Quirce

"He was unjustly condemned to the stake for heresy, and the inquisitors bore witness to the flames engulfing his body amidst an atrocious communion of prayers and cries.

Still, when it was over, and the flames had died, the merciful Miracle called them forth again, and from them, from the ashes and embers, the body of Quirce rose anew."

**Quirce** is the boss of the Wall of the Holy Prohibitions, ambushing the Penitent One by breaking the floor of an area. Defeating him gives access to the Key of the High Peaks and thus unlocks the shortcut between the Wall of the Holy Prohibitions and Convent of Our Lady of the Charred Visage.

## Behaviour and Tactics

* **Sword Whirl**: Quirce grabs onto the ceiling and throws his rapidly spinning sword, which either bounces off of the ceiling and floor or runs along the floor and walls.
* **Sword Dash**: Quirce crosses his arms in front of him and dashes forward, leaving a trail of circles that shoot up into flaming beams after him. He stops slightly before hitting the opposite wall of the arena.
* **Sword Throw**: Quirce throws his sword straight in the Penitent One's direction, which shoots a jet of flame backwards as it becomes lodged in the wall. After this attack, Quirce gains access to three new attacks.
* **Flame Leap**: Quirce teleports away, attempting to drop down on the Penitent One and creating large jets of flame where he lands. When below 50% health, Quirce creates a small wave of 5-6 jets. After this attack, Quirce teleports briefly to the middle of the arena, during which he is vulnerable.
* **Flame Dash**: Quirce crosses his arms in front of him and dashes in the Penitent One's direction, attempting to collide with him. This attack covers approximately 50% of the arena, and he dashes between 2 and 3 times. After he has stopped dashing, he is vulnerable for a few seconds.
* **Sword Recover**: Quirce teleports to the wall where his sword is lodged and tears it out, slashing in the direction of the Penitent One and creating a wave of flame jets that cover 50% of the arena. After this attack, he will use Sword Whirl and Sword Dash until throwing his sword again.

Quirce is a fast opponent with highly damaging attacks, so finding time to use Biliary Flasks is very hard. Good timing and use of the parry and dodge are paramount to winning this fight.

Quirce has a short recovery time after every attack, which leaves him open to attacks. Alternatively, the Penitent One can use this brief respite to heal.

During his Sword Whirl attack, Quirce is very vulnerable to the Verdiales of the Forsaken Hamlet, which, if timed correctly, also provides enough invincibility frames to negate the damage from the attack.

Quirce's Sword Dash and Flame Dash can be parried, but not riposted. Stick close to the edge of the arena when Quirce crosses his arms in front of him.

Stay moving during the Flame Leap attack! If Quirce hits even once, the Penitent One may be stunlocked until the attack ends, which may prove fatal.

When he uses the Sword Throw attack, attempt to dash through the projectile and get far away from it.

When Quirce uses the Sword Recover attack, run to the opposite side of the room to avoid the wave of fire.

## Relevant Item Description

Legend of Quirce.
The horrifying flames consumed Quirce's body as he cried out in unbearable pain. But these were not ordinary flames: they were the flames of the Miracle. The flames burned him to ashes and, before the eyes of the inquisitors, the flames brought him back, time after time, in unparalleled torture. Burning and burning again. Screaming and screaming again. Quirce, the son of the bonfires, knew what his penance was going to be.

## Trivia

* *Quirce* is a Spanish name that comes from Latin *Quiricus*, further from Greek Κήρῡκος *Kḗrȳkos*, genitive of κῆρῠξ *kêryx* "conch, messenger, crier, envoy, herald".
	+ *Quiricus* is a variant of *Cyricus*, a child martyr's name.