3028 Unforgivable Crime (Part 4)
"Or not." And then Leegaain.
"Definitely not." At a wave of Baba Yaga's hand, the chicken legs bent in a sitting position and disappeared under the hut's floor. "Come out, sweetie."
Dawn stepped through the door while carrying Kelia who was still a sobbing mess. She clung to the Horseman with all her strength, touching the white crystal emerging from Dawn's chest like a lost parent.
"You!" Nalrond snarled, assuming his full bestial form and growing in size.
"Me." The Horseman glared at him with spite. "I'd gladly kick your ass and teach you another lesson in Light Mastery, but I have more important things to worry about than arguing with you. Can't you see she's hurt?"
It was the first time Nalrond met Kelia so even after looking at her with Life Vision, he found nothing out of the ordinary. Friya and the others, however, could tell that even though her magical aura had grown since their time in Jiera, Keila felt diminished.
Like a part of her soul had been ripped out.
"By my Mom, Meln has taken Dusk from her!" Solus had no proof of her words but her instinct.
The anguish and the change in Keila's aura were familiar to her, having experienced them every time her bond with Lith had been broken.
Also, she knew that if the Horseman of Dusk were there, he would have done something to console Kelia or taken over her body to spare her the humiliation of being seen in such a pitiful state.
Just like Lith had done for Solus more times than she could remember.
She approached Kelia, who hugged Solus. The young girl had felt an odd kinship with Solus since their first meeting and searched for solace from her loss. Somehow, Kelia knew that Solus understood her pain.
"What? How did that…" Lith tried and failed to find a word that could express his feelings toward his older brother. "Thing learn Creation Magic?"
Severing the bond between a living legacy and its host was something that only death or Creation Magic could achieve.
"Let's go inside. The child needs to eat and calm down." The Mother replied.
Once back in the dining hall, Baba Yaga explained everything that had happened and what might come to be if Night's crystal fused with Dusk's.
"Are you telling me that he's going to become much stronger and get his hands on the Guardians' bloodline abilities?" Lith was fuming.
"No, I'm saying there is a possibility it comes to that." The Mother replied. "What worries me the most is the idea that Night might be able to attack you directly. Meln is an idiot but she possesses the knowledge of centuries.
"As for the rest, I'm not concerned."
"Why is that?" He asked.
"Because of this." She touched the middle of his forehead where his Spirit Eye was hidden. "And because of that." She pointed at the sorry figure of Kelia.
Elina and Salaark were taking care of her, one giving her emotional support and the other tending to the damage to her life force.
"Yes, Meln could get access to Dusk's powers, but without the knowledge stored inside Kelia's shard, we both know he's going to shoot himself in the foot before he learns his limits. I don't plan on giving him more than one chance.
"The moment I see him, I'm going to rip him apart piece by piece." The Mother's face twisted in fury until her body shifted into the murderous calm of the Crone.
"That's true." Lith pondered. "All those bloodline abilities are a double-edged sword. If Meln uses them brainlessly, I can steal them from him and crush him like a bug."
"My point exactly." Baba Yaga nodded. "Without a mentor, those abilities are dangerous even for their wielder. It's the reason Dusk became so wise. He had to study them and learn how to master them bit by bit.
"Do you think Meln is willing to do the same? Because I know for a fact that Night is not."
"He'll never do it." Lith shook his head. "As soon as he learns how to infuse himself with Life Maelstrom without blowing up, he's going to come here running."
"And I'll be here. Waiting." The Crone's voice was reduced to a whisper yet everyone heard her clearly. "I'd like you to allow Kelia to stay here.
"If her shard acts as a beacon, the idea of having the person he hates the most and the thing he wants the most in the same place will drive Meln insane. With a little luck, he'll attack Elysia and die without even noticing."
"As if I'd allow that scum to get even in sight of my granddaughter." Leegaain scoffed.
"Seconded." Salaark burst in a blaze of Origin Flames. "I've always gone easy on your daughter out of respect for you Yaga. Not anymore."
"And for that, you have my gratitude, masters."?She gave the Guardians a deep bow. "Lith? I need your answer."
Usually, he would have refused. Lith didn't like having so many people in his house, especially those who didn't know about Solus and the tower. Ryla, Garrik, Selia's children, and the triplets were already too many in his book.
Yet he knew Kelia's pain. He had experienced first-hand the trauma of losing his partner. The sudden void in his mind and soul where until a minute ago there was light and joy.
The only difference between them was that when it happened to Lith, he knew that Solus was still alive and that he could fight the person responsible to get her back. Kelia, instead had no hope.
Based on Baba Yaga's words, Dusk was as good as dead and even if he wasn't, Kelia would never find Orpal, let alone defeat him. She was a weak human girl and he was an insane monster bonded to another insane monster.
'The Verhen Mansion is turning into a shelter, but I can't abandon Kelia.' Lith thought. 'She's Meln's victim as well and my best shot at luring him out in the open.'
"If we find and kill Meln, can you restore Dusk?" He asked.
"I think so, but killing him won't be enough. To let Kelia's shard take root and restore Dusk's crystal, I have to kill Night first." Baba Yaga lowered her gaze, feeling her heart tighten at the thought.
"I released the self-destruction spell to the public because I wanted to give her a merciful death but she's forced my hand. Once I capture her, I'll wipe her out of existence in a slow and painful process since I need her crystal intact and cleansed from her mind."
Lith nodded in reply, pondering his next move, when the King's rune lit up on his communication amulet.
"Magus Verhen, the Magic Empress seeks an audience with you at your Mansion at your earliest convenience. There's something she wants to discuss with you in person." Meron was puzzled by the request and its urgency but with the joint colonization of Jiera going so well he had no reason to turn her down.
"I called her and explained her everything." Leegaain said, answering everyone's silent question.
