2247 First Strike (Part 1)

"Now, for the real deal." Inxialot had pressed Raagu's rune which had blinked for several seconds. Only when the human representative was certain that the gods had ignored her plea and that it wasn't a butt call had she answered.

"What do you want, asshole? I'm busy."

"Oh, dear." Inxialot had hung up the call in shock, realizing that he had work to do and for once, not in the lab.

'The good thing about having such a terrible reputation is that it doesn't take much to make it better.' He thought while studying Elina's reaction along with that of the other Council representatives.

"I'm okay with the plan." Lith's face was twisted to the point that he seemed to be puking each word. "Yet I demand Royal Guards, Council elders, and at least three emergency Warps available at all times.

"If anything happens to my family, I won't need my deal with the Kingdom anymore. At that point, I'd rather move to the Desert and help Overlord Salaark to get rid of Thrud the moment she is done wiping you out."

Salaark nodded in agreement and the others flinched.

The Tiamat's importance in the war was nothing much. He could only be in one place at a time and the Council was full of people who fought better than him and had much more experience in every field of magic.

At the same time, his presence was of paramount importance in order to get rid of the Golden Griffon. He was the only free man who had reached the Headmaster's office twice and lived to tell the tale.

On top of that, based on Vladion's report, Lith's Abomination side had been crucial in both reaching the power core of the academy unnoticed and dealing with Thrud's forces.

The Firstborn Vampire couldn't mention Solus' contribution so he had given Lith all the credit for subduing Hystar and killing Jormun.

"Then, we have a deal." King Meron shook Lith's hand, followed by the Council representatives.

They were aware that without his help, even if the Mad Queen fell into their trap, they wouldn't have anyone capable to deal the finishing blow. If anything happened to Verhen's family, the War of the Griffons would only end with their defeat.

***

Griffon Kingdom, Capital city of Valeron, a week later.

Much to everyone's surprise, even after the resuming of hostilities there was no trace of either the Mad Queen or the Golden Griffon.

Lith had resumed his job on the frontlines, recapturing border cities alone and easing the pressure on the regular army. He and Vastor had dealt several blows to Thrud's forces and for once the Kingdom was gaining more ground than they were losing.

Yet it wasn't duty that had brought Lith to the capital of the Kingdom. He had gone there to celebrate his latest victory with a friend and catch up with him.

"Lith, my boy, I'm really proud of you." Professor Vastor toasted at their respective victories and Lith's latest deal with the Royals. "You have managed to make both Griffons sweat. They have learned the hard way to fear and respect you."

They were having lunch at the Griffon Peak, one of the best restaurants in Valeron. It was located atop one of the highest buildings in the city and it was famous for its excellent food and the panoramic veranda.

"Thanks, Vastor, but I can feel that something is off." Lith replied while clinking their glasses. "I understand grief, but Thrud has always proven to be a pragmatic leader.

"She has no idea of the reason we infiltrated her headquarters nor of what we gained from it. Disappearing for so long is a dumb move and completely out of character."

"I hear you." The Master nodded. "During my latest trips, I noticed a distinct lack of Divine Beasts. Even once the alarm resounded, they never sent more than one instead of the usual three-"

"Can we please move to a less disturbing topic?" Zinya grabbed his shoulder, cutting him short. "It's the first time in a long while that I get to have the four of us in the same room and I'm sick of hearing about the war."

"I'm sorry, darling, but it's not my fault. Lith always stays in the Desert or has a Guardian joined at his hip. Either way, it's not the kind of company that I can afford without compromising my line of work." Vastor replied.

Thanks to the many arrays that the Griffon Peak employed to ensure the privacy of their customers and those Vastor had placed himself, there was no risk of being overheard.

"Wait a second. Does Zin know about your side job?" Kamila asked, her eyes wide in surprise.

"Not everything." Vastor shifted uncomfortably on his chair. "I told her about Jirni's research group, my children, and our goals."

"And that's more than enough for me." Zinya said with a warm smile. "Zogar has the right to his privacy. Our marriage is recent whereas he's been working on the project for decades.

"Whatever it is, I trust him enough to know that it can't be anything nefarious. I hope that sooner or later he'll trust me enough to share the details with me, but I'm not going to pressure him into it.

"All that matters to me is that he's happy, does a job he loves, and that he doesn't cheat on me."

At those words, the Master choked on his food.

He hated his job for the Kingdom and doubted that Zinya would find the strength to forgive him were she to learn the extent of his experiments. He had killed thousands as the Master and his future plans required him to kill more.

"Then you know more than I do." Kamila shrugged.

"And that's another topic that I'd like us to avoid." Zinya replied. "I get that you are a Constable, but this is a family lunch, not one of your questionings, Kami. I invited you here to spend time with your sister and brother-in-law, not to grill my husband."

"I'm sorry, Zin." Kamila blushed in embarrassment. "How are the kids these days? The last time I saw them, they seemed to have completely recovered from Meln's attack."

"It doesn't just seem like they overcame their trauma, they actually did it!" Zinya beamed with joy. "Frey and Filia haven't had a nightmare in weeks. They are making plenty of friends at their school. Also, they have fallen in love with their new house, their new relatives, and most importantly, their new Dad.

"They love spending time with Zogar and every time he's out for work they are more worried about him than I am. That's why I forbade Zogar to tell me anything more at least until the end of the war.

"Every moment we spend together might be the last and I don't want to waste them with stupid quarrels."

The Master choked on his food again, feeling guilty for his deception. Zinya was his second chance to be a good man just like her children were his second chance at being a good father.

He loved them but at the same time, he was terrified of losing them the moment his secret came into the open.