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2581 Frail Alliance (Part 1)

'Sorry, but no.'Solus shuddered at the thought. 'I like Bytra and I have no problem spending a bit of time with her when she comes to visit Kami and the baby. Yet studying under her would take hours every day.

'Even though I know she's literally not the same person who killed my mother and me, she wears the same face and has the same voice. It still creeps me out more than I'd like to admit.'

"Yes, that's just my preliminary analysis." Bytra replied, snapping Lith and Solus out of their private conversation. "And before you ask, the answer is no. I can't replicate the Harmonizers, not even if by a miracle we get rid of all those annoying cloaking runes.

"During my first life, I wasn't much of a Healer so my knowledge about Body Sculpting was limited to shapeshifting. After turning into an Abomination, I practiced light magic for all the wrong reasons and I have regained my body only for a while.

"I have yet to get up to speed with all the modern Forgemastering techniques, let alone update my healing spell and study a new discipline from scratch."

"What would you need to do it?" Feela asked and Raagu nodded.

"The blueprints of the Harmonizer, for starters. Changing the disposition, order, and kind of runes after understanding how every single part works will be much easier than reverse engineering such a complex artifact bit by bit and putting it together with a trial-and-error procedure.

"Also, while I work on the Forgemastering part I need a Healer good enough to alter the Body Sculpting spell and explain to me in great detail the effects that it's going to have.

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"This way, I can adjust my Forgemastery spells accordingly and choose runes that won't disrupt the alteration in the life force. Ideally, I would like to be partnered with someone who's both a good Healer and Forgemaster."

Everyone present stared at Lith but only a few of them seemed to like the idea."No offense, but Verhen is too young and his dealings with the Organization are shady at best." Feela said, receiving Raagu's and Syrah's approval although for entirely different reasons.

The human representative didn't like the fact that Lith had chosen Xenagrosh as his daughter's godmother. Also, she was afraid that once the probation period of the Organization ended and they become the sixth Awakened race in the Council, it would give him even more power and influence.

As for the Hati Queen, she simply hadn't forgotten about the slaughter of a few days ago and didn't feel comfortable putting her life in the hands of someone she only knew as a ruthless killer.

"I'd like to propose Lady Fyrwal and if she's not available, Faluel is the only one among us who has already experimented on the Harmonizers. The Hydra bloodline has given birth to excellent healers, is already acquainted with Zelex's senate, and is a trustworthy ally of Verhen, Eari, and the Council.

"All in favor?"

Everyone raised their hand, Lith included. Everyone but Bytra and Zoreth.

"I was actually thinking of the Master." Bytra said after receiving permission to speak. "As Xenagrosh said earlier, the Organization is interested in the Harmonizers as well. They might be the key to stabilizing the conflicting life forces of our members and allow us to Awaken again."

On paper, it was a good idea and it made perfect sense.

The Master had already proven to be a priceless asset.

He had not only found a way to bring the Eldritches to new heights, something on which Mogar itself had given up, but he was also close to achieving a method to give new life and an enhanced body to the natural undead known as Abominations.

On top of that, the Master had played an invaluable role during the War of the Griffons, dealing with both Thrud's Generals and her lost academy.

On the other hand, just the thought of putting him in charge of the project sent a cold shiver down the spine of everyone who knew his name. Every single one of his hybrids was a wanted criminal with a rap sheet longer than a Dragon's arm.

No Council elder was a saint, but none of them was a mass murderer like the Organization's members. The only reason the Awakened community had decided to grant the hybrids a probation pardon and a role in the Council was desperation.

Fake magic constantly improved by leaps and bounds thanks to collaboration between Royal Mages and Forgemasters whereas each Awakened worked only for themselves.

After Lochra Silverwing had spread her legacy and Ripha Menadion had created the Forgemaster wands that allowed fake mages to use pure mana in their works, it had taken less than one thousand years for fake mages to come close to fill the gap with Awakened.

The Council had changed its millennia-old rules because they needed the skill and genius of the fourth Ruler of the Flames. In life Bytra had willingly shared her knowledge about runes and during the treaties, she had offered her help again.

Her price was the pardon for herself and the other hybrids plus a seat in the Council, establishing the Eldritches as the sixth Awakened race on Mogar.

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Raagu and the other representatives had accepted the offer on the grounds that all Abominations in the past had been Awakened and that in the future they might Awaken again.

Yet the truth was that the very same power that the Master and his Organization had displayed during the War of the Griffons scared the Council elders to death.

'Of the nine known hybrids, six are the offspring of the original Guardians. They are Divine Beasts who thanks to their monster half exceed even the potential of their siblings.

'Of the remaining three one is a creature capable of controlling the world energy at will, another is a Verendi Divine beast fused with a legendary Meneos, and the last one is Bytra!' Raagu thought.

'If the Master becomes the lead Healer in the Harmonizer project, his Organization will have access to both the Forgemastery and Body Sculpting halves of the artifact. Once they crack the cloaking runes, they might keep the knowledge for themselves and betray the Council.

'Even if they do share what they discover about the Harmonizer, I can't afford the hybrids to be restored to full life before Bytra delivers some groundbreaking technology to the Council.

'Most of them are already terrifying existences and if not for their current limitations, they would have no need for the Council just like the rest of their kin. Once they become capable of using breathing techniques and Spirit Magic again, they will become unstoppable.'

"Thanks for your offer, Ruler Bytra, but that's not an option." The human representative actually said. "The Council is bargaining for the Harmonizer and its use will be our exclusive.

"Even though we appreciate your help, the Organization is still a probatory member. Once your people become an integral part of the Council, this matter can be discussed again. Until that moment, you'll have access to the Harmonizers only under supervision and one of our Healers will assist you.""They will keep an eye on me, you mean." Bytra snorted.

2582 Frail Alliance (Part 2)

If that's how little you think of me, why should I even get involved in this project?"

"Because doing otherwise would be a breach of our deal." Feela replied.

"We have given the members of the Organization access to our Warp Network, IDs that allow you to walk in the Empire and the Kingdom without hiding like the criminals you are, and we've pressured the Royals in their deal with Verhen per your request."

At those words, Lith's eyes went wide and he turned toward Zoreth.

"We did what we thought best, little brother. We never told you about this because we didn't want you to feel indebted." She replied with a shrug.

"The Organization, instead, has yet to uphold its side of our bargain." Feela continued to speak, ignoring the interruption. "We are just asking you to do as you promised and refusing your services would force us to revoke the privileges we have granted to the Organization."

"Fine." Bytra crossed her arms in front of her chest, her eyes blazing with black and yellow mana in outrage. "You are lucky that I don't want to cause a bloodbath every time I go visit my goddaughter or this conversation would have a different ending."

Being part of the Organization's price tag was already bad, but having his daughter used as leverage against Zoreth was even worse.

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'Fucking bastards!' Lith thought. 'Zoreth was sincere when she told me that she doesn't call me "little brother" lightly. She has always been by my side during the War of the Griffons and this is how the Council treats her?

'I don't know how, but I'll find a way to make them pay.'

"Excellent decision." Feela said with a huge victory smile on her face that matched Raagu's. "Then the only things that remain to be decided are where to relocate your people before moving them to Jiera and the terms for our Forgemasters and Healers to study the Harmonizers."

"Not so fast." Ryla shook her head. "We have a few demands of our own."

"What more do you want?" Raagu rose an eyebrow in annoyance. "More? The only thing you is survival in exchange for *our* granted us Harmonizers and putting our lives on the lines for *your* battle. That's hardly a prize, especially considering that we and Lord Morok will become your test subjects in *your* experiments to further *your* evolution.

"We are offering much, especially to the human Council, and receiving little in return so it's only fair that we balance the scales a little."

"Sounds fair." Raagu nodded. "Tell us what you want and we'll give it to you. Within reason, of course."

Lith could feel that after learning that humans could really evolve, her tone and posture had softened. Raagu was still a bitter old bat, but now she was a hopeful bitter old bat.

"First, my people need to be provided with food until our departure. It will allow us to increase our numbers and form balanced units comprised of all tribes that will ensure our survival when dealing with the monster tides." The Fomor said.

"It's reasonable. Continue."

"Also, we refuse to be relocated." That request made the Council members wince. "Zelex is our ancestral home and its arrays are our only defense against your overwhelming forces.

"By staying here, we can preserve our traditions and use the self-destruct mechanism as a deterrent. If you break your word and try to enslave us, we will kill ourselves and the Harmonizers will be lost forever.

"Our last request is to give to every leader of a colony on Jiera a communication amulet. This way, if our runes disappear at the same time, they will know that our deal has been broken and Jiera's Awakened Council will be on its own."

That was the plan that Ryla had devised and shared with the senate after Morok's group had left. The Undead Courts had fewer resources than the Council had had no interest in keeping them alive once they got the Harmonizers.

The Awakened instead, needed willing test subjects if they wanted to further their evolution. It gave the children of Glemos an extra bargaining chip that Ryla was using to not leave Zelex and keep control overthe Tyrant bloodline's legacy.

"Are you sure?" Raagu asked. "Do you really want to keep living underground? Wouldn't be better to live freely under the sun?"

"To what end?" Ryla replied. "Once in Jiera, our people will have a fresh start but here in the Kingdom, we are considered murderers, and for a good reason. We would still have to hide so it's better to live in a place we love and that we can defend.

"No offense, representative Raagu, but the moment we step out of here, we'd lose most of our powers and we'd be at your mercy. You can't ask us to trust you this much without giving us a single proof our your good faith."

"Yet that's exactly what you were willing to do for the Undead Courts." Feela pointed out.

"True, but we didn't trust them either and we are assuming that the Council is better than them. Are we wrong?" The Fomor tilted her head, feigning incredulity.

"No, you are not." Raagu stepped between the two women, her hands raised to separate them. "We accept all of your conditions but there's one problem on your side. The space-compressing array blocks dimensional amulets and passages.

"How are we supposed to deliver the amount of food your people need without forming a line of hundreds of carriages that would end up exposing Zelex's position?"

"There's no such problem." Ryla replied. "Use dimensional amulets to bring the food to one of our city's entrances and we'll do the rest."

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Once both parties agreed on the terms of their alliance, the rest of the treaties went smoothly. The children of Glemos asked and obtained a few days to mourn their fallen before the Council was allowed access to the city and started studying the Harmonizers.

In turn, the Council required precise data about the growth speed of the various fallen races with and without the mana geyser to have an estimate of the time needed to deploy them and how quickly they could replenish their numbers in case of emergency.

Once everything was said and done, the Council members left, leaving only Faluel, Bytra, and Zoreth behind.

"I have upheld my word." Morok said. "I didn't mention the existence of my bloodline legacy to the Council and I have exposed my race for you. Now it's your turn."

"That's really all you want? Safe passage for two of my people?" Syrah found it a cheap price to pay. "Let me guess, one of them is Ryla."

The Hati Queen hadn't missed the tension between the two of them nor how they looked at each other.

"The deal was no question asked." Morok pointed out.

"That's hardly feasible." Syrah replied. "If you take her away, how do we access the Tyrant bloodline's legacy? Isn't it the same as locking us out of it and taking it for yourself?"

"Fair, this one question deserves an answer." The Tyrant nodded. "You can either take everything out before she leaves-"

2583 Trade of Secrets (Part 1)

"And leave hundreds of books and piles of priceless magical resources laying around unprotected with the risk of the Council members stumbling into them? Thanks, but no thanks." Syrah cut Morok short.

"Even if I lift the space-compressing array, our dimensional amulets are already filled with food and I have no way to procure enough to hold such a massive collection."

"Or you can trust me. After all, until you learn the basics of Forgemastery and Warden magic, you have no use for the ingredients stored inside the vaults. Also, if you don't let me take Ryla with me, she has no reason to give you access to my legacy. You'll be locked out anyway."

The Fomor put a hand on the latch of her Harmonizer, ready to open it and destroy the only key to reach Glemos' lab.

"Fine. Who's the other one?" Syrah raised her hands in surrender.

The books were written in a code that made them worthless and without the Fomors' cooperation, the deal with the Council would break down.

Ryla disappeared past the wall of white marble and crystals while Lith and the others prepared for the fight of their lives. He had requested Zoreth's presence not only to protect Bytra, but also to buy the time he needed to bring Garrik to the tower and Warp him away.

Solus, is everything ready?" He asked via the mind link.

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"Yeah. I just need your signal to form the tower. She replied. The only thing I don't like about this plan is that Bytra and Zoreth might see the tower and discover our secret.

"I don't like it either, but without their help, we could never hold so many enemies at bay while defending a child'

Solus nodded, inwardly hoping that they wouldn't need the contingency plan.

By the time the Fomor returned, everyone was full to the brim with mana and spells. The black-violet aura of the hybrids flooded the palace of the senate with a thick fog that made it hard to breathe for the monsters and also alerted the guards outside.

Syrah had called everyone to arms, channeling the power of hundreds of warg and twice as many spells. Br'ey and Urhen had charged arrays just like mine. Why didn't you bring your son away in secret?"

"Because he's not like us. Garrik's life force should become perfect once he grows up, but only if he never steps out of a geyser" Ryla replied. "Also, Glemos didn't give me control over the space compressing arrays just like he didn't give you access to his lab.

"He split our privileges to pit us against each other. I couldn't bring you to the lab without endangering my son but at the same time even if I wanted to take him away, I couldn't do it without exposing his existence.

"Before doing something stupid, know this. Only Garrik's Harmonizer can operate the lab's arrays. If anything happens to him, they will be lost forever."

The Hati Queen clenched her fangs at the cruel ingenuity of Glemos' ploy. With a single move he had driven a wedge between the only people who could fight his tyranny.

Even the rites of passage now made sense. Glemos had established them so that Garrik would never be safe without his father. The hatred that built up with each new generation of monsters was meant to keep his offspring prisoner and the high priestesses obedient.

"Drop the arrays for one second." Faluel said, breaking the standstill. "It's all I need to activate my Warping array"

Syrah moved her eyes from Garrik to the Hydra. The rage he felt for Ikara's death demanded compensation and even though she knew that Glemos was already dead, harming the child was the closest thing to revenge she could get.

"Think about it this way." Ryla said. "I didn't tell the Council about Garrik because I didn't want them to experiment on him like Glemos did. If Raagu knows about him, she'll demand to add my son to the terms of the deal.

"You keep my secret and I keep yours. Garrik is both the key to the labs and your guarantee that I won't try anything funny."

"You-"Syrah yelped in surprise when something caught her tail.

"Wow. Your fur is really soft and warm." The boy was holding it with one hand while with the other he was attempting to comb the fur that was bristled in outrage. "My name is Garrik. Are you a friend of my Mom?"

Syrah just glared at the child who due to the lack of social interactions and the excitement from meeting new people was oblivious of her hostility.

"No, she's not." Ryla pulled him away, putting herself between the Hati and the child. "Now be quiet for a second."

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"Mom, is he my brother as well?" Garrik was now focusing on Lith's seven open eyes that were brimming with elemental power like those of his mother and brother. "When do I get my horns?"

"I'm not your brother, little man, but I might as well be. I have more in common with you than Moron here." Lith used his tail to grab the kid and put him on his right shoulder.

"It's Morok!" Both brothers said in unison, making the Tiamat smile.

"He's my brother, though." Xenagrosh opened her second set of eyes and turned into her hybrid form, gaining a striking resemblance with Lith as she shielded him with his body.

The black scales, the long tail, and the membranous wings typical of the Dragon race gained Garrik's immediate admiration, making him squeal with joy.

"That's so cool. How does it feel to have a tail? Can I get one too?"

Despite the deep grudge she held for Glemos, Syrah couldn't bring herself to hate a child.

Everything from his naive questions to his excitement over trivial things told her many things.

That kid must have never gotten out of his room his whole life. She thought. 'Glemos robbed Garrik of many things but from what I can see, Ryla managed to protect at least his innocence.'

2584 Trade of Secrets (Part 2)

Syrah looked at the spark in the young Fomor's eyes, the same that Xagra had before being forced to inherit his father's Harmonizer and the title of King. Now his eyes were dull and he smiled a lot less.

Syrah wished to turn back time and, strong of her knowledge of the future, spare her son from that fate but Mogar kept spinning, leaving her alone with her regrets.

"Just give me your rune." She said while putting forward her communication amulet.

"I beg your pardon?" Ryla was too surprised to make sense of the sudden request.

"I need your communication rune, otherwise I can't call you when I need you to come here." The Hati Queen didn't want Garrik to get away and have a normal life.

She wanted to keep him in Zelex and tell him all the horrible things that his father had done to her people. She wanted Garrik to live the rest of his days in shame and to take away from him everything that Xagra had lost.

Yet she knew that none of it would have made her child happy, it would have just made another young boy miserable.

The two women exchanged their contact runes and then Syrah briefly touched her Harmonizer.

"Get out before I come to my senses and change my mind." The Hati Queen turned around, afraid of losing her temper and ruining her people's future for a single moment of personal satisfaction.

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"Thank you, Syrah." Ryla said.

"Thank you, Auntie!" Garrik waved his hand.

"And Morok." Syrah said while keeping her back turned and her body as still as stone. "I don't want anything to do with Glemos' stuff. Take away from my city his accursed books as soon as you can. I'll keep the contents of the vaults as compensation."

"What about the labs?" The Tyrant asked.

"They are staying here as well." Her words made him groan.

Losing the treasures in the vaults was a huge hit to his legacy but the Davross Forge alone was an incalculable loss. It was already purified and enough to craft more than one full set of equipment even for someone as big as a Fomor.

"We'll use them as training facilities when you come here to teach our people the art of Forgemastery. Once you clear your debt with us, I might consider allowing you to move the labs. If we don't need them ourselves, of course."

"Thank you, Syrah." Morok knew that it was a fake threat.

Faluel had already explained during their past visit that the labs had been devised so that only someone from the Tyrant bloodline could use them.

"Don't thank me, dammit. Just go! Zelex is wide open until you don't get your ass out of here."

"Call me if you ever need anything. Food, healing, weap-" At a snap of Faluel's fingers the Warping array activated, moving them to a distant mana geyser where Ajatar the Drake was waiting for them.

The moment Solus felt Lith's presence fade, she fused with the now free flow of world energy and Warped straight to their destination. Not before marking Zelex's mana geyser as her own, though.

"Mom, how come not-big brother has wings and eyes like us while big brother has only the eyes? Where are..." His mouth fell to the ground when he saw the majestic figure of the Drake in his real form.

He resembled an oversized lizard covered in sapphire-blue scales with a huge white horn coming out of his snout and a long tail ending in a bone protuberance that looked like a mace.

He was over ten meters (33) high at the withers and over twice as long. Thrice, if one also considered the tail.

"Is this a pet? Can I have a pet? Can we bring him home, Mom? Please!"

"Respectively, no, maybe, and absolutely not!" Ajatar replied. "Faluel, move to the next geyser. And be quick before I lose it to Morok Junior's nonsense."

The Hydra bolted away with her quickest flight spell while also weaving a Warp Steps that would move her closer to her destination of dozens of kilometers.

Ryla had a hard time chasing Garrik while they waited. He had never been outside his house let alone in the beauty of nature. He bolted left and right with his wings, trying to catch every bird and sniff every flower he saw.

The problem was that if he were to get too far away from the geyser, his Harmonizer would depower and his life force would be forever compromised.

"I'm really sorry, Lord Ajatar." Ryla gave the Drake a deep bow.

The only way she had found to keep Garrik close was to put him on Ajatar's back and let him explore the marvel that a Lesser Dragon was.

"Don't worry, young lady. I'm putting everything on his tab." He tilted his head at Morok. "I'm going to work you so hard that you won't have the time to attend your own marriage."

"Please, n-" Faluel Warped them right on cue and Ajatar left before the Tyrant could even attempt a plea for mercy. "That's great. Now how do we entertain Garrik?"

"It's not that hard." Lith turned into his Voidfeather Dragon form.

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The young boy squealed in joy at the sight of another and also bigger majestic creature the likes he had never seen before. Even flying around Lith at top speed, Garrik had yet to finish exploring half of his back when Ajatar activated the next array.

Lith, Paluel, Xenagrosh, and Bytra took turns revealing their other forms to keep the boy too busy to stray from the geyser and making Morok quite jealous.

"I can't believe it" He pouted after trying and failing to engage Garrik in conversation. "I almost gave away my bloodline legacy, I revealed a secret that has been closely guarded for generations, and my own brother is more fascinated by a bunch of lizards than by my epic adventures."

"Don't take it personally" Ryla needed sheer willpower to keep looking at him, her six eyes drawn to the mighty beasts of legends. "Garrik is a good kid and he loves you.

"Ever since he met you, the only thing he talked about was the wish to see you again and how his life would change now that he has a brother. It's just that he lived as a prisoner within four walls his whole life.

"He has met Glemos a few times so he knows what a Tyrant looks like whereas he has never seen a bird, let alone a Dragon. Put yourself in his shoes."

"Fine!" Morok snorted, starting to explore the Divine Beasts' bodies as well and doing silly things like looking under the scales or snuggling on the soft feathers along with his brother.

"That's not what I meant but, oh well." The Fomor giggled seeing the barely contained anger on the Dragons' scaly snouts.

One thing was being manhandled by a child, receiving the same treatment by an allegedly grown man was another. Yet since Garrik laughed and enjoyed sharing his discoveries with his brother, Lith, and Xenagrosh let it slide.

The trip lasted but a few minutes, crossing several regions and creating several legends about mighty beasts dwelling in the deep of several forests.

2585 New Home (Part 1)

Merchants and travelers reported multiple sightings of black Dragons ridden by a winged knight.

Some believed that the Gorgon Empire had sent Leegaain's children as scouts before an invasion. Others that after the Dragon Dance, the ancient Wyrms who slumbered in the bowels of the Kingdom had awoken and were preparing to establish their own country on the surface.

All of them were wrong, but that's a story for another day.

The final Warping Array marked the end of the journey and made Morok sigh heavily again.

"What is this place, Mom?" Garrik stared in awe at the magnificent building standing in front of them.

It consisted of a two-story house made of silver veined white stones, a sturdy material capable of channeling and amplifying dozens of arrays at the same time. The sloped roof was covered by enchanted tiles bearing a different rune each.

They would turn silver during hot days to reflect light and keep the house cool and black during cold days to absorb and store the sun's heat.

As for the runes, thanks to the mana geyser below the estate fueling them, they could conjure and overlap multiple kinds of offensive arrays at the same time, combining their enchantments to obtain a different effect based on the enemy.

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Each floor occupied 500 square meters (17,660 square feet) and on the back of the building was visible a tall keep over 50 meters (165') high that was likely to serve as an observation point.

The property was surrounded by an enchanted wall over three meters (10) high and extended far enough to grant direct access to the luscious green of the nearby woods.

The group had Warped inside a garden with enough space to allow a Divine Beast to sit or for several packs of magical beasts to run and play together. Benches and flower beds had been arranged to form paths centered around a large fountain.

The fresh water gushing from the several nozzles formed arcs that reflected sunlight and, with the help of a simple spell, generated permanent rainbows. At the center of the fountain, there was the statue of a man that shapeshifted into different forms, the only thing they had in common was that all of them wore a deep white robe.

The human form held a book, the Dragon form was depicted hammering something on a Forge, and something in-between the other two wielded a sword.

Garrik gaped at the various wonders, flying back and forth without reaching any because incapable of deciding which one to see first.

"Thave no idea." Ryla looked around the place with equal amazement, but only after making sure that there was a stable and powerful flow of world energy coming from below.

"This is going to be your home until we find a permanent solution." Morok grunted as he came down Xenagrosh's back. "Welcome to the Verhen Mansion."

The Ernas ruled over one of the richest and most powerful regions of the Kingdom, but they had no place where to host the Fomors. Some of their homes and fortresses had been built over a mana geyser, but they were all inhabited and well connected with the local settlements.

The presence of two non-humans would never go unnoticed and even though the Ernas had at their disposal every means necessary to ensure their safety, Morok didn't want Carrik to just exchange one prison for another.

The Verben Mansion, Instead, had been built away from prying eyes on purpose. The location had been chosen due to the presence of the geyser to accommodate Solus' tower which currently resided in the keep with space to spare.

On top of that, it was equipped with a private Warp Gate.

Since its completion, no one could access the Mansion unless directly invited and thanks to the Gate, people from the Verhen and the Ernas family would be able to come at all times to bring food or spend time with their new guests.

"Who would have ever thought that the wet dream of a paranoid cheapskate would have come in handy?" Jirni said while taking deep breaths and appreciating the air dense with world energy.Even without the use of a breathing technique, she could feel her body being invigorated and nurtured.

"Not now, dear." Orion sighed. "Let's go meet our future in-laws."

The Ernas couple had insisted to be present so as to meet Ryla and Garrik and be properly introduced to the members of Morok's extended family. Solus had arrived first with the Tower Warp and kept them company while they waited.

Garrik was the first to spot them from the sky and dived in front of the newcomers filled with childish enthusiasm.

"Hi, my name is Garrik and this is my home now. Who are you and what do you turn into?" Without giving them time for a reply, he circled around them, looking at Orion's back, under Solus' hair, and above Jirni's hair for any sign of their true nature.

"This is actually *my* home, little runt. You and your mother are my guests so be respectful with my friends." Lith caught the boy on the fly and forced him to stand still on the ground so that he wouldn't give everyone a neck stiff by trying to follow him with their eyes.

Lith's tone was supposed to be harsh but it failed to impress anyone. He had kept solely the seven eyes and feathered wings of his bestial form in order to make his guests feel at ease since aside from his pink skin, he closely resembled a Fomor.

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That along with the warmth in his gaze and the way he ruffled Garrik's hair made him look as stern as a friendly uncle.

"Guys, these are Garrik and Ryla Earl, Morok's step-brother and mother. Garrik, Ryla, these are my friends Jirni and Orion Ernas while she is Solus Verhen, my cousin."

If she's his cousin, then I'm her mother."Jirni said with a sneer via a mind link. She's barely taller than me and her body type is completely different from the Verbens we know.

'Also, after allegedly meeting her in the Desert, Lith brought her to his home and gave her the keys to everything This doesn't just smell fishy, it's the whole ocean.

'Man, if she's big Orion replied, making Jirni's attention switch from their host to her husband who was swallowing loudly while clenching her hand.

Like all Fomors, Ryla was a head and shoulders taller than Orion, reaching past 2.3 meters (77) in height. She had long silky hair of the six colors of the elements that framed her soft hips like a rainbow waterfall.

Her body and features were perfectly proportionate as if instead of being birthed she had been carved by an artist with the goal of falling in love with his own creation. She wore a comfortable silk gown and a loose vest that left most of her back exposed so that she could freely unfurl her wings.

"Yeah, very big I'd say the size of melons" Jirni's voice oozed venom and despite her gentle touch, Orion could feel the silent fury coursing through her petite body.

"I meant her height." He rushed to clarify.

2586 New Home (Part 2)

Also, did you notice her eyes? She has six of them, like Lith and Morok.

Oh, I noticed them alright. Especially those right in front of your face. The others are a bit higher."

"Lord and Lady Ernas, nice to meet you." The Fomor unfolded her wings while giving them a curtsy. "Please, just call me Ryla. I haven't done anything to deserve Morok's name and I don't want to sully it with my ignorance of etiquette and the ways of the Kingdom.

"I may be an adult woman, but please take care of me like I was a child because I know very little about the outside world and I'm eager to learn."

"Don't be silly, dear." Jirni returned the curtsy before taking Ryla's hands into her own and forcing her to stand up. "I've barely met you and you've already made a better impression than Morok ever did.

"In a while, you are going to be part of the family so there's no need for formalities. Just call me Jirni." She had to raise the ground with chore magic of almost one meter (3') to not feel like a child.

Jirni's pride couldn't be hurt by something as irrelevant as the height gap. She was used to be the shortest person in the room. Yet first impressions mattered and she wanted to face the Fomor as a peer and look her in the eyes.

"Indeed." Orion raised a shorter dais and shook Ryla's hand as well. "Feel free to call me Orion. If there's anything, like a tour of the nearby shops, you need, just ask. From what I understand, unlike this handsome young man, there's nothing stopping you from leaving the Mansion.

"After you learn how to shapeshift, I would be happy to teach you how to interact with humans and about the value of money."

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"Yes and no." Ryla sighed. "We can both move, the difference is that Garrik's life force would be forever compromised while mine already is. If I were to leave the geyser's premises, my body would forcefully revert into a Balor.

"I'd lose my current appearance and even my magical powers. Shapeshifting can't help me, but thanks for the offer anyway."

"Man, if you are short." Garrik looked at Solus and Jirni who were barely taller than the five years old Fomor.

"Don't you have things like extra eyes, horns, wings?" He asked, receiving a streak of no in reply. "Not even fur? I'm so sorry for you, your life must be very sad."

"Garrik!" Rya flushed in embarrassment. "This is no way to talk with friends."

"Why? It's not like I insulted them. I just told the truth." The honest confusion in his tone made his rude words even worse.

"There's nothing wrong in being different, young man." Lith said. "Yet remember that words have a weight and up here, everyone is like them. How would you feel if they pointed out at your eyes and wings, claiming that they must make your life sad?"

Garrik opened his mouth and raised his finger to reply when everyone shapeshifted into their human form to let him understand what the standard appearance in the Kingdom was.

Suddenly surrounded by pink-skinned, short, wingless people with only a set of eyes, the young Fomor realized how different his mother was from them and him from her.

No one else's eyes moved freely along their bodies. No one had skin the color of the snow.

"Am I the strange one?" He made his eyes go back to their original place, closing all but two.

"Not strange, different." Morok patted his back. "You, I, and Uncle Lith are all unique members of our respective races, but that doesn't make us better or worse than them. Just different.

"If you want others to respect you, however, you must respect them first. No one likes being treated like a freak."

"I'm sorry." Garrik nodded to his brother before giving Jirni, Orion, and Solus a bow. "I didn't mean to offend you. I just hoped you to be cool."

Morok facepalmed and Ryla flushed even more when the boy managed to ruin his apology one step away from the finishing line.

"I can definitely see and hear the resemblance between you two." Orion laughed. "There's no need to apologize, Garrik. You are Morok's brother, but unlike him, you are still young and there's hope for you."

"Hey, I resent that!" The Tyrant snarled.

"Thanks, I guess." Garrik looked at the two men, having no idea why his big brother reacted that way to such nice words.

"Resent what you want." Orion scoffed, turning to Garrik again. "For your information, I am cool. I'm just not as flashy as these youngsters. Look."

He took enchanted clothes and toys out of his dimensional amulet, giving them to both mother and son after explaining to them how to use each one of the artifacts.

"Thank you, Grampa Orion!" Garrik hugged Orion's legs before stripping naked and wearing his new clothes in front of everyone.

"And here he goes again." Orion laughed again, stopping Ryla before she apologized for the third time in less than a minute.

"Is this our new friend?" Aran asked, riding alongside with Leria, Lilia, and Leran on their respective steeds.

"Yes, he is. Guys, this is Garrik, Morok's brother. I invited you here because he literally doesn't know anyone and can use learning about human customs through experience.

"Garrik, these are Aran, my brother, and Leria, my niece. Lilia and Leran are family friends and are special, like you." Protector's children shapeshifted back and forth into their hybrid form, becoming red-furred humanoid wolves for a split second.

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"So cool! What about them?" Garrik pointed at the magical beasts. "Are they pets? Can I have one too?"

"These are Onyx, Abominus, Slash, and Crash!" Garrik had no idea what a teacher was but Leria's lecturing tone gave him a solid example. "They are not pets. They are our friends and are part of our respective families."

The magical beasts nodded, leaving the Fomor flabbergasted.

"But yes, you too can have one. Otherwise it wouldn't be fair when we play." At a snap of her fingers, a Ry, a Shyf, a Gylad (stag-type magical beast), and a Byk, walked out of the woods, each with an expression more annoyed than the other.

They were the youngest members of the four clans of the kings of the woods and had been sent there by their leaders per Lith's request. "Pick one and give them a name. They actually already have one, but they are impossible to pronounce." Leria said.

"That's not true!" Abominus said."Anghrrwhonghayrmr just rolls off the tongue."

"No, it doesn't." The sheer number of guttural and howling syllables made Garrik's throat hurt just at the thought of saying it out loud.

The young Fomor examined the four magical beasts, from looking under their paws to checking the inside of their mouths and teeth.

"You look majestic, but you're definitely too fat." He said to the Byk. "You look more suited for an afternoon nap than taking part in a glorious battle..."

"Guilty as charged. You can't win them all. No hard feelings on my side." The Byk trotted away with a huge grin on his face.

2587 Extended Family (Part 1)

"That's why I pick you! I too love napping" Garrik grabbed the hind leg of the magical beast while channeling the fire element for strength and the earth element to increase his own weight.

The Byk missed his step and fell flat on his snout.

"Say what? No, you are making a mistake. I'm slow and lazy while Scourge's pups play hard and rough." He tried and failed to escape the child's grip, his claws only digging through the ground without advancing of a single millimeter.

"It doesn't matter. We can grow strong together" Garrik pulled the Byk closer and lifted him as he weighed no more than a huge stuffed bear instead of hundreds of kilograms.

"Why waste time with me? Pick a Ry or a Shyf. They are all the rage now."

"There's nothing wrong in being different." Garrik said while embracing the Byk. "You are unique like me, Fluffy"

"Fluffy?" The Byk said in horror while his peers laughed their asses off at his expense.

"Yes, because your fur is so soft and warm."

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"That just means I'm alive! The steeds of Scourge's pups are soft and warm as well but their names don't sound like a fancy pillow. Please, if we really have to do this, at least let me live with a shred of honor. Give me a warrior's name." Fluffy struggled as hard as he could without biting or clawing, but nothing worked.

"What's wrong with Fluffy?" Lith's voice was friendly but his eyes fixed in the Byk's were not. "You just got bested by a five years old child. You are lucky he hasn't called you Wimpy."

"Yes, boss." Fluffy lowered his gaze in shame while the other three magical beasts rushed to their freedom before Garrik could change his mind.

"Don't worry, those idiots don't know what they are missing" Abominus patted the Byk's back with his paw. "You have just gotten yourself five free meals a day, a roof over your head, a fresh bed during summer, and a hot place during winter.

"Really?" Fluffy's stomach gurgled with joy.

Onyx took out a slab of well-seasoned prime meat from the dimensional ring on her tail offered it to him in reply.

"This is delicious, I mean, we are going to be best friends!" The Byk gobbled the food, thanking the gods for their blessing.

"I love you too Fluffy!" Garrik let his new friend go to let him eat comfortably and conjured plenty of fresh water for him to drink. "Mom, can I go play with them?"

"Can he?" Ryla looked at Lith and Morok. "Garrik is very strong and he has never interacted with other people. Also, I'm worried that he might leave the geyser without even noticing."

"Let me deal with it." Lith crouched down to look the young Fomor in the eyes. "You can go, but only if you promise me to not use any of your bloodline abilities. Regular people can't lift a Byk and even though the other kids all wear enchanted armor, if you hit them with all your strength, someone is going to get hurt."

He took a pause to let his words sink in until Garrik nodded for Lith to continue.

"So never take out your wings and never activate your eyes unless it's to protect yourself or the others, are we clear? Just to be safe, I've asked Orion to enchant your clothes so that the moment you exert a dangerous level of strength you should feel an itch."

"So that's why I felt weird while playing with Fluffy!"

"Yeah, and you weren't supposed to ignore it. Come on, give it a try." Lith offered Garrik his hand and the young Fomor squeezed it a few times until he learned to recognize the effects of the failsafe and loosen his grip as fast as he could.

Whenever Garrik made a mistake that would have resulted in a physical injury, his armor would expand like foam, forming a thick, soft layer that protected those at both ends of the blow.

"It might take a while to get used to it but practice makes perfect." Lith said. "Also, always carry this with you."

He put at the Fomor's neck what looked like a glowing red bead.

"When it starts to buzz, it means you should turn around and get closer to the mansion. When it starts screaming, it means you are this close to giving your mother a heart attack." There was no point in explaining the delicate balance of the life force to a kid.

Lith knew that if he made it about Garrik, with the carelessness and hubris typical of children he would ignore any warning in order to have fun.

"This thing perceives when Mom is in danger?" The young Fomor stared at the red bead with the right mix of awe and terror.

"Yes. So when you hear an ear-piercing sound, it means she needs your help. Lith nodded, aware that while Garrik could disregard his safety, no child would willingly put his mother's life in danger.

"Thank you. I wish you too were my big brother." Garrik hugged Lith, looking at the bead and at Ryla several times before feeling confident enough to jump on Fluffy's back and follow the other kids to the magical playfield.

"That was sly, manipulative, and a bit cruel." Zoreth snarled. "You'll make a great dad."

"Indeed." Jirni nodded. "It will teach him responsibility."

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"He's just five years old, for the gods' sake!" Orion said. "He should be only thinking about playing and having fun."

"He should, if a single mistake wasn't enough to ruin his life." Ryla sighed. "Thank you for your kindness, Lord Verhen. You are letting us stay at your home and you also prepared everything we needed to have a normal life."

She gave him a deep bow that sent her long hair touching the ground.

"It's nothing. I just thought that the best way to learn how to live as a kid is by spending time with other kids. Lith dismissed everything with a wave of his hand. "Orion helped me to make sure that nobody gets hurt in the process. I-"

Tm sorry for being late!" Kamila arrived at a half-jog pace that was faster than a man running due to her enhanced body further boosted by the pregnancy. "I got stuck at work and-Good gods if she's big!"

"My thoughts exactly." Orion nodded, hoping that since Kamila had his same reaction for entirely different reasons, it would quell Jirni's rage and spare him the doghouse. "Fomors are truly majestic."

He looked down at his wife for a second, but she was unreadable as usual. Jirni's smile always extended to her eyes unless she decided otherwise. She giggled like a maiden at Kamila's words, but when her gaze met Orion's, he could swear to read "nice try" in big red letters.

"Kami, it's so good to see you!" Zoreth and Bytra rushed to her, hugging and kissing her like they hadn't seen each other for months Instead of hours. "Are you hungry? Are you tired? Do you need a chair to rest your feet?"

Zoreth gave Kamila a full check-up before letting her go to meet their guests.