Chapter 3913: Progress Not Perfection (Part 2) "True, but there’s no telling how long Zoreth has left before her condition worsens and everything that we’ve done today becomes useless." Lith replied as the level of the emerald liquid had become high enough to turn the plop into a plink. "I know, but what if something happens and you are too weak to fight?" Solus wrung her hands in worry. "We are in the Desert, and Dad and Senton have already brought the kids back." Lith used Invigoration again. "There’s nothing to worry about. I’ll be fine after a good night’s rest." "If you can afford a good night’s rest." Solus sighed and dropped the argument. "By the way, how do you feel?" "I’m always the same, but at least work is a pleasant distraction. It keeps my mind clear of what I’ve experienced when I bonded with Raum’s victims." Lith replied. "The problem is that’s just that. A distraction. "Leegaain shouldered the burden with me and shielded me from most of the pain, but I can’t stop thinking about them. Also, I can’t stand this. Not again." He spread his arms to encompass everything around him. "Spending so much time inside the tower?" Solus’ heart tightened at those words. "No, silly." Lith gave her a small smile to reassure her. "I mean running away from an enemy we can’t defeat. We downplayed Raum’s threat and convinced our family that this is a vacation in the Desert, but we know the truth. "We are hiding here just like after Meln exposed my nature as a Divine Beast. If not for Grandpa’s intervention, we would have to stay here until someone killed Raum or we came up with a decent plan to deal with him ourselves. "If not for Grandma, we would be forced to spend the rest of our lives on the run like criminals. I don’t like this, Solus. Not one bit." "I’m sorry." Solus lowered her head, her hands tormenting the hems of her dress. "This is all my fault." "What are you talking about?" Lith asked in confusion while using Abyssal Gaze for the third time. "Raum came after you because he wanted to force my mother to help him. We have managed to keep the secret of the tower’s existence from the rest of Mogar, but we couldn’t hide Mom’s return after she rescued me from the clutches of the World Tree. "I’m the reason you’ve become a target for ancient nutjobs who demand the services of the First Ruler of the Flames." "Nonsense." Lith snorted, dismissing her argument with a sweep of his hand. "I’ve become a target for nutjobs ever since I revealed my nature as a perfect hybrid. Everyone wanted to know how to merge two Guardian bloodlines and what my abilities were." "That’s true." Solus pondered. "Then there was the issue with Verendi, Meln, and Void Magic." Lith continued. "Don’t forget that there are plenty of Awakened who resent us for sharing our legacy with fake mages and would give an arm and a leg to get their hands on it. "Ripha is just the latest item on the list of grievances the rest of Mogar has with us, and I mean it. This is our problem, Solus, not just yours. I conjured Ripha, I asked her to stay, and I’ll be damned before I let someone take her away from you." Lith snarled, the thought of Solus losing her mother was as painful as that of losing one of his parents. "You are not the problem, Solus. You never were and never will be. You are the reason I’m still alive and my family is safe. You don’t have anything to apologize for. Especially now." Lith leaned back against the throne as his mana bled out of him. "What do you mean?" Solus asked. "Solus, don’t play coy with me. That’s my job." He extended his hand, and she took it. "I don’t need our bond to know how violated you feel from Bytra’s runes becoming a part of your body." Solus tried to act aloof, but her face twisted in disgust before she could control herself. "Do you want to talk about it?" Lith looked her in the eyes, keeping his thoughts past the edge of their bond to ensure her privacy. "It’s no big deal." Solus replied, yet her tone lacked conviction. "I can manage having a piece of my murderer forever stuck in the tower. I can get used to having a constant reminder of the person who took everything away from me." With each word she spoke, her voice became louder and filled with rage. "I’m okay with Bytra stealing my mother’s work and using it to invade my home. I’m not upset that bitch forced her way into my safe place again and tainted it with her fucking touch forever!" Solus stomped her foot in outrage and then again, and again as she paced furiously around the Storage. Her hatred painted the lights of the tower a deep hue of red, making it look like a slaughterhouse whose walls had been splashed with fresh blood. "Mom already forgave Bytra. I have no reason to resent her anymore. If we manage to save Zor, it will be in part thanks to Bytra." Solus’ words and actions couldn’t be more at odds. Her hands opened and closed nonstop in frustration, and she bared her teeth like an angry beast thirsty for blood. "Do you want a hug?" Lith asked without standing up from the extraction throne. Not because he didn’t want to console and reassure Solus, but because he knew their bond was a double-edged blade. His touch would have eased her anger towards Bytra and calmed her down, but her unresolved feelings would smolder under the surface. Unless Solus dealt with her inner demons, sooner or later they would drive her mad again. Lith could help her carry her burden, but only she could let go of it and move on. He wanted to be there for her, but not if that meant becoming an addiction. On top of that, he was afraid to pass part of his recent trauma on to her and make things even worse. "I..." Solus hesitated, torn about doing the right or the easy thing. "Yes, please." She ran into Lith the moment he straightened up, wrapping her arms around his chest. "By my Mom, I can’t believe so many years have passed and we’re still so messed up." Her rage crashed against Lith’s calm, and his pain broke against Solus’ warmth until their respective negative emotions faded into white noise. "To our defense, we’ve overcome a lot of our issues." Lith returned the embrace. "It’s not our fault if life doesn’t give us a break." "True." Solus listened to his heartbeat and let it soothe her restless spirit. "I’m proud of you. You knew the dangers of helping so many tormented souls and did it nonetheless. It’s a great improvement for a guy who until a few years ago cared only about himself." "Progress, not perfection, remember?" Lith replied. "And I’m proud of you for allowing Bytra to stay in the tower with Zor and going so far to help them despite your grudge. It’s a great improvement from the first time you two met." "Progress, not perfection." Solus said.