Lith couldn’t hide his shock as a mass of emerald flames appeared in his hand and was soon replaced by Ruin.
“How do you know about Solus?” He asked, eyeing the quickest way out of her lair while weaving his best spells.
“Stop eyeing the quickest way out and I’ll tell you.” All seven of Faluel heads laughed in unison, causing the lair to tremble and a cascade of precious coins to fall.
Lith’s host looked jovial, but he didn’t feel much reassured. Defeating Faluel would have been a herculean task if they fought on neutral ground, but inside her house, she was likely to be nigh-invincible.
“Did you really think I would take you in without running a background check? When Protector mentioned you for the first time, long before you two reconciled in Zantia, I was intrigued at the idea of a man who had cracked his own life force to save an Emperor Beast.
“I knew where the fight against Balkor took place, so I contacted Scarlett for information. The Lord of the forest surrounding the White Griffon told me all about how you two met and your foolish attempt to repair a cracked mana core.
“She was pretty explicit about not having full trust in you because of your hybrid smell and of your connection to a cursed object. Yet she vouched for you, and so did Protector and Kalla.” Faluel said.
“Did they really speak on my behalf?” The only way that day could become crazier was Faluel confessing to being Lith’s real mother, if not his father.
“Yes. Scarlett warned me to keep an eye on you rather than on your harmless Living Legacy. Protector never mentioned Solus, yet I knew from the memories he shared with you that he was well aware of her existence.
“He lied to his master in order to protect a friend, which only made you more intriguing in my eyes. As for Kalla, she vouched for both of you, inviting me to keep my mind open before rushing to judgment.” Faluel said.
Lith cursed himself for forgetting about Scarlett the Scorpicore. She had discovered Solus’s existence back when he was still at the White Griffon and had explained to him what a cursed object was.
“Are you saying that you will mentor both of us?” Lith asked.
“Of course. Solus would access my teachings via your memories anyway, so why should I make a half-baked job when I can put both halves to the test? I warned you in the past that I don’t look for loyalty, but for wisdom.
“If either of you is found wanting, I will kick you out.” Faluel said.
“One last question. Who else knows in the Beast Council?”
“No one, because it’s none of their business. My the apprentices, my the responsibility. Now summon her, so we can get down to business.” Six heads went back to sleep, leaving only one waiting.
Lith opened a Warp Steps, inviting Solus to cross over while updating her about his conversation with Faluel through their mind link.
“By the Great Mother, what is that?” Faluel’s surprise at the pebble turning into a gauntlet was as genuine as it was nonsensical to Lith.
“Solus. Who else?” Lith asked.
“Nice to meet you.” Solus didn’t have a body so she waved Lith’s hand as a greeting.
“You… She… You two can split? That’s wrong! So Wrong!” Faluel couldn’t find the words to express her shock. Her seven heads babbling while looking at each other in the eyes made her look comically confused.
“What do you mean, wrong?” Lith remembered how Scarlett had freaked out as well on their first encounter, but since the Scorpicore and the Hydra had already talked, Faluel wasn’t supposed to panic that much.
“A Living Legacy can’t be separated from its host. They are one. No matter if the physical form of the relic is a crystal, a pebble, or a sword, they are permanently fused. To break the bond, it takes a special artifact or a specific ritual, and both are risky.
“Mind and body are merged so usually the host dies in the process. Even the few who survive become mad in the process due to the trauma. I was expecting her to be hidden within your body, not to sit a few kilometers away.” Faluel said.
“We keep our bond even when we are apart.” Lith was eager to learn more about Solus’s unique nature.
“Fascinating. Now I understand why Scarlett let Solus go and why none of your friends felt threatened by her presence. She literally is her own person. Even her ability to move independently is unheard of.” Faluel said, pondering the enigma Solus was.
“It is?” Solus asked.
“Indeed. Unfortunately, time is of the essence and we have yet many things to talk about. We’ll have plenty of time to find more about Solus during your apprenticeship. Now it’s better to focus on the Bright Day.” Faluel said.
“What about her?” Lith asked.
The Hydra shared with them everything she knew about the three Horsemen and their mission, which wasn’t much. Faluel had never met Baba Yaga and believed her to be just a legendary Forgemaster like Menadion.
“Dawn was supposed to be sealed. Her return will give the Council a hissy fit, but it’s worse for you.”
“Meaning?” Solus doubted that Dawn could be so stupid that she would remain in the Griffon Kingdom after being discovered.
“The Bright Day is a practical creature, so she will not look for revenge. The Council, however, will look for answers. They are not the Griffon Kingdom, to them, Dawn is more than a legend, they have fought in the past.
“The members of the Council know what she is capable of and that’s why they won’t buy the story you told the Kingdom. Being an Awakened is not enough to explain how someone as young as you managed to survive the encounter.” Faluel said.
“So what? Mages respect each other’s secrets, correct?” Lith asked.
“Correct, they will not coerce you into giving them an answer, but they will still ask themselves many questions. Some harmless, other dangerous like, should we really leave him to the beasts?” Faluel said.
“The Council was already split before, but that was just bureaucracy. Now it has become a power play, and politics always make things unpleasant. Beasts and humans will want you to tip the scale in their favor, whereas the undead might try to take you out of the picture.”
“I understand the beasts’ and humans’ point of view, but doesn’t the faction I belong to only depend on my choice? I don’t care about their politics, I’ll only do what’s best for myself. Also, why should the undead care about me?” Lith asked.
“As I said, no one will make a move as long as you are part of the army. There are forces in play that even the Council cannot afford to defy.” Faluel said.
“Do you mean Tyris?” Solus asked.
“The Guardian plays a game of her own, which makes her dangerous, but the Kingdom is even worse. No faction can make an enemy out of one of the three Great Countries without losing access to their resources and lose all the possessions located on their grounds.
“Awakened do not live off air and to make money you need to be able to commerce in lands and goods. If anything happens to you, a random fall guy wouldn’t be enough to quell the people’s anger.
“You’re more than the Kingdom’s poster boy, you’ve become their hero.” Faluel said.
