"I scouted the area with Life Vision and…" Athung said.
"Didn't you tell me that he cloaked himself? He must have done the same for his allies." Raagu cut her short.
"I decided my timing on a whim, how could they…"
"Paranoia and preparation. Probably an agreed signal you missed. You were on his turf, after all, where a mage is at their strongest."
"Who the heck would act on his back and call? He's too young to have disciples…"
"Yet he's old enough to have friends. Kalla the Wight and Protector the Skoll are two of his known associates. If Scarlett has Awakened more beasts inside the Trawn woods, there could be even more."
"Do you have any more tests for me, master?" Athung suddenly felt naïve and stupid. She had always had all the pieces in front of her yet she had failed to put them together, whereas it seemed to be as easy as connecting dots to Raagu.
"For you? No. But I think that spectating to someone else's could help your growth as a mage." Raagu activated her Council communication amulet, pressing the rune of the Awakened human in charge of Derios.
Raagu gave him the same information Athung had received plus Athung's report about her encounter with Lith. The only thing she didn't mention was the exchange of questions and answers with her disciple.
"Listen well, Gaaron. One of my potential heirs got destroyed by this rogue Awakened, so I want you to take charge. I don't want him killed, it would set a terrible precedent and make us lose a potential Ruler of the Flames.
"We have already lost Lesalia and her legacy, we can't afford to waste more talented Forgemasters." Lesalia was the elder Awakened who Tyris had killed after her disciple had practiced forbidden magic in Zantia, demanding her legacy as weregild.
More than a century had passed without an Awakened Forgemaster worthy of the title of Ruler of the Flames. Lesalia was the next best thing and now she was dead due to her hubris.
"The only thing I want for you is to test his abilities and see if he is Council material. I don't care how you do it as long as you don't kill him. Defy this simple order and I'll have your head."
Gaaron sneered at those words, but he had to hold his poisonous retort in. He hated Raagu, but since she had called him in her role of Council representative, he was bound to show her respect.
He hated Athung even more since despite the fact that he had lived for over 300 years, Gaaron was still stuck with a bright blue core, whereas she was close to achieving it after merely 13 years of training.
'If I succeed where Raagu's precious disciple failed, I'll humiliate both of them in one fell swoop. Even better, the old bat will be forced to award me with some of her knowledge. For once lady Luck is smiling at me.' He thought while accepting the mission.
"Why didn't you tell him about what you have discovered from my report?" Athung asked after seeing a Council member being set up just like it had happened to her.
Raagu laughed in reply.
"Do you really think that my heirs are the only ones I put to the test? I gave him everything he needs and the answers are under his nose. If he can't figure them out, well, one way or another his spot in the Council will become vacant.
"A role that you could fill with honor, not like a moron whose biggest achievement is setting his own farts ablaze with first magic." Raagu returned Gaaron despise with interests.
The idea of a mage achieving his seat in the Council only due to seniority made her want to puke. There were four possible roles available for Awakened recognized by the Council.
Apprentices were those who were Awakened by a senior member or were being tutored by them. Apprentices had personal rights but no voice in any of the Council matters and were considered just extensions of their masters.
Vagrant Awakened, like Athung, were released from their masters and considered independent beings, but had no territory of their own. They could only express their opinion in the matters of their own race's Council.
Only those who also oversaw their own region, like Gaaron, were considered true members of the community and would be asked to cast their vote in all the important decisions involving Awakened, no matter their race of origin.
Ruling over a territory had a different meaning for Awakened than what usually the term implied. They wouldn't collect taxes, they wouldn't help the development of the land, nor would care for common crimes.
Their role was solely meant to enforce the laws of the Council and make sure that no Awakened practiced Forbidden Magic or threatened to expose the secrets of true magic.
It was more a matter of responsibility and glory rather than profit, but the role also had it perks. When an elder assigned them a mission, they could ask the elders for a reward in the case they succeeded.
Also, those who achieved a territory would receive the help of the Council to set up their new house and labs, which meant having access to unlimited resources and state of the art equipment.
Lastly, there were the elders, like Raagu. Awakened mages who not only had a territory, but also who were recognized by their own community as leading figures in the field of magic.
Young or rogue Awakened would do anything to earn their favors. Becoming an elder's apprentice, no matter if one aimed to become the heir of their magical legacy or not, meant to gain access to the most powerful magic known to any race.
"Are you really doing all of this for me?" Athung asked, surprised by her mentor's ruthless form of kindness.
"No, I'm doing this for our race. Awakened have become complacent to the point that instead of using our long life to aim for something great, they are simply going through the motion and becoming obsolete." Raagu replied.
"If you are to become my heir, you have to learn that there are only two kinds of people in this world. People like this Verhen, that due to talent, hard work, or both have achieved something.
"If properly groomed, they can become a means to our ends and help our community to grow as a whole. Then, there are people like Gaaron. Arrogant fools that after doing the bare minimum become so blinded by their pride to stop trying to improve themselves.
"They are tools, and as such,they have to be treated. They must be replaced with a more useful tool as soon as it presents itself."
***
The following day, Lith's mage tower
As soon as Kamila had left for work, Lith had contacted Solus for her to pick him up at the nearest mana geyser, to get back to working on Runesmithing.
"How did things go with Kamila yesterday?" Solus asked.
"Very good, thanks. I told her that I want her to meet Protector and we even set up a date for the visit. Damn, my stomach is churning just at the idea." Lith replied while taking the ring that the fungal creature had gifted him after Lith had freed it from the slave enchantment out of his pocket dimension.
