Book 5

Siha: Rise of Rakhana

Part III

"Silver and Fire"

Tetonbaum attends two tenesses to Brother Grenald as he explains, through Silent Song in the skyrunner, what has happened on Rakhana in Bangal'roux, (: …The silent kindred of your half-brother's wife, and her children, exist no more…They have been wiped out of Bangal'roux, and only ash remains of a most particularly significant species…It is a shame, for they were worthy warriors, and they were able to transcend their weakness with the creation of that human-morthwyl hybrid…You have seen what she is capable of…? :)

(: Yes, she has a power unlike anything I have experienced before…I admit, :) Tetonbaum says somewhat with reluctance, (: …I had the chance to test myself against her… :)

(: And… :) Brother Grenald blinks at him with expectation.

Tetonbaum's golden tebris ripples, (: …She made me sweat my venom, Brother Master, :) he smiles and Brother Grenald starts to laugh in a grating husk of a voice.

(: Tetonbaum, :) his name, as are the names of others and places, objects and beliefs, is orchestrated by the tebris through a series of unique vibrations that the drellkind and others with the capacity can feel as opposed to hear, but all through their inner ears, (: …I have never heard of anyone making you lose venom over a fight… :)

(: It was different with her, :) Tetonbaum pauses, (: …Her power is protective…The energy is maternal and almost…I can feel it when I think of her… :)

(: Maybe you could mate your power with hers, :) Brother Grenald watches Tetonbaum's reaction, (: …You are no longer paired with the woman you claimed. :)

(: No, :) Tetonbaum feels his master's scrutiny, (: …Is that what you wish of me to do? :)

Brother Grenald closes his eyes, his body emitting a sigh, (: …No, Tetonbaum…Tell me of the Great Enmity you claim to have met through the shard… :)

(: It is a captain of something greater…What it is made of I do not know, but its body may reform itself like fire and water, constantly flowing and consuming…It was uncomfortable against my power, but to only ward it off. I cannot kill it— :)

(: Were you to successfully kill something along the Eye's pathways would bode ill, for many would die without being able to lift a finger against what malignance could use such an advantage… :)

(: No, :) Tetonbaum shakes his head, (: …I have not used the shard before, but I believe I could have hurt the Enmity, or it could have hurt me were I without my power to protect myself... :)

(: You are saying the Mechinist's minion has somehow altered the Eye of S'syalahe's properties? Absurd… :)

Tetonbaum nods, (: …It communicated directly with me through the shard…It is why I have returned to the brotherhood. :)

Brother Grenald studies his eyes, seeking to discern if Tetonbaum could be a problem for them, (: …Are you an agent of the entity that consumed the morthwyls for their memories, Tetonbaum? :)

(: No!… :) Tetonbaum stares at him, (: …That is why the morthwyls are important?…For their memories?… :)

He nods solemnly, (: …We have been through the Archives in Sybilla. The moment we learned of the attack on Bangal'roux, we conducted our investigation…The Great Enmity consumes morthwyls to send their vast knowledge to the Mechinist. :)

(: Their collective memories, :) Tetonbaum's sapphires narrow with thinking, (: …but this captain of the Mechinist might only be as effective as what it acquires and remits…thus Braith and the twins are of value to it…It realizes it is missing a treasure trove of information…That is why it wants to find them… :)

(: What with this Shepard's internal knowledge of more than morthwyl memories and experiences alone, her personal reserves of datum pertaining to the galaxy and its civilizations—its cultures, their defenses, their strengths and weaknesses—will be of significant worth to this Mechinist's ultimate design, and will open his planning to include far beyond what he finds remaining within Rakka's borders. :)

Tetonbaum sighs, …So now I must find them and warn them…I have only let them flee…

Brother Grenald looks out the window, (: …We assumed this Shepard will want answers, and have sent Crindelann and Vr'iathe ahead to Sybilla to meet her and likely the family, should she show her face there…We will join them. :)

Tetonbaum does not look over, keeping himself calm and composed, (: …What will we do if and when we should find them... :)