Lith Verhen/History/Volume 5

## Chapters 341 - 586

### Boot Camp

Following Nana's death, Lith enrolls in boot camp as Cadet 1416. He quickly distances himself from the other cadets as they believe him to be a noble, and excels in every training exercise and drill, receiving an evaluation of "Monster." After several months he finally begins to learn more than the basics of swordsmanship from his instructors, though feels an enormous mental strain from the lack of privacy and regulations.

The cadets undergo their first field test against a tribe of orcs. Lith leaves to eliminate three orcs, discovering that they can use empowered chore magic on the same level as Tier 3 spells and their cores and life forces can be temporarily boosted/shared by the use of an orc shaman's mana crystal. After killing the other attacking orcs, the squad decides to continue the mission, encouraged by Lith's prowess. The squad attempts to continue the mission, but after discovering the orc shaman Ragh'Ash and observing the orcs' suspiciously cautious behavior, they decide to evacuate. Lith shoves the entire squad including Sergeant Tepper back to camp through a Warp Steps in an apparent "sacrifice" before engaging the orcs.

Lith kills most of the orcs and nearly kills the shaman when a Rock Worm named Gremus interferes, though Lith manages to kill the shaman. He interrogates Gremus, who reveals he was sent by the Master to retrieve the crystal after studying the orc's abilities to manipulate mana crystals. Lith kills him and retrieves its armor made of Darwen. He meets with Tepper and the reinforcements, hiding most of the Darwen and the mana crystal inside Solus' pocket dimension. The cadets warm up to him, though after the revelation of him being a mage, many in the boot camp approach him for contraceptives using darkness magic. Lith visits his family in Lutia, where Elina asks him to tell Trion to come home if he sees him. Lith is promoted to 1st Lieutenant and chooses to be assigned to the Ranger Corps as its nature of isolation and lack of supervision suit Lith and Solus' needs. Lith pulls in favors to visit Trion's boot camp in Regharos city, forcing Trion to promise to visit.

Lith visits Kalla in the White Griffon Academy forest, discovering her near death from a damaged life force due to her failed attempt to become a Lich. Lith uses Body Sculpting to stabilize her condition, falling unconscious and triggering his core to break through to deep blue. During his breakthrough, Lith's body emits a silver pillar towards the sky and is refined to become impossible to harm with conventional means. Additionally, Lith begins breathing mana and life force naturally like with air, and with every breath he takes he absorbs a little amount of world energy even without the use of Invigoration; his life force flows freely through his entire body. Waking up, Lith is able to manipulate life force much easier and perceive it as a melody, able to fully heal Kalla's life force. Lith proceeds to tell Kalla, Nyka and Nok about his reincarnation problem and the need to get Solus a body. Kalla gives Lith a book on the Odi, recommending he begin his research in the Etochian region as well as giving him runes of recommendation to the Dawn Court, one of the three undead communities. Lith discovers he has a second life force and manifests his hybrid form for the first time.

### Lost City of Kaduria

Lith returns for his Ranger assignment, making his way to the border city of Belius. He comes across a bandit settlement and kills most of the bandits while freeing their slaves, reporting afterwards to his handler Kamila Yehval and Constable Jirni Ernas. He flirts and exchanges contact runes with Kamila before heading to the Lost City of Kaduria. He learns about the city's light and shadow phases and about the Kadurians turning being bonded to the High Lord or the Black Star, and turned into Shadows. Lith discovers and reports a hidden detection array before investigating the city. He comes across 8 clerics whose duty is to perform a ritual to trigger the shadow phase. After the artifact attempts to enlist Solus' help in escaping, Lith destroys the magical gemstones gathering world energy for the artifact, enraging it and causing it to retaliate. Lith manages to escape and meets Brigadier General Vorgh, a Master Warden, who creates a magical formation that reveals the parasite array before leaving.

Lith experiments interacting with the Shadows and sees visions of the Shadow's memories. He learns of the inhabitants' suffering, and also becomes able to understand their language, conversing with the farmer he initially saw from outside the city, Redan. Redan leads him to through the castle, giving Lith access to grimoires that describe the Forgemastering of the Black Star, and points him to Meru, the High Cleric who activates the High Lord every day. Lith convinces Meru and the other Clerics to reveal a failsafe that would destroy the Black Star. The Black Star detects the failsafe spells and kills the Clerics, but is subdued and reveals the secret behind its existence and ability to give the Kadurians their "immortal" existence. Treius Clein, the creator of the parasite array, intervenes when Lith is about to kill the Black Star, and convinces the artifact to merge with him.

The cursed object and human duo shapeshift into a large red dragon. Lith, viewing the pair as the same as his father on Earth and the boy who killed Carl - people who held undeserved power and used it only to spread misery - undergoes his third world tribulation. The shadow phase begins, and the Black Star's will takes physical form as a black rain, allowing Treius and Lith to experience the Kadurians' centuries of memories. The opposite occurs as well, allowing the Shadows to finally recognize the Black Star as their enemy, and attack the artifact-human duo. Lith breathes Origin Flames for the first time and suppresses Treius using Yurial's Hexagram. Lith frees the enslaved Kadurians' souls, kills Treius with Origin Flames, and completes the failsafe spell, shattering the Black Star.

The tribulation finishes and the ruins of Kaduria become blinding lights that return to Mogar or fly into the horizon. Lith gives a doctored version of his report to Kamila before asking her out on a date in Belius. Constable Tyris Griffon gifts Lith a luxurious noble manor in the city for his service. He visits the Velorian, one of the best restaurants in the city, before preparing his evening attire for the date. The next day, Lith meets King Meron, Meron's cousin Morn Griffon, and Tyris. Morn criticizes his "hero stunt" and questions Lith's researching of Forbidden Magic using the lost cities. Lith presents his cracked life force as an excuse, and Meron gives his approval. Meron promotes Lith to Great Mage for his services. He also receives the blueprints to the Skinwalker armor as well as ingredients to make one.

Lith tells Kamila about his promotion, who is overjoyed (and mistakes her being the first person he tells as a sign of love). He returns to Lutia to give the news to his family, and learns in the process that they had known their lives were in danger since Lith first started attending the academy, but chose to live through it to let Lith have a chance at a better life. Overwhelmed by the revelation, Lith retreats to the Trawn Woods, where he encounters Jarok, one of the Master's Puppeteer Abominations who had come to retrieve the orc shaman's crystal. Jarok accidentally mentions Lith's family, and Lith brutally attacks him in his Hybrid Form. Jarok casts the first Chaos Magic spell Lith and Solus have ever seen, but Lith manages to kill the Abomination. Lith returns to his family and tells them about Kamila, though Elina and Rena disapprove of her being too old (as 16 is the marrying age on Mogar and she is 26 years old).

### City of Othre

Lith seeks Tista's advice about Kamila and the Camellia, a gift he Forgemastered for the date. The second date goes well, with Lith "performing" guitar using air magic. His actions lead Kamila to understand and appreciate how seriously he's pursuing her. The two undergo several hours of "recreational activities" at Kamila's apartment. They officially begin dating shortly before Lith's 17th birthday. Lith gifts her the Camellia (though doesn't reveal its name) before making his way to the city of Othre.

There, he meets his liaison with the Mage Association Dorian Felhorn who attempts to enlist his help to boost the Association's dwindling reputation, but Lith refuses. Later, Lith witnesses a homeless woman robbing shops, who has a vortex in her red mana core wildly absorbing world energy. He attempts to subdue the made mage with Spirit Magic, but the vortex absorbs his mana and she dies from mana poisoning. Lith then learns from Kamila that he is to be put under the Mage Association's command at Commander Berion's order. He makes his way to the local Association branch where Dorian, under Association Chairman Archmage Kwart's orders, manipulates Lith into helping by revealing they recruited Tista along with Professor Manohar. Not expecting Lith to accept the Association's request, Berion forces Kamila to choose between her career and Lith by having her convince Lith to stay.

Dorian explains the made mage situation and the mysterious blue pillar phenomenon that sucks its victims dry of their mana, and Lith and Manohar deduce that Forbidden Magic is being used. Tista, Manohar, Lith, and Constable Jirni make their way to interrogate Baroness Izra, learning of a secret ring of nobles that indulge in illegal activities. They encounter another made mage, whose vortex Manohar manages to separate and store for future study. The three Healers are studying the specimen when it grows into a meat puppet and its eyes start to glow blue, indicating a puppeteer (Thrud Griffon). The meat puppet knocks Manohar out and consumes the Association guards. Lith fends off the Carpenter while Tista heals Manohar, when it is suddenly enveloped in a blue pillar of light that sucks its mana dry.

Kamila analyzes data from Othre's records, identifying a money trail left by Count Arik Xolver. They make their way to an old temple of Xhal, the god of healing before Silverwing's legacy was released to the world. The group adopts various disguises, learning that people mostly under 30 years of age have been disappearing, with some returning with blue eyes. Lith, Tista, and Manohar notice a large amount of people with weak vortexes in their mana cores. Jirni decides to enlist the ruler of Othre Marquis Lanza's daughter Mynna Lanza for help. They organize a masked gala, inviting all the possible noble suspects (most of whom are made mages). Count Xolver, who Lith notices has a blood core in addition to his mana core, tries to steal Kamila away from Lith, but fails. He attempts to overpower Lith when Xolver's master Kaelan, a Vampire and high ranking member of the Night Court, intervenes. After a brief confrontation Kaelan backs down and brings Xolver away.

Thrud activates the meat puppet nobles at the gala, causing chaos. Jirni summons the army reinforcements and they manage to kill most of the Carpenters. Two fully formed Carpenters emerge; one is killed fighting Lith and Jirni while the other escapes after kidnapping Manohar and Mynna. Having lost their lead, Lith turns to Kalla, who gives her hypothesis about the culprit as someone doing research to achieve perfect immortality like Arthan Griffon had, and tells him about the Undead Courts. Lith decides to visit the Dawn Court using Kalla's introduction letter. Queen Sylpha, though reluctant to send him to the Dawn Court, order him to do everything he can to find Manohar once they hear of Arthan's name. Lith is forced to leave Solus behind with Tista to prevent anyone from the Court detecting her, severing their bond for the first time since Nalear.

He meets Caspen and his master Duchess Sylla Ekna, who arrange a meeting with the Night Court, presided over by Lich King Inxialot Nagaar. Kaelan is present as an emissary of the Night Court, and attempts to swindle Lith of the Crown's treasures while backing him into a corner. Inxialot proposes a Foul Moon combat trial between Lith and Count Xolver which Lith accepts, but Xolver requests a champion fight in his place to Inxialot's disgust. Lith faces one of Kaelan's blood spawns named Zarran, and kills him swiftly. Inxialot executes Xolver while forcing Kaelan to provide the information, though at that moment Manohar conjures a giant hologram of himself in the sky. Kaelan reveals the culprit to be Thrud Griffon, Mad King Arthan Griffon's daughter, before Inxialot Warps everyone back to the city.

Lith recognizes the runes on an altar at the old Xhal temple as the same ones used by the Dawn Court for their Warping array, realizing it leads to Thrud's hideout. As the only one able to operate the runes, Lith is summoned to be part of the Spellbreaker operation to rescue Manohar along with Jirni, Captain Kilian Aluria and Professor Zogar Vastor. Lith demonstrates his holograms to help Kilian activate the array, to the others' surprise. They make their way through the hideout that is built on top of a mana geyser, coming across the missing people. Kilian and Vastor demonstrate their Warden and Forgemastering expertise in disabling the arrays as they proceed. After reaching Manohar however, Thrud traps and Warps them into her throne room protected by a giant protective array. Solus discovers that Thrud has a rainbow core.

The group is nearly outmatched, granted a brief respite when Kilian disables the barrier, enabling short-range Blinks. Thrud's prowess and use of the Sword of Arthan nearly overwhelm them. She makes an offer to Manohar to become her King, but he vehemently refuses. Thrud proceeds to critically wound Kilian and Vastor, though Lith is able to take up the battle by refreshing himself with the mana geyser.

Lith wears down her Arthan's Armor's protections with Origin Flames. Manohar manages to disable the protections on her armor using the Clean Slate spell and uses the last of his energy to save Kilian and Vastor as the barrier is finally broken, and dozens of Spellbreaker reinforcements arrive. Thrud escapes, detonating the remaining Carpenters and destabilizing the surrounding space and dimensional spells which causes a massive explosion that wipes out any trace of her.

The party is Warped back to Othre. Lith approaches Manohar, showing him his holograms and asking him to teach him how to make hard-light constructs, though the Professor refuses and says Lith will find the answers on his own. Lith reports to the Royals and asks for tomes on souls and reincarnation as compensation. Granted a week of vacation, he brings Kamila to Derios, the capital of the Distar Marquisate. She asks Lith to consider if a relationship with her is worth it, and Lith reassures her that it is, before engaging in a night of recreational activities. Solus gains the ability to Warp her Tower Form between any mana geysers she had previously visited, allowing them to travel from the north and south regions of the Kingdom without detection. Lith discovers Solus is also a hybrid with a human life force in addition to the tower life force, and that her wisp form is likely an embryo of her humanoid light form.

Months pass with Lith finishing his first round of the Kellar Region. Having been badgered by his family to meet Kamila, Lith finally gives in and organizes a family lunch for his 17th birthday. The meeting is awkward at first but the tension is quickly broken by the children's arrival. Lith kisses Kamila in front of the family to their delight, and she gets accustomed to the family during dinner. The evening is interrupted by a report of an emergency in the Lost City of Kogaluga.

## References

1. ↑ Chapter 345: Abyss (Part 1)
2. ↑ Chapter 349: Conundrum (Part 1)
3. ↑ Chapter 354: Holy Crystal (Part 2)
4. ↑ Chapter 360: The Master (Part 2)
5. ↑ Chapter 364: Brotherly Loathing (Part 2)
6. ↑ Chapter 368: Transplant (Part 2)
7. ↑ Chapter 372: Twin Melodies (Part 2)
8. ↑ Chapter 375: The Village (Part 1)
9. ↑ Chapter 381: Kaduria (Part 1)
10. ↑ Chapter 386: Scorn (Part 2)
11. ↑ Chapter 388: Lady Luck (Part 2)
12. ↑ Chapter 397: Team Battle (Part 1)
13. ↑ Chapter 402: Leave (Part 2)
14. ↑ Chapter 407: Puzzled (Part 1)
15. ↑ Chapter 410: The Idiot (Part 2)
16. ↑ Chapter 597: Overpowered (Part 1)
17. ↑ Chapter 415: Agenda (Part 1)
18. ↑ Chapter 420: Date (Part 2)
19. ↑ Chapter 427: Duplicity (Part 1)
20. ↑ Chapter 433: Specimen (Part 1)
21. ↑ Chapter 439: Blue Pillars (Part 1)
22. ↑ Chapter 442: Search (Part 2)
23. ↑ Chapter 445: Courts (Part 1)
24. ↑ Chapter 453: Help Request (Part 1)
25. ↑ Chapter 457: Rituals (Part 1)
26. ↑ Chapter 462: Foul Moon (Part 4)
27. ↑ Chapter 467: Pointless Struggle (Part 1)
28. ↑ Chapter 469: Royal Pains (Part 1)
29. ↑ Chapter 477: Night's End (Part 1)
30. ↑ Chapter 479: Night's Aftermath (Part 1)
31. ↑ Chapter 483: Meet the Parents (Part 1)
32. ↑ Chapter 486: Meet the Parents (Part 4)