"Uhm, thanks." After all the time she spent alone, Solus was confused by his apparently kind behavior. Lith placed his right hand on the wisp, making her experience physical contact for the first time in months.
The wisp turned out to be solid enough to stop his hand. Solus could feel not only Lith’s warmth, but also his touch. It was the closest thing to a caress she had ever experienced, so she couldn’t help but quiver.
"Interesting. Now your wisp form is tangible and warm." Lith was amazed. He had expected his hand to go through it.
"Indeed. What were you saying?" Solus was happy with her development, but for some reason, she felt really embarrassed. Lith quickly recovered from the surprise, remembering why they were there.
"It’s easier if I show you, rather than tell."
If he was talking with anyone else, Lith would have asked her if she really meant what she said the last time they talked. Yet with Solus there was no need to. Once their minds were fused, there was no way to lie or hide even the most embarrassing thought.
That was the reason why once they had started trusting each other they had stopped doing it. Lith because after considering Solus as a person, a girl at that, there were many parts of his past he wasn’t willing to brag about.
Solus because the more her personality developed, the more she felt the need to have some personal space.
Lith clearly remembered how terrifying was his life from her point of view. Always scared of losing him in battle, to the point of sacrificing herself during the fight with the Talons, or almost degrading her own core to keep him alive when he failed to save Protector.
He remembered how much she had suffered hiding the truth from him, that she was aware of what coming clean could cause, yet when faced between her sake and Lith’s, she had always put him first, no matter the consequences.
Lith shared with her all his memories about the last weeks. Every minute, every second was unveiled. He wasn’t afraid to admit how much he cared for her, how being separated made him feel incomplete.
"Wait, this is..." Solus was shocked by the amount of information. It was the equivalent of a one sided mind fusion. Lith was showing her everything without receiving anything in return.
"Why didn’t you fuse our minds again?" She asked.
"Because I don’t want to force you again. Your lie hurt me deeply, but you are still my Solus. You are the only person I never had to lie to and I don’t want for it to change. So, I’m doing something that I usually don’t.
"I’m showing myself vulnerable.
"I understand how my behavior must be terrifying for someone forced to ride shotgun with me without never touching the wheel. I understand how Protector’s words made you feel and why you lied to me.
"I’m willing to forgive you, but you have to promise me never to do it again. I’m not perfect, so if you disagree with me, nag at me until my ears bleed, kick my ass, whatever. Just don’t act behind my back again."
Solus was so happy that the walls of the tower trembled a little. She wasn’t used to expressing herself with words anymore, so she triggered a mind fusion, sharing as much as he did, no matter how embarrassing it was or how pathetic she looked in those memories.
Lith felt Solus’s pain like she felt his own. Their lives were like two crooked towers, but as long they could lean onto each other, they would stand forever.
Lith held the wisp tight against his chest, shocked by the amount of suffering she had gone through in so little time. The raw strength of the emotions he was experiencing made Lith completely lower his guard.
It was only the second time that he had allowed it to happen, the first being when he was ready to die at the Scorpicore’s hand as long he and Solus fought side by side. Neither of them noticed the wisp going through Lith’s chest despite having achieved a physical form.
Once their minds and bodies were fused, the same happened to their mana cores. They pulsed in unison, beating at the same rhythm while tendrils of energy connected them. The two mana cores revolved around each other like twin stars.
The resonance between them made Lith’s core turn bright cyan, on the verge of turning blue, while Solus’s bright yellow core turned into a bright green one simply by absorbing the excess energy that Lith’s body usually dispersed not being able to handle it.
The tower was shaken to its foundations, rumbling noises forced them to snap out of their trance. Lith noticed that everything was different, even though he had no idea why. The walls looked sturdier, the space around him larger.
Lith could perceive the mana flow passing through the magical artifact like he could hear his own heartbeat.
The debris leading to the first floor had disappeared, just like Solus.
"What the heck? Solus, where are you?"
"Right here." Lith heard Solus’s voice coming out of his own mouth.
"That’s a gross way to put it. Are you listening to yourself?" Lith made a retching sound.
"That came out wrong. Sorry." She giggled.
"Do you have any idea about what happened?"
"None." Lith replied noticing that his left hand was moving by itself, touching his own face.
"So, this is how having a body feels. It’s amazing." Half of Lith’s face was shocked, the other had a delighted and quite feminine expression.
"Wait, you can move my body at will?"
"It seems so." She shrugged. "Want to go check the first floor? I’m curious."
"Curious? Aren’t you supposed to know what’s what as soon as your body repairs?" The situation was becoming odder by the second.
"Normally yes, but nothing is normal now. I think that us merging is an anomaly of sorts, temporarily boosting my strength. I have no clue about what’s upstairs like I don’t know how we fused."
"I hope you are right about our condition being only momentary. It would be creepy in the long term." Lith shuddered.
"No need to be shy. I’ve seen you naked plenty of times." She mocked him.
"I know and I’m fine with it. Yet this gives a new whole meaning to the words ’touching oneself’."
Solus laughed heartily, before realizing the full meaning of his words and blush from the embarrassment.
"I would never do that!"
"I believe in your good will, but you don’t remember how having a body feels."
To prove his point, Lith took out a cream puff out of the dimensional pocket. It was still fresh as when he took it from the academy’s canteen.
"Stop after one bite."
Solus sniffed the pastry, its sweet smell was intoxicating.
She took a bite and then another, until there was nothing left.
"Sorry, but it was too good. We ate them in the past, but sharing your senses is like the trial version of the real deal." She said apologetically.
Lith sighed, climbing the stairs leading to the first floor.