Chapter 179 - Lingering regrets
Scarlett surveyed the enemies before them. The Auranthials on the right were the lumomancers, while those on the left were the pyromancers.
“Fynn, you are responsible for those to the right. Miss Astrey, Mister Thornthon, focus your attention on the ones to the left. Miss Hale and Father Abraham will handle defense and support,” she immediately issued her orders. “For now, I will keep the central one occupied.”
Then the battle commenced. A low growl escaped Fynn as the wind surged around him and propelled him forward, his knuckles adorned with translucent green claws. As he charged towards the enemies, Shin also stepped forward with shield raised.
Rosa’s klert produced a blend of harmonious tones as the bard deftly interwove three different charms, buffing the entire group. Scarlett felt her focus sharpen and newfound vitality coursed through her.
Allyssa fired her hand crossbow at one of the Auranthials who conjured fiery globules in front of it. Simultaneously, she retrieved a flask from her bandolier and hurled it towards the pyromancers to the left.
Seeing her party act without hesitation, Scarlett cleared her mind of distractions and raised her hands. She had been itching for a chance to go all out for a while now. None of the other dungeons they had cleared in the Bridgespell area had pushed them to their limits.
She started by assuming control of the ten or so spells being cast by the pyromancer Auranthials. With the added buff from the [Tiara of Lost Benediction] and Rosa’s enchantment, the action was almost effortless. She then summoned several fire arrows and Aqua Mines around the room, targeting their enemies’ weak points, which were strikingly apparent to her artifact-enhanced vision.
The tall boss figure, a remnant left behind by Deacon Emberwood, found itself ensnared within a spherical cage of fire. That was mostly for show, though, as Scarlett focused her initial assault on the other foes. Barely a moment had passed since the fight began, and all the spells and attacks from both sides were unleashed almost simultaneously.
An explosive cacophony filled the chamber as fiery eruptions and thunderous crashes echoed throughout. Steam billowed in sporadic pockets, and Scarlett’s fire arrows found their mark. Most of the pyromancer Auranthials’ spells fizzled into nothingness or went astray, targeting their own comrades. An explosive burst of ice erupted from the flask Allyssa had thrown, landing in their midst and encasing part of their robes and lower bodies.
The brunt of Scarlett’s barrage landed on the lumomancer Auranthials, creating opportunities for Fynn by knocking them down or destabilizing them with her Aqua Mines or exploiting gaps in their defenses to punch through with her fire arrows. Some of those Auranthials’ spells—streaks of light emitted from the nimbuses circling them—were knocked off course and collided with the walls, while shimmering discs of brilliant light blocked the rest. Beside Scarlett, Raimond casually tossed his bright blond hair over his shoulder, wearing a confident smile as the air almost seemed to dazzle around him.
When Fynn reached his targets, he crashed into them like a battering ram and began tearing through their ranks. While they were sturdy enough to withstand his blows for a while, and he was basically outnumbered ten to one, Scarlett’s previous attacks had left them vulnerable, hopefully to the degree where the young man could keep them in check while supported by Rosa and Raimond.
It was then that Deacon Emberwood’s remnant took action. An array of sigils glowing red and bright white appeared all around the room.