2969 Strong Enough (Part 1)

"Are you suggesting that some of Thrud's Generals survived and are back for revenge?" Lith asked.

"No. That's impossible. I have witnessed all of them die, either with my own eyes or through the recordings of the Kingdom. What worries me is this." Raagu had a holographic list of ingredients appear on Lith's amulet.

They were all priceless and very rare, but that was understandable. No one would attack a Council Elder to get something they could find at the farmer's market.

Lith recognized several of them as those whose purchase was severely regulated due to the role they played in several known Forbidden Magic spells.

"The Council has already underestimated too many threats in the past. The monster outbreak, the disappearance of the children of the Eclipsed Lands, and the resentment of our apprentices, to name a few.

"We have learned from our mistakes and want to get to the bottom of this before it becomes something bigger and more dangerous. I've called you because the Hand of Fate has run out of leads and Elder Haug says that you've solved a similar case in the past and you can do it again."

She had no idea that the reason Lith had succeeded in completing Haug's mission was that he had worked with Scarlett the Scorpicore and back then she had the Eyes of Menadion.

Sure, Lith now had Eyes of his own but he still lacked a reason to get involved with someone else's mess.

'I'd rather keep studying Void Magic and spend time with my family.' He thought. 'This way, whenever Meln will raise his ugly head, I'll have access to another branch of magic he knows nothing about.

'Also, keeping the tower on the mana geyser speeds up its recovery. With a little luck, the tower will have regained more floors by then.'

Lith had never left loose ends in his life and hadn't forgotten about the threat that his estranged brother posed.

"Elder Haug is not the only one who has requested your presence. Xenagrosh of the Organization petitioned your presence on the investigation team as well." Raagu continued.

"Xenagrosh?" Lith echoed, surprised by both the request and the Shadow Dragon not asking him in person.

"Yes." Raagu nodded. "We had to… ask for her help as well since she's the best tracker among the hybrids. She gladly accepted and proposed your collaboration."

She could almost hear the thoughts running through Lith's mind.

'Zoreth would never waste my time, let alone leave Kami and Elysia alone if this wasn't important. This arouses a question, however.'

"As far as I know, the Organization is still a probatory member of the Council. How come you are involving them in a private matter and what have you offered them to ensure their collaboration?"

"The same thing I was about to offer to you." Raagu was glad that Lith had asked for the bait before she had to throw it. "Limbell's heir wants the murderer of his grandfather caught and the stolen legacy retrieved at all costs.

"Since he's too young and weak to face such an opponent, he has asked for our help and offered a juicy reward. Anyone who helps find useful clues about the lost legacy will be entitled to a share. The one who finds it, instead, gets the first choice."

"Just a share of the magical research?" Lith was already swamped with fusing arrays with Light Mastery spells, learning Creation Magic, perfecting Forgemastery, discovering Void Magic, and his attempts at Gravity Magic.

A reward that might be of any worth only years in the future held little interest to him.

"No. Also of the missing ingredients, assuming that there is still any by the time we track down the culprit." Raagu replied.

"Fine. You can count on my help. Where did Limbell live and when can I get there?"

"You'll meet with the rest of the team at the crime scene. I'll inform you about the details as soon as the squad of the Hand of Fate in charge of the investigation reports to me. Raagu out."

The moment the call ended, it was Lith's turn to make one, contacting Zoreth on her personal amulet on a secure line.

"Hi, little brother. How are you doing?" She asked with a warm smile on her face.

"I'm fine. Mostly confused." Lith repeated the contents of his talk with Raagu. "What's so important about a dead old coot and why didn't you ask me first before involving me in this matter?"

"The dead old coot, as you call him, was known as Sherk Limbell, but his real name was Pharek of Derios." Zoreth replied while studying his expression. "What makes him important is the fact that he not only was one of Menadion's favourite apprentices but also the one she entrusted the Ears to."

"What?" Lith jumped up from his chair, inviting Solus via the mind link to join him. "Are you sure?"

"Very." The Shadow Dragon nodded. "Judging by your reaction Elph-, I mean, Solus has yet to recover her memory."

"Yes. Why do you ask?" Lith's paranoia started to pound his brain like his heart was doing his chest.

"Because I hoped she would be able to help us." She sighed. "As for the reason I didn't warn you, it's because I wanted you to act as detached as possible. Raagu is no idiot and the greed of a Dragon is hard to control.

"She noticed my interest immediately and it took me quite some effort to convince her to let me in the operation. This way, she suspects nothing and I bet that she had to bust her ass to rope you in."

"Nailed in one." Lith nodded, his paranoia taking the back seat again. "Excellent move. Had I known it, I would have eagerly waited for Raagu's call and excitement might have betrayed my interest."

"It surely would since I had my conversation with her over a week ago?" The Shadow Dragon said.

"What?" Solus and Lith said in unison.

"Raagu must have waited to call you on purpose, hoping that you would simmer in impatience and maybe even contact her first." Zoreth leaned back on her chair with a smug expression on her face. "She suspects I know something that she doesn't and that if it was really important, I would have kept you posted.

"Now, however, she has probably lowered her guard, thinking that whatever I'm after is relevant only to me. Even if Raagu doesn't trust me, now she believes that you'll play on her team, if the price is right."

"Instead, we can now just pretend to be on her side and have access to the Council's files about the investigation!" Solus blurted out in understanding. "You are a genius."

"Please, Solus." Zoreth dismissed the compliments with a wave of her hand. "I may be young in the ranks of the Organization, but I'm way older than Raagu. If after over a millennium, I hadn't learned this much, I would be an idiot."

"Credit where credit is due, big sister." Lith said. "This was brilliant."

"Not to be rude, but who else in the Organization knows about this?" Solus asked, visibly on edge.