of convergence had shifted from the Gholund Mountains, why couldn’t there have been another place of convergence in old Vathansa?
“You think Vathansa had a place of convergence of its own?”
“We are in the heart of Vathansa,” Assan said, tapping on the map. “What would have been the largest island of hundreds. Most were pulled together, drawn from the sea to join the rest of the kingdoms, but some of the islands remain just off the coast. Others were lost, sunk or covered by water as those ancient people changed the face of the land.”
Tan couldn’t imagine how they had reshaped the surface of the land. No, that wasn’t quite true. He could imagine, and had held the power needed for something like that, but he couldn’t imagine believing that such a thing was necessary, or right. How many had lost homes because of such a shaping? How many had lost their lives because of the shaping?
Such arrogance. He couldn’t imagine believing that they knew so much, that they had to shift the balance of power in the world. That was what they would have done, especially if they had intended to move the places of convergences.
“So you think to find the ancient place of convergence?”
Assan tapped a long finger on the map. “That is what we will find here. I am certain of it.”
Tan thought about what he knew about places of convergence. The one in the mountains had remained, even after Ethea had shifted the power, but then, hadn’t it been held in place? That had to have something to do with why it remained. But why would they think there were dormant elementals here? Why would the journal that Assan possessed reference such dormancy? The elementals would simply have departed, not been trapped and hibernate in some way.
“I can see that you do not believe,” Assan said.
“I don’t disagree that there are places of convergence. And I don’t disagree that such places can move over time. I have seen it myself. But I have a connection to the elementals and cannot fathom why they would go dormant as this”—he tapped on the book—“describes.”
Assan smiled broadly. “And that is what we are here to discover! Think of it, Athan. We have spent so much time fighting and trying to keep the kingdoms safe that we have ignored learning, and studying, and trying to understand the world around us!”
Tan couldn’t disagree with him. He had felt much the same way—and still did. So much effort had been spent by kingdoms’ shapers on trying to fortify the barrier and find a way to keep Incendin out that few had the time to study and try to understand the elementals.
Why, then, did it trouble Tan so much that Assan and Sani wanted to learn? Why did it bother him that there might be dormant elementals? What didn’t he know about the elementals?
Assan watched him as if waiting for an answer or approval.
Tan didn’t know what to say, but he couldn’t think of any reason why Assan shouldn’t continue to search, especially if they might find something that would help him understand the elementals better. And wasn’t that what Tan wanted?
It still didn’t change the uneasy sensation he had, or the anxious gnawing in the pit of his stomach that he had as he looked from Assan over to Sani, who still made no attempt to meet his eyes.
6
A New Perspective
T an’s shaping took him high above Vatten, high enough that he soared above clouds drizzling a fine mist to the ground. Wind whipped around him, tossing his cloak violently, but he ignored it. Something that Assan had said troubled him.
Could there still be islands scattered around Vatten, a remnant of Vathansa? He knew little of the current geography in this part of the kingdoms, but given his shaping ability, that was something that he could rectify. The ancient geography presented a different sort of challenge, one that he hoped the lower level archives would be able to answer. Tan wondered if there was more that he missed. And if there was, what it
“You think Vathansa had a place of convergence of its own?”
“We are in the heart of Vathansa,” Assan said, tapping on the map. “What would have been the largest island of hundreds. Most were pulled together, drawn from the sea to join the rest of the kingdoms, but some of the islands remain just off the coast. Others were lost, sunk or covered by water as those ancient people changed the face of the land.”
Tan couldn’t imagine how they had reshaped the surface of the land. No, that wasn’t quite true. He could imagine, and had held the power needed for something like that, but he couldn’t imagine believing that such a thing was necessary, or right. How many had lost homes because of such a shaping? How many had lost their lives because of the shaping?
Such arrogance. He couldn’t imagine believing that they knew so much, that they had to shift the balance of power in the world. That was what they would have done, especially if they had intended to move the places of convergences.
“So you think to find the ancient place of convergence?”
Assan tapped a long finger on the map. “That is what we will find here. I am certain of it.”
Tan thought about what he knew about places of convergence. The one in the mountains had remained, even after Ethea had shifted the power, but then, hadn’t it been held in place? That had to have something to do with why it remained. But why would they think there were dormant elementals here? Why would the journal that Assan possessed reference such dormancy? The elementals would simply have departed, not been trapped and hibernate in some way.
“I can see that you do not believe,” Assan said.
“I don’t disagree that there are places of convergence. And I don’t disagree that such places can move over time. I have seen it myself. But I have a connection to the elementals and cannot fathom why they would go dormant as this”—he tapped on the book—“describes.”
Assan smiled broadly. “And that is what we are here to discover! Think of it, Athan. We have spent so much time fighting and trying to keep the kingdoms safe that we have ignored learning, and studying, and trying to understand the world around us!”
Tan couldn’t disagree with him. He had felt much the same way—and still did. So much effort had been spent by kingdoms’ shapers on trying to fortify the barrier and find a way to keep Incendin out that few had the time to study and try to understand the elementals.
Why, then, did it trouble Tan so much that Assan and Sani wanted to learn? Why did it bother him that there might be dormant elementals? What didn’t he know about the elementals?
Assan watched him as if waiting for an answer or approval.
Tan didn’t know what to say, but he couldn’t think of any reason why Assan shouldn’t continue to search, especially if they might find something that would help him understand the elementals better. And wasn’t that what Tan wanted?
It still didn’t change the uneasy sensation he had, or the anxious gnawing in the pit of his stomach that he had as he looked from Assan over to Sani, who still made no attempt to meet his eyes.
6
A New Perspective
T an’s shaping took him high above Vatten, high enough that he soared above clouds drizzling a fine mist to the ground. Wind whipped around him, tossing his cloak violently, but he ignored it. Something that Assan had said troubled him.
Could there still be islands scattered around Vatten, a remnant of Vathansa? He knew little of the current geography in this part of the kingdoms, but given his shaping ability, that was something that he could rectify. The ancient geography presented a different sort of challenge, one that he hoped the lower level archives would be able to answer. Tan wondered if there was more that he missed. And if there was, what it
Similar Books
The Great Disapurrance: BBW Shapeshifter Surprise Pregnancy Romance (Chicago Catastrophe)
Anya Nowlan, Rory Dale
