Chapter 3912: Progress Not Perfection (Part 1)

By then, the triplets were already bored to death, and the adults waited in silence out of politeness.

The phenomenon began just as with the Indech wings, with sparks of energy arching from tip to joint. Yet it started from the membranous wings. As Lith accumulated more world energy in his body, the sparks also spread to his feathered wings.

Soon, all four wings burst with elemental power and exchanged it with each other.

At first, the wings used Lith’s chest as a nexus for the energy transfer. Then, when the magnitude of the built-up forces exceeded the capacity of the Tiamat’s flesh, elemental bolts formed a stable connection between his feathered and membranous wings.

The unknown runes inscribed in Lith’s feathers shone with power until they rose into the air, filling the space between the two sets of wings. One last burst of energy and one blinding flash later, it was over.

The crackling flow of the elementals ebbed from the Tiamat’s body and accumulated on his back in the form of two membranous wings comprised of pure white light.

"Okay, not to be a sourpuss, but I resent this!" Salaark appeared out of thin air, pointing at the new wings.

"What’s wrong with that?" Leegaain jumped in a second later. "They look perfect to me. The six elements are perfectly balanced and only lack Spirit."

"Of course, you would say that, old lizard." The Overlord sneered. "You always get the best parts."

"Excuse you?" Tista said in outrage. "What about me?"

"You are another argument entirely, Hatchling." Leegaain dismissed her objection. "We’re talking about Lith now."

"And we’re pointing out how unfair this is!" Salaark added coldly. "When do I get my due? Where are my feathers?"

"How can this be unfair?" Lith was flabbergasted and annoyed in equal measure. "These are my human wings. If anything, my parents are the only ones who can raise an objection. Right, Mom?"

"You are perfect the way you are, darling." Elina exploited Raaz’s absence to gloat over what she considered her contribution to her son’s life force.

"Thanks, Mom." Lith nodded, unaware of his mother’s hidden jab at the Overlord. "As for you two guys, you’re ruining this moment for my family."

"The Hatchlings are right, young Sparrow." Leegaain puffed his chest out with pride and stood beside Elina. "You’re ruining the joy of this moment."

"You too, Elina?" Salaark looked around the room in disbelief, as if she had been betrayed and ambushed. "You are all mean and crue-"

Baba Yaga gave one last push, and the unknown runes stabilized in the form of pitch-black energy feathers comprised of the six Cursed Elements. The feathers kept the white light from dispersing and covered the membranous wings, leaving only the spike of the first finger visible.

"And wrong!" Salaark joined the triplets’ victory dance with a few steps she came up with herself. "You were wrong and I was right. Mogar is fair, and everything is fair again."

"As I said, my son is perfect the way he is." Elina didn’t flinch at the transformation, feeling happier for Raaz than sorry about herself. "It’s too bad that your father missed this, darling."

"Aran and Leria missed it, too!" The triplet followed Salaark’s lead like trained backup dancers. "We’ve got to see this first! This is our victory!"

"I’m overwhelmed by your kindness and gratitude." Baba Yaga’s voice was sweet, but also embittered by sarcasm. "I’m the one doing all the work here."

She let go of Lith, and the energy wings disappeared.

"Sure, thanks." Teryon dismissed the annoying old lady like a pushy merchant. "Grandma, Grandpa, do you fight about us too?"

The firing squad of puppy eyes would have taken a less experienced parent aback, but not the Guardians.

"Of course we do, pumpkin." Leegaain ruffled the little girl’s hair. "We made bets and plans about what to do in the future based on the bloodline you will awaken."

"Really?" Lenart smiled from his heart, believing every word.

"Yes, Featherling." Salaark replied. "I hope that one day you all will join my Nest."

The Guardian’s teamwork in reassuring the children was so perfect that no one would have ever believed they had been at each other’s throats just a moment ago.

"Why was there no change in Ely and Auntie Kami?" Falco asked.

"Because they are too small." Baba Yaga replied. "If I put that kind of pressure on them, it might have hurt them."

"Thanks, Grandma." Falco offered her a glass of water.

"And to you, young man." The Mother accepted it and emptied the glass in one gulp. "But why do you call me grandma? We barely know each other."

"I can’t call you old lady or Mom will scold me." Falco said, and his siblings nodded. "She says that it’s rude to point out to old people like you how old they are and that we have to address them with endearing terms."

"Define old, please." Baba Yaga smiled, unfazed by the childish logic.

"Anyone past sixteen is ancient." Lenart replied.

"Yeah." Teryon nodded. "Auntie Tista is an old bat."

"I’m what?" Tista said in outrage, unwilling to be alone in her misery. "Then what about Grandma Elina or Aunt Quylla?"

"They are parents." Falco clicked his tongue at the stupid question. "Parents are always young and healthy. Right, Grandma?"

"Of course." Elina cleared her throat, knowing that any other answer would have made the triplets cry, angry, or both.

"Then I’m not an old lady." Baba Yaga laughed her head off. "I have many children, young man."

"You do?" The triplets bowed in apology. "We’re sorry for our rude words, Miss."

"Are you telling me that I’m the only old person here?" Tista knew how stupid arguing with children was, but she couldn’t help herself.

"Yeah." The triplets, Elysia, and Valeron the Second nodded.

"You too, Ely?" Tista was flabbergasted. "I... I’m out of here!"

She Warped away while the others were still laughing.

***

After finishing the experiments on his life force, Lith moved the tower to Salaark’s beach house. From there, the Elemental Storage’s tanks would fill with the water and earth elements faster.

Daytime also ensured plenty of light element, while night would bring the darkness element. He would then move to the Valley of Life to stockpile on the fire element, and after that, locate a thunderstorm for the air element.

Natural lightning was a much better source than wind, and with a lightning rod on top of the tower, Lith could capture dozens of them.

Yet there was one section of the Storage that only he could fill up. The Spirit Tanks were empty, so he sat on the stone throne that worked as an extraction point and set the Storage’s parameters to maximize efficiency.

Thick emerald droplets plopped in the first tank, as fast as a tap with a bad leak. Each drop contained the equivalent of a tier three Spirit Magic spell, and Lith could feel his mana core emptying fast despite the tower empowering him.

After a few minutes, his sight blurred and his head throbbed. He recognized the early signs of mana exhaustion and used Abyssal Gaze to replenish his core.

"Are you sure about this?" Solus stood by his side, checking the readings of the Infirmary on both him and Zoreth. "Isn’t it too soon? You heard Malyshka. Your human life force is atrophied, and you already pushed yourself hard enough for today."

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