Unedited! Will be edited later.
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The sun hung low by the time Mahvir and Atisha arrived back at the camp. All those from the alienage were around Shianni. Well, all but his son. It wasn't hard to understand why. Egeril wouldn't have liked him remaining outside long.

Mahvir limped, unnoticed through the camp towards where Hawen would be. Or the keeper and those who had just arrived only moments before Mahvir and Atisha had. Sure enough clan Lavellan had arrived. Both Keeper Deshanna and Hahren Theon were speaking with Keeper Hawen and Hahren Evania.

"—Returns we should be able start for Highever," Hawen told Deshanna and Theon. "Though the shem might have been alerted to what we're doing."

"They are aware of some of it," Mahvir informed them.

They turned.

"Shartan." Deshanna's face lit with a smile. Her hazel eyes glittered. "It's good to see you, ma falon." Her eyes narrowed, the glitter dying from them as her gaze flitted down his form. A small breath escaped her. "Honestly."

"Andaran atish'an," Mahvir bowed his head to Deshanna and his oldest friend, Theon. "I hope your journey was safe."

"Safe enough, ma falon." Theon's eyes crinkled with a smile. "Though, I do believe your ravens led us around most of the danger." He nodded to where Fear and Deceit was curled up together. "One would almost think you were related to Dirthamen with those birds," Theon teased.

Mahvir chuckled. "They're just well trained." If only.

Theon's lip twitched. "I've seen them eat half your meal, ma falon." Theon wagged his finger before Mahvir. "Thus, I know they are far from well trained."

Deshanna's lip twitched. "Speaking of which, you look more than half dead as normal whenever you return to the clan. You're not eating full meals again, are you?"

"I eat my share," Mahvir stated.

"No, you eat half of it. Your ravens eat the other half." Deshanna waged her finger. "You are going to get something more to eat. I doubt you've even eaten today as it is." Her eyes narrowed. "Go to the healer's aravel and see Teren then get something to eat. Teren will ensure you do."

A small laugh escaped Mahvir. There was no getting out of this even if he vanished Teren would track him down. For not just the fact he'd not have a strengthening potion or eaten but because he had never informed his friend and healer who he was. One of Mahvir's many names.

"Very well, Keeper Deshanna. I will do as you ask." Mahvir bowed to her. "Dareth shiral." He nodded to Keeper Hawen and the two hahren.

Mahvir moved off. A small breath escaped him. It would be for the best to speak with Teren before returning to the keepers as they did need to discuss where they were heading next and if the risk was worth heading to Highever or not.

"There is a matter I wanted to discuss with the three of you," Hawen's voice traveled to Mahvir, unbidden, through time itself.

Mahvir frowned. He didn't want to hear what they were discussing. Still, it would be over a matter he needed to hear. There was a possibility Atisha had said too much to them.

Mahvir stopped outsight from the group and closed his eyes. His heart fluttered. This wasn't right. He shouldn't listen in no matter if the topic pertained to him.

"Hmm?" Deshanna cocked an eyebrow.

"On our way through the Frostbacks," Hawen started, "Evania and I spoke with the sentinels Atisha and Vir."

"The ones who survived Dirthamen." Deshanna frowned. "I confess to wanting to speak with them as well."

Theon bowed his head.

"We asked her what the creators were like," Hawen continued. "She and Vir confessed to having little knowledge outside of Dirthamen and his twin Falon'Din."

"It confirms the matter we've suspected but was thrown into question by the shem on them being twins and not the same person," Evania stated. She shook her head. "I still can't believe a human scholar threw doubt on us for that matter."

"What did they tell you about them?" Theon asked, his eyes glittered, face flushed.

"The first matter she told us all the creators bound their sentinels to them in some manner of another, but most were through a physical bond," Evania informed them.

Deshanna nodded. "This matches what Mahvir reported back from Mythal's temple. A pure control over the sentinel to the point she could stop them with slightest thought or gesture." The keeper shivered. "I never believed they would do such a thing to their people. To believe any of them would," she trailed off.

"Dirthamen didn't do this," Hawen continued. "Apparently Dirthamen found children who were unwanted while walking among the people and took them back to his temple." Hawen smiled, eyes soft. "He raised those children as his own."

"It makes sense considering Dirthamen taught us value in family." Theon's face crinkled in a smile.

"So, he ensured loyalty from his sentinels by being their father?" Deshanna frowned.

Hawen nodded. "Not all the children he raised went on to being sentinels."

"It makes sense to a degree, but how does that ensure they wouldn't betray him?" Deshanna shook her head.

"He had a power to see every possible future," Evania informed her and Theon.

Theon's eyes widened. "What?"

Evania held out the letter to Theon. Theon took it and read it.

"This is," the oldest hahren breathed. He passed it to Deshanna.

"There is another matter you two should know," Hawen started when Deshanna had lowered the letter, "the sentinels doubt their master was sealed with the other creators."

Deshanna and Theon both frowned.

"That doesn't make sense," Deshanna broke the silence. "If he wasn't sealed, surely he would have answered our prayers or would be aiding us against Fen'Harel?"

"He never wanted to be seen as a god," Evania whispered. "They believe he is moving against Fen'Harel already but remaining hidden as someone none of us would suspect as being a creator."

"Yet, he could see all possible futures," Deshanna stated. "It's no wonderer our ancestors and we view him as a creator. There might be even more to his abilities than just this."

"It does explain why he's called the Keeper of Secrets." Theon looked at all of them. "What greater secret than time itself. To know all futures, everything happening in the present, and perhaps every event in the past."

"Hmm." Deshanna placed her hand on her chin, eyes narrowed.

"What?" Hawen asked.

"It's just, everything the two of you said fits with Shartan," she confessed. "He has rescued and raised many children just as you said Dirthamen did. He also possesses the greatest knowledge and foresight I've never seen in another."

"No." Hawen shook his head. "I admit Hahren Shartan knew his way around Dirthamen's temple and much on how to get through the trials as well as having two ravens, but to think one of the creators could be injured so gravely," he trailed off, shaking his head.

"It is true his injuries are extensive." A breath escaped Deshanna. She rubbed her eyes. "I admit there is much we still don't know about the creators. Though, I do agree. To have injuries the same as Shartan has does seem ridicules."

Theon looked between the two keepers. "They might have mortal forms," he pointed out.

"What matters isn't who he is, but the fact he's aiding us," Evania stated.

Deshanna bowed her head. "If he is aiding us, then we are in a far better position than we believed ourselves to be. Even if he won't reveal himself to us, his mere ability to see so broadly would place us at an advantage against Fen'Harel."

"If we did look for him, we would only drive him away," Theon pointed out. "It's for the best we leave well enough alone."

"Perhaps after this mess has ended," Hawen agreed, "until then, if he is helping us, it is for the best not to search." Pain leaked into the keeper's voice. "Though, I admit meeting different creator, one who actually believes in us and this world would be far better than meeting Fen'Harel."

Pained smiles appeared all the others' features.

"Mahvir!"

"Good morning, Teren." Mahvir opened his eyes. Sure enough another elf stood before him, his arms folded across his chest and eyes narrowed.

"I thought Deshanna would have sent you to me the moment you returned." He huffed. "No matter. Come." He turned and started towards where the two healers' aravels were.

"Teren," – Mahvir limped after him – "about my not telling you—"

A harsh breath came from the healer. He stopped and turned to Mahvir. "Both Deshanna and Theon were aware you are Shartan." The words came a hushed growl. "Why didn't you tell me?" His eyes flashed. "Did you not trust me?"

"Of course I trust you. I just—"

"Really? Because from where I stand, I certainly doesn't feel like you do." Teren let out a low breath. "I would never have told another."

"I know. I just didn't want to be viewed as Shartan again," Mahvir explained. "Deshanna and Theon were only made aware because the keeper and hahren before them was. I never outright informed them either."

Teren huffed. His arms folded across his chest. "All right. That will have to do." He started off once more, pace slower now. "Just be certain that is the only secret you're keeping from me." He gave Mahvir a side long look. "Knowing you though, you've not been eating or keeping up with taking what helps with the pain."

"I'm fine, Teren."

There was a soft note to Teren's voice. One which sent a shiver down Mahvir's spine. Being Shartan was far from his only secret, but who he had been long before becoming Shartan would only prove worse than this.

The way he was viewed as Shartan was bad enough, but to be viewed as a god once. To be held up as such, no. A shiver raced through Mahvir. He never wanted to return to such a view in his people's eyes. All he wanted, all he ever wanted was be like them. To be viewed as one of them. To not be doomed with the curse of his powers as his family had been. To just be normal. To live life and know there was an end to it one day instead of the endlessness of life which stretched ever before him.

Teren leapt up a few steps into the aravel. He stopped and held out his hand to Mahvir.

Mahvir took his hand.

"I heard you were in the shem city," Teren started as he moved into the bad part of the aravel. "I hope you this wasn't one of those times were you went and got into trouble."

"Far from it. There was no trouble on the way back." Outside of running into a few of the guards. Though this wasn't a matter to bring up. Not without Teren learning how Mahvir had escaped them and why Atisha had gone back for him.

"Right? And aravels now fly." A soft snort came from the healer. "Sit." He gestured to the nearest of the four beds. "If the keepers must speak with you again, they came here, but until I am certain you are healthy, I don't want here a peep from you about leaving to join in making plans."

Mahvir chuckled. "I would never dream of disobeying you, ma falon."

"Good."

(Author's Notes: I ended up really sick three weeks ago with the flu, then had a lot going on the two weeks following with catching up and recovering from the flu. That's why we had three skipped weeks.

I realize this is a short chapter. I just don't know what else to include in it and I really want to update so you guys can read it.

Also, I moving updates to every other week.

One more matter, I finally have a working drawing tablet again, thank the creators. I am planning on, if I have the time, to work on a few comics which are around codex entries. When they go up I will tell you guys here. They will be on my deviantArt under flamewing8.)