/Inferno: Jun Li: Take a few minutes to group up; we'll head over to Chenzo in ten minutes. Here's what the Raid Sheet looks like.

Nix: CC, Range/Melee DPS

Chiba: Melee DPS

Beta: Melee DPS

Rabi: Melee DPS

Wind: Melee DPS

Semmi: Melee DPS

Pon: Ranged DPS

Jun Li: Off Tank

Ronnie: Ranged DPS

Nezbit: Heals

Morti: Tank

Ducky: CC

[Whisper Frenzy to Nix] Why is that bear so big? What have you been feeding him?

[Whisper: Nix to Frenzy] Necromancers. Don't you have a cave that you can hide in?

Nix scanned the group that was gathering to watch the show, immediately spotting the Guild Leader from Mid-Tier Salamander.

[Whisper: Frenzy to Nix] Funny... I didn't realize you had comic skills. Good luck on the Raid; we're going to head over to the Jhabi War Camp so we can get a good hunting spot.

[Whisper: Nix to Frenzy] Not going to stick around and see if we win?

[Whisper: Frenzy to Nix] No. The way you guys beat on these things almost makes me feel bad for them.

/Inferno: Pon: Earth Shield and Ring of Fire are already in effect!

/Inferno: Semmi: Anyone know what the 72-hour buffs look like yet?

/Inferno: Nix: I do, since I've visited both Temples already. I'll link them.

[Earth Regeneration]

Description: Your recent visit to the Temple of Earth has increased your understanding of the element, granting you a fifty percent increase in Health Regeneration.

[Fire's Edge]

Description: Your recent visit to the Temple of Flame has increased your understanding of the element. Your attack rating has increased by thirty percent.

/Inferno: Wind: So you have all four of the Haven Temple buffs?

/Inferno: Nix: Yep.

/Inferno: Pon: Yup.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Okay then, before the next raid, I want everyone to visit both Temples on the day before.

/Inferno: Nix: Make sure we tell the other raid group. It won't really affect us until we hit the World Boss.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Noted. Focus, please. Lead us in Nix.

The overall effect of killing two of the existing Regional Lords in Colonial was causing the Deep Winter to loosen its grip. Glory City was already free of Ice, although the inhabitants were still enjoying the Nether Cities' hospitality. Nix walked between Morti and Del as they strode down the icy path toward Lord Chenzo. The Regional Lord had taken up residence in what used to be a rock quarry, the sound of his whip-cracking could be heard for miles in all directions.

Nix's stopped at the edge of the clearing where their target was located. Chenzo wore red chainmail and was targetting boulders with his whip. Each strike caused the monstrous rocks to crack and shatter with the impact. "The whip applies a freezing effect and then melee damage. That's why it looks so bad-ass."

Morti's big nose huffed at his target. "Going to use a special attack on him, Nix."

Nix pushed dread flames into his bone hilts, and at the same time, Pon activated his Dread aura, causing everyone to take a step back from the two of them.

/Inferno: Ronnie: What the hell is that?

/Inferno: Wind: Unfair bastards.

/Inferno: Pon: Heh. Eat it!

Nix patted the Titan cub's shoulder. "Gonna use Bear Stomp?"

Morti shook his enormous head. "Nope."

/Inferno: Jun Li: Whenever you're ready.

Morti stood on his hind legs for a moment, his dark eyes burrowing into Lord Chenzo. An instant later, the Titan cub vanished from sight, only to be replaced by a small black bird that shot high into the air before vanishing in the night sky.

Nix mumbled a curse under his breath. "Here we go..."

The Black Sparrow dived at Chenzo from high above; when he was within five meters of the ground, he morphed back into his natural form, causing several tons of Titan cub to slam down on the unsuspecting target with a bone-crushing impact. "BEAR FLOP!"

Chenzo has been stunned.

Chenzo has suffered minor injuries that will restrict his movement speed by thirty percent.

Inferno seemed to freeze in place for a moment; the sight of Morti laying on top of their somewhat flattened target caused quite a few of them to break off their attack and start laughing.

Nix was the first one to enter the fight. Morti wrenched the whip away from Chenzo, who was struggling to get up under the massive weight of the Titan. Instead of attacking, Nix morphed into his basilisk form and struck at Chenzo's flailing legs.

Nix has struck with [Serpent's Bite]. Six poison counters have been applied.

Instead of retreating, he maintained his bite on Chenzo's while coiling around his legs.

Nix has activated [Entwinement].

Chenzo has been temporarily trapped.

Morti pushed his powerful paws downward on Chenzo's back while moving to a sitting position on the Lord's prone form. "Swat! Swat! Swat!"

The Titan cub rained down slaps on the back of his target's head. At the same time, the rest of Inferno seemed unable to move.

Chiba's body was shaking with laughter as she retreated and turned away from the spectacle. She stumbled and dropped one of her blades on the frozen ground.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Come on! Take this seriously!

"Swat! Swat! Swat!" Morti continued to slam Chenzo's face into the frozen dirt of the quarry.

/Inferno: Ronnie: I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

/Inferno: Semmi: Let him up so we can finish him off.

Morti swatted him in the back of the head one more time for good measure before latching onto one of his arms with his teeth and dragging the Regional Lord to his feet.

Nix dropped his basilisk form and pushed dread flames into his bone hilts, causing the area around him to glow brightly.

Pon has activated [Dread Flame: Hex]

A waist-thick stream of blinding flame flashed through the left side of Chenzo, causing a scream of agony that had everyone covering their ears. The charred arm of the target dropped lifelessly to the ground a moment later.

Pon has landed a Mortal Strike.

Nix dived in with both blades extended, driving them deep into Chenzo's abdomen, not stopping until his hands slammed into the target's red chainmail armor. Instead of withdrawing, he slashed outward with both blades, causing freshly cauterized entrails to spill onto the frozen ground.

Chenzo collapsed face down on the snow, his body spasming as his death rattle reverberated over the suddenly quiet quarry.

Nix has slain Chenzo.

[Colonial System Message: A Regional Lord has been defeated.]

Quest Updated.

/Inferno: Wind: Are you fucking serious?

/Inferno: Rabi: Rabi didn't get to hit it!

/Inferno: Chiba: Nice double thrust, Apprentice.

/Inferno: Nezbit: Morti's the best!

Pon and Nix shared a glance before both shrugged turned away.

/Inferno: Nix: Barely touched him.

/Inferno: Pon: Weak-ass boss.

/Inferno: Semmi: Standby while we check out the loot.

/Inferno: Jun Li: Three contribution awards this time and the Ice Element.

[Unidentified Bone Fragment]

Contribution Award: Nix

Emperor's Claws [Primal]

+ 300 to Attack

+ 10,000 to Armor Class.

Increased Chance to Stun

Increased Health Regeneration

Contribution Award: Mortimer

[Fire Robes]

+ 50 to All Stats

+ 5,000 to Armor Class.

Increased Fire Damage

Immune to Stuns

Contribution Award: Pon

[White Ice: Elemental Token]

Grants the White Ice Element.

[Belkazar]

Rank: Unknown

A Nature-based pet with healing ability.

/Inferno: Pon: Looks like you got the bone again, Nix.

/Inferno: Nix: For those who don't know, the White Ice Element is a mutated form of Ice, just like Black Ice. It has some excellent defensive abilities.

/Inferno: Jun Li: I'd like to save that healing pet for one of our tanks, but if anyone in the raid wants it, whisper me, and it's yours.

An unidentified bone fragment has been placed in your inventory.

Mortimer has received the [Emperor's Claws].

Pon has received the [Fire Robes].

Nezbit has received the [White Ice: Elemental Token]

Morti sat on his enormous backside, his tongue lolling out one side of his mouth while he panted. "That was tiring. How do I wear these things?"

"Put your paw out." Nix slipped the [Emperor's Claws] onto Morti's paw. When the Titan cub extended his claws, longer claws with wickedly sharpened metallic tips extended. "These are only for battle, Morti. You don't want to wear them when walking around."

Morti's big head nodded. "Thanks. We really swatted that guy."

Nix chuckled. "Nice Bear Flop."

A short while later, Nix and Del walked toward Glory's Fire Palace, the only building in all of Colonial that was unaffected by Deep Winter. The Acolyte on duty smiled at the Inferno Leader when he waved at her.

"Stay here, Del."

Nix appeared inside of Shae's Elemental world and immediately spotted Fey. The silver mage lay with her legs in the water, her beautiful face twisted in pain. She sat up when he approached.

"I'm okay, Nix. It's just harder than I thought."

Nix placed a hand on her head; the silver hair was drenched in sweat. "You're burning up. How long have you been like this?"

Fey leaned against him and closed her eyes. "I'm not sure; somehow, I've lost track of time. Have I been here a day yet?"

"Several days." Nix hugged her close, pushing Fey's silver hair out of her face. "Do you want me to get Shae?"

Fey shook her head. "No, I can do it."

Nix nodded in agreement. "I know you can, Fey. She is worried about you, but I'll make sure she waits until tomorrow to visit.

Fey smiled and lay her head against Nix's shoulder. "I should be finished by then."