'There's no telling which enchantnts I saw in Elphyn's mind belong to the old tower and which are instead born from her fusion with the artifact. I might as well study Baba Yaga's tower like my predecessor did nadion's.'
The previous Yggdrasil had sent their Chroniclers to follow nadion everywhere, using the elves' breathing technique to study the tower core with the help of the World Tree.
Unlike Lith and Baba Yaga, nadion didn't hide her presence so with ti, patience, and cloaking devices, the Chroniclers had first cracked the cloaking runes of the tower and then copied its core one bit at a ti.
'Yet not only do I have no idea how long studying her hut would take due to Baba Yaga's elusiveness, but there's also no comparison between the two mage towers. The ease with which Verhen defeated Argantyr alone proves it beyond doubt.
'Sure, it was a trap and the location of the fight was set up to maximize his advantage, but Verhen still managed to match if not even surpass the might of the three white cores and their offspring.
'And that while the tower still lacks the Ears and several floors. There's only one way to get myself such a masterpiece while I still have enough lifespan to achieve my Guardianhood and it's to pry that stone ring from Verhen's dead fingers.'
***
Griffon Kingdom, Zeneka Region, city of Zalma at the sa ti.
Zalma was a port town built facing the Arsman Ocean that separated the Garlen continent from Jiera. The moon was slowly rising from the city bay, giving the water a silvery luster and the scenery a fairy tale look.
The waters were placid as the fishing boats returned to the harbor before the sun disappeared on the horizon. Several islands were visible in the distance, and the lights of their distant buildings made them look magical in the twilight.
The climate in the Kingdom was getting hot due to the sumr but a refreshing ocean breeze carried a salty sll and made the evening air pleasant even during the warm season.
Zalma's comrce had been flourishing non-stop during the past few years of famine thanks to the abundant fishing areas of the Arsman Ocean. Even after the recent bountiful harvest had put an end to the food crisis, the city was still expanding.
The regional Lord had exploited the famine to show the Royals the importance of his fishing towns and reached an agreent with the Crown to ensure funds for the developnt of Zeneka.
In exchange for their investnts, the Royals received a regular supply of fish, making key fortresses of the Kingdom less reliant on cultivated fields for survival.
Between tourists and rchants, every hotel and restaurant in Zalma was fully booked and Haug's Travelling Tavern was no exception. It was the reason Lith had reserved a few tables for his family and Morok decided to ride the Tiamat's coattails.
From the outside, the establishnt looked anonymous and it was easy to miss amid the small warehouses in-between which the Tavern was nestled for the day.
It was a rectangular one-story building made of stone with several squared windows and a door that sealed all the noise inside except for the brief mont when it was opened.
The most peculiar thing about the building was a huge neon-like insignia that said: Haug's Travelling Tavern.
"Haug has chosen this location to avoid regular tourists and let his patrons enjoy the seascape and ocean breeze." Lith said while pointing at the harbor that was right in front of the establishnt.
At that hour, it was a deserted area where only rough-looking n hung around. The illumination was poor on purpose so that tourists would get scared and not disturb the backbone of Zantia while the fishern relaxed in their favorite watering holes.
"This place looks amazing!" Solus said and Elina nodded, even though for an entirely different reason.
Solus was looking at the Travelling Tavern with mana sense and she had recovered enough of her abilities to get a glimpse of the intricacies of the building's dinsional enchantnts.
As for Elina, it was her first ti in an ocean city. She had already experienced the great sea while visiting Lith in Salaark's beach house, but the Blood Desert was proverbially desert.
Zalma, instead, was lively even at the late hour, and after living with farrs all her life, she could tell that the fishern weren't dangerous, just grumpy and tired. Elina took a mont to gaze at the neighboring islands and sll the fresh evening air.
"Thanks for bringing here." More than one person said.
Solus had already been to the Travelling Tavern, but never as a patron. It was her first opportunity to enjoy Haug's delicious cooking and mingle with other mbers of the Awakened community.
Selia just needed a place to eat without worrying about keeping the kids under control and then cleaning the countless pots and pans that preparing a al for his ravenous family required.
Nalrond had already been to the Tavern during his guys' nights out with Lith, but he could use so downti. Shapeshifting into his old human form still felt awkward and the preparations for his marriage only piled on the stress he was already under.
Tista and Bodya were also excited. It was the first ti she brought along the Nidhogg for a family trip and the event marked the new beginning of their relationship.
As for Quylla and Morok, they were a late addition but two more people were easy to accommodate.
"I can't wait to eat to my heart's content without enduring the horrified gazes of the house staff." Quylla smiled while touching her womb. "I can't believe you've been so thoughtful with us."
" neither." Morok replied. "I an, you made into a better man, babe."
He hastily opened the door for her to avoid follow-up questions and let Quylla inside. For many of them, it was their first visit so surprise made Morok's blunder go unnoticed.
The tavern was not only bigger on the inside, it was also far from ordinary. The floor and the walls were comprised of small hard wooden boards, giving the place a warm and cozy ambiance.
All the tables but those reserved were already occupied and the place was full of people of every race, rfolk included. Despite the crowd, every table and seat had been spaced so that it didn't feel cramped, leaving to each group of custors their privacy.
Equally comfortable padded chairs and barstools allowed people to choose between sitting in groups at a table or the bar counter on the top right corner with the bartender as their only company.
In the top left corner, there was a bandstand from which musicians were playing, entertaining lone custors and covering the conversations of clients so that they wouldn't be overheard from the other tables.
That night, the singer was a Siren, a lesser Garuda from Jiera. In her humanoid form, the lesser Divine Beast looked like a gorgeous woman with hips-long strawberry blond hair and violet eyes.
She wore a cocktail dress tailored from a bunch of her own feathers that wrapped around her voluptuous body like a glove.
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