Mithril dragons are tied with platinum in size, they are however almost opposites in affinities. Mithril have next to no magical powers aside from antimagic and are sturdier and stronger than any other metallic dragon. They are similar to silver dragons in demeanor and some think they are an atavistic throwback of the silver dragon. They are also the most likely to go seek out chromatic dragons to continue the racial hatred between the two groups of cousins.

Adrian

The girls don’t immediately understand everything of Bryan’s explanation and I don’t know if he made a mistake anywhere not being able to use mana for anything aside from some instinctual dragon powers. I give them a moment before speaking, “thank you. Now combination effects are about using something in the environment to increase the effects of your spells.

The simplest example would be conjuring something flammable on a target before hitting it with a fire spell. The increased potency of the second magic is the goal but not the only one.

A spell like Iron Body to give you metallic skin could be used to mitigate the effects of an opponent's Lightning Bolt or allow an ally to use a spell that deteriorates flesh. To give you or your team a tactical advantage. Another example would be to induce a magical sleep before a mind effect to lower the target's resistance.

This idea isn’t about how to be stronger but better use of strength. An idea to think about on the same level as team work.”

“So what should we work on?” Lysan asks.

“Manipulating you spells with metamagic so you can use ideas on how to alter and adjust them as you learn new ideas.”

“Is this like increasing the area or strength of an illusion?” Ria asks.

“Is it casting the same spell slightly differently?” I ask.

She nods, “then yes. That should be an application of the idea of metamagic. Will you help the others figure it out for their own specializations?”

Her tails start waging as she smiles, walking over to the twins as the two are drawing out the formulae and structure of a spell they both know. I wonder if their spells known are from memorization or actual understanding of the spell.

“So, what is it that you wanted to try?” Bryan asks as Abagail joins in on the discussion of the other girls. Must be a cantrip if they all know it.

“How to use Darkness and shadows, but have you noticed any differences?”

“I feel stronger and more energetic at night and in shadows than during the day. Insomnia, without the fatigue and improved eyesight.”

I nod, understanding most of the changes. I have similar changes from when I was fully human. “You might have had changes in your metabolism, are you drawing sustenance from darkness?”

He pauses for a moment, thinking “maybe I haven’t felt hungry at night. The light and heat of the sun seems harsher but more just an irritant than anything else.”

“Painful?”

“No, more like it’s hotter than it actually is.”

“You’re probably vulnerable to light. Have you managed to do any of the things Damû's notes on shadowed lichdom mentioned?”

He shakes his head, “I haven’t tried much, I didn’t want to accidently step into the shadow plane and not find my way back.”

“Reasonable but there are other things you could have tried. How much do understand what shadows and darkness are?”

“They are the absence of light, gaps or sections of less intense light.”

“That is scientifically, there is more to darkness than just that.”

“There is deception, false duplicates of what is real and the connection to entropy” Bryan interrupts and I nod. I don’t use Darkness as much as the other Spheres in my magic as I haven’t figured out how to weaponize it but I do understand it to a decent extent.

“And how would I start using them?” he goes on to ask.

“Probably sensing and controlling basic shadows. How you can do that I don’t know, meditation in shadows and subjecting them to your will would be my guess.”

“You wouldn’t happen to be able to provide assistance in that would you? You act like you know something about shadows even though I’ve never seen you use them.”

Rather than answer I spread my will into the surrounding area and command the light to dim, for the area to be covered in darkness. I don’t push very hard at reality as I find it easily bending to my command. My surrounding become dim, the girls look over for a moment before going back to their discussion as it is now almost night for the few feet around Bryan and me.

“Try to feel and sense it, notice it without your eyes.”

Personally, I dislike the field of shadows that I created and now maintain as it gets rid of most of the solar radiation I had been passively absorbing but I continue to hold it as I sit up against a tree watching Bryan as he tries to figure out the power he should have gained from the ritual I helped him perform. I wonder if him still being a living creature is affecting his ability to use what should have become instinctual, but I don't get my own instictual magic so it could be unrelated.

After a while of Bryan having no results I just plunge the area around him into an absolute darkness, separating him from all light. That should make it easier for him to get a feel for what it is.

Not even a minute later I feel something else touch what I am pushing onto the fabric of reality. It begins to move without me commanding it to and the black bubble changes shape spreading out tendrils as it shrinks into human shape. A tendril touches a tree which begins to shrivel as it wraps around the living plant.

I watch as the vitality of the tree is consumed by the shadow, some vague connection begins to form in my understanding between Death and Darkness. I abandon my maintenance of the warp in reality that sustained the darkness after seeing it begin to grow.

Unlike when I usually abandon a construct of Light or Darkness it did not immediately cease existing but rapidly dissolved in the light of the sun, revealing my friend who looks slightly different. His shadow seems to hold a greater contrast than the other shadows nearby have. His hair is slightly darker as well as the color of his eyes.

Abagail rushes over and starts checking to make sure he is okay. “You feel cold” she says .

“I feel cold” he says as he pulls her into a hug and shivers.

After a moment in the sun his features return to normal.

“What happened? What did you do?” I ask him.

“After you made it even darker I, touched it.” He doesn’t say anything else, I don’t think he wants Abagail to worry about something. I’ll have to ask him about that later.

I glance at the sun to see that it is now the early afternoon. I wonder how long it is going to take us to get from here to the fort. A few hours? Or will it take longer since the roads cannot be in decent condition. For a moment, I think of just going off on my own to kill the other dragon but I suppress the urge. The current plan has a higher chance of success than me running off on my own.

As the rest of the day continues I sit to the side and watch as Bryan joins in on the others’ discussion on the components of spells and what actually what in them. My understanding of the spell work not enough to understand most of it aside from some of the few necromancy spells K was explaining to the others. I just don't have the basic background knowledge to understand the subject.

I open my eyes to the Grey Dream and as the last time I came here there is a man sitting. The man who runs this place, at least for me. Was the succubus running it before she was destroyed by that silver blade?

No answer comes into my mind and I don’t think the Grey Dream is functioning as it did before.

“I didn’t think you would be back so soon. Not enough changes to be worth it. I believe that is your logic.”

“So, any chance you’ll let me know if you are part of the Althaen pantheon or devils?”

“Where is the fun in that?”

Devil then, I suppose it doesn’t make much difference for what I want though.

“A devil then, I actually wanted to make a request.”

“Really? If it is outside of the regular duties of this place you’ll have to pay and you wouldn’t have to ask if it was already part of this place.”

“Implementation of group sessions.”

“That is outside of the requirements I have acting on the contract I have, but not far enough I would have to send you to another devil to avoid breaking my contract. What will you pay for this?”

I had hoped that it already would have been a function included in the Grey Dream, it should be. It would have given Althrá a better chance against the demons.

“There is always the secret that devils run the Grey Dream, even if their gods hired you to I doubt that it would be good for that to come out.”

“That is your plan? To threaten to reveal that secret. You would lose more than me. I get paid the same but the Grey Dream would end if that got out and then you couldn’t benefit from it.”

“And you don’t benefit from this place continuing?”

“I never said that but a threat is poor payment.”

“Then what is it that you want? I won’t allow you to possess me or any of my friends.”

“Too bad, they would be promising hosts. Do you have scruples against collecting and selling souls to Hell?”

I don’t immediately answer, that isn’t something I specifically want to do but I’d take it over selling one of my friends. There should be something else though, that is far too much for what I asked.

“You expect me to believe the price for what small thing I asked is to give Hell some souls?”

“No, but I was hoping that you would. A single soul would be enough, but as you seem reluctant if not unwilling there is an alternative option. You have enemies whose souls are condemned to us but have been evading their earned fate; a promise not to take or destroy their souls will do.”

“Who?”

“Now where would be the fun in that? My favorite part of this job is watching what happens to those under my charge, the surprises, betrayals and suffering. You’ll know who those I speak of are when it happens.”

“Fine, I won’t go around destroying and enslaving souls.”

The man smiles, “your friends will have to request your presence in the Dream but we have a deal. Now is there anything you wanted that actually is part of my duties here?”

“No, I assume you won’t appear when I visit the others.”

“No, that might damage their faith in the gods and violate the terms of my employment.”

“Then how come I can know without violating your contract?”

“You're entertaining but not enough to get more than I’ve given you. Until next time voidwalker.”

The man fades away into the grey mists, leaving me with nothing to do but leave myself. I wonder how useful this will actually be. At least the price was not to do something I had not thought of doing. There is probably some power in souls Hell does not want me to delve into. Or are they trying to tempt me with such a path? There is more to what he asked than what he said, especially since it was so easily offered. . .