Chương 310: Chapter 306 - A teacher's help

Scarlett did not see what happened to the Anomalous One. The sky, the landscape, the entire Memory were engulfed in Arlene's blinding inferno, rendering it nearly impossible to see beyond the raging flames. She could only make out how every ember and flare seemed to converge upon the Anomalous One's massive form, crackling with thunderous bursts and ominous booms that echoed through the air.

The blazing spectacle lasted several seconds, intensifying as fires spiralled forward, painting the horizon in waves of scorching crimson. For a moment, it truly felt as though they were all suspended in a dimension made entirely of fire. The monstrous creatures created by the Anomalous One, along with the dark tendrils reaching for their group, were consumed by the all-encompassing conflagration. Yet, miraculously, none of the heat touched Scarlett or her allies.

She watched as, eventually, the spell began to fade, the final cinders lingering in the air to reveal what was left of the Anomalous One. Once vast enough to overshadow the entire city below, the entity was now a charred mass of molten red and twisted grey, writhing upon itself in an effort to regenerate. With the Anomalous One exposed, Olgolzkreh—the gargantuan dragon—came into view, seemingly unscathed despite being surrounded by flames before as well.

Wounded as it was from its previous battle, the dragon wasted no time. With a deafening roar that reverberated across the Memory, it reared back and unleashed a stream of searing white that blasted into the Anomalous One before charging forward with the force of a roiling storm. A shattering sound ripped through the air as Olgolzkreh's claws tore into the frozen Anomalous One, splintering huge chunks of its form.

The dragon then lifted the entity—now less than half its own size—and dragged it through the sky before smashing it into the ground far beyond the city. The impact unleashed a rolling cloud of dust and shattered rock, with fragments of earth scattering across the landscape. High above, the countless white rifts trembled and destabilised, while the grey mist of the Anomalous One's influence began to dissipate as the warped space started returning to a semblance of normalcy.

Around Scarlett, the Isle wizards stared on in awe. Beside her, the other Scarlett clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"Was that truly…a primordial spell?" Gaspar murmured, his gaze falling on Arlene's back.

"It was," Scarlett confirmed, her own eyes turning to Arlene. To be precise, it was a primordial pyromancy spell — the very one Scarlett had found the formula for in the fire goddess' temple beneath the House of Fire. But Arlene's casting of it had been far more potent than Scarlett ever imagined possible. In the distance, the ground shook once more as Olgolzkreh's assault on the Anomalous One continued, though Scarlett suspected it was no longer necessary.

The Anomalous One—at least this current manifestation of it—was not unstoppable, and there was no doubt in her mind that the spell just now had overwhelmed it. In fact, she couldn't think of a single being that could withstand something like that. Primordial spells seemed like even more of a cheat code than she'd realised. But it made her wonder exactly how much mana that feat had required.

As the last remnants of Arlene's spell extinguished and the woman lowered her hands, Delmont lifted the wards shielding their group. Meneth, her hand still on Arlene's back, withdrew it and stepped back, her white robe flowing with the motion. Arlene didn't turn, keeping her gaze forward as though still watching the battle. A tear in the air materialised before her, offering a view of ash-choked skies and endless flames. Without a word, she stepped through.

"Arlene, wait," Scarlett called, but the portal had closed. She stopped, spinning sharply towards Delmont and Meneth.

"Where did she go?"

"I don't know," Delmont replied, his eyes lingering on the space where Arlene had vanished. Meneth's gaze drifted towards the city and what lay beyond.

"…Perhaps she simply went to ensure the threat is fully dealt with." Scarlett studied them both as silence settled over the hilltop. The stinging scent of burnt grass and ash hung in the air, punctuated by the distant sounds of Olgolzkreh's fight. The Isle wizards, who Scarlett might have expected to be full of questions, were surprisingly quiet, as if struggling to grasp the enormity of what they'd witnessed. The intensity of moments ago had subsided, leaving an almost eerie calm. Delmont turned to Scarlett.

"So, you're my sister's student, then?" He regarded her attentively.

"…Have we met before?" Scarlett met his gaze, her eyes narrowing slightly.

"… I am unsure. Have we?" She'd barely had the time to process it all, but how were these people even here? Not just Arlene, but an older Delmont and this 'Meneth' as well. They had to be Memory constructs, right? There was no other explanation. … But Arlene had recognised her — acknowledged Scarlett as her student. That meant the woman remembered things from outside these Memories, a fact that made no sense if she were merely a construct. So, what was going on here?

Delmont seemed to consider her response before replying.

"I don't know," he finally said, tapping his staff on the ground thoughtfully and stroking his bearded chin.

"I feel as though I've seen you before, but I can't quite place it." His gaze moved, landing on Scarlett's hand where the [Hartford Garnet Ring] glinted. His eyes widened slightly before snapping back to her face. He squinted.

"…Adjunct Wizard Griffiths, was it?" Scarlett tensed. That was the name that vice-dean of Elystead Tower had used for her in the Memory where Arlene learnt of her parents' death, wasn't it? So he remembered that moment? Before she could respond, Delmont shook his head.

"No, it doesn't matter now, does it? None of this is real anyhow, I imagine." He surveyed their surroundings before turning to the Isle wizards, his eyes landing on Gaspar.

"What year is it?" Gaspar blinked, his eyebrows lifting in a flicker of surprise he quickly tried to mask.

"It is the year 1144." Once more, Delmont's eyes widened, casting another look over the wizards before turning his gaze to the distant city.

"…What did you do, Arlene?" he muttered. Gaspar cleared his throat.

"Ahem, if I may…" Delmont turned to him.

"Yes?" Gaspar's grip tightened on his staff, his expression growing more serious.

"…Would I be wrong to assume your name is Delmont Hartford?" Delmont nodded.

"No, that is correct. And your name is…?" Gaspar held his gaze for a moment before casting a brief glance at Scarlett.

"…I am Grand Wizard Gaspar Hartford, a member of the Rising Isle's council." Delmont's eyebrows rose, if just by a fraction.

"…I see." Gaspar remained silent, as though uncertain how to proceed, and an awkward pause followed. After a moment, Delmont spoke, his tone reflective.

"I never set out to leave any lasting legacy on the Isle," he said, studying Gaspar.

"To be frank, I was never sure I considered them much better than the empire." If you spot this tale on Amazon, know that it has been stolen. Report the violation. Gaspar stiffened slightly at this, his expression hardening.

"But," Delmont added, a faint smile forming on his face, "I suppose I don't entirely oppose the idea, either. I do hope it wasn't a burdensome legacy, though." Gaspar seemed to relax a little.

"It most certainly was not…sir." Scarlett stared at the man in slight disbelief.

"And I presume your name is not truly Griffiths but also Hartford?" Delmont asked, his gaze turning sharper as he looked at Scarlett and the ring on her finger. Scarlett was silent for a moment before replying, "Yes."

"Then are you Liane's descendant?" She stilled, then nodded slowly.

"Indeed." She hadn't confirmed it for certain, but it was the most likely explanation. Neither Arlene nor Delmont had inherited the Hartford barony, which meant their sister was probably Scarlett's ancestor.

"I haven't spoken to her in years," Delmont said, his expression shifting, an unusual mix of emotions crossing his face as he watched Scarlett.

"I imagine she still harbors resentment towards me, and I can't say my feelings for her—or our family—are simple. But…at the very least, I'm relieved that the house stands after all these years. And since Arlene chose to take you on as a student, I trust that your character isn't entirely lacking." His attention flicked to the other Scarlett beside her.

"…I'll choose simply not to pry into…whatever the circumstances are here." Turning to Meneth, he eyed the white-robed Zuver with evident curiosity.

"We never had the chance to introduce ourselves. Who are you, if you don't mind me asking?" The woman turned towards him, her pale, unfocused eyes settling on his face.

"Meneth. A friend of Arlene's."

"I overheard as much," Delmont replied, continuing to consider her.

"…And it's as good an answer as any, perhaps." For some reason, he seemed satisfied leaving it at that. Maybe it was because he'd recognised his existence as a construct. Scarlett, however, wasn't content.

"Beyond merely being a 'friend' of Arlene's," she said firmly, fixing her eyes on the woman, "who exactly are you? I have heard the name Meneth before. Are you the same individual?" Meneth regarded her with an airy, enigmatic smile.

"In a sense, I am no one. The one you are thinking of ceased to exist long ago, and what stands before you is, at best, a memory of a memory."

"That is a very unsatisfying answer," Scarlett replied.

"It is," the woman agreed simply. Scarlett frowned. At the very least, it confirmed the idea that Meneth and Delmont were constructs, and both seemed aware of their nature to some extent. But it didn't clarify whether Meneth was, or had once been, a divinarch — or how she was here at all. Neither Scarlett nor the Anomalous One should be responsible for their sudden presence. … So could Arlene be? Did she have that kind of power?

Meneth's gaze moved past Scarlett, sweeping over Gaspar, Magister Penney, and the Isle wizards. Her eyes rested briefly on Scarlett's companions — particularly the unmoving figures of Fynn and Rosa. Rosa had fallen unconscious from exhaustion at some point, a detail Scarlett had only now noticed.

"The brood of Grehalyr, and one who treads the Veil," Meneth murmured.

"Rare sights." Finally, her gaze returned to Scarlett and her doppelganger, settling on the latter with a steady intensity.

"Do you wish to say something?" the other Scarlett asked, a trace of irritation in her voice. Meneth stayed quiet for a few moments, as if she hadn't heard the question. Then, at last, she spoke.

"Which of them are you?"

"…Neither," the other Scarlett replied, crossing her arms.

"Or perhaps both. If I were fully either, I would not have been standing idly by while all this unfolded." Meneth tilted her head thoughtfully, offering no further response. Scarlett could sense how this frustrated her counterpart. She even understood it, to some extent. This other version of herself was clearly limited in what she could do without drawing on either Scarlett's or the Anomalous One's power.

Cries of alarm suddenly broke out among the wizards, and Scarlett looked up to see fractures appearing in the edges of the Memory. The space was breaking apart like fragile glass, giving way to an expanse of pure darkness. The Anomalous One's manifestation no longer had the strength to sustain this place.

"For the love of — will this never end!?" Gaspar's exasperated voice rang out as he began barking orders. The wizards moved quickly to assist those who had collapsed during the fighting earlier, while the rest braced themselves. Shin and Allyssa hurried to Scarlett's side.

"What are we supposed to do?" Allyssa asked with a concerned face. Scarlett watched the fracturing Memory, then focused on a nearby white rift slicing through parts of the hillside. Raising her hand, she conjured a small flame and forced it into the rift, finding almost no resistance this time. She wasn't entirely sure what would happen if they lingered after the Memory collapsed, but she was pretty confident she could return them all to the Hall of Echoes if necessary.

"We will be safe," she assured Allyssa, then turned back to Meneth.

"And you… Will you not explain how it is that you still live?" Could it have been a hidden aspect of the game she hadn't known? Or yet another divergence from Fate? Meneth remained silent, so Scarlett pulled out the [Orrery of Dissonant Convergence], hoping it would shed some light on things. The artifact's pointer, however, wavered erratically. It had been like that any time she had brought it out around the Hall of Echoes or in a Memory, so it wasn't particularly reliable here.

Meneth's gaze seemed to flicker to the Orrery, but it was unclear if she truly registered its presence. Before long, her attention shifted to the collapsing landscape.

"I suspect that I understand your curiosity — and what you make of my presence here," she said distantly.

"But you may be giving it more thought than it warrants. My advice is simple: do not concern yourself with me. The truth is that I ceased to be relevant long ago, and I no longer involve myself in such affairs. Today can be described as an exception borne from what an echo left behind."

"And what does that mean?" Scarlett asked. Meneth gave no further reply, her focus fixed on the horizon. Scarlett's brow furrowed even further. So was this just another remnant of a divinarch that did little more than leave her with even more questions, then? Unlike Thainnith, who was without a doubt dead, Meneth's presence hinted at a deeper connection to Arlene — and that she had been alive relatively recently. If she truly was a Zuver—and a divinarch—it wasn't inconceivable she might still be alive somewhere.

And if that was the case, perhaps one day Scarlett could find her and finally demand the answers she needed. Although, considering that neither Thainnith nor the Anomalous One seemed to have all those answers, she wasn't entirely certain Meneth would be any different.

"Baroness," Gaspar's voice interrupted her thoughts. Scarlett turned to him.

"If you know a way out of here, I ask that you use it," he said. Behind him, Magister Penney and several other wizards cast uneasy glances towards the fading city in the valley below. The dark void encroaching on the Memory was creeping closer. Scarlett pressed her lips together. She wanted to wait, to see if Arlene would return. Losing this opportunity to confront her felt like forfeiting her best chance to find at least some of her answers.

"We will wait a little longer," she said, eyes trained in the direction where she'd last seen Arlene. Gaspar frowned, but refrained from arguing. They stood in tense silence, watching as the Memory continued to dissolve, the black nothingness inching uncomfortably close." Baroness," Gaspar eventually said again, his tone grim. Scarlett looked at him, then clicked her tongue and turned to Delmont one last time.

"I have one question before we depart." The man, strangely calm despite the Memory's imminent collapse, regarded her with a measured expression.

"Yes?"

"Arlene once mentioned a keepsake of hers — a silver necklace with a sapphire pendant. She told me you were the last to possess it." Delmont's brows knitted together as he gave her an odd look.

"…I think I know the necklace you mean. It was an heirloom belonging to our mother, passed down to Arlene not long before her death."

"Then do you know where I might find it now?" He studied her carefully, then shook his head.

"I have no idea whatsoever. In fact, I don't know why she would tell you I had it."

"…What do you mean?"

"As far as I know, Arlene kept it herself. She never entrusted it to me." Scarlett stared at him.

"Then why—""Scarlett!" Allyssa's voice cut through, the girl pointing behind them. Scarlett turned to see the ground beneath Rosa, Fynn, and the recovering wizards dissolving rapidly.

"We don't have much time, Baroness," Gaspar urged.

"I can't imagine why my sister would have said I had the necklace," Delmont said.

"But if you are searching for answers, you are more likely to find them with her, not me. For now, though, it seems you truly can't afford to linger here any longer." Scarlett cast him a final frustrated glance, but she realised that there really wasn't any time left. She spared a look at Meneth, who wasn't paying her any attention, then reached inward to the legacy and the connection that she was quickly growing more familiar with.

Amidst the anxious murmurs of the wizards and a commanding shout from Gaspar, Scarlett channeled what remained of her mana. Flames erupted around their large group. Startled cries broke out briefly, but they faded as the flames wrapped around them, tearing through the now-fragile Memory. In an instant, their surroundings shifted back to the chamber they had all been in before, untouched by the Anomalous One's influence. Delmont and Meneth were gone. To Scarlett's surprise, so was the other Scarlett.

The rest of the group released collective sighs of relief, visibly calming as they took in the familiar surroundings. Scarlett, meanwhile, scanned the room before turning to Allyssa and Shin.

"You two, stay here and watch over Miss Hale and Fynn."

"Wait, where are you going?" Allyssa asked, alarmed. More flames swirled around Scarlett, distorting the air.

"I do not know," she replied.

"But I intend to find a certain teacher of mine — if it is the last thing I do."