Sleeping alone Leinea had spent the last three nights unable to sleep. Since the coming of the Renthial on the day of the official beginning of the tournament, Lanthim had not returned home. There had been no news of any kind all she did know was Melfsol and a few others who she had never met before were constantly in a state of near panic. For the past three days, Melfsol would come in and out of one of the six meditation rooms with an ever increasing aura of panic about him.
The uncertainty of what was occurring around her was beginning to take effect on not one Leinea but Mynrea as well who would ask Melfsol if he knew what was happening only to have him angrily dismiss her pleas.
"Who do you think that young woman was who entered the meditation room?" [Tayrie]
"I do not know aside from the maids there are no other women here aside from grandmother and myself." [Leinea]
Not taking Mynrea's sisters into account the only other female presence here were maids that served both wives aside from these there were no other women living in the upper tier of the residence.
If one looked four tiers lower there were many but they were Lanthim's students and not permitted to enter the upper tiers. Only the grandmasters could reside in the presence of their master. However, there were times when master level students would visit from time to time. For instruction from Lanthim or just to visit with Leinea or Mynrea.
The appearance of this female demi-human was distressing to both of Lanthim's wives the idea of another woman they did not now about was a possibility due to his long ten-year absence. Also with Lanthim being one to keep a great many secrets it was at least in Leinea's mind an absolute possibility.
"Well from what I have seen of him in my short time being here he would not just take another wife to please himself. Everything Lanthim does is carefully planned and executed. I can see there being more wives in the future just not this soon." [Palrena]
Listening to this eventually did not make Leinea feel any better only having met Lanthim only a few short months previous.Having heard of his ability to manipulate mana she understood growing up that while she would be his first wife. That Lanthim's importance because of his abilities would move many of the great clans to secure his power through marriage.
Still, her husband did not flashily display himself for the pleasure of others. His actions were solely for the eventual revenge he would bring upon the True Magi. Everything else was an additional layer of intrigue in which Lanthim had little interest.
"Well, it does not matter the man in question is nowhere to be found so it is impossible to get..." [Mynrea]
Being forced to stop mid sentence Mynrea could sense someone approaching where the five women were having their conversation.The room was silent as everyone waited to meet the one who was to appear before them.
Slowly the door opened and a young maid enters slowly coming to the center of the room bows towards Mynrea and Leinea.
"Mistresses I am bidden by Lady Syrelia to bring Lady Nervym Nyrotral to meet you."
"Impossible mother is here." [Mynrea]
"Indeed though why my being in this place causes you such a fright my child is troubling." [Nervym]
Through the opened door stepped the previous head of the clan before handing it to her eldest daughter Nervym Nyrotral a woman who to human eyes looked to be in her forties. The truth was she was over ten thousand years old having lived to see the rise and destruction of the True magi this old dragon was a powerful presence.
"I was told you had taken up residence in the Touliem Kingdom mother what brings you all the way out here." [Caltyen]
All four sister seemed surprised to see their mother there had been no new that she had even arrived. Also, why was the one who sent her happened to be Syrelia that was strange?
"I received a letter the other day telling me that your young husband would awaken today after taking injuries in combat against a Renthial, of course, I would come and investigate." [Nervym]
Folding her arms the older female watched as both wives who had been standing just a moment ago both collapsed into the seat in which they had sat.
"What he has been here the entire time but what do you mean injuries we have been told nothing for the past three days." [Leinea]
"I have no specifics on the matter so do not ask more." [Nervym]
Striking down any attempt from either Leinea or Mynrea to get more information Nervym sat on an open seat some distance from the table the rest sat.
Sitting in silence everyone wondered what was actually going on. One could deduce that Lanthim was in the meditation room that Melfsol had been passing in and out of for the last few days but to what extent Lanthim was injured no one knew.
Hearing the door behind her open Leinea knew that it was likely Melfsol or some other student of Lanthim's who they could not sense due to the extreme difference in second and fourth order beings.
"Ladies I have come with news of your husband." [Melfsol]
None spoke just turned to here what Melfsol had to say.
"The grandmaster has regained consciousness after taking dangerous wounds due to combat he has asked that you be brought to him." [Melfsol]
"You kept his injuries from us Melfsol why?" [Leinea]
"There are few who know the secrets that lay within the grandmaster's blood therefore when damage of this kind is received absolute secrecy is enacted." [Melfsol]
As per usual Melfsol spoke with some courtesy but really he just wanted to get back to the mountain of work he had due to Lanthim spending all his time with Leinea and Mynrea. So there was some hostility in his remarks whenever the three of them had a conversation.
"Very well no need to explain further if he has summoned these two then let them go." [Nervym]
"My master summons all of you, my lady, even though he has exhausted most of his mana your presence requires a proper greeting." [Melfsol]
'All of us if Lanthim is that badly injured why would he summon everyone?' [Mynrea]
Looking over to Leinea who now looked more frightened at the prospect of seeing her injured husband Mynrea began to struggle with what to say.
"We must go now Master must rest so he will not be awake long." [Melfsol]
Waving his left hand a portal to his desired destination opened while everyone still sat wondering what to do. Slowly Leinea was the first to rise moving slowly she passed through the portal and awaited the rest.
Night had come some hours ago so to come from a bright lit room to near pitch black was somewhat disconcerting. Looking around in the dark she began to see lights small orbs only about a quarter of an inch in diameter begin to take shape and flutter around her. Looking more closely at these strange orbs she could see due to their form and substance that these orbs were not made by purified mana interacting with natural but natural mana alone.
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Waiting for everyone to come through the portal everyone was shocked by the amount of light being created by these orbs.
"My master lights the path." [Melfsol]
"Impossible there is no purified mana reaction how can Lanthim command natural mana!" [Mynrea]
Yelling in the most undignified way possible Mynrea not only felt embarrassed by what she had said but could feel something pulling her towards the do that leads to the meditation chamber.
"There are many things that you will learn tonight my lady though I could say that your everyday life since you have come to this place has been one learning experience after another." [Melfsol]
For the first time, Leinea saw what looked like a smile on the elf's face. While she and Mynrea both disliked the Grandmaster's way of doing things Melfsol was not their enemy.
With a wave of his hand, the doors to the meditation chamber opened to a long corridor that leads som distance into the mountains.
"I find it interesting that you require no Magic sequence to activate you magic may I ask how you came across this method of sequenceless magic." [Nervym]
Having walked together for some time the elder to the dragon females asked an interesting question. While it had become normal to see Lanthim use magic sometimes with a shortened chant. Or something along those lines he seemed to only do so when he was at the academy. When at home everything he did just happen without explanation never a sound would leave his lips and spells would appear here there and everywhere.
"It was a long time ago when I first met grandmaster Lanthim Frenost that I first experience chant less magic. My people the elves rely on incantations to bring out the full potential of our mana however when I was a boy I was unable to bring out my full potential to even the smallest degree. As time passed by I was abandoned by my clan and left to die myself being a little worth to them." [Melfsol]
Nervym had not expected to get a life story as an answer to her question but she continued to listen regardless. the corridor seemed to run for quite some distance so a little talk would not go amiss.
"I was able to find food and water and lasted for over a month on my own when I was attacked by a group of elves from my clan. They had been watching me for some time with the instructions to observe my death than return to the clan. After a solid month of waiting for nature to kill me, they took it upon themselves to do so." [Melfsol]
Stopping before a second door Melfsol placed his hand against it but did not move any further.
"I will finish the story another time however I must warn you all of what you are to see. Much of his body has taken heavy damage so he will not be able to move very much please do not make remarks that will result in a hasty reaction from the grandmaster." [Melfsol]
As the doors opened into a massive domed room that looked more like an indoor arena the first thing all five dragons felt was the incredible density of the natural mana that was present. Feeling as if they were to be crush by it Melfsol placed a small stone on the back of their hands which quickly merged painlessly into the skin.
"That stone will keep you alive within the meditation room please do not remove it for if you do death will be instant." [Melfsol]
Entering the room the five dragons approached what looked like a large circular platform. Touching the platform as they approached the material that made the uppermost part felt incredibly soft and comfortable like a cushion.
"So you have all come good."
It was a female voice that greeted them scanning the room for who the voice belonged there was nothing except the six of them and a disembodied voice from nowhere.
"Yreni enough release the barrier." [Lanthim]
Mynrea knew this voice, in fact, she was almost driven to tears upon hearing Lanthim speak however there was something strange about his voice. As if two different voices were coming from one mouth one that sounded like Lanthim and another that sounded very draconic to her ears. Yes, Mynrea knew that Lanthim spoke the dragon tongue however his voice never changed like most males did when they went through the transformation from humanoid back to a dragon.
Either way, she was happy to hear his voice then the barrier like a great mist dispersed before their eyes and before them lay Lanthim with the demi-human female on his opposite side from them.
"Impossible this is Impossible You are human why are you partially transformed into a dragon." [Leinea]
Kneeling almost on top of Lanthim his face darkened as the proximity at which she had landed distorted his laying position. Doing so caused his body to move from a position of comfort to a sudden lifting bounce in by which many of his wound became increasingly aggravated. Also adding pain to injury Leinea had accidentally landed on his bad wing which made the pain even worse.
"I am sorry!" [Leinea]
Panicking she tried to move away but was caught in a bubble of air and gently move to a safe distance.
"The grandmaster does not have the mana to heal his own wounds nor does he have the strength to meditate so to use natural mana to help himself heal Please be more careful in the future." [Yreni]
Yreni even though Lanthim looked in serious pain did not act angrily towards Leinea as Melfsol would have done if he had been present however he was not.
"I understand but what is the meaning of this why can Lanthim transform into a dragon?" [Leinea]
"That is a good question which I think we all would like an answer to." [Neryvm]
Looking behind her Leinea could see that the others had sat behind where she was sitting with Mynrea moving to her right.
"A good question, however, our master is not purely a dragon there is another ancient bloodline there as well a mixture of two races making one powerful highbred. A mix between Dragons and Haldrathin the Tousreyn." [Yreni]
Shocked by this revelation none looked at each other or even spoke. Eventually, it was Mynrea who regained her senses.
"I have never heard of such a race existing in this world how can we believe what you say." [Mynrea]
Having lived for the last four thousand years Mynrea had never heard of such a thing herself having traveled the world in her younger years trying to find something interesting to attach herself to.
"Deep in the forest a library so old that time itself has forgotten it holds the ancient histories of our world. Within that library, Lanthim Frenost's lineage can be traced as far back as the first braking of our world. With an absolute link to the Tousreyn, that is unbroken even to this day. The only reason that there has been no notice until recently was because his mother had exclusively female offspring. Until seventeen years ago when a male child with incredible instincts began to claw his way through the world and eventually unlock his birthright." [Yreni]