(These fight scenes are killing me. For some reason I can't imagine four fights with similar aspects. I'm going to combine two boss fights because they're not going to be any longer, the characters figured out the pattern and I'm too lazy to mix things up right now.)
Shirei was next on the list, the third one. Thanks to the second one's short time, the party had plenty of time to deal with the next two. However, they couldn't get too confident. If they stumbled even a bit, they would lose time faster than they gained it.
Arthur, Mikleo and Rokurou joined Vanessa and Sorey to fight Shirei, a team of mostly people who could work together. Rokurou was a wild card. He tended to work on his own accord and didn't take into consideration what the others did. Only Velvet was known to control his temper, but she wasn't present to do so. Instead, they had Arthur and Rokurou arguing over what step was the best for them.
The five entered the water earth pulse and got ready for a fight. Rokurou was the one to break Shirei's containment to start their fight. Their priority was to exhaust the Phoenix enough to get it down so Sorey could use the silver flame to calm him down.
Arthur began with an arte to freeze the walls and ceiling as Mikleo shot ice spikes at the Phoenix. Rokurou attacked from behind when the Phoenix was distracted by the casters. When the Phoenix was lower to the ground, Vanessa struck him hard with her halberd and got him to stay down.
Sorey used the silver flame to purify him and he regained his senses. He told the party the story about the man who attacked him. He didn't know anything beyond the first few minutes and gave Vanessa a blue feather to help her out.
Last was the Phoenix in the earth pulse of the element earth. They had an hour and a half left before the timer went to zero.
"You did this faster than I expected," the man said as he showed up behind the party.
"No thanks to you," Velvet retorted.
"Now, now, don't be so upset darling. You're doing great."
"You did this in the first place, why tell us to stop what you started?"
"Isn't it obvious?"
"No..." Vanessa responded.
"If you get out alive, which I know you will, I'll give you the answer." The man left without a single word after that.
"Is it okay to say I hate him?" Vanessa asked.
"I don't see a problem, I think we all do," Arthur sighed.
Sorey, Vanessa, Edna, Eizen and Magilou, the final team for the fourth Phoenix, Mo'ona. They started off strong, with a plan in mind and the team to fulfill it. Magilou and Eizen stayed in the back to cast Artes while Eizen, Sorey and Vanessa took the lead on the frontal attack. With the help of earth Artes, the fighters were able to get high enough to reach the phoenix to deal damage.
Vanessa, with Edna, got high enough to slam her halberd down on the Phoenix and Eizen shot him into the wall. An easy enough fight. Sorey purified it and Vanessa got the last feather, one that glowed in an orange light.
The five returned to the inn where the others waited for them. With the timer at zero and no causalities, it was safe to say the threat of the phoenixes was gone. All that was left was one who started the problem. Arthur went through the Requiem to try to find answers.
