Nix jumped from the third level of his houseboat to the dock, a quick roll and he was back on his feet running toward Shae’s Lair. The two Aquarions were much more tentative since they were water creatures and the Lair had become a glowing mass of molten rock.

[Aura Ignition]

His aura lit up without him willing it to, Nix used the dozen tentacles spreading out of his body to stab into the rock and pull himself upward. He could tell something was wrong. He ran toward the back room of Shae’s lair, the rock splashing under his feet like spring water. He skidded to a stop when he saw her.

Shae was arching her back in pain, there were three different color flames coming from her, yellow, red and dark blue. Her red flaming hair hung toward the ground, her teeth gritted with determination. “Nix! Only the red flames sustain elemental metamorphosis.”

He sensed the absolute anguish in her voice, he had felt such pain before. “Don’t worry, I will help.”

He grabbed her hands tightly, although most of her body was engulfed in the red flames, the yellow and blue was concentrated at her hands.

Nix moved around Shae and wrapped all twelve of his strands around her arms, not really sure what he was doing.

Shae screamed in pain, her breath ragged. “You can do it Nix! Focus on the absorbing the hotter flames, the yellow and blue!”

He closed his eyes and tried to absorb the heat, he stopped immediately when he sensed he was sucking dry the lifeline. He concentrated on the flames, the detailed movement, the pressure each type emitted and finally the temperature. It was there, the slightest difference. The red was warm and pleasant, he let it gently ease pass without offering it any resistance. The yellow and blue slowly started to advance toward him.

All of Nix’s strands were wrapped around her body, he had looped them around several times taking up the slack until he was face to face with the elemental. An unbending will surfaced within him to fight the yellow and blue progress, he knew without a doubt that if he failed here, Shae would most certainly perish.

Slowly the pleasant warmth of his own flame began to heat up and change colors. The absorption of the yellow and blue flames turned his into an eerie green color. Grimly he held on, his body expanding as it absorbed passed his filling point. “I.. I can’t hold it Shae!”

Shae screamed in frustration, her anger waking everyone in the Sea-World. Her flaming eyes looked at him in anguish, “It’s fine Nix, just let go.”

Nix gripped her hands tighter, he smelled his own flesh burning while he pulled the blue and yellow flames away from Shae. Even when he reached his limit somehow he was able to persevere. His own form was unrecognizable as the green flames increased his size by several times.

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

Ronnie was the third person on the scene, both Fajii and Mina had retreated to the surf, their eyes wide with numbing fear. “What’s going on here?

Mina didn’t take her eyes off the steadily growing green light coming from the Salamander’s cave. “Something is wrong with Shae, Nix went to help her.”

“Nix is in there?” Ronnie advanced several feet closer to the caves, the heat stopping her progress. “Where’s Pon?” She looked around for the old fire mage.

Sharl and Pon ran down the beach at the same time. Sharl was forced to stop next to Ronnie, but the old fire mage could advance almost to the rock walls. He stared up at the green light coming from the cave. He could feel that it was building up.

Pon stepped back as molten rock ran down walls. He turned back toward the beach and retreated. “Everyone get back! All the way into the water!”

As one, everyone turned and ran into the surf. The Aquarions swam under the water several hundred feet. A dark piercing flash of green light blasted outward like an emerald wave. Ronnie and Sharl were tossed further into the depths.

Ronnie surfaced a moment later and pulled her sister up. Most of the rock wall had been destroyed by the blast.

In the aftermath, everyone advanced toward the epicenter cautiously, old Pon leading the way. The old mage’s eyes looked wary. A warm red light started to ebb, its gentle warmth seeped out of the destroyed cave. In the darkness, the red glow floated into the air and landed gently on the beach.

Shae’s flames stopped the moment she stepped on the sand. Her appearance had changed drastically. She seemed taller and a bit thinner. Her cheekbones seemed more pronounced as she walked toward them, her long red hair brushing the back of her legs. Her movements were beyond graceful, she emanated with power.

Pon looked excited, being a fire mage he knew what metamorphosis for a Salamander entailed. It meant the birth of a Fire Nemesis.

The group stared at the young woman, although she had taken human form, it was still elemental of course.

Ronnie was smiling at her before she remembered something. “Hey… Where is Nix?”

A movement from the shattered caves drew their attention once again. A man wearing only a Salamander bodysuit slowly climbed down the rocky wall. He stumbled once he stepped onto the sand but continued toward the group.

Nix seemed tired beyond reasoning, he stared at the elemental. There was something oddly off about him, but no one could immediately place it. “You are okay?” His voice was raspy with fatigue.

Shae embraced him and kissed his forehead. “Thank you, Nix.”

He shrugged slightly, even that seemed to take effort. “I don’t like to lose people close to me.” He staggered slightly before she caught him and eased him to the ground.

“Going to take a look, okay Nix?” Shae stroked his head gently and inspected him.

Nix

Level 50

Strength 65

Endurance 63

Intelligence 25

Dexterity 25

Perception 25

Mana 12000/12000

Cold Resistance 100 [Ice Blessing]

Fire Resistance 100 [Burning Aura]

Emerald Flame Strands 71

Fire Seed [Emerald]

Weapon Skills:

Primary: Path of Fire [Salamander]

Support Skills:

N/A

Primary Path Skills

Balefire

Meteor Storm

Combustion

Comet Strike

[Spirit Animal 2/4]

1: Soup [Elite Black Sea Turtle]

2: Ducky [Water Nymph, Special]

Skills:

Hunter 100

Leather Making 100

Tailor 100

Shae pursed her lips as she considered his skills, she glanced at Pon whose mouth had dropped open. “That’s my Path of Fire.”

The old fire mage nodded, “Of those four, I only recognize Balefire.”

She helped him to his feet, “Combustion is a self-heal. Meteor Storm is an Area Effect damage spell. Comet strike is a single target attack spell with really good range.”

Fajii pushed gently through the crowd and grabbed Nix’s other arm. “Let’s get him back to his bed, so he can rest.”

Shae nodded and the two of them walked him slowly back to the marina, he was swaying back and forth between them like a drunk person.

A few minutes later he was reclining in bed while Fajii mixed him up something to drink, she smiled when she handed it to him. “This should restore your energy and help you sleep, although you probably don’t need help sleeping.”

Shae had made everyone else leave, she watched Nix drink down the concoction, “You are always there when I need you Nix. I’ve never had a truer friend.”

Nix nodded in agreement, his yellow eyes already closed. “I’m awesome,” he mumbled softly.

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

Morning came and Nix woke up feeling refreshed. Pon and Ronnie were sitting at the rail of his back deck. They both smiled when he slid open the door. He gave them a quick wave, “Hey guys.”

There were dolphins playing in the water just off the rear deck. They had once been his beasts, although that was no longer the case, they were still very friendly toward him.

“Let’s gather all the members of Inferno and then meet up at the beach.” Nix slid his Salamander suit on and then put the Malu Aquatic over it. He wasn’t planning on an undersea excursion, but it paid to be ready.

A few minutes later, Inferno was gathered in a small circle on the beach. They were studying the map Nix had brought up on his hud.

Semmi seemed a bit confused. “So… there’s no guards?”

“None,” Nix affirmed. He handed everyone bags that he had tailored. “It’s like Christmas, fill everything up with items from your assigned area. Just in case there are some security surprises I don’t know about, in and out in five minutes.”

They held hands, each of them still looking a bit confused. Was this a raid or a shopping trip? “Semmi you are with me.”

He activated Deep Blue and then chose Gladis Hub: LifeStyle Village.