"The strongest metal known to man, even stronger than pure Adamant." Yondra's words made Lith internally scream in frustration.
He clenched his temples, taking deep breaths before finding the strength to ask:
"Why have I never heard about it? What makes it so special?"
"It's a legendary metal, said to be indestructible. It can be broken, only melted and refined into ingots. It's so rare that I've seen it only when I was allowed to study the artifacts belonging to Valeron Griffon, the first King.
"In all my years, I've never seen it again and you say there was a whole Forge?"
"Yes. Any idea why it shapeshifts?" Lith asked.
"Ideas, no. Only a legend, if you're interested."
Lith nodded for her to continue.
Yondra first explained Lith how according to the lore, Mogar, the Great Mother, had given birth to the six gods of magic. There was one god for each element and according to such legend, those blessed by the gods would bear their mark on their hair or fur.
Lith looked at Quylla's hair and her silvery streaks, finally understanding the meaning of such an odd coloration. According to the fable, the gods had shared part of their essence with all things on Mogar, even metals.
Normal metals would receive the blessing of two gods at most, the only exceptions were Adamant and Davross.
Adamant was considered a metal where the elements had failed to achieve a perfect balance as it was proven by the fact that instead of absorbing the light, Adamant would split it into its components like a prism.
Davross, instead, was supposed to be a metal where the elements of destruction, fire and darkness would battle against those of creation, light and earth, while the remaining two with their dual nature would try to keep the balance.
Water gave life, but ice would take it away and the same applied to air and lightning. The conflicting natures of all six elements refused to coexist, so the three factions would always be eternally at war.
Lochra Silverwing, the first Forgemaster, had written in her diaries that it was up to the mage to tip the scale by adding the seventh element, the only one that the Davross lacked. The element of life, more commonly knowns as mana.
"It sounds like a load of rubbish." Lith said.
"I would agree with you if the artifacts I studied didn't shapeshift anymore. I saw King Meron using the Sword of Saefel, and he can make the whole blade change color according to the element he needs to boost.
"I wasn't much younger back then, but I can still count. The sword turned into seven colors. Red, yellow, black, white, blue, orange, and emerald green. The Davross ingots, instead, would follow a pattern similar to the one you showed me."
"Wait, are you telling me that Adamant is nothing but dead Davross?" Lith asked.
"At least I think so. The Royal Family has ingots of Davross, but no one knows how to use them. Plus, if the legend is right, then it's only a matter of time before they lose their special properties. Otherwise why let experts like me study Valeron's Armor or his sword."
Lith's mind started spinning like a top, trying to put together everything he had learned ever since he had arrived on Mogar. The shades in the hair of living creatures, the different colors of mana cores and crystals, the seven eyes of his hybrid form, and now even the Davross.
'If I'm right, life happens on Mogar when the six elements the world energy holds become one. According to such logic, by absorbing enough world energy, living creatures can become Awakened by becoming part of the planet's breathing cycle.
'A blood core would be nothing but a mana core which has lost its light element and craves for it, whereas a black core it's nothing but pure darkness. Also, it would explain why the Davross Forge I found back in Huryole almost had a core whereas the Adamant one Zolgrish paid me with doesn't.' Lith thought.
"Do you mind me asking why you're telling me so many things? Not to sound ungrateful, but most of them sound like classified information. The Kingdom usually likes to play close to the vest." Lith didn't believe in generosity, especially from someone he had just met.
His companions, the Ernas couple, even the Royals, they were all indebted to him. Their bond of trust was based on having been together through thick and thin or on the services he had provided.
He could smell that something was off with Yondra.
"You're quite perceptive. Yes, it's classified information, but you work for the Kingdom as well and I am looking for someone that could inherit my legacy. Rainer might take my place as History Professor in a few years, but I doubt he'll become a decent Forgemaster any soon.
"The kid lacks motivation, and even if he finds it during this expedition, I don't have that much time left." Yondra said.
"I'm sorry, Professor, but I checked your condition earlier, and you are just fine. Why do you talk like that?" Lith was getting more confused by the second. The offer wasn't that good either.
He wouldn't take an Awakened master lightly due to all the responsibilities and the obedience it would imply, let alone a fake mage one.
"I'm not talking about death, young man, only about retirement." Yondra laughed.
"I've lived for over sixty years and I'm tired of a life of duty. I want to spend what time I have left with my family, doing things I like. I was thinking about it for a while and almost getting killed by a random creature as if I was just a first year student made me think.
"I wasn't able to defend my assistant, heck I couldn't even defend myself. It made me feel terribly old and helpless. Discovering that a kid has succeeded in crafting Orichalcum artifacts whereas I failed at it for over forty years sure didn't help." She sighed.
"Orion told me that you might be interested in working for an Academy and I'd be glad if you could replace me in the Forgemastering department once I retire. The White Griffon can't offer you the same opportunity. The Professors there are too young, it would take decades for a spot to open."
'Interesting. So it must have been her telling Orion about my new Skinwalker Armor. I might work with this development. Maybe I could even ask her about the runes and the sword I found in Huryole.' Lith thought.
Yondra insisted on her pitch and Lith listened to her while using Solus and Life Vision to keep their surroundings in check. He noticed that the underground was populated by several creatures, but they would all shy away from their lights.
Some would follow them for a while, but after finding no opening and maybe even perceiving the power exuding from the expedition, they would soon leave. Solus identified some as magical beasts, others as monsters, whereas the rest were a complete mystery.
Unfortunately, none of their mystical sense could see more than a silhouette, so Lith couldn't even figure out which was humanoid and which was just a two-legged creature.
The walls and the ground were too rough to have been carved, so the passage had to be natural. The scratches and the claw marks he spotted on several occasions, though, were not.
