“Arthan’s Madness?” Lith’s shock didn’t stop him from putting together the pieces of the puzzle.
“As always, Manohar was right.” Vastor had finished his chants and continued in Marth’s stead, who had just begun. “Arthan’s Madness is a modified version of the Odi’s body-swapping machine with the use of modern tier five magic instead of the crap the Odi used.”
“If Arthan really knew the Odi’s workings, then the light that attempted to merge with me might be an improved version of the slave device the Odi carved upon their victims’ life force.” Lith completed the phrase for him.
“Exactly. It would explain why he attempted to force you to stay and how Thrud could control her army if she ever puts her hands on the Golden Griffon. We already have an Emerald Dragon at large that is likely to be enslaved.
“The Kingdom can’t afford a mage of your caliber with a clearance level as high as yours to be another Wanemyre. Now shut up and let us work.” Marth snarled at the memory of Nalear’s betrayal.
The two professors worked relentlessly for over two hours, checking Lith’s life force for any kind of subtle alteration. Lith did the same, but he used Invigoration to boost his life force and Scanner to make sure it hid his hybrid nature.
His second energy signature was naturally eclipsed by the human life force, and even if one was talented enough to also perceive life forces as a melody, it was almost impossible to spot unless one knew what to look for.
“My diagnosis is that Lith’s life force is pure and unaltered.” Vastor said while dabbing the sweat from his forehead. He was panting as if he had run a marathon. Despite his constant practice, body fat and age limited his stamina.
“I second your opinion.” Marth sighed in relief. He was sweating as well, but unlike his colleague, he didn’t need to sit down.
“I had hoped that time and your growth spurt would have at least partially mended the cracks in your life force, but alas, I was wrong. Do they have any side effects you want to share with us?”
“No.” Lith replied while watching at his two teachers with Death Vision. He had released it to gain the full focus needed to make only one life force visible and was happy to see that no one in the room was Awakened or undead.
Yet the fact that dying of old age was an unlikely end for all those present, saddened him. Marth and Vastor died in such gruesome ways that Lith was speaking to small mounds of flesh most of the time.
The Royal Guards, instead, died mostly of poison or blade wounds, filling the air with the sweet, metallic smell of blood mixed with chemical substances.
“I would clear you from all suspicions, but healing magic is different from other kinds of spells.” Vastor sat on what was going to be Lith’s bed.
“It can have delayed effects so the quarantine will last a few days. Also, your cracked life force makes you more susceptible than normal to that kind of spell. Even an incomplete slave enchantment might work on you.
“We need to make sure you’re not a threat to yourself or others. Do you have any questions?”
“Yes. How long will quarantine last and will I be allowed to have visitors?” Lith asked.
“A few days, maybe a week.” Marth said. “As for visitors, it can be arranged, but no direct contact will be allowed. You could speak with them through a glass.”
“Why so long?”
“Here. Let me show you why.” Vastor took a silvery wand out of his pocket that Lith recognized as a Royal Forgemaster tool.
“What the-? Is it the Healer-Forgemaster combo such a common specialization?” Lith asked.
“Actually yes.” Marth took out his own and showed it to Lith. “The two disciplines have very much in common. Only blockheads like Manohar disregard all branches of magic but their own.”
Vastor chanted an unknown spell while drawing silver runes with his wand in the air, making Lith wish that Solus was with him to study the wand’s pseudo core and memorize the spell.
A silvery fog came out of the wand, highlighting all the magical auras surrounding Lith’s body. The fog took the shape of his Skinwalker armor, his rings, the dimensional amulet, and even of Ruin.
Luckily for Lith, due to War’s violent nature, he rarely used the blade, so its energy signature was eclipsed by Ruin’s. Also, both Orion’s cloaking ring and Solus’s weren’t revealed by the spell.
What it revealed, instead, was a gaseous substance enveloping Lith’s body that kept moving back and forth, like a wave crashing against a reef.
“As you can see, whatever ‘Headmaster Sevenus’ did to you is still there.” Vastor said. “Once your body is cleansed by all lingering energies and if your life force is still unaltered, then you’ll be released.”
“What about visitors?” Marth asked.
“I don’t want anyone seeing me like a caged animal.” Lith said after pondering for a while.
“Can I at least talk with them with a communication amulet?”
“I’m sorry, no. Dimensional magic would allow you to escape. Recording devices aren’t allowed either.” Marth shook his head. “We’ll try to visit you as often as we can. You’re allowed to have contacts with healers capable of fighting you.”
The two Professors walked out of the room to give their report to the King, but before leaving they made sure that Lith was served one of his favorite foods and sealed light magic as well. There was no telling what a talented healer like Lith could do nor they could risk him being able to create hard-light constructs like Manohar.
Also, with all the elements blocked by the arrays, the lingering energies surrounding Lith’s body would have nothing to feed upon and hopefully dissolve faster.
First, Lith tried calling Solus with their mind link, but even their deep bond couldn’t overcome the hundreds of kilometers separating them. Then, he tried all kinds of magic, discovering that Fusion and Spirit magic still worked.
‘I can try to escape if shit hits the fan, but I can’t afford to practice while I’m here. There are likely surveillance devices in the cell so the only thing I can do is train my body with calisthenics and my mana core with Accumulation disguised as meditation.’ He thought.
Lith suspected his meal to be drugged, but ate anyway. He was still weakened from the fight in Huryole and also had confidence in his enhanced body. Between light fusion and his mana infused organs, there were few things he couldn’t detoxify.
His paranoia proved to be wrong. The food was delicious and the only threat it posed was the one to his figure. Lith spent the following days training for 16 hours and sleeping for the rest of the time.
Vastor and Marth visited him daily, one in the morning and the other in the afternoon, to break his isolation. Jirni and Orion were too busy dealing with Velan Deirus to visit him often, but they still came as often as they could.
Between their clearance level and physical prowess, they were the only ones allowed to enter his room. With Phloria’s exception, their daughters were deemed too weak, but she was on duty and unable to reach the capital.
Lith’s family and Kamila even offered to sign a full release, but the Professors refused. Neither of them wanted to risk Lith going mad if he harmed someone he loved under the effects of the slave spell.
