“What you need to understand is that her alliance with Orpal allows Thrud to focus solely on the offense while he focuses solely on defending her assets.” Feela said.
“She just needs to send a few Awakened each time to open Spirit Gates and allow her allies to reach any point in any city despite the arrays. The undead work as a leash for both the people that have yet to surrender to her rule and for the Crown.”
“What a cunning woman.” Lith hated Thrud for allying herself with Meln, yet he had to recognize the brilliance of her plan. “It must have been Thrud’s or Night’s idea because Meln isn’t smart enough to come up with something like this.”
“Indeed.” Feela nodded. “That’s why the Council has been secretly attacking and eradicating the branches of the Undead Courts this whole time. By weakening the Dead King, the leash on the Kingdom grows looser.
“We prefer not messing directly with Thrud because we don’t want to let her know that we are aware of her plans. We know from Dawn’s loyalists that her alliance with Meln is shaky at best.
“Our strategy is to tip the balance of power in Thrud’s favor. This way, the Undead King will feel his position threatened and do something stupid that will split them further apart, weakening both our enemies
“Once we get rid of him, Thrud’s measly forces will no longer be able to keep the Royal army and the Mage Association at bay, especially with a few of us disguised among their members.
“This way, the Mad Queen will fall discreetly, the secret of Awakening will remain as such, and the history written by the winners will carefully gloss over the bizarre magic used by the usurper.
“The memory of the attack will die with its witnesses and become nothing but a fairy tale in the span of a couple of generations. Everybody wins.”
“I like your plan, yet I don’t see what could you possibly need me for.” Lith said. “As Tista said, many of you are stronger than me and so far, you haven’t bothered asking my opinion about anything.”
“My next words will answer your remaining questions.” A huge grin appeared on the Behemoth’s face.
“We know that you hate the Undead King for his relentless attacks against you during the past few years. You should be glad to know that you have been summoned here to enact the final part of our plan. Killing Meln Narchat.”
“What?” Lith’s group said in unison.
“We are aware of the restriction that Baba Yaga put on Night.” After finishing explaining the situation to Inxialot, Raagu stood up as well, showing Lith the hologram of a familiar scene from his past.
“This spell that you all can read will prevent her from attacking the Verhen household again.” Baba Yaga said in the projection while using Creation Magic to put a slave spell on Night’s crystal.
Then it fast-forwarded her discussion with the seven Abomination-Hybrids that had come to the Master’s rescue until the next point of interest.
“… what about I change the spell so that Night will become unable to harm directly or indirectly anyone who resides in Lutia?” The hologram disappeared as soon as the Red Mother finished speaking.
The slave spell protected thoroughly whoever bore the Verhen last name and extended even to those who lived in Lutia. Had Trion not changed his last name, he would have still been alive.
“We have kept you and your sister out of the game because you are our secret weapon.” Raagu said. “Meln may be powerful to a fake mage, but he is still a deep blue-cored Awakened with little experience.
“He’s nothing without Night whereas you…” A wave of her hand revealed Lith’s deep violet aura with several lighter streaks, Tista’s blue aura, and Friya’s and Phloria’s bright blue auras.
Their auxiliary cores had fully formed but had yet to stabilize. On top of that, their bodies had yet to grow accustomed to their new strength. The moment they mastered their abilities their respective mentors would teach them the secret of the violet core.
Or at least that was the plan, but both Friya and Phloria wanted to discover it on their own. Yet if the war went on, they would have no choice and accept such knowledge even if it meant limiting their future growth.
“Also, we are not sending you alone. Your group will be our spearhead, but we’ll send four more units of the Hand of Fate to support you.” Ragu said.
The Hand of Fate were the enforcers of the laws of the Council that were dispatched every time the strength of a single Lord wasn’t enough to solve a problem or to keep conflicts between Lords from escalating.
Its members were all bright blue-cored Awakened with centuries of experience yet no legacy who had remained stuck in such a state long enough to have run out of ideas about how to reach the violet.
Joining the Hand of Fate corps was a way for those who couldn’t become elders to join the political board of the Council and curry the favor of their respective representatives in the hope they would at least give them a hint to get out of the slump.
“I admit that you are a bit overqualified to be a simple member of the Hand of Fate so I’ll give you command of your unit as a sign of trust. I’ve heard many things about your accomplishments as a soldier and I hope that you’ll serve the Council as well as you did the Royals.” Raagu said.
With his violet core and his nature as a unique Divine Beast, Lith might have become an elder, if only he bothered with the politics and responsibilities that a seat in the Council required.
“I’m fine with your plan, but I want my group to move independently and to limit its members to the four of us.” Lith avoided saying that he served no one to not antagonize Raagu as long as their interests aligned.
“Units are usually comprised of five members. The Spear, the Highmaster, the Shield, the Tower, and the Storm.” Raagu referred to the most effective battle formation for Awakened units that Aalejah had developed after including dimensional mages like Friya.
“I know, but the Council already stole from me the information about my bloodline abilities. I’ve developed more and just like you all, I’m entitled to my privacy.” Lith replied. “These people know what my sister and I are capable of and they won’t breach our trust.”
He wanted to avoid dealing with strangers because that way he could rely on Solus and even on Locrias, bringing the members of his group up to six if necessary.
“Are you talking about the purge of Derios’ undead?” Lotho’s voice sounded like a stone rubbing against tree bark yet it couldn’t hide his curiosity.
“To that and so much more.” Lith spouted lies like breathing, making Tista and Solus want to puke as the Council members stared in awe at the only two existing members of the Demon race.
“Fine. We’ll allow it.” Feela said.
“Well, I don’t agree with any of this.” Xenagrosh walked out of the shadows where she had remained hidden until that moment. “Sending Lith alone is too dangerous. I volunteer as the fifth member.”
