“I can keep the old pseudo cores in stasis for you.” Salaark replied. “If my Featherlings find a way to use Strife’s same enchantment for your Blade Weapon, you won’t need more ingredients.

“Yet if they don’t, there is no way to preserve that kind of energy without its original vessel, and I’ll have to let them dissipate. I’m sorry.”

“It’s way more than I could ask for.” Faluel gave the Overlord a deep bow. “What’s our next move?”

“We go back to the Mansion. Ral included.” Lith said. “Feel free to join us, Grandma.”

The tower Warped back to Lutia with a new passenger, and the Verhens welcomed Lith’s return and Salaark’s arrival with deep sighs of relief. Lith was powerful, but the Guardian would respond to anyone so much as upsetting the baby with an extinction-level event.

“Okay.” Lith said after returning to the Forge and donning the Ears of Menadion. “Start by conjuring your favorite spells, Faluel. We’ll start from there.”

The procedure turned out to be slightly different from the one Lith and Solus had used for the Sage Staff. They cast the spells right after Faluel, sometimes finding them wanting or jarring.