2916 Price of Success (Part 2)
"Still, it's not fair, big bro. How come Abominus and Onyx managed to Awaken while Leria and I are still fake mages? We spent the same time on mana geysers and practiced magic together. What's the difference between us?"
"First, that's a wrong comparison." Lith shook his head. "You guys are about the same age, but while you kids started practicing magic during our camping trip, Abominus and Onyx have done that their whole lives.
"Also, there's a big difference between you guys. The level of development of your cores. You and Leria are at the bright yellow whereas Abominus and Onyx had reached the bright cyan when it happened.
"Why do you think that's the normal threshold for magical beasts? Why do you think Tista Awakened when she was at the bright green? Because their mana cores had reached a point where the practice of magic stimulated a mana flow strong enough to trigger the Awakening."
"I don't want to wait for so long!" Leria cried. "I don't want to Awaken in my old age like Aunt Tista."
"Old age?" Tista replied in outrage. "I Awakened at sixteen! If that's Awakening at old age, then what about Ryman? What about Selia?"
"They are parents." Lilia replied to the illogical question with a puzzled tone.
According to children's logic, fathers and mothers were supposed to be immortal beings. No kid wanted even to consider the idea of becoming an orphan so it was only reasonable that their parents weren't allowed to age.
With all the children staring at her and all the parents glaring at her, Tista opened and closed her mouth a few times in a perfect goldfish impression before saying:
"You are right. I'm sorry. I don't know what I was thinking."
'Nice save.' Protector said via a mind link. 'I don't mind being called old, but if you put in my children's heads the idea that I'm going to die, they'll have nightmares for months. If that happens, I expect you to take care of the mess you created.'
'Thank the gods you didn't call me old. I'd have hated to punch you in the face in front of the kids.' Kamila said.
She was at the age when that word started to sting and Awakening was too recent for her to fully digest the idea that her life span had greatly increased. On top of that, the passing of time was scary for her as well.
Kamila wasn't afraid of dying of old age, only of seeing Lith pass away before her due to the damage to his life force. At that point, her Awakening would turn from a blessing into a curse.
lightsΝοvεl ƈοm 'Please, gods. Whatever time I have left, make it last no more than a week after Lith is gone. Since we are already here, let's make it a few centuries from now so that Elysia will be grown up and with a family of her own to help her deal with the grief.'As Kamila silently prayed for her husband, herself, and her daughter, her gaze instinctively moved to the baby girl.
"What are they doing?" She pointed at Shargein, Elysia, and Valeron the Second who were leaning against the playpen in their Divine Beast form and staring at the dining room.
"Gods, they are adorable. They look so cute." Selia's eyes almost teared up.
Unlike Elina and Kamila, shapeshifting babies were her bread and butter. Even if covered in fur or scales, even with talons or claws instead of fingers, she saw them solely as little bundles of love.
Lith followed the stares, noticing that they converged on the huntress.
"Selia, whatever you are doing, stop!"
"Why? I was just recovering my mana while practicing Accumulation. I-"
"In front of Shargein?" Kamila was flabbergasted. "Do you know what Dragon Eyes are?"
"Dragon what now?" Selia looked at Ryman who slapped his own forehead, cursing at himself for not instructing his wife properly.
"Sha!" Shargein roared triumphantly as his body emitted a bright red aura that turned to deep orange as his Awakening was complete. "Mom! Mom!"
"What going-" Salaark Warped in the middle of the dining room, covering the distance with Call of the Blood.
No force on Mogar could keep her away from a Featherling calling her name. No force but shock, of course.
"Great Mother almighty, who did this?" Salaark pointed at the three Wyrmlings that were emitting their auras while chittering like crazy.
"I did." Selia raised her hand. "I'm sorry. I didn't know Dragon Eyes are a thing and I still have no idea what they do."
"How can you not-" The Overlord was furious but seeing the huntress' red aura, it was clear that she was the Awakened equivalent of a newborn. "Who is the idiot who Awakened you?"
"I did." Ryman raised his hand while kneeling to her. "I'm sorry. I completely forgot to warn my wife. She has no fault."
Salaark would have loved to smite him where he stood, but Lilia, Leran, and Fenrir stood before Protector, clinging to his legs in an attempt to protect him.magic
"Please, Grandma, forgive him. Uncle Ryman is a good man." Aran said amid hiccups.
"Please, don't be mad." Leria cried over the Overlord's desert robe.
"Why are you crying?" Only then did Salaark notice that in her rage she had her eyes, hair, and hands burning with white flames. "Oh, that's why."
She needed a few deep breaths to calm down and make the flames disappear.
"It's all right, kids. I'm not mad. I swear." She said.
'Not anymore.' She inwardly added.
"So you are not going to hurt Uncle Ryman and Aunt Selia?" Aran shivered like a leaf.
"No, I'm not." Salaark tried to reassure them, but the kids were deeply shaken.
They had never seen her angry and had never considered the danger she posed, considering the Overlord only as their loving grandmother.
"Do you promise?" Leria sniffled.
"I promise." Salaark slouched her shoulders, her vow weighed on her but not as much as the headache from the situation. "I'm sorry for my outburst, but this is a big deal. None of my children has ever Awakened at such a young age.
"Until Shargein was old enough to decide if he wanted to stay in my Nest or leave, I would have not taught him anything but the basics of magic. Spirit Magic and Awakening were supposed to be off the table. This is a mess."
"I'm sorry, Grandma. I should have thought about this." Lith said.
"No, it's my fault." She shook her head. "It's been too long since the last time I had a baby Dragon and I've forgotten they require special caution."
"What do you mean?" Lith asked.
"For example, do you know what that chittering is about?"
"I don't speak Dragon, baby, or whatever that is." He replied.
"First, Shargein has tried to teach them how to use Dragon Eyes, then he has explained them Accumulation, and now he is teaching them how to open from the inside the spells that keep the playpen locked."
"He is doing what?" Lith and Kamila rushed to the kids, picking one each. "Bad, Shargein! Bad!"
"Why bad? Sharing good. Shargein good" The Wyrmling tilted his head to a side, wondering why everyone was making a fuss.