Chapter 4176: Heaven’s Vault (Part 1)

"The Summoner clan has been searching for you since then, yet we had no idea how to get in contact or locate you. We could only hope you would attend Magus Verhen’s birthday gala again.

"I asked Representative Fyrwal to invite me here to have the opportunity to meet you, Patriarch. I-"

"You’ve said enough." Tezka cut her short, yet offered Lylka his hand. "Stand up, kid. I’m no one’s patriarch, and I don’t deserve the respect you’re showing me.

"As I’ve said, I’ve done many bad things and nothing at all to earn the forgiveness of those I’ve wronged. You shouldn’t be so quick to absolve me of my crimes nor to forget why your clan was chased out of its motherland."

"But-" She tried to say.

"It’s never a good idea to air your dirty laundry in public, kid." Tezka stopped Lylka again. "Whatever you have to say, it can wait for us to be alone. You shouldn’t trust strangers with your clan’s matters."

Only then did the younger Fylgja realize her blunder. She had been so caught up in her feelings of awe for the legendary inventor of dimensional magic that she had forgotten where she was and, more importantly, with whom she was.

Lylka’s cheeks flushed red as she looked around the room and realized that all eyes were on her. Some people were staring at her tails, others at her fox ears, and everyone waited with bated breath to learn more about the fabled Summoner clan.

"I apologize for my unbecoming behavior." She stood up, straightening her dress before giving a deep bow to King Meron and Lith. "I must have breached every norm of etiquette for this kind of event.

"Please, forgive me for spoiling your night with my rudeness." She cupped her fist, keeping her head low.

"Don’t fret, Lady Lylka." The King gave her a polite nod. "You are among friends, and although improper, your actions and words are understandable. Magus Verhen?"

"Every guest of Fyrwal is my guest as well." Lith replied. "Please, Lady Lylka, don’t worry about what just happened and try to enjoy the rest of the gala."

"Thank you very much." She gave them one last bow as her ears and tails disappeared. "You have my word I won’t inconvenience you again."

"Ladies and gentlemen." Lith said. "Please, follow me to the Dance Hall. We have left the orchestra waiting for us long enough. I pay them by the hour, and I’d like to avoid spending too much on overtime."

He said it humorously, to lighten the mood by joking about his own well-renowned stinginess. Yet when the noble guests laughed, Lylka felt as if the jab was aimed at her and flushed in humiliation.

"Don’t mind him, kid." Tezka patted her shoulder. "Lith really is stingy. Those people are laughing with him, not at you."

"Are you serious, or are you just trying to console me, Lord Tezka?" Lylka asked.

"I’m serious. My little brother is known as the Supreme Magus, the Void Magus, and..." He handed a small piece of paper with "Miser Magus" written on it. "But we don’t say that. At least not during his birthday gala. Follow me."

The younger Fylgja did as bidden, noticing that only a few people were still interested in her. Everyone else had their eyes glued on their host.

Lith had shapeshifted into his Indech form for the opening dance, and so did Kamila. His copper-red skin and pristine wings drew the humans’ gazes, while Lylka was more interested in the seven eyes.

"Is he like us?" She asked.

"No. Lith is an evolved human, among other things." Tezka replied. "His abilities are nothing like ours."

The Royals stepped on the dancefloor after a few notes. Then it was the turn of the Verhens, and only once the orchestra played half the piece were the rest of the guests allowed to join them.

The Ernas, the Vastor, and even Tezka were no exception.

Great was everyone’s surprise when he extended his hand to Lylka, inviting her to dance. She hesitated for a second before taking Tezka’s hand and following him on the dancefloor.

"Do you know this piece, or do you need instructions?" He asked.

"I haven’t set foot in Garlen all my life, but I prepared for this gala." She nodded, moving with more grace and confidence with every step she took. "I know all the Kingdom’s traditional dances."

"Good." A snap of Tezka’s fingers covered them in a distortion air field that covered them like a second skin.

It kept their words in and let the others’ through so that Tezka could pick and choose which phrases he would distort, making them sound as if he and Lylka said them. The nobles now saw and heard the two Fylgjas talk, but the real conversation remained hidden to them.

"Feel free to continue what you were saying earlier. Nobody will disturb us now."

"I was going to apologize to you on behalf of the Summoner clan." Lylka lowered her eyes in shame. "You crafted Heavens’ Vault without cloaking runes to allow us to study and replicate the miracle of your omni pocket in case something happened to you.

"You trusted us with your greatest secret and masterpiece, yet we failed you. It’s our fault if people like Leegaain and Baba Yaga learned your workings. We did our best to hide Heaven’s Vault from prying eyes, but we were weakened and desperate.

"During our wandering, sometimes bad people abused our trust and studied your omni pocket. It’s because of them that the knowledge about Heavens’ Vault spread, and we Fylgjas no longer have the exclusive on omni pockets."

"You still carry it with you?" Tezka didn’t care much about others possessing a pocket dimension. He had assumed that as dimensional magic became more and more widespread, someone else would reach his same heights.

He was right. People like Leegaain, Baba Yaga, and Menadion had created their own pocket dimensions simply by knowing Heaven’s Vault existed and reaching a deep understanding of dimensional magic.

"We don’t just carry Heaven’s Vault with us. We treasure it as our most sacred relic." Lylka replied. "Even though we can’t access its contents, Heavens’ Vault holds the history of our clan. Good and bad."

"I always wondered why it still works after all this time." Tezka sighed. "In your place, I would have destroyed it. For a long time, I have been your worst enemy."

"Yet also our greatest hope." She said. "Heavens’ Vault was our best chance at regaining the knowledge we had lost during our rout from Garlen. Moreover, as long as it carried your imprint, it meant that you were alive.

"That one day you might return to us. It’s the reason I’m here tonight."

"I beg your pardon?" Tezka smiled and looked aloof, but his voice sounded utterly confused.

"I’ve come to the Griffon Kingdom to ask you to follow me to Zima and rejoin the Summoner clan." Lylka gave him a dazzling smile.

"I’m sorry, but my answer is no." Once again, only Tezka’s tone changed. To the rest of the ballroom, he was having a pleasant talk with his dance partner and neighbors. "I’ve yet to master my new form and fully come back to life."

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