Zeke took a step back, once again placing the amulet around his neck. Immediately, the oppressive aura of the progenitor enveloped him, stifling his core. However, Frost and Snow could breathe again.
"What was that?" Frost asked, eyes wide as he slowly got to his feet. He seemed more shaken than Snow, who only stared at Zeke, but didn't show any signs of shock or surprise. Since their encounter with the Titan, she had already suspected Zeke's connection to the Dragons.
"Not that important right now," Zeke cut him off. "There's somebody who wishes to speak to the both of you."
Without another word, Zeke established a connection between the family of three. He immediately disengaged himself from the link while keeping the connection going. This wasn't his place to listen in, and he had no intention of doing so.
The confusion on the siblings' faces quickly turned to shock as they recognized their father's voice. Snow covered her tiny mouth, tears streaming down her cheeks. Zeke walked past them and took his place beside Elder Fang, who gave him a complicated look. Clearly, many thoughts were racing through the Elder's mind.
Zeke paid no attention to the older man, instead focusing on the mental exchange between the father and his children, a small smile playing on his lips. Despite the fear that Mind Magic often inspired, it wasn't inherently evil. Moments like this made him truly grateful to share the Emperor's Magic.
After a few minutes, Frost stepped away and approached Zeke, signaling the end of his conversation with his father. Zeke severed the mental link and watched as the commander made his way toward him.
Frost halted before him, his hard eyes wavering slightly. "Thank you for this."
Zeke nodded. It hadn't been much trouble on his part, and the genuine gratitude in the Purebloods's eyes made him somewhat embarrassed.
The three men stood side by side, watching little Snow animatedly gesture as she spoke to her father, likely sharing a vivid tale of her adventures. Frost had a small smile on his face as well, though it carried a hint of bitterness.
He turned to Zeke but hesitated. "Is… Is there really nothing you can do?"
Zeke shook his head. "As I am now, the poison would kill me in a heartbeat. It is too pure and too concentrated, clearly designed to kill a person of your father's might."
"It is hopeless then?" Frost asked, his face turning grim.
It was Zeke's turn to hesitate. He actually had a plan to cure Winter, but it was a slim chance at best. Was it really the right thing to give them hope when he wasn't sure if he could actually deliver on it? However, watching the silent desperation in Frost's eyes and the animated gesturing of Snow, Zeke had a hard time denying them the last bit of hope they could cling to.
"I have a plan," he said with a sigh. As expected, Frost's eyes lit up immediately. But Zeke quickly tempered his excitement. Even if he wanted to offer some hope, he knew it wasn't wise to overstate his chances. "…It's far from certain, though."
Frost quickly schooled his expression, giving Zeke a somber nod. "What's the plan?"
"I've been experimenting with the Frostscale poison ever since I was attacked," Zeke explained. "I found that thanks to my Magic, I can build up a tolerance by injecting myself with controlled doses."
Frost's eyes widened. "Isn't that… dangerous?"
Zeke smiled lightly. For anyone else, this would be a risky endeavor. However, with Akasha monitoring his condition, he could safely push himself to the limit without exceeding it. "I can handle it," he said casually. "Anyway, the goal is to increase my resistance, and with the poison I've extracted from your men, I might reach a new level soon."
"Why?" Frost asked.
Zeke gave him a look. "Do you remember where that poison came from?"
Frost's eyes widened. "The chief attacked us personally!"
Zeke nodded. "It's the same type of poison as that in your father, but much weaker. If I build up my resistance to it, I should be able to handle it better."
Frost nodded excitedly, likely pleased that his failed attack had led to such unexpected benefits in the end. "How long will that take?"
"A couple of weeks, at most," Zeke said. "…However, that alone is far from enough."
Frost looked at him, silently asking for the rest of his plan.
Zeke sighed. "I'll need to make another breakthrough with my Core if I am to stand any chance at all."
Frost frowned. It was clear that he had no real idea of what that meant. So Zeke explained to him. "Under normal conditions, it would take me years… at best."
Frost immediately shook his head. "We don't have that much time. Even if father could hold on for that long, the Frostscale tribe won't wait."
Zeke nodded. "I have a method to accelerate my progress substantially, but it will still take me months."
Frost's frown lessened somewhat. "That might be doable."
Zeke tilted his head back and stared at the beautiful ice ceiling, letting out a deep sigh. "It all depends on how long we can keep our food source hidden. Once they realize their siege is ineffective, they'll launch an attack."
Frost gave him a sidelong glance. "You are worried about the traitor…"
Zeke nodded. "That's right." He turned to face Frost, his expression serious. "You must ensure that no one sneaks away—no matter who it is. Do you understand?"
Frost nodded seriously. "From today on, the fort will be under complete lockdown, and nobody will be allowed out. I'll also order the hunters never to split off. They are to remain in groups of at least three people."
Zeke gave a curt nod, pleased that Frost understood the importance of this matter. If he was really going for a fast advancement, then he could not be bothered by such concerns. It would all be in the Pureblood's hands.
"Is there anything else I can do to help?" Frost asked.
Zeke didn't even have to think about it. "Get me those flowers."
Frost looked surprised. The connection between the flowers and Zeke's plan wasn't immediately clear to him, but he nodded firmly. "I'll gather them myself as soon as we're finished here."
Zeke shook his head. "Go now; I'll find my way back on my own."
"Are you certain?" Frost asked, clearly hesitant to leave him like this.
Zeke smirked. "I just sent your men out of the mountain this morning, but you think I don't have a way to return to my own place?"
Frost blinked, realization striking him a moment later. "I'll come by your place when I have them," he said, his voice now resolute.
Without another word, Frost left, and Zeke continued to watch Snow. Meanwhile, he and Akasha were weaving a spell. They would place a beacon in the room, ensuring easy access to this place when needed. While weaving a spell, he kept a close watch on Elder Fang, but as expected, the Elder remained unaware of his casting.
Zeke waited another half hour until Snow finally finished speaking with her father. A hint of excitement brightened her face as she beamed at him. The uncertainty about her father's condition had clearly been stressful for her, but it seemed that much of that stress had lifted now that she could talk to him.
She dove at Zeke again, pressing herself tightly against his chest. "Thank you," she murmured. Zeke didn't reply, simply stroking her small back. His thoughts drifted to his little sister, Maya, whom he hadn't seen for nearly a year. He felt a pang of guilt for leaving her alone for so long, always off on some grand adventure.
After a moment, he gently held Snow's shoulder to keep her in place and met her eyes with a serious expression. "I promised your father I'd look after you while he can't," he said earnestly. "But I also think it's important that you make the most of your time here."
"What do you mean?" she asked, blinking her large eyes.
"Training," Zeke explained. "It won't do you any good to just stay in here all day. You should use this time to learn your tribe's technique."
Snow hesitated, glancing back at her father's silhouette. Then, gritting her teeth, she nodded resolutely. "I'll do my best not to be a burden."
Zeke smiled, gently stroking her cheek. "Silly girl, you are not a burden—not to me and not to your father. However, if you want to make your own choices in the future, you'll need the strength to see them through. Do you understand?"
Snow nodded her little head, a resolute expression on her face. "I understand. You can count on me, Zeke."
Zeke's smile faded into a serious expression. He sensed that Snow's words were more than just the naive hopes of a child; they were the resolute promise of someone determined. He knew he needed to take her commitment seriously. "I'll count on you, then, Snow."
With those words, he began to connect to the beacon in his base. When he locked onto it, he spoke one last sentence. "Come find me if you need anything." With those words, he disappeared into thin air, leaving a determined Snow and a gaping Elder Fang behind.
A moment later, Zeke found himself in his hideout. He quickly checked his other beacons to see if Ash and Frost's scouts needed to be recalled to the mountain, but it appeared the warriors had not yet returned.
He left the room and found both Gravitas and Vulcanos nervously pacing the entrance. The moment he came into sight, their expressions lit up. "Master, you are back," Vulcanos exclaimed. Zeke smiled, gladdened by their worry.
"How did it go?" Gravitas asked once they reached him.
Zeke sighed. "As expected, unfortunately. There is nothing I can do for the Progenitor at the moment."
Gravitas and Vulcanos both frowned. "Should we plan our escape, then?" Gravitas asked after a moment of silence.
Zeke shook his head. "Not yet. I still have something I want to try. Also, the tribe likely isn't in imminent danger of being overrun."
She nodded, a thoughtful expression on her face. "Should we still make preparations?"
Zeke shook his head. "I don't think that will be necessary. If things go wrong, we can simply collapse the mine. That should give us enough time to escape safely."
Gravitas nodded, visibly relieved that Zeke hadn't forgotten his promise to keep them safe.
"Then, what are we going to do from now on?" Vulcanos asked.
Zeke fell silent, condensing his vision into a concrete plan. "I'll spend every second I have on finishing the device," he said after a moment. "You three will be in charge of everything else. That means defense, workers, coordination with the scouts, everything. Think you can handle it?"
Vulcanos looked a bit reluctant, but Gravitas didn't hesitate. "No problem."
"I'll leave it to you two then," he said gratefully. "But feel free to come to me if there is anything you can't handle." The Chimeroi nodded, and Zeke returned to his workshop.
The Device was taking shape, with the glass dome complete. Its sphere of panels fit perfectly with the metal base, and they had already tested it to ensure it wouldn't leak gas. That was the good news. However, Zeke was having trouble with the alchemical machinery.
While the components were crafted to specifications, they didn't fit together as expected. Even a tiny calculation error could cause issues, and Zeke had only the Dragon's memories to guide him. Despite Akasha's estimates and adjustments, some parts still didn't align perfectly.
Even so, he was confident that none of the components were beyond saving, and with a little work, he would be able to make the device fit. And even if they didn't, he would have to make it so.