The search for the Keepers of Truth and Might have set into motion events that herald the return of Hemran'na. His harbinger, The Unspoken One, has awoken and shown himself to the Faithful of Cherisium. Elsewhere, secret societies band together and...
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"That archaic knowledge and understanding was otherworldly. It was no wonder that it took four generations to perfect the processes needed for such refinement."
- From The Thousand Years War, Part II, page 575
Though the man in front of Cornar resembled Dusel Nadim in appearance, his demeanor was dourer. The Dusel depicted in Klindil had been stoic. Even that living illusion of him had a paternal kindness in the way he spoke. But this Dusel... he was a man beaten. Downtrodden. If Cornar had not seen his likeness before he would have assumed this man was the personification of grief.
Weary eyes studied Cornar. "Do you not know who I am?"
"You are Dusel Nadim... but you look different from last I saw you."
Dusel's head bobbed. "In Klindil? That kolphigrym was made during a time when my life was not so perilous. The Keepers were a plenty then." He closed his eyes and his lips quivered. "Oh, I wish I could live those years again."
Intrigued Cornar stepped forward. "Are you real? The real Dusel, I mean."
Dusel opened his eyes and looked up at Cornar, his eyebrows arching. "I am as much Dusel as Dusel was Dusel. I am all that remains."
Intrigued, Cornar studied the man. The illusion in Klindil had said something similar, but hadn't he used the present tense when referring to the man? Did that mean Dusel was dead? "So, you're one of those kolphi...?" he struggled for the rest of the word.
"Not quite," Dusel said. "A kolphigrym is merely a cheap imitation of life. It has memories, and mannerisms, but its free will is restricted. I have no such limitations. I am Dusel Nadim. His mind is my mind."
Cornar reached a hand forward and asked, "And his body—?" His fingers were halted by the smooth strands of Dusel's shirt. The illusory beings in Klindil had no such substance to them.
Dusel glanced at Cornar's fingers still pressed against his chest.
"You are real..."
Narrowed eyes studied Cornar. "Why are you so dumbfounded, Guardian?"
The question struck Cornar as funny, and he pulled his hand back. "I am no Guardian. And Kalda is not what it once was... From what I've gleaned of your tomes, your world was far more sophisticated. Well, and Dalgilur was not like any place I'd ever seen. Especially those towers. My world has no such grandeur."
Now it was Dusel's turn to appear dumbfounded. "Not a Guardian? But how could you have reached Dalgilur?"
"That's a tale in and of itself," Cornar said.
Dusel set his jaw. "And are you living in some kind of a dark age? What happened?"
Cornar shrugged. "I don't know for certain. But tevisrals are scarce. I've seen men sell the wealth of kingdoms to obtain them."
