Grief and anger

"Valerie! Valerie, stay with me!" Lilian shouted, holding his unconscious wife as she was fighting for her life.

The surrounding area was a devastated crater of fire, and despite being heavily wounded himself, Lilian kept all his focus on his lover. 

The attack she had used was not to be used lightly. It had only two outcomes. Either you die, or your target does. And even then, the cost was extreme.

It was a spell to erase someone's soul, and the cost was paying an equivalent price in the exchange. If you couldn't afford the price, then you'd die. It was as simple as that. 

Using it when you couldn't even confirm the target's strength was beyond foolish. While it would cripple anyone, you could very well sign your own death warrant with it. And the backlash would certainly cripple you, even in success. 

Since Valerie was still breathing, albeit faintly, she had succeeded. The elf was dead. 

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