Guilt and Punishmen
Page 31
On Mogar, the new world, teenagers' bodies would fully develop around their thirteenth year of age, but they wouldn't be considered adults until they turned sixteen.
The marrying age for both men and women ranged from sixteen to the twenty-five years of age. After that, it was considered a late marriage and it would be much harder to find a spouse unless of course, the betrothal gift was juicy enough to make the age gap irrelevant.
Raaz was about to rudely send her off when Tista pushed him away, inviting Jirni to come in.
"Lady Ernas, it's such a pleasure to finally meet you. Lith always talks fondly about you." Tista lied through her teeth, just like her brother had taught her over the years.
She had never heard Jirni's name before, but Lith had often talked with her about Phloria Ernas. She knew they were dating for a while and didn't want Raaz to ruin things for him.
Jirni recognized the lie, but appreciated the talent and the effort behind it.
"Thanks, dear Tista. It's better if you all sit down. We have a serious matter to discuss." The whole family turned as pale as a ghost. A mother visiting a young man's family talking about a serious matter could only mean one thing: pregnancy.
Raaz couldn't believe his ears, staring at Tista as though she had poisoned him.
"Wait, you knew about the two of them?"
"Yes." Tista nodded, feeling the need to sit down. Suddenly she had weak knees at the idea of having a nephew from her little brother.Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.
"Why didn't you tell us about it?" Elina was happy and scared at the same time. Happy because her cherished son had finally found someone to love. Scared because there was no way out of that situation but marriage.
Becoming a father would turn his life upside down , not to mention becoming part of the wife's family to preserve their honor and avoid the scandal.
"Because he told me not to! Lith said you would make a big deal out of this and he didn't want you to pester him about it." Tista was regretting keeping his secret for so long.
The truth was that Lith was worried about Tista. She kept idolizing him and disdaining the company of other boys. So, he had decided to help her grow out of her brother complex by telling her about his 'girlfriend' and exaggerating things a bit.
Now his plan was backfiring. Her parents could read Tista like a book, her panic spread like wildfire during a summer day. Elina tried to prepare some tea for their guest, but her hands trembled so much that she was unable to hold the small pot.
Jirni had purposely created the misunderstanding to have them all dancing in her palm.
"Don't worry, dear Elina. Let me take care of it." Jirni made them sit while she prepared the hot beverage. She spiked it with a powerful tranquilizer she always carried inside her dimensional ring.
"Poor souls. After I tell them the truth, they will regret that my visit wasn't about our grandchild."¨C
After they took several sips of tea, the tranquilizer kicked in soothing their nerves. Only then did she explain Balkor's existence and what their son had gone through over the last few days. It took them a few minutes and a lot of spiked tea to recover from the shock.
"Why didn't he tell us anything? We thought he was taking the academy's third test." Elina broke into tears. Even knowing that her son was alive and well couldn't stop her from fearing for his fate and feeling hurt by his lies.
Jirni took Elina's hand between hers, trying to console her.
"He did it to protect you. There was nothing you could do for him, believe me. I spent the last three days crying and worrying I'd never see my little girls again. I had him moved to my house to make sure he receives the best treatments available.
"House Ernas has a private Warp Steps. It allows the finest healers of the Kingdom to reach the estate within a few seconds. I couldn't leave the man who saved my daughter's life in the hands of strangers.
Lith and Phloria have been dating for over a month and after all that has happened, we are basically family."
While Jirni's tone was full of sympathy and her voice almost broken with emotion, she was actually inwardly congratulating herself for her sob performance. By reading the mood in the living room, she decided it was time to land the final blow.
"Lith has yet to regain his senses, but I'm sure that when he does, he'll need his family to recover from the terrible experience he went through. I have already arranged our transportation. You will be my honored guests for all the time you need."
"Thank you, thank you so much." Elina clenched Jirni's hand like it was a lifeline,
"Lith is so lucky to have a friend like you. We'll never forget your generosity." She said while crying her eyes out.
"One down, two more to go."¨C Jirni thought.
***
When Jirni arrived back home it was almost sundown. Winter was coming and the days were getting shorter. Even with the help of the tranquilizer, Lith's family had required some time before being able to move.
After informing Rena, she had insisted on accompanying them.
Jirni was pleasantly surprised to discover that Phloria was still at Lith's bedside, washing his chest and arms with a wet cloth to clean him from the sweat. She knew that Phloria was capable of doing it with magic.
It meant that, even if Phloria herself had yet to realize it, her daughter's affection for him was rooted deeply enough to feel reassured by the physical contact.
Jirni smiled, another piece of the puzzle had fallen into place by itself.
"I love it when a plan comes together."¨C Jirni inwardly rejoiced.
"Phloria my dear, you need to rest." She said.
"Those bags under your eyes and your dedication will surely win over your mother in law."¨C She actually thought.
"Thanks, mom. I was thinking about taking a nap as soon as I finish here." Phloria's smile was tired, yet she appreciated her mother's concern instead of her usual nagging. Since her visit to the academy, her mother had become as thoughtful as Orion.
"I'll immediately have a warm bath prepared, and fresh sheets placed on your bed. You deserve a good night's sleep." Phloria tensed up, just like Jirni had hoped.
"Thanks, but I think I will remain here." Phloria's voice lacked the earlier kindness and was now filled with the stubborn determination that Jirni had learned to love and hate over the years.
"It's not proper for a lady to sleep in the same room with a young man, even if he is unconscious."
Jirni faked her disapproval while keeping an ear on the approaching steps. According to her estimations, to take advantage of those unexpected circumstances, she needed to buy a few more seconds and poke Phloria once or twice.
"You have gone through a lot, yet you never left his side for almost two days." Jirni seemed to be genuinely worried, even making her eyes watery at will.
"You need to take better care of yourself. Let the medical staff replace you for a few hours, you need some rest. Lith is still going to be here when you wake up."
"I don't give a damn if it's proper or not!" Phloria yelled loud enough that even Captain Locrias back in Lutia could almost hear her.
"I'm not going out of here until he wakes up or his family arrives! I don't want him to wake up in a strange place surrounded by strangers!
I know it's just a superstition, but if there's even one chance in a million that having someone close that cares for him may help him recover, I'm willing to stay here as long as it takes!"
Phloria had yet to give her mother a piece of her mind, but Elina's sudden arrival stopped her in her tracks.
"My little Flower, I only meant that you should at least ask for his family's approval first." Jirni said with an apologetic tone like it was all a misunderstanding.
When a second later Lith's father and sisters entered the room, Phloria realized her mother had played her like a fiddle. She turned pale, emphasizing her bloodshot eyes and the dark bags below them.
His breathing was ragged, but regular. After Tista triple checked him, reassuring the rest of the family that Lith's life wasn't in danger despite his appearance, Elina turned to Phloria and took her hands between hers, kissing them non stop.
"Thank you so much for being by my son's side all this time. You have no idea how scared I was of him being alone in a moment like this. He is really a lucky boy to have found such a wonderful and beautiful girlfriend."
Then, Elina embraced her, soon followed by the whole family in a long group hug. Phloria had become beet red, not only was she embarassed to death by what she had said in front of Lith's family, but also because she couldn't help but compare herself with his sisters.
Aside from her height, they ran circles around her in every regard. Looks, curves, and even their natural scent were leagues above hers. Tista was the one that crushed her self esteem the most.
Having received Lith's treatments since she was very young, Tista had flawless skin, soft curves in all the right places, and was even almost as tall as Phloria.
Phloria was moved by their gratitude and kind words, but the insecure teenage girl inside her kept nagging at her, quoting Professor Manohar in calling her "a flat beanpole".
Chapter 225 Awakening
Griffon Kingdom, Tyris's underground dungeon.
"Please, tell me that you found the time to go and check on the anomaly this time."
Leegaain was burning with curiosity.
"Yes, I did." Tyris nodded without moving her eyes from the archives' records of the last ten years. She was investigating those who had access to the remains of Arthan's Madness, hoping to find a clue about the mastermind behind the Abomination threat.
"It was nothing special. It was a male human Abomination hybrid, just as we sensed the first time. The only odd thing about it is that he underwent a tribulation similar to our own. The second test was about self control, like for evolved beasts."
"What happened then?" Leegaain was eager to hear the whole story.
"I don't know." She shrugged. "I left while he was in the middle of an elaborate suicide attempt. He chose to trade his life to rescue someone from death. I don't have time to waste with the small stuff. He has failed the tribulation or he managed to save his friend, either way he is dead now."
"What?" Leegaain jumped in surprise, the combined impact of his four claws on the ground sent a small tremor through the Gorgon Empire's castle. Its inhabitants went into a panic, since floating castles weren't supposed to be affected by quakes.
"Tyris, old friend, after hearing your words I'm almost tempted to rule a country for the first time in my long life. It seems that between civil wars, plagues, gods of death, and the internal strife between the nobles and the Crown your life must be really exciting.
"Otherwise, how the heck could you brush off the existence of a new life form that has already undergone two tribulations within such a short time frame? What if he survived? What if he isn't Guardian material, but something else entirely?
"Very few beings manage to pass the second tribulation. Getting a hold on your own desires is one of the hardest things to do. We could likely have a being that could side with the Abominations and upset the balance permanently on our hands.
"If the anomaly is still alive, we must absolutely keep watch on his next tribulations to understand what the heck is going on. A human Guardian would already be a shocking enough piece of news, let alone a hybrid!"
Tyris froze for a second. Aside from his stupid jokes, Leegaain's words always held great significance.
"Maybe you are right." She replied trying to cover her blunder.
"I seem to remember he wore a White Griffon academy uniform. I'll send someone to keep an eye on him so, in case your fears come true, we can take him out before he becomes too dangerous."
***
During the following days, life was hectic for most of the Griffon Kingdom's upper echelons. Countless scouts were sent to the Blood Desert to search for Balkor's whereabouts. Killing him was the safest way to prevent the next attack from happening.
The Alchemists of the Mage Association were having a hard time studying the toxins extracted from the undead. With each passing year, the god of death would make them more complex and harder to cleanse. If they didn't keep up with him, their antidotes would become useless.
This time, the Healers had collected a great number of tissue samples from the captured undead. It had allowed them to discover the Abomination fragments mixed with the flesh, causing an uproar in the field of research. Until that moment, Abominations had simply been considered another species of monsters, a twisted evolution of magical beasts.
However, thanks to Balkor's effort to stabilize them and the ten year long experience of the royal Healers in preserving the samples, the human scientists managed to gain a deeper understanding of their nature.
Researching Abominations became the top priority. It would help the Wardens to create new defensive arrays capable of weakening, if not killing, Balkor's thralls.
The remaining four of the six great academies were in desperate need of staff. Between the injured, the dead, and those who had resigned to look for a less dangerous job, like hunting dragons or defusing explosive arrays, there were many classes left unattended.
Balkor's shadow made serving as Professor in an academy less of a prestigious position and more like a death sentence.Find authorized novels in Webnovel£¬faster updates, better experience£¬Please click www.webnovel.com for visiting.
Among the Headmasters, Linjos had gotten the short end of the stick again. Not only did he have to find trustworthy mages to replace the Professors he lost during the attack, but he was constantly bothered by the other Headmasters.
His plan had saved their academies, their careers, and most importantly their lives.
They no longer saw him as a young, arrogant brat that had become the youngest Headmaster ever only because he was the Queen's new pet project. They finally recognized his worth and the brilliance of his mind.
They were willing to set aside their pride along with the old ways, often asking Linjos for advice about who to hire and how to change their academies for the better.
He was really flattered by all their attentions, but he was forced to spend half his time taking care of their academies instead of his own. Yet Linjos could only grin and bear with it, he knew it was a once in a lifetime opportunity.
If he managed to obtain their trust and cooperation, the academy system could finally be changed for good. Once the Council of the Headmasters made a decision, the nobles could only comply.
It would solve one of the most pressing matters that had plagued the Kingdom for years. Sure, it would still take decades to iron out all the details and to win over enough of the old noble families to prevent other sabotages from happening, but it would still be a great start.
***
House Ernas, five days after the attack
Lith's condition was getting better with each day. The fever was gone and thanks to the constant care he received from both families and Solus, his shriveled body was slowly returning to normal.
Yet he still looked like an old man and gave no sign he would wake up any time soon. Jirni proved to be an amazing host, providing Lith's family with the best rooms and with everything they could need.
She had taken her time, showing them around the house little by little and telling them about its history.
Phloria spent a lot of time with Rena and Tista, since they would either help her to take care of Lith, or force her to take a break and rest while Elina and Friya would relieve her.
When Lith regained his senses in the afternoon, he already knew about his failure. His last memory before fainting was of Protector's still c
racked core. Even burning his life force had not been enough to repair such extensive damage, not with his own core already running on fumes and his body on the verge of collapse.
Yet he had to ask.
"Solus, is Protector¡"
"Yes, he is gone." She replied, carefully avoiding to lying to him. "I'm so sorry for your loss." She wept remembering Protector's parting words. She had to find a way to pass them to Lith.
"I knew it. No matter how hard I work, no matter how much I try, I always fail when it really matters."- Tears ran along his cheeks, they were the first sign of life in more than five days.
"Lith, are you awake?" Normally, he would be surprised hearing Phloria's voice, but now he was too tired to care. His mind kept replaying Protector's last moments of life. The grief overwhelmed him again, making him feel like his heart was getting squeezed in a vice.
"Yes." Lith was unable to recognize his own voice. It was hoarse and feeble, like a hiss. He tried to get up, but his arms were too weak for the task. The attempt almost made him pass out from overexertion.
Lith took a deep breath, yet even that was too much for his current condition. He felt his lungs burn and he coughed uncontrollably. He heard the footsteps of someone running away and felt someone helping him lie down comfortably.
Lith recognized Tista's scent as soon as she got close.
"Don't push yourself, lil brother. Your condition is getting better every day, but you need to rest. Dad is going to be here soon."
Lith was too sad to ask why Phloria was in their home, or what had happened to him. The only thing he could think about was finding a way to make the pain stop. Ever since his rebirth, he had made sure to keep everyone and everything under his control.
He knew he wouldn't be able to endure what had happened to Carl again. His unquenchable hunger for power had started as a way to escape from the madness his death and rebirth cycle represented.