"For that reason, each elder of the Council has to send their best disciple to take part in the exploration. We need to make sure that everything related to the secret of Awakening is removed before someone else discovers the ruins." The Hydra said.
"Okay, but why disciples? Couldn't a few of you guys go and clean everything? It seems kind of dangerous and pointless to send scrubs like me." Lith said as a shiver ran down his back at the memory of Kulah.
"We can, but we won't." Faluel shook her head. "We know that Thrud has raided at least a dozen bloodline legacies and has at least a few hundreds of disciples of all races that hate the Council's guts.
"If we assume the worst, the Mad Queen is going to Awaken them all, give them equipment, training, and enslave them. Once she makes her move, she'll have a blindly loyal army of Awakened who will fight with perfect teamwork.
"They will not question her orders, they will not let petty grudges or past arguments get in their way to victory. If the Council wants to stand a chance, we need to be as well organized and efficient as Thrud.
"That's why we are sending our disciples. The ruins will be filled with dangerous but outdated crap, giving those who never got out of their labs some real field experience. Also, you get to know each other and work together.
"It will serve as a test for your skills, judgment, and for how trustworthy you are. Once you're done, we elders will perform a second sweep and if you leave anything behind, I'll have your asses."
"Why are you so serious, master?" Friya asked. "We have never let you down."
"Because it's damn important." Faluel sighed. "The Council is testing their disciples, but mine are going to be tested twice since you are all part of my Awakened Academy project.
"I'm not only teaching Lith, but also to his apprentices so if you screw this up, I'll get it worse than any other elder." She looked them in the eyes for a while, to make them understand how serious she was.
"What do you say? Are you ready to make me proud?"
"Don't worry, Professor. It's the least I can do to pay you back for everything you've done for me." Lith gave her thumbs up and a warm smile.
"That's creepy. You never smile at voluntary work." Faluel raised an eyebrow in disbelief. "You were supposed to whine a lot, nag at me because you've barely started to use Abyssal Gaze, and then haggle for-"
"Did someone tell you about the finders keepers policy of the mission?"
"Yes." Lith sighed in embarrassment as Tista and Solus laughed at his expense while telling the others about their earlier conversation with Grandma.
"Good to know. I was afraid that you had gone insane from overwork." The Hydra said. "Salaark didn't lie to you. The members of the expedition are allowed to take for themselves the materials they find, but they have to share the knowledge that they acquire from their findings with their mentors.
"Lith, Solus, Phloria, I'm counting on you."
"Wait, what?" Friya was flabbergasted. "I'm your disciple and Harbinger candidate so why are you sending them?"
"Because Lith is stronger and more experienced than you." Faluel said. "Each elder can only send one disciple so a self-Awakened with a deep violet core is the obvious choice compared to a blue.
"Solus is one with Lith, making them a seasoned team that no one can discover. As for Phloria, she's going there as Lith's apprentice, not mine. Her performance will be used to judge if Lith can become a full-fledged member of the Council after he graduates from my academy."
"Why Phloria and not me? I've got Awakened seniority, a deep blue core, and this!" Tista shapeshifted into her Red Demon form, making Morok whistle in approval.
"Now you are literally smoking hot!" He said while pointing at the Origin Flames coming out of her wings that Tista had still trouble controlling.
"That's why not you, Tista. You broke through today, you have yet no control over your bloodline abilities, and you need time to get adjusted to your new powers. Phloria, instead, has a blue core for a month now and is capable of using it at its best.
"On top of that, this is a mission for the cream of the crop disciples. No offense, but while you spent your early years of Awakening exploring the Garlen continent, Phloria dived straight into training.
"Between her past battle experience and her mastery of the sword, she's leagues ahead of you who still lack even a weapon of choice." Faluel said.
"But-"
"Can you deny any of what I just said?" The Hydra cut her short.
"No." Tista whimpered.
'Dammit! Even if I asked for a fight to prove my worth, Phloria would whoop my ass in a jiffy. Her core is stronger, her body is stronger, and her swordplay eclipses Lith's, let alone mine. I would just embarrass myself.' She thought.
"Good. The expedition will start in a few days, right after the Council arranges the final details." Faluel said. "Lith, no lessons for you until then. Focus on your breathing technique and prepare your equipment.
"Phloria, same for you but I expect you to come here to spar against me and get used to older and heavier opponents."
"Isn't the mission supposed to be friendly?" Phloria asked.
"No, it's supposed to teach you teamwork. That means that some of the participants might not play by the rules. Also, we have no idea what kind of enemies you might encounter and humans are the lightest among the races." Faluel shook her head.
After Lith and Phloria left to start their preparations, it was Morok's turn to be Warped back home.
"Wait a second." Nalrond asked while the others prepared for their physical training lessons. "We need to talk."
"Sorry, mate. I'm flattered by your feelings, but I don't swing both ways." Morok replied.
"I don't give a damn about your preferences! I just wanted to ask for your help." The Rezar briefly explained his plan to make his life forces merge.
"Dude, you might be interested solely in my body, but you could at least offer me a drink first." The Tyrant said with a mocking grin on his face.
"Gods, this will be the most tiresome partnership ever." Nalrond whined as the bad jokes kept pouring.
***
A few days later, at dawn, Phloria and Lith were summoned at Faluel's lair to be Warped at the edges of the Kingdom and join the expedition.
Lith had actually disobeyed his mentor's orders, spending half of his time practicing Abyssal Gaze or trying to develop breathing skills and the other half helping Solus to master her other forms.
'While studying a lost civilization, the Eyes of Menadion could save us a lot of time and trouble while the Hands can deal with arrays.' Lith thought. 'If the Urgamakkans built their city above a mana geyser like Awakened do, it might give us an edge.'
'Yeah, too bad that, even though the tower keeps growing, I still lose my control interface the moment I step away from a geyser.' Solus replied with a sigh.
