civilisation because the surface was uninhabitable.
Long evolution underground now meant sunlight was akin to poison,
and Cèlaver was insular and isolationist.
“Send
co-ordinates when you are underground,” Lowen said.
“Agreed,”
Torrullin murmured.
Lowen rose.
“Then I’m off.”
“Be
careful.”
“Always.” She
was gone.
Elianas
murmured, “You are cavalier.”
Torrullin
ignored him.
Caballa headed
inside. “Let me throw a few things into a bag. There’s coffee in
the kitchen …”
Elianas
glanced at his wife. “Are you strong enough for this?”
An eyebrow
arched. “Sweet caring - how novel. Yes, I can do this. Everything
is new - people, food, places, the mixture of races, climate,
language, the things you talk about. I am intrigued, challenged and
love that it is different, and want to go adventuring. Elianas, now
I am freed of my father’s yoke, I have freedom of choice also.
Strength will follow.”
“You are
different.”
“You are as
well, and so is he.” She gestured at Torrullin. “Different people
in different times and maybe different mistakes. Shall we aim for
that this time? Let us do this and see where we are when we come
away.”
Torrullin
said, “I admire your spirit, Cassy.”
Half an hour
later they headed for Echolone.
Purpose
awaited.
Clearly the
gods were fast asleep.
Chapter
11
Wake up!
Universal
Demand
I t is a known truth that people vary in appearance,
personality, goals, ambitions, character, desires, culture, creed,
religion, temperament, intelligence, acceptance of system,
government, others, in prejudice and fairness.
Passion sets
people apart. Every sentient has a passion, even the lazy man; his
passion is doing as little as possible. The mean-spirited, his
passion is hurting others; the charitable soul loves helping those
less fortunate. The academic, knowledge; a writer, words; a mother,
her children; the scientist, order; the priest, love of his deity;
a road builder, satisfaction of a job well done; a gardener,
nature; the poor man, security; the rich man, more wealth; a
beggar, change … and so forth.
Which passions
set the six about to delve into the complications of Echolone
apart?
The linguist
from Cèlaver, a man by the name of Carlin who came with unseemly
haste to Echolone, possessed two overriding passions. One was the
challenge of language and the other was a desire to leave his
underground habitat. Of course, he entered another delved place,
but change made the difference.
Lowen,
immortal Xenian seer, possessed an underlying passion, one she had
not acknowledged. Hers was the hope of freeing herself from a
destructive relationship. She sought the tools to stand alone,
without seeing herself as part of Torrullin. In the grotto before
the Syllvan, instinct bade her say yes to death; it was an instinct
to lead to the reality of freedom.
Cassiopin,
daughter of Nemisin, wife of Elianas, had a simple passion - she
desired to be a new person. Everything else was the mechanism of
achieving it. It was also the most complicated goal.
Caballa had
two passions. The one caused her to be happy and the other brought
confusion. Happiness lay with Tristan, and she would never regret
the commitment. Confusion lay in her visions. Always they had been
a part of her, they defined her, and occasionally cursing them did
not equate to denial. It would be denial of self. Her visions were
her passion, present or absent, for in them she found understanding
of much that was hidden. What was hidden always told the greater
tale.
Elianas, last
dark Valleur, possessed manifold passions. Desire for change,
future, redemption, new experiences, travel, knowledge, desire of
place in time, a true home - peace. All these desires would exist
were he alone in the universe, and yet none could be divorced from
the force that was the connection to Torrullin. The allure of the
forbidden. The thrill of power. Ultimate mastery. Elianas did not
understand, in
Long evolution underground now meant sunlight was akin to poison,
and Cèlaver was insular and isolationist.
“Send
co-ordinates when you are underground,” Lowen said.
“Agreed,”
Torrullin murmured.
Lowen rose.
“Then I’m off.”
“Be
careful.”
“Always.” She
was gone.
Elianas
murmured, “You are cavalier.”
Torrullin
ignored him.
Caballa headed
inside. “Let me throw a few things into a bag. There’s coffee in
the kitchen …”
Elianas
glanced at his wife. “Are you strong enough for this?”
An eyebrow
arched. “Sweet caring - how novel. Yes, I can do this. Everything
is new - people, food, places, the mixture of races, climate,
language, the things you talk about. I am intrigued, challenged and
love that it is different, and want to go adventuring. Elianas, now
I am freed of my father’s yoke, I have freedom of choice also.
Strength will follow.”
“You are
different.”
“You are as
well, and so is he.” She gestured at Torrullin. “Different people
in different times and maybe different mistakes. Shall we aim for
that this time? Let us do this and see where we are when we come
away.”
Torrullin
said, “I admire your spirit, Cassy.”
Half an hour
later they headed for Echolone.
Purpose
awaited.
Clearly the
gods were fast asleep.
Chapter
11
Wake up!
Universal
Demand
I t is a known truth that people vary in appearance,
personality, goals, ambitions, character, desires, culture, creed,
religion, temperament, intelligence, acceptance of system,
government, others, in prejudice and fairness.
Passion sets
people apart. Every sentient has a passion, even the lazy man; his
passion is doing as little as possible. The mean-spirited, his
passion is hurting others; the charitable soul loves helping those
less fortunate. The academic, knowledge; a writer, words; a mother,
her children; the scientist, order; the priest, love of his deity;
a road builder, satisfaction of a job well done; a gardener,
nature; the poor man, security; the rich man, more wealth; a
beggar, change … and so forth.
Which passions
set the six about to delve into the complications of Echolone
apart?
The linguist
from Cèlaver, a man by the name of Carlin who came with unseemly
haste to Echolone, possessed two overriding passions. One was the
challenge of language and the other was a desire to leave his
underground habitat. Of course, he entered another delved place,
but change made the difference.
Lowen,
immortal Xenian seer, possessed an underlying passion, one she had
not acknowledged. Hers was the hope of freeing herself from a
destructive relationship. She sought the tools to stand alone,
without seeing herself as part of Torrullin. In the grotto before
the Syllvan, instinct bade her say yes to death; it was an instinct
to lead to the reality of freedom.
Cassiopin,
daughter of Nemisin, wife of Elianas, had a simple passion - she
desired to be a new person. Everything else was the mechanism of
achieving it. It was also the most complicated goal.
Caballa had
two passions. The one caused her to be happy and the other brought
confusion. Happiness lay with Tristan, and she would never regret
the commitment. Confusion lay in her visions. Always they had been
a part of her, they defined her, and occasionally cursing them did
not equate to denial. It would be denial of self. Her visions were
her passion, present or absent, for in them she found understanding
of much that was hidden. What was hidden always told the greater
tale.
Elianas, last
dark Valleur, possessed manifold passions. Desire for change,
future, redemption, new experiences, travel, knowledge, desire of
place in time, a true home - peace. All these desires would exist
were he alone in the universe, and yet none could be divorced from
the force that was the connection to Torrullin. The allure of the
forbidden. The thrill of power. Ultimate mastery. Elianas did not
understand, in
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