Chương 263: Chapter 259 - The House of Fire

The hidden passage within the House of Fire plunged Scarlett and her companions deeper than anticipated, guiding them to the entrance of what looked to be an underground temple, its smooth, darkened stone walls bearing the marks of unknown craftsmanship. Upon reaching the temple's threshold, the group paused to retrieve their equipment from the [Bag of Juham] and readied themselves for combat. A single, long corridor stretched out before them, its far end punctuated by a faint, flickering light.

Scarlett conjured a flame that danced before them and illuminated their path as they started moving. After a few minutes of walking, they emerged into a vast, cavernous chamber. The ceiling stretched high above, almost lost in the shadow above, while massive pillars, some crumbling and others toppled, rose from the floor like obelisks. The walls bore faded murals depicting scenes of what was presumably the fire goddess and her followers at the height of their power, performing various rites.

Scattered across the chamber's expanse lay other remnants of the temple's former glory: abandoned altars, urns, and offerings long since reduced to ash. Bursts of flame erupted periodically from sconces embedded in the walls and floor, casting an eerie, pulsating light throughout the space, and the air hung thick with an almost oppressive heat, carrying a faint tang of sulfur. At the heart of all this stood a grand, partially collapsed statue of the fire goddess.

Although equally worn by the centuries as the rest of this place, her stern gaze seemed to follow their every move, as if judging their worthiness to tread upon this ground. Allyssa's voice broke the prolonged silence, tinged with wonder.

"This… This is unbelievable. It's huge."

"Indeed it is," Scarlett replied, her eyes surveying the chamber.

"And I believe this is merely the first layer of what awaits us." The girl's eyes widened in shock.

"There's more?!" Even Shin couldn't mask his incredulity. His brow furrowed as he scanned the area.

"…I'm having difficulty understanding how this place has remained hidden beneath the capital for so long without anyone realising."

"Right?" Allyssa nodded vigorously at his statement.

"That is hardly uncommon for sites of this nature," Scarlett said. Otherwise, there would be no 'forgotten ruins' left to explore.

"These locations often bear enchantments that render them nearly undetectable unless one knows precisely what to seek. This is likely even more true for what were once the holy sites of gods and goddesses."

"How lucky we are that you just happened to know what to look for, then," Rosa remarked.

"Yes. Quite," Scarlett replied.

"I was being sarcastic."

"As was I." Rosa's expression softened into mock pride.

"This must be how a parent bird feels when they see their chick first fly from the nest." She dramatically wiped an imaginary tear from her cheek. Scarlett eyed her for a moment, then turned away.

"…Let us not dawdle," she said, moving forward. As an afterthought, she added, "Do be careful not to touch the walls." Allyssa glanced back at the dark stone surfaces they'd passed.

"Why not?" In response, Scarlett conjured a ball of water with a flick of her wrist. She sent it hurtling towards the nearest wall, where it hissed angrily and vanished into a cloud of steam upon contact.

"That is why," she stated simply.

"Oh," Allyssa replied. Rosa chuckled, though there was a hint of nervousness in her voice.

"I'm glad you brought that up before we stopped for a breather and I accidentally set half my bottom on fire. Makes you wonder what the point is, though. I'd wager it's already sweltering enough down here without the walls adding to the broil."

"I believe this site's original purpose was as a trial of sorts," Scarlett explained.

"From what I know, the fire goddess and her followers were not renowned for their restraint." To be safe, they had already consumed fire resistance potions purchased earlier in the Coins district. Scarlett's [Chromacloth] also provided some extra resistance, and all of them wore armor and gear crafted from the scales of the Ashenwraith dragon, offering further defense against the heat. They crossed the chamber, passing the towering central statue. Scarlett paused briefly to study it before moving on.

This place had been abandoned for centuries by now, likely since even before the rise of Ittar's faith and the founding of the Graenal Empire. The number of visitors since then was probably minuscule, if any had come at all. Scarlett led them towards the far end of the chamber, where a wide opening descended into darkness. Above it, intricate carvings and unfamiliar symbols adorned the stone.

While the first layer of this dungeon might have once served as a congregation area of sorts for the worshippers, the second layer marked the true beginning of the trial.

"Walk the steps of…the furnace?" Shin read aloud.

"What?" Allyssa asked, confusion evident in her tone.

"I think that's what it says," Shin elaborated, pointing at the symbols carved into the stone.

"'Walk the steps of the furnace'. Or maybe 'of the fire-keeper'." Allyssa stared at him for a long second.

"…What are you on about?" Scarlett also turned her attention to Shin, studying the young man.

"That looks like Theraq script," he said.

"It was widely used in this region long ago."

"Oookaay…" Allyssa squinted at him.

"But how do you know what it means?"

"Theraq and Old Kereq are related languages," Shin replied patiently.

"Even if I don't speak it often, I can still read Kereq without much difficulty. I've studied texts in Old Kereq before, and some of these symbols are familiar."

"Huh." A hint of guilt crept into Allyssa's expression.

"I…didn't know that about you."

"You've never asked," Shin pointed out.

"…You're right." Allyssa's face fell slightly. Rosa stepped forward, patting her shoulder reassuringly. She leaned in to whisper something in the girl's ear, causing Allyssa's eyes to widen and a slight blush to color her cheeks. The girl quickly stepped away while Rosa chuckled softly.

"I did not expect you to be able to decipher the script used here, Thornthon," Scarlett said, choosing to ignore the rest of that exchange.

"Impressive." She believed Kereq was the language used by the tribes who survived in the sands of the Unresting Steppes to the east. She knew he had ties to them, but she didn't actually know much about the specifics of his past. Shin simply shrugged.

"Sometimes my interests are useful." Scarlett gestured for him and Fynn to take the lead, and the two men started down the passage. Before following, she retrieved a fox-shaped amulet from her pouch. A fiery fox materialised before her, its head immediately turning upward to fixate on the small flame she produced above her hand. Rosa's eyes lit up at the sight, her lips curling into a bright smile.

"Well, look at the cute little fella. He's practically ecstatic. Finally his time to shine, is it?""'He' is not sentient, Miss Hale," Scarlett corrected, moving her flame to guide the Emberling down the stairs.

"Ehm, is it really a good idea to have him out here?" Allyssa asked uncertainly as the fox bounded past her.

"I do not know, to be frank," Scarlett replied.

"But it will be interesting to see what happens." She knew facing opponents who used fire attacks might not be the wisest strategy when accompanied by a pet that boosted nearby flames. At least if the effect didn't differentiate between friend and foe, which Scarlett wasn't entirely sure if it did. Thanks to Thainnith's legacy, though, she had some idea of its general capabilities. Besides, dismissing it wouldn't be difficult if necessary, so it was worth experimenting.

A case of content theft: this narrative is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation. As one, the party descended the passage. Soon, they emerged into a chamber starkly different from the open temple ruins above. This space was smaller and more confined, its walls glistening with heat and marked by scorch patterns that seemed to have burned through the very rock. A dim, fiery light seeped through strange vents in the ceiling, casting ominous shadows across the room.

The floor formed a complex grid of stone tiles, many cracked or singed. At the far end of the chamber loomed a large, ornate door, its surface engraved with the image of the fire goddess cradling a solitary flame.

"You mentioned that this used to be used for trials?" Shin asked, glancing at Scarlett. She nodded.

"Yes."

"… Alright." Appearing to steel himself, Shin stepped forward, shield and sword at the ready. Fynn followed close behind, ethereal claws forming above his knuckles. Allyssa and Rosa also prepared themselves, the former pulling out a turquoise-coloured vial from her bandolier while the latter retrieved her klert from within her enchanted cape. As Fynn and Shin ventured deeper into the room, the air seemed to shift. Cryptic patterns appeared on the walls, glowing a fierce orange and pulsating with a mystical energy.

Suddenly, jets of flame erupted from the ceiling vents, blocking their path. From these jets, the fire looked to coalesce and take form. Swirling, blazing vortices gathered in the chamber's center, growing larger and brighter until they solidified into several vaguely humanoid shapes, radiating intense heat. Fire elementals. Rosa started playing her klert, and Scarlett felt her focus sharpen as the stifling temperature around them grew more tolerable.

Fynn released a primal roar, and the wind surged with him, propelling both him and Shin forward to face their burning opponents head-on. With practiced precision, Allyssa hurled her vial into the air, shattering it with a well-aimed crossbow bolt. A rain of ice crystals showered down, crystallising further in front of and atop three of the elementals to Shin's left, fusing together to form a single large block of ice. Impressively, it didn't immediately melt upon contact with the elementals' bodies.

Two of the elementals at the front raised their arms, unleashing streams of searing flame towards Shin and Fynn. Shin hunkered down behind his shield to defend the party, while Fynn simply charged through the flames with reckless abandon, leaping and slashing at his enemy. Scarlett had long since given up on instilling any sense of self-preservation in the young man.

"Oh, fantastic," she heard Rosa mutter nearby.

"Let's not avoid the fiery inferno. Let's just dive right in and let Rosa patch us up afterward. Pacing ourselves? What's that? Can I eat it?" Scarlett cast a brief glance the bard's way, noting that despite her sarcastic comments, the woman remained intently focused on her charms, her music not missing a beat. Turning her attention back to the battle, Scarlett looked down at the [Foxfire Charm's] Emberling before her. The critter stood motionless, its nose pointed towards the fire elementals as if studying them.

She had half-expected it to rush forward and had been prepared to dismiss it, but it showed no signs of moving. That was curious, but she pushed the observation aside for now. There were more pressing matters at hand. Narrowing her eyes, she focused on how to best deal with the elementals. In truth, she had hoped that, with them being composed of fire, she could control them with her pyrokinesis. Unfortunately, however, that didn't seem to be the case. Her attempts were being violently repelled.

She might even have had an easier time trying to seize control of Arlene's spells than these beings. And something told her that simply attacking them with more fire wasn't going to be effective. But, of course, she had plenty of other alternatives at her disposal. One of the elementals encased by Allyssa's ice thrashed almost desperately, its burning form flickering against the translucent prison. Realising the apparent futility, it redirected its efforts, raising a free arm towards Shin's exposed flank.

A swirling vortex of flames coalesced, but just as it prepared to unleash its attack, the elemental stilled. A thick lance of water, gleaming like liquid crystal, skewered its upper body. In rapid succession, two more watery spears pierced its frame, one extending through its core and impaling one of its nearby companions. These spears, sprouting from the slowly melting ice block, multiplied with startling speed.

They fractured into smaller shards, shooting out in a deadly hail of liquid harpoons that perforated more of the elementals with ruthless efficiency.

"Much obliged for the assistance, Allyssa," Scarlett said, carefully manipulating the water under her command.

"Happy to help," Allyssa replied with a proud smile. If Scarlett were to describe the girl's concoction with one word, both figuratively and literally, it would be 'magical'. Its recipe was among the materials Allyssa had unearthed in the Veiled Library, and it produced ice with an adjustable melting point. Whether subjected to scorching heat or frigid cold, it remained solid within a specific range, making it the perfect medium for Scarlett's dual pyrokinesis and hydrokinesis.

It not only conserved her mana but also served as an effective tool for immobilising enemies. Plus, she had to admit, it looked rather cool. The first elemental she'd impaled soon lost cohesion, its fiery form dissipating into wisps of smoke. However, its brethren proved slightly more resilient. Scarlett found that unless she committed significant mana to maintain the water's form, it quickly vaporised upon contact with their bodies, so her initial barrage had inflicted less damage than anticipated.

That said, it was far from ineffective. With Shin and Fynn occupying the elementals' attention and Rosa tending to the group's injuries, Scarlett had ample opportunity to methodically eliminate their foes. She focused on crafting compact, mana-efficient water spears, systematically dispatching the fiery entities one by one. Eventually, a lone elemental remained standing. Scarlett expended one last surge of mana, conjuring a wide, aqueous barrier that enveloped the final enemy just as Fynn was about to tear into it.

The white-haired youth halted mid-stride, his almost feral combat demeanour instantly evaporating as he lowered his arms and glanced towards Scarlett.

"Hold off for a moment," she instructed, approaching the trapped elemental. Within the liquid prison, the fire elemental thrashed violently, repeatedly trying to break through the watery walls. Each attempt resulted in portions of its body vanishing in explosive bursts of steam. Scarlett frowned. That was actually draining her mana reserves faster than she liked. She turned towards the chamber's entrance, where the Emberling still stood, its gaze fixated on the captured elemental with an almost childlike look.

"Come," she commanded. It didn't move. She blinked, then immediately shook her head with a rueful sigh. She was letting Rosa's antics influence her. The Emberling couldn't even understand her. Ignoring the tickled grin from said bard nearby, Scarlett summoned a small flame to guide the pseudo-spirit. It skipped over without hesitation now, stopping just shy of the water barrier separating it from the fire elemental.

"Now, let us observe what happens," Scarlett said. As soon as she dispelled the water cage, the fire elemental lunged forward, but Shin and Fynn intercepted it with practiced coordination. Scarlett watched closely. Contrary to what one might have expected, the elemental's flames didn't intensify in the Emberling's presence. If anything, they might have diminished slightly, though it was hard to tell.

"That is enough," she declared after a moment.

"Fynn, you may finish it off now." At her command, Fynn tore through one of the elemental's arms. The severed limb flared brightly as it struggled to reattach, but before it could succeed, Shin's sword—coated in one of Allyssa's other alchemical concoctions—sliced through its torso. Fynn then unleashed his full fury, swiping his claws repeatedly, and within seconds, the elemental lost all semblance of form, its flames flickering and fading.

However, before it could completely dissipate, tendrils of fire drifted towards the Emberling, seemingly absorbed into its body. Scarlett and the others watched curiously as the fox-like creature remained motionless, suddenly bereft of its previous fixation.

"Did he just…eat part of that thing?" Allyssa asked. Scarlett continued scrutinising the Emberling closely.

"…It appears so."

"Did you know that would happen?"

"Not specifically, no." The Emberling's appearance remained unchanged, offering no clues to what its 'meal' just now had done. Still, this was definitely interesting. Scarlett believed she had some idea of what had happened. But for now, they had to press on. She turned her attention to the now-open door at the chamber's far end.

"We can analyse this further later. For now, let us proceed." She conjured another flame to guide the Emberling as they advanced. From there, the party traversed several similar chambers, each presenting them with one challenge or another. It felt a lot like a gauntlet, designed to test their skills and resolve.

Some rooms pitted them against more fire elementals of varying forms—all eliciting similar reactions from the Emberling—while others contained intricate puzzles and deadly traps reminiscent of those common in the game. The obstacles ranged from genuinely challenging to merely time-consuming, but none proved insurmountable. Their perseverance was eventually rewarded when they reached what appeared to be the final chamber.

A wide passage descended before them, its walls decorated with elaborate murals depicting supplicants bowing before the fire goddess after enduring numerous trials like the ones Scarlett's party had just gone through. Above the entrance, large symbols were etched into the stone. Shin squinted at the inscriptions, then read aloud, "'Welcome to the Sanctuary of Flames'. Or possibly, 'Embrace the Sanctuary of Flames'. The translation's a bit ambiguous."

"One of those options sounds distinctly less inviting," Rosa remarked. Allyssa grimaced.

"You don't say." After a moment of studying the carvings, Scarlett stepped forward.

"Come. We are nearing the end, it seems." They descended the passage, soon emerging into a great circular chamber with a towering domed ceiling that gleamed with an ethereal blazing red. At its center stood a grand obsidian altar, upon which burned an immense, white-hot flame. Its intense heat permeated the chamber, creating shimmering waves in the air. Surrounding the altar were imposing statues of the fire goddess, each holding a brazier filled with eternally burning blue flames.

The floor was a mesmerising mosaic of what appeared to be flowing lava trapped beneath a black, glassy stone. Beyond the altar, at the chamber's far end, loomed a massive slab of dark stone covered in intricate etchings and countless arcane runes.

"Oh? Is this it?" Rosa glanced around, her tone a mix of relief and disappointment.

"I was expecting something more…dramatic. Perhaps a fire-breathing dragon atop a giant magma-eating tortoise. Or at the very least a rather majestic cat. This feels somewhat anticlimactic." A heavy silence fell over the group, and Scarlett turned to Rosa with a weary look. A low rumble reverberated through the chamber. Rosa met Scarlett's eyes, offering a sheepish grin.

"I spoke too soon, didn't I?" Scarlett sighed deeply. The woman had to be doing this intentionally. A deep, guttural roar shook the very foundations of the sanctuary. Fissures spider-webbed across the floor, spewing forth rivers of molten rock as the entire chamber quaked. Between the party and the altar, a massive pool of liquid fire formed, and from its depths, a colossal shape began to emerge.

First, one enormous head broke the surface, followed by another, and then another, until seven fierce heads rose from the molten abysm. The [Lava Hydra], this dungeon's final boss, towered before them. Each of its seven heads snarled and dripped with fiery saliva, fourteen blazing eyes lowering to focus on the intruders who dared violate its domain.

"What the Blaze—"