Chapter Four Hundred And Three - 403Fire washed over the grass, setting all of it alight instantly. Vess danced backward, just ahead of the flames and spun all seven of her conjured Spears in unison. Air Mana surged, flooding the fire Mana of the attackconsuming the vegetation utterly but extinguishing the flames.
Dragoon's Footwork is level 74!
They had been fighting for a half glass, and this was their second wave of Temple Knights that had come for them. Now it was only the Matron facing her and Evie. Vess couldn't understand why more Knights weren't coming, let alone more Masters.
"Is that all you have?" she said. All eight of her spears, including the one in her hand, leveled at the woman in golden robes before her. "I would have expected more from a Matron. Or is this all a simple Urge-slave can manage?"
The woman, veiled in golden lace, smirked. "You cannot see through your prejudice, warrior." The Matron raised a hand and a collection of swirling orange-yellow orbs the size of her head manifested above her and began to spin. "I will force your eyes open."
Chains of purple-white frost shot from the earth, stabbing up and into the Matron's chest. The priestess cried out and several orbs flickered as a blade of ice jabbed into her neck.
"Lotta talkin' when you should be fightin'," Evie said, before yelping. "Hey!"
The Ice Spike in her hand had burst into steam as one of those orbs dropped onto Evie from above. She dodged back, arm clearly burnt.
"I'll show you all the power of Ahkestria!" the Matron hissed.
Power thundered from the woman, her High Adept Spirit fully unleashed. Vess and Evie both winced at the pressure, but neither of them were weak...and Evie had a Low Adept's Body. When the orbs came for her, the chain warrior was able to hurl herself aside. The Matron shattered the chains around her body, and twisted after Evie.
Leaving her open to three Spears in her back.
"Seven Tribulations," Vess commanded. The Spears ripped themselves apart in three pronged storm of metal and air Mana. The Matron screamed as blood burst from her back, shredding her fine robes, and redirected her attention to Vess.
"You think that is enough to extinguish a Chosen of That Which Burns?" The Matron gathered herself and lifted a span off the ground, buoyed by a wavering haze of power. "We are the fuel by which She is strengthened, and in turn She strengthens us!"
Her limbs transformed into whips of incandescent fire, just as Evie's chain cut through the air. It caught and tangled the girl's strike, heating the metal to a brilliant cherry red. Evie cursed and hauled back, but her chain was trapped.
"Physical weapons against the might of the Spirit...it is a surprise you have survived so long." The veiled Matron lifted her nose at them. Across the lawn, Zara fought on her own against two others, her water countering the fire of her opponents. "Your Master will die soon, and you shall join the others upon the Pyre. There is nothing you can do to stop it.
"Perhaps," Vess allowed. Sweat poured down her face even forty strides awaythe strain on her Spirit from the Matron's pressure was great, and her movements had to be exact. "Or perhaps you have not considered all the possibilities."
"Oh?" The Matron laughed, still floating above the ground and holding Evie's chain tight. The metal had turned white in spots, and Evie was cursing up a storm. More brilliant orbs manifested and aimed at Vess. "What have I not considered, child?"
"My Skill can be delayed," she said.
Understanding dawned on the Matron just as the remaining four Spears slammed into the denuded earth around her. Before she could mobilize her fire spells, they exploded.
The Matron's screams of denial turned into a gurgling wail as she fell to the scorched ground
You Have Killed A Matron Of That Which Burns!
XP Earned!
Congratulations You Have Earned A New Title!
Urge Hunter II (Rare)!
You have proven effective at finding and dispatching those that worship Urges. Destroying more of their violent kind will see increased rewards! +10 END, STR, VIT
Spear of Tribulations is level 75!
Congratulations You Have Reached Adept Tier With Spear of Tribulations (E)!
You Gain:
+10 AGL
+10 WIL
+...
She fumbled at her waist, and brought a blue-stone flask to her lips. Mana in the air swirled around her like a storm, her Elemental Eye picking out air and fire and earth as it surged toward the flask and its contents. She drank it fast.
Legendary Essence Detected During Formation!
[Essence Draught of Atlantes (Air/Metal)]
Vess let the world around her fade and focused.
Choose A Feature:
Howl
Hammer
Harken
It was unlike the curated Essence Draughts she had always been given, but it was also absolutely singing with potency. The near-universal draught felt so in sync with her Skill that the choices were like glowing monoliths of metal and swirling winds. They spoke to her, but one spoke louder than all the others.
Congratulations!
You Have Absorbed The Essence Of [Hammer]!
"Ooh, just got a whole level from that bitch," Evie said in bright tones. "Almost worth her nearly melting my sweet baby."
Vess took several deep breaths and pushed away the thrill of a new Title and Temper, but her Spirit was literally thrumming.
"You alright, Vess?" Evie asked. "We've got more to kill yet."
"S'fine," she managed through clenched teeth. "Just...I Tempered part of my Spirit."
"Perfect. Now we can"
Waves of blue-green water washed over the both of them, so fast Vess could do nothing more than yelp in alarm. It swept them up and back, over the tall walls of the Rotunda grounds...and away from the seventy-span wide fireball that was falling atop them all.
Zara stood under it, both arms upraised against the other Matron and red-haired Master.
"Zara!" Vess shouted, before she fell beyond the wall and lost sight of the Naiad completely.