Chapter 154
Part 23
No one spoke for a moment, then Val asked her mother; “Are you and father going to have more
children in the time-bubble?”
Aliliaughed and nced and Mark and Talia for confirmation before she answered. “No. Mark’s new
children have to be raised in the time-bubble, and you three have to remain outside, and there’s
nothing we can do about that. But it’s sad that you’re going to have dozens of new brothers and sisters
and you’re not going to be able to be there with them as they grow up. We didn’t choose to have them
and we’re making the best of it, but we’re certainly not going to do that to you again on purpose.”
“Besides, you three have turned out to be a lot more than we expected in almost every way except the
number of problems we’ve had with you.” Mark chuckled. “Even though you’re far more self-sufficient
than other kids, there’s still been times when raising you has been all that we could handle.
“I’m sure raising the new forty-four of them is going to be all that we can handle too, even with copies of
me and all the Volunteers to help raise them. But…”
He paused and raised a strong Privacy Shield around them. “But I think it’s obvious that you kids are a
product of three very strong bloodlines, and that’s why you’re so incredibly exceptional. The Volunteers
are all fine young elves, and many of them are exceptional in various ways, but by any objective
assessment none of them are in the same league as your mother and Talia. I therefore don’t expect my
children with them to be quite as exceptional as you. And as a parent I’m d of that, because with
forty-four of them I’m sure there’ll be no shortage of challenges already.
“But to choose to have more like you while raising the forty-four of them inside a time-bubble? No
thanks, that’s more than any sensible man would take on no matter how many copies he made.
“Believe me, your mothers and I definitely will have more children together, but it’ll definitely be after
you and the forty-four are all fully grown.”
“Why?” Fire teased. “We’re fully grown enough to take care of ourselves now, why not have more when
youe out of the bubble?”
“Maybe you can take care of yourselves now,” Talia assured her, “But you’re still seven years old, and
there’s no doubt that you’ve no more finished maturing and developing and fulfilling your potential than
any others your age. Like most parents, I’m not looking forward to your puberty, and your uniqueness
increases the chance that you’ll have unique problems and challenges as you mature and develop.
“After you’re at least thirty or so we might have more, when we’ll have more time and attention
avable and we’ll have the lessons learned from raising you to go by.
“Now it’s time to go. Everyone’s meeting on the beach again.”
“Please, allow me.” Karz said as he Resumed his dragon form, and Translocated the entire group to
Homestead beach. He had to bring them in high since the beach was already fairly crowded.
“Good one.” Fire told him with a grin as a space was cleared below them.
“Thanks, that’s the most I’ve ever jumped, by weight anyway.” Karz told her with a grin as they alighted.
All the residents of Hiliani were gathered on the beach, both those who were staying outside and those
who were remaining in the time-bubble, along with friends and family who were there to see them off,
so to speak. They were joined by those who would be going into the bubble for the first time, including
a team of about a hundred of almost every race who would work with Hilsith on adapting the longevity
and magic-use spell to the non-mammalian races. A few from the aquatic races were swimming around
in the air among those on the beach or above the water, and a few were already checking out the
neighborhood below the surface. Also immigrating were a few dozen Sylvan who had been invited to
join those on Hiliani for the purpose of bringing new blood to the long-isted tribe.
“I notice Theramin and Yzell and their children aren’t here.” Mark noted.
“No, they decided to go back to The Nine Valleys.” Talia told him. “Besides, Yzell will be busy for weeks
supervising the casting of her fertility spell on every elven female. By the time we emerge from the
bubble, I estimate some one and a half million elven women will be pregnant.”
“Wow! That’s almost all of them!” Mark said with raised eyebrows.
“Yes, and many will choose to have twins.” she nodded. “Too often has our poption been decimated
by war. This time, we’re doing what we can beforehand.”
“So are we.” Fireughed. “Though not of our choice, there’s now a lot less chance that the poption
of warlocks will be decimated by war than there was before the Volunteers got pregnant. Where there
was four, there’ll be forty-eight. That’s assuming they all inherit Father’s power like we did, but I’m
pretty sure they will.”
Falgaroth, Visinniria, Amirgath, and an unfamiliar Sylvan god appeared above them.
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“Fifteen minutes until we close the time-bubble.” Visinniria announced, as every Hiliani Sylvan went
down on their hands and knees.
The Sylvan god raised his hand and spoke in Blezogeth. “My people, The People of Stealth, I tell you
that I was unprepared for the initial casting of the time-bubble by the other gods. It was not my intent to
leave you for so long, with barely a farewell and without preparing you to deal with those you were
trapped on these inds with. It was lucky that the situation was resolved without your extermination or
the extermination of the neers you were enclosed with.
“As they told you, and as the other gods have impressed upon me, our world faces vast changes and
formidable enemies. I have seen that we ignored the world around us for too long, and the time has
“Know that I therefore approve of the changes and co-operation that has taken ce here since I left.
Know as well that I have formed binding agreements with the other gods ensuring peace between us,
and pledged my efforts and those of my people to the defense of Keran.
“But know that I have not joined the consensus of the gods, I did not agree to the terms of The
Withdrawal, I have not sworn on The Truthstone of Falgaroth, nor have we joined The Just Alliance. I
am still your god, my religion is still intact, I expect its conventions to continue to be observed among
you, and you are still mine. I am still pledged to your protection.
“As you continue the new training that has been introduced among you, know that I expect you to also
continue the training and practices that I have given you, the training and practices that have made you
the stealthiest people on Keran. If not for the fluke development of a new kind of psionic mind within
the time-bubble with you while I was trapped outside, all of us would still remainpletely unknown to
everyone else.
“When the time-bubble ends again I will have new training for you, training I have developed with the
Gods of Hiding of Keran and of The Triax, the Gods of War of The Southernmost and of The
Kwetkerthok, and one of the Gods of War of The Triax.
“When you havepleted that new training, you will be the stealthiest fighters in any arena; in the air,
onnd, in caverns, on water, under water, and in the void! When Keran has need of the stealthiest
fighters for the trickiest missions, I intend that we will be chosen for those missions!
“For millennia we remained unseen by any god or mortal, and if I had not been forcibly separated from
you we would still remain unseen. If we had chosen to go forth from here and kill, we would have done
so unseen. I often considered taking you forth to kill Zarkog, but thisnd was good, and there was no
need for us to return to Serminak. It wasn’t worth the risk that we would lose the secret of our
existence, which is now lost. That thousands of Sylvan and a god could remainpletely hidden and
unknown to all the other gods for so long shows that we are the champions of stealthcraft. We will
continue to remain the undisputed champions of stealthcraft, as a people and as fighters, but now all
will know the truth of it.