Phoenix Phire

Nearly an hour later, Nix studied the battlefield layout. He placed the Inferno raid members near the middle of the battlefield to preserve the players who could influence the final outcome. The Scorpion and Lion Clans formed the front of the Inferno battle lines. Both were fierce in battle and would stop frontal assaults from pushing too deep. The outside perimeter of the rear forces was populated by the ranged fighters. Over the course of several minutes, Semmi and Jun Li assisted him in piecing together the rest. When the final tally was made, counting the forces of the Nether, Inferno, and its allies, their numbers stood at one hundred thousand.

As the minutes dragged on, the veil that separated the two forces became more transparent. Finally, shortly before mid-day, it became obvious that the number of Khione's forces closely matched their own.

/Allied Command: Nix: Turning things over to Jun Li and the Breach Commanders from Solomon City. Good Luck, everyone.

[I need to talk to you, Guild Leader Nix.]

Nix raised an eyebrow at the voice. It was Enigma, the black ball he had removed from the Bone Fortress. He removed the object from his inventory and stared at it. "Kinda busy here..."

[You must kill all of Khione's Avatars.]

Nix stared at the ball while counting the Avatars they'd already taken care of. "We put down three of them already."

[She only has five Avatars, killing the last two is paramount to your goals.]

"Paramount? Who talks like that? I'm going to torch her real body... Fuck the Avatars."

[You won't face Khione's real form until all her Avatars are slain.]

"Noted..." Nix put the ball of Enigma back in his inventory before pushing emerald fury flames into his bone hilts. The green flames buzzed hotly while pushing away the chill of the Deep Winter.

/Dagger: Nix: Fight in your own group until Ronnie gives the word.

/Alpha: Pon: We going to push toward the front?

/Alpha: Nix: Yes, but very slowly.

/Alpha: Semmi: Air or ground?

/Alpha: Nix: Ground since most of us are melee and my mana is depleted.

/Alpha: Pon: Heh... Noob. That was a fucking nice strike, though.

With the passing of time, the veil continued to weaken until complete transparency was nearly achieved. Nix studied the enemy on the other side of the barrier. Each seemed to be a carbon copy of the one next to it. The Howlers were nearly three meters tall and possessed strong bodies that rippled with muscled. Their blue skin was impervious to cold and was adorned with various types of armor. When coupled with their fangs and long claws, their attacks were deadly. The shaggy white hair that hung freely over their shoulders gave them a beastly appearance.

[Whisper: Darsi to Nix] Spotted the boss, Trip-7. He's near the middle of the group, callsign Shapeshifter Vorn.

[Whisper: Nix to Darsi] Can the snipers take him out?

[Whisper: Darsi to Nix] Negative. He is untargetable at this time.

[Whisper: Nix to Darsi] Understood. Keep me apprised of his status.

Nix studied the center of the Howler Army; picking out Vorn in the midst of the enemy troops was impossible.

Without any warning, the veils separating the two sides ruptured with an audible 'pop.' A large white lion was the first to move, his powerful muscles bunched beneath his skin as he covered the thirty-meter distance with a single leap. Teeth and claws tore through the tough skin of the Howler like it was tissue paper. Seconds into the battle, the first kill had been made.

Nihlus's roar shook the frontlines, the blood from his kill still frothing in his mouth. The former dragon spawn was surrounded by a sphere of lightning; although the protection could be penetrated, the price of doing so was painful. Without warning, a Howler charged him and powered his way through the lightning.

Nihlus sidestepped, causing the ax to bite deep into the ice; he struck suddenly with a single paw that elicited a crashing boom as the Howler was blasted into a blood mist by a sudden bolt of electricity.

A hundred meters away, the enemy line that was facing off against the Scorpion Titans was learning a similar lesson. The Titans that had been modified by Nix were vastly superior when compared to regular Titans.

Sindi stood in front of Lucid, taking it upon himself to protect the First. The former dragon descendant was bathed in Ice Flames; the first strike of his pincers resulted in an instant Howler ice sculpture. The enemy shattered a moment later when his barbed tail stabbed into him. "Don't overextend yourself, Lucid."

The First didn't answer but maneuvered herself until she was directly behind Sindi. As the future leader of the Titan Scorpions, she was well aware of her limits. However, she was also aware of Sindi's importance. A Titan that possessed the dragon bloodline and Ice Flames would wield great power in the newly revived clan.

*************Author's Note*********

Gil and Jaro were the first two friends that Nix made in the forests of Titania. Gil is, of course, a Turtle Titan, while Jaro is a Bear. Both are members of the Ground Pounders, an elite force within the Titan army.

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

"Never fuck with a Turtle!" Gil snapped a howler in half after the creature's ax bounced harmlessly off his shell. The Bear and the Turtle Clan formed the Titan Nation's frontline and matched the advancement of the revived Titans.

"Push forward!" Mortimus's roar caused the closest Howlers to retreat as he charged into their ranks, his paws crushing and crippling whenever he struck.

Gil and Jaro flanked their Warleader, content with finishing off his leftovers. Then, with their own squads providing lateral support, the first tide of battle became apparent. In a melee confrontation, no one could match the might of the Titans.

Morti huffed loudly by his position next to Alpha. The Titan cub stood on his hind legs, towering over his allies. Because of their location near the center, they had yet to see any action. "I hope we swat something soon."

Nix nudged the cub causing him to drop to all fours. "Your mission is different than your fathers."

Morti's big head nodded as he plopped down on the frozen snow. "I know... Did you bring any sandwiches?"

"Don't I always?" Nix's attention was pulled away from the battlefield by the sudden build-up of energy. "The hell..."

[Shapeshifter Vorn has shared his bloodline: Blood Raptor.]

A wave of power pushed outward from the rear of the enemy formation; as it passed through the Howler ranks, all of them transformed.

/Alpha: Pon: I didn't see that coming.

/Alpha: Nix: Cheating bastards.

Every Howler on the battlefield had changed into a Blood Raptor. Within seconds, the ground battle had turned to air. The raptors were nearly the size of their Howler counterparts. They were equipped with large leathery wings and vicious-looking talons. When they took the air, most of them were carrying Titans in their claws.

**********Author's Note********

Guyanar and Zinu were both members of the Krayven Clan. Guyanar was the old man that Nix placed inside the Hawk Titan puppet that he built in Khalam'Zhur. Zinu was his granddaughter, the healer who had dealings with Nix when Inferno initially fought with her Clan. For a short while, Nix's Phoenix was the Krayven's Totem.

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

Titans of all shapes and sizes rained down on the battlefield; some of them managed to clutch at their captors, tearing at them in a desperate attempt to drag the enemy down with them. Heavy bodies impacted the ice, critically injuring and, in some cases killing the Titans. The Blood Raptors quickly advanced into the air above the middle the enemy lines.

Nix extended a hand as a Raptor dived at them, three strands of emerald flame wrapped around the neck of their aggressor. The Inferno Leader cussed loudly as the screeching enemy panicked and climbed higher into the air.

[Fajii has activated her bloodline: 2nd Form, Dread Archon]

[Pon has activated his bloodline: 2nd Form, Dread Archon]

[Balefire: Dread Flames]

White flames extended from Pon's outstretched hands; an instant later, the Blood Raptor carrying Nix fell lifelessly out of the sky.

Nix rolled to his feet, suddenly glad that the old man had quick reflexes. Within seconds, everyone with an Archon form had joined the battle. Those without the ability summoned their winged mounts.

/Alpha: Fajii: Coming up, Nix?

/Inferno: Jun Li: Bring in our Air Forces!

Two breaches opened up on opposite sides of the Inferno lines; simultaneously, an impossibly long wind tunnel formed. The wind tunnel ran horizontally for several hundred meters. The battle seemed to pause for an instant as both ally and enemy stared at the new development.

A black-winged figure shot through the tunnel in a blur before banking upward and zooming into the clouds above. A moment later, the arch wings followed her. Then, by the tens of thousands, their white wings filled the skies until finally, the air tunnel closed.

/Air Forces: Commander Rhylia: I didn't mean to keep you waiting! Have at them!

The roar of a dragon echoed across the lake, announcing the arrival of Inferno's strongest flier in a flash of silver. Fey banked across the battlefield, shadowed closely by Muncie and the Inferno Drakes.

Fey, the Silver turned a cluster of Raptors into drifting ashes as she scanned the battlefield. Her sharp eyes quickly located Nix and the rest of her family, all of them were safe.

"BATTLE!" The silver dragon's shout caused the Raptors closest to her to flee in terror. The temperature of the air above Lake Bachoni skyrocketed as dragon fire filled the sky.

On the other side of the battlefield, the unused Breach suddenly lit up. An impossibly fast streak of brown erupted outward with a terrifying scream.

Guyanar has issued the [SkyKing Challenge]. All enemy fliers must resist the Skyking or be rendered flightless for thirty seconds.

As thousands of blood raptors fell out of the sky, Nix pushed emerald flames into his bone hilts. The Titan Hawks had arrived. Del stopped in front of him, pausing until the Inferno Leader mounted up.

/Dagger: Ronnie: There she is! Khione has joined the battle!

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