When they returned to the Stonewright Smithy, Aiden could see the owner behind the counter, staring out the window with a bored expression.
The moment they stepped inside, she perked up.
"Is this your team?" she asked, walking over and holding out a hand to shake.
"Most of us," Aiden said. "Two more members are waiting by the lava stream where we plan to drop the salamanders."
She nodded and led them inside toward the coke pile.
The metal door remained shut. Through the glass, the four salamanders were still inside, most of them asleep on the charcoal.
After leading them in, Liora turned to the quest giver.
"Um, if you could step back, miss."
"Thraun," the woman said. "Lila Thraun."
She nodded and stepped away from the forge, giving them a straight path to the door.
Thalia pointed for Liora to stand on the side of the door where the first crack would open. Jax took the other side, ready to open it.
"I can grab two right away," Thalia said. "But I will need more time to get them into the cloak. Aiden, your job is to make sure they do not get out."
Aiden nodded and took off his cloak, holding it open like a sack.
They all moved into position and took a steadying breath.
Jax mouthed out a countdown.
Three.
Two.
One.
Now.
Jax grabbed the door and pulled.
Instead of the door opening, Jax slammed himself face-first into the metal with a painful thud before bouncing off and landing on his side.
"You, uh…" Lila said. "You have to turn the valve first."
Thalia and Aiden turned away, trying to hide their laughter.
Aiden could practically feel Jax turning bright red under his fur.
Liora, on the other hand, did not try to hide anything. She laughed and pointed at Jax, who swatted her nose with his tail as he got back into position.
This time, Jax turned the valve.
Inside the sealed room, the salamanders perked up as the mechanism groaned open.
Liora, Thalia, and Aiden held their breaths while Jax finished turning the valve.
Then the door swung open with surprising force.
Jax was slammed into the side of the metal container as built-up pressure from the smoke blasted out like a cannon.
He groaned.
Party Leader Jax has been struck by improvised weapon: Door.
Party Leader Jax has used Lifeforce Control (E).
Party Leader Jax spent 11 Ki to take 0 damage.
Everyone turned to Jax, worried.
Then the heat from the open room hit the coke pile, and the charcoal began to glow.
The salamanders looked toward them, mouths snapping open and shut. Little sparks flew from their jaws with each bite.
Liora slammed the end of her staff against the ground.
Wind swirled around her, pulling the smoky, poisonous air away and replacing it with air that was thinner, but at least breathable.
Thalia swung both arms out.
Strings flew forward and wrapped around the two salamanders in front.
One thrashed and writhed until the strings snapped. It hissed at Thalia, a small stream of fire escaping its mouth.
The second bit into the mana strings.
An orange-red pulse shot up the strands.
Thalia cried out and fell to one knee. Her arm was covered in red and orange vein-like marks, and she shuddered in pain.
Party member Liora has used skill Whipping Winds (E).
The smoke thins to a breathable level.
Temp party member Thalia has used Marionetting Fingers (E) x2.
Salamander has resisted the strings.
Salamander has burned the mana in the strings.
Temp party member Thalia's mana channels have been burned.
Further mana utilization will cause pain for 20 seconds.
Liora could not do much else. Any stronger wind might feed the flames and help destroy the coke.
So Aiden rushed forward, cloak held out like a net.
The heat inside the room struck him immediately.
A salamander dove at him.
Aiden swung the cloak.
The salamander fell into the interior space, and the cloak began writhing and twisting in his hands as the creature squirmed inside, trying to escape.
The remaining three salamanders darted forward after seeing one of their own captured.
Aiden swung the cloak toward them.
Two stayed back, wary of being caught.
The third lunged and sank its fangs into his leg.
Blinding pain shot through him.
The salamander yanked its head back, tearing several gashes into his leg as its teeth ripped through skin and flesh.
It hurt.
By the gods, it hurt.
Aiden had been lucky in most of their fights so far. He had been tired, scared, and injured, but he had not felt anything like this.
A steely, guttural resolve locked itself into place.
Get this over with.
You have used item Spatial Cloak (E).
You have trapped Basic Fire Spirit: Salamander within.
Salamander attempts to bite you.
You have dodged the bite.
Salamander attempts to bite you.
You have dodged the bite.
Salamander attempts to bite you.
Salamander has bitten into your leg.
You have taken 9 damage.
Your Constitution holds.
You are not ignited.
"Hold on, Aiden!" Jax yelled.
He rushed in, dashing beside him, and brought one forepaw down on a salamander's head.
The salamander's skull bounced off the coke below with a sharp crack. It hissed and whined, crawling back quickly.
Party Leader Jax has used skill Iron Fist (E).
Party Leader Jax has dealt 21 damage.
Aiden heard Thalia hiss through her teeth.
Strings shot forward again.
He turned and saw that Thalia's arm was burning. The fiery veins flickered with small flames, and her right sleeve was burning away.
The strings flew, but they were already falling apart before they reached the salamanders. Embers frayed the mana strands as they wrapped around the targets.
The salamanders rolled through the coke beneath them.
The strings snapped away.
Thalia cried out again.
The flames had spread past her shoulder now, crawling up toward her face in glowing cracks.
Temp party member Thalia has used Marionetting Fingers (E) x2.
Salamander x2 have broken away from the strings.
The use of mana has aggravated the flames in Temp party member Thalia's mana veins.
Temp party member Thalia has taken 8 damage.
"Not good," Will yelled in Aiden's mind. "If I'm doing the math right, Thalia is barely awake, and you are one good bite away from joining her!"
The smoke was making it hard to breathe, even with Liora thinning it.
Still, Aiden had to keep going.
They only had one salamander contained.
They needed the other three.
Aiden dove for one of the salamanders.
It rolled out of the way and lunged for his neck.
He barely turned in time.
Then his arm shot up on its own.
His palm struck the side of the salamander's face, shoving its bite away as it darted past him.
"I got you, but get up and keep moving!" Will yelled.
Aiden's arm returned to his control.
You have used item Spatial Cloak (E).
Salamander has dodged your attempt.
Salamander attempts to bite you.
Skill Fragmented Will (E) has activated and taken control of your left arm.
You have deflected the attack from Salamander.
Jax lunged at the salamander.
It tried to dodge, but Jax sidestepped and bit down around its neck.
His jaws clamped shut.
The salamander's head separated from its body.
Instead of falling lifeless to the ground, its body burst into flames for half a second before burning away.
Party Leader Jax has used skill Iron Fist (E).
Salamander has taken 29 damage.
Salamander has been slain.
Party has gained 500 XP.
Seeing one of their own die, the other two salamanders rushed Jax.
Jax spun, trying to avoid their fangs, but they followed him.
One bit into his tail.
The other bit into his back leg.
Jax twisted and threw them off.
The bite marks flared with small tongues of flame as he stared the salamanders down and said in a surprisingly angry voice,
"I have been burned by Ash Spirits. You think your puny flames will hurt me?"
Salamander attempts to bite Party Leader Jax.
Party Leader Jax has used Lifeforce Control (E).
Party Leader Jax spent 5 Ki to take 0 damage.
Salamander attempts to bite Party Leader Jax.
Party Leader Jax has used Lifeforce Control (E).
Party Leader Jax spent 10 Ki to take 0 damage.
Party Leader Jax's wounds ignite.
Party Leader Jax has taken 5 damage.
Aiden ran toward one of the salamanders as it tried to stand.
It scrambled, but he slammed his still-bleeding foot down onto its tail, holding it in place.
Then he shoved the cloak over its head.
The salamander vanished inside.
Aiden held the cloak open and yelled,
"Thalia, now!"
Thalia was clearly in pain.
Even so, she threw one arm forward.
Her strings flew out and wrapped around the last salamander.
It tried to roll away, but Thalia lifted it off its feet and hurled it toward Aiden.
The two salamanders inside the cloak were already starting to emerge.
The third slammed into them, pushing all three back inside.
Aiden snapped the cloak shut.
The edges bulged and writhed.
You have used item Spatial Cloak (E).
You have trapped Basic Fire Elemental: Salamander within.
Temp party member Thalia has used Marionetting Fingers (E).
Salamander has been grabbed and moved.
You have used item Spatial Cloak (E).
You have trapped Basic Fire Elemental: Salamander within.
The use of mana has aggravated the flames in Temp party member Thalia's mana veins.
Temp party member Thalia has taken 2 damage.
WARNING. WARNING. WARNING.
Temp party member Thalia is unconscious.
WARNING. WARNING. WARNING.
Temp party member Thalia is bleeding out.
Aiden shoved the cloak toward Jax.
Jax took it in his jaws and bolted from the coke pile, racing out of the shop and toward the lava stream.
Aiden stumbled out after him, then turned toward where Thalia lay.
Lila ran over carrying water.
Aiden splashed it over the growing veins of fire across Thalia's body. The marks sizzled and cooled as Thalia writhed.
He quickly started bandaging her wounds, treating her as best he could without any direct healing.
Temp party member Thalia slips closer to oblivion.
Temp party member Thalia loses 6 HP.
You have stabilized Temp party member Thalia.
She will live to see another day.
Seeing that message, Aiden sat down beside Liora, who looked him over with worry.
His leg hurt.
And yet the relief that nobody had been seriously injured like Kaelen had been was euphoric enough to make the pain feel almost small.
Almost.
After a minute or two of waiting, the System chimed.
Party Leader Jax has used item Spatial Cloak (E).
Salamander x3 have been released from their confines.
Party has escaped a deadly situation.
+250 XP.
Party has completed a Porcelain Rank quest.
+1000 XP.