Seed of Change (Part 2) All elvish castes were excited at the idea of seeing the outside world once again but only the lower-class citizens treasured fake magic dearly.

It made them from helpless civilians into powerful mages so they devoted their attention to the study of magic beyond their usual focus span.

The idea of going to Jiera and the risk of death put their usual carefree and procrastinating mentality on the back burner.

Also, as a sign of good faith, after Setraliie had sworn its allegiance to the Kingdom, the Royals had also shared with them a few tomes about tier four and five modern magic.

The elvish mages had been surprised by the gift and shocked by its content.

With a single move, the Queen had shown the still-resentful elves trust and how much they lagged behind compared with the Kingdom.

The books were a small price to pay in exchange for a loyal ally.

Also, now the elves had concrete proof of how much they had to gain by working with the Kingdom, further strengthening their bond born out of mutual interests.

Faluel's lair had been picked as the send-off spot for the first batch of reinforcements because she belonged to one of the four founding pillars of the Kingdom, she was Leegaain's granddaughter, and Lith's former mentor.

She was the link between Lith and the Kingdom as much as he was the only thing connecting the allied forces between them.

Monsters, elves, and undead of the Eclipsed Lands had all been assembled under the Hydra's roof to be sent on the other side of the ocean.

It was the first and last time that the colonization forces from Garlen would receive help from Jiera's Council and Guardians.

And that solely because the situation was that desperate.

Lith stood in the middle of it all, with Elysia held in front of him inside a baby carrier strapped to his shoulders.

He had tried to get away from the child for personal affairs but the moment he crossed a certain distance, he suffered from a homing instinct.

He became nervous, constantly looking in the direction Elysia was even when he had no idea where he was.

With every passing second, he would become crankier and more aggressive until he could feel his whole body boil with blue flames.

It was then that he treated everything and everyone keeping him away from the baby as an enemy, even while visiting a friend.

The only solution he had found was to bring Elysia with him.

"Don't worry, it will get better with time." Leegaain wanted to sound reassuring but his voice was filled with pride instead.

"A Dragon's first instinct is to protect his treasure and who's more precious than this little bundle of love?" "Whatever." Lith felt ridiculous wearing a baby carrier over his Supreme Magus golden and white robe but he had no alternative.

"Let's get this over with." "With pleasure." This time it was Tyris herself opening the long distance Warp Gate to Jiera and she did it without even assuming her Griffon form.

Much to Lith's and Faluel's surprise, when the dimensional tunnel opened there was no draft or storm coming out of it despite the presence of Fenagar the Leviathan on the other side.

On top of that, instead of his usual banter and cocky attitude, the Lord of Discovery kept his head low like a beaten dog.

"Seriously? Did you really have to bring the baby along?" Fenagar considered Leegaain his rival, despised Salaark, and, after their last encounter, was utterly terrified of Tyris.

All three of them were there, looking at him like an overgrown fish bait.

"I did it for three reasons.

I don't trust you, I don't trust you, and I don't trust you." Lith lied through his teeth.

He did not trust the Leviathan but under normal circumstances, he would consider Leegaain's or Tyris' presence more than enough.

"Whatever.

I deserve that.

Come on, guys.

I don't have all day." Fenagar enlarged the Gate enough for one column of each different race to cross to Jiera at the same time.

"Did you hit your head or what?" Leegaain said in surprise.

"Humility is not your thing.

It never has been." "I know" The Leviathan sighed.

"Yet as any true researcher, I can't argue with solid data.

I was wrong about you, Verhen, and for that, I apologize." None of the Guardians of Garlen had ever thought to one day hear those words coming out of Fenagar's mouth.

The shock kept them from speaking for a while and their newfound respect for the Leviathan kept them from rubbing salt in his wounds.

"Care to elaborate?" Salaark asked.

"The last time we met, I called Verhen a harbinger of death and said that wherever he goes, death follows.

I was wrong about that." Fenagar turned from her to Lith.

"You, young man, are a catalyst.

"You don't change the initial stages or the final results of an event.

What you do is to create a new path, a different way to do things that otherwise wouldn't take place.

Your presence makes the cogs of change move faster and, sometimes, the only grease that can allow it is the blood of those who try to preserve the status quo.

"You've rarely been the primary cause or the final solution to a problem, but you've always been in a key position to alter the course of history, shifting the balance in one direction or another.

"What I'm trying to say is that you are a seed of change.

Like Salaark here would tell you, sometimes to make new life thrive you must first get rid of the old one.

You are an interesting fellow, Lith Verhen, and I'm eager to see what changes your return to Jiera will bring." After Fenagar finished saying his piece, he moved away from the Warp Gate, making space for the columns of monsters, elves, and undead to pass before Lith could ask him any question.

"What does he mean, my return to Jiera?" Lith asked everyone and no one.

"I have no reason or interest to go there." "Beats me." Leegaain said and Salaark nodded.

"I'm no fortune teller.

My best guess is that the frilly lizard knows something we don't from the other side." Even Feela and Faluel couldn't help him making sense of those words.

Lith was still pondering them and letting Elysia suck/bite his finger when a familiar figure patted his shoulder to draw his attention.

"I have no idea either, but sure I'd like to have a bit of help." Vladion Dragonborn, Firstborn Vampire and ruler of the city of Lightkeep said.

"Jiera is mostly empty and you could use a training ground to put your bloodline abilities to the test.

"There are more monsters than you can count so you wouldn't have to hold back or worry about collateral damage.

On top of that, I seem to remember that you have a knack for destroying lost cities.

Maybe that's what Fenagar meant.

"If I were Jiera's Council, you would be my to-go guy." "Thanks, Vladion, but what are you doing here?" Lith had let the Vampire talk because he had hoped to receive an explanation for Vladion's presence, but his interpretation of Fenagar's words would do.