Nix waited until the Aquarion was in mid-stroke of his next attack on the Lamia before he attacked. He placed four strands on the surprised water creature, one around each arm and two for his neck.

[Fire Root]

[Flame Snare]

The Aquarion male was a melee, Nix stayed out of range until the man let out his last soundless scream. As fights go, he was weaker than most Aquarions. There were two chests by the throne, he stowed both of them in his inventory.

"Human..." The hissing words of the Lamia sent shivers down his spine, there was a complete absence of emotions in her words.

Nix moved a bit closer but was careful to stay out of harm's way. "What should I do with you?"

"Cut your own throat and then fall at my feet to be consumed." Her eyes glowed slightly when she spoke.

Nix felt an overwhelming desire to kill himself.

[Salamander's resistance, you have broken the Lamia's charm]

"Well, since you played it that way."

[Aura Ignition]

"A Salamander? Wait, Lord..." Her eyes panicked for a moment before Nix fully embraced her.

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

Jun Li slammed stabbed her sword straight through a charging acolyte. It faded into dust the exact same way all of them did once you killed them.

/Inferno: Semmi: We've got the Pearl!

/Inferno: Jun Li: Okay, gate out immediately

Jun Li raised her sword to defend against another acolyte. Suddenly the ground started shaking, she dropped her sword and covered her ears as an inhuman scream tore through the courtyard. The acolytes they had been fighting vanished into dust.

/Inferno: Nix: Enter the temple and loot everything that can be used.

Nix stepped away from the corpse. Dropping to his knees he vomited the remnants of his last meal. There were several fang marks on his neck and shoulders that were streaming blood.

[Combustion]

[You have Slain a Legendary Creature]

[Beast Slayer Title has been updated 2/6]

[Do you wish to skin the Lamia?]

"Yes." Nix looked at Ducky, "bring me a healer."

[One Complete Lamia Skin has been added to your Inventory]

[The Knights of Colonial have decided to send you more Troops.]

**********

Tess and Pon found him a few minutes later, he had already passed out. Tess placed a hand on his forehead, immediately her brows furrowed. "He's fully healed, but there is some sort of poison ravaging him."

[Whisper: Pon to Jun Li] Come to the lower level at once.

Jun Li and Mina arrived a few minutes later, they had been directing the looting of the temple. Jun Li moved to his side, "Did you heal him?"

Tess shook her head, "I didn't have to. He was fully healed already. There is some sort of powerful poison in his body, it ignores both detox and cleanses."

"F*ck..." Jun Li was the first to notice the scroll hovering above the dead body a few feet away. "It's a temple deed... which means that was the temple lord."

/Inferno: Jun Li: This is a Lamia temple... Nix's been poisoned.

/Inferno: Wind: Let him die, won't that cure it?

/Inferno: Tessa: The poison description says 'Persistent.'

/Inferno: Sharl: Permanently poisoned? I've never heard of such a harsh poison. [Whisper: Jun Li to Shae] Nix's has been poisoned by a Lamia. I'm not sure...

Shae appeared next to him before she could even finish the sentence. She placed a hand over his chest and closed her eyes for a moment. "How could this happen?" Shae scowled at the dead Lamia, "your race has long been dead, yet you strike at my mate?" She waved her hand and the snake-woman corpse incinerated.

Mina had been watching off to one side, she wasn't a healer so she didn't approach. Her eyes were filled with worry. "What can be done Shae?"

Jun Li placed a hand on his arm, "will he regain consciousness if he dies here?"

Tess shook her head, "I don't think so, one of the side-effects is loss of consciousness.

/Inferno: Semmi: We've taken everything worth taking. What's the plan, Junie?

Jun Li grabbed the temple deed from the air and then turned to Shae. "We can't stay here."

Shae nodded and picked Nix up in her arms. "I will bring him to the Fire Palace."

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

An hour later, Nix lay comfortably cocooned in the warm red flames of a Nemesis Salamander. He was partially submerged in one of her pools, Fey and Fajii were watching patiently.

"Do not worry, " Shae smiled at the two of them, "Nix is going to be fine." She placed a hand on his forehead and ignited his aura. The flames around him instantly turned from red to green and then to brown.

Fey watched for a moment longer, "Is forcing metamorphosis on an unconscious person the best way to proceed?"

Shae nodded. "A while ago he aided me when I was attempting to advance. He absorbed an impossible amount of meta flames. This is partially responsible for Fajii's condition and his own Salamander path."

"Are you going to join him?" Fey understood elemental metamorphosis, Shae had only recently become a Nemesis, to force herself to advance now would have deadly consequences.

"I wish I could walk him through it, however this time I can only watch from the side." Shae's light brown eyes watched him, "but if it goes badly and intervention is required, I won't hesitate."

Fajii stared at her sleeping friend, he looked like he might jump up at any moment. "What if the Lamia poison survives his metamorphosis?"

"It may do so in some shape or form, the process is about adapting your body through growth." Shae summoned a single fire cord and attached it over his heart. It was roughly the thickness of her arm and would serve as fuel for his flame. "I'm confident that even though he sleeps, he has an awareness of events."

"The flames are brown Shae." Fey wasn't overly worried about his advancement, however, she knew that brown flames were especially dangerous.

"It's not unexpected. Nix has a natural ability to control all types of flames, it's uncanny that a human like him exists."

Fey nodded as though she understood. "That's because he's a Salamander, not a human," she muttered under her breath.

The flames grew hotter, making the water in the pond boil. Fajii moved further away, the heat radiating off him was still difficult for her to handle. She watched him, the brown flames surrounding him grew thicker and darker. Fey stayed close, being so close to a powerful flame was a boon for her so she focused on absorbing as much of the residual flames as she could.

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

Most of the guild sat in the Kindled Spirit late into the night. Hyai kept the bar open, but she wasn't charging anyone. She kept her mind focused by staying busy.

/Guildchat: Darsi: A lot of my customers have been complaining that the portal here is private use only.

/Guildchat: Sharl: Understandable, they are used to instantly gating wherever they like.

/Guildchat: Darsi: Are we going to open up the portal to public use?

/Guildchat: Jun Li: No.

/Guildchat: Semmi: The ferry runs twice a day, that's more than enough.

/Guildchat: Sharl: Keeping the portal private lets us have better security.

/Guildchat: Darsi: I've been examining the special item you retrieved. Duplicating it will not be a problem.

/Guildchat: Jun Li: "They will charge it in the temple and then leave it in our care for three days.

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

Shae watched him closely, her mind lingering on his steadfastness. "I was expecting more struggle and discord." She shook her head in amazement, "this is the most peaceful adaption I've ever heard of. The poison has changed slightly and is being integrated."

Fey nodded, her scaled lids were half-closed as she basked. "The flame adores him."

The build-up of power started suddenly, Shae recognized it immediately for what it was. "Quickly, both of you retreat to the temple."

Shae removed the bodysuit that Nix had made for her and fully immersed herself in his flames. She mounted him quickly, her mouth seeking his as she vanquished the cord feeding his flames and used her own aura. The flames they made together were much much purer and hotter than they had been earlier. It was a testament that his own emerald flame had become more refined.

The brown fire aura continued to swirl around them, gradually forming a sphere. Shae could only watch and moan with pleasure. The sphere constricted around both of them, the pressure strong enough to make a Nemesis strain to withstand it. Then it exploded outwards in all directions, a wave of pure power that shook the flame world and the Fire Palace that was anchored to it.

Nix opened his eyes a few minutes later and found himself face to face with a smiling Shae. "Taking advantage of me while I was sleeping?"

Shae nodded, "certainly." She placed a hand over his chest. "A few small changes. Show me." Nix untangled himself from her smooth limbs and sat up.

Nix

Level 50 [Locked: Actual Level 90]

Strength 85

Endurance 83

Intelligence 45

Dexterity 45

Perception 45

Mana 18000/18000

Cold Resistance 120 [Ice Blessing]

Fire Resistance 120 [Burning Aura]

Emerald Flame Strands 90 [Flame Snare] [Fire Root]

Fire Seed [Emerald]

Weapon Skills:

Primary: Path of the Fire Lord [Salamander]

Support Skills:

N/A

Primary Path Skills

Balefire

Meteor Storm

Combustion

Comet Strike

[Spirit Animal 3/4]

: Soup [Royal Sea Turtle]

: Ducky [Siren]

: Fey [Fire Drake]

Skills:

Hunter 100

Leather Making 100

Tailor 100

Beast Slayer [Legendary Creature 2/6]

Description: You have slain two legendary

beasts in single combat. +10 to all Stats.

[Kraken's Strength] Your enemy's

first attack will be reflected back upon them.

[Lamia's Curse]

Your attacks add one stackable poison counter.

"Very nice Nix." Shae pulled him deeper into the pool. "I made you something nice, remind me to show you later." She closed her eyes and leaned heavily against him, her fatigue suddenly very obvious. magic

Nix wrapped her up in his arms and supported her. Unlike her, he had never felt better. "A present? I got you something too."

Shae opened her eyes, "really? Another dress perhaps? I hope it's red."

Nix accessed his inventory and removed the two chests that he had recovered from the Earth Temple. The first contained a large speckled egg, he handed it to her without saying anything.

"It's not for eating."

Shae took the egg in her hands and held it up to her ear. "A Lamia Egg?"