava: The first room in the west hall is also empty, moving forward.

/Inferno: Milat: Second room in east hall, there's no one here.

/Inferno: Zhava: Another empty room in the west hall. Where is everyone?

/Inferno: Nix: Could they be stealthed and waiting?

/Inferno: Mina: Doubtful, Aquarions have very limited stealth capabilities.

/Inferno: Milat: This stage is empty guys, come to our location, take either hall, it's a complete circle.

Nix swam west down the hall, he passed the first two empty rooms then another hallway that took a sharp left into the circle and opened up in a large round room. The exit platform was sitting against the far wall.

/Inferno: Nix: Suggestions?

/Inferno: Jun Li: Just caution.

Nix swam toward the platform, as soon as he was within a few meters a chest rose up from the floor.

/Inferno: Mina: They're gone? Why would they be gone?

Nix opened the chest and quickly looted it.

[Water Stone] x3

[Crown of Perception]

/Inferno: Nix: Same as before, I'll link them and you can tell me if you want it.

Water Stone [Water Alignment Only]

Description: A small stone

that carries an abundant amount

of banked experience.

Nix handed the stone to Mina, "I'll let you distribute them among your people since they are the only water alignments we have.

Crown of Perception

Silver Tiara: Unique

+10 Perception.

+ 20 percent chance of critical

hit.

Description: A fashionable

silver crown that may be worn over

headgear.

/Inferno: Ronnie: Mine!! Can I have that Nix?

/Inferno: Nix: Female Ranged damage, please roll if you want it.

/Random 100: Ronnie has rolled a 79

/Random 100: Darsi has rolled a 33

/Inferno: Ronnie: Mine! Bad luck Darsi...

/Inferno: Jun Li: Let's get out of here. What if this instance can't be finished?

Nix exited through the platform and a moment later was back in the staging area.

Colonial System Message: Congratulations to Inferno for being the first guild to clear Stage 2 on the 11th floor.

/Inferno: Nix: Let's go, right into the 3rd stage, I want to see what's going on.

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

[1010 hours:11th floor, stage 3]

Nix stood on the platform, immediately felt his weight pushing on the stone floor.

/Inferno: Nix: No water?

/Inferno: Jun Li: Holy shit, stay on the platform.

Nix looked down and saw a vast expanse of air, a few hundred feet below them was a nasty looking pit filled with a green liquid. Dozens of large metallic discs zipped through the air on random paths, each of these discs carried a number of Aquarions.

/Inferno: Jun Li: There must be a hundred of them, did they empty out the last zone to fill up this one?

/Inferno: Mina: The Elder Matriarchs are capable of interfering in the stages of Mermaid City, but now without limitation.

/Inferno: Jun Li: The discs are too small for more than a few of us. Teams of three. Ranged damage can set up here and pick-off whoever comes close enough. Give me a moment and I'll bring up a second raid sheet.

[Raid Sheet: Adjusted]

Team 1: Banz, Sila, Gypsy.

Team 2: Sharl, Nix, Tess

Team 3: Jun Lie, Rhy, Pinky

Team 4: Milat, Wylie, Nez.

/Infernal: Jun Li: Questions? Take the discs and knock them off. Those not on a team, protect the ranged fighters that are staying here.

/Inferno: Rhylia: Sub me out of group three.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Everything okay Rhy?

Rhylia laughed loudly and took to the air. "I don't need discs!"

/Inferno: Jun Li: Right, Zhava, please take Rhy's spot on my team.

/Inferno: Nix: Team 2, on me.

Nix peeked over over the side of the platform and spotted a disc that was moving about 20 feet beneath them, it had five Aquarion's on it.

/Inferno: Nix: That's our ride!

/Inferno: Tess: Let's wait for a closer one.

Nix shared a smile with Sharl and they both jumped for it. "Prey Waits!"