An awkward silence fell in the room while the First Magus cursed herself for keeping to stuffing her mouth with her own foot.
“If you don’t want my help and clearly you aren’t ready to move on, why did you invite me here?” Silverwing asked.
“To introduce you to Elysia, of course.” Solus replied while letting the baby take a good sniff and reassure her that Lochra was a friend. “That and to have the opportunity to spend a bit of time together without the risk of you pulling a fast one.”
There were so many Phoenixes and Dragons around that even if the Guardians took a walk, Silverwing wouldn’t have taken three steps before being shot down.
“It’s nice to see how much you trust me even after I opened the door of my house to you.” The First Magus slouched her shoulders. “Since we are already here, do you mind showing me around the tower?
“I’m making progress with my own, but I feel like it’s missing something. I promise that I won’t try anything funny. I just want to see Ripha’s tower in the hope it gives me inspiration.”
“I’m sure you won’t.” Solus said as Ragnarök appeared in her free hand amid a blaze of emerald flames.
The angry blade was covered by a thick scabbard made from the blood and remains of its victims, leaving only the elemental gemstones on the fuller and the hilt exposed.
Between the white crystals on the hilt and the jagged teeth-like spikes on the guard, the weapon seemed to be growling at the strangers.
“Follow their every movement and if they take one step inside the restricted areas or try to break in, sound the alarm.” Solus let the blade go and it stopped in mid-air after getting rid of the blood sheath.
Yet instead of simply breaking it apart like War would have done, Ragnarök converted the accumulated mass into a humanoid figure about 1.8 meters (5’11”) tall whose body was comprised of blood, flesh, and muscles.
There were no bones nor internal organs, making the body fluid as it rearranged the various collected parts to find the best possible combination.
“It will be done.” The blade replied, the creature was still mouthless, simply an extension of Ragnarök’s will meant to exert a fraction of its true power even in the absence of its masters.
“Is that a blood golem?” Baba Yaga asked with eyes wide in surprise.
“More like a blood construct but that’s not the point.” Solus replied. “The reason I called you, Malyshka, is that I realized how badly I need help in retaining my own individuality in case someone else uses a Removal Unit against us.
“Can you please call Dawn here?”
“I can do better. Dusk also wanted to meet you.” Baba Yaga replied while opening the psychic connection with her Horsemen. “He doesn’t know about the tower and Dawnie still bears the seal that protects your secrets.”
“What’s wrong, Mother?” The arrival of the Horsemen would have alarmed the guards if Solus hadn’t warned them already.
They still found a platoon of angry Divine Beasts ready to turn the intruders into mincemeat at the first mistake they made.
“This!” Baba Yaga shoved Elysia in their faces. “Once again, you’ve let yourself being beaten to the punch by a twenty years old runt despite having millennia head start on him. Is it too much asking for a grandchild or two?”
Solus chuckled, seeing Tista in the Horseman and Elina in Malyshka.
‘Doesn’t your mother know I’m only fourteen?’ Keila asked via the mind link. ‘I’m not okay with you using my body to have children not even if you shapeshift it into yours to sleep with a woman. I don’t want to even think about this stuff.’
‘Me neither.’ Dusk replied, making her sigh with relief. ‘First, we need to Awaken your bloodline at the blue yet that’s just to start assessing your potential. We don’t have to worry about children until you reach the violet.’
‘We what?’ The entire conversation was silent so on the outside it seemed like Kelia was sick, making grimaces as her face turned from pale to beet reed.
‘I was crystal clear after we fused together. I revealed to you all of my plans to turn you into another Verhen.’ The Red Sun said and she had to admit that he had indeed been straightforward.
Yet back then Keila’s main worry was to get warm food and a roof on her head. The violet seemed something so far away whereas now she was already at the green.
‘Don’t worry, though. I have no problem waiting a few years and then using my own body if you don’t want to go through the hurdle.’
‘Thanks, but this doesn’t make things one bit easier.’ Keila replied. ‘I know nothing about motherhood, let alone fatherhood!’
“Congratulations, Solus.” Dawn said, snapping them out of their quarrel. “You did a great job with your baby. She’s one of the most beautiful girls I’ve ever seen. I hope that one day Zepho will find the strength to forgive me and we’ll have one too.”
“Thank you, I- No!” Solus was really getting tired of the misunderstanding but half of the black of Elysia’s hair was covered by the elemental streaks and since Lith had black hair as well, it was fair to assume that she had inherited it from both her parents.
After once again explaining the situation and suffering from the incredulity of her guests, Solus told once again the story about her brief yet traumatic bond with M’Rael.
“I’m sorry you had to go through all that, sister.” Dusk said. “How can I help you?”
“Dawn, I want you to keep teaching me how to defend my mind and keep it separate from my host. Dusk, playing defensive isn’t enough. If something like that happens again, I must know how to attack as well.
“I’ve read about you guys. I’ve seen your accursed sister change her host as often as a dress. I know of the people you’ve enslaved after shattering their minds and reducing them to empty husks whose sole purpose was to do your bidding.
“I want to learn how to do the same.” Solus clenched her fists, inwardly swearing that she would never again be reduced to an object.
“I can do that.” Dawn said and Dusk nodded. “Attacking it’s actually much easier than keeping a healthy boundary since even I have yet to learn how to do that.”
“And so are we.” Dusk and Kelia said in unison. “But before we accept, there’s something you should know. What you are asking us to teach you is the same as using your power core and will to become a living slave item.
“Your attacks will have permanent effects, altering the personality of your host and bending it to your will until there’s nothing left. The people on which you would use such techniques would be worse than dead.
“I’m not going to lie to you, my past host, a mighty genius Lich, was so far gone that not even Mother’s magic could salvage what was left of him. Before asking us again to teach you, I want you to understand the burden you are going to carry.”
