Everyone followed Lith outside but Tyris who stood by the crib.
“I think that there’s something wrong with me.” Lith said once they were outside and the Hush spells kept Kamila from overhearing him.
“Even now, I can still almost hear my old rage scratching at the back of my mind. If you take a look at my life force, the blue flame is still there. I thought I was supposed to have gotten rid of it after my breakthrough!”
“Shush, child, let us see.” Salaark disregarded her displeasure for Leegaain’s stunt and asked his help in studying the situation.
The eyes of the two Guardians went wide for a split-second while checking Lith’s life force and once they were done, they walked away to tell something inaudible between them.
“You are right, there is something wrong with both you and Elysia.” Leegaain nodded, explaining to him everything the Father of All Dragons had discovered during his latest experiment.
Even the Eldritches had no idea what he was saying, but unlike the rest of the family, they could understand how dire the situation was.
“I just want to assure you that the blue flames aren’t a parasite or something that can hurt you two like Chaos would.” Leegaain said.
“Then what are they?” Lith asked.
“Something that can change you and affect everything else in the process.” Leegaain replied. “I wish I could tell you more but this is the problem with new species. Your powers are something unique that needs studying and understanding.”
“Also, consider this.” Salaark stepped in, noticing how pale people were becoming. “The fact that Elysia had a breakthrough with you and that her life forces merged along with yours is a good thing.
“It means she has also overcome all your past issues and is left only with the new ones. While she’s so small, she won’t lose control of her abilities unless you do it first. You’ve seen how deep your bond is.
“Elysia learns from you so it’s twice your responsibility not to stray from the right path just for power’s sake.”
“Easier said than done.” Lith sighed.
“Listen to me well, child.” Salaark cupped his face, forcing him to look her in the eyes. “You are of my blood so there’s something you need to hear from me.”
Lith nodded for her to continue.
“There are two Phoenixes who constantly battle inside of us. One that basks in light and helps you rise to new heights, and one that lurks in darkness and craves for blood.”
“I know that.” Lith rolled his eyes. “The one who is going to prevail in the end is the one I feed.”
“What? That’s not how the saying goes! I know it because I made it myself. Who goes around twisting my words into such bullshot?” Salaark said in outrage. “Tell me where you heard that so I can kill them all!”
“Please, Grandma, you are scaring everyone.” Lith pointed at his parents and the kids.
“I mean, I was about to say that to achieve true greatness, you must learn to become them both. Never lose yourself in either of them. Always be their master, no matter how alluring their promises are.
“If you relinquish one, you also relinquish a part of yourself and whatever strength you achieve will always be incomplete. Do you understand me?”
Lith nodded and Salaark let him go.
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have an appointment that I can’t delay any longer. Leegaain!” She turned to him. “I leave you in charge but pull another fast one and no Shargein for one month.”
“One month?” Leegaain was flabbergasted.
Before he could say anything, the Phoenix was gone in a pillar of flames.
“Why the long faces?” He regained his cool before the fires went out. “Elysia is finally born and we have to party!”
Confetti, sweets, and everything necessary for a proper celebration appeared out of thin air, including lots of alcohol.
“By my Mom, I really need this.” Solus poured herself a glass of Red Phoenix.
She had barely taken the first sip when along with the burning sensation from the alcohol, another one raised from the pit of her stomach.
A bright blue pillar erupted from her body as her mana core reached the next stage. At the same time, in the Trawn Woods, the tower was sitting above the mana geyser and started sucking in rocks, ground, and wood in order to rebuild itself.
Between the time spent in the Verhen Mansion and the Desert, Solus had always received excellent nourishment from Lith’s ever-increasing life force and mana. After the breakthrough, the pillar of silvery-black light had seeped inside her as well.
The combined effect of Lith’s and Elysia’s evolution had given her the last push she needed. Yet unlike an Awakened, Solus didn’t expel impurities nor did her body break down.
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 trace of impurities and no imperfections. Yet without a proper energy source to fuel her body’s abilities, Solus was no different from a bright blue-cored Awakened.
A bright blue-cored Awakened with the mass of a mage tower and its enchantments at her beck and call akin to bloodline abilities, though.
“Damn, this is going to be a long day.” Solus emptied her glass in one gulp and filled it again. “Do you mind if we talk about what the new floors do in a few days? I’m not in the mood for work.
“Also, until they’re done being rebuilt, I won’t recover memories about them either.”
Lith nodded and the celebrations resumed.
***
Blood Desert, Heavenly Plume tribe, the Overlord’s palace.
Salaark had no need for a Fringe to contact Mogar. Her willpower and core alone were enough to conjure the world energy anytime she wanted, as long as she was on her turf.
The Guardian’s appearance in the Mindscape was identical to her own and her powers weren’t diminished one bit. Quite the contrary, Salaark knew the rules of the game well enough to be nigh-invincible in there.
Nigh because even she couldn’t be sure of winning were she to face Mogar on their own turf.
“What do the blue flames mean and why are they still there?”
The Mother of All Phoenixes asked the familiar figure of the blood-stained beast Mogar took for her. “They were supposed to go away once Lith reached the violet. Unless this is your doing.”
The Guardian’s eyes flared with mana while Mogar’s remained unfazed by the allegation.
“I didn’t do anything. Why should I even care?” The beast resembled a two-headed Phoenix, one with eyes full of love and mercy and the other with crazy eyes and a deranged laughter.
Its talons were stained with blood while the white of its feathers was reddened and blackened by the innards and ashes of its fallen enemies.
“Point taken.” Salaark nodded, regaining her cool. “Then can you at least tell me why the blue flames are a part of him now? Wasn’t that supposed to be the result of a bad choice on his side?”
