The Lightning Mage

33 | The Crimson Witch, Part IV

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The three questers dashed forward, their eyes glued onto the hooded figure running along the rocky bridge above them. Despite having shorter legs, the Crimson Witch was insanely fast; her feet were a blur amidst the mini sandstorm she generated around her legs.

"I'm going up there," Emily declared. The thin blade of her sword glinted yellow under the sunlight, matching the ruffling blonde hair on her head. "The two of you, cover me."

With that, she veered sideways and leaped up the boulders that formed the bridge pier. A few quick jumps later, she was right behind the witch, her sword extended out and ready to strike. "Stop right there, witch!"

The Crimson Witch remained steadfast in her course. Without even a glance at Emily, she reached into her hood and threw a handful of coins up into the air. They transformed into individual spears midair before flying towards the blonde fighter.

"Lyn, Monzo, now!" Emily cried out as she knocked away the spears with a few loud 'cling, clang'.

Lyn raised her hands up while Monzo slammed his hands down. Swinging their arms in opposite directions, a bolt of lightning slashed through the sky just as a stream of loose gravel shot across the ground. The sky and the earth collided, with the Crimson Witch sandwiched between their wraths—the ground below her crumbled while lightning plummeted next to her. Red smoke enshrouded the two women at the bridge.

Emily took the chance to launch an attack, but the witch managed to roll away from the plunging sword. As the fighter went in for another strike, Lyn noticed the Crimson Witch lifting up her face veil—that was weird, what was she doing?

"Em! Watch out for—"

But it was too late. A strong gust of wind hit Emily in the abdomen. She screamed in pain as she fell off the bridge.

"Em!" Lyn charged up her body and jumped forward, catching Emily before she crashed to the ground. They tumbled, with Lyn hugging the blonde woman and absorbing most of the impact.

"Are you okay, Em?" Lyn asked, gritting her teeth to stop herself from crying out.

Emily nodded, but her scowl intensified. "What the hell was that?" she groaned while rubbing her head. "I didn't know she's also an elemental mage."

"That was some really strong wind magic," Lyn admitted.

From the memory images that Brendan had shown them, it was clear that the Crimson Witch was a phenomenal enhancer mage, with the additional strange ability to counter elemental magic. But to generate a blast of wind like that—that was undeniably elemental magic, and a quester-level one at that too. It was already rare for one to have that level of skill in one type of magic, but to be that good in two types of magic? What's next, the ability to heal as well?

"Are you two alright?" Monzo arrived next to them, his brows furrowing in worry. "Is she a fighter-mage or something?" he asked as he extended a hand to Emily, who was still groaning in pain. "We should've gotten some of our fighter-mages in this commission."

"It probably won't help much," Lyn said while heaving herself up, "her magic is insane."

"She's a fucking monster, that's what," Emily muttered under her breath.

Just then, two beams of light shone in the distance, like two bright blue pillars holding up the sky: the sign of the QA's teleportation enchantment.

"Shit! Two fighters down already? We have no time to lose, let's go!" Emily bolted towards the direction of the light, Lyn and Monzo hot on her heels.