1855 Second Fall (Part 1)

Not only did Kamila just remind the members of the Royal Court of Lith's achievements, but she had also shown them how he was the one who had gained less from them. Compared to the Kingdom, Lith's gains were insignificant.

"He also crafted wonderful tools like the DoLorean and Thundercrash that, in a near future, might change the quality of life of the Kingdom, if properly tuned down." Jirni said as soon as she noticed that Kamila's words had sunk in, to not give their opponent the time to twist the facts against them.

"On top of that, I have been informed that Archmage Verhen had been appointed as the liaison of the Royal Court with the Beasts' Faction, just like I have been appointed for the Humans'.

"How do you expect the Council of the Awakened to react, Morn? You have just exposed one of their own, calling him a criminal, and put a bounty on his head. They were supposed to be our greatest ally against Thrud and you might have turned them into another enemy."

The Royal Court gasped in shock and fear. They only had a vague concept of the shadow organization known as the Awakened Council, but each one of them had dealt with enough Emperor Beasts to know how powerful a single one of them was.

"What is this madness and why didn't I hear anything about it?" Morn turned toward the King with fury at the idea of having been kept in the dark about such important matters.

"Constable Ernas, you shouldn't have revealed the existence of the Council like that, but I forgive you because it was the right choice." Meron nodded, ignoring his angry cousin.

"As for you, Morn, I had no obligation to inform you.

"The representatives came to me and Sylpha as their peers, not to the army. I kept the information a secret to avoid Thrud's and Orpal's spies in the Court from revealing our alliance with the Council and deal them a great surprise blow.

"A blow that now might never come because of you. How could you treat Verhen like a monster? He's a Divine Beast, so what? You, I, and even my children, we all descend from the First Griffon.

"It's in our blood and what makes us suitable for the throne. Valeron himself married the Great Mother and had a Titania and a Hydra among his closest friends. We were this close to getting such a wonderful scenario back thanks to Marth's wife and Verhen's hidden nature, but you ruined it!"

"Either you punish General Morn according to the law, or I leave this Kingdom, and may the gods help whoever tries to stop me." Vastor said, putting the final nail in the General's coffin.

"I'd rather move into another country with my family than stay in such a corrupted place." Marth nodded.

"My family and the entire Derios owe a great debt to Verhen. I stand by Headmaster Marth's decision and so does the council of the Headmasters. We are all ready to leave for the Empire."

"Salaark has been trying to recruit me for a while. I guess that at my age, a warm climate might do me well." Orion shrugged.

"Find yourself a new Royal Healer and Light Master because I'm done with you. If General Morn stays, I go." Quylla said.

Aside from Vastor and Quylla, the others were bluffing.

They had too much to lose by leaving the Kingdom or, in Ainz's case, he didn't care about Lith that much. Yet he recognized Lith's value and his wife, Brinja, was adamant about not letting her mother's killer win.

The Headmaster of the Black Griffon could tell from the faces of the members of the Royal Court that no matter what he said, they couldn't afford to call his bluff. There was no harm in making such bold claims.

Losing an Archmage and a Divine Beast at that was already a huge blow. Losing eight more and the only Light Master left would have been the end of the Kingdom.

The Royal Court knew it as well and now that Lith's fate was so tightly knitted to the national security, it took them a second to switch sides. Then, all their amulets lit up, putting an end to the quarrel.

***

Above the mana geyser nearby the city of Derios, Solus's tower, right after Lith had pinpointed Raaz's position.

"Solus, I'm going to rescue Dad. You stay here and ready the Immortal Body array and as many tonics as you can. Hogum knows that Dad is a valuable hostage and should treat him well, but I don't want to take risks." Lith said.

"His captors might have implanted trackers inside of him or maybe even altered his life force, if Thrud is behind the kidnapping. I need you to be ready to treat him and Warp us to Grandma the moment I'm back."

Rena and Elina were doing their best to keep the kids quiet, but they were scared to death by the sudden events.

"Where is Dad? I want to go home." Leria cried and Rena had no idea how to get in touch with Senton.

"Is Dad alright, mommy?" Aran asked amid tears. "Why are those people being so mean to us?"

"Shush, child. Your father will soon be with us because your big brother is going to rescue him." Elina reassured the boy while looking at Lith to be reassured herself.

"Lith, is there a way to find Senton? He took our family name and if he gets arrested…" Rena didn't have the heart to finish the sentence, not with Leria listening.

"Solus, go back to Lutia and Warp Senton via the mirror. Take Zekell and his wife as well if needed. I'm going." Lith said as the tower moved to the nearest mana geyser to his destination.

"We are going." Tista grabbed his arm, staring him right in the eyes. "He is my father and I'm a Demon as well. Don't you dare try to leave me behind this time."

Her blue aura burst out of her body in waves and the third eye on her forehead opened in fury against her will, betraying her nature as a hybrid.

"I can use all the Flames I can get. Dragon speed, sister." They grabbed their forearms and Warped as far as the tower's Warping Mirror allowed.

Lith was already in his Tiamat form, combining gravity and fusion magic with the flaps of his wings to reach a speed barely below the speed of sound. Tista wore Sunder as she shapeshifted into her Red Demon form, her mouth and wings already burning with mystical fire.

'I don't give a fuck about what Baba Yaga said. Hold tight, Dad. I'm coming for you.' Lith let the Void crawl out of the empty space where his heart was supposed to be.

The blackness conjured by the Call of the Void covered the land below, spreading in every direction until it blotted the spring sun out of the sky.

***

Hogum Household, right now.

"This is really too bad." Orpal sighed, cleaning his hands from the blood with a clean towel. "You blood didn't awaken any of my bloodline abilities and Leech doesn't seem to feel your pain like a Phoenix would."