Supreme Magus novel Chapter 500

Lith was right about the wargs learning enough earth magic to create a den wherever they liked, but he was wrong about everything else. The voice in their heads was getting stronger with each new member added to their pack and pushed them to practice first magic relentlessly.

It left them enough time to hunt but none to care about their security. This pack bore pieces of Tezka, one of the Master’s chosen. He had been a powerful Awakened when he was still a Xogh (Fox-type magical beast).

Even though he had yet to regain any sense of self, his habits were so deeply engrained in his personality that they influenced his hosts. All of their new knowledge, feelings, and tactics came from him.

In a way, their relationship was a twisted version of that between Solus and Lith.

’At least mana sense and Life Vision make it almost impossible to take me by surprise.’ He thought as he floated along the ample stone corridors. Even his array detecting spell hadn’t picked up anything, which reassured him about his enemies’ abilities.

Inactive arrays were among the few things that their mystical senses were unable to perceive and one of the reasons Lith never underestimated Warden magic. The tunnels had been created with a defensible layout.

There were several turns at uneven intervals. After each one of them, the tunnels would change in width, height, or direction so that a group of rushing invaders would get stuck, slam their heads against the ceiling or run into a wall.

Lith was once again surprised when he realized that whoever had planned the den knew exactly how deep it had to be to escape Life Vision’s detection.

’How can an Awakened one be so crazy as to mentor a tribe of monsters?’ Solus couldn’t find any other explanation for what they were witnessing.

’We’ll ask them before we kill them.’ Lith was simply joking. There was no way he would waste time talking if another Awakened was really involved.

The tunnel led them to a huge cave. It was a wide circular space with a diameter of about 100 meters (328 feet). Lith counted at least fifty pack members, most of whom were adults or close to maturity.

Aside from the mothers with small cubs, the others were divided into groups of six and were practicing Silverwing’s Hexagram in a way that would’ve impossible for a loner like Lith.

’What the heck? Each warg is in charge of a single element, so that by keeping the array active they can not only train the element they are least proficient with, but also every other element at once simply by feeling and harmonizing with the mana flow.

’If I ever have one or more disciples, this can be a great teaching method.’

Lith studied them for a while as he planned his next move. He noticed that Silverwing’s Hexagram allowed the wargs to switch the element under their control at will, further improving their training.

He cursed whoever created that method and took action. The cave was an open space which offered him no cover while he moved, yet Lith still had an opportunity for a surprise attack.

Those working on the arrays were too focused and while he studied their technique, the mothers had fallen asleep.

Lith used Invigoration to get back to his peak condition. Then, he prepared a new set of spells based on the most likely situation he expected to face. A Hush spell appeared around the nearest group, enveloping them in a shroud of silence.

The wargs were so focused that they didn’t even notice Lith’s tier three Full Moon spell create a circular spinning air blade which decapitated them all at once. The air dome surrounding them prevented any noise, blood, or even its smell from escaping Hush’s boundaries.