The two masked Ain'Dhassi picked their path carefully through the forest. The smaller, shaggy horse led the procession, they would stop every few minutes to change directions.

Del Tali has activated Tracking.

[Track]

Zen Dar: 443 meters SW

Vik Dar: 442 meters SW

Buso Dar 440 meters SW

Eina Dar 442 meters SW

Nina Dar 460 meters SW

Aari Dar 461 meters SW

Mika Dar 460 meters SW

Weri Dar 462 meters SW

Mirko Dar 462 meters SW

Havi Dar 463 meters SW

"It's the Dar Clan, they must be waiting outside of the temple." Del dismounted and led their horses into the dense under-foliage of the forest. Del and her escort stealthed and proceeded closer to get a better look.

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

Fajii painstakingly gathered small bits of emerald flames together and would duck down behind the altar each time the flames burst outward. Eron sat on the floor, shielded by the altar, healing her injuries as they occurred. The Scorched Earth Mage wasn't bothered by the green flames, but the silver flames managed to burn through her natural defenses.

/Alpha Team: Fajii: Flames!

Pon, Wind, and Semmi were fighting in three separate hallways. The Fire Mage had no problem holding his own, but the two Gemini Thieves had been in trouble. Eron noticed their health deteriorating and had moved into position long enough to heal them. A moment later flames roared down the hallway, incinerating everything in its path.

Uutha Gerit has been slain.

Tier Aable has been slain.

Penzi Burillium has been slain.

/Alpha Team: Semmi: That was a bad one. How much longer Fajii?

Alpha Team had been fighting for nearly two hours already. Only the breaks between mobs kept them from being overrun. Fajii studied Nix carefully, she had removed his armor in order to find the emerald flames.

/Alpha Team: Fajii: Should be soon, nearly all the emerald flames have been vented.

A sudden stabbing pain in her hand made her pull it back. The last bit of emerald flame was pooled on Nix's abdomen. It seemed to condense for a moment and then formed a flower-like bloom that bought a smile to Fajii's face. "Beautiful."

The emerald flower grew darker and slightly larger, Fajii waited patiently for Nix to vent it. Without warning, the blooming flower started expanding. It moved into the silver flames and started intermixing.

"Nix! They are mixing again!" Fajii tried to put her hands on Nix's stomach again but they were immediately scorched black, if Eron hadn't been there to heal her she would have died on the spot.

/Alpha Team: Nix: Take cover in the halls with the others. The flames won't separate.

/Alpha Team: Fajii: I'll stay with you Nix.

/Alpha Team: Nix: Go now Fajii!

Pon peeked into the altar room, he could feel the power growing toward its pinnacle. The old man moved before anyone could react, he grabbed the protesting Fajii and dragged her back to his hiding spot. "You can't survive this Fajii! He's holding back because he's worried you'll die!"

Nix felt the skin on his body start to bubble, he clenched his teeth to keep from screaming in pain. "I can't separate them!"

A burst of silver and emerald flames roared down the corridor. Time slowed for Nix in his head, in the past when he was in imminent danger everything seemed to slow down drastically. I'm going to lose both flames and burnout. I'll be a crippled Fire Mage without any fire. An image of Shae popped into his head, she was waiting for him to ascend to the upper planes. A separate image of Mina appeared in front of him, her personal quest to destroy the Cai'Song artifact needed his participation. Finally, Fajii's face floated in front of him. He was straining to concentrate over the din of blood-curdling screams, not realizing that he was the one screaming. He focused on her dark face, the earring he had given her and finally her brown hair with red highlights. She always wore the braid that Nansu had taught her. It was really pretty actually... Fajii's braided hair...

Nix's eyes widened for a moment. "Braids! Of course, this is the Gemini Temple." He focused all of his will, and sent dozens of flaming tentacles out at once. He kept pushing them out until the pressure on him lessened. Regathering his focus, he concentrated on two separate strands, one silver, and one emerald, then he twisted them together. The braided strand crackled as the heat rolled off the two colors that seemed bent on combating each other. He pushed the flames together and held them, for a moment it seemed like he would fail but the two flames finally stopped their frantic waving and pointed straight outward, vibrating with a steady hum.

The effort left his gasping for breath, but with one success as motivation, he focused on the next two strands.

Pon watched from the corridor in wide-eyed shock as Nix progressed through all of the tentacles. Twice he had approached the end only to push more flame strands out. Nix resembled a silver and green pincushion. "Braided flames... the ultimate refinement."

/Alpha Team: Nix: Move away from the entrance!

Nix held dozens of braided emerald and silver fire strands together. He waited until the last of his strength ran out.

The sounds of running feet echoed in the halls. Semmi moved close enough to investigate.

/Alpha Team: Semmi: Dozens coming down the South hall Nix.

/Alpha Team: Pon: Just as many from the West, the increase in power is drawing everything in the Temple.

/Alpha Team: Wind: Same here, options?

"STAY HIDDEN," Nix shouted hoarsely.

Nix has activated his bloodline.

[Second Form: Salamander]

[Awakened: Gemini Flame]

Semmi and Wind had both run to the west hall to join Fajii and Pon.

Pon felt the sudden escalation of power and grabbed them both before pushing them to the floor near Fajii. His old eyes reflected the grimness of his thoughts.

[Fire Shield]

Pon used his own flames to shield the corridor on either side of them.

A moment later a torrential river of Gemini flames rushed down the four corridors. The floors and the walls trembled while Pon held the overflow at bay. The members of Alpha Team covered their ears against the deafening roar of Nix's flames.

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

Del and Sai Tali watched the Temple and the Fir'Dhassi with caution. Hours passed, the Fir Dhassi waited on the outside to confront Inferno.

Del frowned at the Dar Clan. "What are they waiting for?"

Sai shook his head, not knowing for sure. "Most likely they are remembering the Sike Clan and can't find the courage to enter."

Del remembered stories of the Sike Clan, they were at the pinnacle of 2nd rate Clans. Sike were fierce fighters and could mount a force of nearly fifty Elite fighters. They had entered the Gemini Temple in search of the Temple Lord, it was said that her treasures were impressive. In the end, the entire Elite force had beaten the Gemini Queen, but none of their fighters remained alive. "Maybe Nix has left the Temple."

[Whisper: Del Tali to Nix] The Fir'Dhassi are waiting outside the Gemini Temple to ambush you when you exit.

[You may not communicate with Nix at this time.]

Del muttered a curse under her breath. An instant later the ground beneath them started to tremble. She knelt quickly to keep her balance, the entire area shook and the air rumbled around them.

Sai grabbed her arm and pulled her. "We are returning to the horses."

Del let herself be led away. "What about the Dar Clan?"

Sai picked up his pace and quickly mounted his horse. "If they're smart, they'll run."