Chapter 518: The Vampire’s Choice

They were walking toward the abyss. It would take several days on foot. Luke knew this all but guaranteed that the baron would learn about the attack on his men, but he no longer cared.

As they traveled, the group kept circling back to Luke’s plan to jump into the abyss. His strategy relied on Angie. If he fell, she could use her wings to pull him back up. The problem was depth. If the drop was too deep, her stamina would not be enough to lift him.

“Reaching the bottom won’t be the issue,” Luke said, trying to reassure Layla. “We have skills that prevent us from dying from the fall.”

Charlie had her Vampiric Softfall. Luke could glide using his cloak.

“The problem,” he added, “is if this turns out to be the infinite kind of abyss.”

“Then you all die,” Artemis said cheerfully. “Falling forever until you starve. Very sweet moments we’ll share together.”

“I-I-I don’t want to risk this,” Layla said. “Why don’t you help Cassandra in the war, or stay at that temple until everything settles down and then leave? Why are you so desperate to find this hidden temple?”

“Because I need power. Because I need answers. And because after everything I went through to find it, I’m not backing down now,” he said flatly.

Luke wasn’t afraid of abysses. He had thrown himself into one back when he was level zero. With time to spare as they walked, he opened his interface and distributed the free points he had been holding onto.

Name: Luke
Level: 66
Race: Half-Demon
Rank: E
Class: [Demonic Predator (Lvl 68)]
2nd Class: [Witch (Lvl 34)]
Profession: [Guardian Botanist of Mother Freya (Lvl 77)]
Titles: [Dark Lord]
Bloodline: [Bloodline of the Dark Demon]
Health Points (HP): 6950/6950 -> 7000/7000
Mana Points (MP): 7342/7930 -> 7412/8000
Stamina: 4101/4450
Soul Fragments: 399/1000

Stats:
Strength: 561
Lethality: 965
Agility: 770 (780)
Dexterity: 392 -> 397
Endurance: 445 -> 450
Vitality: 695 -> 700
Toughness: 234 -> 261
Perception: 667 (677)
Wisdom: 788 (793) -> 795 (800)
Intelligence: 643
Willpower: 700
Free Points: 49 -> 0

Class Skills: [Advanced Blade Handling (Uncommon)], [Advanced Knife Throwing (Rare)], [Twin Blade (Common)], [Basic Dark Dash (Rare)], [Crimson Fang (Ultra-Rare)], [Predator’s Mark (Rare)], [Demonic Blade Dance (Rare)], [Wraith Form (Ultra-Rare)], [Force Infusion (Rare)], [Advanced Stealth (Rare)], [Assassin’s Tracking (Rare)], [Mana Infusion (Rare)], [Basic Archery (Common)], [Demonic Predator Hands (Epic)], [Demonic Predator Throwing Knife (Epic)]

Second Class Skills: [Basic Magic Conjuration (Common)], [Teleportation Pentagram (Legendary)], [Shadow Ball (Common)], [Weak Telekinesis (Uncommon)], [Witch’s Gaze (Uncommon)], [Cursed Weapon Throw (Rare)], [Telekinetic Impulse (Rare)], [Telekinetic Pull (Rare)], [Witch’s Thread (Rare)]

Profession Skills: [Herbology of Mother Freya (Ancient)], [Precise Extraction (Common)], [Advanced Potion Crafting (Uncommon)], [Corrupted Plant Growth (Rare)], [Plant Sensor (Uncommon)], [Botanical Bond of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Seed Conversion (Rare)], [Plant Manipulation of Mother Freya (Rare)], [Corrupted Blood of Mother Freya (Ultra-Rare)], [Thorn Mutation (Uncommon)], [Soil Analysis (Uncommon)], [Botanical Purification (Uncommon)], [Acid Blood Arrow (Epic)], [Soil Guardian I (Ancient)], [Vegetal Respiration (Common)], [Stomach of Mother Freya (Ancient)]

Race Skills: [Identify (Common)], [Demonic Perception (Uncommon)], [Dark Blood (Uncommon)], [Advanced Meditation (Uncommon)], [Demonic Endurance (Uncommon)]

Rank Skill: [Soul Infiltration (Rank F)]

Bloodline Skill: [Servant of the Dark Lord (Unique)]
Servants: [Charlotte Vespertilio (Vampire) – Lvl 61], [Angie (Stone Angel) – Lvl 26]

Familiar: [Ancient Wyvern (Rank F)]

***

The abyss was nearly four days of walking from the temple. They stopped twice along the way. Layla helped set up the tent where she slept with Charlie. For the first time in a long while, there were other women traveling together. She did not count the talking necklace as a woman.

Staring up at the moon, Layla glanced toward Luke. He sat by the campfire, gazing at nothing, or more likely at his system screen. He stayed there in silence, seated and lost in thought. Layla quickly closed the tent and went to her bed.

Damn bastard. Giving me that libido-boosting potion.

Since leaving the Temple of Arcadia, she had walked for twelve straight hours while feeling a constant burning sensation inside her, sweat clinging to her skin, her body overly sensitive. It was the side effect of the healing potion that bastard had given her. Still, she couldn’t deny the results. She felt energized, never grew tired, and even the hole torn into her calf had regenerated fully. Part of her wanted to thank him, but another part stayed irritated. Especially because the potion made her feel strange whenever she looked at Luke.

She lay down. Charlie was already there, asleep.

“Layla, can I ask you something?” Charlie said, turning over.

“I thought you were asleep, Charlie.”

“I’m a light sleeper.”

“Go ahead. What do you want to know?”

“Why are you… here with Master Luke? Didn’t you give up on traveling with him?”

“I already explained it. That bastard showed up in my tent, demanded a few favors, made me march around like a horse, then we fought ninjas, I almost died, and now I’m here. But at least I got to see you again, Charlie.”

Charlie sat up. “You smell like him, Layla.” Her eyes narrowed.

Smell like him? I smell like that bastard? No. I smell good. I bathe, I use creams, perfumes, oils.

“You must be mistaken,” Layla said.

“Hm…” Charlie leaned closer and inhaled lightly. “It’s faint, but it’s there.”

Oh. It’s probably because I wore his shirt.

“Charlie, it’s because—” Layla stopped mid-sentence. Charlie’s gaze had turned unsettling. “Well, it’s probably your imagination. Or maybe it’s because I once used that guy’s shirt as a floor rag.”

Layla changed the subject.

***

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It was morning when Luke checked Angie’s and Charlie’s interfaces. They had made solid progress. Charlie had reached level 71 as a Blood Death Knight and level 66 as a Black Ash Fighter.

Name: Charlotte Vespertilio
Level: 61
Race: Vampire
Rank: E
Class: [Blood Death Knight (Lvl 71)]
2nd Class: [Black Ash Fighter (Lvl 66)]
Title: [Servant of the Dark Lord]
Bloodline: [Bloodline of Vespertilio]
Health Points (HP): 7380/7380
Mana Points (MP): 5330/5330
Stamina: 6078/6100
Blood Core: 93/100

Stats:
Strength: 1261
Lethality: 460
Agility: 456
Dexterity: 212
Endurance: 617
Vitality: 744
Toughness: 522
Perception: 403
Wisdom: 533
Intelligence: 314
Willpower: 424
Free Points: 0

Class Skills: [Basic Weapon Handling (Common)], [Heavy Strike (Common)], [Basic Spectral Charge (Rare)], [Crescent Slash (Uncommon)], [Whirlwind Strike (Uncommon)], [Spectral Barrier (Rare)], [Doomblade (Rare)], [Mark of Doom (Rare)], [Force Infusion (Rare)], [Doom Explosion (Rare)], [Spectral Soldier (Ultra-Rare)], [Blood Bat I (Epic)], [Vampire Drain (Ancient)], [Blood Teleport (Epic)]

Second Class Skills: [Advanced Hand-to-Hand (Uncommon)], [Steel Fist (Rare)], [Stunning Punch (Uncommon)], [Battle Roar (Uncommon)], [Concentrated Kick (Uncommon)], [Power Punch (Uncommon)], [Pugilist’s Leap (Uncommon)], [Muscle Reading (Uncommon)], [Movement Echo (Uncommon)], [Flame (Common)], [Flame Fist (Rare)], [Flame Aura (Rare)], [Basic Levitation (Ultra-Rare], [Berserker Ashen Flames I (Ultra-Rare)], [Twin Meteor Fists (Epic)], [Body Flame Regulation (Uncommon)]

Race Skills: [Demonic Servant Perception (Uncommon)], [Basic Bone Regeneration (Rare)], [Bone Endurance (Rare)], [Iron Bones (Ultra-Rare)], [Night Eyes (Uncommon)], [Blood Sensitivity (Uncommon)], [Enhanced Senses (Uncommon)], [Disease Immunity (Ancient)], [Poison Immunity (Ancient)], [Vampiric Reflexes I (Ancient)], [Vampiric Aura I (Ancient)], [Weak Vampiric Charm I (Ancient)], [Vampiric Leap I (Ancient)], [Vampiric Softfall I (Ancient)], [Vampiric Strength I (Ancient)], [Vampiric Regeneration I (Ancient)], [Vampiric Bite I (Ancient)], [Vampiric Beast Devour (Ancient)]