“Should I point out that not many people died on the moon?” Leegaain said. “There’s no soul here, believe me.”
“I do.” Lith nodded, attempting the Call of the Void that failed as well. “Oh, well. I can live with this. I need to make the best of this and reforge everything while it last-”
The hair on the back of his neck stood up as a cold gaze seemed to drill a hole in his skull with its sheer intensity.
“What did you say?” Kamila took the babies from him, her eyes squinted and her nostrils dilated in annoyance as she tapped her foot.
“That I need to take my time and rest until I make a full recovery.” Lith replied as he dodged a hail of verbal bullets. “I’ve given you and the kids a big scare so it’s only right if we spend some quality time together.”
“Nice save.” She grunted. “Always remember that no one is allowed to hurt you. Not even yourself.”
“Should we go back home?” The Maiden proposed.
She and Dawn had toured enough of the moon to appreciate its beauty and find a way to return there on her own.
“Yes, please.” Lith sighed. “My mother is worried sick and keeps calling me every ten minutes. She’s not going to stop until she sees me in person.”
Elina had been informed of their absence and the reason for it. Useless to say, she hadn’t taken it well. Ever since Lith had called her to reassure her of his well-being, she demanded regular updates.
Once back to Garlen, Elina patted Lith’s arms, chest, and shoulders for injuries before taking his face in her hands to look for signs of malnutrition.
“Mom, we had breakfast together this morning!” He whined while she examined him with the thoroughness of an artist checking the finest details of her masterpiece.
“That was before you risked your life. Again!” She countered pointedly. “Healing takes a lot of energy and I need to make sure you are well-fed.”
She then turned toward Valtak.
“As for you, big Wyrm, I’d give you a piece of my mind and shove my shoe up your scaly alps if not for the babies!” She snarled.
“Valeron and Elysia were never in direct dang-”
“I mean Lith and Tista!” Elina growled, cutting him short. “If anything happened to them, I would have killed you myself but since you’ve already paid your price for your stupidity, I’ll let this slide. This time.”
She forced them all to sit and have another meal worthy of a Dragon.
“Mom!” Lith whined.
“What? Don’t you like it?” She sniffled, her eyes turning watery. “I worked so hard to prepare you a good meal while I waited for your return.”
“No, it’s delicious.” Lith wolfed down his food. “Thank you, Mom.”
“You are welcome, dear.” She had stopped crying but she kept staring at Lith until his plates were clean.
All tenty of them.
***
During the following days, Valtak was a guest at the Verhen Mansion. He spent most of his time with the babies and Shargein, teaching them the story of the Dragon race in Dragontongue until they got bored of it.
At that point, he would play with them, let them play with his beard, and once they were tuckered out, he put them to sleep.
“I thought I was good with children, but you are in a league of your own.” Elina said while the Elder Wyrm helped her to prepare bottles for the rest of the day.
“Don’t worry, you are good.” He nodded. “I just have much more experience.”
His mana core had already recovered to blue and it wouldn’t take long for the Father of Fire to return to his full strength. Rest, the geyser, and the lively life in the Mansion did wonders for his health.
As for Lith, he still planned to upgrade his equipment to his temporarily restored strength, but only after receiving green light from his many healers.
He left the research about human evolution to Tista, Morok, and Ryla who had suffered no injury, while Solus used the pause from the Engine to have extra lessons with Dawn.
“Are you really bringing me out on a date tonight?” Kamila brimmed with joy, giving him a radiant smile.
“Not tonight. Today. Someone recently pointed out that I’m doing well as a husband and father but I’m a lacking boyfriend.” He replied before giving her a sweet kiss. “I think this is the perfect opportunity to make up for the lost time.
“Valtak and Mom have volunteered to take care of the children. On top of that, with Dawn here and the Fire Dragons, if Meln shows up, he’s in for a fiery death.”
The news of the Elder Wyrm’s condition had spread like wildfire.
Valtak had made countless enemies during his life, but even more friends and children. The Fire Dragon clan took its patriarch’s health very seriously and had dispatched many Wyrms for his protection.
Some of those Valtak had mentored in the use of Origin Flames had come on their own, eager to return the Father of Fire’s blessings. Among them, there was Gentor, the Golden Dragon, Quashol, the Father of Ice Dragons, and more.
Each one of them had their honor guard, painting the sky over the Verhen Mansion with huge, vividly colored living clouds that often covered the sun.
Some had mistaken the event for a second Dragon Dance and anyone with a shred of self-preservation instinct kept themselves at large.
“True that.” Kamila chuckled. “The kids are overjoyed to meet so many shiny aunties and uncles.”
Aran, Leria, Lilia, Leran, and Garrik had a new teacher every day. They had also been allowed to learn Dragontongue to better communicate with Elysia and Valeron.
Falco, Teryon, and Lenart spent lots of time with the Wyrms as well, learning their history, tradition, and tongue faster than their older niblings since they couldn’t practice any form of magic.
Senton had at least one Dragon in his smithy when he taught the basics of blacksmithing to the children and would receive their help to purify materials.
Trion would tutor the children while performing light physical exercises and receive his own homework from a Wyrm. After all, in his Demon form he could breath fire like a Dragon and his ignorance about his own kind was considered socially awkward.
“Where are we going, today?” Kamila asked.
“It’s a surprise. You go get ready. I’ll be back in a minute.” Lith entered the tower and Warped away while Kamila applied her make up.
Thanks to the Featherwalker armor, getting dressed required her a second since her favourite outfits were stored in its dimensional space.
She picked her lucky clothes for the occasion, modifying them thanks to the enchantments that Salaark had applied on them the day of Kamila’s wedding with Lith.
The light blue shirt now was softer and smoother than silk and it could now expand and assimilate the black pencil skirt. The fabric on the arms rolled back into cap sleeves while the collar became puffier and wider.
Once the transformation was over, she was wearing a light blue evening dress that left exposed her neck, shoulders, and arms.
