Faluel didn’t trust the Eldritches enough to share with them the knowledge she gained from the secret Tyrant’s bloodline legacy, but she could use it along with her expertise as a skilled Forgemaster to give tips and hints to Bytra.
‘I hate to admit it, but even with my mother’s help grasping the technology devised by generations of Tyrants on our own would take too long.’ The Hydra thought. ‘If I can’t get to have the Harmonizers mass-produced by the time the situation in Jiera stabilizes, the monsters and the Council will go to war.
‘On top of that, I need the resources of the Council to Forgemaster enough Harmonizers for everyone. Without its help, I would end up squandering my own bloodline legacy.’
Truth be told, Fyrwal had agreed to help her daughter only because her studies on Ufyl’s life force had come to a dead end. He was the only Hydra to have ever evolved into a Dragon, even though only thanks to the Ambrosia and Thrud’s Madness.
Faluel’s mother wasn’t as desperate as Glemos about becoming a Divine Beast but her curiosity was piqued and the Harmonizer might turn out to be the solution to her problem.
“While everyone else will stumble and fall in the search of a way to further their evolution, we will progress smoothly.” Fyrwal said. “Ufyl’s life force is the perfect mold for our endeavor.
“He’s not like the Balors who evolved millennia ago, fell, and then artificially evolved into Fomors. Ufyl was a Hydra until less than a year ago and Forbidden Magic unlocked the path that our species is supposed to follow.
“Unlike the Tyrant’s bloodline who forged new species by force, Thrud simply unlocked our potential and Ufyl’s life force is stable. We just need to devise a Body Sculpting spell that changes our nature into that of Seven Headed Dragons and then study how the Harmonizer enforces the process.
“Once every Hydra knows the starting point and their destination, success will be just a matter of time.”
Faluel was scared at the idea that changing her life force so drastically might also alter her personality, but the prospect of gaining Origin Flames and Dragon Eyes like Ufyl was just too tempting.
Yet all of this had happened in the time after the discovery of Zelex and before Quylla’s marriage. Now that everyone had come to the Verhen Mansion to attend, they each focused on the future.
“I can’t believe that the time has come for our Little One to spread her wings and leave the nest.” Orion sighed like a bellows. “Seven years ago, Quylla was just a nameless orphan that you tricked into adoption.”
Jirni looked at her husband’s eyes, noticing there was no rebuke for her manipulations.
“Then came Balkor, Nalear forced Quylla to kill Yurial, and that poor girl went through a lot to find her way in life. Yet she did it and we with her.”
“I only wish our Little Flower was here with us today.” Jirni turned toward the padded chair at her left, where a replica of Reaver and the golden lily pendant sat.
It had been Quylla’s desire to have the mementos of her late sister there, to have Phloria share that moment with her, at least in spirit. Not a day went by without the Ernas thinking about her, wondering what they could have done differently to bring her back home alive.
“Me too.” Orion cleared his throat from a sudden huskiness. “What are you going to do now?”
“Once Quylla goes on her honeymoon, I’m going back to work.” Jirni stared at a few seats of distance where the Verhens were. “I’m done grieving our daughter. My mana core is stuck at the bright orange and there’s no point studying spells I can’t practice but I can still learn a few things by following Kamila around.
“She’s where I’m going to be in a while and if I learn from her mistakes, I can aim straight for the green core. At that point, once I wear the Myrok’s Royal Fortress armor, I’ll have the strength to hunt down our enemies. Like Meln.”
Orion nodded but said nothing. He had yet to master fusion magic of all elements due to the fact that he had already gone back to work, his age, and his overloaded core.
Having a natural bright violet made him peerless among the fake mages but also made his Awakening highly unlikely. He could train only under the supervision of the Master or one of his associates who would make sure that the impurities in his body wouldn’t reach his core.
“I got to go. Our Little One needs me.” Orion looked at the blinking rune on his amulet and walked out of the room.
“Gods, I’m so excited for Quylla.” Solus said, a bit envious of Friya for being the maid of honor and a little angry with Morok for choosing Ajatar as his best man. “Let’s hope that nothing goes wrong.”
She turned to the groom’s side of the room which was depressingly empty aside from Aalejah Eventide, the members of Zelex’s senate, and their children. Faluel was on the bride’s side and so was Lith and the rest of his family.
The elf had shapeshifted like everyone else into an acceptable human form. She had agreed on taking part in the ceremony because she had never attended a human marriage and to make sure that the monsters in disguise didn’t get caught.
“With us and Aalejah here is unlikely.” Lith couldn’t care less about who the best man was. He and the Tyrant had never graduated from acquaintances. “Besides, Morok’s reputation precedes him.
“Even if his guests drink straight from a bowl or eat with their bare hands nobody will bat an eye.”
His eye fell on Phloria’s chair, bringing him a deep feeling of loss and failure. Even though Phloria had absolved him of her death and he knew that her fate had been sealed from the moment of her capture, Lith still felt responsible.
The golden lily pendant shone under the magical lights like an unblinking eye, silently accusing him of killing his first true human friend with his own hands. While looking at his own reflection, the precious memories of the time they had spent together flashed in front of his eyes.
Then, it came the War of the Griffons, the lives he had taken to lure Phloria in the open, and lastly, the figure of her limp body impaled through the chest by his right arm.
Lith froze as the white of his Supreme Magus robe turned crimson and War’s desperate wails echoed through his head. The angry blade was stored in his pocket dimension but he could almost feel its familiar weight in his hand.
As the room turned pitch black and guilt became unbearable, a familiar hand wrapped in light dragged him back to the present.
“It’s not your fault. Do you hear me?” Solus said after grabbing his face and turning it toward her. “Wishing she never met you is like saying you wanted her to die at Balkor’s hand. Phloria didn’t take part in the War of the Griffons for you.”
