Chapter 3922: Countdown (Part 1)

’Okay, now.’ Only then did Baba Yaga send the fourth burst of Dread Flames.

With Chaos and Decay neutralized, the Eldritch and the Troll sides of the fragment rearranged themselves quickly to provide a suitable environment for the human aspect to thrive.

As the process went on, Baba Yaga provided the Eldritch with light element, the troll with darkness, and both of them with Spirit Magic.

By the time the Dread Flames wore off, the structure of the fragment had changed dramatically. The troll side had moved inside the Eldritch and regained its gemstone appearance.

The threads of the human aspect were tightly wrapped around the gemstone, forming a stable connection with the main life force. As for the Eldritch side, it now looked like a sphere again, but it was gray instead of black and was wreathed in dark flames.

The Decay fed the Chaos from the inside, which in turn suppressed the Decay from the outside. The boundless vitality of the troll and the endless hunger of the Eldritch had brought the two opposite forces to a perfect balance.

Now the threads were anchored solely to the gemstone and fed the Eldritch side through direct contact.

If the troll side were destroyed, the threads would be lost as well, and the Eldritch side would starve. At the same time, however, without the Chaos of the Eldritch side, the Decay generated by the troll life force would have destroyed the threads and died as well.

Baba Yaga waited for a few minutes before asking Solus to restore the Immortal Body array to its full power.

’This is very interesting.’ The Red Mother said while studying the newborn gray star. ’The treatment worked and is exceeding my expectations. Look.’

As the fragment stabilized and the different aspects of the gray star became more defined, the energy exchange between the fragment and the hybrid life force allowed the new balance to spread beyond the confines of the gray star.

The boundary between the troll and the Eldritch sides in the healthy life force thinned, and Zoreth’s vitals slightly improved.

The countdown of the Infirmary kept ticking, but the Shadow Dragon had one more hour left to live.

’Let’s do it one more time. If Zoreth’s lifespan increases again, it means we are on the right path.’ Baba Yaga said. ’Kalla.’

They repeated the procedure from the top, with the Wight cutting a small portion of the fractured life forces as though she wanted to turn Zoreth into a Lich. Then, Quylla pulled a strong human thread from the hybrid life force and used it to bind the severed Eldritch and troll sides into a new fragment.

Baba Yaga doused the fragment in Dread Flames and fed it with abundant elements from the Storage until the troll and Eldritch sides started to merge. At that point, Solus lowered the output of the Immortal Body array, and Baba Yaga kept the conflicting Cursed Elements on a short leash.

As soon as the merging process gained momentum, more Dread Flames, light, darkness, and Spirit Magic gave it the final push. The second gray star formed and stabilized faster than the first one, consuming less of the Elemental Storage’s energy reserves.

’Can you guys hold on long enough to do it a third time?’ The Red Mother asked.

’No.’ Everyone but Faluel said.

The Hydra kept her seven heads at all times and used one of them to maintain herself at peak condition with Invigoration. Everyone else was dead tired due to the mental strain of the procedure.

Lith and Kalla fared the worst. Producing Dread Flames took a great toll on him, and the fine control Baba Yaga required of him made the burden on his body much worse.

Kalla was just a blue core and possessed little mana when compared to the group of violet cores. If not for her limited role in the treatment and the constant supply of energy from her pseudo-phylactery, she would have already fainted.

’Then take a quick break.’ Baba Yaga said. ’There isn’t a moment to lose.’

On the one hand, the development of the second gray star had sparked new changes in the hybrid life force, allowing its troll and Eldritch sides to rearrange themselves in a more stable form.

On the other hand, the second amputation had aggravated the condition of the fractured life forces. Their clashes had become much more violent, and only regular dosages of Dread Flames kept them from tearing Zoreth apart.

The countdown had increased by thirty more minutes, but that was only thanks to the Dread Flames.

As soon as the silvery fire so much as smoldered, the time left decreased by three hours, and the countdown ticked faster.

Everyone used the break to drink nutrient potions and use Invigoration, leaving only Baba Yaga and her nigh-inexhaustible reserve of mana to hold the fort. Once the Healers cut the third fragment, Zoreth shuddered in pain.

The damage to her life forces was now considerable, and she felt as if someone were twisting a hot knife in her chest. The third gray star formed even faster than the second, and the troll side regained its gemstone form before Baba Yaga used the Dread Flames for the final time.

When the gray star formed a stable connection with the main life force and drained it of part of the rampant Cursed Elements, the pain in Zoreth’s chest disappeared, and was replaced by a soothing sensation that spread through the rest of her body.

’It’s working!’ Tista said. ’The stable fragments we created aren’t just stabilizing Zoreth’s still-healthy life force. They are also stabilizing each other.’

’All the more reasons to make haste.’ Solus said. ’It’s the current instability in Zoreth’s life force that makes our work progress so smoothly. If this takes too long and the fragments settle in, the stable life force will resist further changes, and the gray stars won’t form on their own anymore.

’We’ll have to shape them by force, and I’m not confident in handling Cursed Elements.’

’Solus has a point.’ Baba Yaga said. ’Let’s make another gray star and take a break.’

They actually managed to make two more before feeling the need to use Invigoration.

The fractured life forces were reduced to short stumps, and no matter how much they squirmed, the hybrid life force had grown strong enough to resist their pull without the help of the Dread Flames.

’Here.’ Baba Yaga infused Lith with a short burst of Spirit Magic from the Infirmary.

’Why did you do that?’ He asked, his breath labored despite the recent use of Abyssal Gaze.

’Because your breathing technique can’t help you with the exertion on your life force.’ The Red Mother replied. ’You are the only one who can conjure the Dread Flames, and I can’t risk you collapsing on me.

’I know Spirit Magic is comprised of mana, but it’s your mana. It contains a spark of your life force, and I’m sure your Eldritch side can absorb it and restore your vitality.’

Lith felt his mind clearing and his body becoming lighter as the sparks of his life force contained in the Spirit Magic became part of him again.

’Thanks, Yaga.’ He gave her a small bow.

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