Chapter 4577: To Get Better (Part 1)

"I’ll take that as a yes." Silverwing looked long and hard at her Mindscape reflection, taking mental note of every clue she could find about her fully developed apex form. "This is what I’m supposed to look like at rest. Let’s see what I can do when I get serious."

The First Magus slid forward one centimeter at a time, studying the changes in her mirror image’s expression. When the mirror image’s scorn turned into anger, her six elemental wings became burning jets of elemental energy.

When anger turned into fury, instead, the apex form’s snowy skin turned emerald, and jolts of Spirit Magic arched between the body and wings.

Silverwing advanced one last time, and the mirror image charged at her with the fury of a wounded beast. Her body turned into a shifting mass of emerald energy, but her shape and features remained perfectly recognizable.

The apex form became a colossal pillar of hepta-elemental energy that was an avatar of magic itself. The First Magus waited until an unknown spell of untold power was this close to turning her into mush before taking a quick step back.

The attack disappeared into nothingness, and the apex form reverted to a peaceful prismatic sphere.

"I look damn impressive, if I do say so myself." Silverwing whistled in admiration. "How is that thing called?"

"I beg your pardon?" Mogar blinked a few times inconfusion.

"I know you name Guardians and new species, but as a white core I’m disconnected from your will, and I can’t hear your voice outside the Mindscape." The First Magus cleared her throat. "So, I was wondering how you named me after my evolution."

"Oh, that." Mogar actually had given the matter no thought and had no name ready. Yet the planet was connected to billions of sentient creatures and had access to everything they did and said.

Mogar sifted through her children’s minds until she found an interesting name inside a certain Tiamat’s memory.

"You’re a Valkyrie, child." Mogar replied without missing a beat, as if she hadn’t chosen it at the last moment.

"It sounds nice, but what does that mean?" Silverwing furrowed her brow.

"Is that your second question?" The planet conjured a second sphere.

"I get it. I have to find out on my own." The First Magus sighed. "Gods, I can’t believe people still think they have a ghost of a chance against your apparitions. Fighting them means facing a version of yourself who has mastered abilities you don’t even know you possess.

"It’s nothing but an elaborate form of suicide. After all this time, I’d expect people to learn their lesson. When they have a question, they must listen to you and then look at their reflection for clues. Is that so hard to understand?"

"Said the one who took over three hundred tries to reach that conclusion and suffered such grievous wounds that she would have died two hundred and fifty-three times if not for her white core." Mogar snorted.

"Okay, it’s not easy, but nothing stopped those who figured out the trick from sharing it, correct?"

"Sure, but then why did you keep it to yourself, Lochra? You made no mention of it even with Ripha." Mogar asked back. "How can you expect others to do something you’re not willing to do yourself?"

"Gods, there’s no winning with you." The First Magus raised her hands in surrender. "Anyway, thank you for everything."

She fell on her right knee and lowered her head.

"You’ve given me much today, and I promise you I’ll do my best to return at least that much."

"We’ll see about that." Mogar shrugged. "Words are cheap and easily forgotten. Actions, instead, are loud and prove intention. Don’t tell me about your plans for the future, Lochra. Show them to me."

"I will." Silverwing stood up and gave the planet a deep bow before severing her connection with the Mindscape.

***

To avoid making things more awkward and complicated than they already were bound to be, Silverwing waited until she got used to her apex form’s enhanced abilities before going to the Verhen Mansion.

’Shapeshifting from human to Valkyrie and back is easy, but I can’t risk killing someone just by bumping into them.’ She thought. ’Luckily for me, this isn’t my first rodeo. I experienced something similar when I achieved the violet and then the white. This can’t be much harder.’

Despite all of her self-reassurances, the First Magus needed days before she could hold a rock as a Valkyrie without crushing it, and even longer to interact with twigs and blades of grass.

By the time she felt confident enough to visit Lith, the Sekhmet had already left the Mansion, and Ajatar had taken her place as a regular guest.

’Let’s try not to be a prick and start with the wrong foot like I always do.’ Mogar’s words had left a deep impression on Silverwing.

Whenever she wasn’t busy training, the First Magus rehearsed her imminent conversation with Lith and Solus or reflected on her past behavior.

"Hi, Solus. May I come for a visit? I have something to show you." She said when Solus’ hologram appeared over her communication amulet.

"It’s nice to hear from you too, Aunt Loka. I’m fine, thank you for asking. How are you?" Solus’ voice oozed sarcasm.

"I’m fine- I mean, don’t give me attitude, young lady!" The First Magus blushed in half shame and half outrage. You asked me to give you space because you don’t trust me, and that’s what I did."

"Giving me space and disappearing from my life are two different things." Solus replied. "Was it too much to give me a call from time to time? Especially after hearing about the attacks on my family or the Ghishal region?"

"No, it was not." Silverwing’s outrage disappeared, leaving only shame behind. "I’m sorry for acting like a prick, Solus. I should have been more present in your life. I have no excuse."

"Apologies accepted." Much to her surprise, the voice belonged to Lith. "Feel free to visit us at your earliest convenience. You’ll be our honored guest, Silverwing."

"Hey, I should be the judge of that!" Solus replied.

"You mean the same person who forgot about her Aunt Tessa for months?" Lith snorted. "Look, we already have the bad habit of never calling anyone unless we need something. Let’s not make it worse by adding hypocrisy to the mix."

"Lith!" Solus blushed hard. "Aunt Loka is listening to everything you’re saying. This is not a mind link!"

"That’s the idea." Lith nodded. "The first step to get better is admitting you have a problem, and that’s what Silverwing and I are doing."

"Fine." Solus pouted. "You can come, Aunt Loka. Solus out. As for you-"

"At least I’m not the one she’ll be angry at when I arrive." Silverwing said after the communication ended. "I can do this. I practiced for days for this moment. I can hold a conversation without acting like a judgmental prick."

She reached the boundaries of the Mansion’s defensive arrays and waited for someone to add her energy signature to the guest list before crossing over.

"Nice to meet you, I’m-"

"Lochra Silverwing!" Orion yelled at the top of his lungs while Jirni spat her tea into the cup.