Rates of conversion....

The Never Ending Quest - Episode 15675

Meanwhile...

Jarlath and the others back on Terra Prime are softly talking about recent turn of events over tea as Dr. Vincent pours over the coordinate system in the other room. With them are some friends, old and new. The topic of discussion covers recent events, as well as the honorable Dr. Vincent himself.

"God bless him," Jarlath sighs, looking at the door to the room that Vincent was working in, "The man is bright as the Sun. Brighter, even...... It's just that........"

He shakes his head and sighs.

"It's just that we just couldn't distract him with stories of what happened to us," Astra 9 finished up sadly. "Those poor people just don't have the time that would be wasted as Vincent goes off on tangents.

Indeed, the Champions had explained the crux of what they'd experienced and what problems they faced now in short, broad terms....and their listeners had understood. They loved and admired Dr. Vincent, but.....the man could be.....Magoo at times. Envisioning the endless questions that would keep popping into the brilliant mind of his, the man would be hopelessly distracted as his mind nibbled on them.....while he should be translating those co-ordinates! Oh, Vincent's heart would be in translating the co-ordinates when they got to the part about the curse but.....his mind had....er.....a mind of its own. He couldn't help himself, sometimes! It was tunnel vision!

"So that's why Granpa and Granma D'Honaire seemed so distracted when I called," the elfin lass. Ti'ma D'Honaire, sighs. "Now I have an extra set of grandparents....and they have analogs of their own."

That would take some getting used to, in addition of yet having more children and grandchildren! And children the new analogs/Champions who's names were (or had been) Fred were, by choice. See, it has something very much to do with the nature of dopplegangers. When a person meets his doppleganger, as stated earlier, there is either an instant loathing or loving between both. There was no choice in that. With the Freds and Astras upon meeting their doubles, generally speaking, the result was a relationship of brotherhood or sisterhood as solid and deep as bonds formed from early childhood. Such can not be hidden from the other, or changed once formed. No choice in that, and not an unpleasant thing at all. Helped those displaced to adjust to their new surroundings and cut down on homesickness. With the relationship of the parents of the person that the doppleganger something similar happens. The loathing or loving is also instantaneous, but with a mental effort the process could be pushed away at the start......thus negating the eldritch effect at the onset. However, if the parents and sibling let the flower grow and blossom within their hearts......the process was irreversible. The roots would have taken hold and never would they let go! With the heart (whether human or other) having no concept of quantity......it would not matter if the number of new "sons" and "daughters" could be counted on one hand........or numbered more than the stars in the sky! Each relationship would be as warm (or cold) with each and every one!

Such was the nature of things of Terra Prime.

"And then there is the new development with the children being able to become Champions at age eighteen!" Feir-dalen (formerly named Fred and father of Ti'ma) sighs, looking down at their silver haired daughter. "All in all, while I and Kethiani were expecting......while our little one here....."

"Dad!" Ti'ma says, aggrieved and drawing out the word like any other youngster, human or otherwise when embarrassed by their parents. For a moment, Ti'ma's younger side was in control......

"Hush," Kethiani says softly, leaning over and kissing the top of her daughters head, causing the young girl to blush a bit....and then sigh in happiness and giggle.

Yes indeed, the younger part of Ti'ma was at the fore while the older part, Timmain, just stood back and basked in the glow......

"The other parents who's children have a shorter lifespan than elves......well," Kethiani chuckles softly, "Well, it was hard before to dwell upon the fact that parent would outlive offspring. But now?"

The downside was that the reproductivity of the Champions was now very low, but the fact that all offspring now also had a chance to become Champions upon their eighteenth birthday made up for it. Few to no parents want to outlive their offspring.....not the good ones, that is.

"And the offer also included my children as well," Ti'ma sighs, the older part making a showing briefly.

"All of the former Wolfriders and the other tribes of elves from Abode......except for Rayek," the elfin child sighs sadly, "They won't have him."

The Rules and Agent had been rather adamant on that. An older version of Rayek had played a part in the destruction of an entire universe.....along with one of their own (a drone Rule and Agent). Though not directly responsible, these Celestrials saw within this Rayek the same character flaws that his older version had.....and did not want that in the ranks of the Champions.

Rayek wasn't forgiven......

In fact, Rayek wasn't much of anything. His vast magical powers he'd had in life before now......gone. The poor elf couldn't even send (i.e. no telepathic/empathic ability). When the Demon's resurrected the elf from death for later "playing" (i.e. torture), they'd left those talents and gifts out. Indeed, Rayek wasn't very healthy now.....and never would be again.

A shadow of his former self, however, the elf wasn't complaining.....after remembering grief.....horrifying glimpses of the realm of the Demons. As bad as he was now, it could indeed be much worse.....

That's why most of the Champions (remembering what his older version had done), didn't feel any pity for Rayek.....

Hrmmph. That aside, it's been an interesting turn of events to say the least within the family!

"What worries me, however, is the rate of change within the non-Champions," Andrea 2 sighs, fox ears drooping at the memory, "Oh, I'm sure that it's just one of those anomalous growth spurts in the curse.....but.......Something about the whole of it just smells...... off."

"I know," Jarlath sighs, "But the only thing that could.....accelerate the rate of change would be one of the non-Champions being exposed to a hellacious amount of the stuff that powers magical spells! You'd be able to see that amount of stuff in special places.....like ley lines..... but......"

  1. Nowhere had the mages seen or heard of such a place....... But it would cut the time of conversion from a week to half that time!

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4/17/2001 11:34:03 PM

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