Chapter 3969: Ominous Prophecy (Part 2)

"Resume the story and your explanation, sweetie." Menadion said.

A wave of Solus’ hand and the sand castle reappeared, along with all the puppets still in the same spot as when she had banished them a few seconds ago.

"As I was saying, the friends I’ve retained from my old life are either people like Aunt Loka and Malyshka, who wouldn’t have abandoned me even if I turned into a crazy Lich, or those who stuck around long enough to see Elphyn the party girl become Elphyn the super competitive workaholic.

"I’m not proud of either of them, but at least Elphyn the workaholic was a respectable person. She was still mean and narrow-minded, but at least she put her energy into something more meaningful than short-term pleasure." Solus blushed at the recollection of her past-self stunts.

"I understand that for the current you Elphyn’s actions are questionable, but she was a good person." Menadion replied. "Maybe a few people questioned her judgment, but no one ever doubted her character."

"No one ever doubted her talent and potential as your daughter and only heir, you mean." Solus snorted, double-checking the Hush zone around the toddlers. "My character was weighed, measured, and found wanting.

"Otherwise, at least one person would have questioned your story about Elphyn getting her head straight after ’getting pregnant’ out of wedlock. Instead, all the most ancient and wise creatures of Mogar who have met the old me didn’t doubt for a second that I could have been so reckless."

Menadion cleared her throat in embarrassment, but said nothing, knowing that Solus was right.

’I’d better not tell Epphy that everyone believed me so easily about the hidden pregnancy because it was an ongoing rumor back when we were still alive.’ She thought.

As the two women talked, the battle between the puppets became more and more frantic. The knight’s armor was damaged and his sword cracked, while the Dragon had lost a few scales and his castle was badly damaged.

"What pains me the most, however, is the comparison between the three Elphyn I know." Solus said.

"Three?" Menadion asked, putting Surin down now that she was asleep again.

"Baby Elphyn was a sweet, curious, and loving child." Solus felt weird talking so highly about herself.

Yet as she looked at Elysia, she could see the baby girl growing into such a person. Her heart swelled with motherly pride and a warm smile appeared on her face.

"Her heart was pure and full of joy. Her love for magic, you, and Dad gave her the potential to become not only a Forgemaster as good as you, Mom, but also a good person who would have changed Mogar for the better.

"Dad’s death, however, broke her heart and filled it with poison." Solus sighed, her expression turning sour. "Elphyn the workaholic was an improvement on Elphyn the party girl, but they were still the same person.

"The same broken person full of grief who kept running away from her pain because she didn’t know how to face it." The Dragon puppet roared, blocking the knight’s death blow with his tail and countering it with sand flames.

"I don’t like it when you call me with my old name because I’m afraid of turning into that person again, Mom." Solus said as the puppet knight crumbled and the children cheered. "I never overcame my grief, Mom. I never learned my lesson.

"I just lost my memory. I forgot about my pain and got a fresh start. Whenever you call me Elphyn, I’m forced to face how hypocritical my words back when I criticized Lith for his cynicism were.

"I gave him plenty of speeches about forgiveness, yet I never forgave my own mother. I told him that he should accept death and treasure every moment he spends with those he loves, yet I did the exact opposite.

"I carried the grief from Dad’s death until the day Bytra stabbed me and squandered almost twenty years of our life together, Mom. I pushed you away so much that you became a stranger to me.

"I buried myself in work so much that I have no memory of anything else as an adult." Solus’ eyes became veiled with tears and her voice cracked, yet the children giggled. While the Dragon repaired his castle, a girl in a mage robe who looked like Solus offered to help him.

The two puppets fixed the damage in a heartbeat and then disappeared inside the castle. Shortly after, the castle keep became a scaled-down replica of the Starforge tower.

"Whenever you call me Elphyn, Mom, I can’t help but worry about what would become of me if I lose another person I love. The name Elphyn reminds me that I’m back to being my optimistic child-self, but only because I’ve been blessed with a great second life.

"I have lost a lot of people so far, but Mirim, Trequill, Nana, and Yurial were Lith’s friends, not mine. I knew them solely through him, which helped me to remain emotionally detached from their deaths. Phloria, well, I loved her, but..."

"You considered her more as a rival than a friend." Menadion read her daughter’s hesitation in completing the phrase and did it for her.

Solus blushed and nodded, without interrupting the flow of the story.

The double doors of the sand castle opened, and the Dragon walked out while singing a happy song. Right behind him came the mage girl, singing along but with a feminine voice.

After her came three chirping whelps, two of them resembling Elysia and Valeron the Second.

"Do you now understand why I don’t like being called Elphyn, Mom?" Solus said as the babies squealed and clapped their hands in joy.

"Yes, sweetie." Menadion nodded. "You love your old name, but you are scared of the weight it carries. And the more precious people you have to lose, the more the name Elphyn sounds like an ominous prophecy."

"Exactly." Solus replied, giving a small bow to her enthusiastic audience.

"Thank you for sharing this with me, Epphy." Menadion said, taking Solus’ hands in her own. "For what it’s worth, whatever comes your way, we’ll face it together. Who knows, maybe this time we’ll both do a better job at taking care of each other."

"Thank you, Mom." Solus wiped her tears and had the puppets fly away until they disappeared on the horizon.

This way, they wouldn’t turn back into sand in front of the children and would give them the impression that the happy family had just moved somewhere else to live more adventures.

"That said, I hope you don’t mind me asking you one more question." Menadion said. "Is the third whelp supposed to be Raldarak or your contribution to the family?"

"Mom, that was just a story!" Solus blushed hard and tried to change the topic. "Check if the babies are hungry or need a fresh diaper. It should be about feeding time."

"Yeah, right. Just a story." Menadion snorted but did as asked. "Wait, I got it. That was your plan since the beginning. You wanted to have at least three children-"

"Mom!" Solus snarled as she checked Dripha, cutting her mother short.

"Mama!" Dripha said with a giggle, and the two women froze in horror.

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