Unlike the Golden Griffon who was always active and needed a steady flow of energy to survive, the White Griffon had enjoyed a long peace.
During that time, it had nurtured countless geniuses, taking in their mana as students first and as Professors later. They had become a part of the academy which could use their skills to fight just like they would.
While the Golden Griffon conquered and enslaved the other Griffons nurtured and protected. Like every teacher, they learned from their own students and became better for it.
Valeron knew that there might have never been an Awakened Headmaster, but he had made sure that whoever was in charge, would be like a King. The people behind the Headmaster would be the source of their strength and they all would fight as one.
“This is great news, but we are still deep in the mud!” Lith had trouble dealing with a single seven-man unit of Forgotten by himself and Vastor’s strategy had barely lessened the pressure.
The mindless Awakened were boosted by the Golden Griffon and exploited Silverwing’s spells to make up for the mass gap with the Tiamat.
To make matters worse, Lith had consumed the spells he had at the ready to deal with the Divine Beasts whereas the Forgotten could safely retreat inside the Golden Griffon the moment they needed rest.
“Hope you don’t mind a hand then!” Vladion Dragonborn Spirit Blinked inside Silverwing’s Bastion, decapitating three Forgotten at once with his Primordial Thirst blade.
“Hello, handsome.” Ilthin the Firstborn Banshee Charmed the survivors into a stupor that allowed Lith to kill them without encountering any resistance. “Did your wife ever make up her mind about that threesome?”
“What threesome and how can you be here during the day?” Lith could see with Life Vision that Baba Yaga’s Firstborns had a power above the bright violet and that sunlight didn’t bother them in the least.
“Ask your wife. As for your second answer, look up.” Ilthin replied, bringing even Thrud to a halt to look in the direction of the Banshee’s finger.
“Fuck me sideways!” Solus had no problem recognizing the Horsemen of Dawn and Dusk.
They rode upon their crystal steeds, one pristine white and the other blood red. Dawn wore a simple crystal armor and wielded a sword made from her prisms whereas Dusk wore his full Adamant set.
The Horsemen were crossing their blades, allowing their energies to flow into each other before sending them to the undead.
It wasn’t just Ilthin and Vladion to have come, but also the Firstborn Ghoul, Wendigo, and Mage Slayer.
“Sit down, you cat!” Vladion hurled a jet stream of blood-red Origin Flames that along with the silver lightning crackling all over his body took Iata by surprise.
“Hi, Solus!” Dawn took off her helm and under the waterfall of raven-black hair, there was Nyka’s face. “I couldn’t leave you alone again. Not after what these fuckers did to your friend Phloria. Dusk!”
“On it!” The Red Sun unleashed a burst of Life Maelstrom that empowered both Solus and Bytra.
“Thanks, Nyka!” Bytra bolted forward with unbelievable speed, bringing Solus away to the rescue of several Council elders.
“Wait, where’s Tista?” Nyka asked.
The Red Demon had been swept away by another seven-man unit of Forgotten that had exploited a moment of distraction while Vastor was talking with Marth for a sneak attack.
Phloria had revealed to Thrud that Tista owned the Mouth of Menadion and the Mad Queen had put Tista among her priority targets right next to Faluel. Yet while the Hydra had a bright violet core and the mass of a 20 meters (66′) tall Emperor Beast, Tista was just a bright blue-cored Awakened.
Her Cursed Flames had bought her some time but her defeat was written in stone. Even with the Mouth casting the best tier five Spirit Spells at her disposal, Tista was still no match for seven violet-cored Awakened who had flawless teamwork.
“We meet again, kid.” Headmistress Linnea couldn’t wait to make up for their previous humiliating encounter. “This time there are no Demons to help you and your brother is very busy. I made sure of it!”
Linnea had no doubt that Thrud would win, but she wanted to get her hands on the Mouth first, just to be safe. This way, even in the worst case scenario, she would walk away with a priceless artifact and the secret of Awakening as a retirement bonus.
“Seven against one? You are a coward!” Tista Spirit Blinked, gaining but one moment of respite.
“Honor is for the living. The dead are just dead. You have no use for it.” The Headmistress burst into laughter.
“I couldn’t have said it better.” A silver-clad figure protected Tista with a hard-light construct while striking at the Bastion with his sword.
Linnea paid no heed to him and that was her first mistake.
The eight mana crystals aligned along either side of the fuller lit with power, turning the defensive barrier into a pinball that went crashing against the nearby units, disrupting their formation.
“Come on, kid. That attack worked because I took her by surprise but we can’t win by ourselves. Where are your allies?” He asked.
“That way, mister…”
“I’m no one. Call me however you like.” The silver-clad man shook his head.
“Wow, whiny much?” Tista rose an eyebrow in mockery. “Brooding is overrated and far from sexy. Let’s go, Whiny.”
Zepho Acala, Dawn’s ex-host smiled at his new and unflattering call sign. It wasn’t the first time that someone hadn’t taken him seriously or forgotten to thank him, but he didn’t mind it.
He had spent a lot of time in the Empire, drowning in self-pity while replaying Dawn’s parting words in his mind over and over again. It had taken Acala days to really listen to them and weeks to understand their meaning.
The Bright Day had left him not because she had found him wanting but because their bond had reached a point where her presence hindered Acala’s growth instead of nurturing it.
The former Ranger of the Kellar region had always been a petty man whose ego far surpassed his real capabilities. He was an excellent soldier and a powerful mage but his ambitions demanded far more than he could reach.
After fusing with Dawn, he had become her slave until she stopped manipulating him and turned him into her partner. The problem was that after witnessing her genius, seeing what a really talented mage could achieve, he had gone from one extreme to the other.
He had relinquished his thirst for glory and recognition, relegating himself to the role of Dawn’s plus one. Whatever she taught him and the marvels they shared made him feel insignificant instead of furthering his personal growth.
Acala had spent the last few years of his life following Dawn like a dog, never asking a question or raising an objection.
‘Dawn abandoned me because of my ego. Everything we achieved I considered solely her doing whereas I pinned our failures on myself. Our relationship started toxic but I’m the one who let it fester.’ Acala thought.
‘Had she not left me, I would still be waiting for my problems to magically disappear.’
