“The two of us are very powerful.” Raagu said.
“If we combine our talents, it would take someone like Thrud to hold us off. Also, Inxialot is nigh-immortal and completely expendable. If push comes to shove, any of us can throw him to the lions and the best part is that he won’t even remember it.”
“How long would the mission take?” Lith asked, knowing that at this point he had very few plausible reasons to turn down the Royal’s request.
“Assuming there are no accidents, two days by the sea and then one week to build the Gate.” Queen Sylpha replied. “After your return, you, Lady Verhen, and young Lady Verhen will be able to skip the quarantine period due to your Awakened status.”
Lith could actually come back to Lutia at any time via the tower Warp, but that would have meant raising too many questions.
‘I can move back and forth between the two continents if I want. I just need to be careful not to let anyone notice my disappearance and turn the communication amulet off when I leave Jiera.
‘It would be impossible to explain how come my rune is available even when I’m supposed to be way out of reach. On top of that, the army and the Awakened could pinpoint my position.’ He thought.
“Supreme Magus Verhen, I know that we are asking you a lot, especially considering that you have recently become a parent.” The Queen put emphasis on his title. “Yet I want you to consider this mission as part of your duty.
“You became a Magus because you shared Void Magic, the Tablets, and the Trains with us. If we don’t colonize Jiera, accumulating the resources necessary to spread the Tablets throughout the Kingdom will take decades.
“The Trains will remain on paper for much longer since they are way more expensive and difficult to craft. Aside from Void Magic, there’s the risk that your legacy might be forgotten and because of that, crises that would have been avoided might reap countless victims.
“Remember the words the King and I spoke on the day of your ascension. A Magus just shares their knowledge. A Supreme Magus makes sure that their knowledge is put into practice the right way.
“They supervise the development of their legacy so that no one can twist it against the people they were supposed to help.” Queen Sylpha pointed at Elysia. “Back when we visited you in the Desert, you talked about the importance of working for the future.
“What kind of Kingdom would you like your daughter to grow up in? A modern country that you contributed to shape or the same society you experienced as a child?”
Lith didn’t like the low blow to his fatherly instinct but he had to admit that there was merit in Sylpha’s words.
‘I don’t want Elysia to grow like I did. Heck, I don’t want Aran and Leria to go to the White Griffon and receive the same treatment I did.’ Lith thought. ‘They are going to have it much worse due to their beast blood and because those who resent me will take it out on them.
‘I don’t know if Trains and Tablets can really make a difference, but I’d rather do everything I can to make people more tolerant toward the other races rather than leave it up to chance.’
“I accept.” Lith gave a small bow to the Queen and then looked at Kamila who nodded to confirm that she would come with him. “I have a request, though. I want a room for me, my wife, my daughter, and my cousin Solus Verhen.”
“Separate rooms, I guess.” Everyone was taken aback by the request.
“Who are you people and what are you doing in my house?” Everyone but Inxialot, of course.
The Lich King had taken a note about not forgetting about going on a trip with Raagu and after that, he had drifted into complex equations until his dimensional amulet had run out of paper.
“Of course.” Lith nodded. “She helped me develop the technology for the Trains and I’m going to need her input in case significant alterations to the original design were to be necessary.”
“Excellent idea.” King Meron said with a huge smile on his face.
With her contributions during the War of the Griffons and the crucial role she had played in destroying the Golden Griffon, Solus was a high-profile unmarried mage. The fact that she had also contributed to the achievements that had made Lith the Supreme Magus was a huge plus.
After listening to her lessons about Void Magic, Meron had come to the conclusion that she was his best shot at mixing the Verhen blood with the nobility of the Kingdom.
Nobility that would soon be involved in the development of the colonies on Jiera, creating plenty of opportunities for them to befriend Solus whenever her expertise was required.
“She is fully human, correct? I need this information to adjust for the food provisions and balance the weight.” The King said, lying through his teeth.
“Yes, she is. What’s the problem with the weight, though? You mentioned it a few times but I can’t see its relevance.” Lith felt puzzled at the question.
“I know that non-humans can use Gravity Fusion but that lasts only as long as they are conscious.” Meron replied. “If something bad happens, the trip might last longer or some of the passengers might need to sleep or be knocked out.
“In that case, the sudden increase in weight would drain the power core and force the Wayfinder to find a place where to stop and recharge.” At a wave of Meron’s finger, the hologram turned into a map of Mogar where the travel path of the Train was highlighted.
Lith noticed that the Royals had charted it with a few detours from the most direct route so that several small islands would be available for emergency stops at irregular intervals.
‘Damn. Solus weighs a lot but I can’t say it. It’s not a big deal if she gets back inside my ring at night.’ Then he looked at Kamila who was probably thinking the same and frowning. ‘Maybe.’
“What about the crates?” She asked. “Wouldn’t it be better to store everything inside dimensional amulets to save space and travel lighter?”
“It would be fantastic, if not for the fact that only the owner can access a dimensional amulet. Also, that person can be killed by a saboteur and their imprint replaced, making us lose food or materials without even noticing until it’s too late.
“Even worse, it would just take nimble fingers and a good arm to throw components essential to build the Gate under the sea. Between that and the risk of smuggling, dimensional magic must be sealed during the journey.”
“Is this because of the Undead Courts?” Lith asked.
“Undead Courts, spies from the Desert, people from Jiera, and the list keeps going.” Sylpha sighed. “Know that even among the nobles in the Royal Court there are many people who would rather see the project fail and your title as Supreme Magus revoked than give you your due credit in case of success.”
