Chapter 201 - Intermissions
The minutes passed in silent anticipation as Scarlett and Allyssa stood before the sealed door. Its frame was mostly a dark pitch black, with the only color coming from the two crimson gems embedded in its face, seeming to pulsate with a subtle internal energy. They were still waiting for their companions to complete their respective tasks, and over twenty minutes had already gone by.
It seemed that the distance they had to cover was a lot longer here than Scarlett had been anticipating. Still, she trusted they would be successful.
Finally, the right gem burst into life as a vivid blaze within its depths. Allyssa’s voice broke the silence beside Scarlett. “Oh? Does that mean Fynn’s finished his part?”
“That it does,” Scarlett said, her gaze shifting to the other gem. “Now, all that remains is for Father Abraham and the others to conclude things on their end before we can proceed.”
She’d been expecting Fynn to finish first, but she didn’t know how far behind Raimond’s group would be. It depended on how hard it had been for Fynn to navigate past the enemies on his path.
“So we really aren’t waiting for them?” Allyssa asked.
“We are not.”
The point behind this was to create a window of opportunity for Scarlett to act independently of Raimond and the knights. Even then, she didn’t know how much time they’d buy.
“I’d already figured as much, but…” Allyssa murmured, drawing Scarlett’s attention. The Shielder fidgeted with the goggles stuck to her forehead as she looked at the door, then turned to Scarlett. “…Can I ask why?”
Scarlett met her eyes for a few seconds. “Because I am concerned that they will prove a hindrance.”
“Even Shin?”
“No, he is an exception, but it proved logistically sound to have him remain and continue assisting the others.”