Supreme Magus

Kamila kept staring at him without saying a word until she slowly managed to stand up again despite her shaky knees.

”Iʼm sorry.” Her face was like her voice, cold and emotionless.

She sounded and moved like a broken automaton as she wobbled toward the door, slamming it behind her without ever looking back. The vibrations traveled from the door frame through the pavement, hitting Lith with the strength of a quake.

He was already kneeling so his legs couldnʼt buckle up and fall.

What remained of his human side, however, shattered like glass. Lith was aware that his happiness had been built upon lies. Now that the truth had been exposed, only the Abomination and the Void that his life was remained.

After several minutes, when it was clear that Lith had no intention of standing up and Kamila of returning, Solus activated their mind link again. It took her a second to discover how much he had shared with Kamila and understand the gravity of the situation.

ʼIʼm sorry.ʼ Even though she had used the exact same words as Kamila, their meaning couldnʼt have been more different.

Her thoughts and face were filled with compassion, knowing that with each layer of deception that Lith had lifted he had also been forced to cut open old wounds that had never truly healed.

Even with all of Solusʼ efforts over the years, the best she had achieved was to not make them fester.

ReadNovelFull.me

She was now crying no less than Kamila, but her tears were caused by the pain and sadness they had shared since the day they had met.

Solus kneeled in front of Lith, hugging him tight to let him know that no matter what came next, he would never be truly alone. The Void and the Chaos inhabiting him stirred, stinging at her just like they had done to the Voidwalker armor.

Yet instead of harming Solus, they triggered the golden radiance of her body, making her glow despite being flesh and blood. Light and darkness fought for a few seconds until they seeped into each other.

The emptiness of the Void became filled with stars while Solusʼ radiance became shrouded by darkness, making her look like a dawning sun.

ʼWhy did you lash out like that back at Valeron?ʼ She asked the Void instead of Lith, glad to have the opportunity to finally face him after all those years.

ʼI did it for you.ʼ He replied, flabbergasting her.

ʼWhat do you mean? The Royals and the Council are no friends of ours but they are trustworthy allies. You could have just refused the mission.ʼ

ʼThey are our allies only because they arenʼt aware of your existence. Otherwise they wouldnʼt hesitate one second to kill me in order to get their hands on the tower.ʼ His thoughts became cold, sounding like a low snarl.

ʼAs for the mission, what excuse could Iʼve possibly come up with that wouldnʼt have led the Royals to use our deal as a leash and force me to do it? Nothing I said would have mattered to them. This way, instead, I exploited their fear of a wild Abomination.

ʼThey expected me to lose control and thatʼs exactly what I gave them.ʼ

ʼAre you telling me that youʼve planned for this ever since the Royals came to visit us in the Desert?ʼ Solus felt touched by his care for her as much as Lith was shocked by the Voidʼs deviousness.

ʼJust another contingency plan.ʼ He replied.

ʼA contingency plan for what, exactly? Youʼve still jeopardized your deal with the Royals and I doubt theyʼll let this slide. Theyʼll just ask you to learn to control your Abomination side.ʼ

ʼTo buy some time and make sure that nothing happens to you.ʼ Lith gently caressed her face as he leaned his forehead against hers.

ʼBack when Carl died, he took the world with him. Nothing had sense anymore. I was waiting for death way before I learned about my cancer. Taking my life was the easiest thing Iʼve ever done because I knew there would be no consequences.

ʼThere was no one left who truly knew me and who would mourn my loss. My brief existence as an alien taught me how frail life is and how sudden death can come, but back then I didnʼt care.

ʼThe world was still a dull, grey, insignificant mass. Even once I came here to Mogar, life wasnʼt something precious. It was just something that I gave and took. Barely a currency.

ʼI liked my new family, but I still put myself first and I was ready to take my life again the moment I discovered that magic wouldnʼt give me any edge over my competition.

ʼYet everything changed when I met you, Solus. At first, I hated having someone inside my head, reading my thoughts and constantly nagging at me. After a while, though, I noticed that the world wasnʼt grey anymore.

ʼThere was light, warmth, and beauty even in the most trivial things around me. Before I realized it, I had someone who I liked again. Someone who knew who I really was and who worried about me instead of the mask I wore for the rest of Mogar.

ʼYou had become my sun, painting with bright colors even the dullest of things. The more time we spent together, the more I cared for you until I couldnʼt imagine my life without you.

ʼEven in my mind, ”I” became ”we”.ʼ

ʼWhat does this have to do with the Royals?ʼ Solus sniffled, hugging him tighter.

ʼThe moment the Unwavering Loyalty array didnʼt work on me, I knew that the Royals wouldʼve sent me to the Golden Griffon as soon as they were done debriefing me about the rest of the plan.

ʼHad I remained silent, you wouldʼve been forced to come with me and risk remaining trapped there. This way, instead, I can leave you behind if thatʼs what you want.ʼ The Void replied.

ʼDid you really put everything you worked so hard for at risk because of me?ʼ She now mirrored him, cupping his face while caressing it with her thumbs.

ʼYes. When Nalear managed to split us apart, the pain I felt allowed me to manifest my presence even without the blue core. Back when I thought that the Odi had killed you, I further damaged my life force to avenge you.

ʼThereʼs nothing that I wouldnʼt do for you. I know that Iʼm your leash just like the deal with the Royals is mine, but I refuse to be the chain that will drag you down this pit with me.

ʼIf I have to die, I want to give you the opportunity to be happy. I donʼt care who you pick as your next host. Tista, Silverwing, even Grandma will give you everything I never cou-ʼ

ʼSilly man, I canʼt imagine my life without you either.ʼ She pushed his head up to look her in the eyes. ʼOtherwise I would have stayed in Kolga, accepted aunt Lokaʼs offer, or simply asked Salaark to break our imprint.

ʼI knew that as long as we are bonded, we canʼt be together the way Iʼd like to. Yet I also knew that without that bond, I wouldnʼt be capable of being there for you in this crazy rollercoaster thatʼs your life.ʼ