Chapter 4180  Like No Other (Part 1)

"Yes, Dad?" The little Wyrm had hoped to read his father's research notes, but it was just a book.

"Before teaching anything to your younger friends, you must ask and get permission from your mother or me." Leegaain hated to be so nitpicky, but Shargein had learned how to quibble about rules from Manohar the Second. "Okay?"

"Okay." The Wyrmling crossed his small arms and snorted black smoke out of his nostrils.

***

Winter and bad weather forced everyone to hole up in their homes and to cease all hostilities. Once the temperature dropped below a certain point, it took a weather mage or a city array but a spell to turn the forces of nature against an invading enemy.

Even someone the size of an Upyr could do nothing against the fury of a storm and would freeze to death after being splashed with enough water. During winter, being big only made someone a big target, easy to kill.

To make matters worse, Orpal's recruitment campaign was at an all-time low. He needed a proper stage to push his plans forward, and the bad weather made even scouting missions harder.

Lith and his family kept moving from the Mansion to the Household, to show the Lutians that they hadn't forgotten about them and progress the development of the mana geysers at the same rate.

Several streams of world energy now connected the clearing in the woods with the Verhen Mansion, strengthening the individual flow of the mana geysers and spreading their influence to the woods separating them.

The trees grew taller and stronger while a few small plants that were supposed to wither and die during winter still endured.

"Damn cold!" The Mansion was well-heated and insulated, yet Friya couldn't stop shivering. "Can't we turn up the heat?"

"Put on another sweater." Lith snorted. "I don't want to go around in short sleeves because of you. It's ridiculous."

"Meanie!" She cranked the warming enchantment of her clothes to the max and finally stopped rattling her teeth. "I'm pregnant, you know?"

"Me too, but I don't ask everyone else to go to the bathroom as often as I do, so that we can all suffer together." Kamila replied. "The cold is a you problem. Didn't Faluel teach you how to deal with it?"

"Yes, but it's embarrassing." Without special winter clothes like those Friya wore, Hydras wouldn't have been able to move until spring. "It's like wearing a portable oven, and anyone who gets close to me can feel the heat."

"Look at the bright side." Nalrond shifted a bit to the side, unable to endure the temperature of the Friya-sized radiator. "You can now brag about being literally hot."

"Very funny, you smartarm." Friya grumbled.

Her mood only got worse when Abominus and Onyx rolled on the floor belly up toward her to enjoy the warmth of her clothes that matched the fireplace's.

"Speaking of Faluel, do you think she can make me a new armor?" Protector asked. "My Skoll form is better against an opponent the size of an Upyr, but my current equipment covers me completely only while I keep a humanoid size."

"I can try to ask her, but I doubt she will." Friya shrugged. "Enchanted metal and powerful crystals don't grow on trees, and Hydras are as greedy as Dragons. Faluel wouldn't have even offered to craft my armor if I weren't her Harbinger."

"And I'm only her apprentice." Protector sighed. "Still, it's worth a shot. Please, tell her that I can get my old equipment Dismantled and provide her with part of the raw materials she needs."

"Please!" Faluel's voice came out of Friya's mouth the moment she activated her mind link with the Hydra. "Those are still *my* raw materials that I consumed to make *your* equipment."

"And *I* had Lith store them in the Spark." Protector countered. "It's thanks to me that they are now of superior quality."

"Then it's thanks to Lith. Or rather, Solus." Faluel/Friya shrugged. "And it's still *my* stuff. The best I can do is lend you the metal and crystals you need for a full suit of armor.

"The enchantments, I can do them for free, but I expect you to reimburse me for all the necessary ingredients and materials I'm going to consume."

"Fine." Protector sighed. "When can you start working on it?"

"Not earlier than spring. Damn cold!" It was impossible to understand if the final remark came from the Hydra or her Harbinger.

"What cold?" Lith asked. "I created and installed an advanced heating system that covers your entire lair. Every time I come to visit you, it's like stepping into a sauna."

"Yeah, too bad that my lab isn't in my home. I only craft exhibition pieces here, not the good stuff." Faluel scoffed. "Also, the pleasant warmth of my place makes me sleepy. I need a nap. Faluel out."

Friya fell asleep the moment the connection was cut off, making everyone wonder whether she was just tired or if her bond with the Hydra allowed them to share more than their thoughts.

"That went well." Ryman exhaled sharply. "Now I'm also neck-deep in debt. I need a well-paying job, and I need it yesterday."

"That's what I've been telling you for years." Selia snorted. "What about the reward the Royals granted you for the mission against the Black Throne?"

"They gave me plenty of merits and gold, but the amount of Adamant I received can barely cover one of my legs." He replied.

"Tell me about it." Tista sighed. "They gave me an Adamant Forge only when they made me a Great Mage, and it's not enough to cover one of my toes!"

"I'm sorry to interrupt your whining, but it's time for Nalrond's lesson." Dawn suddenly walked through the door, making everyone flinch in surprise. "Feel free to resume your chit-chat after we leave, but not a moment sooner."

She looked like a woman of untold age, about 1.78 meters (5'10") tall, with golden eyes without pupils. Her skin was whiter than an albino's, while her waist-long hair was pitch-black.

The radiance her eyes and skin emitted created a stark contrast with her hair, giving the impression of a sun rising in the darkness of the night. The sunny yellow sweater she wore over a black skirt further reinforced the image.

"I'm sorry, guys, this is my fault." Nalrond's face twitched at the sight of the Horseman, but it was the presence of Acala that forced him to take a deep breath to keep his cool. "I have lost track of time and left Dawn waiting for over ten minutes."

"Don't worry, that's not the problem." Lith shook his head. "My concern is how she got inside the Mansion without raising any of the many alarms I put in place."

"Easy." Dawn replied. "Mother opens a Gate for me inside Bloodhaven, so I never actually set foot inside your home uninvited. I wouldn't have done it now either if this ungrateful runt hadn't forgotten about our appointment."

"Wait, there's something different about Acala." The cloaking devices he wore gave the tower's Master Set a hard time, but Solus noticed the changes anyway. "Did you…"

"Yes, and I'd appreciate it if you kept it to yourself. And to Lith, of course." He replied.

"But why?" Solus asked.