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.”

“But you don’t mind me staying here with you?”

Scarlett weighed the blonde girl’s inquiring gaze for a moment, then shifted her attention back to the sealed door. “…Initially, I had planned to proceed alone for what comes next. In truth, that is still what I would have preferred. It is my genuine belief that would simplify matters for both of us. However…your presence will not necessarily be a detriment, unlike Father Abraham’s. The words you spoke to me during our journey here also came to mind, where you expressed a desire to aid in resolving this situation and demonstrated your trust in me and my abilities. As such, it felt only right that I provide you with the same trust in return.”

A brief silence lingered before Allyssa responded. “It’s probably not the right time to say this, but it feels so weird hearing that from you. I’m definitely being silly, but I mean, I’ve always had this image of you as this epitome of aloofness, someone who would rather die before being open about things. Are you sure you won’t light on fire or something doing this?”

Scarlett’s lips twitched and pulled into a line. “…You have spent far too much time around Miss Hale.”

“Yeah, probably.” The young Shielder chuckled. “…So, what’s the plan from here? After that door opens up, I mean.”

Scarlett’s expression hardened, focusing ahead. “If all goes well, we will ascend to the top of this citadel and resolve this entire situation before the others reach us.”

It would be fine if Fynn caught up, but they wouldn’t be waiting for him. He should be on his way back by now, but it would take him some time.

“And at the top, what’s waiting for us is…?” Allyssa asked.

Scarlett turned to meet the girl’s eyes. “Rosa.”

Allyssa blinked. “…Rosa?”

“Yes.”

“…Why would she be here?”

Scarlett crossed her arms, considering the girl for a few seconds. “I suppose I did make a promise to provide you with more details on the situation.”

She fell silent for a moment, sweeping her gaze across the door blocking their path. It felt like Rosa should be the one to share this, but that wasn’t an option with the circumstances as they were. Besides, at this point, any pretense about Scarlett not knowing what was going on was pointless.

“The master of this place is the Vile known as Anguish,” she began, her voice grave. “I am not certain precisely how much you know about the six Blazes and the entities who reign over them, but Anguish is a demon who revels in the suffering and misery of others. She has long sought to establish a stronger foothold in our realm, as have all the Viles. What has always prevented them from doing so is an interspatial barrier known as the ‘Veil of Convergence’.”

Allyssa wore a serious but confused expression as she listened intently.

“The Veil is not absolute, however,” Scarlett continued. “There are ways for a Vile to influence the Material Realm despite its existence. The primary method is through an ‘incarnate’.”

Allyssa’s brows furrowed. “An incarnate?”

Scarlett nodded. “It is an exceedingly rare phenomenon,” she explained, “where a person has the unfortunate fate of being born with a connection to the Blazes. This connection is one that circumvents even the Veil itself, leaving the individual vulnerable to the beings who call those infernal realms their home. Through an incarnate, a Vile can channel their authority and embody themselves here, wreaking havoc and suffusing themselves in our realm’s energies. This citadel is the manifestation of that process, with Anguish bringing a fragment of her Blaze along with her.”

“Wait, wait, hold on,” Allyssa interrupted, a hint of disbelief in her voice. “You’re not trying to tell me what I think you are, are you?”

“And what do you think I am attempting to tell you?” Scarlett asked, maintaining a cool expression.

“That Rosa is somehow this…‘incarnate’ thing.”

“Then you are correct. That is precisely what I am saying.”

Allyssa simply stared at her.

“Rosa has been caught within the clutches of Anguish for many years,” Scarlett continued. “She has always preferred to keep her condition hidden from others, and I suspect we cannot even begin to fathom some of the suffering she has endured in silence. Until now, no matter her efforts, she has been unable to escape her role as the Vile’s potential vessel. My purpose here, however, is to help her sever those chains.”

Allyssa’s eyes seemed to land on the door before them. “…And the only thing standing in your way is a Vile.”

“That, and another horde of demons, I suspect.”

“Do people ever tell you that you're insane?”

“I believe Miss Breeden may have suggested as much on occasion when we worked together.”

“Kat is also crazy, so I can’t blame you for ignoring her…” Allyssa paused again, frowning for a moment before turning her attention back to Scarlett. “…I just had the absurdest of thoughts, but I have to ask. It can’t be that…you were somehow pulling the strings behind making all of this—” The girl gestured around them with her arms. “—happen, right?”

Scarlett studied her. “And what leads you to pose that question?”

“It’s hard not to be paranoid when things always seem to unfold according to your plans. Add to that the fact that you know basically everything and anything about most things to a degree where I often find myself wondering if I’m working for the Augur in disguise—or the continent’s biggest secret crime boss—and, yeah…”

Allyssa herself seemed uncertain about her words, her tone casual even as her expression carried weight. “…Sure, I’ve had this feeling that Rosa was hiding things from us for a while, and that, no matter what we did, she wouldn’t let us get involved or help with whatever it was. But if it’s you, I can see her going along with whatever you say, and if all of this was a way of freeing her of this Vile… Well, you get where I’m going. How exactly are you involved in this whole ‘incarnate’ situation?”

Scarlett considered the girl for a few seconds. It seemed it was obvious even to Allyssa that, despite Rosa’s typical flippant attitude around Scarlett, the bard heeded most of her words. That in itself shouldn’t be surprising, but it made Scarlett once again consider Anguish’s words about her manipulating Rosa.

She lightly shook her head to dispel those thoughts. This still wasn’t the time to delve into any of that. She refocused on Allyssa. “To answer your question, I can assure you that I am not the architect of this ‘incarnate situation’.”

Upon hearing that, Allyssa sighed in relief. “Oh, thank Ittar—”

“However, I did get involved to ensure that it unfolded now, rather than at its originally intended time.”

The girl stared at her. “…I was mostly joking earlier, but you really are insane.”

“Given that you have been kept mostly ignorant concerning the full scope of the underlying circumstances, I will not fault you for that remark,” Scarlett said. “While the finer details will need to wait for another time, I can oblige you somewhat and reveal that, no matter what role I may have played in the events that brought this situation about, Anguish would have eventually attempted to manifest in this realm through her connection to Rosa. I simply guaranteed that it began at a time where Anguish was less prepared to do so. There were only two other alternatives, neither of which was ideal.”

“What were they?” Allyssa asked.

“The first was to allow Anguish complete dominion over Rosa without any interference, meaning that when she incarnated, she would possess far more power, to the extent that it would be uncertain whether anyone on this continent could thwart her. The second option was simply to ensure there was no vessel for her to incarnate in.”

“Wait, you mean—”

Scarlett nodded. “Killing Rosa, yes.”

Allyssa fell silent, and Scarlett observed her for a moment. Although she had indeed promised to reveal more about the situation when she could, she was still surprised that she was doing it. It was as if she wanted to hear Allyssa’s perspective on these matters.

“The most prudent course of action would have arguably been the latter,” she continued. “Gambling with the lives of countless thousands merely to preserve the life of a single bard is an audacious and irresponsible decision, regardless of the motivation behind it.”

Allyssa wore a complex expression. “That’s not…”

“If Rosa herself had been aware of the stakes, she would likely have concurred. In fact, she has expressed similar sentiments to me before, suggesting that I finish her off if she ever posed a threat to those around,” Scarlett said. “Yet I opted not to do so, nor did I ever reveal to her the extent of the danger she might pose were things to go awry. Why do you believe that is? Do you believe it was out of sentimentality?”

Allyssa met her eyes, taking her time before responding. “If I were in your shoes, it probably would have been,” she answered, her tone unexpectedly measured.

“But we are rather different, are we not?”

The girl nodded.

“And it may not surprise you to know that I was aware of all this even before our first encounter with Rosa,” Scarlett added.

“Frankly, that’s about what I have come to expect.”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Scarlett’s lips. “Then why do you think I did all of this? Why do you think I acted as I have?”

After a moment of silence, Allyssa ran a hand through her hair and turned away. “You know, the first thing Kat told us about you before we met was that you were a noble who did whatever she wants. Wanna guess what the second thing?”

“Do tell.”

“That you were arrogant.”

A frown crept onto Scarlett’s face.

“And the third thing she said was that you didn’t know how to be wrong.”

“I am beginning to think that Miss Breeden and I will need to have a conversation when we next meet.”

“Well, it’s not like she was entirely wrong, just that it had a different shade of truth than she probably meant it.” Allyssa twirled a strand of her hair around her finger, considering the last unlit gem on the door. “But I bet that’s the answer, anyway. You do as you please, define ‘arrogant’ better than any dusty dictionary Shin might cough up, and have a knack for dodging being ‘wrong’ in about any situation. In other words…” She turned back to Scarlett. “You chose to help Rosa because you never saw it as a gamble. You were sure you could do it.”

Now, a sharp smile fully materialized on Scarlett’s lips. “You are correct.”

“Are you going to sack me if I call you insane once more?”

“No, I will permit it this one last time.” Scarlett also looked to the door, watching for the last gem to light up. “The prospect of finally confronting Anguish after having to endure her as a thorn in my side for this long has put me in a rather generous mood.”

“Being able to save Rosa doesn’t factor into that equation?”

“Perhaps that plays its part as well.”

“Well, I’m glad you’re feeling good about things,” Allyssa said, sounding almost a bit pouty. “I am now reconsidering every life choice I’ve ever made and questioning my sanity. Shin’s going to freak when he hears about this.”

Scarlett glanced at her. “While I will allow you to share your newfound knowledge with him, I trust that you understand that I will have to insist that you otherwise keep it a secret.”

The young Shielder actually pouted slightly. “It’s not like you didn’t already know I’d keep quiet from the moment you started sharing all this with me…” she muttered.

Scarlett let out a soft chuckle. Though she wasn’t sure how anxious she’d really been before this, she at least found that any anxiety that might have been there had mostly faded by now. It was replaced by nothing but the typical confidence that she had grown so used to during her time as Scarlett Hartford.

As they waited for the door to unlock, more minutes slipped by before, eventually, something happened. Crimson light flickered to life inside the last gem, and the door began to move, sliding open.

Scarlett reached for her waist, withdrawing a rectangular kerchief along with [Ittar’s Genesis] from her [Pouch of Holding]. She kept the divine artifact concealed beneath the fabric, clasping the crystal ball’s warm surface in her left hand. It was probably for the best if Allyssa remained unaware of its existence, and the girl likely couldn’t sense its presence as Raimond and others might.

[Mana: 21876/32063]

“I suggest you prepare yourself,” Scarlett said. “From this point onward, we will not have much time for rest.”

Allyssa adjusted the bandolier across her chest, lowered her goggles, and readied her hand crossbow with a determined face.

This would be the final stretch.