Part 4
The twins progressed incredibly quickly. They both developed very intense and focused personalities, especially Helemia, and this tendency increased over time. Within two weeks they were both walking without support, and at a month they were running gracefully, if carefully. At three months they began asking for a taste of the foods the adults were eating, and had no trouble digesting the small, well-mashed samples they were given. As they were gradually weaned from the breast, they were also gradually weaned from the adults’ constant psionic contact and guidance, and they began to spend some time away from the adults, outside or in their bedroom.
They spent almost no time on playing as other children played, instead they spent their time learning and exercising with almost fanatical discipline. Even when their parents and Alilia played basic games with them like tag, or hide and seek, (which was a challenge in psionic Shielding for all involved) the twins competed with an intensity worthy of finalists in the world’s great tournaments. When they played catch, they always strove to catch the ball and throw it back as quickly as possible, and as hard and as accurately as possible, usually aimed at the other person’s head. They never laughed when they were playing, for there was no room for humor in their almost-grim concentration, but they laughed about it readily enough when a break was taken, and they were gracious in victory and in loss.
The first anniversary of the community’s founding came, was celebrated, and passed.
PART 5
Vanakit Lamitkeze crouched on the branch of a tree, watching those he’d conquered training on the ground beneath him and in the trees around him. As always, his face was hardened with a glowering expression of hatred. Thoughts of revenge consumed him. Since his recovery, his obsession was so powerful that he no longer cared about anything else, not even his own status. Somewhat ironically, his new viciousness and fanaticism had served to raise his status in the eyes of his people quite considerably. But not as much as the conquests he’d made.
as he flew constantly around the settlement, he had eventually triangulated his target to a single dwelling. At first, he was unable to determine which occupant of the dwelling he was seeking, but then his target
still physically and magically helpless.
unprecedented stealth. The Lord had warned all of The Sylvan of Stealth that the newcomers possessed great power, perhaps enough between them to destroy every Sylvan on the islands,
such a bad thing. Some of them were far more dangerous than he was, but he’d saved them for last, and by then he had enough of an army to overwhelm them.
in weight to three and two-thirds kilos, and was almost sixty centimeters tall. They were sitting motionless on the floor, staring at a pebble on a stool between them one evening, when Yazadril came by for a visit. They didn’t move as their great-grandfather was greeted by their parents
of tea. “I haven’t discussed this
don’t know why?”
around like eight-year-olds, and I understand that the other children are a
a bit intimidated by them is a vast understatement.” Talia laughed. “The other
of my own family,
either one of them have talked to anyone for more than five minutes, they usually know everything that person has thought in the last