Lith looked at her, but he couldn’t see anything wrong. She was 1.54 ters (5’1") high with long gold hair tied back in a braid. She was quite cute, especially since her diminutive stature emphasized her bosom.
Lith was wondering why he had no recollection of her, when Brina took off the long glove covering her right hand. Her arm had a long burn scar up to the elbow, while the hand was unnaturally thin. It had only the thumb and the index finger.
The scar tissue was bright red and swollen. Its jagged surface made it look like a sponge had grown under her skin.
"She had an accident with the oven when she was little. They had to amputate most of her fingers and even if Nana managed to save the hand, the scar causes her a lot of pain whenever it gets cold. We prepare an ointnt for her, but it’s not enough.
This year she will take part in the Spring festival..."
"I won’t!" Brina angrily whispered cutting her short. "I’m damaged goods. I’m tired of people staring at
with pity just like..." The "your brother" part died in her mouth.
Lith was rely looking at the arm like it was a broken chair, assessing the damages with Invigoration.
Brina hadn’t noticed his touch because the arm lacked any sensitivity.
"I can fix it. For a price, of course."
"The cold issue?" Tista asked full of hope.
"No, I an the scar, the fingers. Everything." Seeing their disbelief, Lith placed his index finger on Brina’s elbow, casting a short spell that restored an inch of skin.
"Nana can’t perform tier four light spells, but I can." His voice was cold and professional.
"The procedure is expensive. If you are interested, talk to whoever manages the finances in your family and then let
know. I’ll be available until spring."
Tista opened her mouth to say sothing, but remained silent. Everything had happened so fast that Brina wasn’t able to move or speak. She stared for a while at the pale new skin, before leaving in a hurry after noticing the kids staring at her, pointing their fingers at her still exposed arm.
An hour later Nana finally returned and the queue was reduced to four people.
"Excellent work, kids." Nana said after checking the inco.
"I can handle the rest. You go ho and have a nice al."
Lith could have opened a Warp Steps, but judging by how Tista was looking at him, she clearly had sothing to say. So, he kept the surprise for another ti and they walked ho instead.
"How can you think about money when you can help soone in need?" She finally said once they got out of the village.
"Do you have any idea what she went through all her life? She gets out of the house only during fall and winter, she never had a boyfriend, she..."
"Had it much easier than you." Lith’s voice was indifferent.
"She has been well fed and dressed all of her life. Her parents have a nice house and can afford the treatnt. End of the story."
Tista was stunned.
"Yes, but I got cured and she didn’t. A healer’s job..." She replied after a few seconds, only to get cut short once again.
"It’s a job like any other. Light magic it’s not so kind of holy power, it’s just a an to an end. Does the baker give bread and pastries away for free to those in need? No. Did anyone ever help us when we were starving? No.
When you were ill, did her father care for your condition? No. Then give
one good reason why I should work for free."
Tista remained silent for a few minutes until they arrived halfway towards ho.
"So, what are your limits now?" She asked.
"Brother sister confidentiality?"
Tista nodded.
"As long there is a breath of life, I can save anyone. I can now regrow organs, limbs, anything. My only limitation is that I can’t repair sothing that was missing from the start. I can give back the sight to soone that has lost an eye, but not to soone born blind."
Tista seed incredibly happy at his words, making Lith worried.
"Are you unwell or there is soone else you want
to heal?" He sighed.
"No, everything is fine." She giggled.
"It’s just that Lutia is a small village in the middle of nowhere. After hearing your stories and seeing you at work today, I’m wondering if I should try to get into an academy too."
Lith shuddered at the thought.
’I have always avoided ntioning the nastiest details of the academy, I can’t see Tista not getting scarred for life by all those jerks. Not to ntion that if she manages to graduate too, our family would be recognized as a new magical bloodline.
’It would cause us a lot of troubles. If she really wants to step up her skills, then I can’t shield her from the truth anymore. The princess has to beco a warrior, or the world will eat her alive.’
Before going back ho, Lith went to Selia’s house. According to Solus, she was supposed to have left together with Ryman, but he wanted to make sure the huntress didn’t need help.
The door and the windows were locked. Lith used Life Vision, discovering that there was no one inside.
’One less person to worry about.’ He shrugged. Nana was at the end of her rope and the huntress was gone, probably for good. Lith felt a sting in his heart, but he preferred to focus on those he had left.
His parents were really happy to have him ho earlier and during lunch, they wanted to know everything about his last days of the academy. Lith didn’t tell them about the vision, but for Tista’s sake, he shared with them all the aggressions and sabotage attempts he endured.
"So much violence just for a grade?" Raaz couldn’t believe his ears.
Lith explained to them how fierce was the everyday life at the White Griffon.
"Nobles take success for granted and don’t like being overshadowed by commoners. They consider it as a personal insult. Commoners mostly work their ass*s off, but since the academy it’s the only way out of poverty, they are ruthless too. It’s easier to et a dragon than to find an honest friend."
After many questions about the academy and as many reproaches for the things he had omitted in the past, Lith finally could tell them about the rankings. Elina and Tista cried with joy at his achievents, while Raaz simply hugged him.
"I’m so proud of you, son. I don’t know what I did to deserve such a good kid."
Lith was happy too. Their joy was the first piece of good news in months.
"We should share the good news with Rena!" Elina stood up, walking toward the door.
"You stay here. I’ll go get her." Lith said while opening a Warp Steps.
Elina was about to argue when the dinsional rift opened in their dining room right outside of Rena’s house in the village. The mouths of the mbers of Lith’s family fell to the ground for the surprise.
When less than a minute later the Gate reopened, they were still awestruck and so was Rena. Lith had to princess carry her through the Warp Steps. They could hear many scared murmurs coming from the village.
"Ah! Suck it, you bastards!" The voice of Zekell, Rena’s father-in-law roared.
"I’m the only one with a god in the family!"
"What a classy, humble man." Lith sneered as soon as the Gate closed behind him.
After much stuttering and many questions about Warp Steps, Lith finally brought Rena up to speed. She was overjoyed by so many good news and so was the rest of the family.
Again. Lith couldn’t understand why they were so excited about sothing they already knew.
"It’s incredible! Mom, this ans you can visit
whenever you want, even during winter!" Rena’s words left Lith speechless.
"Indeed. Now we can go to the village regardless of the weather. Oh, gods. Freshly baked bread during winter is a dream co true!"
Suddenly the conversation degenerated into how to better exploit Lith’s new ability. More than once he wanted to point out that he wasn’t a cab, but there was no such word on Mogar.
After everyone had decided what they wanted to use Lith’s powers for during the winter, Tista pulled Elina aside. They whispered among them for a while and even with his enhanced hearing, Lith was unable to understand what they were saying.
Rena was bombarding him with questions about the places he had access to, how many people he could move at once.
When they returned, she wasn’t done yet.
"Big sis, co here please." Tista pulled Rena aside, pushing the index finger against her own lips.
"Lith, dear, please have a seat."
Elina had a serious expression, making him inwardly fear to be about to get scolded again.
’I told them so little and I am already getting my a*s kicked. I was right working on a "need to know" basis with them.’ He thought.
"Would you like to have another sibling?"
Her words made Lith’s brain freeze. His hands clenched the armrests so hard that only the fear to reveal his strength too made him snap out of it when the wood started cracking ominously.
’Is this a trick question?’ He thought. ’After Orpal and Trion, I don’t feel safe rolling the dice again. Sadly, it’s not sothing up for
to decide. Damn if I hate rhetorical questions.’
"Sure, mom." He actually replied while hoping that his face matched his happy tone.
"Are you pregnant already or is it sothing you are planning ahead?"
His words made the mood in the room turn heavy. Everyone was looking at the floor with a sad expression. Elina was squeezing her own hands, taking deep breaths to calm down.
"Have you ever wondered why we didn’t have any more children?" Raaz said while hugging his wife from behind to comfort her.
"Yes. I thought that since we had so many problems with food and money already, you used so spell to prevent further..." Lith was about to say "issues
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