'Poor guy, not only he has to deal with Manohar on daily basis, but now he also has to face the fact that despite being younger I'm already a better diagnostician than him thanks to Invigoration.' Lith thought.
'Yeah, you have become for Marth what he is for Vastor.' Lith had yet to cut the mind link off, in case something else happened, allowing Solus to indulge his company.
"Don't. If it's at least half as good as mine, it would be a disaster." Manohar said.
"You know why it's so hard to find a decent healer? Because mages just rote memorize everything without even trying to understand what a spell does and why. Healers are forced to be better than regular mages because illnesses change, new poisons are created, and many things are still unknown about the human body.
"If you share your spell, it will be great in the short term and a nightmare in the long term. Everyone will stop using that stone they call brain and rely on your spell for everything, while others, better paid and motivated, will exploit its limits.
"So, when a new threat will appear, your spell will be 100% useless and the so called healers will be helpless against it because out of practice."
An embarrassed silence befell into the room. It was hard to reply to Manohar's temper tantrums, but it was even harder when he actually said something wise. Lith exploited his help to politely refuse Marth's offer.
"Thanks for your offer, Professor Marth, but I think I will follow Professor Manohar's advice. It took me years to create it, so far it's my opus. It's not only a matter of money, but also prestige.
With it I'm the second best diagnostician in the Griffon Kingdom, without it I'd just be a student like all the others. Unlike Professor Manohar, I'm no genius."
King Meron sighed loudly. He knew Tyris had sent Farg to look after Lith, but he didn't know why. Yet he was sure there had to be a good reason for it. He really wanted to get his hands on the diagnostic spell, but keeping Lith as an asset was much more important.
According to several witnesses, he had fought against a Valor. It was unknown what had happened, except that despite being alone and just a fourth year student he had survived and brought to safety another four people.
Adding that to all his past endeavors, his ability as Healer, Forgemaster and now Necromancer, he really was too good to be true. Queen Sylpha was even considering if to introduce the sixth and the seventh princesses to him.
They were too low in the hereditary line to be of political importance, so they could be used to ensure his loyalty to the Crown. King Meron didn't put much hope in the idea, though.
None of his daughters was a real beauty nor a seductress. They had taken much from their mother's temper and had yet to understand that their status of princesses would last only until a new King or Queen would be selected.
Their pride blinded them enough for them to find the idea of marrying a commoner disgusting. Another thing that heavily weighted on his mind was the meaning of the vision.
He knew that, albeit vague, a dryad's gift was as rare as trustworthy.
'I wonder how Lith's death will trigger mine and Sylpha's. Also, it's completely unclear if the events at the academy and the death of his family are related or even if they happen at the same time.
'Normally, I would just reinforce the White Griffon's security and wait for the events to play out, but now I have to protect Lutia as well. If his family dies, Lith could commit suicide making the vision come true. We must solve the issue with the toxins fast, so that when spring arrives, I can focus my forces on both tasks!' Meron thought.
"Gentlemen, we have no time for debating the magical research." King Meron said.
"Manohar, I need you to provide a diagnostic spell able to spot the toxins that anyone can use. Marth can help you, but Lith can't and no one else must be informed about today's events.
"We will only use royal healers and royal constables to control the situation. Lith's involvement must be kept hidden or belittled if found out. My hypothesis is that his family will be targeted because he discovered the plot against the academies.
"If I'm right, the attack on the White Griffon and on his family during next spring will happen by the same hand. Lith, you can return to your quarters. There's nothing you can do and it's better if you don't stay too long in the Headmaster's office. It could arouse too many questions."
Lith nodded and promptly left the room. Solus inwardly sighed, she knew what was about to happen.
'Before I go, do you mind if I give you an unsolicited piece of advice?' She asked.
Lith pondered for a while. On one hand he didn't want to cut the mind link, on the other one he was still far from forgiving her. Solus had been brilliant and useful as always, but her company was still bittersweet.
'You should talk to the others about the vision, they have the right to know. Based on what happened in the vision, it's not only Phloria who is going to die, but all of them.'
Lith was flabbergasted by her words.
'Do you remember the dryad's words? The vision shows what your soul cares the most for, so it's natural for it to cover your family and Phloria. She is the only friend you have left.'
Solus had enjoyed their reunion, but she had perceived the fracture between them. Lith needed her, she could sense his longing for her company and help, but it was more like an addict on withdrawal rather than the desire to be back together.
He still didn't trust her and whatever was going to happen to their relationship, Solus didn't want to be treated just like a commodity. She wanted for him to accept her like she did for him, with her flaws and mistakes.
'I think that whoever is behind the attack on the academy, will try to get their revenge on you by exploiting the chaos during the battle. Killing your group is relatively easy, if they get ambushed like you have seen happening to Phloria.
'They'll attack you too, but you are likely to survive. Otherwise it would make no sense going after your family. You should warn Yurial and the others, because if I'm right, the only reason they didn't appear in your vision is because you don't care enough for them.'
'Thanks, Solus.' Lith nodded, closing the mind link. It was hard for him deciding what to do. If he told them that he had seen them dying in the vision, it would help their relationship, flattering them.
Yet if the King talked about the vision with the royal constables, Jirni was bound to learn about it. She would question why he omitted to tell the King about the threat pending on her other two daughters and would easily discover the lie.
Telling them the truth was his only option.
Lith used the communication amulet to reach them and ask them to come to his room. When they were assembled, he told them the truth about the young Tanash's condition before sharing with them the conversation with the Headmaster and the changes in his vision.
"So, the good news is no civil war and the bad news is that I'm going to die?" Phloria did her best to stay strong, but the thought of having a little more than three months to live was crushing her.
"No, you are wrong about the bad news." Lith corrected her, explaining to them Solus's reasoning about why the others didn't appear in the vision.
"I think all of us are going to die. I'm more likely to survive because of my paranoia. Backstabbing me is not that easy. You guys, on the contrary, are easy targets."
"Wait a minute!" Yurial blurted out.
"Thanks for caring enough to warn us but not enough to include us in your vision." His voice was oozing sarcasm.
"I think you are making a mistake though. No one can die in the academy. Do you remember what Lord Ernas told us? Isn't it more likely that whoever it is, will target only Phloria because of your relationship? Everyone knows about you two."
Yurial was worried about Phloria, but as much as he hated the thought of spending the rest of his life with Libea, he really hoped to live long enough to have children and maybe find love.
"Do you really think that none of us thought about that?" Lith sighed instead of scoffing.
Thanks to the little time spent with Solus he was now able be less of a jerk.
"Attacking the academy is madness itself, unless it's an inside job from someone that knows to bypass its power core or forcing the arrays to shut down. Since the attack will happen, I'm pretty sure that Linjos will have the power core triple checked for tampering.
"It doesn't mean that the traitor can't sabotage or destroy it, though. If Balkor's minions managed to do it, then anyone with the proper knowledge can."
After the attack, the Crown had tried to keep the fall of the Crystal and Earth Griffon academies a secret, but it didn't last for long. Balkor had triumphantly spread the news himself.
Everyone refused to believe him until the academies reopened. Forging a new power core was a mammoth task at best, if not impossible at all. When the Crystal and Earth Griffon remained closed and their students transferred to other academies, it became impossible to deny the truth anymore.
Yurial and the girls turned pale, their sliver of hope shattered mercilessly. Phloria felt no joy at the idea that everyone in the room was a walking dead.
"What do we do now? Can we at least tell our parents?" Friya asked.
"I don't think so." Quylla felt her mouth dry. "Our communications can be intercepted. The King is doing his best to keep everything a secret, Lith shouldn't have talked about it even with us."
Quylla felt guilty for having spoken behind Lith's back in the past, questioning his real identity. Even though he suffered from mood swings and with his not so nice character, he would never let them down.
Yurial and Friya felt the same, but their guilt was quickly overruled by the fear of the tomorrow. One after the other, they left the room after thanking Lith and promising they would not talk about it except that in person.
Only Phloria remained behind. Lith had held her hand the whole time. His grip was firm but gentle, letting her understand there was something he needed to talk with her.
'I waited all this time for a chance to know what's going on with him and Lith decides to open up right now? I don't know if to be flattered by his consideration or angry for his horrible timing.' Phloria thought.Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.
Chapter 245 Clarity
"First of all, let me say that I'm sorry. If it wasn't for me, you and the others wouldn't have a target painted on your back." Lith said while holding her hand and caressing it with his thumb.
"If you want, you guys can escape from this sh*t. Avoid the academy for the first trimester or ask the Headmaster to attend the fifth year after the threat is passed. I don't think he'll have any objections."
"What about you?" Phloria asked.
"I have to stay." He shrugged. "Whether the attack succeeds or not, my family will be the next in line anyway. At least from here I can do my best to help Linjos and maybe take out the traitors before something else happens. I'm the only one that knows when and how the future changes. I need to inform the Headmaster as soon as it happens."
Phloria bit her lower lip, full of uncertainty. Lith was right, she and her sisters had an easy way out of that situation. Until they remained at house Ernas or near their parents, they would be safe.
"Also, you can greatly improve your odds of survival simply by cutting your ties with me."
"What?" Phloria had to fight to prevent herself from slapping him for saying such a thing and herself for seriously considering it, even though for just a second.
"No matter how discreet the King is. My visit to house Tanash is public knowledge and when the investigation starts, it doesn't take a genius to notice the timing of the events. Between the plague and this I have made too many enemies.
It's better if we break up. Possibly in a public place and in front of lots of witnesses."
"Do you want to break up?" The little blood she had left in her face was drained, making her turn even paler, her stomach twisted into a knot.
"I don't want to¡" Lith shook his head.
"But it's the best thing for you. Do you remember our talk, that night when I was recovering? I think it's time for us to seriously discuss about this thing between us. I don't plan to marry anytime soon."
Lith had promised Jirni to make things clear with Phloria about their relationship and he decided it was the right moment to do it. It was the only way he could think of for protecting her.
"I have lots of things to do. First the military, then some stuff that I don't want to burden you with. I don't know how long will it take and I can't ask you to wait for me. It would be stupid and unfair. You deserve someone better, someone that can give you what you want, that has your same goals in life."
Lith never stopped looking at her in the eyes. He wanted Phloria to understand how serious he was.
Those words struck her hard enough to make Phloria stop, thinking carefully about what to say next.
'Lith is right, I can easily get away. I asked him out only because I wanted to have at least a boyfriend before joining the Royal Guard and risking my life on a daily basis. It started almost as a joke, yet now I feel terrible at the thought this might be our last month together.
'I don't want to marry either. There are still so many things that I want to experience, so many places I want to visit. Yet I think that will come for me the time to settle down.' She thought.
"I have first to consult with my parents before giving you a definitive answer." Phloria took his hand between hers.
"This much I can tell you for sure: I don't want to break up."
"What?" Lith was flabbergasted. Her devotion was way beyond his expectations.
"You know, when we aren't in a life or death situation and I can think clearly about us, I still don't know exactly what I feel. What I'm certain about, is that I care for you like I never did before for someone outside of my family.
"Be it when I emotionally needed help after the second exam, or when the undead first and the Clackers later could have killed me, you never left my side. Every time we were in danger, you could have run away by yourself.
Instead, you always protected our group. You always protected me." She caressed his cheek, leaving Lith as stunned as outraged.
'Like heck I did! I was simply protecting my investment, otherwise I wouldn't have saved Yurial or the other girls. I never cared for any of them in the past. I took a liking to Phloria only after we started to date. It's only their fault if they have fallen so deep for my deception to picture me like some f*cking hero.' Lith thought.
'Maybe she is right, though. Maybe now I do care for the group. I risked my life for them more often than any "investment" justifies. I simply can't admit with myself that I see them as persons because I'm scared of getting hurt again. The more people I love, the more I have to lose, just like it happened with Protector first and now with Solus.
'If I tell her the truth about the past, she will either despise me and everything I fought for a whole year will be for naught or she will not believe me, thinking I'm just trying to push her away.
'Either way, I'm screwed. It's a lose-lose scenario. Let's hope her parents force her to take a sabbatical. I already have so little, I don't want to risk losing the person I care about the most in the academy.'
"Even now, despite knowing what could happen to you or your family, you are still worrying about me instead of running back home to warn them. I'm truly blessed by the gods." Phloria smile was dazzling, but it only managed to piss Lith off even more.
'How the heck did she manage to make everything about her in less than twenty seconds? Does she think life is some kind of romance fiction?'
"I came to you because you guys are the only ones I can speak to in person. Also, just like for the old vision, there is nothing that my family can do to protect themselves or avoid the predicted outcome." He explained.
"Warning them would only make them live what could be the last months of their lives in fear. I don't plan on telling them anything about t
he second vision. Whatever it's going to happen, it's my burden, not theirs."
His words fell on deaf ears. Instead of understanding the logic behind his actions, Phloria only focused on how brave and stoic Lith appeared to be. She hugged him tightly, making his annoyance peak.
Yet his irritation lasted only for a moment.
It was how long it took Lith to realize how bad his situation was. Her warmth and affection destroyed the layer of frost surrounding his soul.
"I think you should tell them the truth. All the secrets you keep to yourself, all the burden you refuse to share, sooner or later they will crush you. You don't have to always fight alone. The whole world isn't your enemy.
"I don't know what has happened to you at the mining town and if you don't want to talk about it, I'm okay with that. However, I can see that you are in deep pain. Please, don't shut me out of your life like you did since you came back. Just tell me what can I do for you."
Now that Phloria had got a hold of him, she wasn't willing to let Lith slip away again. Ever since Solus came clean with him, Lith had been confused about his feelings. He needed someone to talk to, but until that moment, he felt like he was alone in the world.
"It was all a lie." Lith blurted out, returning her embrace.
"Protector is alive. He, Kalla, even the Lord of the forest manipulated me to teach me a lesson!" In his rage, he tightened his grip enough to hurt her, making Phloria yelp in pain.
"Please, calm down and tell me everything from the beginning."
Lith told her the truth about that night, how he had failed saving Protector and how they both survived only thanks to the Scorpicore's intervention. He even repeated her word by word Protector's speech before he had left.
Lith let Solus's role out, pretending that his outrage was aimed at Protector and that he had forced Kalla to tell him the truth after discovering Protector's missing corpse in the mass grave.
Phloria went pale more than once, but never interrupted his story, waiting for Lith to calm down.
"Can you believe it? After all we went through, he had the gall to let me suffer like that and calling it an act of love!" He wished to meet Protector again, just to give him the beating of a lifetime.
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