The chill cools the fire within.
The ice, an eternity of strength.
Like the snow we are beauty and grace.
And like the blizzard we bring mercy and death.
Kathan'ath - Autarch of Cynath'Anan
Too few had stood against those who forced us to return. Our race was dying from within from a disease we ourselves had willed into existence. We had followed the threads of the skein many thousands of times, had seen the great horror that was awakening. There had been a few threads - there always are - of which the vague outcome dangled hope in front of the eyes of the desperate. Oh, how they had clung to that fragile promise! We had tried reason. ‘It is too late’, I told the council. ‘You have all seen and heard what they are becoming, or have already become, perversions of life. Travesties of a befouled greatness and false ascendency! This is where you would take us? What folly is this? You believe you can cure this pestilence, lead these corrupt souls back to virtue? Perhaps your vanity is the most frightening of all! But it will surely be our doom!
Reason offers a much more bitter dish than hope. The craftworld was turned back. And so it was that we flew straight into the darkness to witness the birth of our race's destruction. Many would die. But many would suffer fates far worse, in the warp.
I knew of course. I had already seen it all.
Caedrial – Farseer of Cynath’Anan
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‘We should not be here.’
‘You are anxious?’
‘I’m cold. I haven’t felt my feet since we stepped off of the ship.’
‘Then I expect the feeling in your hands will be next. There is comfort in certainty.’
‘There is more comfort back in my chamber on the ship. I’m certain it is warmer than out here.’
‘Then go back. I will tell them you were too weak to make the walk from the docking port to the council chamber.’
‘I will not.’
‘Then you will stop complaining, also?’
‘I was not…’
‘These eldar appreciate simplicity of speech. I suggest we begin our practice now, don’t you?
‘Yes, Farseer.’
In truth, the Farseer could not wholly dismiss his acolyte’s discomfort; it was indeed cold. No, it was freezing. But it would not do for his pupil’s penchant for candor to unwittingly end discussions before they even began. This would be an important lesson in diplomacy and tact for the outspoken acolyte.
A small transport was waiting for them at the end of the dock’s walkway.
The acolyte’s relief was almost palpable and the Farseer allowed himself a private smile in reminiscence of youth.
As they approached the vehicle and its driver, he returned his visage to one of courteous neutrality and steepled his hands in front of him. Information regarding the customs and manners of Cynath’Anan came only from the briefest of accounts by Alaitoc’s rangers. It seemed, however, that the reports relating to the Cynath’Ananii partiality for modest attire were at least accurate.
The female eldar that greeted them was dressed in a fitting body suit, its colour an exact match to the pale crystalline columns that lined the walkway. The fabric of the suit sparkled and winked as she moved to greet them. The Farseer suspected that actual crystals had somehow been imbued into the thread prior to its weaving. His scientific curiosity was soon forgotten as his gaze moved to take in her remarkable face. To his disappointment, he realised the acolyte must have let his decorum slip for the female eldar’s lips had tightened and while her voice was polite, it was edged with irritation.
‘Farseer Raedriel, I am Warlock Aeowin.’ Her eyes met directly with his and she placed her hands upon his. It was highly inappropriate, yet she seemed not in the least perturbed. ‘I will accompany you to the Cavern of Starlight. Farseer Tairanar will talk with you there.’ She motioned for them to enter the vehicle.
Yet again, to Raedriel’s dismay, his pupil acted upon his whim.
‘Is it the custom of Cynath’Ananii to ignore the protocol and respect granted to a visiting Farseer and his Acolyte?’
The edge to Aeowin’s voice was now razor sharp.
‘No, it is not, Warlock Navandral, just as it is not appropriate for you to expose your thoughts of me so openly.’
The young warlock’s face reddened.
‘Should I have tried to conceal my interest? Begin our relationship with guile and falsehood?’
Although her face was unchanged, Raedriel saw Aeowin’s glow on the skein pulse with annoyance.
‘You chose to follow the single thread of your own desire. There are many more that end with disappointment, most of it mine. I shall forgive your carelessness and owe it to ignorance, but you must withdraw the thought that you have left in the crystal of parting.’
Raedriel stepped in before the warlock could make the situation worse, communicating his desire for Navandral’s silence with a surreptitious gesture that teacher and student had agreed upon before arriving in the foreign craftworld. Looking at the crystals through the skein, their purpose was clear. Threads of mental thoughts and images were interned within the metaphysical boundaries of the crystal, each thread caught in an invisible eddy that kept it swirling in an eternal loop. Navandral’s thoughts and desires concerning Aeowin were there too. Raedriel surmised that Navandral’s close proximity to the crystal and his carelessness had resulted in the mistake. Unfortunately, it seemed that only the individual that recorded the thoughts could remove them.
Thankfully, the young warlock proved that Raedriel’s belief in him was well deserved. For all Navandral’s bluntness, the young elder was a gifted seer. It took his acolyte but a moment to discern what he had done and how to manipulate the parting crystal to remove the thoughts he had erroneously trapped within in it.
What the Warlock did next pleased Raedriel even more.
‘I apologise, for my actions.’ Navandral added a slight bow to declare his sincerity. ‘I will follow the undesirable threads you speak of so that I may better learn how to please the eldar of Cynath’Anan.’ As Navandral had spoken the last words his eyes had moved head to meet with Aeowin's.
‘That would be wise,’ she replied, motioning them into the vehicle once more.
When they had lifted off and were already far from the docking ports, Raedriel broke the uncustomary silence.
‘Aeowin impressed you.’ The woman was seated a polite distance away at the other end of the compartment, far enough that he and Navandral could confer in some privacy but close enough that they would not need to raise their voice to ask something of her.
‘She is exotic and my desire for novelty is sated. I have returned to Alaitoc.’
‘Yet, you have not spoken since we left the docks.’
‘I am preparing for our meeting. Clearly, these eldar are more different than we expected.
Looking out the view port at dome after dome of ice and snow, Raedriel had to agree.
‘Indeed. Let us hope their reception of our news is warmer than the weather. I would hate to have to walk back to the ship.’
Raedriel always felt the Laughing God’s nudging elbow more strongly when he travelled.
