Primate Typings

             “So, what took you away from the young ones?” Arva asked curiously.

            The Cheldean had taken Khenet’s arrival with his usual equanimity. The old woman had joined them after they were out of sight of Bluthafen’s walls, riding up on a saddleless antelope. After introductions and pleasantries, Arva set about quizzing her for details about her life. (more…)

            The rift was not a natural feature of Tiran. Like much of the terrain of the north-out arm, it had been shaped by the Shard War. A stray blast of kinetics had burst a seam along Tirannenmoordenaar’s corpse, exposing a many mile trench of rough stone and veins of metals to Zonneshin’s light. The resulting earthquake did almost a much damage to the land as the widespread disruption of true names by the combatants. (more…)

            He threw the blade in after it and watched it sink below the light. Then he closed his eyes and leapt, casting his name into creation. (more…)

            After the incident with the hill and the squid, Celeres found his position in the company much improved. The gold masks held him in the same category as the leaders, carefully avoiding offending him. Their perception was only reinforced by Prince Emhyr’s subsequent adoption of the blood knight into the social circle that included Katchen and Colonel Rafe. The Prince seemed to find Celeres’ vague contempt for him amusing, leading to many occasions of riding at his side. (more…)

            It was raining over the ruins when the other travelers arrived two days later. Flicking water off the end of her nose, Sanura said, “Looks like a city.”

            “It was,” Tyla said. (more…)

            The Cheldean’s use of magic to speed his group’s pursuit was ridiculously easy for Katchen to detect. His enhancements forced her to use her own to keep out of their reach. That had forced their Firstborn quarry to accelerate his journey, making him almost as easy for Katchen to track as the Cheldean behind her. If she had had the energy, the island mage would have laughed at the absurdity of the situation. (more…)

            The rodents finally gave up as the travelers reached the outskirts the forest. The venomous squirrels yielded reluctantly, disgusted with the intrusion of two groups in a single day. Scattered by white bolts from the Ai’s ring, they did not even stay to watch the travelers take their final steps from the woods. (more…)