The Paladin in the Abyss

Chapter 32 Pre-Battle Analysis

"Uh, what do you mean by that?" Bruto was a bit puzzled, while Kalalin's expression changed.

"Lancelot, what did you discover?"

"There is a coffin in the crypt that is covered, and I'm sure there's a vampire lying inside, but it doesn't feel very strong. Kalalin, how much do you know about vampires? I've only heard of such creatures in folklore."

"Vampires are a relatively common type of Undead." Kalalin's face became serious, "In addition to the widely known weaknesses like stakes, running water, and sunlight, vampires also have these characteristics."

"Firstly, vampires are actually a kind of Earthbound Spirit, bound by their own coffin or burial site, and must rest there during the day. High-level vampires can resist this nature to some extent, but during the day their strength is still greatly diminished."

"Secondly, they carry the curse of the gods, and without the invitation of the owner, cannot enter any human dwelling."

"Thirdly, apart from the well-known bat form, vampires can also turn into mist form. In this state, they can't attack or manipulate objects, but they can move and are immune to all damage except magic."

"Fourthly, when they are killed outside their lair, they actually transform into mist form. They must return to their lair within two hours to recover from their injuries, otherwise, they will be utterly destroyed."

"Fifth, not all creatures bitten by vampires become vampires. Only those killed by vampiric abilities and then buried will awake as a vampire the night of the burial, the most common being those blood-fed by vampires.

Vampires transformed this way are under the absolute control of the vampire that created them, thus they are referred to as vampire derivatives, and only when the controlling vampire dies can they gain freedom and become a true vampire."

"Lastly, the state of being a vampire is more like a curse, or a blessing, depending on your point of view, so it's a reversible condition.

The Seventh Circle divine art of Resurrection used by priests is the most common method, which after resurrection, will revert the individual to their state before becoming a vampire, but since this spell doesn't work on naturally dead beings, it can't be used to transform those vampires who have lived for a very long time, having exceeded the limits of their lifespan; another method is the Ninth Circle magic Wish used by mages, which, as I've explained before, has the power to alter reality and can directly remove the vampire state."

"So you're saying that since we are actually sitting right on top of the vampire's lair, the one in the crypt is easy to deal with?"

"Exactly." Kalalin nodded. "Lancelot, how do you feel about that vampire's strength?"

"About the same as Dingke."

"And compared to Bruto?"

"Still a bit lacking compared to Bruto."

Listening, Bruto's face became lined with frustration, "So now I've become a unit of measure for combat strength..."

"That's not quite it." Kalalin shook her head, "You use mithril for your hammer, right? Lancelot's sword is too big, and he probably won't be able to wield it properly in the low-ceilinged crypt. If his little knife isn't effective, we might still have to rely on your hammer."

"I see." Bruto suddenly brightened up again, "Don't worry, I'm not afraid of any opponent who's within twice my height."

"Given its strength and that shabby coffin, I think the likelihood that it's a victim is higher, but we should still prepare for the worst," Lancelot turned to Kalalin, "Do you have any suitable spells for battling vampires?"

"Let me think," Kalalin scratched his head, "the most effective against vampires are the divine arts of Priests and Holy Warriors, as for usable spells..."

"The first-level spell 'Decompose Corpse' is good; we often use it to deal with the corpses of our research subjects, and it can severely weaken the Undead, but the casting material required is a dried poisonous mushroom, which I'm afraid we won't be able to get at this time."

"Sonic-based spells work well against Demons, so I specifically learned a first-level spell called 'Piercing Scream.' If the target is grievously injured to a mist form, then this magic can deal it a lethal blow and completely finish it off."

"Vampires' night vision abilities in the darkness give them a certain advantage, Dwarves also have dark vision, but Sir Lance and I do not, so a zero-level 'Light Spell' would be very useful. It can make an object glow, bright enough to cover an area of 20 feet, which is completely sufficient for an environment like a tomb chamber."

"We also have to guard against the vampires' charm abilities; the second-level spell 'Owl's Wisdom' can enhance resistance to such abilities, and I think it should be used on Lancelot."

"Why not on me or yourself?" Bruto asked curiously, "Shouldn't we be weaker?"

"The reason I'm not giving it to myself is that I'm the least threatening; charmed by me, you'd pose no threat to each other," Kalalin said nonchalantly, "The reason I'm not giving it to you is similar; even if you were charmed, Sir Lance would not have much trouble dealing with you. But if he were charmed, that chamber below ground might well become our resting place."

Bruto opened his mouth to say something in rebuttal but could only helplessly agree, "You make a good point."

"One of my second-level spells, 'Stream of Water,' is also suitable; this spell creates a gentle stream of water, usually used for swimming, but since living water affects vampires like strong acid, this spell can cause them significant damage."

"Lastly, in line with the principle of not wrongly accusing a good person, I have a very practical first-level spell, 'Detect Alignment.' This spell can reveal whether the target's alignment is good or evil, but it requires the zero-level 'Detect Magic' to first confirm whether the target is under the effects of magic or carries magical items."

"That's all the spells I can think of," Kalalin concluded.

"Magic is truly marvelous," Lancelot exclaimed. He pondered for a moment before saying, "Prepare the zero-level spells 'Light Spell' and 'Detect Magic'; they will indeed be useful. The first-level 'Detect Alignment' should be enough; hold off on 'Piercing Scream' for now, as its lair is right beneath us and it can't escape. As for the second-level 'Owl's Wisdom'...

I think I can resist it, after all, I withstand the likes of Tijana... I should have resisted, right? And with the sun setting in a little more than an hour, is there enough time to prepare second-level spell scrolls?"

"Not enough time indeed," Kalalin nodded reluctantly, "My speed of making scrolls is already fast, but an hour is indeed only enough for me to prepare two zero-level spell scrolls and one first-level spell scroll."

"We must resolve this threat tonight; let's get ready quickly," Lancelot then checked the sun's approximate position again, "We should have enough time. Bruto, can your hammer be used as a Blacksmith Hammer?"

"Sure, what for?"

Lancelot pulled out a silver coin, "I think I have a pretty good throwing arm, so help me sharpen the edges of these coins."

"Throwing money at them, huh." Bruto excitedly lifted his hammer, "That's a good idea, leave it to me."