Supreme Magus

Chapter 4567: The Result of Leegaain’s Studies (Part 1)

"Representative Fyrwal shares a deep relationship with Verhen and is bound to question our trustworthiness after we clashed with him." Marnora said.

"We blood of Selkis don’t have a decent bond of trust even with our Rathi Council, and its members also refuse us access to their homes and Gate Network, yet we don’t blame them for it.

"No matter the continent, resources are always limited and conflicts to secure them are inevitable. I don’t expect the Garlen Council to treat us any better until we deserve it, but that also means you have to expect slow response times from us."

’I bet nothing I’ve said comes new to Lotho.’ The Elder Ishara thought. ’The Garlen Representatives are bound to have performed a deep background check on us and contacted our Council.

’Yet no matter how badly the Rathi Representatives speak of us, today we’ve shown Garlen with our actions that we’re willing to put our lives on the line for them. The local Council will believe that most of the bad rumors about us are born from resentment and past grudges.’

"I’ll speak to Fyrwal, but I don’t expect the situation to change anytime soon." Lotho straightened his foliage-beard. "Letting several strangers of considerable power inside our houses is a risk that no Awakened is willing to take, no matter the circumstances.

"Yet maybe I can vouch for you with the rulers of the Kingdom and the Empire. Using their Gate Network would save you a lot of time and mana."

’Excellent. It would allow us to leave a paper trail to hide our real movements and the existence of our private Gate Network.’ Marnora inwardly smiled.

"We’d appreciate that, Representative Lotho." He actually said. "Please, send our regards to Representative Fyrwal. If there are developments with your human Gate Network offer, you know my rune."

Marnora turned around and left, quickly followed by the rest of his soldiers.

’Status report.’ He asked via a mind link as soon as they were far enough away from the Awakened.

’We captured two Upyrs, sir.’ Jinima replied. ’We stunned, bagged, and sent them to our research facility. We should have the results in a few days.’

’Good.’ The Elder Ishara nodded. ’With a bit of luck, we’ll learn everything we need about the Vurdalak bloodline and complete phase three of our plan as well.’

***

Baba Yaga’s Bloodhaven tower, at the same time.

Ilthin had already recovered enough to regain her consciousness, and with her blood core stabilized, her body needed but a few seconds to heal from its wounds.

"You got me really curious, child." The Mother watched Ajatar drink nutrient tonics that further accelerated his already amazing recovery speed. "May I ask you what you have become?"

"A Sapphire Dragon." Ajatar had already regenerated both his arms, and his leg stumps reached his knees. "As you have seen, my unique ability lets me turn my body, mana, and even my equipment into pure energy.

"I retain my consciousness in that form and can split into multiple fragments, but my mind is still one. Moreover, even without a physical body or a brain, I’m still capable of reason and casting spells."

"Sounds a lot like Spirit Fusion." Baba Yaga sat on a wooden chair and steepled her fingers.

"You know about Spirit Fusion?" Ajatar swallowed hard, afraid to have somehow betrayed his Drake bloodline’s secret.

"Of course I do, silly lizard." She chuckled. "Leegaain himself told me about it during my apprenticeship under him. He never explained how Spirit Fusion works or how to achieve it, but he told me enough to know that’s not what you used in Drenghen.

"Spirit Fusion doesn’t allow you to split, and doesn’t give your mana form a physical mass like your sapphire energy does, let alone absorb and synergize with foreign sources.

"On top of that, don’t think I’ve missed how you’ve used mana to fuel your Origin Flames. Or the fact you started recovering your strength the moment you approached my Warp Gate.

"Let me guess. Unlike Spirit Fusion, your bloodline ability also lets you feed on world energy even in your energy form, and once you revert to your physical form, you can convert both mana and world energy into your flesh and blood. Correct?"

"Correct. It’s how I’m recovering so fast." The Sapphire Dragon sighed. "Did you notice all this by yourself, or was it thanks to your tower’s arrays?"

He glossed over the rest of his abilities, like converting entire sections of his body into energy and sacrificing them for short bursts of explosive power without suffering any pain or strain on his life force.

"Both. I’m older than I appear, child, and it takes a lot to hide something from me." The Mother replied. "Don’t worry, I won’t ask you any more questions about your powers or try to extort the secret of Spirit Fusion from you."

"For that, you have my gratitude." Ajatar nodded.

’Having my newfound powers exposed from day one is the last thing I need.’ He thought. ’I just told Yaga what she has already seen with her eyes. I didn’t expect her to understand so much.

’I’m lucky she’s the kind of person who can keep her mouth shut about someone else’s secrets, or this might have been much worse. Ilthin, on the other hand-’

"I’m more interested in that Fire Dragon." The Mother’s voice snapped him back from his paranoid daze. "Why was she chasing you, and why do you need my help?"

"That’s easy. The Fire Dragons helped me develop and understand my abilities, and one day, after a battery of tests, they pulled out the hologram of an old fight against a white-cored Fae.

"The Healers noticed a similarity in the data they collected from my sapphire energy and the white core. They rambled something about my unique bloodline ability holding another hint to reach the white core, and that’s when I knew it was time to bail.

"The Fire Dragon started to talk enthusiastically about my powers like I was their property and looked at me with so much Dragon Greed that they creeped me out. So when Meln attacked Drenghen, I took it as my cue and left the Valley of Life. The Council needed my help, and I an excuse to leave. It was a win-win."

"Wait a second, are you sure the Fire Dragons said, another hint?" Baba Yaga pondered. "It would mean they are already aware of the secret of the Horde bloodline."

"Yes, they- Wait, are the rumors about the Hordes true?" Ajatar was flabbergasted.

"They are, child." Baba Yaga nodded. "Those fungi got their powers by dumb luck, but yours are no coincidence. Leegaain created Spirit Fusion in his attempts to reach the white core, but he failed.

"I can only assume the Drake bloodline’s constant use of Spirit Fusion and its improvements must have pushed you further along the way."

’More like me using Spirit Fusion to survive my evolution and awaken my Dragon bloodline must have caused a permanent alteration to my life force and stimulated the development of my current mana organs.’ Ajatar gasped in realization.

’I’m not just a new Dragon species. I am the result of Grandfather’s studies about the white core and his efforts to push Drakes to the next evolutionary steps in case he failed to achieve Guardianhood.’