The moment he had entered the chamber, Lith had noticed a signboard informing that it was possible to use dimensional items inside the briefing room. He decided to exploit it to achieve the most dramatic effect possible. "Did you carry that thing all along?" All those in the room had seen their share of dead people. What shocked General Morn was the ease with which Lith performed his stunt. "Yes. I have the rest of the body too if you are interested in examining it. It bears some unknown runes as tattoos which I was planning to study in the near future." He had already copied them before the meeting, just to be safe. "If you read the report I presented to Lieutenant Yehval right after the events, it matches the description of my assailant. Also, I have this." Lith provided them copies of the spells he had learned from the clerics of the High Sun, in both Kadurian and common language. With the Black Star destroyed, they were just a relic from the past. King Meron used his communication amulet to summon Brigadier General Vorgh and the resident Forgemaster. It was a bulky woman in her sixties, with eyes cynical enough to remind Lith of Nana. Lith had to repeat the last part of his story to them and show them the evidence he presented to the committee. "I can confirm that the parasite array’s design originates from the Blood Desert." Vorgh stated while looking at Treius’s corpse. "Also, these runes share a similarity with the array. It’s my opinion that they were made by the same hand." "These are indeed powerful spells." The Forgemaster was also a Major General. "They are designed to sabotage their host’s enchantments, making the energies coursing through the artifact destroy it from the inside. "Too bad that without the original blueprints they are useless. We could have learned a lot from them. As it is, they belong in a museum." After the King dismissed the experts, Lith continued his story. He omitted the part where Treius fused with the Black Star and most of the fight. "So, without my ’crazy research’ I would have never been able to understand the clerics. If I ’just followed orders’, once I left Kaduria the enemy would have claimed the artifact and now there would be not one, but two power hungry monsters knocking on the Kingdom’s door." His words were filled with sarcasm and contempt as he stared at the General. Morn wanted to admonish Lith that his behavior was bordering insubordination, but King Meron’s cold gaze stopped him. "I did what was necessary to protect our country and save those poor souls. Neither the Kadurians nor Belius deserved to live in constant fear of each other." After Lith had finished his speech, the three Royals retired in an adjacent room to deliberate. "Lady Tyris, you have heard him." The General was aware of the Guardian’s true identity and longed for both her affection and a long life. "By destroying the Black Star, he mercilessly killed all those people. He let an entire civilization be destroyed because of his incompetence. He should be dishonorably discharged." "Please! You couldn’t care less about the Kadurians. You are simply scared at the idea that a grassroots mage is now considered a hero both in the north and in the south." Tyris stared at Morn until he lowered his eyes in shame. "It’s because of those like you that we went so close to a civil war. If you so called pureblood mages want to be respected, you should do more than flapping your gums or sabotage your betters. I wish that thirty years ago you tried becoming King instead of Meron." "Really?" Those words made him too happy to notice the trap lying ahead. "Of course." Tyris nodded. "So I would have you for dinner, like you dream about for years, and I wouldn’t be forced to hear your nonsense anymore. It would have been a win-win situation. Now shut up. I have a call to make." Meron chuckled at the idea of his arrogant cousin devoured in a single gulp. Morn, instead, suddenly realized why the King had brought him along. Not because Meron valued his opinion, but to humble him. Tyris opened her mind link with Leegaain, sharing with him what she had discovered about Lith with Mother Earth, her Invigoration technique. ’Fascinating.’ Was his reply. ’Tell me something I don’t know.’ Tyris said with impatience. It was her country the anomaly lived in. Charm and danger could only go hand in hand when talking about someone else’s problem. ’Death energy usually lingers around those who somehow escaped their final hour, but the amount you describe is overwhelming. It would require for him to have died multiple times, but we know it’s impossible.’ Leegaain explained. ’It should make the anomaly more sensitive toward sensing impending death, but nothing more. It’s a nasty curse. I’m surprised he hasn’t gone insane already.’ ’What about the two life forces?’ Tyris asked. ’Ah, so you are finally interested in Menadion’s Desperation. Well, it all started...’ ’Okay, three life forces. Save your anecdote for later. I’m not interested in that ring of his. Whatever it is, is harmless.’ Tyris cut him short, making Leegaain sigh. ’It just proves we’re right about him. He’s a hybrid, but only Mogar knows how. The first life force is the common human one. The second one, though, it’s actually two other life forces mixed together.’ The dragon’s words made her deeply frown. ’The black sphere is typical of Abominations, but usually it’s empty. That’s why they constantly need to assume world energy to keep themselves alive. The small star is the mark of powerful Evolved Monsters instead. ’It allows them to easily shapeshift because most of their energy it’s not stuck in a fixed form. I have no idea how they can coexist, nor why he has them. He’s too old for that.’ ’What do you mean with too old?’ Tyris was perplexed. ’Let’s say I had a child with a human. The child would be a hybrid, bearing both our life forces. When they come of age, they would be forced to choose between one nature. ’The children you had with Valeron perceived themselves as humans, that’s why none of them ever turned into a griffon. The opposite happened to the anomaly. According to Scarlett, when he had a cyan mana core, there was no second life force. ’It means that its appearance is related to his now blue mana core, as if before he couldn’t bear its power. I wish he lived here. This Lith would make so fine an apprentice. You know, when Milea was younger...’ Tyris closed the communication at the last second, dodging the surely long and boring story by a hair’s breadth. "Meron, you have my blessing." She said before the three returned to the other room. Lith was still sitting, his mind wondering what he could possibly gift to Kamila without wasting too much money nor flexing his forgemastering skills. "Ranger Verhen." King Meron said while Lith stood up at attention in a sign of respect.