Chapter 19: Judgment

Chapter 19: Judgment

The chained creature could only be described as an abomination out of this world. Yet it was something that one could imagine might have once been human. It was facing away from Sofia and the skeleton. The thing was akin to a humanoid flesh bag with lanky, twisted limbs, its arms and legs were several meters long and were unnaturally bent in sharp angles at many points. Even the creatures torso and neck were elongated and warped.

The chains shackling its body held it spread out, its limbs barely fitting in the rounded space of the basement. Soon, a foul smell reached the upper level from where Sofia was observing the thing.

In the dark of the upper level, she puked on the floor, unable to contain herself. She felt that the zombies she had previously judged to be disgusting were in fact quite cute and odorless compared to this thing. She had emptied herself and was dry-heaving violently.

In an effort to smell anything else than that, she summoned some blood in her cupped hands and sunk her face within.

The coppery scent of fresh blood helped her regain her senses. I never knew blood smelled so good...

She glanced at the numerous messages that had appeared to her in the meantime.

[You have been affected by : confusion. But your skills negated the status]

[You have been affected by : confusion. But your skills negated the status]

[You have been affected by : confusion. But your skills negated the status]

It was the same message, hundreds of times. [Blessing of the Deep] had also gained a few levels.

I need to get rid of this thing if its the last thing I ever do. I cant let that exist in the same reality as me, or I'll never be able to sleep again.

The height advantage she had on the monstrosity was the perfect situation for her. It would allow her to finally make use of [Angels bolt] despite the strange mid-air casting requirement. This was why she had bought the slow fall ring in the first place. She hoped the skill was as strong as the description suggested.

Sofia ordered Pareth to come back up the ladder and stop midway. He would catch her and climb back up as fast as possible if she was in too much danger. She closed the visor of her armor. Standing above the trapdoor, she jumped in and activated the ring.

Now was the time, [Angel's Bolt].

Her mana was leaving her in droves, for the first time she could clearly feel it raging and escaping her body in a furious torrent. The energy coalesced in her right hand.

The previously rather dim lighting from the skeletons sword and halo were instantly outshined as electricity formed in Sofias hand. The nascent lightning drowned the basement in flashing bluish white light.

The thin strand of volatile electricity was growing by waves, shaping itself into a long javelin, thunderbolt of a great Angel. Sofia could tell that the skill was protecting her and yet the pain from the heat was excruciating. She held the thing as far as she could, arm extended way up above her head.

Her white armor was progressively charred black by the coursing electricity escaping from the manifestation of angelic power. The surrounding air contorted from the volatile heat and energy.

It had been almost ten seconds and the bolt was still growing, it had reached two meters long.

The creature turned its head. To say it had twisted its neck in multiple places to face her was more accurate. Its shriveled face and empty eye sockets stared at her. It screamed and struggled, chains breaking, one by one.

[You have been affected by : insanity. But your skills negated the status]

The same message notification dinged incessantly in her head.

Sofia had fallen to about half the depth of the basement, Pareth moved on the ladder to keep up with her.

One of the creatures lengthy arms had freed itself and was twisting and turning, approaching her, it could almost reach her face.

[Angels bolt] reached level 2

[Angels bolt] reached level 13

Also counts as a murder? Is it the thing having a class that makes it count as murder? Son of Dread Well I hope I never meet the father. God. Im glad its dead, whatever that was.

This monster could inflict insanity just by looking at me. [Blessing of the Deep] even leveled up like crazy! And what the hell is with my skill. Should humans even be allowed to do that? It was a level one skill. Level ONE! If that hit me Id be dead a million times.

Sofia crawled to the trapdoor and looked down. Her hearing was slowly returning accompanied by a constant ringing, she could also start to hear the roaring fires still going strong. The heat reaching all the way up here almost singed her face.

Do not use in enclosed places unless I want to blow myself up, noted.

After she unsummoned her armor, she had Pareth carry her to the upper floors, lay her down on her bedroll and give her some water. She stared at the ceiling for a while.

I could use a healing potion right now

Sofia sat to check her belt and made the disheartening realization that her recent meeting with a wall had reduced the potions worth a whole five gold to little more than some wet shards of glass in her pocket. Exasperated, she laid back down.

Are creatures like this one roaming around in the world? What was this thing and how did it get here? She wondered, peeking at her skeleton. Fucking crazy mages, did this elven fucker summon that thing in here? If so they both got what they deserved now. Im glad I caught that thing before it escaped out into the wild, it was able to break the rusted chains I shouldnt obsess over that for too long, its gone now. Lets make some new busted skills instead. Im aware now that anything angel related is going to be crazy strong.

Available Active Skills :

[Dispel ]: Dispels[Maiden ]: Invoke the power of a maiden[ mist] : in a thick mist.[ soul] : to the necromancers lifeforce.[Mass ] : Dispels all magic in a[ Banshee] : shriek. Inflicts [Confusion].

Would you look at that, another dispel related keyword. But it only says mass The resulting skill probably wouldnt have anything to do with dispelling magicCant do anything interesting with it for now. Honestly though, [Maiden Banshee]? The grimoire described banshees as female specters, annunciators of a coming disaster. Seems to fit.

Is it time to get a second summon?

You have acquired the active skill : Maiden

You have acquired the active skill : Banshee

Please be a summon! Please be a summon! Please be a summon!

[Maiden Banshee] : Allows the Saintomancer to summon and host a Maiden Banshee.

Summoning the Maiden Banshee will lock 10 000 mana out of the summoners mana pool for as long as the Maiden Banshee is alive.

The Maiden Banshee shares the level of the summoner.

The Maiden Banshee is attributed the special class : Lady-in-waiting, and may not change class.

Should the Maiden Banshee die, she may be revived for the accumulated cost of 100 000 000 mana.

Hehehe, here we go! Two summons out of four! It doesnt look like this one will be much help in combat whatever, Im not out to destroy everything in my path. Although that son of dread thing needed to be eradicated. She thought as she yawned loudly. Ill take a nap now, and worry about the summoning when I wake up.

Stand guard and wake me up if theres anything, Pareth.

The skeleton didnt answer.