Chapter 3954: Fusion Overload (Part 1)

Friya’s Dragon Eyes cracked the cloaking runes with ease, and the mind link with Faluel filled the few blanks left by her limited understanding of high-level Forgemastering.

The Hydra waited for Friya’s life force to stabilize before repeating the process for a third time. The image of Leegaain Eyes formed on Faluel’s life force for a few seconds before it was absorbed under the flaming star’s surface, and more imperfections emerged.

Nalrond’s eyes widened in amazement as he saw the Hydra’s stumpy body elongating in a slightly slenderer form. The lengths of her necks didn’t change, but the thickness and number of scales covering them increased.

Her short forelegs extended slightly, and a claw moved to the side in an atrophied thumb. Her hind legs, instead, grew even longer, but her toes remained in their place.

"Step two completed." Ajatar said. "Only step three remains. Proceed with caution."

"Copy that." Faluel replied. "How do you feel, Friya?"

The Hydra and her Harbinger had never stopped communicating through their bond. Faluel was talking out loud for Nalrond’s sake.

"I feel weird, but not in an unpleasant way." She replied. "My mouth is full of fangs now."

"This is interesting." Ajatar took a closer look at the diagnostic instrument’s readings.

"Interesting, my ass! What about my children?" Nalrond snarled.

"They are fine." The Drake zoomed in as much as he could. "Sort of. They are experiencing the same changes as the m-"

Morok slammed Ajatar’s foot with Grimnir. The difference in size and mass made it the closest thing to a nudge the Tyrant could do.

"I mean, Friya. They show no adverse reaction to the process."

"The same changes?" Faluel, Friya, and Nalrond said in unison.

"Gods, this really is Lith all over again." The Drake groaned. "Yes, you heard me. Also, I have no idea what this will mean in the future. Stop wasting time and complete the procedure."

"Copy that." Faluel ignored the auxiliary bubbles and sunspots that surrounded her newborn mana organs and flooded a small indentation in her life force with world energy.

The indentation turned into a bump, then a bubble, and it kept growing until it floated off the violet star of Faluel’s life force.

’Phase three.’ Friya heard the emotion in Faluel’s thoughts and knew that tears now diluted the nutrient’s liquid. ’The first auxiliary star of the constellation that one day my life force will become.’

Friya felt an itch and a sting on her back and head. Small bone protuberances poked at her skin, forming proto-wings and horns. The same happened to Faluel, and her body elongated further into an outline of her future ribcage, hips, arms, and legs.

"That’s enough." Ajatar said. "I don’t know if it’s because of closeness, but the Harbinger experiences the changes in real time while the infants take a bit longer. What worries me is the strain."

"What strain?" Nalrond asked in worry.

"Faluel is a healthy Awakened adult, just like Friya." The Drake explained. "The transformation is slow enough to drain their vitality at an acceptable rate. Your twins, however, are weak, non-Awakened beings.

"Even with Friya’s support, such a dramatic transformation might be too much for them. We need to increase the concentration of nutrients in Friya’s tank and slow the procedure until the babies can keep up with the mother."

The Agni just nodded, not knowing what to say.

"What will happen when Faluel reverts to Hydra?" Morok took the words out of Nalrond’s fears.

"Don’t worry. That’s fast and painless." Ajatar said. "We’ll test my theory right now."

He flipped a few switches, pumping enriched nutrient potions inside Friya’s tank and conjuring a holographic indicator in front of Faluel’s.

"Reduce the energy output of the Hands according to this rhythm." The Drake said. "I’ll keep adjusting it until we find the perfect balance."

The process started slow, forcing the Hydra to perform baby steps so small that only the arrays registered them. Ajatar confirmed that the twins reverted to human in lockstep with Friya, and hastened the process bit by bit.

The moment mother and children went out of synch by a hair’s breadth, he turned things down a notch.

"We found the balance. This is it." He said.

The devolution process’ speed was slow enough to allow the unborn babies to suffer no strain, but fast enough to complete the transformation in a handful of minutes.

Ajatar kept Friya’s tank sealed until he was certain that the life forces of all its three occupants were strong and steady. The moment the crystal lid opened, Nalrond rushed to Friya’s side and checked her with Invigoration.

"Thank the gods you are alright." He squeezed her in a relieved embrace. "All three of you."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence." Ajatar snorted.

"Nalrond’s a first-time father, Ajatar." Faluel removed the liquid drenching her with water magic. "It would be worrisome if he didn’t care so much."

"Point taken." The Drake nodded.

"Master Ajatar, I understand Friya’s pregnancy complicates things for Faluel, but what about you?" Morok asked. "Why didn’t you ask Lith permission to use the Infirmary?

"You would have the Hands, Eyes, Ears, and Menadion’s genius at your disposal. You could be a Dragon by tonight."

"A good question with a sad answer." Ajatar had long stopped being surprised by Morok’s insightful observations. "You are right. I could do that, but it would come at a great cost. And I’m not talking about Lith’s stinginess or ungodly demands.

"Using the Infirmary would lessen my achievement. I would become a Dragon because of Menadion, not thanks to my efforts. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a matter of pride so much as practicality.

"If I use the Infirmary, I won’t be able to replicate the process on my own. If I decide to share it with one of my children, my future companion, or my parents, I’d still need Lith’s help.

"This way, instead, I don’t need anyone’s permission or help, even if I decide to share the procedure with the entire Drake Bloodline."

"What about Faluel’s Hands?" Nalrond asked.

"It’s a useful tool, true, but it will lose its importance once we figure out all the details of the process." Ajatar replied. "The Hands simply allow for pinpoint accuracy in the control of the world energy, but that’s something I can do by myself with enough practice.

"The readings, the imperfections to develop, everything is on me. I’m not just observing the process like I would in the Infirmary, I’m mastering it."

"You’re amazing, Master Ajatar." Morok nodded. "Your foresight did you credit when we first met, and does you credit now."

"Indeed." Faluel threw the Drake a longing stare that creeped him out.

’Is this mating frenzy?’ He thought. ’If I’m right and the changes induced in Friya’s body by pregnancy are affecting Faluel, I need to get out of here and fast!’

"Let’s celebrate the good news." Ajatar said. "I booked a table at the Travelling Tavern for everyone. Bring Quylla, Morok, and tell her it’s my threat."

The Drake hoped that the more people he brought along, the less it would feel like a date.

"Good idea." Faluel reverted to her human form and smiled from ear to ear.

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