Hina and the others looked about. Immediately, two apparitions made their presence known before the octopus-being before us. Lillith on my right. Kaddyr on my left. I was sure no one could see them. Let alone hear them.
Talanys? Kaddyr asked. I could feel the unsureness in his tone. It was almost like he wasn't quite ready to see the creature before him. Lillith was quiet.
"Come now, there is no reason for you to be so shy, Lillith." Talanys' voice came rumbling once more. "Rammel may have thought he erased your existence from the minds of all the Minor Ones; nonetheless, his powers do not work like that on me. I remember all. I can see all." He laughed.
What is it that you think I have to say? Lillith chided.
Come now, Lillith. Kaddyr replied. It's been a long time since Talanys has had any visitors.
"What did I say about arguing?"
Now it was the others who looked at me and then at each other. I never did get around to explaining what exactly happened nor that there were two Minor Ones living in my head.
Talanys laughed harder. "Just like old times. You two never did get along. It's almost like you two have a thing for one another."
I could feel them both blush.
"Child, you have done the very thing I have warned you about."
"A little vague weren't you." I scolded. "I was not expecting my house to explode or for Yog to attack us in the way he did."
"Yog can no longer do anything to you, child."
Is he saying what I think he's saying? Kaddyr questioned.
"Is it because I hold a portion of his soul?" I asked. My curiosity about how my other abilities worked required answers that I knew he would have.
"No. Not anything like that. Yog Thalthos the Fallen One, Lord of the Shadows, is no more." Came his response. "He was the impetus for your journey. To bring you into your destiny. A destiny you have accepted. But, you have yet to gain enough power to do what is necessary."
"That is why I was…"
"Gathering an army? Yes, it will help. And so will taking in more of the Minor Ones' powers." One of Talanys' tentacles touched my face. "I shall imbue you with more knowledge of your abilities so you may use them in full as well as a portion of my own power. It will also allow us to communicate from a distance."
"Is this how you make seers?"
"Very wise of you."
The others had been quite quiet. Abryi finally spoke up. "Oh, Lord of the Depths, we cannot allow only Mara to grow stronger, otherwise we shall be of no use to her."
I could feel Talanys smile. His form shifted once more. Now he looked more like a six armed eggplant of an elf. His long pointed ears poked out from his equally flowing sea moss green hair. A black bandage wrapped his eyes. Golden bangles ran the length of his arms and legs. He wore a long red tunic that looked like a frock of sorts as it came down to his knees, belted around his waist, and across his chest.
"Children, I shall do for you what Rosemawry attempted to do for Mara."
"Attempted?" I queried.
He laughed. "She is nowhere powerful enough to excise such strength to grant you three lifetimes of power. I shall finish what she started." He waved his hands.
I could feel a similar sensation that I felt with Rosemawry. And, then it was gone. It seemed to go by so quickly.
"Done." He said quite proudly.
You have gained a lot more strength now. Lillith said sounding quite thirsty. Almost as if she was ready to take it all as hers.
They all have. Kaddyr corrected. And, her power is not yours to take Lillith.
"There will be many battles ahead of all of you." Talanys warned. "Many. I no longer need to speak in such vagueness as before. And, while I cannot foresee all, the important things come to me. Whisper will be waiting for you when you leave this place. I don't know how he knows where you are; but, it seems he has some way of knowing." Then, he added, "The time for training is over. There is no more time. The end has already begun."
"Before I go to see about Whisper, I have to ask you something."
"Go ahead, child."
"Why did things turn out like this? Why are the Minor Ones so divided? Why is it the Great Ones caused so much destruction?"
I could see Talanys think. His face scrunched, each one of his hands placed about his hips. "That is a very hard question to answer. The Great Ones created many things. They sowed life into the multiverse. They also destroyed most of it. The only answer we ever got was that the will had to be done. I wasn't sure what they meant at the time. Nor am I truly sure now. But, I think that something guided them to what they were doing. Unfortunately, so many Minor Ones and Fractions died for their goals. Eventually, Gilgahlad and we Minor Ones took to arms. We sealed them in the void. Anything that came close would be destroyed so as not to wake them. But, we did not have enough power. We knew the seal would eventually break and we weren't going to be able to call upon Gilgahlad again. I think we are so divided because some Minor Ones want to be the ones to rid the multiverse of the Great Ones and others want to reseal them. Then, you have Argos, who could care less." He took a breath. "I hope that has helped, child." Talanys turned his back to us and once more reverted into his cephalopod form sprawled out across the glass wall.
"Thank you, Talanys." I said with a nod. "I will leave now to face Whisper."
"Don't forget to visit."