A screen popped up before Sophie’s eyes:
Congratulations! You have defeated Blood Artist, Jewl, level 15. Your level has increased to Level 7. Your stats can increase automatically or be done manually. Default is automatic.
Blood Plague has been used to guarantee a kill, Blood Plague’s effectiveness has been increased.
Sophie blinks in surprise at the notification. Then immediately becomes sick to her stomach, barely able to keep the bile down that is rising in her throat. “I just killed someone. And she died horrifically.”
Lightning smiles sadly, “That is the curse of being an Affliction Specialist. Those you kill will die, slowly; painfully; but surely will die. I am just an Assassin/Sorcerer hybrid, so I get flashy kills or silent ones. You get horrific, agonizing kills. Well, I still need to clear the rest of the castle. You can come with me or stay here until I am done. Your choice… I am sorry, but what’s your name?”
Sophie looks at Lightning, then starts laughing. “Sorry, being asked for my name after doing something I have never done is so unexpected. Will I need an alternate name? I don't think Lightning is your real name.”
Lightning chuckles, “Lightning is my work name. I may or may not tell you my real name later.”
“Then call me Latavia. Now let's clear this castle.”
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Lightning watches on with surprise, Latavia wiping the gore off the sword she liberated from a corpse (at that time saying; “He won't need it anymore,”) after she had just taken on four people. Latavia may have taken wounds, but none were life threatening with his minimal medical knowledge and some fire to close up the wounds. His first thoughts were of having to babysit the offworlder. Not to find her saving his life once or twice. Nor to find her laughing as she severed the head of an enemy after he cut through the cloak Lightning loaned to the girl. The girl was a natural. She clearly has some training. He just didn't know what kind of training, clearly martial arts and weapon training but the style was foreign to Lightning. The one thing that was certain, the girl Latavia was insane. Laughing like a madwoman as she cut down enemies, most of them dying to the basic necrotoxin that came with the Affliction Specialist class.
As Latavia and Lightning were finishing the assault on the Blood Palace, for the first time, Lightning found out he was not fast enough. The last of the fighting took place in the courtyard. During the fight, Latvia was impaled through the stomach with a lance made of blood. The Blood Artist was laughing as he lifted her up as a flag, she started to slowly slide down the weapon. Lightning had accepted the girl as dead; given up on Latavia as he saw her get impaled then lifted up above the throng of enemies.
Suddenly, the courtyard was plunged into darkness. The Blood Artist let out a blood curdling scream that ended in a coughing fit. An ominous voice came out of the darkness, “Life blood once pure, now tainted. Once yours, now mince.” A bright crimson light illuminated the courtyard, the edges still cast in shadows. Immediately following the chant a dozen people dropped. As the crimson light faded to be replaced by the torch light again.
Latavia slowly and unsteadily got to her feet. Lightning blinked in surprise, dozens of the dead and dying surrounded Latavia. All had black veins, the dead’s skin had turned into a horrendous looking and smelling goo.
The morale of the defenders broke upon seeing the carnage and finding out there was an Affliction Specialist here. All gave up and dropped their weapons, some tried to escape and others took their own lives.
Lightning just stared at Latavia as she laughed, completely insane as she took in all the death that surrounded her. He shuddered and was thankful that Latavia was not an enemy.