fire + water is a steam cloud. you need to make an explosion, i usually did this by throwing a fireball at a pool of poison.
but I just unlinked 1 of my companions then had them teleport to town to buy the skill book from the town vendor. Then just used the teleport pyramid to get them back to the party.
I did make that poison + fire explosion, it didn't work, guess Ray is the only way, I will get that.