Eirich's sudden fury caught Lynn completely off guard. He was bewildered as to what had provoked this man into such a frenzy. The idea of establishing an ideal nation in the North seemed to Lynn nothing more than a grandiose boast; how could such a notion incite Eirich to madness?
He had initially thought Eirich to be rational, someone with whom they could engage in dialogue, yet now he had descended into chaos.
However, Eirich's assault was fierce and relentless; he had abandoned his previous intent of perishing alongside the vampires and seemed singularly focused on witnessing Lynn's demise. This abrupt shift was incomprehensible not only to Lynn but even to his dwarven allies, who were momentarily stunned.
Yet, there was one who remained observant: Finn, harboring a deep disdain for the rival priest, quickly sensed Eirich's agitation. He swung his morning star, and the two priests clashed violently.
Meanwhile, Imory responded swiftly, drawing her sword and lunging at the dwarven warrior. The dwarven fighter met her assault with his axe and shield, deflecting her strike.
This battle erupted unexpectedly, leaving Lynn momentarily stunned. But with conflict now unavoidable, hesitation was futile; with negotiations shattered, the only recourse was to eliminate his opponents.
It was evident that Eirich's physique, still recovering from the vampire's magic, had not yet returned to its prime. Nevertheless, his combat skills surpassed Finn's, allowing him to hold his own in the ensuing chaos.
Lynn waved his hand, sending his beetle flying toward Eirich. He summoned his controlled wraith from the shadows of the wall; while its effectiveness was uncertain, it might at least divert the priest's attention.
Moreover, their numbers were sufficient. Although Marty was timid, he had positioned himself at a distance, preparing to cast a spell. Eirich understood well that facing such a multitude meant his defeat was merely a matter of time, so he swiftly formulated a new strategy.
In the heat of battle, he suddenly hurled his mace toward Marty, who was about to cast a spell. The unexpected projectile sent Marty into a panic; he attempted to dodge, but the mace intercepted him, smashing into his arm, shattering it and silencing his spellcasting with a cry of agony.
Having dispatched one foe, Eirich parried Finn's strike with his shield, stepping back two paces to grasp the dagger the vampires had given him. He had no desire to linger in combat; facing Finn's renewed assault, he raised his hand and summoned a celestial lion.
Monster-summoning spells were often advantageous, and at that moment, the celestial lion leaped toward Finn, temporarily halting his advance. Eirich understood that a single celestial lion would not be enough to overcome a powerful priest like Finn, but if it could merely buy him time, that would suffice.
He then turned his attention back to Lynn, charging forward with ruthless determination. He appeared indifferent to the struggle between his dwarven ally and Imory, fixated solely on Lynn, intent on killing him.
Perhaps he had exhausted too many spell slots in his earlier healing, or perhaps he feared interruption from the wraith; this time, he chose to rely on his weapon rather than magic. After all, a battle priest who had invoked divine blessings was formidable in melee combat—certainly not someone like Lynn, who could not even cast a fourth-level spell, could withstand his assault.
Eirich aimed for a ferocious charge, hell-bent on ending Lynn's life.
Lynn, confronted by the oncoming enemy, was more astonished than intimidated. He could not fathom why Eirich had fixated on him. Nevertheless, he felt no dread about the combat; while he acknowledged that he was no match for Eirich, he had seized an opportunity during Eirich's earlier skirmish with Finn.
"Cyst of Corruption."
Lynn gestured towards Eirich, and a grotesque growth rapidly expanded on Eirich's neck, visibly swelling. Within that fleshy mass, necromantic ichor could clearly be seen—an unmistakable result of a necromantic spell.
The cyst burst explosively, shattering Eirich's neck and shoulder, leaving his left arm disfigured and incapable of gripping his shield.
He let out a howl of agony, his eyes ablaze with hatred.
Cyst of Corruption was a necromantic spell requiring prior implantation of a gestational form within oneself, followed by the embedding of a spherical cyst in another's body. Casting such a spell upon others was no easy feat, and Eirich had no idea when Lynn had managed to implant the cyst on him.
However, the vampire's magic had indeed weakened him. During his fight with Finn, it had been relatively simple for Lynn to set a trap. After all, as long as his magical pet had made contact, casting the spell was straightforward. Lynn's beetle had reached Eirich, allowing him to propagate the cyst without difficulty.
Eirich's body had been nearly shattered by that single blow. Yet, clinging to a thread of life, he still lunged forward with the dagger toward Lynn. At that moment, he understood he would not survive, but even in death, he wished to take Lynn with him.
Lynn was puzzled by Eirich's fierce determination, but he was far more concerned with the pressing question of how to evade this lethal strike.
A mage unskilled in close combat could not easily evade a desperate strike from a battle-hardened priest—especially when Lynn lacked the means to even drive Eirich back with a third-level spell. Anxiety surged within him, and yet his companions were unable to assist him in time. Death loomed near, and he was at a loss as to what to do. He longed to cry out for help, but when he opened his mouth, he found his throat ablaze, rendering him speechless.
In that instant, he discovered the source of his discomfort.
A torrent of searing breath erupted from his mouth. The scorching dragon fire struck Eirich, already a broken shell of a man, igniting him into a living torch.
The intense flames finally halted Eirich's advance. His charred body came to a standstill before Lynn, the remnants of his burnt arm falling away, the dagger clattering at Lynn's feet.
Lynn raised his gaze to see Finn's bewildered expression. He was at a loss for words, uncertain how his breath of fire had even materialized.
Yet… if the flames of the fey could be wielded after being scorched, then surely, wielding dragon breath after being engulfed in it was not so far-fetched, was it?