All I can say is that other activities have kept me busy. Work primarily, but also such things as playing my favorite game (WOW), and also a weeks vacation to Miami, Florida. While there I didn't get any work done on the book at all, I just enjoyed myself. It was a great vacation too, seeing places I'd never seen before.
At any rate it is now done I think to my satisfaction--at least at the moment. (who knows if some idea might come to me & have me make some changes)
Here's an excerpt from the chapter called; A Wicked Tongue Speaks:
“So—it is Gryllman?
That is your name? You speak for everyone?”
“Yes, Eye of the
Elders...I am our people's representative...as I told the Elders
before.”
“Well, I must say
that whoever you are you have certainly come a long way to be here.
I've never seen beings like you who could speak our tongue,” said
the Eye, but then recollected stories of a people from long ago who
had supposedly vanished from Wyrme. He glanced around at the Elders
for any hint of recognition from them and saw none. Apparently the
Elders did not believe these people to be those who once lived here,
now somehow resurfaced. “At any rate our societies hold with
certain privileges. First and foremost is that of honor. And it is
extremely dishonorable to attempt to circumvent this in any way. It
is my job to provide the means by which visitors may earn their
honor, and in so doing also earn their right to an audience with the
Elders. Since your people obviously were unaware of these rules of
law I hope that you now understand our position and our concern that
you've broken them. I am willing to overlook your rude ignorance this
one time. Your powers that have magically enabled you to move through
this mountain and into this Hall are not totally unfamiliar to us,
and in a way that is rather troubling, however, from this point on I
would caution all of you. No matter who you may be, we will not allow
our laws to be trifled with. And no further warnings or second
chances will be given. Is that understood Sir Gryllman?”
“Of course,” he
replied, though worrying now even more than before. He looked back at
his group for some measure of comfort, but found none, as only their
stoic masks locked in their perpetual stares at nothing returned his
gaze. Gryllman was on his own.
The Techanis of Icurnia are on Wyrme and using their ways of manipulation as they always have in an attempt to find whatever great secrets they hope will be revealed. The secret scrolls that the Templests tried to hide have led them here, and Danival is determined to discover their origin. Even if it means the death of whoever stands in his way. Because there is one thing he wishes to find, an idea that every Techanis believes in and wants, an answer to what is: The Great Reconfiguring.
