"Oh, it the bookshelf? I guess however long without anything new to read WAS a bit wearing. Here, lemme try this.." He willed strongly and with a small surge of power managed to duplicate the books (conveniently stacked in a few cardboard boxes like the ones he'd hauled books to Tokyo U and back in). "Dare I ask what else you miss?"
Radnul smirked a bit. "No, Keeper, I suppose not. It should resolve itself in due time, in any event. I of course would be glad to share my own wisdom.." He seemed disconsolate, but then Tenchi had already determined that (since the Hearts are usually found or handed to whoever) Radnul had had a series of undesirable Keepers in his time, before the loooooong wait. He decided to cheer the man up, and besides--he did need to know more of this situation he'd landed in.
"Actually, I'd love to learn all I can, and not just how to boos people around. Father always said a education is of vital use. Lead on, and tell me more.." The young Heir to Jurai was very good at not over-reacting (save when the girls clamber all over him) and was thus diplomatic as Radnul virtually towed his newfound Keeper into a simple abode with a rather LARGE library and rough-yet-servicable laboratory. This was obviously Radnul's private domain in the other-space the Heart provided him.
Tenchi quite deliberately thought of how time warped in certain travel states, then dug into the studies. The ancient formulae and designs that so bored the lazy or arrogant Keepers and their meanings appealed in a way to the young man, since he could see the inner architecture involved, the way to keep quarters and food near places of labor, the slowest having their functions handled closest. He was especially delighted learning of the ancient classes of creature and warriors, as well as the Elite. It would take time, he knew, but he would understand this far better with practice. While power wasn't a thing he'd sought, he was aware of its responsibility from long before this latest predicament, and simply put--he didn't want to be lonely any more than Radnul now that the adviser had a chance of ending his.
Some untellable time later, Tenchi surfaced from a practical text on how to properly drag stuff about the Dungeon (visualising a grasping hand or force to enfold about and thence phase/drag whatever you had to wherever you needed it, long as it was your land) and asked "Why is Horniculus so solitary? Is he more antisocial than his job requires, even?" He wasn't smiling, but there was a hint of bemusement in his voice.
Radnul was used to a intelligent Keper by then, and damned grateful, as the last one of more than moderate brains was Devan, oh so LONG ago! He smiled (still marvelling at how one felt) and replied "He is aware of us, and knows he can converse. That's enough for him for now. You need to understand how the Reaper came to stay here under Harmonia when all the survivors of his kind were taken into the Dark Realm to await summons, safe from ambition.." Radnul went on to describe the travails the unfortunate Horned Demons had suffered when the Dark Angels were created, following the Avatar War. They had determined that as long as the Horned Demons were still on the loose, there would be sniping and counter-productive bickering between those worthies and the newly created counter to the warriors of Light. So they engineered various conflicts, knowing that the Keepers would spend the lives of the Horned Demons.
The survivors were always stronger after, but also lesser in number. What the Dark Angels did not foresee was the intervention of the Harmonian humans and their powerful Gategem blocking fields. This ensured the near-extinction of the remaining Horned Demons, until the last of their kind were taken Down--for safety's sake. All but Horniculus, who had bound himself to a Talisman prior to this. The mightiest of the Horned ones, Horniculus had a wisdom and brutal realism none could match, and he'd seen the likely results of all this some time back, so he'd taken precautions.
Tenchi absorbed this latest tale, then he asked "And the Gategems?"
Radnul shrugged. "The Harmonians are relatively new to the world, only some few thousands of years in fact. It is said they came here en masse from another reality. Much as you had done, in fact, save that theirs was a journey undertaken by choice. They had a great artifact allowing vast movements of equally vast material, this artifact now long-lost.. Instead, they now hold several Gategems, each allowing them to sense nearby rock and mineral deposits, block teleporting to a great extent, and enshrouding the terrain from remote sensing. These are currently in the hands of the Lords of the Land, warriors and generals of the current King, Reginald."
"So, this is what bars you from the surface, and the realms in general, I don't doubt. Hmm.. I'd really like to study those, but since the Lords and King wouldn't like the idea of leaving themselves open to invasion.. oh, man. What's the surface like?"
Radnul looked Tenchi over, then decided to just tell it straight out. His new Keeper didn't seem to be the sort to appreciate OR desire spin of any kind. "Mostly very depressed. The Lords are not evil per se--trust me, I'd know!--but the nobility system and natural aggregation of power into the hands of the Lords leads to neglect save where a threat to said Lords appears. They don't want change all that much, as changing things overly smacks of acquiescence to those that defy the Harmonian Way. Also, it may lead to a lack of strictness and morality, which is felt to be drawing closer to the wicked Keepers."
"Terrific.. Say, if the Gategems block transports, does that mean my arrival here was.."
"..Solely due to the Dungeon Heart? Very likely, Keeper, as the Heart's power can combat that of the Gategem to an extent. Why yours allowed you to come, or even called you.. I do not know. This Heart is ancient beyond the telling, with a history I suggest you discover. I've written all I could discern, and even I do not know all the implications. As far as your transport goes, I fear that since you are not in-between realities now, and thus not in dimensional travel at this time, you cannot be sent home now, not while the Gategems are blocking you to any real extent. I cannot say I am entirely saddened by your inbility to leave me alone yet again.. no offense." Radnul shrugged unrepentantly.
".. ..Like I'm surprised? Seriously, Radnul. If I have the chance, I'll see about leaving you in good hands or taking you back with me should I ever get to where I can leave. I don't know about you, but I have been stranded enough times to not want to strand another when I could avoid it." Tenchi meant every word of it, too. "Now, about these room designs.. I was thinking, maybe we could attract or train up the old classes and a few surprises if we do this.." He started showing the eyebrow-raising adviser a few variants of the standard rooms custom made for variant creatures.
This prompted Radnul to ask "Then you are planning to conquer the land after all?"
Tenchi calmly replied "Not if I can help it, but those Gategems need study, and more importantly they need to be out of my way if I'm ever to return to those that care for me back home." A thought nagged him about his arrival, but it didn't form completely, so he ignored it as he showed his father's influence, discussing room architecture with a increasingly pleased Lundar..
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(Posted Fri, 21 Jan 2005 01:39)
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