Chapter 378 What Lurks In The Bligh (1/2)
”As you will have noticed,” Lady Raina began, ”the Blight is rarely spoken of in the Iht is reserved for those who've faced it themselves”
”So we've heard,” Kaleesh said ”We were told that it is a privilege that has to be earned”
”That's what the church would have you believe” The Lady gave a cheerless laugh and shook her head ”It's all nonsense The truth is that if word spread too far, too feould volunteer to throay their lives so easily And so, the church obscures the truth with tales of honor and bravery”
Arran gave her an inquisitive look ”It's that bad?”
”It's worse,” she replied in a bitter tone ”I ht, and if the third had his way, he would meet the same fate all too soon”
”You've lost two sons?” Arran looked at her uneasily ”I'm sorry to—”
”Don't be,” she interrupted him ”Unlike most who travel into the Desolation, they knehat they would face As did I And they fought not for worthless honor, but to defend their holanced at her, then asked, ”So will you tell us what dangers the Desolation holds?”
She gave a short nod ”I will”
There was a brief silence as she sat down at the large wooden desk that stood within the chah one of the stacks of papers that lay upon it
Finally, however, she found what she wanted — a large sheet of paper that carried a drawing of a man Or rather, Arran saw as he looked closer, a h superficially human, the creature's features were twisted and deformed, its limbs thick with muscle but uneven, and its skin covered in nuuests so Then, when they finally looked up from the monstrous artwork, she spoke
”The htspawn Though they were once huics, both their h the drawing doesn't show it, they are on average eight feet tall, with enough strength to tear even a Body Refiner limb from limb”
”Their minds were corrupted?” Arran asked ”How so?”
”Whatever was done to them,” the Lady replied, ”it turned them into aboht to the death, continuing even receiving h a dozen soldiers, if they are unprepared”
”Then it's a good thing we're prepared,” Kaleesh said, though there was a trace of worry in his eyes ”But how strong are these creatures?”
Lady Raina shrugged ”It varies The weakest ones are little stronger than coers And ic?” Arran's eyes widened in surprise ”These creatures can useIt required both training and understanding And if Blightspawn could wield ic, it meant they weren't simply mindless monsters
”Soh their erous”
Arran reic could have been used to turn men into monsters But finally, he asked, ”Hoe kill the smile ”The same way you would kill any man — sever his head, bash in his skull, pierce his heart, or cleave his body in two Though there is another way, as well”
She reached into a drawer and produced a crude iron amulet, which she laid down on the desk
”Each of the Blightspawn carries an ah I do not know its exact function, it is soth Take it away and they die — and quite horribly, at that”
”May I?” Arran asked, reaching for the amulet before the Lady could even reply
As soon as he took hold of the aical seal And although its design was alien to hih of seals to understand its purpose almost ined to restrain y within its wearer's body — to prevent it fro the wearer
It was enough for Arran to get a vague idea of how the Blightspaere created Their bodies were infused with Essence, which they could soh Arran had little idea of how to acco, he understood that the amulets were necessary to control that power
”See anything interesting?” Lady Raina asked, her eyebrow raised as she looked at Arran
Arran shook his head, feigning disappointment, and returned the amulet ”It just looks like a piece of iron to me But if we take it away, they will die?”
”That they will,” the Lady replied ”And in atheir heads will be far easier”