Supreme Magus novel Chapter 2267

'Not really.' Solus replied. 'That Dragon had no idea that you are wearing a mage tower filled with the spells from the Heart ready to be used. Consider that if I didn't use the Immortal Body array on you right after the impact, you would have turned into a sorry mess.'

'True. Without the mass and the power of the tower, killing a Fenrir wouldn't have been so easy either.' Lith had his stone armor disappear before it drained too much energy and compromised the tower's integrity.

"Thrud Griffon, face me if you dare!" The Tiamat roared as a burst of Void Flames from his mouth and another of Blight Flames from his wings cut through the troops rushing to defend Bima from the invader.

Each swing of his blade generated enough pressure to make houses tremble and cut apart anyone too close, no matter if soldier or civilian.

Thrud's Forgotten didn't surrender and Lith's Demons didn't stop until the last enemy was killed a few minutes later.

***

From the Throne Room in the Golden Griffon, Thrud clicked her tongue in annoyance before summoning her Generals to decide their next course of action. Phloria sat to her right while Hystar was to her left while she explained her strategy.

Everyone was stunned by her calm. The loss of three cities in the span of a few hours seemed to be of no importance to her. _{freёweɓnovel.com}

"Are you sure you don't want us to move and recapture them right away?" Iata the Sekhmet asked. "With that kind of damage, their defenses will be low and with so many casualties, we'll have the support of the citizens."

"I'm sure." Thrud nodded. "Let them dig their own grave. We'll wait for the repairs to be almost done and the people unrestful before making our move. Don't worry, it's not as bad as it seems.

"Sometimes, you have to take one step back before taking ten forward. This situation can turn into an opportunity to start the final phase of my plan if we play our cards right and the opponents fail to read our moves."

***

"What do you mean, I have to stop?" Lith snarled at General Berion through his communication amulet. "This was just the morning course. I've still more cities to take until sundown."

He was about to leave Bima and move to the closest mana geyser to recharge when he had received the order to cease the advance.

"More?" Berion turned pale in terror, his throat too parched to emit a word.

"Move, you idiot." Orion's hologram replaced the General's.

He looked as angry as Lith but he was also dejected and resigned.

"As much as I'd love to unleash you until we cut Thrud's regions asunder, you have to stop. Our forces are stretched thin throughout the occupied territories. We need to fortify our positions, secure our supply routes, and repair the damages.

"Otherwise everything you achieved today will disappear by tomorrow at this hour. Any further advance is impossible. Even if we had the troops, which we don't, Bima has no Warp Gate. Getting repair materials and reinforcements will take time. You are done for today. Go home."

"What about the Golden Griffon? What about Phloria?" Lith asked in outrage.

"As a father, you have my gratitude and your fury is my own. Thanks for what you have done for my Little Flower, Lith. I'll never forget this for as long as I live. As the General of the Army, however, I can't support you.

"This is the best way to pressure Thrud. Doing otherwise would just mean a waste of time and resources we don't have. Go home. Please."

Elina and Rena were in the children's room to make sure they didn't see or hear anything. Raaz, instead, was in the living room with the others, spectating at the images projected live by Jirni's amulet.

'Good gods, what have I done? Did I just sell my son's soul in order to get my old life back? I've never seen Lith fight like- Scratch that, I never saw him fight for real. If I didn't know that he's my son, I would be crapping my own pants.' Raaz hands kept tormenting his neck and beard in frustration.

He would have loved to fall to his knees and pray to the Great Mother for guidance but Tyris was right there in the kitchen preparing dinner. Instead of making himself ridiculous, it was better to just go and talk to her.

"Don't worry, Jirni." Zinya was there as well to keep Kamila company.

"You've seen how strong Lith is. I'm sure that he'll bring your daughter home safe and sound."

During Kamila's absence, Lady Ernas had protected Zinya just like she had been Kamila's wall once she had resumed her job as a Constable. During the months spent together at the Royal Court, Jirni and Zinya had become intimate enough to drop etiquette and speak on a first-name basis.

"The gods know if I hope you are right." Only when Orion sat by her side and took her hands between his did Jirni unclench her fists, revealing her bleeding palms.

Her husband cleaned the wounds and healed them until the nail marks disappeared. Due to her work as an Archon, Jirni kept her hands manicured but her nails were short to not bother her and her palms callous from the training.

Despite all that, she had still managed to hurt herself in stress.

Kamila sat aside, not knowing what to say.