Chapter 3917: Family Bond (Part 2)

"Much better, thank you." Zoreth replied, hoping that Bytra’s chore magic spell completely erased the smell of alcohol from her breath. "Your big brother is a great healer. Lith saved my life yesterday, but it will take a bit longer to get me back on my feet.

"You guys have nothing to worry about."

"I can’t wait to play with you again, Auntie." Leria said, falling for the blatant lie only because she wanted to believe it. "We’ve prepared a small gift for you. I hope that you like it."

She stepped aside, letting the triplets bring forward a small cushion bearing a silvery pendant. Falco, Teryon, and Lenart hadn’t actually participated, but not because they didn’t care for the Shadow Dragon.

They simply couldn’t. Aran and Leria had asked the triplets to deliver the gift so that they could feel part of that moment.

"It’s beautiful, thank you." Zoreth said without having any idea what the pendant was. "You shouldn’t have-"

The voice died in her throat when she recognized the Orichalcum locket. The engraving of Valtak’s human form was unmistakable.

"You can touch it, Auntie." Aran said. "Grandma Ripha says it’s safe."

Menadion’s left eye twitched at the word "grandma", but she nodded in agreement.

Zoreth hesitated for a second before taking the pendant from the cushion. A sudden spasm released a spark of Chaos, but the barrier imbued in the Orichalcum held.

Zoreth flipped the locket, finding Valtak’s Dragon form embossed on the back. Her fingers ran along the edge of the custom Orichalcum coin, finding a tiny release mechanism.

When she pushed it, the lid opened, revealing a thin crystal case filled with the ashes from the Father of Fire’s ceremonial pyre.

"Now you have one too, Auntie." Leria took her own pendant from under her shirt.

"Get well soon." Aran did the same along with Lith, Tista, Kamila, and Solus.

Zoreth looked at the triplets, who were so worried about her that they showed no envy for not being part of the club.

"Thank you, kids." She hiccupped. "This is the best gift I’ve ever received. After Bytra’s love, of course."

"That goes without saying." The Raiju smiled, seeing happiness and gratefulness replacing pain and despair on Zoreth’s face. "We are not done yet. Someone else was also eager to see you."

"Hi! Hi!" Valeron and Elysia waved their little hands.

"Bytra! Zor!" Valeron tried to get close, but Lith intercepted him in mid-air the moment the baby boy took flight.

"Biba! So! So!" Elysia pointed at the Shadow Dragon.

"I’m sorry, sweetie." Kamila held the little girl tight, keeping her at a safe distance. "Auntie Zor is not feeling well today."

Elysia stared at her mother in confusion, unable to understand why someone didn’t just kiss Zoreth’s owie away.

"You have gotten so big since the last time I saw you." Zoreth failed to hold back her tears. "I missed you guys so mu-"

The Red Dragon’s effect waned already, and the sudden, violent jolt of pain caught Zoreth by surprise.

"So!" Elysia shapeshifted into her Tiamat form and exploited Kamila loosening her grip in worry to break free.

Elysia was already close to the Shadow Dragon and plopped on her lap with a small jump.

Lith instinctively reacted by coating the baby girl in a Spirit Spell and turned toward the Guardians who sat at the heads of the rectangular table.

’If they protect her, there is no danger.’ He thought. ’If this counts as Elysia’s free will, however, she can get hurt.’

"It’s fine." Leegaain said, drawing Salaark’s shocked gaze on himself. "You can let her go."

"Grandma?" Lith had always seen the Overlord in control of the situation, and even though he trusted Leegaain with Elysia’s life, there was no such thing as too safe.

"Don’t worry." Salaark nodded while never taking her eyes off the Father of All Dragons.

"So! So!" The moment the Spirit Barrier disappeared, the small Tiamat nuzzled against Zoreth’s hands for cuddles. "Ba?"

"Am I the bad one, or are you talking about my illness?" Zoreth chuckled, covering her skin in Dragon Scales out of habit.

Elysia was still licking Zoreth’s fingers to comfort her when the Shadow Dragon got her answer, and Elysia hers. The baby girl was referring to the meanie who caused Zoreth’s pain, and the Scales transmitted all the fear and anguish the Shadow Dragon endured.

"Ba!" Elysia snarled at the allegedly invisible wound in Zoreth’s life force. "Ba! BABA!"

A burst of silvery flames accompanied the little Tiamat’s roar, setting the Shadow Dragon ablaze. Everyone took a step back, afraid to catch fire as well, as Zoreth screamed at the top of her lungs.

The roaring flames pushed even Bytra away, every instinct in her body screaming at her to keep her distance. Lith tried to take the baby girl back with a tendril of Spirit Magic, but the Dread Flames burned it.

Kamila reacted quickly, feeling no threat due to the protection Raldarak offered her. She leaned forward and grabbed Elysia just to freeze on the spot. She too experienced Zoreth’s pain through the Dragon Scales on her hands, and the word ’wrong’ echoed inside her head like a frenzied chant.

Silvery flames erupted across her body as well and joined Elysia’s to form a bigger pyre.

’What’s happening?’ Lith thought while the other mages tried and failed to douse the fire. ’The resonance has gotten much worse. If I take one step closer, I won’t be able to resist Ral’s and Elysia’s pull.’

He turned to look at the Guardians who had remained seated the entire time and showed no sign of worry.

"Ba!" Elysia’s mouth opened in a big yawn, and her knees wobbled from exhaustion. "Ba. Aui So no ba, Mama..."

The words trailed off as the baby Tiamat fell asleep.

Kamila took the unconscious Elysia away and made space for the Healers.

"Be careful to avoid direct contact." Baba Yaga said, transmitting her breathing technique via the floating chair. "If the Dread Flames have reached Lifespinner, there’s no telling- Great Mother almighty!"

"What’s the matter, Malys- By my mom!" Solus had just noticed that nothing was out of place.

The chair, Zoreth’s clothes, the Orichalcum pendant, and even the cushion were unscathed.

"You won’t believe it unless you see it with your own eyes." Baba Yaga replied. "How do you feel, child?"

"Weird." Zoreth raised her hands to her face, discovering they were not trembling anymore. "Kind of tingly."

"What about the pain?" The Red Mother asked.

"It’s still there, but it’s dull now." Zoreth took deep breaths and felt a part of her old strength returning to her limbs.

"I would be surprised otherwise." Baba Yaga stepped back, letting the others take their turn examining the Shadow Dragon.

"I’ll be right back." Bytra ran up the tower’s stairs to check the Infirmary’s countdown.

"Farm me sideways." Lith blurted when Abyssal Gaze showed him the status of Zoreth’s life forces.

They were still split almost to the middle, and the wounds showed little sign of healing, but that wasn’t the shocking part. The Dread Flames still wreathed the healthy side, purging the remnants of Forbidden Magic that had seeped inside Zoreth during her imprisonment.

The fractured Eldritch and troll life forces still refused to merge, but their battle had been brought to a halt.

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