"Waiting was no issue while our children were just children and spent their days playing around." Selia said.

"Now, however, they are Awakened children, and their magical powers have increased. They can hurt each other with Spirit Magic when they get angry, just like they can get hurt by mistake when they tussle with the Hati children.

"I’m fine not having an enchanted armor myself, but I want our kids to be safe. As long as they are protected, I don’t care who I have to beg."

Protector nodded and dropped the argument. He stared out a window, trying to understand what he could have done better and finding no answer.

"I’m sorry, but I can’t offer you Adamant. My reserves have been depleted recently." Lith stared at Tista, who swallowed hard and became suddenly fixated on the contents of her plate.

"Don’t worry, Lith. I don’t expect-"

"What can I offer you, instead, are the old Orichalcum Scalewalker armors my family just returned to me." Lith cut Selia short. "I’ll use Creation Magic to recycle the ingredients, and after upgrading the armors’ enchantments to my current skills, you and the kids won’t have to be afraid of anything."

"Thank you, Lith!" Selia jumped up from her seat and tackled Lith in a hug.

"It’s no big deal." He replied while patting her back. "When Ryman gets the materials to Forgemaster his own armors, I can get mine back and recycle them. I’m just lending them to you."

"Thanks anyway." She kissed his forehead and went back to her seat.

"I’m glad that everything is resolved." Elina said. "Also, lunch is ready."

Everyone moved to the dinner table, but Aran was the only one with his armor in battle mode. He stood out like a sore thumb and clinked whenever he moved, but no one said anything.

Aran was happy for Lith’s gift, and the rest of the family let him enjoy his moment.

"Why does this thing have no wings, big brother?" Aran asked after the main course.

"Because you have no wings, and it would be a waste of metal." Lith replied.

"But Uncle Orion’s Featherwalker armor has wings." Aran countered.

"Because that’s a battle armor." Lith shook his head. "Yours is a protective armor. You are not supposed to fight. Are we clear, young man?"

"Crystal." Aran sighed. "Can I really fly?"

"Good question." Orion nodded. "Enchantments can’t carry willpower, and I doubt you’ve crafted memory crystals for protective gear."

"I’ll teach you after lunch." Lith replied. "Now eat."

"After lunch?" Raaz swallowed hard at the idea that the delicious food would have a short stay in his stomach before going back out. "Wouldn’t it have been better to do it earlier?"

"Don’t worry and trust me, Dad." Lith gave his father the thumbs up, ending the argument.

Once they were done eating, the kids pressed Lith to go outside and fulfill his promise while the adults did everything they could to delay the flying lessons. They had tea, coffee, biscuits, and ice cream to placate the children.

"I’m ready." Rena gulped a shot of Water Dragon to add liquid courage to her own.

"Why are you so worried, dear?" Senton asked. "We’ve flown plenty of times with the DoLorean."

She would have liked to point out that if the car crashed, its enchanted barriers would protect them, whereas if they crashed, they would land on their faces. Yet there was no point in spreading her fears.

"You’re right, dear. I’m being silly." She replied.

The kids had no such worries, assuming they would soar through the sky like eagles on their first try. As for Elina and Raaz, they blindly trusted Lith.

"To activate the flight enchantments, think about floating in the air." Lith said.

Everyone closed their eyes, took a deep breath, and when they opened their eyes again, nothing had happened.

"Am I doing something wrong, or is my armor defective, Uncle?" Leria asked.

"Everything is fine." He replied. "Try to take a small step. Emphasis on small, Falco."

Talking with one of the triplets meant talking to all of them. They nodded in unison and did as instructed.

The Verhens propelled themselves in the air as if gravity had suddenly been reduced to only one-tenth of its normal intensity. Each one of them reached a different height and then slowly fell to the ground after their momentum dissipated.

"This isn’t a flight enchantment but a floating one!" Aran grunted in disappointment.

"By itself, yes, but it also ensures that no fall can hurt you guys." Lith nodded. "As Orion pointed out, enchantments can’t carry your willpower, so I had to get creative."

Once everyone learned how to keep their balance while floating in mid-air, Lith explained how to activate the second part of the enchantment. The new Scalewalker armor had what looked like exhaust ports where the wings were supposed to be.

When Aran activated the second enchantment, two streams of air magic came out of the exhaust ports, propelling him higher.

"I see!" It took him a moment to understand what he was supposed to do and a little longer to learn how to regulate the output of the air magic to balance speed and fine control of his movements.

Leria got the hang of her armor just as fast, while the rest of the Verhens had to beat their respective fears first.

"That’s a brilliant solution to allow non-mages to fly." Orion studied how the floating and air current enchantments worked and considered how to replicate them. "How did you come up with it?"

"I’m not going to lie. I took inspiration from Morok’s wings." Lith replied.

"You are welcome." The Tyrant grunted. "If you start selling that stuff or share it with the Royals as part of your Magus legacy, I want either a share of the profits or my name on it."

"Well said, son. Spoken like a true Ernas." Orion laughed.

"Thanks." Morok had a hard time not flinching.

’I don’t know what is more unsettling. Whether hearing a man calling me son or Orion being so friendly.’ He thought.

"Why should I do that?" Lith asked. "Do you think there would be a demand for that?"

"Are you kidding me?" Orion replied. "It would help move the troops much faster without the need for Warping Arrays. On mountain terrain, the soldiers could climb any surface and reach the high ground before the enemy.

"On top of that, nobles would pay their weight in gold to experience flight."

"I get the nobles, but can the Kingdom really afford to give every soldier an armor with a power core?" Lith rubbed his chin, calculating the potential profits.

"Of course not." Orion shrugged. "But it sure can make your creation tier one Forbidden Magic. Those armors are also the dream of spies and thieves. Unless a city has an air sealing array, there is no way to stop someone wearing armor like that."

"Dammit, you are right." Lith discarded his dreams for new riches and focused on the progress of the different members of his family. "Mom, Dad, you can use chore magic to balance yourself better. Rena, Senton, don’t rush it. This is no competition."

"Tell that to them!" She pointed at the triplets who were already bolting left and right like frenzied arrows.