The two cooks worked quietly, and after distributing the meat, they loaded the pots onto the back of the wagon. When they finished the man pushed a small package of wrapped meat to her and lowered his voice. "Keep this for your friends, sorry it's not cooked."

Ronnie's dark eyes watched him climb back into the driver seat of the wagon, her approval was obvious. "Thank you.."

"I'm Lutz, thanks for the help. I'll deliver the pots to the cookfires, you can retire for the evening."

The dark archer flashed him a smile before shaking her head. "It will go faster if I lend you a hand."

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

"You'll be able to pull off two lightning strikes?" Jun Li had reservations concerning the plan. A good portion of their success relied on Nix's ability to use an upgraded ability that he hadn't tested.

Nix shrugged. "No trial run, so I'm not sure."

/Inferno: Semmi: It won't change our strategy here even if we misfire.

/Inferno: Jun Li: I suppose not. Everyone get into position, please.

Alpha team, with the addition of Sharl, walked down Mainstreet together. They exited the main gate, and stopped in a cleared area twenty meters from the north wall. Captain Locas watched them from the walls with most of his rangers and all of Inferno's snipers in attendance.

/Inferno: Nix: Ready Captain?

/Inferno: Locas: Yes sir.

/Alpha Team: Nix: Light them up.

Fajii has Activated her Lightning barrier.

Pon has Activated his Lightning barrier.

Semmi has Activated her Lightning barrier.

Wind has Activated his Lightning barrier.

Nix has Activated his Lightning barrier.

Sharl moved closer to Nix. "Right behind you Nix."

[Lightning Barrier: Discharge]

Pon has discharged the Lightning barrier that was protecting him.

A singular bolt of Lightning moved outward from Pon's hand and struck Fajii's shield.

[Lightning Barrier: Discharge]

Fajii has discharged the Lighting barrier that was protecting her.

A singular bolt of Lightning moved outward from Fajii's hand and struck Wind's shield.

[Lightning Barrier: Discharge]

Wind has discharged the Lightning barrier that was protecting him.

A singular bolt of Lightning moved outward from Wind's hand and struck Semmi's shield.

[Lightning Barrier: Discharge]

Semmi has discharged the Lightning barrier that was protecting her.

A singular bolt of Lightning moved outward from Semmi's hand and struck Nix's shield.

[Lightning Barrier: Discharge]

Nix nodded and opened a breach into the Eastern commander's tent and stepped through immediately. His eyes glowed white with the power of Lightning. A quick glance around the inside of the tent showed his target. To his credit, the commander reacted quickly, leaping up from his supper he managed to grab both of his swords.

[Chained Lightning]

A bolt of white-hot Lightning flashed from Nix's hands and impacted the Commander's right side, spinning him in around while slicing off one of his arms.

Nix opened a second breach in the western commander's tent, although he felt the power lessen slightly, he quickly jumped through.

Sharl charged the wounded commander and grabbed him by his good arm, flinging him through the open breach that led back to Ever Flame before she followed Nix into the second breach.

"FIRE!" The badly wounded eastern commander appeared in the clearing next to the Ever Flame walls. An instant later the might of Inferno's ranged fighters tore through him.

Eastern Commander Brek has been slain.

When Nix stepped into the western commander's tent, unexpectedly the woman was fully armored and already charging toward him. The lightning blast took her square in the chest, tossing her into the far side of the tent like a ragdoll.

Instead of pursuing, Nix opened a breach to Ever Flame just as Sharl ran past him. She grabbed the stunned commander and tossed her into the breach like a sack of potatoes.

"FIRE!" Captain Locas fired his bow while he gave the order, within a few seconds the second camp commander died outside the walls of Ever Flame.

Nix opened a breach back to the Ever Flame gates and stepped through with Sharl, just as several bandit guards rushed into the tent to investigate. From start to finish the entire operation took less than ten seconds.

Sharl whistled softly. The two bodies were still smoking and were unrecognizable as something that used to be human. There were two large black chests sitting next to them on the ground.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Grab the chests and bring them back to the TOC. Any groups want to get some extra experience, form up and hit either camp.

[Direct Contact: Leva]

A full-sized holo of Leva appeared in front of Nix. She wore special Inferno Shifter armor that Nix upgraded with the help of Moki. "Do it!"

Leva nodded. "Understood."

With the help of Leva, Nix opened a half dozen breaches into both camps at the same time. Nether creatures of all shapes and sizes poured through.

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

Ronnie waited calmly behind the mess tent. Even from miles away, the first lightning strike in the eastern camp could be heard. A few seconds later a second strike sounded close by.

[Rock Golem]

She summoned her golem and quickly climbed to her normal perch on his wide shoulders. She sent it barreling into the center of camp while she drew her bow and looked for targets.

The center of camp barely responded, the spiked stew having done its job as fighters stumbled around lethargically looking for their gear. Mercilessly, Ronnie opened fire while her golem used his huge stone fists to crush anyone dumb enough to get close.

[Summons: Wilo]

A buzzing next to her ear announced the arrival of Ronnie's air companion.

The dark archer flashed her a smile. "Light me up!"

Wilo nodded and darted behind her, placing two small hands on her back.

[Air Merger]

An air barrier formed around Ronnie, she howled into the air when she felt her strength spike.

Ronnie and Wilo have combined abilities. All ranged damage is tripled for the next two minutes.

The archer spotted one of the sub-commanders mustering a defensive formation. She sent her golem charging toward him and opened fire.

[Trueshot: Burst]

Ronnie has landed a critical shot on Sub-Commander Bevil.

Ronnie has landed a critical shot on Sub-Commander Bevil.

Ronnie has landed a critical shot on Sub-Commander Bevil.

[Backstab]

Leva has landed a mortal wound on Sub-Commander Bevil.

Sub-Commander Bevil has been slain.

Leva stared at Ronnie for a moment.

Ronnie has joined the Nether channel.

/Nether: Leva: Two more sub-commanders in camp. Want to help me take them down?

/Nether: Ronnie: Sure... You're Nix's Nether companion, right?

/Nether: Leva: That's me. Let's go.

*********

/Alpha: Semmi: Let's go, boss.

/Alpha: Nix: The Nether are mopping things up, wouldn't be much to do.

/Alpha: Pon: F*ck it. Let's get our feet wet.

/Alpha: Nix: I'm not against it. Opinions?

/Alpha: Fajii: Let's go.

/Alpha: Wind: Do it!

Nix nodded and opened a breach to the eastern commander's tent.

He followed his group in, the tent was deserted but it was surrounded with the sounds of fighting. Nix spotted the commander's armor still hanging on the mannequin and quickly helped himself to it.

The rest of the group took a minute to pilfer the trunks and shelves that remained untouched in the tent.

/Alpha: Nix: Okay, let's head out and lend a hand. Careful about your targets, there's bound to be a few Inferno groups here.

Alpha stealthed and headed out the door. An armored man surrounded by guards nearly ran into them as they stormed by.

Pon has cast [Fire-Nado]

All five men were caught up in whirlwinds of flame.

Nix moved forward but stopped when a ball of fire erupted in the center of them. All four guards were instantly killed, while the sub-commander they had been protected managed to climb back to his feet.

/Alpha: Pon: The f*ck is that...

/Alpha: Semmi: Poacher!

The fire creature hovering in the air was humanoid in shape, orange flames licked at her voluptuously curved body, her long fire tresses floated gently on the air. She blasted the sub-commander one last time.

Sub-Commander Geiger has been slain.

Nix couldn't help but stare, the barest view of her nude form was visible beneath the raging inferno. She must have felt him watching, slowly she spun in the air until she faced him. The two held eyes for a few seconds, Nix felt a deep sense a familiarity.

"Quit staring Nix!" Mina barreled past him riding one of her Vilas, she was accompanied by Milat who was on foot. "You get him, Hyai?"

The flaming woman nodded. "Toasted him right there."

/Alpha: Pon: Possession companion?

Nix has activated his third form. [Archon]

Emerald flames erupted from the Emerald winged Archon as he moved next to the female torch.

/Alpha: Nix: Sorry to ditch you guys, going to hunt with Hyai a bit.

/Alpha: Pon: Rat bastard!

/Alpha: Fajii: Me too!

[Shade Falcon]

Fajii morphed into a black predatory bird and flew into the night sky.

[Ice Wraith]

[Frost Tiger]

[Sand Leopard]

Throughout the rest of the night, predators of all shapes and sizes hunted the bandits of the two camps. Dozens of Dire Wolves, Orions and other dangerous beasts seemed to be everywhere as the night filled with the terrified screams of the hunted.

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

Dawn came quietly, the eastern and western camps were smoking pyres of destruction. Nix stood calmly on a nearby hillside while the burning-woman landed lightly on the rocks. She gave off an intense heat that caused the rocks she landed on to instantly glow red. The flames burned out slowly, leaving Hyai standing nude in the morning sun.

Nix bit down on the smile that came to his lips. "Burned all your armor up?"

Hyai shook her head. "It automatically went to my inventory when I activated the ability."

Nix placed a warm hand on her smooth shoulder, the heat returned to normal. "Happen to check out your stats while torched up?"

Hyai nodded and started dressing. "Everything skyrocketed, I've all the defenses of a high tiered Fire creature."

"This is your 5th tier pet?" Nix pushed an errant strand of red hair out of her face.

"It's an ability called Fusion. I wanted to wait until you were present but..."

"I didn't make the time," Nix finished the sentence.

"You were busy Nix. This entire Crusade rides on your shoulders, just like the Cai'Song artifact." She cupped his cheeks in her warm hands and kissed him. "I have no complaints about my life, especially concerning your part in it."

They walked down the hill holding hands, every few seconds Nix would ask her questions about the experience.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Everyone catch a ride back with Mina or Nix. We'll hit the main camp tomorrow sometime.

/Inferno: Nix: My turtle house is off-limits unless you live there! I'm sleeping in.

/Inferno: Pon: Awesome, early breakfast at Nix's house.

/Inferno: Wind: I'm in.

/Inferno: Nix: Bastards...