Supreme Magus

Chapter 4570: Lifting the Seal (Part 2)

The Elder Hydra wasn’t aware of the connection between Ajatar and the secret of the white core, but she had watched the recordings of his fight against the Upyrs.

That and the prowess of his fully mature Dragon vitality drew mother and daughter to him like bees to the juiciest flower.

"I’m fine, thanks, Faluel." The Sapphire Dragon grunted. "And no, Fyrwal, I didn’t train with Lith. I got all these muscles escaping the clutches of those Fire Dragon ladies dozens of times a day until I was done with my training."

The Hydras read between the lines and whined like sad puppies.

"Look, I’m not saying the Fire Dragons are right, but they aren’t wrong either." Baba Yaga was in her Maiden form. "You are the only Sapphire Dragon on Mogar. If something happens to you, your bloodline will go extinct, and there’s no telling if another like you will ever be born.

"You’re a healthy male, so sire a few hatchlings and ensure the survival of the Sapphire Dragon race. If not for yourself, do it for Mogar."

"Not you too!" Ajatar snarled. "I’m not some piece of meat, and I won’t let my children grow without their father. This is a matter that requires serious consideration."

"She’s right, though." Faluel stared at him like a large pile of purified Davross. "The future of Mogar and the Sapphire Dragon bloodline depends on you."

"Moreover, if you really want this madness to end, you need a partner." Lith patted his shoulder. "I still get harassed, but it’s nothing compared to what I went through every day before I got married."

"I’ll think about it." Ajatar hid his face behind his hands. "Can we please move on to a different subject?"

"What about saying goodbye to an old friend?" Tyris said, drawing attention to her. "Today Scarlett ends her apprenticeship under me and becomes a full-fledged Guardian."

’It’s about time.’ The Sekhmet inwardly snarled. ’I became a Guardian on the same day Lith gained the violet core. In the time it took me to fully master my powers, he mastered his own and beat me to the punch by two children.

’As much as I hate to admit it, I’m not in a situation that much different from the Sapphire Dragon. I’m a Guardian as green as grass, and I have no offspring. I’m one mistake away from leaving no legacy of my existence aside from the Scorpicores.’

"We’re not really friends, but my children will miss you, Scarlett." Lith offered her his hand, and she shook it.

"I will miss them too." She replied. "I’ll miss all of you."

The Sekhmet opened her arms, and the children threw themselves at her in a group embrace, crying and begging her to stay.

"There, there. I promise I’ll be back from time to time." She caressed and kissed their heads. "Be good kids and listen to your parents. I’m talking to you, Orikan and Jirya."

The twins played their best innocent act before folding under Scarlett’s stare and promising they would try to behave.

"I’ll take what I can." She sighed. "I’m ready, Tyris. Please, remove my restraints."

"That’s it?" Quylla asked. "What about us?"

"I won’t miss you. I’m sure of that, but thanks for asking." Scarlett said with a smug grin as Tyris touched her forehead and lifted the seal on the Sekhmet’s life force.

First came the voices. Loud and desperate, they echoed from everywhere at once, booming in the Guardian of Children’s ears so loud that her expression became a rictus of pain.

She heard the cries of the most unfortunate children of Lutia, but her senses expanded so fast that she heard Erkin’s cries from the Blood Desert at the same time as the wails resounding from Zima.

Scarlett had long since learned to control the voices and quickly tuned them down until all that remained was a low buzzing sound at the edges of her hearing.

Second came the visions. Soul Vision forced her to see the true nature of everything and everyone around her. No matter how nice the package or how bright a smile was, the Sekhmet saw past all kinds of facades, even those sentient beings used to deceive themselves.

Luckily for her, she was surrounded mostly by children, and they were too young to lie or let the seeds of corruption take root. Under Soul Vision, Elysia, Ral, and the other toddlers looked the same as under regular sight.

Aran had scales on both his cheeks, while Leria had vertical pupils and small, fluffy feathers ringing her ears. Solus still looked like Elphyn Menadion, wearing an ancient toga and wielding a hammer.

Yet now only two chains remained on her. One came out of her chest and connected her to Lith, and another wrapped around her right foot, restricting her movements.

The second chain was covered in deep cracks and seemed like it might fall apart at any moment. Solus ignored it and hammered at the first chain instead. It was placed on a priceless anvil, and the relentless blows weren’t intended to break it.

Solus tempered and strengthened the links one by one, and herself in the process. Every time the hammer struck the golden chain, it released sparks of energy that were quickly reabsorbed and traveled through the chain into her chest.

When that happened, golden and silvery veins appeared on her face and arms, while her eyes and nails turned into elemental gemstones.

As for Lith, the Void and the Voidfeather Dragon were gone. All that remained was a pillar of shadows wreathed in blue and silvery flames. Whenever the blue flames blazed across the pillar and overpowered the silvery fire, Scarlett could see something in the dark.

A crazed, pristine smile and seven eyes sparkling with cruel joy.

When the silvery flames suppressed the blue fire and lit the darkness, instead, the face in the shadow became the determined expression of someone who had fought his whole life and knew the battle was far from over.

Scarlett had barely turned Soul Vision off when the ripples came. She saw all that had been and everything that might be. Every action of every single person in the room was a falling domino tile that struck two more on its way down.

The ramifications of the most insignificant decision stretched so far and wide that different people’s tiles ended up clashing, changing the direction the next falling dominoes took and creating a new potential future.

The Sekhmet witnessed many things happen in the span of a handful of seconds, and few of them were good. She saw Lith die countless times, either at the hands of his enemies or the people who claimed to love him.

In a niche, unlikely scenario, Tista, Aran, and Leria plotted to kill him, tired of living in Lith’s shadow and eager to uncover the secrets they believed he was keeping for himself and his children.

Scarlett saw everyone die, even Tyris. As long as Tyris lived, no foreign influence would be allowed, and the remnants of Valeron’s blood could only be dethroned by someone from within the Kingdom.

In that vision, Leegaain and Salaark joined hands to kill their friend and give their son Shargein a dominion of his own.