Chapter - 1928

Inside the black crystal, Night and Orpal screamed in despair, but no one could hear their voice. The darkness element and world energy would always slowly seep inside the Sealed Space, nature abhorred the void.

Yet it would only be enough for the Horseman to survive and keep her host alive. To makes matters worse for them, Thrud's soldiers took their equipment to study it as well.

Orpal's dreams of greatness, of becoming as powerful as his hated brother died the moment he was brought to the Golden Griffon and the Headmasters set up a Sealed Field array.

The academy also cast the Griffon Fetter spell around Night's crystal, sealing her movements and any spell she might try to conjure with the little energy she had left.

Thrud's Awakened Forgemasters didn't waste time and immediately started to examine Moonlight. The steed had been placed in an adjacent room to its master so that it wouldn't damage itself in the attempt to reconnect with her.

Yet without world energy to absorb, the steed was just a big piece of crystal.

"My liege, will you share the secret of Awakening with us as well?" Rusta the Banshee asked.

"You have betrayed your King, there's no telling if you'll do the same to me once I've outlived my usefulness." Thrud shook her head.

"This is different. He was a cruel tyrant whereas you-"

"I'm still not one of your own and you have no real reason to follow me now that Meln has been removed whereas I need you to keep my citizens in check." She cut him short.

"Don't take me for a fool, Rusta. I'm old enough to know that people like you were loyal to Meln because of fear and now you have sided with me only because our interests align."

"But, my Queen!" Many undead fell to their knees, hitting the ground with their forehead to prove their sincerity with blood.

"Enough. We'll talk about this again once your loyalty has been put to the test." She stopped them with a wave of her hand and a Spirit Spell. "Awakening might be off the table, but you have my word that once the War of the Griffon ends, I'll research a better version of the Harmonizer.

"The Fallen Races at my service deserve a better life and so do you."

The eyes of the elders shone with the red light of undeath and greed.

Even though Baba Yaga's plan for her children was for them to achieve the full red blood core, go back to being alive, and have a second take on life, they begged to differ.

After having lived for centuries like predators and becoming accustomed to possessing great magical powers, the idea of going back to being weaklings was scarier than death.

Without being Awakened, their lives would last less than a candle and even if they learned its secrets, they would be limited. With a Harmonizer, instead, the elders would achieve the best of both worlds.

"Thanks, Your Majesty. Long live the Queen." Tethre the Vampire said and the others joined her in a chant.

"Let's go home, darling. It's time to feed our Valeron." Thrud said and opened a Warp Steps back to the academy.

Jormun was happy for his wife, yet scared at the same time. Her plan was moving on track with unsettling precision. First the Doppelgangers, then the ambrosia, and now she had taken over the Undead Courts and gotten her hands on a mage tower.

'Thrud is amassing so much power and she's an immortal white core. Unless someone stops her soon, she'll become so powerful that only a Guardian might be able to stand against her.' He thought.

***

Blood Desert, Heavenly Plume Palace, the following morning.

The three great countries were shocked when the Mad Queen broadcasted the news of her victory over the Dead King and his Undead Courts.

Lith and his family were sitting at the table together for breakfast when Salaark barged into the room and projected the hologram for them.

"Unlike the previous corrupted Royals and the incompetents that currently sit on the throne, I, Thrud Griffon, have kept my promise." She stood on a dais where a chopping block had been prepared.

The scene mirrored the execution of General Morn, with Thrud wearing the same ceremonial robe as Meron and wielding an identical sword. Orpal wore his Black Rose armor, but it was full of cracks and blood, looking more like scrap metal than legendary equipment.

He was all skin and bones, his eyes red from the crying and with only a few hairs on his head due to malnutrition. He looked like a pitiful, miserable creature, but no one felt anything but disgust at his sight.

"Tonight, I've dealt a huge blow to the Undead Courts. They are far from being defeated and I expect them to keep bothering us in the near future, but losing their leader has crippled their strength.

"Here I offer you the life of Meln Narchat, in reparation for his crimes against the Griffon Kingdom and its people. Any last words?" Thrud asked.

When Orpal started stuttering a few words, Arthan's sword cut his head off and him short. The crowd exploded in cheers and applause as those on the front row passed the head among them to make sure that he was really dead.

"Too bad that no one is interested in the ramblings of a madman." The Mad Queen said. "Today, I've shown you my justice. I've proved to you that a better Kingdom is not just a dream, but a possibility. Have a nice day. Queen Thrud out."

Raaz was among those cheering. He had jumped from his seat, clenching his fist in victory as if he had somehow contributed to Orpal's capture. When he noticed that he was the only one rejoicing, his enthusiasm died.

"I know that he was my son, but I don't feel guilty for celebrating his demise." He said while looking at Elina.

"The problem is that he's not dead." Lith sighed.

"What do you mean?" At those words, Raaz turned pale.

"I've decapitated a Horseman in the past. Blew their heart and everything. They don't die unless their crystal is destroyed. What Thrud did today was just propaganda." Lith said.

"Why would she do that? I mean, aside from the obvious reason."

"My guess is that she needs him alive for some reason. Either she hopes to enslave him with the Unwavering Loyalty array or it must have something to do with his tower. Maybe once he dies, Moonlight will go back to Baba Yaga." Lith shrugged.

"But, he's still imprisoned. He can't harm us anymore, right?" Raaz asked with eyes filled with hope, wishing his lost son to suffer as much as his victims.

"That's for sure." Lith said.

'But if he manages to escape, I doubt that Thrud will broadcast the news as well.' He actually thought.

Lith preferred not to share his doubts to not ruin his father's joy. Thrud's broadcast had made Raaz happy and he didn't want to spoil it.

***

Blood Desert, Salaark's beach house, a few hours later.

Lith called Zoreth as soon as they went back to their honeymoon and enjoy some privacy.

"You have to leave for the family meals? Gods, did your wife put you on a leash already?" The Abomination chuckled.
Chapter 1929: Verendi (part 1)
"I'm not on a leash! It's just that since it's still our honeymoon and going to Verendi might be dangerous, I needed my wife's approval." Lith blushed a little in embarrassment.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of." Zoreth sighed. "Bytra did the same to me soon after our marriage. Don't kill him, darling. Don't destroy a whole building just to get the job done faster. Talking is always an option."

She imitated Bytra's voice making it sound shrill and annoying, but whenever Zoreth talked about her wife, her lips curved up into a smile.

"You know, I wish that Vastor and Zinya have such an honest relationship as well. They always argue because he refuses to tell her where he goes and why. So far, she has been patient, but if he doesn't open up a little, things will get ugly."

"What about the rest? How long will the mission take?" Lith asked.

"No more than a few days at worst." The Shadow Dragon shrugged. "If the idiot had kept his communication amulet, we'd just get him and then look around for the Mouth. As things are, instead, we have first to search for Theseus and it could take a while."

She explained to Lith how the black pillars worked and how they would find the missing Eldritch as long as he was still alive.

"I also want to bring you along to check if you have a similar ability. After all, you are part Abomination as well." Zoreth said.

"What if I do?" The nature of the black pillar reminded Lith of the Phoenix's bloodline ability Call of the Blood.

"We would be able to find Theseus much faster." She replied. "Abominations work in pairs not because we need someone covering our backs, but because of the resonance effect that being close creates.

"By combining our strength, Bytra and I are capable of emitting a much stronger signal that allows our brethren to communicate with us and know our position even from a continent of distance.

"If you can do the same, the resonance will be much stronger and we'll pinpoint Theseus's position from a greater distance. Also, it would be of great help to you in the future since you could always call upon us in case you need help."

On the one hand, Lith didn't like the idea of the Abominations and the Master always knowing where he was. On the other hand, however, in the war and especially the next time he faced Orpal, Lith could use some Eldritch muscle.

"Where and when do we meet?" He asked.

"Tomorrow morning, at the city of Bilok, on the southern border of the Desert. I'd rather move now, but I think that Elphyn needs to rest. She didn't look good when we left." Zoreth said.

"Thanks for your kindness. Also, the next time you meet her, call her Solus. She doesn't really like her old name."

"Will do. Zoreth out."

Much to Lith's surprise, after finishing cooking lunch, Kamila had demanded to cuddle on the couch while she explained to him everything that she knew about Verendi in front of a holographic map of the southern continent.

"They speak Tyris' universal language so you'll be fine." She said in between kisses. "With your tan, very few will believe that you are a foreigner. You have almost gotten as dark as a native of the Desert."

"Is there a problem with foreigners?" Lith asked.

Solus was bright pink at best and unless Zoreth used Body Sculpting, she was so pale that she almost looked sick.

"Not really, but they have a bad reputation." Kamila sat on his lap, unbuttoning her dress. "Most criminals from both the Kingdom and the Desert cross the border to escape justice.

"Seeing a pale face near the border usually means trouble. If you want to avoid pointless fights, stay clear from everyone who has a familiar accent."

"Not that I'm complaining, but what's the rush? We still have all day and night in front of us." The contrast between her bronze skin and the paleness of the tan lines was almost hypnotic.

Lith's hands gently caressed along the colored borders, making her moan.

"Yeah, right." Kamila said with a sneer before shutting him up with a deep kiss. "I bet that as soon as Solus wakes up, she'll stick to you like glue. Then, at night, she'll be so nervous that you'll feel it through your bond, ruining the mood again."

"What's this delicious smell? I'm starving." Solus' voice came from the guest room, making the newlyweds freeze.

"Fuck me sideways!" Kamila said.

"Too late for that." Lith sighed as their Voidwalker armor covered them in a rush before their guest could see them in action.

Kamila closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she opened them again, she looked calm and was smiling, yet Lith could tell that she would have gladly killed the first person who'd bothered her.

They shared the rest of the information with Solus at lunch. She just nodded and ate most of the time. Between puking her breakfast and the nervous stress from meeting Bytra, Solus ate for three, dessert included.

"I've got only one question. How much do we want to tell Zoreth and Bytra about my condition?" She asked with a satisfied belch after finishing her ice cream with cookies.

"Well, you've already told them too much for my taste." Lith shrugged. "I'd gloss over the tower, but we can't hide the fact that your human body doesn't last long."

"Agreed." Solus nodded. "I don't want dear Bytra to take a second shot at my Mom's legacy. Now I'll go back to my room. I need to rest."

Kamila's eyes went wide at the sight of the number of dirty dishes and cookware on the table while Solus walked out of the door and toward the tower.

"You are not going anywhere until we're done cleaning." She said with a cold voice. "Also, saying please and thank you never killed anyone!"

"Thank you for the meal and your hospitality." Solus Warped back inside the cottage, holding Kamila tight.

From her sniffling, Kamila could tell that Solus had rushed out to hide her tears and not ruin the day for them any more.

"You are welcome." Kamila sighed, gently caressing Solus' head. "Now let's get done with the kitchen and then we can do something together. I don't want you to stay alone."

The three of them spent the afternoon, the evening, and much to Kamila's dismay, even the night together on the couch in front of the fireplace. Company and the light of the stars helped Solus to fall asleep and gave Kamila back pain.

The following morning, Solus went back into her ring and Lith used the Warp Gate of the cottage to reach directly the city of Bilok. Border posts were connected by the Gate network in order to be capable of quickly assembling armed forces from all over the country in the case of an invasion.

Every border post had multiple Gates at the ready and the guards remained flabbergasted when Lith walked through the personal dimensional corridor of the Overlord.

"Young master, you should have notified us of your arrival. We would have prepared a proper welcome." The desk sergeant gave him the salute.
Chapter 1930: Verendi (part 2)
"At ease." Lith replied. "I'm not here on official duty nor am I going to stay. I need to cross the border. Is that a problem?"

"For you? Not at all." The sergeant shrugged. "When you return, however, make sure to show your ID, or the guards will think you are a shapeshifter and shoot you on sight."

Lith thanked the guards for their service and went to the meeting point with Xenagrosh, a big rock used as a landmark a few kilometers away from the city.

"Isn't it dangerous for you to be in the Desert? Why didn't we meet past the border?" Lith asked after greeting the two Abominations.

"The borders are relatively safe. Here Salaark's senses are at their weakest. Unless we use a lot of magical power, she won't ever know we've been here." Zoreth shook her head.

"As for your question, if we met past the border, you would have risked being arrested. Salaark's golden plaque makes you a valuable hostage. Sure you would've had no trouble escaping, but having an army on our tail would be a bad way to start our trip."

"Where's Elphyn?" Bytra asked, surprised to see Lith alone.

"Right here." His eyes became golden and his voice feminine as he raised his hand to show her the stone ring. "Even after 700 years I still bear the scars of your attack. I can keep my physical form only for a short time before it crumbles.

"I prefer saving my strength for when it's needed."

"I'm really sorry, Elphyn. I swear that if I could, I'd give everything I have to switch our condition." Bytra's voice was filled with honest remorse that managed to get through even Solus' resentment.

"Please, call me Solus. I hate that name, especially when you are the one speaking it. It only brings me bad memories." She said.

Zoreth assumed her Shadow Dragon form, making Lith and Bytra climb on her back before taking flight. The border between Verendi and Garlen was filled with all kinds of elemental sealing arrays, making it impossible to fly or Warp.

Zoreth used her bloodline abilities to become as light as a feather and to turn herself and her passengers into a nigh-gaseous form that the wind carried through the border without triggering the magical protections.

She moved akin to a huge bird, propelled only by the flapping of her wings and the air currents. Once they got far away enough from the array field, she returned to normal and used magic to accelerate past the speed of sound.

"Fuck me sideways." Lith said, gawking at the energy dome surrounding them.

Not only there was no air current slapping his face, but his feet felt as steady as if he was still on the ground. Yet the landscape flashing in front of his eyes in a blur told him otherwise.

"From the last message we received, we know that Theseus is not close to the Desert. There's no point wasting our time there. We'll reach one of the inner countries of Verendi and start looking from there." Zoreth said via air magic.

"Why not Warp?" Solus asked, gawking as well from her ring as she used the Eyes of Menadion to understand how the Dragon could fly that fast and protect her guests at the same time.

"Warp requires a destination and we have none." Bytra replied. "Also, if we appear out of thin air, we'll draw the attention of the guards, or worse, people will try to hire us.

"This way, instead, we can go wherever we want unnoticed and listen to the rumors as we fly above the small settlements."

"What rumors?" Lith asked.

"We are looking for a thirty meters (100') tall monster-Eldritch hybrid who suffers from fits of blood madness and has created a pillar of black light just a couple of days ago.

"Even if he's thousands of miles away, you can bet that he's the talk of the day. That kind of news travels fast." Bytra replied.

"What do you mean and why can't you just use the pillar again to communicate?" It was the first time that Solus spoke to her without an insult or seething rage in his voice so the Raiju smiled at the question.

"Verendi is made of several small states compared to Garlen. They are constantly at war with each other, trying to find a way to expand their respective territories. An Eldritch is considered a powerful weapon.

"You can bet that all countries will try to cajole Theseus in their service and kill him if he refuses. They fear his strength, but they fear the idea of an Eldritch joining one of their enemies more." Bytra said.

"And you can't use the pillar too often without exposing his position." Solus completed the phrase for her.

"Exactly." The Raiju nodded. "By following the rumors, we can still discover our companion's whereabouts and use the pillar only when we have no other option. We want to rescue him, not throw him to the wolves."

"That's great thinking. We should-" The words died on Solus' ring when she realized how familiar the tone between them had become on the spur of the moment.

Her love for magic and the idea of visiting a new continent had almost made Solus forget who she was dealing with.

An awkward silence ensued and no one was willing to break it without a good reason.

The Shadow Dragon covered hundreds of kilometers at a time, circling around small cities and merchants' rest areas along the main trading routes, hoping to pick up anything about their mark.

She used air magic to carry the noise up and then her keen Dragon hearing to filter the buzzing voices. It wasn't enough to understand what they were talking about but she was just looking for recurring words like monster, weapon, and pillar.

If all she heard were curse words and haggling, she moved on to the next location, hoping to have better luck.

After a few hours, they had already crossed the borders of the republics of Danghia, Ruthen, and Zelma but they still had no clue about where to find Theseus.

'At least I had all the time I needed to understand how Xenagrosh's flight spell works and how to set up a gyrostabilized barrier.' Solus thought. 'Without it, we would have been crushed by the wind pressure or knocked off her back at the first turbulence.'

"Don't worry, this much was expected." Xenagrosh voice resounded inside the dome. "We are still going blind, but the moment we get a lead, things will become much easier. All we need is a starting point.

"We're now in the republic of Namgar, two thousand kilometers from the border with the Desert and in the hinterland of Verendi. If anything weird has happened in any of the nearby countries, here we can find some clues.

"I'm above the city of Gulna, one of the main trading hubs of Namgar. The country is notoriously neutral and profits by selling weapons to anyone who can pay for them. People from all over Verendi come here to buy and sell.

"With a bit of luck, we'll find Theseus simply by following the people hunting him. If he has been spotted, they are going to buy the biggest weapons they can afford."
Chapter 1931: The Great Mother (part 1)
The Shadow Dragon flew away from the city until they found a secluded area. Then, she used a float spell for her passengers and reverted to her human form before Warping everyone on the ground.

"I'd like to fly straight to our destination, but the time we spend walking is time saved from answering the questions of the local warlords and avoiding job offers." Zoreth said as her body shapeshifted into that of a black-skinned tall man with beady eyes.

Bytra shapeshifted as well, assuming the appearance of a woman of her same height but with dark brown skin, light chestnut eyes, and curly short black hair.

"You can keep your appearance, but those clothes have to go." Zoreth said in a deep baritonal voice with a thick unknown accent.

She handed Lith tanned leather pants and a long-sleeved linen shirt, an attire suited to the savanna surrounding them. The climate was more humid than the Desert, but no less hot.

Grassland covered most of the ground, revealing only a few patches of an unknown red soil that seemed to be fertile. Despite the lack of any visible source of water, there was plenty of pasture for herbivores and lots of trees.

Unlike the forests he was used to, the canopy was open, allowing plenty of sunlight to reach the ground. Most of the plants weren't recorded in the tomes stored inside Soluspedia.

Lith was so taken aback by their transformation and the unknown environment that he looked around like a tourist who had just gotten off his flight.

On top of that, it was the first time that he had seen black-skinned people since he had come to Mogar and he didn't know how to ask the obvious questions that were popping in his mind without sounding ignorant, racist, or both.

'Does racism exist on Mogar?' He thought.

"Judging from your staring, you had no idea what the locals look like, correct?" Zoreth had forgotten that Lith was still very young and had never left Garlen.

She wasn't aware of his trip to Jiera and Lith had never felt the need to share it with her.

"Yes." He nodded with a dumb expression on his face.

"Well, just like the people of the Kingdom are pink and those of the Desert are bronze-skinned, here they have an even darker color." Bytra said. "If you ever go on Jiera, instead, you'll find even people with a kind of yellowish skin."

"Really?" Lith's eyes went wide in surprise.

"Yes. The appearance of humans, just like for beasts, changes based on the climate they grew in, but they are still people. Staring like that is plain rude and betrays the fact that you come from Garlen."

"Do the people of Verendi discriminate against the other continents?" Lith asked crossing his fingers.

"Yes." Zoreth replied.

'Fuck! I had hoped to have left this kind of bullshit on Earth!' Lith inwardly whined.

"They can't stand the people of Garlen because you are their enemies. If it's of any consolation, they discriminate against anyone who isn't from their own country. Your accent betrays you so leave the talking to us." Bytra's accent was just as thick as Zoreth's, making it hard for him to understand some of the words.

Lith shapeshifted his clothes after the gemstone in the Voidwalker armor absorbed them.

"Wait, so the discrimination is only aimed at people perceived as enemies?" He asked.

"Yes. What kind of other reason did you expect?" Zoreth looked at him in confusion.

"I don't know, maybe the color of my skin?" He said it as a joke, obtaining genuine laughter in reply.

"Why would people do that? It's the most stupid thing I've ever heard." Bytra said.

'This explains why no one ever bothered Nalrond even in Lutia and why the people of the Desert had no problem accepting us as their own. It wasn't just because of Salaark but also because on Mogar racism doesn't exist.' Solus thought.

The three of them ran toward the main road, shifting to a jog as soon as they came close enough to other travelers. They kept moving at a human speed to not draw attention and even pretended to sweat.

As soon as they reached the highway, a few people approached them. Lith's hand instinctively moved to his hip, where War usually was but Bytra stopped him in time, threading her fingers through his.

"Are you lost or have you been robbed?" A tall middle-aged man with a round belly asked while offering them a water skin.

His colorful clothes identified him as someone rich, just like the magnificent white stallion he rode. The man had a warm smile and a friendly expression that didn't extend to his eyes, especially while looking at Lith.

"Both." Zoreth nodded to the man in gratitude, taking the water skin with both hands and drinking as if she was thirsty. "We were showing our friend around when bandits took us to a secluded spot and robbed us blind."

"You have been truly unlucky." The man said.

"I consider ourselves lucky, instead. They took our belongings but at least we kept our lives. We can always make more money and buy new things." Bytra had just answered correctly to the merchant's coded words, making his smile turn genuine.

"I'm always glad to meet new friends and I'll happily do what I can to help you. My name is Zugu, and I'm a merchant." The man dismounted and offered his hand to Xenagrosh.

"I'm Goro and she is my sister Palea from the Meraka company." She shook it, noticing how the people surrounding the caravan acted casual, but they had positioned themselves so that their rings pointed at her.

Their hands held the reigns, but they would need but a thought to rain magic on the strangers.

"He is my sister's fiancé, Ilyum." Zoreth nodded at Lith. "We were showing him the ropes with a simple food transport when we got attacked. The kid needs to do better if he wants to enter the family."

"Ilyum?" The man was already suspicious of the stranger's features. "What an odd name. Does he belong to the famous riders of the Ghiskan plains? I could use a good horse tamer as well."

"I wish." Zoreth said with a sigh. "He's just a foreigner from Garlen. He had trouble there and was forced to run away. My sister fell in love with him and you know how these things go."

She had noticed Zugu's caution under his amiable façade. Also, Lith's accent would betray his origins the moment he opened his mouth, no matter how good his cover story was.

Claiming that he was a mute would have been too convenient to be believable so the Shadow Dragon had preferred to mix lies and truth.

This way, Lith was free to stare at unfamiliar things and make social blunders without arousing suspicions. The people of Verendi were suckers for love stories and claiming that Lith was a renegade only made him worthy of respect.

"Don't be so harsh on the lad. Young love is the most beautiful thing on Mogar. May the Great Mother bless your union with many magically talented children." Zugu gave the couple a bow before shaking their hands.
Chapter 1932: The Great Mother (part 2)
"Welcome to Namgar, the land of opportunities." The merchant said while patting Lith's shoulders and feeling his amazing constitution. "Here tyranny is not tolerated. Unlike in Garlen, a simple boy can become a powerful merchant, like me.

"Or even the most powerful man of the country, like our Prime Minister. In Namgar, there are no nobles who can harass you, only honest people that make a living."

"Thanks." Lith replied with an accent that the locals found almost incomprehensible.

"You don't look like a merchant, more like a warrior." Zugu was as tall as Lith, but the weight the man had in fat, the stranger had in muscles.

"I am, but sadly, I'm not a mage. Those guys had wands and caught us by surprise. There was nothing I could do." Lith looked into the merchant's eyes and above his shoulder while answering, receiving a nod from Zoreth.

"Strong and wise! You'll fit right in. You will be my honored guests." Zugu led them to a carriage where they could sit.

Then, one of the guards offered them food, water, and wet towels from a dimensional amulet. They accepted everything with gratitude, pretending to be relieved.

'Solus, analysis.' He asked while looking around.

The people of the caravan had either a bronze skin like in the Desert but also with slightly slanted eyes or a black skin that reminded him of African-Americans. Some were mixed blood and Lith couldn't feel any animosity between them.

'This place is no different from Garlen.' She replied. 'Most people have a red or orange mana core, like Zugu. His personal guards, instead, are all low talented mages with a bright yellow core.

'Zugu and the guards are the only ones wearing magical equipment, the rest have regular gear. The caravan contains several enchanted pieces but it's all small stuff.'

Lith could feel Solus' enthusiasm and curiosity. Unlike him, she was free to stare and gawk as much as she wanted. Solus was eager to come out and experience Verendi in person.

Yet at the same time, spending more time with Bytra was far from alluring.

'It makes sense. If they were powerful mages, they wouldn't guard a simple caravan and if Zugu carried something precious, he wouldn't have stopped to help a bunch of strangers.' He thought.

Zoreth and the merchant spoke most of the time while Bytra explained Lith the terms he didn't know and how to be polite towards their hosts. The Shadow Dragon avoided asking precise questions, letting the conversation flow by itself.

As usual, there was war in the south, the north, and the west. The east was peaceful, but only because a widespread draught made it impossible to fight.

"Your sister will make a great wife and mother." Zugu nodded at Bytra who was showing Lith how to use a piece of cutlery that reminded him of a spork, just much sharper. "She has the patience to teach her man like a child."

Bytra smiled shyly and blushed at those words, but her eyes fell on Zoreth instead of Lith.

Once they arrived at their destination, the city of Gulna, they helped the merchant to unload his merchandise as a thank you. Zoreth ordered Lith around like a drill sergeant so he didn't argue to not compromise their cover story.

'I think that just like Zugu offered you hospitality, now it's your turn to return the favor by working for free. It must be another custom of Verendi, or at least a merchant's tradition.' Solus pointed at him how even the guards were warming up to the group after they had started to help.

'Okay, but why unload all the carriages and make me lift the heaviest crates? This is just a waste of time.' Or so Lith thought for about one minute.

Zoreth had insisted to help because now they were surrounded by the bustling activity of the storehouses. It was full of people of all ages and social status, and they all talked to make their work less boring.

At first, they became silent as soon as they saw unknown faces, but after witnessing Lith's strength, the silence turned from distrust into admiration. As soon as Zugu told the people of the warehouses the circumstances of his guests, the mood turned upside down.

Everyone patted Zoreth's back for having found such a hard-working brother-in-law. They asked her for help and she was happy to send Lith loading their caravans in exchange for money and information.

While she dealt with the merchants, Lith listened to the carriers' and the guards' talking. He had become one of them and now they spoke openly in Lith's presence, even asking his opinion from time to time or giving him advice.

Aside from the weird food and the thick accent, Verendi didn't look like a bad place where to live. Or better, it wouldn't if not for the huge crates of weapons he was carrying around and the fact that most of the news was about war.

Once they were done, they left the warehouses with a purse filled with copper coins.

Now that Lith could finally look around, he noticed that Gulna was built mainly in stone. The houses had big windows and doors that were left open during the day to keep them ventilated.

The furniture was made of some kind of light wood he had never seen before. The poor houses, instead, were made of straw or whatever their owner had put together to make four walls and a roof.

What struck him the most was the poverty. He had traveled a lot in the Kingdom as a Ranger, but he had never seen so many poor people.

He was about to ask for an explanation when they reached the main plaza. There, right in the middle and in the only free space between the merchant stalls, there was a stone statue.

It depicted a beautiful woman with long hair and a long dress. She carried a basket full of food in her left hand and a stone tablet in her right. The people took good care of the statue, keeping it clean and painting it regularly.

"Isn't that Tyris?" Lith had no problem recognizing her even though the statue was centuries old.

"She is. You heard Zugu, they still respect the Great Mother even in Verendi." Zoreth nodded.

"What do you mean still? Isn't it Tyris forced to stay in the Kingdom?" He asked.

"That's now." The Shadow Dragon shook her head. "When I was a child, my father would tell me how back when there was only one Guardian, Tyris the Great Mother would spend each season in a different continent.

"Winter in Garlen to help its people survive the harsh climate. Summer in Verendi to keep the draughts away. Spring in Jiera to teach them how to face the monsoons, and Autumn in Zima, where the sun rises.

"Their land is rich but unstable due to the frequent quakes. She taught them how to identify the safe areas where to build their homes and to recognize the early signs of volcanic eruptions."

"All by herself?" Lith's mouth fell to the floor.

"Yes. Tyris was considered the goddess of earth and fertility. Wherever she went, life thrived." Zoreth nodded. "Then, as new Guardians started to appear, she couldn't move as freely as before.
Chapter 1933: Learn From History (part 1)
"So Tyris would send her children, the Griffons, to act in her stead and keep helping the other continents without messing with their Guardians' turfs. The Griffons would always take her appearance to reassure the people that she hadn't abandoned them." Zoreth said.

"I get to depict her with a basket, but why the tablet?" Lith pointed at the statue's right hand.

"Because the first thing she taught her followers after how to survive was how to speak the same language and how to write. This way, they could preserve the knowledge she passed unto them and share it with the other tribes." Bytra replied.

While they walked toward the tavern that Zugu had recommended to them, Lith spent the rest of the time in silence.

'I thought that Guardians were just powerful beings that sat on their asses all day except in times of crisis.' He thought. 'Tyris basically shaped four continents alone for centuries. It's no wonder that even the other Guardians respect her.'

'Then why did the people of Verendi speak so many languages and why is she less active now?' Solus asked and Lith relayed her doubts.

"Verendi is under Fenagar, who promotes innovation, and Zagran, who preaches individuality." Bytra replied. "They were their local gods while Tyris was forced to stay away so the people preferred to follow their teachings.

"As for Solus' second question, Tyris acts less simply because people don't need her so much anymore. She gave us a common tongue, the means to cultivate the land, and taught us magic.

"Her children spread Silverwing's legacy throughout Mogar and now the four races can fend for themselves. Or better, they must or they will always remain like children who can't survive without their mother."

The food at the Drunken Snake tavern was even worse than that on the caravan, but at least it was hot and the beverages were cold. A deep yellow cored barista would keep both the ingredients and the water fresh.

Several ampoules of water were hung to the walls, spreading humidity and helping the weak mage to keep the dining area pleasant despite the heat coming from the sun, the stoves, and the people at the tables.

"Did we anger Zugu or what?" Lith checked his watch.

There was still time before his lunch with Kamila, but as someone who had been allegedly stranded in the savanna and then had worked his ass off, he was supposed to be hungry.

"Couldn't he send us to a place with good food?"

"The food is good, it's just you not having a taste for the local cuisine." Zoreth replied. "Also, we didn't come here to eat, but to listen. Zugu assured me that this is the right place for those who seek a job or information."

"Okay, fine. But what happened to all that 'we are Abominations. We don't hide' stuff? Why the disguise?" He asked.

"Because due to Tyris' legacy, women with pale skin and either bright colored eyes or golden hair are highly sought after." The Shadow Dragon pointed at her wife and Lith's ring. "If we kept our original appearance, you'd have to fight just to keep people away from them.

"Also, if someone gets too cocky with us and we have to kill a lot of people, the only rumors we would hear are those about ourselves. We can't poison the water we are drinking from nor can we afford to have armies chasing us.

"We are confident, not stupid. As I told you earlier, the first part of the chase is of critical importance. As soon as we find a lead, we can drop all the pretenses."

"Well, Solus doesn't have golden hair like Rena. She just has a very light shade of brown." Lith tried to change the topic, realizing that she was right.

"Yeah, right." Bytra chuckled. "Because here they have so many blondes that they can afford to be picky. Any rich or powerful man here would kill for a redhead or even a brunette."

All the heads around them were either bald or covered in different shades of black hair. Aside from elemental shades and grey hair, there was almost no variation in its color for both men and women.

"Point taken." Lith nodded.

After finishing her meal, Zoreth went to talk with the caravans' heads with the excuse of looking for a ride back home in exchange for their work. Yet what she really wanted was information about any kind of unusual event.

Since Lith had no desire for a second serving and all he could hear from the nearby tables were satisfied belches and ill-concealed farts, he decided to learn a bit more about Verendi.

"There's something that doesn't add up." He said. "Zugu said that this is the land of opportunities and Kami showed me a map of Verendi. They are all democracies."

"So what?" Bytra asked.

"Then why there are so many poor people and why is everything I hear talking about war?" Lith replied.

"Because the situation in Garlen is very different from here." She said after making sure that no one was paying them attention. "There, people advance through talent and merit. Be it in the Empire, the Kingdom, or the Desert, a talented mage or a cunning youth is nurtured.

"I know that you think the Kingdom is a cesspool, but until Orpal messed with your life, you still managed to rise from a farm boy to an almost Magus without encountering much trouble.

"Of course, the higher you got, the more people tried to stand in your way, but that would have happened no matter your job. Even your father had to face several hurdles and he is 'just' a farmer." Lith appreciated her air quotes and the respect for his for Raaz's work.

"Here, instead, you would have been killed. Lark would have been the first to be afraid of your talent and would have had you removed to make sure you didn't aim for his fief.

"Nana would have never taught you magic unless you married her daughter and promised her to take care of her business. Your only chance to become a mage would have been to meet the local Council and become an apprentice."

"Why?" Lith asked in confusion.

"Because people work hard to raise the social ladder and they don't want to lose their position. Both rich and commoners would have seen your talent as a threat. The wealthy would have tried to cajole you into their service to become richer.

"The commoners, instead, would have done everything they could to profit from you, like selling any secret they discovered about your powers or identity if not even helping to kidnap you." Bytra replied.

"Remember that mages hold the power of life and death in their hands and no one likes the idea of a rogue god messing with their livelihood. In Verendi the house you are born in is more important than your talent.

"The rich keep the people poor and ignorant so that they can't threaten their position."

"This is absurd! Why did no one change the law? A democracy means that people vote for their representatives, correct?" Lith whispered in outrage.

"Correct, but what you fail to consider is that being elected costs a lot of money."
Chapter 1934: Learn From History (part 2)
"Just the sheepskin necessary for the fliers, the need to organize rallies, and the people that must travel far and wide throughout the country to spread your electoral promises cost a fortune." Bytra replied.

"Those with the right ideas rarely have the means whereas those who have the means rarely have any interest in changing the status quo. Democracy is great on paper, but once you try it out, you discover that unless you have the money to make your voice heard, you are nothing but a whisper in a storm."

Lith nodded, remembering what usually happened on Earth where even people with a good heart and full of ideals were forced to sell themselves to get the necessary funds to be elected.

No matter what they promised, they were always forced to compromise so much that their dreams became so watered down to be irrelevant, if not completely twisted. Very few countries on Earth could be called civil, the rest just pretended to.

"What about the war?" Lith asked. "How come every country neighbouring Namgar is fighting another?"

"Verendi is still divided into many small countries. It means that the resources are unevenly distributed and that very few democracies are self-sufficient. They use trade as a way to survive and keep their neighbours' growth in check." Bytra replied.

"The moment a famine, a plague, or a draught strikes, so do the neighbouring armies and the losers get their country split among the winners. Those countries are facing some kind of crisis and the others are simply making use of that.

"With a bit of luck, by following a conflict that's taking place despite the lack of such conditions we'll find Theseus. You have no idea what the so-called civilized people would do to put a leash on a living weapon of mass destruction."

"Would really a single Abomination change the situation of an entire continent so much?" Lith said.

"Yes." The Raiju nodded. "Right now, all the countries have their hands tied and have to wait for favourable conditions in order to strike. That's because the true strength of an army doesn't lay in the number of its soldiers but in its mages.

"The nonsensical policy of Verendi prevents mages to rise because the upper echelons are afraid of being ruled by them like it happens in the Empire and the Kingdom. Yet at the same time, it also limits their power.

"Let's say that two countries with the same extension and number of mages go at war, the first to lose the most magic users in battle loses. Yet at that point, the winner has double the area to protect and less than half the mages they would need, becoming easy prey for their neighbours.

"With an Abomination at their service, instead, they would send it to lay waste on the enemy forces without committing a single mage. One of our kind is enough to win most battles.

"The winner would suffer no losses and if anyone dares to attack them while they are still consolidating their new territory, they can just unleash the beast again."

"Isn't it the same situation the Kingdom was in before Valeron?" Lith asked, obtaining a nod in reply. "Then how the heck did the First King pull off such a feat. Sure, he and his companions were strong, but five people can't keep a country the size of the Kingdom in check."

"I can answer that because I was there." Zoreth had returned, bringing three tankards of a fermented fruit that passed for beer on Namgar. "Valeron wasn't just a conqueror. He was a dreamer and a leader first.

"After conquering a country, no matter how small, he would take his time and conquer its people's hearts. He would stay there, spend time with them and help them solve the main problems that had plagued them for generations.

"Illnesses, food shortages, droughts, he and his companions would get rid of them and make the land flourish just like the Great Mother would. Valeron didn't treat those he defeated as inferior nor did he try to impose his customs.

"He would rarely speak and spend most of his time listening. Then, after understanding what the people really needed, he would take action and help them achieve it.

"He didn't bestow anything to them, but he fought alongside them, sharing their efforts and rewards. You have no idea how much it meant for all those whose voices had never been heard.

"For those who had been told their whole life they were nothing until they had started to believe it themselves. Valeron didn't give gifts, he gave opportunities and those who were brave and determined enough would rise to the challenge.

"At first, I laughed at him, considering Valeron a fool and his dream a fool's errand. Then I saw entire armies turning their backs to their generals, people fighting against their own rulers to protect him.

"At that point, I started to believe in him as well and I rooted for him." Zoreth lowered her eyes in embarrassment, taking a long sip from her tankard.

"That's a big understatement." Bytra giggled making the Shadow Dragon almost choke on her drink. "She was a real fangirl. Zor still has an ancient poster of Valeron's coronation and she helped him from the shadows.

"After a long battle, when his soldiers needed time to rest and heal, she would patrol the area and kill whoever dared to approach them."

"Bytra! That was supposed to be a secret.

"Do you realize how embarrassing it was for a millennia old being to be infatuated with a pup less than three decades old?" Zoreth's voice became so high pitched that it almost sounded feminine.

"It's not embarrassing, it's cute. It means that even then your heart wasn't really dead and that you were still capable of dreaming and caring for others." The Raiju took Zoreth's hands caressing them gently.

'Am I so cringy as well when I'm with Kami?' Lith asked.

'You are worse. She plays you like a fiddle.' Solus replied with a giggle. 'I'm really happy we decided to come here. Verendi can teach us a lot and the more time I spend with Bytra, the more I understand that she's not Korgh.

'It was Korgh who killed my mother and, in a way, Bytra avenged her more than once.'

Then, Lith noticed that people were throwing odd looks at the tender moment between the alleged siblings and stepped in.

"So, have you discovered anything interesting, brother?" He said while wrapping his arm around Bytra's slender shoulders and dragging her close to him.

Zoreth had a hard time repressing a snarl and Solus didn't puke at the contact solely because a stone ring was physically incapable of such a feat. No matter what her brain told her, her heart and soul had scars that ran deep.

"Actually, a lot." The Shadow Dragon noticed the odd looks as well so she took a deep breath to relax and put some distance between her and her wife. "I claimed that our business has several branches so I could ask about the status of many neighbouring countries."

Zoreth unfolded a map of Verendi that she had just bought.

"I'm now sure that Theseus is not here. There's nothing relevant happening for hundreds of kilometres in every direction." She traced with her finger a circle around Namgar and all of its bordering states.
Chapter 1935: Deep Scars (part 1)
"Which means we must go further south and start our search over." Zoreth pointed at the following cluster of countries, thousands of kilometers of distance. "We can be there in less than an hour if we alternate Warp and flight."

"Excellent idea." Lith nodded and after paying the bill, they left the establishment.

Xenagrosh moved faster than a plane, reaching her destination a bit later than she had estimated only because she stopped listening to the conversation of all the caravans they encountered.

"Here is my stop. Please, land." Lith had been checking his watch for a while and now pointed at an empty piece of land.

The Abominations could feel the powerful flow of world energy coming from the ground thanks to their hunger.

"What do you mean your stop?" The city of Graska is a bit ahead. "Zoreth asked."

"Yes, but as I told you on the amulet, I must go back home for meals and night. I'll see you in a couple of hours. In the meanwhile, have some more awful food from Verendi, go on a date, whatever." Lith winked on the last word. "See you!"

ᴾᵃⁿᵈᵃ ⁿᵒᵛᵉˡ Then, he placed his hand on the ground and opened his seven eyes. Lith used them to alter the world energy around him while the Void painted the area black.

'Even if Bytra is aware of the tower Warp, there's no way she can recognize it under the cover of two bloodline abilities.' He thought as his body simply disappeared.

"What was that?" Bytra asked, hoping that Zoreth's Dragon Eyes had understood the phenomenon.

"I have no clue." The Shadow Dragon replied. "I can only tell you that was no Warp at all. Lith seemed to become one with the flow of world energy and simply rode it."

While the two Abominations were still at loss for words, he appeared in front of the beach house in the Desert. Kamila was there, waiting for them while looking at her own watch.

"Welcome back." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Where's Solus?"

"Good question." Lith had to use their mind link to snap Solus out of it and made her assume human form.

Solus felt all sticky, her body was burning, and her stomach churned in nausea. She fell on all fours, expecting to puke at any moment. Even though she hadn't come close to Bytra in person, the experience had ground on her nerves, bringing her to the limit.

"Are you alright?" Kamila touched her shoulder, feeling how cold Solus was despite the heat of the Desert.

"Don't touch me. I'm a mess and I don't want to dirty you as well. I need a shower." Solus gently pushed her off.

"What are you talking about? Was Verendi so hot?" Kamila checked her forehead for fever, but found it normal.

"I don't know, I didn't-" Solus stopped as the contrast between the warmth of Kamila's hand and the breeze from the ocean made her realize that it was all in her head.

She had kept her stone form the whole time so she hadn't sweated, her stomach had no way to puke, nor could she experience heat. Pa nda

No vel "You need a break." Lith lifted her in a princess carry and brought Solus to one of the deckchairs.

The sight of the sun, the ocean, and the sky washed Bytra's face off Solus' eyes, clearing her head. Lith and Kamila sat on either side, holding one hand each. It strengthened their bond, allowing Lith's calm to soothe her nerves.

As for Kamila, she shared no bond with Solus, but having someone that cared for her close in such a moment helped her mind to recover as well. It reminded Solus that her old family was dead, but she wasn't alone anymore.

She had gotten a new family on that beach and another waiting for her at Salaark's palace.

"Thanks. I feel much better now. I'll join you after freshening up." She said after a few minutes, when her knees had stopped quaking and Mogar spinning.

Solus washed her face and arms multiple times to calm down and give the couple a bit of intimacy. When she came back, however, she found the table set for three, Lith cleaning some dirty pans, and Kamila setting the food on the table.

It smelled delicious, reminding Solus that she hadn't eaten anything since breakfast. Not even a cookie.

"Is that…"

"Lasagna? Yes." Kamila said. "I wanted to relax on the beach but I was too worried about you guys. To keep my mind busy, I spent the morning in the kitchen preparing your favorite dishes. I thought you might use some comfort food."

"Thank you. You have no idea how much I needed this." Solus' stomach had settled in for good and demanded its due.

"Not so fast!" Kamila stopped her before she could take the first mouthful. "I have spent my morning cooking and I'll be working in the afternoon. I'd like to see my efforts rewarded with a bit of appreciation and conversation.

"Not to see everything disappear in five minutes while I talk to famished trolls."

"Fine." Solus pouted, eating slowly and keeping her mouth empty from time to time to answer Kamila's questions about Verendi.

'Marriage is overrated.' She thought. 'It's more like having another mother nagging at you than a companion.'

Then, she noticed that between the happiness from being home and being pissed off at Kamila, the shadow of Bytra was gone from her mind. Ever since she had sat down at the table, she hadn't thought about the Raiju once.

It made Solus brim with joy and take part in the conversation willingly instead of being forced like before.

"What do you mean, you had no idea black and yellow-skinned people exist?" Kamila rose her eyebrows in disbelief. "We studied that at school, remember?"

"I only learned how to write, read, count, and magic." Lith shrugged. "I never read anything or studied a single book. Whenever it was necessary, I shoved a tome about the topic of the day in Soluspedia and I was done with it."

"That's why your manners are impeccable and you know so much about stuff that you have no actual interest in. Elina is right, you are a damn cheater!"

"It's not cheating. It's efficiency. Right, Solus?" He asked.

"Yep, it's cheating." She nodded. "You have no idea how ignorant he is without Soluspedia. If it wasn't for the map we stored there, he wouldn't even know the roads in Lutia."

Lith jumped up in mock outrage while Kamila laughed, seeing him more human and less perfect.

After the meal, they moved to the veranda to enjoy their ice cream while looking at the sea. Kamila sat in the middle of a big couch, with Lith at her right and leaning his head on her shoulder.

Solus sat at her left, with her head on Kamila's lap waiting for cuddles.

"What do you think you are doing?" Kamila asked in surprise.

"When you married Lith, you knew you would also marry me. Your words, not mine." Solus replied with a straight face. "Show me some love, woman."

She lasted barely for a second before bursting into laughter, soon joined by Lith and Kamila.

"That was a good one, but please, don't joke about it in the presence of others. They already look at us in a funny way whenever you stop for the night." Kamila said.

"Don't worry, I-" Solus' body was engulfed in a blue light that seemed to come from within her.
Chapter 1936: Deep Scars (part 2)
As the light grew in intensity, a quick glance at the tower revealed that the building was sucking in tons of sands to convert them into two new floors. The reconstruction process didn't make a sound yet it was clear that Solus was having a breakthrough.

They had never witnessed one because for a long time she hadn't had a body. On top of that, usually Solus' breakthroughs took place when she was in her ring form or asleep.

Except for the few vacations that Lith allowed himself, Solus spent most of her time away from geysers.

Now, however, between his violet core and the constant feeding that the tower received while either at the palace or the beach, she had reached the next stage while in her human form.

The blue light coming from Solus didn't form a pillar, didn't cause the ground to quake, nor did her body expel any impurity. The body that the tower gave her was identical to the one she had 700 years ago.

It was a perfect vessel for a bright violet mana core, with no impurities or imperfections. The only thing it lacked was the energy necessary to fill her core and body. Without it, she was no different from a blue-cored Awakened.

A blue cored Awakened with the mass and the bloodline abilities of a mage tower, of course.

"Two new floors?" Lith said in awe.

"And two more in the basement." Solus nodded. "I mean, it was pretty obvious that the more I progress the more floors I will get. The tower at its prime was enormous and I've only got four more breakthroughs before we are both fixed."

"Let's go I can't wait to see-" Lith jumped on his feet but Solus remained where she was, glaring at him.

"It's still our honeymoon." Kamila said, glaring as well. "We made a promise about no work and no magic, remember?"

"Tell him, honey." Solus said, making the corners of Kamila's mouth almost turn up in a smile and her angry voice in a peal of laughter.

Almost.

"But, part-time work." He stuttered. "You will work in the afternoon. Why can't I?"

"We already worked this morning and we'll be away until dinner as well." Solus said. "Kamila already made an exception for my sake and we are going to leave in less than one hour.

"I'm not going to waste my time giving you a tour of the new floors. I need rest before I face Bytra again." Solus used a partial mind fusion to give him all the information she had recovered about the new floors.

"Besides, my body needs time to adapt to its new state and fill itself with world energy. I bet that now I can keep my human form longer, but only if rest if I recover my mental strength." She put her head back on Kamila's lap and fell asleep before either of them could reply.

Lith sighed and raised his hands in surrender. He knew that two against one was a battle he couldn't win.

***

After lunch, they met back at the geyser with Bytra and Zoreth. They repeated the stranded merchants trick a few times, moving further and further away from the border with Garlen.

Solus even joined them a couple of times to experience the life in Verendi in person. She shapeshifted into a Desert woman with waist-long black hair and deep bronze skin. Solus pretended to be Zoreth's wife while Bytra kept acting as Lith's.

They were both ignorant about the local customs and their foreign accents made people furrow their brows whenever they talked. Yet one of the reasons for that arrangement was that Solus wanted to stay away from Bytra.

Solus enjoyed the new sights, the hot yet dry climate, and the exotic food. She soon discovered that her mind could withstand the stress from her trauma for an even shorter time than her body when away from a geyser.

Every time she reached her limit, they had to find an empty alley where she could disappear away from prying eyes. With each following attempt, however, she lasted a bit longer before being forced to leave.

Facing the beast, talking with it, and confronting her trauma gave her strength. Lith and Solus went back home for dinner and the night, leaving the Abominations in the city of Quuza.

They could finally shapeshift both into women and have a bit of privacy for the night. According to the rumors they had collected during the day, Theseus was near and unless something unexpected happened they would soon catch up with him.

***

Verendi Continent, another nameless cave in the middle of nowhere.

When Dolgus finally woke up, he realized that the sun had already risen and set while he was asleep. The good news was that his body was brimming with energy and that his reserve of Life Maelstrom was full again.

The bad news was that they had wasted an entire day.

'Dammit, if only we could fly, it would take us hours to reach the Desert instead of days.' The Griffon thought. 'Too bad that Theseus needs constant feeding and is prone to fits of blood madness that only make his hunger grow.'

He turned around, noticing that the walls of the cavern that had been barren when he had gone to sleep were now covered in frescos and portraits. They were all made in shades of grey and the only color of the drawings belonged to the underlying rocks.

Yet somehow the hybrid had managed to use different layers of blackness so to give his subjects shadings and depth.

"Did you do this?" He asked.

"Yes." Theseus nodded. "I was- I mean, Paquut was an artist. Even after becoming an Eldritch, he never stopped practicing. Our deadly Abomination Touch doesn't bother a painter like it does other artists.

"By controlling the pressure I exert with my finger, I can draw wherever I want as if I'm using a stencil." The hybrid was now working on a portrait of his companion's human form. "It was a good method to keep his mind off the hunger and to train self-control.

"Whenever I lose focus, that happens." He pointed at several black dots on the walls that had been caused by the Chaos energy going wild.

"A few mistakes here and there mean nothing. You are really good." Dolgus patted Theseus' back to show that he trusted his companion.

"I'm not good. That's all Paquut." The hybrid slumped his shoulders. "I never studied art. I didn't spend centuries practicing. I just stole the fruits of his hard work like he stole the lives of those he met.

"You always say that I'm a new life form, that I'm innocent. But how can I have a fresh start if everything I know and do comes from my old self? There's no difference between Paquut and me."

"Do you enjoy drawing?" Dolgus asked.

"Yes." Theseus nodded. "Only a painter can make beauty and harmony immortal through their work. Even a fleeting moment of perfection can be captured forever on canvas-"

"Then it's your art as much as it was Paquut's." The Griffon cut him short, not interested in an art lesson. "Would your old self have spent his time drawing or would he have killed me in my sleep?"
Chapter 1937: The Abomination Way (part 1)
"My original would have definitely killed you. A Griffon filled with Life Maelstrom is a hearty meal that could quell my hunger for weeks, maybe months." Theseus lowered his eyes in shame since he had considered doing it.

Then you two are nothing alike." Dolgus said. "Paquut had no friends, only allies. He came here alone because he didn't trust anyone and that allowed you to kill him. I'm your friend and I trust you."

"But-"

"Listen to me. Everyone makes mistakes." The Griffon cut him off. "A stupid man never learns from his mistakes. A normal man does, and a wise man learns from the mistakes of others.

"Right now, you are someone who has been burdened with millennia of mistakes that don't belong to him. If you let them crush you, they will be a curse. If you learn from them, they'll be a blessing that will turn you into one of the wisest people of Mogar.

"You can use Paquut's memories to predict what will happen if you abuse your powers. The consequences of thinking solely about yourself in the here and now. His legacy is full of horrors, but also of precious lessons.

"If you find the courage to confront his life and make it your own, making the right choice under the hardest circumstances will be easy for you. Also, it will stop the blood madness and we'll reach that damn border in a jiffy."

Dolgus took more food out of his pocket dimension and they shared a meal worthy of a Divine Beast.

"Who's that?" He pointed at a figure on the walls, to move the conversation on to a less depressing topic.

"That's Elphyn Menadion, the daughter of one of my favorite painters. You see, Threin Menadion…"

Dolgus inhaled sharply, listening to what sounded gibberish to him with a smile on his face. He had noticed the joy in the Abomination hybrid whenever he talked about his passion.

Something that he hoped would help them to cover more than 200 kilometers a day and without being almost devoured three times in the process.

***

The next day, city of Necram, Republic of Wudao.

This time no one had stopped along the road to help the group of stranded merchants reach the city. The routes were filled with soldiers marching and the merchants were in a rush, moving as fast as they could. Pa nda

Novel "Something tells me we are in the right place." Solus said.

"Indeed. Either someone has discovered a magical mine or Theseus can't be far." Zoreth nodded.

Once they reached Necram, it didn't take them long before hearing about the hunt for the mysterious creature that roamed the area. The army was on the prowl, mages were scouring the skies, and a hefty reward had been promised to anyone who would provide clues useful for its capture.

The local mercenary guild was empty and so were the taverns. Everyone was out, hoping to hit the jackpot.

"What's our next move?" Lith asked. "Do we infiltrate the merchant or the mercenary guild? Do we hit the slums for the black market's information network?"

"How cute and naïve." Zoreth turned around, pinching his cheeks like Rena used to do back when he was little. "Why should any of them trust a stranger with vital information? Also, there's no point for them to help their competition in exchange for a few coins and risk losing the motherlode."

"We could shapeshift into someone they trust and-" Lith said before being cut off.

"That would take too long. As I told you at the beginning of this trip, we are Abominations. We don't hide or cower. Now that our target is in sight, the gloves are off." Zoreth shapeshifted, but back into her human appearance and so did Bytra.

People gawked at the sight of a burly man turning into a short woman, even more when she waltzed inside the local army branch as if she owned the place.

"This creature you are searching for, where is it?" She asked while two tall and muscular soldiers that guarded the entrance grabbed her by the shoulders, only to be dragged inside as she moved forward.

They planted their feet, using every ounce of strength they could muster but it was like trying to stop a tornado.

"Hands off, I'm a married woman." She slapped them with a simple flick of the wrist, yet the hit dislocated their jaws and gave them a concussion. "I asked you where the creature is."

Zoreth walked in front of the desk sergeant who took a hidden sword and lunged at her throat in one fluid motion. Her neck turned black and the blade sunk deep, yet not a drop of blood was spilled.

When the woman attempted a second attack, she discovered that the sword was no more. What she had mistaken for a successful thrust digging into the flesh was just the Chaos eating at the blade on contact.

What remained of it could be used as a box cutter.

"I'm not going to ask you a third time. Speak!" The power of her black and troll core mixed together, releasing a grey aura from her body that filled the room in a dark fog and the soldiers with dread.

Dragon Fear made Zoreth's mana seep inside their bodies along with the world energy, carrying her willpower and promises of agony.

The weakest among them died of a heart attack. Regular soldiers fainted, leaving only the veterans conscious and with their pants wet and stinky.

The desk sergeant stared at Zoreth in horror. Her mouth was dry, making her swallow so much that she couldn't speak. Her lips opened and closed non-stop, like a goldfish.

A snap of the Abomination's fingers made the right leg of those fainted on the ground explode. Some of them died of shock and others came back to their senses, screaming in pain.

A red mist colored the black fog, turning the dread into horror.

"Don't you care about your comrades?" Zoreth asked. "Then maybe you have family in this city. Look at the window and watch the east block disappear."

Her left middle finger touched the thumb, ready for another snap. The desk sergeant knew that it wasn't an empty threat because her whole body could feel the mana flowing from the Abomination into her and then into an area filled with thousands of civilians.

The same black fog that filled the army branch was spreading throughout the east block like a disease. Even from a distance, the sergeant could see the buildings crumble and people falling limp on the ground.

Her family lived on the west block, but the sergeant knew that the thing in front of her was going to destroy the entire city, block by block if she didn't give the information to it.

Still incapable of speaking, the woman pointed furiously at the door of the commanding officer, the only person who knew all the details of the mission.

"Was it so hard?" Zoreth snapped her fingers and all those in the room fainted, overwhelmed by the sheer pressure of her mana.

"That was quick." Lith said while they read the reports containing Theseus' past sightings and his last known position. "Are we going to kill everyone in this building? You know, to leave no trace of our passage?"
Chapter 1938: The Abomination Way (part 2)
"Still naïve." Zoreth clicked her tongue in disapproval. "We are leaving them alive. This way, the army of this country will have to split their forces to deal with us and call back part of their forces.

"Also, the bigger the bounty on our heads, the fewer people will chase Theseus. They will look for the apparently easier and nearer target."

"And here I hoped you had learned the importance of mercy, Zor." Bytra said with a sigh, making Solus' eyes go wide in surprise. "Violence isn't always the answer."

"You are right, darling. Violence isn't the answer, it's the question. The answer is yes." Zoreth said, obtaining a reproachful glare from her wife. "Now, time for phase two."

A black portal appeared, swallowing the four of them. Once they walked through the Chaos Gate, Lith noticed a familiar landscape.

"This is where we started our search in the morning! We are hundreds of kilometers in the wrong direction from our mark." Lith was flabbergasted by Zoreth's decision.

"Correct. I don't trust second-hand information. I want to know our ally's exact position and create a diversion at the same time. Watch and learn." The Shadow Dragon focused on her two cores, having the black and white mana spread outwards.

A black pillar erupted from her body, piercing both the sky and ground below. It filled the air with a melody whose volume increased by the second. It was something loud, filled with rage and aggression that reminded Lith of some kind of heavy metal.

It was similar to the song that Nandi had used in Lightkeep to summon Vastor.

Bytra did the same, releasing a second pillar that resonated with the first, making them both grow in size and intensity. Her melody was sweeter, but still violent. Lith could feel a tingle in his body, yet aside from that nothing happened.

"Let me guess, using that technique forced Theseus to create a pillar as well." Lith said once the Abominations were done, receiving a nod in reply. "He exposed his position, but your pillars will act as a diversion.

"You brought us near the border so that two more countries could witness the phenomenon. Now they'll mistake us for Theseus and call back their respective armies as well for a wild goose chase."

"You're a fast learner, little brother." Zoreth winked at him and created another Chaos Gate that brought them back outside Necram. Then, she conjured a second dimensional opening that led them inside a cave.

"You must be Theseus." She said to the two flabbergasted men who had yet to understand what had just happened.

"Who the heck are you?" The hybrid asked as one powerful Chaos spell materialized over each of his hands.

Dolgus felt no threat from the newcomer, but her power couldn't be underestimated. Even an Elder Divine Beast like him could feel his skin crawl in the presence of the Shadow Dragon.

He injected himself and Theseus with a bit of Life Maelstrom, just to be safe. The silver lightning coursed through the hybrid's body, doubling the size and destructiveness of his spells without even being imbued within them.

"Oh, sorry. I just knew your original quite well so to me it's like we've know each other for a long time. To you, instead, I must be a stranger." Then she turned around, ignoring the spells that were supposed to threaten her.

"Bytra, you were his handler. See if you can talk some sense into him before I do it by force."

Lith, Solus, and Bytra came out right after Zoreth and the Raiju greeted the still confused hybrid with a warm smile.

"Long time no see, Theseus. As I promised, we came to your rescue as soon as we heard your call." She offered her hand, but it was ignored.

"So it was you who forced me to generate the black pillar again? Do you realize the danger you have put us into? We spent the last few days putting some distance with our pursuers but your stunt ruined everything!" He said in outrage.

"Yes, it was us." Bytra nodded, taking her hand back and steeling her gaze. "Because you needed help and we had no choice. You think you have lost the humans, but they were already close. Someone spotted you."

She conjured a powerful gravity spell that bent the light, allowing them to watch at a great distance without moving. An army was coming from the west and several platoons of mercenaries and mages were approaching the cave from every direction.

"Besides, you are in no danger. Now that we are here with you, those people pose no threat." She said. "We are here to help."

Theseus looked at them with diffidence. He remembered well who they were, what they had done in the past, and the fact that they had been Paquut's allies. It was their leader, the Master, who had created the clones like him just in order for the Eldritches to consume them and become stronger.

They knew what kind of monster his old self was and yet they had no qualms in helping someone as deranged as Paquut to become even more powerful. If not for the blood madness making his life a waking nightmare, Theseus would have never called them for help.

On top of that, Bytra was like him, a clone who had conquered his original. Theseus felt that he could trust her, to an extent.

"Okay, fine. Take me away and fix whatever you screwed up with me. I can't turn into either of my forms without falling into a fit of hunger that leads to blood madness." He said.

"That's odd." Bytra said. "Once you fused with your original, the hunger was supposed to be contained and your powers enhanced. You look crippled instead."

The weakness of his aura, the patched skin, and how everything was weakened in his presence, even a Griffon, were the proof that something had gone terribly wrong.

'Dad never made such a mistake before. The black core of Paquut the Bastet and the Kobold core were supposed to be a perfect match.' She actually thought.

"What are we waiting for? Let's go!" He urged them.

"We are not going anywhere." Zoreth shook her head, leaving him flabbergasted and making Dolgus sigh in resignation. "We still have a mission here and we can't move you in this condition.

"Even if we Warped to a different location, to provide Dad, I mean, the Master, with our dimensional coordinates we'd need to conjure the pillars and give away our position.

"By the time he arrives, we would have to relocate again because he needs time to perform his tests and cure you.

"Which is a massive waste of time and energy since there is a much better solution. Kill everyone who's looking for you. No one will notice the black pillars if there's no one left to notice it."

"What?" Solus and Theseus blurted out in unison while Bytra just bit her lower lip in stress. "You can't just make a massacre because someone disturbs your job! Those people are innocent soldiers who are just doing their job."

"Solus, I've been honest with you from the beginning." Zoreth's sisterly tone turned into the stern voice of a leader reprimanding a rookie. "We are Abominations. We don't care about the reason our enemies stand in our path, we just kill them."
Chapter 1939: The Abomination Way (part 3)
"If someone comes at us looking for a fight, we don't just give it to them. We beat them so hard and thoroughly that those after them think thrice before even looking at us. Also, innocents? Seriously?

"Those soldiers are trying to capture us and are willing to exterminate their targets if they fail to put a leash on us. They would happily doom every single one of us to a lifetime of slavery and then go back to their lives because of those orders.

"Don't get me started about the mercenaries. People who would do anything for money and have a gold purse for a moral compass. Say what you want, but they are not innocent. You are free to not dirty your hands, but I will." Zoreth said.

Theseus tried to step forward and face the Shadow Dragon, but Dolgus clenched his shoulder, forcing him to stop.

"She's right." He said, making the Bastet's jaw drop. "Do you think that if someone tries to capture or kill me, I just run away? No, I fight back. I didn't do it until now solely because the injuries you inflicted on me were too serious.

"Also, I couldn't risk you having a fit of blood madness at the sight of violence and attacking me." The Griffon took a pause, letting his words and the guilt sink into Theseus' heart. "I don't blame you because you have no control over your action, but they are different and deserve no pity.

"If you just keep running away, you make them grow more confident and help them perfect their tracking skills. One day, they will discover a way to track your energy signature and you'll be forced to spend your whole life on the run.

"If we retaliate, instead, they'll lose all the data they acquired so far and with no idea of the reason for their defeat, doubt and fear will cloud their minds. We are Divine Beasts. We don't relish in violence, but we aren't sheep either."

"I'll do it." Lith shapeshifted his clothes into the Voidwalker armor and conjured War on his hip.

"What? Why?" Solus asked, her eyes wide open.

"Marriage made me happy, not soft." He replied. "These people are like those in the Kingdom who would gladly take me prisoner and experiment on me until the day I die.

"Whatever data they collected about Theseus, I'm not going to let it fall into the wrong hands. If anyone learns how to track Abominations, I'll be the next. Once that happens, I'll have no privacy, and people could follow me and discover the tower.

"Also, this is the first opportunity I get to put my new spells and body to the test. A simple fight against a human army, like the one that awaits me once I get back to the Kingdom.

"Or do you expect the Royal army to leave me alone if I don't accept their terms? Or Thrud's followers, for that matter. More and more people follow her by the day and I'm not going to hold back just because they bought her lies."

Solus pondered his words, knowing that Lith was right. That Zoreth and Dolgus were right. The Abomination clone was in the exact same situation she would be if the existence of Menadion's tower was discovered.

At that point, she would be left with only two choices. To spend her whole life on the run, putting in danger everyone she cared for, or fight back. Pa nda

Novel "At least give them a chance. Try to send them away." Solus said, slouching her shoulders.

"I will." Lith nodded. "You guys summon the Master. I'll take care of the problem."

He wrapped himself in a black cape and jumped toward the approaching army just as three black pillars erupted from the cave and reached for the sky, giving Vastor their coordinates.

'I'll be there in a while.' He replied via the mind link. 'It's not easy to explain to your wife why you have to leave in the middle of the night even though your communication amulet is silent. Couldn't you call me during the day?'

The grumpy, slurred voice was nothing like Theseus remembered it. Bytra and Zoreth giggled something about a woman called Zinya. They joked about renaming her the Mistress and asking for her permission before taking action.

The Bastet had no idea what had happened during those past two years, but he had never seen before an Abomination laughing except during a feeding frenzy.

Meanwhile, Lith stood halfway between the army and the cave, ready to intercept the mercenary platoons approaching.

Solus's human body was almost depleted so she reverted into her energy form, with golden skin and hair. She floated a few meters above Lith, a flying figure in stark contrast with the sudden darkness that had invaded the land.

"Please, turn back and go home." Her magically amplified voice resounded throughout the plains. "There's nothing for you here but death. Don't waste your life for something trivial like money."

Many members of the army stopped in their tracks, mistaking Solus for the Great Mother and thinking that she had finally returned among them. Yet aside from the hair everything else was wrong.

She was too short and her skin was supposed to be silvery pale instead of golden.

They were discussing the issue when the cloaked figure below her spread a violet aura that made their skin crawl even from a distance. Lith's Tiamat's Fear formed a thick wall of mana that seeped into the world energy, extending its range.

The mercenaries were the closest to him and some of them went into a panic, losing control of their flight spells. Before they could plummet to the ground, their companions rescued them and had them drink potions.

"Calm down, you idiot. It's just some kind of killing intent. Focus your mana and willpower to counter it." They said as the extra mana from the alchemical tool repelled Lith's.

"This is my last warning." He was still in human form, wanting to put to try out his skills as a mage instead of those as a Tiamat. "What you are approaching is the home of Divine Beasts. Come at your own risk."

"Didn't you hear him?" The general rode atop of his hose in front of the soldiers to rally his troops. "Divine Beasts as in more than one. Imagine how powerful our country of Asato will become once they submit.

"Even if they resist and we manage to kill them, their corpses will provide us with plenty of materials for armor and weapons.

"Our army would become unstoppable. I promise you that whoever deals the finishing blow will receive a full suit of Divine Beast equipment and rise to the rank of colonel."

Greed and excitement replaced fear as the general ordered powerful wands and alchemical tools to be distributed to the foot soldiers. Feeling the power of the elements at their fingertips and with the body-enhancing potions boosting their bodies, the soldiers felt invincible.

The army resumed its advance, the mercenaries took their time weaving their best arrays, and the black cape came off, revealing the Voidwalker armor. The goddess of light disappeared and with her any hope of survival.
Chapter 1940: The Abomination Way (part 4)
The pillars had disappeared and between the bright sun, the black armor, and the violet aura, tracking the knight's movements was supposed to be easy. Yet he was as quick as lightning and each of his strides brought the noise of thunder.

Where he stepped, a crater would open, scattering dust and pebbles around. The former clouded his position while the latter had the kinetic energy of a bullet, dealing damage even to those who wore enchanted armor.

The black knight appeared in front of the soldiers before they could come to a halt and close their ranks. He swung his blood-red blade in a wide horizontal movement, giving the soldiers the time to raise their shields.

War cut through the metal as if it was paper and the strength behind the slash was so strong that it generated a wind blade. Those who took the hit directly died on the spot, cut asunder at the waist.

Those behind them lived a few seconds longer, noticing how Mogar had started to spin and the air had become filled with a red rain. Then, they landed on the ground, understanding that Mogar stood apparently still while their heads had flown off.

The shield bearers who only took the wind blade had their arms shattered, but they survived thanks to the impact sending them away. The others weren't so lucky and died on the spot.

A single slash of the angry blade had killed dozens.

"Don't stand like that! Regroup!" The general said while Lith took another step forward, piercing through the ranks like a human cannonball and turning the soldiers on his path into living projectiles that crashed against their comrades in the backlines.

The deeper Lith went the more the formation crumbled. The soldiers used their wands and unleashed a barrage of tier three spells, but they aimed to where he had been instead of where he was, his movements too quick to follow.

Once he reached the heart of the central wing of the army, Lith had already finished body casting the tier Four War Mage Spell, Plague Tempest. Countless bullets of darkness erupted from his body, each one of them twice as strong as a Plague Arrow.

They were still comprised solely of darkness so they were slow. Yet from point-blank range and with serrated ranks there was no way to avoid them. To make matters worse, Lith had replaced the unused second element with willpower.

War Mages learned the trick from Tier Four, allowing their spells to home onto their targets. Plague Tempest came out of his feet, emerging from the ground, and also from his shoulders and head, darting upwards for a few meters before coming down.

The darkness bullets struck their mark ignoring their enchanted protections and moved on to the next even if they barely had a shred of energy left.

The well-oiled machine that the army was supposed to be stuttered in front of overwhelming power and Lith exploited the brief pause to cast with his mouth, hands, and mind as well.

He had prepared no spells to create the worst-case situation possible for himself and now he was casting three spells at the same time.

"Don't let him finish! Deploy the elemental sealing arrays!" The mage commander yelled from the sky.

Based on the reports, they were expecting to deal with a creature of darkness so they had prepared accordingly. The area around Lith became filled with elemental sealing arrays to which he replied with the spell he had cast with fake magic.

The tier Four Warden Spell, Disarray, was something that he had learned from Red back at the White Griffon academy. It was a simple and quick incantation that made a magical formation collapse by reversing its energy flow.

Arrays, however, were powerful spells, and messing with them from the inside was considered a suicidal tactic. Once they became unstable, the magical formations were likely to blow up with the same power of a War Mage spell of the same tier.

Yet Lith didn't care and his Disarray spell slithered like a snake from one sealing array to another before they could affect his Plague Tempest. The resulting explosion turned the soldiers around Lith for dozens of meters into meat paste, allowing the Plague Arrows to lock onto a new target.

Mages, soldiers, and mercenaries had to dodge a hail of bullets that were slow but relentless in their pursuit. To make matters worse, until the dust cloud from the explosion settled, they couldn't pinpoint the black knight's position.

"He's still alive or his spell would have faded already." The mage commander said. "Yet he must be heavily wounded. Clear the area before he has the time to heal."

At his order, a mage chased by a Plague Arrow flew toward the dust cloud and conjured a powerful wind that blew it away. Not only was the black knight unscathed, but he was also triple casting again.

The violet crystals on his armor shone like stars as they produced enough energy to conjure a Spirit Barrier. Lith had given up on his barrier ring because its reduced size made it easy to overload and overheat.

On top of that, a single mana gemstone couldn't hold against one or more powerful spells. The Voidwalker armor, instead, had several crystals and each one of them was the size of an apple.

That along with the Dragon's skin that he had used as an ingredient, reinforced the barrier and lessened its mana cost. As for the violet aura that the army of Wudao had mistaken for killing intent, it was actually the tier four Blade Knight spell, Full Guard.

The moment the mage came into its range, the spell gave Lith her exact position despite the hail of spells blinding Life Vision and the dust blocking his sight. He focused the Plague Tempest on her, killing the mage on the spot.

'She was a good soldier. Her sacrifice has given us the opening we needed.' The mage commander thought while issuing the command to unleash the spells they had at the ready against the enemy.

As a volley of all six elements rained on Lith from every side, including from below, he activated the upgraded version of Final Sunset that he had developed before Kamila's arrival, Final Eclipse.

A thick sphere of black fire surrounded him, forming a powerful defensive wall. Final Eclipse sucked the fire and darkness element from the incoming spells, adding their power to its own.

At the same time, it vaporized the ice, melted the stones, and deflected the air blades aimed at its caster. The spell couldn't stop bolts of lightning but Lith could move Final Eclipse at will.

He kept himself on the fringe of the barrier while his enemies aimed their spells at the center of the dome of black fire, assuming he would hide where the defensive power of Final Eclipse was at its strongest.

Even the spells lucky or powerful enough to pierce through the black flames hit only air.

At the same time, Lith used War's Devour ability. Any stray spell that came close to him after being weakened by the barrier was quickly swallowed by the angry blade. It allowed War to both protect his master and replenish its strength.
Chapter 1941: Evolved Humans (part 1)
When Lith perceived that Final Eclipse had reached its limit, he made it explode, turning the dome into several small tornados of black fire aimed in the opposite direction from which the enemy spells had come.

The mages who had moved from their original position saved their lives while the others were turned into charred flesh.

"Stop his spellcasting!" The general used an air magic spell to amplify his voice and be heard despite the boom. "Buy time for our mages and fight until your last breath!"

If quality didn't work, they would swarm him in numbers. A plan that might have worked if Lith hadn't already finished casting Mjolnir.

Suddenly, the ground below the soldiers' feet became soft like sand, and several holes opened in the ground. Where hard rock had been until a second ago, now there were several holes.

The black knight plunged the crimson bastard sword into the ground and from it came a spell that defied logic.

Bolts of lightning erupted from the earth as a strong electrical current coursed through the enchanted armors, bypassing their protection and paralyzing the soldiers in an area of 100 meters (330 feet) around Lith.

The bolts of lightning that found their target killed them and then joined those that had missed, forming a thick thundercloud a few dozen meters above the ground at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Less than a second later, new lightning bolts rained from above while more erupted from below. Each one of them that missed their mark or had any residual energy after striking would be absorbed and shot again in an endless cycle.

The earth fed the thundercloud and the thundercloud rained water on the ground, further increasing its conductivity and reducing the already limited protection that the enchanted protections offered.

The mages attempted to fly away, but they were soaked with positively polarized rain that turned them into lightning rods. The electricity followed the path of least resistance by nature, without the need for Lith to use willpower to make them chase his enemies.

"Retreat! we must-" The general's voice died in his throat when he recognized the Blade Tier spell that was taking form.

Countless red and black runes surrounded the dark knight, and more came out of his armor and blade by the second. To the members of the army and the mercenaries, it was the stuff of the legends, but to Lith, it was just a prototype.

He performed a simple horizontal slash and conjured Ruin. The energy of the Blade Tier spell burst out in the form of a dull red shockwave that cut everything on its wake.

Spells, metal, flesh, and bones were struck at the same time and ended up the same way.

Shredded.

Only the mercenary groups that had kept themselves out of the fight were still alive, but it was an easily corrected problem. Lith's eyes could see them despite the distance and their attempt to hide behind the rocky formations.

He simply aimed what remained of Plague Tempest, Mjolnir, and Ruin at the survivors. The three spells chased their respective marks without giving them the time to conjure a Warp Steps.

Those who knew dimensional magic Blinked, but moving thirty meters away couldn't change the outcome, only prolonging their suffering as the spells followed them relentlessly until they fumbled their hand signs in panic. Pa nda

Novel Lith cast a Life Detecting array before returning to the cave, to make sure that no one had gone hiding underground or had somehow escaped his notice. Life Vision had a limited range whereas the magical formation fueled by his violet core covered a wide area.

'I'm sorry, Solus. I gave them a choice just like I did to the Kingdom's soldiers after saving Dad.' He said via their mind link.

'I know.' Her voice was sad.

She knew that the bloodshed couldn't be avoided but that didn't mean that she had to like it. The only silver lining was that Lith had taken any pleasure in it either. He was satisfied with his new spells and of having succeeded in using a Blade Tier spell without Solus's help, but that was it.

"Has V- I mean, the Master arrived?" He asked.

"Luckily for you, not yet." Zoreth said, looking at him with a mix of sisterly pride and envy.

"What do you mean?"

"The Master would have been greatly fascinated by your spell and drowned you in questions whereas I'm willing to keep another of your secrets." She replied.

"Are you talking about Ruin? It's just a half-baked Blade Tier spell." Lith replied with a shrug. "I'm going to use it a lot once I get back to the Kingdom, so it's hardly a secret. Feel free to share it with the Master."

"No, I'm talking about the one that used both earth and air magic." Zoreth shook her head.

"Yeah, that was one odd spell. I was about to ask you the same thing, whoever you are." Theseus said, making Dolgus inhale sharply in annoyance.

The Abominations had clearly forgotten about them and were speaking freely. He was eager to learn about an unknown kind of magic but the Bastet had ruined everything.

"My name is Lith from the Desert and these are Xenagrosh and Bytra." He gave the other two men a polite bow.

"Nice to meet you. My name is Theseus, and this is my friend Dolgus. I wouldn't be alive without him." The Bastet returned the bow.

"Thanks for protecting our brethren." Zoreth sniffed the air loudly before adding: "Griffon. We won't forget your kindness. Now, if you excuse us, we still trust the two of you as much as you trust us so…"

She completed the sentence by conjuring a Hush zone.

"Dude, words are important, but sometimes silence is better. If you just kept your mouth shut, now we would be listening as well." Dolgus grumbled.

"I wanted to take part in the conversation. I've been alone for years and you are getting grumpier by the day. You are not a very nice companion." He replied with an offended look.

"I get grumpy because you try to eat me every other day!"

While the two quarreled, the real conversation continued inside the Hush zone.

"What's so odd about Mjolnir?" Lith asked. "I created it almost one year ago. It's just a tier five spell imbued with the power of two elements."

"Two opposite elements, though." Bytra said. "It's something very hard to accomplish because they usually neutralize each other. I know a few spells like that, but they use one element as the base and the other has simply a support role.

"Like for spells that drain the vitality or that heal the very damage they cause. They are usually just mono-elemental spells with a quirk. In the case of Mjolnir, instead, not only did the two elements mix, but they also complemented and enhanced each other."

Lith pondered their words and had to admit that from their point of view Mjolnir was indeed weird.

"Can you tell us how you did it?" Zoreth asked.

She had an expectant look in her eyes and Lith knew enough about human emotions to understand that more than his secrets, she cared about his trust.
Chapter 1942: Evolved Humans (part 2)
"You see, a while ago I met a Scorpicore named Scarlett and she was capable of switching light into darkness at will." Lith showed them a hologram of her prowess. "After a while, I thought about Silverwing's words.

"About how light and darkness aren't opposites but the two sides of the same coin. Then, I realized that probably it's the same for the other elements as well. Otherwise how do you explain the existence of Spirit Magic?

"It's the proof that the six elements can coexist instead of neutralizing each other so I researched for a way to put my theory into practice. Mjolnir is the result of my experiments about earth and air."

"Your words would make sense if not for the fact that your affinities are fire and darkness. This kind of manipulation should be very hard for you." Zoreth said, her expectant look was still there.

'She clearly wants to tell me something, but only if I come clean with her.' Lith thought. 'Oh, well. In for a penny, in for a pound.'

He couldn't tell her that the reason air and earth were easier to manipulate for him was that he knew the principles behind electrical conductivity, electrons, protons, grounding effect, and magnetic charges.

That kind of physics was still beyond the knowledge of most Mogarians, so he opted for a dumbed down reply.

"You are right, but also wrong. What I did has nothing to do with my elemental affinities. It's just about breaking the ground into conductive elements that can transmit lightning and scatter them around.

"This way, instead of dispersing electricity, earth magic channels and focuses it." His words only brought a puzzled look to their faces. "It's easier showing than telling."

Lith picked up a rock the size of a melon from the ground and used earth magic to turn it into a fine powder. Insulant materials were discarded, leaving only metals and magnetized elements.

Then, he added air magic, creating small sparks of electricity that coursed through the powder, enhancing the already present charges and creating new ones. Soon a small storm and a scaled-down version of Mjolnir appeared.

"And you did that with just magic?" Bytra said in awe.

She had understood the basic principle but she had no idea how to do it.

"Actually, no." Lith shook his head. "This kind of microscopic manipulation is still beyond me so-"

"This kind of what?" Zoreth cut him short.

"You need surgical precision, removing even the smallest bits of insulants and grounding materials." Lith inwardly cursed Mogar's limited vocabulary and decided to create new words himself.

"As I was saying, that's very hard to do, but ever since I broke through to the violet, all of my powers and abilities have improved. I can use Mjolnir as you have seen it only thanks to the elemental affinity of my eyes."

He took off his helm, revealing that his right eye was now burning with yellow energy and the left with orange mana. Everyone knew about elemental affinities, it was Domination that he wasn't allowed to disclose.Pa nda

Novel "Remarkable." Zoreth tenderly caressed his cheek. "I'm proud of you little brother. You carry the power of an evolved human as well."

"I what?" Lith and Solus said in unison.

She was so surprised that she spoke while still in her ring form.

"You heard me." Zoreth nodded. "You have no idea how much it means to me that you decided to trust me with your secret because it means that I can trust you with mine."

Seeing Lith's confused look, she decided to explain things from the beginning since he was clearly unaware of the origin of his own powers.

"Humans, just like Emperor Beasts, can evolve. Tyrants and Balor are the proof of it. They were just humans who became something more, something different, but they all share a common trait.

"The natural ability of humans to channel all elements even in their non-Awakened state turned into a complete elemental affinity by developing multiple eyes, just like yours."

"How can you be so sure?" Lith and Solus could hear their hearts pounding at the news.

It explained why all of his forms had seven eyes, even the Abomination.

'Actually, the Abomination developed them first. According to Phloria and Solus, whenever I was immersed in the darkness element, new eyes would appear on my face.

'It makes perfect sense since I'm an Abomination who possessed a human body. Until I reached the blue core, my Divine Beast side was dormant, using all of its energy just to keep the Abomination side from eating the human.

'The Void that lives inside of me is just what remains of my life force as Derek McCoy that fused with the body of the original Lith, generating the human life force. In a way, my human and Abomination life forces are the two sides of the same coin.

'One can't exist without another which sadly makes me mortal whereas normal Abominations can't die of old age.' He thought, hoping to buy time with his stupid question.

"Because some of us predate even the Guardians. Vareen and Tezka were there when the first human become a Tyrant and then some of his most talented disciples became Balors." Zoreth said.

"They were there when some of the Odi became what you today call Trolls. Before their fall, Balors and Trolls were a powerful race as well. They just ruined everything with their greed, like us Abominations.

"Balors wanted to regain their mana core and be capable of Awakening like Tyrants whereas Trolls wanted to overcome their absolute yet limited mastery over light and darkness and gain the other five elements as well."

Lith already knew about Tyrants and Balors from Glemos, but the part about the Odi becoming Trolls made sense as well. It explained Baba Yaga's ability to use Creation Magic and how she had given birth to her Horsemen and the undead.

"Congratulations, little brother-in-law." Bytra hugged him while ruffling his hair. "If Zor is right, it means that every aspect of your life force is evolving with your core. Your life forces managed to merge instead of making you a hybrid because they develop together instead of each one on its own."

"That's amazing!" Lith could barely contain his joy. "How did you know the origin of my powers when even I ignored it?"

'Zoreth's expectant look now makes sense. Also, I have to thank Faluel for her teachings. She was right, only idiots never share.' He actually thought.

"I knew it because to choose the proper monster core for his Abominations, Dad studied both Balors and Trolls. I helped him with my Dragon Eyes ever since I acquired them so when I saw you casting Mjolnir, I noticed that there was something other than mana mixed with the spell." She replied.

"We even researched Tyrants, but their core is stable so they are useless to us. Mostly."

From her words, Lith guessed that probably someone had a Balor core and had studied Tyrants to better understand their powers. It wasn't Zoreth's secret to share so Lith didn't pry further.

He had already gained a lot. He could wait to meet the other Abominations and maybe then they could call Morok and compare notes about their respective powers.
Chapter 1943: Legacy Lesson (part 1)
"I'm sorry, but there's something that doesn't add up." Solus said from inside the ring. Bytra was still hugging Lith and was too close for comfort for Solus to come out.

"I can do everything Lith does. I don't have his eyes but I can cast Mjolnir as well." She couldn't tell them that she used Domination as well to make the process easier.

'Maybe my bond with Lith is helping me to evolve as well. After all, I didn't have six streaks as Elphyn.' Solus thought.

"Interesting." Zoreth said. "Is it as easy for you as it is for him?"

"No. It's harder but still manageable." Solus replied.

"Excellent." Bytra nodded. "It means that our theory about the elements is correct. They can coexist if properly mastered. Your eyes at the moment work as a crutch but they must have some other power that I'm certain you will discover with time."

"I'm already glad to have learned that my human side is not useless, I can wait for a… second! Your Shadow Dragon form has four eyes. Is that the reason why you were so sure about your evolved human theory?" Lith asked Zoreth.

"Nailed in one." She chuckled, making her second pair of eyes appear.

"What do they do?"

"I wish I knew." She sighed. "I can feel their power, yet I have no idea how to tap into it."

Zoreth didn't know about Domination and had no one to teach her whereas Lith had already started to use his eyes' elemental powers thanks to Faluel's lessons.

The two Abominations' eyes turned black as the Master communicated to them that he was now ready and asked them to open the dimensional pathway with him.

"Dad is coming. Solus, stay in the ring or he will ask you why you are here. On top of that, if you get sick again and have to return to your ring, he'll discover you are fused with an artifact and maybe even figure your identity as Elphyn Menadion." Bytra said.

"Thanks." Solus replied, always shocked whenever the same person who had mercilessly put an end to her old life showed so much care for her new one.

Zoreth and Bytra conjured their own black pillars and soon a third one appeared. Zogar Vastor walked through the Chaos Gate, yet Lith would have never recognized him if not for the warning.

He wore the Dominator armor that covered him from head to toe. Also, he was now 1.78 meters (5'10") tall and had a slender figure. The Master cared about keeping his identity a secret and his daughters had told him how Theseus had no love for him.

"Lith. Girls." He gave them a polite bow of the head. His voice sounded exactly like Manohar's. "Well, well, well. What do we have here? It seems that something went wrong with your experiment, boy."

"I'm not a boy! I'm millennia old!" Theseus snarled at the fatherly tone that such a monster dared to use with him.

"Correction. Your memories are millennia old. You are two years and something old." Vastor replied, making everyone chuckle at the Bastet's expense. "Be glad that I call you boy instead of child."

Theseus grunted but said nothing.

It was already the second time that he fumbled with words and not everyone seemed to be as understanding as Dolgus. His memories as Paquut made him used to people being too scared to talk back to him so he had never really learned how to quip.

"This is odd. And with odd I mean a mess." The Master was still looking at the Bastet from a distance, noticing the irregular patches of skin and the violent conflict between the different life forces.

"This is all wrong. You are incapable of shapeshifting into any form, your hunger is barely lessened, and now you need to both eat food and absorb life force."

"How do you know all that?" Theseus was flabbergasted. It had taken him several trial-and-error experiments to learn what Vastor had understood from a glance.

"I studied Paquut and I made you, boy. Or better, I made your other half. Which confuses me since a kobold core was supposed to be the perfect fit for your unique black core." The Master said.

"What Kobold?" That day surprises seemed to never end. "I'm not half gnoll, I'm half Meneos."

His head turned into that of a lion covered in brown fur and with an emerald mane of the same color as Theseus' eyes.

"Great Mother almighty!" The members of the Organization said in unison.

"What's so great about that?" Lith and Solus knew what a Meneos was because it was a peculiar kind of monster that lived in Leegaain's biomes.

The Council had ordered Lith to fight one back when the human and the beast Council were arguing about who should be his mentor, Faluel or Raagu.

"You don't understand, my boy." Vastor replied. "Meneoses are the stuff of legends. Very few are still alive and they are very hard to come by. My hypothesis is that the kobold-Paquut fought and lost against one of them.

"Then, his powerful Abomination life force must have conquered the new body and that's how you came to be, Theseus. It's no wonder that your original lost to you. He had no chances against a Meneos."

"I still don't get it." Theseus and Lith said in unison.

"You will, believe me. This is actually a blessing in disguise. Everything you have suffered until now is nothing compared to what you'll gain once I'm done fixing your life force.

"Bytra, put your hand on my right shoulder. Lith, on my left. This is going to be one of my best lessons ever." Vastor had reverted to his demeanor as a Professor of the White Griffon academy, making Solus squeal with joy.

"I'm not your thing." Theseus slapped away the Master's extended hands. "Whatever you are going to do, you should at least ask for my permission."

"What I'm doing you is a favor, boy. You should just thank me." Vastor replied.

"Thank you for what? For playing with my life? For fixing a mess you have created? You made me against my will so I owe you nothing. You, instead, owe me a lot. I went through a lot of shit because of you so the least you can do is say please and thank you, father." Theseus said.

The last word was filled with spite and sarcasm, yet it still struck Vastor harder than a punch to the guts.

"You are right, son. I'm sorry." He said, making the Bastet gawk. "I'm sorry for playing god with your life, but I'm trying to be better. Will you allow me to fix my own mess, please?"

Theseus was at a loss for words so he just nodded.

The Master placed his left hand on the Theseus' head and the right above the mana core before activating his breathing technique, Beyonder's Eye.

'Bytra, this will be of great help for your research.' He said with a mind link as the details of the body and mana core of the hybrid started to appear in front of his students. 'Meneoses have the unique ability to draw world energy simply by touching the ground.
Chapter 1944: Legacy Lesson (part 2)
'They have no need of a mana geyser or a breathing technique to absorb massive amounts of energy. Because of this ability, they are known as living mage towers and I think there's a lot you can learn from Theseus, Bytra.' Vastor said.

Even though he wasn't talking to them, Lith and Solus were part of the same mind link and heard everything. They both froze at the idea that Bytra might have her own tower on top of the Absolution.

Even worse, once the Fourth Ruler of the Flames learned how to make a mage tower, she was bound to make more for Vastor and for each one of the Abominations hybrids of the Organization.

'Fuck me sideways. As long as we are in a friendly relationship with them there is no problem, but I fear the day something happens to Zinya or Vastor decides he's fed up with the Kingdom.' Lith thought.

'I doubt there are many that even now can take his Organization head-on. Once they have mage towers, only Guardians might be able to stop them from doing whatever they want.'

'I couldn't agree more.' Solus replied. 'The idea of my mother's killer becoming even more powerful scares to death, but what can we do? Zoreth is our friend and Vastor is even going an extra mile sharing his plans with you.

'If you attack him now, not only will you feel like crap, but we are likely to die. His armor is made of Davross and even our powers combined dwarf in comparison with the three of them.'

Lith and Solus had no idea of the true power of an Eldritch and assumed that maybe they could take on one of them. Facing Bytra, Zoreth, and Vastor at the same time, however, was just suicide.

'Lith, this will be a great lesson for you as well.' The Master said via the mind link, snapping them out of their reverie. 'This spell is part of my legacy and I entrust it to you in case something happens to me.

'It's called Harmonizer and is the secret of my success in merging two different life forces and cores. I planned to use it for Marth's son and yours, if necessary. It would be a shame for the children of my best friends to become hybrids.

'Thanks to Harmonizer, I'm confident that the human and plant life forces of Manohar Junior can be fused, giving birth to a new species.'

Those words hurt Lith more than any wound ever could, making his stomach churn.

'What kind of asshole I am? While I plotted how to kill him, Vastor worried about me.' He thought.

'Now watch and learn. The procedure is very delicate and so far, it only works on Abominations because they are damn hard to kill. I doubt that a child might survive, but adult hybrids might.

'As long as I draw breath, I'll keep working on it. Where I fail, I know that you'll carry my torch and make life better for everyone.' The more Vastor said the more Lith felt like the scum of Mogar.

He pushed guilt and shame aside, focusing solely on the task at hand. Solus had already shared with him the Eyes of Menadion, allowing them to study both the spell and the Master's breathing technique.

Its effects were similar to Faluel's Lifestream, transmitting the details of Theseus' life force to Bytra and Lith as well. Vastor could zoom in and out at will, even highlighting a segment if needed.

Lith felt like a medicine student watching a video of a surgery.

Even though the only Abomination's life forces he had never seen were Zoreth's and his own, Lith could tell that Theseus' situation wasn't good. The black empty sphere of the Abomination side clashed non-stop against two more life forces.

One belonged to the Bastet side and resembled a solar system where instead of planets there were smaller stars. The other was that of the Meneos and was comprised of green tendrils that looked like brown vines emerging from a green cloud.

The empty sphere was in the middle, eating at both the other aspects. The vines regrew as soon as they were damaged and tried to wrap themselves around the sphere in order to subdue it.

The Divine Beast aspect, instead, released bursts of bright violet light from the main star that spread along its satellites. Each one of the auxiliary stars absorbed and amplified the energy wave, focusing it like a lens against the Abomination.

Yet even two against one, the black sphere held its ground, slowly but inexorably sucking the life out of the living parts of Theseus' body.

'That's why he can't shapeshift without losing it.' Vastor pointed out the struggle. 'The other life forces are barely holding out at rest. The slightest exertion is enough to tip the balance in favor of the Abomination.

'To make matters worse, the constant damage that Theseus endures makes him hungry. Not as hungry as an Eldritch but still to the point that it cannot be quenched if not for a brief time. No wonder he is so cranky.'

As he spoke, Vastor's breathing technique started attacking the three life forces at the same time. Lith had been expecting the Professor to weaken the Abomination so that the living aspects could subdue it, but he kept his curiosity in check.

Asking questions to a healer during a complex procedure would put a risk both him and the patient.

'For a long time, I've tried to put a muzzle and a chain at the Abomination life force, but it never worked. No matter how much energy you pour against it, the black sphere is a bottomless pit.

'It can't be filled nor forcibly contained. What you can do, instead, is altering its nature. If there is no bottom, you can just make one.' While Vastor spoke, he started to rip small pieces from each life force and transplant them into another.

At first, the vines were either burned from the stars or devoured by the black sphere. The starlight from the Divine Beast, instead, was smothered by the blackness and snuffed by the vines.

As for the pieces of the black sphere, once transplanted they faded away the moment they received more energy than they could take.

Yet after coexisting for over two years, the three life forces had grown accustomed to each other and developed a mutual resistance. A small part of the life forces thrived even in the new hostile environment, creating small trees and dots of light in the black sphere.

Darkness and vines spread throughout the solar system while black veins and fireflies appeared in the green cloud.

'Keep your hunger in check, son.' Vastor said to Theseus who hadn't experienced such a violent appetite ever since he had ceased being an Eldritch. 'Things are going to get worse before they get much better.'

The Master kept transplanting small pieces of the life forces, adding them to those who had already managed to survive and adapt. Most of the time, the new tissue would inherit the resistance and help the foreign life force to grow in size and strength.

When a transplant failed, Vastor would just sigh and start anew.

Lith admired the Master's ingenuity and how despite having the same name, Glemos' device and the spell had two completely different purposes.
Chapter 1945: Legacy Lesson (part 3)
The Harmonizer collar created by Morok's father used the constant pressure exerted by the world energy coming from a mana geyser to reshape the life force of its wearer. It was no different from someone packing too much stuff in a suitcase and then closing it by force.

Vastor's spell, instead, neatly organized everything, optimizing the space and sharing it equally between the different components so that the new arrangement would be as stable as the old one.

The procedure went on until the three life forces were painted with each other's color. Then, the Master took a white mana crystal the size of an adult man and a barrel of tonic out of his dimensional item.

"Eat to your heart's content." He pointed the two objects at Theseus who nodded before digging in.

His Abomination side absorbed the abundant world energy stored inside the crystal while his living body drank the delicious liquid that was filled with enough nutrients to feed several elephants for weeks.

At the same time, Vastor directed the final part of Harmonizer at Theseus' life forces. It was a steady, powerful stream of pure light magic that nurtured all the different parts at the same time.

The three life forces recovered their strength, growing in size, and so did the transplanted tissues embedded at their inside. The tissues created channels that allowed the different energies to ebb and flow into each other so that they were no longer separated.

The Divine Beast, Meneos, and Abomination life forces were now perfectly mixed, creating a balance between them. The distance between the black and the Meneos core shrunk as their energy harmonized along with that of the life forces.

The new balance was delicate but functional.

The hunger was contained, the imperfection of the Meneos core covered by the black one, and together they had completely restored the Divine Beast bloodline, further empowering it with their own.

"It's done." Vastor said with a sigh from exhaustion. "How do you feel?"

"I don't feel hungry anymore." Those were the first words of most Eldritchs hybrids and Theseus was no different.

The sudden absence of an impulse that had tormented him for millennia and had put everything at risk until a second ago was simply overwhelming. The Bastet looked at his arms, noticing that the patches of black skin were gone.

He stripped, uncaring of the presence of others and modesty as he checked his new body. Pa nda

Novel The partial fusion of his different life forces had restored his Divine Beast form, but its features had been altered. As a Bastet, he looked like an anthropomorphic bipedal feline with a black skin comprised of cracked magma covered in red lava dots.

His head was now hidden under a Meneos skull mask that resembled that of a lion but with a mane of dark violet flames instead of fur. Sharp thorns came out of his joints and spine, extending all the way down to his tail that ended with a bone sting

Theseus' body might have grown up to 30 meters (100') tall, but he kept his form small enough to fit into the cavern and not make it collapse.

The reborn hybrid started to jump with joy and Dolgus congratulated him.

"I'm really glad that your ordeal is finally over." The Griffon said. "Now you can start your own journey. You don't need me anymore."

Theseus nodded with a smile that died the moment he realized he would be alone again.

'I've been alone for millennia until Paquut joined the Organization. What good is this power if I don't have any goal nor anyone to share it with?' He thought.

In stark contrast to their enthusiasm, the other side of the room was depressed.

"Another failure." Zoreth said.

"A partial success, you mean." Bytra corrected her. "Theseus can now live freely and he's not a threat to others anymore."

"Not a threat my pale ass!" The Shadow Dragon replied. "The blood madness is still there and he can live a half-life at best, like us. He can't have children and he must be careful when interacting with weak living beings or his touch alone will kill them."

"Indeed." Vastor noticed Lith's silent question and answered it. "As I told you earlier, my Harmonizer spell is still limited. It stabilized the three life forces, allowing them to mix and coexist, but there are still three of them instead of one.

"It's the same for the cores. A perfect being can only have one so they were supposed to merge, just like the life forces. My spell is just a temporary fix that grants my children a normal life but it's far from being a solution."

"And I think I know why." Lith said, leaving the members of the Organization flabbergasted.

Vastor's spell was an incredible treasure for Lith. It was likely to help Nalrond to fix his life forces and it might turn both Protector's and Marth's children into a new species instead of hybrids.

Lith didn't want to just take such a gift and the trust that came with it for granted. He felt that giving something back was the right thing to do.

"Please, Pro- I mean V-, I mean Master, take a look at my life force." He said while making Solus slip off his body to avoid detection from Beyonder's eye.

"This is amazing!" Vastor and the two Abominations said in unison as he shared with them the scan of Lith's life force and how it had changed since he had reached the violet.

"The problem of your Harmonizer spell is that it mixes the energies of different life forces without altering their shapes. They are still a black sphere, a solar system, and some kind of tree." Lith said.

"I've become a Tiamat instead of a hybrid because my three life forces became one, taking a form that not only kept them stable, but also allowed them to nurture each other.

"My Abomination side protects the others from any threat and shares with them the energy it steals instead of hoarding it. My human life force coats the elemental energy within my body, keeping Chaos and light separated.

"Lastly, my Divine Beast life force shares its powers with the other two, giving them enough energy to tap into their hidden potential." As he spoke, Lith showed Vastor with a hologram how his life force had changed from when he was a Wyrmling.

"As you can see, until I reached the deep violet my condition was no different from that of Theseus. To reach the next stage, you need to find a shape that his life forces can share, turning competition into collaboration." ᴘᴀɴᴅᴀ-ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ

"Easier said than done." The Master sighed. "Your life force as a deep violet was already incredibly complex but now is much worse. Still, my research is no longer swamped thanks to you."

The two men shook hands while Bytra hugged Lith instead.

"Thank you, little brother." She said, her eyes veiled with tears. "You have no idea how much this means to Bytra and me."

"I just said a few words." At the thought that just a while ago he had been planning on killing them all, Lith felt even worse.

"They may be just words to you, but they gave us hope. You just shattered what for years has been an insurmountable wall. Now, Dad's research can finally progress again." She replied.
Chapter 1946: Legacy Lesson (part 4)
Meanwhile, Vastor put the white crystal back into his dimensional amulet and started to draw detailed schematics of Lith's life force. He sat on a rock in silence until he was done writing down his impressions and thought while the memory was still fresh.

"Thanks, 'father'. I feel reborn for the third time." Theseus gave him a small bow and this time the spite was limited to a minimum.

"You are welcome." Vastor nodded. "As Zoreth pointed out, you are still subject to fits of blood madness and you need someone to keep you calm. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"

"No, but I can't trust you either. I don't know you except for what I learned from Paquut's memories and from what I saw you are not a good person." The Bastet replied.

"I never claimed to be one." The Master stood up and checked Lith's life force one last time to make sure he hadn't missed anything. "I'd better go, or my wife will skin me alive. Zoreth, Bytra, are you coming with me?"

"No, Dad. We still have unfinished business in Verendi." The Raiju replied.

"Excellent." Vastor asked them no questions. "Maybe you can bring Theseus along. You are already showing Lith the ropes, one more trainee shouldn't be a problem. See you soon."

The hybrids in his home conjured their own pillars and the Master crossed two continents in the blink of an eye.

"We have a delicate business to attend to. We can go separate ways and meet later, if you want." Zoreth's tone was brash. She didn't want strangers messing with what she considered a family business.

Lith and Bytra were part of her family, hence making amends with Solus was of the utmost importance. She had already done everything she could for Theseus and whatever he did of his life was none of her business.

"I'd like to come, if you don't mind." He said, making her inhale sharply in annoyance. "The Organization seems to have changed a lot since Paquut left to hunt me down and I'm curious to see how much."

"I wish you the best of luck, my friend." Dolgus patted his shoulders and opened a Warp Steps. "My job here is not done and now Verendi needs my help more than you do."

"Not quite." Theseus stopped him. "I don't trust them. They might tag and bag me the moment I turn my back. If you stay, instead, I'm certain that our powers can match theirs."

The Griffon was exhausted from the previous weeks on the run and the wounds that the Eldritch had inflicted upon him. He could use a bit of privacy and get plenty of food and rest to recover.

Adding two more Abomination hybrids to the party was hardly good news.

"You can count on me." He said and then moved toward the others. "I'm Dolgus Griffon, nice to meet you."

"Wait, Dolgus Griffon? As in Tyris's and Valeron's son?" Lith asked as the Griffon shook their hands in turns. Pa nda

Novel "Tyris is my mother but I was born before Valeron." He replied. "I left the Kingdom and came to Verendi to follow in my mother's footsteps. Garlen doesn't need the help of my brethren anymore.

"The few of us left live in the Empire while everyone else has moved away."

Solus's ring went back on Lith's finger before she conjured a Warp Steps and pretended to come out of it as she assumed her human form again.

"Sorry for leaving abruptly earlier, but I had important business to attend to." She said while greeting the Griffon and the Bastet. "Nice to meet you, my name is Solus V-"

"Elphyn Menadion! It's an honor to meet you." Theseus jumped on his feet, hugging her with joy like a long-lost friend. "I'm sorry for not recognizing you earlier, Epphy, but between the hunger and fear I've been distracted."

"Do I know you?" Solus swallowed a lump of saliva as a cold shiver ran down her spine after her identity had been exposed.

'This doesn't make sense. I had Aerth and Salaark help me to make a list of the people who met me as Elphyn Menadion who might still be alive and these two are not among them.' She thought.

"No, but I know you. I'm a big fan of your father's work and you were one of the favorite subjects of his paintings. You have grown up a lot, but I've painted your features so many times that I'd recognize you anywhere." He said, making her sigh in relief.

"Please, be honest with me. What do you think of my work?"

A snap of his fingers lit the cave, revealing the presence of the drawings he had made during his stay that now covered most of the walls. Some were copies of Threin's works while others were original.

Dolgus' and Solus' faces were everywhere, embarrassing them both.

"Seems someone has a fan." Lith laughed at her expense.

"A huge fan." Theseus nodded, missing the subtext. "Can I draw you? Threin was a great artist but seeing you in person is different from a painting. I hope you won't mind if I make you mine."

"I beg your pardon?" Solus flushed at those words.

"He means artistically." Dolgus sighed. "He's saying that until now he could only copy Threin's job while now he has the opportunity to develop his own."

"No need to be pedantic. My words were clear." The Bastet took brushes and canvas out of his pocket dimension, starting to draw before Solus could even answer.

"No, they were not." The Griffon threw him a reproachful look and the others nodded. "Miss Elphyn, I'm more interested in knowing what happened to your mother and her tower.

"I barely met your mother, but I knew and respected Ripha. Did she survive as well?"

"Yeah, I was wondering about that as well." Theseus nodded.

"No." Solus inwardly cursed her bad luck.

'What are the chances of meeting a fan of Dad's work in Verendi? The list doesn't cover the owners of Dad's paintings so I'd better shapeshift into a different form whenever I meet ancient beings.' She thought. ᴘᴀɴᴅᴀ-ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ

"My mother died and she had to sacrifice the tower in order to save my life. I slumbered for 700 hundred years to recover from the procedure and I still bear the scars." She actually said.

Seeing how hard she clenched her hands and hearing the pain in her voice Dolgus decided to not pry further.

"What's the nature of your mission?"

"Since I've lost my mother's legacy, I want to retrieve what I can." Solus replied. "We heard that the Mouth of Menadion is here in Verendi and I've come to take it back."

Now that the Griffon and the Bastet had joined the mission, they would have soon learned about its goal so there was no point in keeping it a secret.

"I can confirm you that the killer of Vestha, the original owner of the Mouth, is here in Verendi but there are countless places where he might be hiding. How do you plan to find the killer and fetch your prize?" Dolgus asked.

"How can you be so sure?" She asked in surprise.

"Probably the same way we do." Zoreth replied. "There are rumors of new powerful artifacts appearing in Verendi. The Council of Awakened makes no mystery of them and those who had the opportunity to observe them in action say that they felt the signature of the Mouth on them."
Chapter 1947: Setting The Bait (part 1)
"Indeed." Dolgus nodded. "I'm not familiar with Menadion's techniques, but everything she crafted in the tower possesses a unique energy signature and the same happens to artifacts that are Forgemastered with the aid of a piece of her set."

"I've been here for centuries and I can tell you that either the Mouth arrived in Verendi about twenty years ago or until that moment the thief managed to go unnoticed."

'If what they are saying about the Mouth is true, maybe the Hands work just the same way.' Solus said via the mind link. 'Luckily until now she was too busy learning how to use them to Forgemaster and sell anything.

'We have to warn her or she might have problems with Garlen's Council.'

'I'm more worried about ourselves.' Lith replied. 'Dolgus just said that the tower leaves a specific energy signature as well. I've crafted and sold several pieces so it's only a matter of time before someone understands that I have the tower.'

'I wouldn't worry about that.' Solus said. 'We triple-check every one of our pieces and we never noticed anything weird. I think that when Mom fused me with the tower, that energy signature was replaced by my own.

'After you bonded with me, it changed again into yours. Even if there's still some mark in your creations, it bears your imprint, not that of the original tower.'

'It makes sense.' Lith pondered. 'The Council examined several of my armors but never noticed anything. We are safe, but Faluel might not be.'

'We'll worry about that later. Now we have more pressing matters at hand.' She replied before turning over to Dolgus.

"Since you all knew my mother, what does the Mouth do, exactly?" Solus asked, realizing how little she knew about her own legacy.

"I have no clue." The Griffon shrugged.

"Never been to Garlen." Theseus gave another stroke at the painting.

"I don't know either." Bytra said. "Menadion developed most of the tower's properties and the set's pieces after you were born, Solus. I only heard a few rumors about the Mouth being capable of improving the spellcasting of its wearer.

"It should allow even to blue cored people to body cast, to handle many spells at the same time like the tower did, and, according to some voices, even be able to conjure Origin Flames to purify metals."

"What?" The entire room went into an uproar.

"This doesn't make any sense." Dolgus said. "Such a powerful artifact would have triggered a war between Awakened if not even with the Dragon and Phoenix bloodline. They wouldn't stand idly while they lose the monopoly over Origin Flames."

"Yet nothing happened." Zoreth shared the same doubts. "If not for one of our associates recognizing the Mouth's energy signature, we would have never known it had moved to Verendi."

"How do you plan to get information about the artifact?" Lith asked, burning with greed. "I doubt that whoever has it will give us an audience if we ask them politely."

"You are wrong, little brother." Zoreth said with a sly smile on her face. "That's exactly what's going to happen."

***

The group had split as soon as Theseus was done with his painting. It was almost dinner time and Lith had to go back home. Zoreth and Bytra left as well, giving Dolgus the opportunity to relax and get the first good night's sleep ever since he had rescued Theseus.

There was no trust between them so the Abominations had no interest in sharing their plans just like the Griffon wanted to go back to his full strength before dealing with a potential enemy of untold power.

The following morning, everyone was curious about what Zoreth's next move would be. Much to everyone's surprise, she and Bytra had reverted to her original appearance, drawing lots of admired gazes.

Bytra and Solus caused so much gawking that many people swallowed insects, choking on them.

Lith was so amused by the show that he even shapeshifted into his Tiamat form a couple of times as they walked toward the main plaza of the city of Maraka, but no one noticed.

Solus' golden hair and Bytra's golden eyes got the full attention even of children who pointed at them, asking their parents if the Great Mother had finally returned among them.

"What exactly are we looking for here?" Lith asked.

The surprise was quickly fading and the crowd of those following the foreign goddesses increased by the second. People still kept their distance but soon the group would have been swarmed.

"Trouble, little brother. And we are about to find it." Zoreth replied with a cruel smile.

"I'm sorry, but you lost me." Lith noticed how even the kids playing along the streets were looking at them with eyes full of hostility and curiosity.

Zoreth had openly declared to the flabbergasted guards at the city gates that they were illegal immigrants. On top of that, everyone in the group now wore magical equipment that identified them as either mages or powerful warriors. ᴘᴀɴᴅᴀ-ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ

As criminals, however, they were completely at the mercy of the authorities who had the right to imprison and interrogate them with any means they deemed appropriate to extort information from foreign spies.

He heard many of those present discussing where that odd bunch came from and what their goal might be. The people of Maraka would have already lynched them if not for the fear of facing the pointy end of the magical weapons.

"That's because you are too used to hiding your strength. Resorting to subterfuge and deception to get what you want without getting in trouble with the Kingdom." Zoreth replied. "Don't get me wrong, you did the best you could.

"You are alone and have to worry about your loved ones. Even with all of your power, you can't protect them at all times. We, instead, are Abominations. Those we love can protect themselves and each one of us has the power to level mountains.

"We don't care about the authorities, their armies, or their mages. If you become one of us, you'll enjoy a level of freedom like you never had before. No one will dare to touch you simply because the consequences would be… dire."

"What about the Council?" Solus asked. "Won't they intervene if you commit a massacre? We may be powerful, but so are they. On top of that, they outnumber us one thousand to one."

"Please." Bytra replied with a scoff as the group came to a halt in the middle of the plaza. "They never cared about human lives, otherwise they would have done something to stop the wars that plague Verendi every other year.

"Even if they did, the Council will never commit its full forces for a mere city. Worst case scenario, they'll send someone to check on the situation before taking action."

"Stop right there!" A stern deep voice caused the crowd to step aside and let a small platoon of 30 soldiers pass.

They wore enchanted armor and ten of them wore golden robes that identified them as Elite Mages.

"According to the city guards, you have no documents and have confessed to having illegally crossed the borders. Do you deny it?" The captain of the guards, a well-built man over 1.8 meters (5'11") tall said.
Chapter 1948: Setting The Bait (part 2)
"You have to be more specific." Zoreth replied with a mocking giggle that made the men clench their weapons harder and sent shivers down Lith's spine. "We crossed all the borders from the Desert to here."

To a casual observer, her tone seemed playful, but he knew her enough to notice the hidden threat and feel the power building up inside of her.

"Thanks, ma'am. That's more than enough for me. The details are a matter for the Constable, not me." At his signal, the soldiers surrounded the group and the mages started chanting.

"If you resist the arrest, we'll be forced to put you down. It's in your interest to cooperate with the investigation and answer our questions."

The captain wasn't stupid. Someone declaring their crimes at the city guards was already odd, but having no fear while surrounded was ominous.

'Either they are insane or more dangerous than their appearance lets out.' He thought.

"I have a counteroffer, captain." Zoreth's eyes flared with black mana that made the temperature drop several degrees. "You and your dogs go back to your master with the tail between your legs and tell them that I demand an audience with the Council."

"The city council doesn't meet on the whims of a criminal. Stand down immediately or face the consequences." The captain pretended to parlay but he gave the mages the signal to attack to kill.

Explaining to the mayor why he had to kill instead of capture a group of mages would have been bad, but it still beat being dead.

A volley of tier four speel darted from the mages to the criminals in a multi-colored arc of elemental energy. Ten tier five spells would have leveled the entire city block and the foreigners had chosen uptown as their destination.

If something happened to the luxurious villas, the mages would lose their jobs and probably their lives. Hence they had conjured solely spells that they could control with surgical precision and deadly efficiency.

Zoreth replied by unleashing a shockwave of black mana that canceled the spells and sent the entire crowd flat on the ground.

"I'm not talking about the city council, you fool. I want to speak with the Awakened Council!" A black and white aura burst out of her body, pushing guards and citizens of Maraka away as she shapeshifted into her real form.

The Dragon Fear that she emitted spread like wildfire, infecting even those who were still inside their houses, oblivious of the outside commotion. Her aura grew in size along with her body, flooding the plaza and seeping inside the protecting arrays of the mansions.

Now that her Abomination, troll, and human life force were one step away from fully merging, Zoreth's Shadow Dragon form stood over 35 meters (115') tall. She was covered in black scales as big and thick as a tower shield that turned from solid to ethereal non-stop, as if they were shifting in and out of reality.

Despite the bright sun shining over her massive body, Zoreth looked like a living shadow that light could make flicker but not chase away. On the contrary, the black of her body grew deeper as it sucked sunlight and heat.

"Go back to your masters, little man." Her giant muzzle came down, stopping millimeters away from the prone figure of the captain of the city guards. "Go and tell them that if I don't get what I want, I'll bestow Dragon magic on regular people and their secrets will be worth nothing!"

Now that she was so close, Lith could notice that Zoreth was still stuck at four eyes and all of them shone with a weird yellow light instead of the usual white of the Abominations.

'Whatever the source of the yellow light is, that's not elemental energy.' He thought. 'I wonder if her eyes and mine are so different because her human life force's evolution is stunted by the failed merging of her different energies, or if Zoreth simply took another evolutionary path.'

'I think the answer is both.' Solus replied. 'Even back when you were still a Wyrmling and had three life forces, you already had seven eyes and they shone with yellow light as well.

'They changed color only once you achieved mastery over the elements and your body could withstand their power. In Zoreth's case, four eyes are all she'll ever get and their potential is still untapped.'

'Any idea what her powers might be?' Lith asked while sharing with Solus the analysis of the Eyes of Menadion.

'None.' She inwardly shook her head. 'The Eyes can scan all forms of energy but they provide no explanation. If her evolution is incomplete as you say, our only chance to understand the difference between you two is seeing her going all out.' ᴘᴀɴᴅᴀ-ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ

'Which is unlikely.' Lith replied with a telepathic sigh. 'Unless we fight a Guardian, there's not much that can corner someone as powerful as Bytra.'

'She's almost reached the height of a white-cored Dragon.' Solus pointed out. 'From what we have seen from Vareen, Eldritches have a power and durability on par with the white cored Awakened thanks to their energy body

'Yet they lack mass and rely on Chaos to deal damage. Zoreth, instead, has now both her powers as an Eldritch and a physical prowess superior to a bright violet Dragon. Your analysis is an understatement.'

As they spoke via their mind link, Xenagrosh's aura had started to swirl, reaching for the sky. Black massive clouds had assembled, turning the day as black as the night. Gusts of powerful wind sent people tumbling along the streets, emptying the plaza.

"Have I made myself clear, little man?" Zoreth voice was a low snarl, yet it echoed throughout the city block and beyond.

The captain nodded, incapable of speaking or taking his eyes off the hypnotic gaze of the Shadow Dragon. Staring death in the eyes was terrifying but there was also beauty in it.

The captain wondered how it felt to wield such power and hoped that whoever those Awakened were, they wouldn't show up. He wanted to be the first in line to receive the gift of Dragon magic.

"Good. Then tell your soldiers and your master to stay away from us. My wife doesn't like when I kill people for petty reasons so if you force me to put a dent in her smile I might as well turn this whole city into a crater!"

Her final word was accompanied by a roar that made the ground tremble.

Even array-protected households shook and the chandeliers on the ceiling swung wildly while small objects fell off the furniture and broke. A violet blast of Origin Flames erupted from her mouth and moved toward the sky, resembling a huge snake.

Once it exploded, it blew away the black clouds and sunlight returned.

Yet its warmth was of no comfort as the citizens of Maraka were covered in a cold sweat. Even those too far to hear Zoreth's words or be affected by her Dragon aura had witnessed her power.

Something in the main plaza had darkened the sky and then it had cleansed it with fire. Religion wasn't a thing in Verendi either, but many fell to their knees and prayed to the Great Mother to spare their lives.
Chapter 1949: Stepping Into The Light (part 1)
When Zoreth reverted to her human form, the main plaza was deserted. Only the members of her group remained and she now had a smug expression on her face.

"See, little brother? This is how we work. No subterfuges. We go straight to the point and wait for our prey to deliver itself on our plate." She said.

"That was idiotic!" Theseus blurted out. "I spent weeks running from both humans and Awakened. The Council knows who I am and is out for my blood. You just put a huge target on our backs for no reason!"

"Quite the contrary." Zoreth replied with a sly smile. "You see, the Organization is now part of the Awakened Council of Garlen. As long as you stay with us, they can't attack you without violating the treaty between the Councils.

"Your presence actually helps us because they have more than one good reason to come to us. They know that 'Dragon magic' doesn't exist and that I threatened them to expose the secret of Awakening.

"I was afraid that they wouldn't buy my bluff since making good on my threats would get me nothing but make me an enemy of the Garlen Council as well. Thank you, Theseus."

"If you are members of a Council, then why didn't you just ask Verendi's for a formal audience?" Dolgus couldn't deny her logic, yet it seemed too much effort for such a little gain.

"So naïve for someone one thousand years old." Zoreth clicked her tongue in disapproval. "The Garlen Council doesn't know about the Mouth, or we would have even more competition.

"The moment I mention the artifact and demand it be given back, what do you think would happen?"

She took a brief pause, letting a nightmare scenario play in the heads of their companions.

"We would be surrounded by some of the most powerful beings of Verendi, in their own home, under the effects of magical formations whose power I can't even fathom. They would kill us, leaving no trace of what happened but fake evidence.

"They would claim that you went on a rampage due to your blood madness, that we tried to defend you, and that they had to put us down in self-defense.

"They cannot afford to risk that we expose the existence of the Mouth to the Garlen Council.

"They would rather kill us all and face the political consequences of their actions than willingly give up on such a powerful artifact. This way, instead, we have the home advantage and we can set the rules."

"No array can be cast without us noticing and by forcing them to meet us in the open, in the richest block of one of the most populous cities of Verendi, they can't just try to wipe us out.

"If even one of us manages to escape, they would be done and even the Guardians of Verendi would side with Garlen. With a single move, I left them no choice but to play a game of my choice." Zoreth walked toward the Winged boar, the most luxurious hotel of the city, and the others instinctively followed her.

ᰍaꪧda ᱅o᱇ꫀl Her intelligence and charisma made her the leader of the group, not her power. Even Lith was inwardly gawking at her strategy. He had always had lots of power, but he had always been forced to hide it.

'So this is how you use sheer might strategically.' He pondered. 'Zoreth didn't shed a single drop of blood yet the entire city is under her control. By avoiding violence, she made people scared enough to not provoke her but not so desperate that they would attack her.

'I must say, I like how the Organization operates. Quick, smart, and straight to the point.'

"Does this place have suites?" Zoreth asked a young woman who wore a long elegant dress that covered her from neck to toe despite the heat of the day."Yes, Your Majesty. They are on the top floor of the building." She had big brown eyes and gentle features that would have made her lovely if it wasn't for the fear freezing her face and making her voice as deep and husky as that of a man.

"Good. We'll take the full floor and that below. I want no one coming in or out of my property without our permission. Are we clear?" Zoreth asked while bringing her nose so close to the concierge's that she stopped breathing in terror.

"Crystal." The young woman croaked more than speak, swallowing at every syllable.

"Perfect…" Xenagrosh looked at the nametag on the concierge's breast pocket and then at the prices listed for the rooms based on their floor. "Zyma. This is the advance payment for our stay."

She put a small pouch filled with gold coins of Verendi on the counter. The sight was enough to make blood flow again through Zyma's body, biting her lower lip in greed. She was paid in copper and she made one silver coin per month when the tips were good.

Zoreth noticed color and light returning to the young's woman face as a business smile appeared on her face.

"This is for you." Zoreth took a gold coin out of the purse and placed it in Zyma's hands. "Make sure that no one bothers us. If anything happens, let me know and I'll deal with it."

"Yes, Your Majesty." Zyma quickly hid the gold coin inside her pocket and thanked the gods for their generosity.

No one had witnessed the donation since the concierge was the only member of the staff who had remained in the hallway of the hotel. It had happened solely because Zoreth's stare had frozen her in place, but now Zyma considered it part of her luck.

"Is there something, anything you need? The kitchen is at your service and our hotel prizes itself for the skill of our masseuse and the thermal baths." She asked.

"What do you want to do?" Zoreth asked Lith. "Now we have to wait. Feel free to go back home. I'll call you the moment something happens."

Lith pondered the average response time of Garlen's Council and assessed that Verendi shouldn't be any quicker. Before sending an ambassador, the Awakened would surely discuss among them, preparing a plan and several contingency measures in the case it failed.

"Thanks, big sis. I'll come back after lunch. There are a few points that I want to discuss with you, but they can wait."

***

Just like Lith had predicted, no one had arrived during his absence.

Kamila had been happy to see him back again so soon and to spend the morning with him. The closer their honeymoon came to its end the more precious the time they had together became.

It was also the reason she didn't like always having Solus around much.

"You already spend more time with him than me these days. Can't we have a little privacy?" She grunted while setting the table for three while Lith cooked.

"I'm sorry, Kami, but I need my full strength. I need to be close to both Lith and the tower. I promise you that as soon as the issue with the Mouth is resolved, I'll leave you two alone."

Kamila understood how precious Menadion's legacy was for Solus and dropped the argument. Yet her compassion didn't make her like the situation one bit more.
Chapter 1950: Stepping Into The Light (part 2)
Once they returned to the Winged Boar hotel, they were well-fed, rested, and Lith had still his head ringing from Kamila's earful about setting boundaries.

"Do you think I'm getting a tan?" Solus asked, showing him her slender arms.

"Definitely." Lith nodded while projecting a hologram of her old appearance. "Your skin is more reddish than bronze but it's still a tan."

"I definitely need to stay in the sun more." She replied with a warm smile. "Until now, I was afraid that every time I went back into my ring my body would reset. That I was still frozen in time, more a thing than a human.

"But now I'm certain that I can change as well and it's all thanks to you and Kami."

Lith didn't mention the earful to not spoil her mood and just smiled.

"Any news?" He found the others in the restaurant.

The place was richly furnished and utterly empty. All the other clients had run away in terror, but no one cared. The owner had already seen the bag of gold and it contained more than what he earned in months.

The staff often came to blows to decide who would serve the monstrous guests, but not to avoid them so much as for the privilege of serving them. They were all people paid in copper and Zoreth tipped in silver.

There wasn't a single hint of fear in the hotel, only the smell of fresh flowers.

"Yes. The cooks are great and they even serve Garlen cuisine, mister picky eater." Zoreth chuckled. "Oh, and the spa is worth its reputation, you have to give it a try."

"I meant the Council." A snap of his fingers set a Hush zone around the table.

"Not yet." Bytra shook her head. "I guess they are still talking with Garlen and deciding if we are worth their time. Making us wait is a power move, Lith. It makes us understand that they are not afraid of us and gives them time to prepare."

"That's why I came back. We need to prepare as well." He nodded. "There's one thing I don't understand. How are we supposed to convince the Council to give us the Mouth?

"Blackmail rarely works and even if it did, once they don't have anything to lose anymore, they can spill the beans with our Council and put us in a world of trouble."

"That's actually the weak point of my plan." Zoreth sighed. "Sure, we can threaten to expose the existence of the Mouth, but at that point, they would rather keep it. Violence is not an option either.

"The Master worked hard to get the Organization into the Garlen Council. We would just make a lot of enemies and gain nothing from it."

"What if the heir of Menadion stepped forward?" Solus said while clenching her fists.

"That would certainly give our claim legal grounds." Zoreth tormented her chin as she spoke. "Whoever took the Mouth is a murderer and a thief. The Mouth can be considered part of your legacy and the Garlen Council would do anything to back you."

"Are you insane?" Bytra said. "You can't reveal your existence like that? It would put your life in danger."

"Lots of people already know." Solus shrugged. "You, Zoreth, Grandma, even Dolgus and Theseus. Without the tower, I'm just a weak-ass Awakened. No war will be fought in my name or to get me."On top of that, I'm sick and tired of living my whole life in the shadows. I'm not a criminal. I didn't do anything wrong and I just want back what's mine!"

She took a brief pause to catch her breath.

"Also, I was thinking of altering my appearance to avoid problems." Solus added a layer of darkness to the Hush zone and shapeshifted.

Her body became taller, reaching 1.75 meters (5'9") of height. Her hair regained solely the orange and silver streaks that she was supposed to have and her features now resembled more Menadion's than her own.

ᰍaꪧda ᱅o᱇ꫀl She still looked similar to Threin's paintings, but no one would recognize her as Solus unless they had met Elphyn in person. Also, thanks to her tower side, her body didn't lack extra mass and growing in size hadn't lessened her physical strength.

"This might work." Lith looked at her, almost failing to recognize his friend behind the stone mask of determination that her face had become. "But are you sure about this? If you step forward, people will ask questions and you need to have answers."

"Are you going to pretend to be a human again?" Solus replied.

"Only during an undercover mission." Lith shook his head. "I'm done hiding and pretending to be someone else. I'm going to always use my full powers and live proud of my nature of a Tiamat."

"And I'm proud of carrying the Menadion name." She said. "I'll make sure to not mess with your life. I just want back what's mine. I've lost everything I had, I've lost centuries of life and most of my memories.

"I'm sick and tired of letting people take everything away from me without putting up a fight. On top of that, I've nothing that the Council might want. Menadion's knowledge is outdated and the tower is lost.

"Since I spent the last 700 years slumbering, my Forgemastering is nothing special. If we get the Mouth back, I plan to give it to Grandma. No one will dare to attack her and she will keep it safe if not even update it with Creation Magic."

Actually, Solus just wanted to touch the Mouth to trigger its tower equivalent, and then she planned to gift it to one of their friends just like she had done with the Hands.

That speech was for the sake of their companions, who were unaware of the tower.

"That's actually the best thing you can do." Zoreth nodded. "Claim that Salaark saved you. That you are her guest and protégé. It will make our claims even stronger."

"Don't worry Elphyn, I mean, Solus. If anything goes wrong, I'll protect you with my life." Bytra said.

"Were you two really this close?" Theseus asked. "I know that all the Rulers of The Flames knew each other, but this is a bit extreme."

"We didn't." The two women replied in unison, but only Bytra continued. "It's because of me that she lost everything. I put Solus in the condition she currently is, killed Menadion, and caused the destruction of the tower."

"You did what?" Dolgus' eyes flared with bright violet mana as he stood up, glaring at Bytra. "She was one of the greatest minds and of the most generous people I've ever met. Council or not, today you're going to pay for what you did!"

"It wasn't her." Zoreth jumped up, putting herself between them. "My wife is just like Theseus. She killed her original, Korgh, and inherited her memories. She wasn't even born until three years ago, let alone 700."

At those words, Dolgus' aura disappeared and he gave Bytra a bow in apology.

"I'm sorry for my brash words and losing my temper." He said. "I should have kept a level head and noticed the lack of reaction from Lady Elphyn. I praise your determination to make amends for crimes that you didn't commit."
Chapter 1951: Bait And Switch (part 1)
Theseus felt a sense of kinship toward Bytra. He had found someone who was exactly like him, who could truly understand what he was going through. He was about to ask the Riaju if she suffered from blood madness as well when she turned toward Dolgus, shaking her head.

"Please, I don't deserve your apologies nor your praise." Bytra said, leaving both men confused. "Ever since I gained the full memories of my original, I inherited not only the burden of her crimes, but also her greatness.

"Korgh was a genius who let her envy and ambition consume her until they turned her into a monster. What she did was terrible and she gained a lot from it. I can't undo her actions more than I can forget the source of the knowledge she bestowed upon me.

"For most of my short life, I suffered from fits of blood madness because every time I put Korgh's knowledge into practice, I was also reminded of how she had gained it and the suffering she had caused.

"Only after meeting Solus and accepting my responsibilities as Korgh's heir did I finally find peace. I'm not doing this because I'm a hero, but because it's the right thing to do.

"If I just enjoyed the fruits of Korgh's crimes without even trying to make amends to her victims, I would be no better than her, and I would deserve your fury."

"That's ridiculous. You are guiltless. The crimes of your biological mother cannot fall upon you. You had no choice in the matters you blame yourself for." The Griffon replied.

"No, she's right." Theseus stood up, walking in front of Solus. "All of you gained your powers through hard work and sacrifice. It's your achievement, something you deserve and can be proud of.

"People like us, instead, have been granted powers that came at the expense of innocents. In a way, Bytra and I are Forbidden Magic come to life. We took our knowledge from our Originals who in turn took it from whoever was unlucky enough to cross their path.

"Just using their powers for our sake would be egotistical.

As Bytra said, we must try to make amends for our past crimes. This guilt we feel is what makes us truly different from our Originals."

He took Solus' face between his hands, applying Body Sculpting to her. The changes were minimal. The shape of her eyes became a little sharper, her mouth fuller, and her hairline advanced a little.

Once he was done, she had become identical to the young Elphyn Menadion in Threin's paintings, with all the artistic liberties that Solus' father had taken in depicting her daughter as he saw her.

"Fuck me sideways. If I didn't see the before and after, I would never recognize you, Solus." Lith said.

"Thanks." Theseus replied. "This way, even if things with the Verendi Council go south, you can always go back to your old life, Elphyn. Everyone will go looking for a painting that came to life."

"This is amazing!" Solus watched at her reflection in a mirror of ice she had conjured. "It's still me yet at the same time I'm not. How did you do that?"

"Paquut, my original, was an artist as well, but he used people instead of canvas for his works." Theseus lowered his gaze in shame. "He turned his victims into flesh puppets and then enjoyed their agonizing moans as they starved to death.

"I know things about Body Sculpting that give me nightmares. From how to fix a defective life force to how to make a human statue last for months by forcing their body to cannibalize itself, shrinking over time like a candle."

"Do you know how to fix cracked life forces as well?" Lith asked, barely containing his excitement."No, that's beyond anyone but a Guardian. A defective life force is still whole whereas a broken one loses pieces that cannot be replaced without Forbidden Magic. Believe me, Paquut tried." Theseus replied.

"He cracked people's life force on purpose, just to put them together. Flesh puzzles, he called them. He never completed one."

"Thank you anyway." Lith offered Theseus his hand who shook it. "Knowing it still takes a burden off my chest. Also, I won't forget what you did for Solus. I owe you one."

Bytra and Theseus spent the following hours sharing their respective past and their techniques to keep the blood madness in check. The Raiju didn't need them anymore and was happy to help someone like her.

Dolgus, Zoreth, Solus, and Lith, instead, discussed their strategy. They could more or less guess what the Council's reply would be.

They decided to keep their cards close to the vest and reveal them only if necessary. Rather than making feel the opponent pressured from every side and making them take an aggressive stance, it was better to apply pressure in waves.

To breach their defenses one at a time so that they would be cornered without noticing until it was too late.

It was almost evening when the concierge announced they had a visitor. Bytra thanked Zyma and tipped her, making the concierge thank the gods for the lateness of the shift change.

Without expecting a reply from either the Shadow Dragon or Zyma, a young-looking woman walked through the door. She marched along the tables keeping her back as straight as an arrow, exuding an aura of confidence.

She was about 1.80 (5'11') meters tall, with dark brown skin and eyes. She was dressed in black and gold, with her long hair arranged in small tresses that sparked under the light due to its silver and yellow streaks.

She had full lips and a stunning figure but for Awakened standards, she was barely an adult. She couldn't be more than 100 years old and had yet to reach the violet core. Lith could see with Life Vision her bright blue core and the vortexes that didn't show any sign of developing into auxiliary cores.

Either she had reached the bright blue recently or her mentor didn't plan to teach her the secret of the violet core until she was chosen as their heir.

"My name is Tryssa Mabati, apprentice of the plant Council representative Senara the Firbolg." She didn't give them a bow nor treated them with any courtesy. "I've come here only because your farce piqued my master's curiosity, Shadow Dragon.

"Neither she nor the Council fear you." She kept standing even after being offered a seat, to keep looking down on the troublemakers.

She considered the matter a waste of her time and was eager to leave as soon as it was dealt with.

"You should better fear me, runt. You have no idea of my powers." Zoreth stood up, feigning outrage while she was inwardly smiling.

"We actually do. You are not the first Divine Beast that lets their ego go to their head and you are not going to be the last." Tryssa sighed, with the same tone an adult would use while addressing a child not too bright. "No matter what you do, you are not a threat.

"The Council is older than your forefather and we know how to deal with your kind. Try to spread your so-called "Dragon Magic" and we'll know before you have Awakened a single human.

"Then, we'll end you and whoever even dared to speak with you.
Chapter 1952: Bait And Switch (part 2)
"My master sent me here solely because she is curious to understand the reason for your stunt. If you really wanted to mess with the Council, you wouldn't have announced your presence and intentions.

"Your threat is a bluff that you expected us to call. Unless I'm wrong and you really are crazy, I demand you to explain why you didn't request a formal meeting through the official channels." Tryssa said.

After gauging her opponent, Zoreth dropped the pretenses and a sly smile appeared on her face. The Fae wasn't an idiot, but just like the Shadow Dragon had expected, the Council's ego had backfired on them.

Sending someone young and irrelevant as their ambassador was another way to humiliate the unwanted guests, just like making them wait for hours without a single reply.

Yet it played straight into Zoreth's hand.

Tryssa had the full authority to speak on behalf of the Council and none of the wits necessary for the task. Sending a youth to deal with old monsters was akin to throwing the live bait in the river without the hook.

A free meal for the fish.

"The answer is simple. I don't trust you." The Shadow Dragon replied. "I don't trust being surrounded by a bunch of old fossils in their own home. Not when I demand them to hand me the Mouth of Menadion and the bastard who stole it."

At the mention of one of the most treasured secrets of the Council, Tryssa took a step back. She looked around the room, activating Life Vision for the first time since her coming and looking for traps.

"I don't know what you are talking about." She quickly regained her composure and looked at Zoreth like at a madwoman.

"Instead you do." The Dragon stood up, growing her size a little to stare at the plant in the eyes. "I am old enough to know that all the artifacts crafted with a piece of the Menadion set carry a specific energy signature.

"It was one of the safeguards in case one of her apprentices was killed. A Forgemastering tool is pointless if its creations can't be sold or used. It allowed Menadion to track her apprentices and study their progress."

"Even if what you say is true, I doubt that Menadion would have shared such a secret with you, unless you forced her to spill it before killing her." Tryssa moved on the offensive, threatening Zoreth to charge her with the death of the First Ruler of the Flames.

"You are right, she didn't share it with me. Menadion told her other apprentices though, so that they could look out for each other." Zoreth waved at Bytra who stood up as well.

"Allow me to introduce you Bytra the Raiju. Fourth Ruler of the Flames and Menadion's apprentice."

"I know of Vestha's death, but I ignore the identity of his killer." Bytra shrouded the table for a split second as she shapeshifted back and forth from her beast form. "I demand the Mouth back and justice for my fellow apprentice."

"Even if you are who you claim to be, you have no right over the Mouth." Tryssa took another step back, suddenly feeling cornered.

She now recognized Bytra. Both her human and beast appearances were identical to the paintings in her mentor's office. Very few knew what the inventor of the modern runes looked like and no one would dare pretend to be them.To make matters worse, the aura that the Raiju released was no bluff. Even though neither her master nor Bytra had gone all-out in front of her, Tryssa could tell that even the millennia-old Firbolg was no match for the Ruler of the Flames.

"Oh, we have plenty of right." Zoreth replied. "Menadion lived in Garlen and so did her apprentice. The Mouth was stolen, not sold or inherited. As members of the Garlen Council, we demand to have it back.

"Fail to comply and we'll inform the rest of the Awakened community of how Verendi makes deals with murderers instead of dealing with them." She put her Council amulet on the table as proof of her words.

Tryssa swallowed loudly, not knowing what to do. The matter was way beyond her capabilities but she couldn't back down without tremendous political repercussions. If the Garlen Council was informed, there might be a war between the two continents.

"I understand your point, but this issue is centuries old. People gets killed every day and their legacy stolen." Tryssa said slowly, to buy the time to find the right words. "If you demanded justice right after it happened, we would have gladly complied but we would have still kept the Mouth.

"Vestha had no heir and with Menadion gone, the rules of the game are simple. Finders keepers. You have my respect for your talent and the many teachings you shared, Lady Bytra, but they don't give you any right over the Mouth.

"Menadion had hundreds of disciples, even among the people of Verendi, and they have the same claims over the artifacts that you do." Tryssa gave her a deep bow to hide the smug grin for escaping the enemy's trap.

"Feel free to tell the Garlen Council about the Mouth. If it's a war you want, we'll gladly bring it to your door. Yet with Thrud already thinning your numbers, it would be a damn shame if the Mad Queen suddenly had new allies."

"Your closing every sentence with a threat is becoming annoying, kid." Zoreth snorted. "Know that we have yet to inform the Garlen Council for the same reason we resorted to that façade this morning.

"We don't trust them more than we trust you. Even if we won the war, the Mouth would be split among the winners whereas we want to give it back to its rightful heir."

"Me. Elphyn Menadion." Solus had remained sitting until that moment, giving her back to Tryssa.

The young Awakened recognized her from a painting and her knees buckled. Solus looked exactly like the teenager Elphyn from Threin's drawings down to the smallest details.

The full lips, the golden eyes brimming with power, and the perfection of her proportions were nothing like the real Solus but they matched how her father saw her through his loving eyes.

"That's bullshit!" Tryssa had to sit down. "Elphyn Menadion disappeared for centuries right after her mother. I don't know who you are or how you managed to shapeshift yourself in such form, but you can't be her.

"You are too young and weak." Her voice lacked conviction even after Life Vision showed her Solus's blue aura.

Shapeshifting had limits. Resembling someone and being identical to someone were two entirely different matters. Either the person in front of her was the true Elphyn Menadion or someone old enough to have met her in person.

"I am Elphyn Menadion." Solus stepped forward, looking down on the Awakened. "My mother's murderer killed me first and then exploited Menadion's attempt to revive me to kill her as well.

"My mother died and the tower was stolen, but she still managed to partially succeed in saving my life. The procedure left me in a coma and crippled me. Before dying, Menadion sent me to the Desert, where I slumbered until a few years ago."