n

n

n

/Inferno: Pon: A flying turtle, now I've seen everything. Next item, Bastard!

nNix removed a pair of gloves and linked them before slipping them on.

nAshobel Clawz Faction Based

nMust be an ally of the Ashobel.

nDescription: A soft brown leather

nglove that is both comfortable and

ndurable.

nActivation: Upon activation, the user's

nprimary path temporarily becomes melee

nand the gloves become the hands of an Ashobel

nwarrior.

nEnhancement: Miniature Animation .25 Desert Basilisk

n

/Inferno: Jun Li: That basilisk is badass.

n

/Inferno: Wind: Agreed. Keep going?

nNix pulled out his Rat-based Emperor puppets.

"This is about it; the rest are some crafting items for myself.

"

nSkelly-Sasi was staring hard at the Ravager puppet.

"Are these both the same?

"

nNix shook his head.

"No. The smaller one is a Rotter.

" He picked up the Rotter puppet and motioned toward the Ravager.

"That one is yours, Sasi. I don't have the demon reflexes that you and Rabi have!

"

n

/Inferno: Semmi: We have an Officer meeting planned for the morning. We could have it now instead.

n

/Inferno: Nix: In the morning is best. I need Alpha, Milat, and Gil for a moment.

nMilat has joined Alpha.

nGil has joined Alpha.

n

/Alpha: Nix: Milat, I need you to take the Aquarions and move into the lower levels of the Keep.

n

/Alpha: Milat: And do what? We can't go to the upper levels, right?

n

/Alpha: Nix: You're going to protect Soup. That's your mission.

n

/Alpha: Gil: I won't let anything happen to her.

n

/Alpha: Nix: Right... Stay away from my turtle.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: Where we going with this?

n

/Alpha: Nix: It's a Ratscursion! Milat's group will stay in the lower levels and wait. Alpha is going to head in and plug the holes.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: What holes?

n

/Alpha: Nix: You'll see. We're going to seriously ** things up! We Rat up in one hour!

nAn hour later, Nix was studying the Keep's image on his hud.

nWhisper: Nix to Darsi Gather your team and get them in position.

nWhisper: Darsi to Nix Understood, Trip-7.

n

/Alpha: Rabi: Rabi is so happy, he can't stand it.

n

/Alpha: Sasi: Sasi is even happier than Rabi!

n

/Alpha: Rabi: Why do you have to say that?

nNix held a hand up to stop any further argument. A few extra bunks had been brought into their tent so that the entire team could be located in the same area.

nSemmi lay on her back, playing with the Rat puppet she was about to occupy.

"Going to send everyone the loadout.

"

nBone Fortress, 0100 hours Ice Faction: 5,241 Undead: 1,801

nRatscursion

nNix: Rotter

nRabi: Ravager

nSasi: Ravager

nPon: Nether Rat

nSemmi: Nether Rat

nWind: Nether Rat

nFajii: Nether Rat

nDuran: Nether Rat

n

/Alpha: Duran: Thanks for including me!

n

/Alpha: Nix: It made sense, you know the Keep better than anyone. Just keep in mind, I'm the Rat-King... not you.

n

/Alpha: Duran: Sure, I'll be the Rat-Bard!

n

/Alpha: Nix: Acceptable. Stealth up and follow me.

nNix followed the coastline north toward his entry point at Ducky's window. The group of eight moved in single file until they arrived at their destination.

n

/Alpha: Nix: My entry point is Ducky's window. Thanks to our Snipers, there are only six other open windows. You have your assignments. Scout out the room and close the window from inside. If the room is occupied, do not engage.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: Is someone doubling up?

n

/Alpha: Nix: Rat-Bard is with me.

nNix scampered up the side of the wall, immediately noticing that the Rotter claws weren't as good for climbing as the Ravager had been. However, all four feet were substantially wider and webbed.

nWhisper: Nix to Ducky Two Rats are approaching your window!

nDucky's head peeked over the edge almost immediately; when he was close enough, she grabbed him and pulled him in.

n

"Nix! This one is different. A water creature?

" Ducky held the Rotter in her arms and carried it to her bed, leaving the Rat-Bard to enter on his own.

nDucky has joined Alpha.

n

/Alpha: Ducky: Is this another Ratscue?

n

/Alpha: Nix: No. A Ratscursion. Tell Pradi to find a good hiding spot on the upper levels, but not on the roof. Update me on what's been happening.

n

/Alpha: Fajii: Hi Ducky.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: Hey Ducky.

n

/Alpha: Ducky: Well... The deaths of Glacia and Sandi were discovered. At first, it was believed they killed each other. Somehow they discovered the truth and that Pradi and I were involved. They haven't connected Soup or the Ravager puppet with the Undead Faction. They are blaming my Faction for this.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: You have a faction?

n

/Alpha: Ducky: Of course. The Ducky Faction.

nSemmi and Pon were the last to arrive at Ducky's room. It had taken some doing, but they managed to close all the windows in the keep.

n

/Alpha: Nix: Where's Pradi?

n

/Alpha: Ducky: I sent him to the upper level of the Keep to hide.

n

/Alpha: Nix: Has Hulo made any moves?

n

/Alpha: Ducky: Yes. He's stepped into the power vacuum created by the deaths of Sandi and Glacia. For some reason, both factions have aligned under him.

n

/Alpha: Nix: We avoid Hulo tonight. He can wait until we kick the doors down on this place. Bring us to the entrance to the lower levels.

nDucky nodded and walked casually down the hallway. To anyone who happened to see, she appeared to be taking a late-night stroll by herself. The group of rats moved single file while hugging the right side of the dimly lit halls.

nAfter several turns and a few flights of stairs, Ducky arrived at the archway that signified the lower levels' beginning. At this point, Nix took the lead and advanced to the first landing.

n

/Alpha: Nix: Everyone stay here. I'll make contact with our friends.

nThe Rat-King scurried down the stairs and stopped at the first hallway. The floor was damp here, but any lower and the dampness would become standing water.

nWhisper: Nix to Milat In position?

nSeveral twisting halls and flights of stairs away, the Aquarion waited with a team of sixteen fighters, including Gil. Nix had been clear about their task, Don't let anyone interfere with Soup. His alien eyes watched the water creature as it stood casually on the surface of the waist-deep water.

nWhisper: Milat to Nix Yes. Standing by.

nWhisper: Nix to Milat Do it. And hold this spot for as long as Soup needs.

nWhisper: Milat to Nix Understood.

n

"Soup!

" Milat called the Sea Turtle's name, immediately, she looked at him.

"Nix says it's time.

"

nSoup's jade-colored arms raised to her side as her aquamarine eyes focused on the water beneath her feet.

nSoup has activated High Tide.

nThe group of water creatures struggled to brace themselves as seawater rushed into the cavern. Within a few seconds, the room was filled to the ceiling. Soup floated gently in place, not bothered by the swirling current of water as it rushed in. The flow continued without showing any signs of slowing down.

n

/Bravo: Gil: She's going to flood the lower levels?

n

/Bravo: Milat: That's my guess.

nAs soon as he made contact with Soup's team, Rat-Nix reversed course and headed back. By the time he was one hallway from his team's hiding spot, he could feel the rush of air blowing against his fur as he ran. The floor beneath his feet vibrated in front of the inevitable stampede.

nThe Rat-King darted up the stairs, stopping just short of the landing.

"Incoming! These are mine! Form a line! It's take-out.

nNix spun just as the stairs turned into a carpet of running rats.

nNix has cast Dominate.

nNix has dominated 1,000 common rats.

nThe Rat-King ran past his group, with all his minions in tow.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: I'm next! Where we taking them. Upstairs to fight?

n

/Alpha: Nix: Up the stairs and turn left. There's a stair leading to the upper level. I'll be waiting there!

nThe rest of Alpha started activating Dominate as the landing turned into a wind tunnel that was slowly pushing the team upward. Pon grabbed his rats last, barely able to move as the flow of rats threatened to overrun him. The last thing he saw was the rush of water that chased him up the stairs.

n

/Alpha: Pon: Shit! Fuck is that **?

n

/Alpha: Nix: Those are rats, and that's water. Catch up, old man; we're waiting.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: You used the water level to drive all the rats upward. There must be tens of thousands of them!

nRat-Nix watched as the dominated rats entered the staircase and stopped; however, the rest of them scurried in all directions in a mad panic.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: What now? Break off and engage?

n

/Alpha: Nix: Nope. Follow me.

nNix took the stairs up, continuing to move upward past each level until they were well past the mid-levels. The stairs finally stopped and exited into a large room. Three other staircases could be seen on the opposite corners of the room.

n

/Alpha: Duran: This is the Great Hall! It's four levels from the top of the keep.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: Why aren't we lower? I don't understand...

n

/Alpha: Nix: Semmi, you're with me at this exit. I want two people on each of those staircases. Move!

nBefore everyone had a chance to get in place, an alarm sounded in the castle. The blaring sound of a klaxon drowned out any other sounds.

nRat-Semmi stood next to the Rat-King, her sharp mind trying to figure out what Nix was planning. Driving the water up had given them a rat army. They were only common rats, but nearly ten thousand of them could threaten anything. The rush of wind up the stairs interrupted her thoughts; it felt the same as the landing in the lower levels.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: Nix? You're going to flood the entire keep?

n

/Alpha: Wind: huh?

n

/Alpha: Nix: Not the entire Keep. Just to the level below us. They're coming!

nNix wasn't sure what level the water was at yet, but panic hung in the air as a dozen Trifecta rushed up the stairs.

nNix has commanded his minions Attack

nSemmi has commanded her minions to Attack

n

/Alpha: Nix: Try to keep the kills on the stairs; if we can stack up bodies, it will slow them down.

nThe Rat-King jumped into the mix. The stairs were too narrow and cramped to swing any kind of weapon effectively. He sunk his teeth into the leg of a magic user and sliced through the tendon before leaping onto the next. The pushing and jostling continued, with the occasional fighter making it past but as minutes ticked by, the stairs became clogged with casualties.

nNix retreated temporarily when he noticed that his minions were down by about half. Hundreds of undominated rats filled the stairs as they followed their instincts in an effort to escape the rising tide.

nNix has activated Dominate.

nNix has dominated 911 common rats.

n

/Alpha: Nix: Use the rats coming up the stairs to refresh your minions!

nAs the minutes passed by, the stairs became unpassable. A short while after that, the sound of water rushing down the halls below them could be heard.

nWhisper: Darsi to Nix The water is two levels beneath you. It's stopped rising. Lots of cats in the cradle, Trip-7.

nNix nodded slightly and pulled his minions out of the stairs.

n

/Alpha: Nix: Send the rest of your minions up to the roof to fight it out. Then retreat back to camp.

nWhisper: Nix to Darsi Greenlight Darsi. Light up anything on the roof.

nNix sent his minions to the roof and scampered for the stairs. The bodies were three or four layers deep as he slowly made his way to the bottom. The hall exiting the stairs was flooded to the ceiling; dozens of bodies floated in the halls while others were near the doors.

nThe Rotter zipped down the hallway, stopping every once in a while to gain his bearings. From the positions of some of the bodies, he could tell that some had attempted to reopen the barred windows. The weight of the water rushing in would have made opening those large doors impossible.

n

/Alpha: Nix: You okay, Ducky?

n

/Alpha: Ducky: Of course. I'm a Water Witch.

n

/Alpha: Rabi: Rabi has left the Keep. So has Sasi!

n

/Alpha: Sasi: I was going to report that!

n

/Alpha: Rabi: Sorry.

n

/Alpha: Pon: I'm trailing the rest of them. Everyone's out. You good, Nix?

n

/Alpha: Nix: Yeah. Be back after I check on some stuff.

n

/Alpha: Semmi: Holy crap Nix...

n

/Alpha: Nix: What?

n

/Alpha: Semmi: Their numbers are at 3,018! They lost more than two thousand.

n

/Alpha: Nix: I did say we were going to ** them up.

n

/Alpha: Pon: Heh. This ain't no tea party.

n

/Alpha: Wind: Prey will always be Prey.

n

/Alpha: Pon: I like that, can I use it?

n

/Alpha: Wind: No.

nNix found Ducky's door, despite the light being nonexistent. He wasn't sure how long the Rotter could go without breathing, but it had been at least ten minutes, and he wasn't struggling.

n

/Alpha: Nix: I'm at your door.

n

/Alpha: Ducky: Okay, I'll let you in.

nRat-Nix attempted to swim into Ducky's room but was grabbed before he could tumble to the floor. The Water Witch's room was as dry as the Great Desert. The Water stopped at the doorway as if being held back by an invisible barrier.

n

"That's pretty impressive.

" Nix waited until Ducky sat him down, noticing that the Rotter's fur dried almost immediately.

nDucky favored him with a smile.

"Normally, I'd let it come in, but I have some nice things in here that I don't want to get wet.

"

n

"You're doing really well, Ducky. Thanks for the hard work. We're almost done here, a few days, and we'll be knocking on the door.

" Rat-Nix turned back toward the door.

"How's your thief?

"

n

"Pradi is okay. He said that the main force is in the top four levels of the Keep.

" Ducky bent down and stroked the Rotter's head.

"What do you want me to do next?

"

n

"Is Pradi good at underwater stuff?

"

nDucky nodded.

"His Thief class has a water Attunement.

"

n

"Really? You want to keep him around when we leave this place.

"

n

"I've already questioned him extensively. Pradi is very nice. He's what you'd call a wise-butt.

"

n

"Wise-Ass? He should fit in then.

" Nix paused at the door.

"Up to you, Ducky. Either way, I want you to take a quick look around and then head down to Bravo team.

"

nDucky clapped her hands excitedly.

"Soupy!

"

nThe Rotter swam down the middle of the hallway, dodging the occasional bodies that were still floating. Spotting the entrance to the lower levels, he put on a burst of speed and darted down the murky stairs.

nNix has joined Bravo.

nNix found the group a few minutes later, near the exit to the sea. Soup was floating upright, her jade feet a few feet above the cavern floor.

n

/Bravo: Nix: How's my girl doing?

n

/Bravo: Milat: She's getting tired.

nNix circled her once, getting her attention. He patted her round face with a webbed paw, signaling that she could release the Tide.

n

/Bravo: Nix: Ducky will join you sometime today. Stay here and keep an eye on things.

n

/Bravo: Gil: We taking on the next Burrough?

n

/Bravo: Nix: Not sure yet. I'll send someone to brief you on our plans.

nSeveral minutes later, the Rotter puppet left the surf near their camp and trotted toward his tent. He could hear the voices of his team talking when he entered.

n

"Welcome back!

" Semmi picked up the Rotter puppet when it went limp and put it aside with the other puppets they had used.

"Bravo team all good?

"

nNix sat up slowly; for once, he didn't kick the Orion who was sleeping on his feet.

"Good job, everyone. That's a big win.

"

n