2333 Dark Dealings (Part 1)
"Are you sure?" Zoreth repeated Lith's same objections and more in between breathing in the bag.
"Yes, I'm sure. Or better, we are sure." Lith, Kamila, and Solus nodded.
"Yes! Absolutely yes. It would be my honor." Zoreth started sobbing, her words becoming more and more fragmented. "I promise that you won't regret it. I won't let you down. I'm going to kill them all."
"Kill who, dear?" Bytra tried to make her reason.
"Whoever even comes near to the baby." The Shadow Dragon burst into tears and her knees buckled.
Bytra needed Gravity magic to keep her from falling.
"That's a bit too much." Lith cleared his throat. "My daughter is going to have a big family and I'd like the people who love her to be free to visit without having to face a Dragon's ordeal just to get to the door."
"I'm sorry, I'll have Zor call you later as soon as she calms down." Bytra had to yell to be heard over Zoreth's bawling. "Thank you very much. You have no idea how much this means to her. To us."
"I think I'm getting the picture of it." Lith chuckled as a Dragon's roar made the hologram and Vastor's home tremble.
Bytra hung up the call before activating the arrays that Vastor had prepared in case one of the hybrids went on a rampage. It took her quite some effort to stop Zoreth without hurting her and then forcing her to drink a narcotic derived from the Red Dragon liquor.
It was actually just a very concentrated version of the beverage meant to intoxicate the patient quickly. Zoreth lost her strength after a few drops and the house stopped trembling.
"A baby, Byt. We're having a baby. Can you believe it" She repeated over and over as she cried while falling asleep.
"Yes, I can, my love. Now rest easy. We have lots of things to do, right? For the baby. You need your strength." The Raiju said while caressing Zoreth's hair.
The Shadow Dragon mumbled a bit of gibberish, nodded, and then fell asleep.
Bytra still felt terrible for hurting Solus while under the effects of the Unwavering Loyalty array. Also, even though she had never met Phloria, her death still shook the Raiju deeply.
Bytra knew that the late Ernas was Solus' friend and one of the Master's beloved students.
Yet all those things faded as the idea of Zoreth becoming a godmother sunk in.
'Elphyn would have never asked Zor to do that if she held a grudge against me. Elphyn wasn't lying for my sake back then. She did forgive me for real!' The Raiju could feel a huge burden lifted from her chest which along with her wife's happiness gave her hope for the future.
Back in the tower, everyone was still chuckling at Zoreth freaking out in enthusiasm.
"Gods, our baby girl is amazing." Kamila said with a warm smile while caressing her stomach. "Awakened at birth, six grandparents, and now she has vanquished a Dragon while still in the womb."
"Zor wasn't really beaten, more like overwhelmed, but I see your point." Lith nodded.
"What's the next item on our agenda?" Solus' smile was the first to disappear.
She looked at the stars, worrying that as the sun came out, that peace might shatter and she and Lith would be forced to leave again. The night didn't look romantic anymore and gave her a sense of urgency.
"I'm not in the mood to watch a movie or make small talk. I'll take that nap if that's okay with you." Lith sighed as sadness flooded him along with the memory of Phloria's death.
"No napping for you. You need eight hours of rest to reset Invigoration." Kamila said. "You may not have to leave tomorrow, but you need to get back in shape both physically and mentally."
"Agreed." Lith nodded and moved to the bedroom, wishing that warmth and cuddles would give his conscience the relief it needed.
***
Ernas Mansion, at the same time.
While Lith fell asleep inside the tower, the lords of House Ernas found no solace among the walls of their home. Jirni and Orion had barely talked to each other during dinner, stealing glances in the direction of the mausoleum every time they thought the other wasn't looking.
"I can't believe that Lith stood out there for so long." Orion said while hugging Lucky. "He isn't responsible for Phloria's death. We saw it clearly from his memories."
The huge Ry had refused to eat until fed from his hand and had bawled his eyes out no less than any other member of the family. Owner and pet clung to each other, Orion finding comfort in Lucky's soft fur and the Ry in Orion's beating heart.
"I know, yet I appreciate his gesture nonetheless." Jirni nodded. "I'm honestly glad that it was him getting caught in Thrud's trap. If it was any of us, we would have never learned the truth and would have probably killed ourselves in remorse."
Orion had to agree.
Lith's ability to conjure the dead didn't always work but at least it gave the departed a chance to leave a message. If it had been Orion ripping Phloria's heart out, his own would have quickly followed.
Judging from how Jirni clenched her hands and the feverish look in her eyes, she was still weighing her options on the matter.
"What do we do now?" Orion sighed as small tears streamed from his eyes due to Lucky who kept begging Orion to not abandon him as well.
"What we must." Jirni turned around, the orange light of her mana burned in her eyes like a flame. "Or at least, what I must do."
A sudden knock on the door stopped Orion before he could ask her what she meant and angered him greatly.
"I told you that I don't want to be disturbed! No exceptions!" He yelled in outrage, almost choking the hapless butler with the sheer pressure of his killing intent.
"I'm sorry, my lord, but I'm following Lady Ernas' orders." The butler whimpered and cried.
"Let the poor man go, dear. My guest has finally arrived." Jirni waved her hand and the pressure stopped as if it had been her causing it all along.
"A guest?" Orion echoed in amazement, which only grew when he saw Professor Zogar Vastor walk through the door.
"I'm sorry for being late. I came as soon as I could." The Master had started losing weight ever since Thrud had dared to attempt kidnapping Zinya.
Until that moment, he had never cared much about his physical appearance but now things were different. Vastor wanted to be at his peak condition to protect his wife, and avenge his student and his friend, Manohar.
Turning into a human-Abomination hybrid had restored most of the hair on his head that was now pitch black. Vastor had no qualms about cheating with light magic to accelerate his metabolism and with Invigoration to replenish his stamina.
The former made the fat burn and the muscles grow right after a grueling session of training. The latter gave Vastor the strength to perform more sessions in a row without the need to rest.
