Free OrbSoul (Book 6) by Martin Ash Page B

lie in the same world, thus nullifying the Reciprocity.'
       'And plainly he, or his entities, achieved that with the transient obturation. But it does not wholly nullify the Reciprocity, not at the rate he is using the Portal. It merely diverts its energies, as I have explained.' Orbelon was thoughtful. 'Those entities display an uncommon loyalty.'
       'It’s true,' said Leth. 'They have little genuine accord with Urch-Malmain, and have expressed their desire to be free of him and your world. Yet they will do nothing against his wishes. To act otherwise, they claim, would place an obscurity upon their souls.'
       'Yes, I have encountered their type,' said Orbelon, and the three heads of Triune nodded in sage agreement. 'There is little we can do there. They will not break their compact.'
       'Even if it means their own deaths?'
       'They will not die, they will be dispersed, but they will remain unsullied.'
       'Still, they are not entirely intractable,' Leth brought forth the Locator that Aztin had given him. 'They gave me this, so I might return should I need to.'
       'Ah, that will be of great use,' declared the smallest Triune-child.
       'Are you willing to go, Leth?' asked Orbelon. 'Are you willing to re-enter my world and face Urch-Malmain again?'
       'He is the hinge upon which everything swings, so it seems,' Leth replied. 'Do I have a choice?'
       'It is so,' said Orbelon. 'Apart from Strymnia, who we cannot approach, he is the only one who can possibly know where our Souls might lie.'
       'If it’s true, he has shown scant inclination to part with the information,' said Issul.
       'Then we must ply him to our will,' the second Triune-child said.
       'He has not so far shown signs of pliability.'
       'Perhaps the right leverage was not used.'
       'Have you considered,' said Leth to Orbelon, 'that upon my return Urch-Malmain will simply, instantly, perform his mind-alteration upon me? I will be rendered useless.'
       'We can assist you there. All of you.'
       'All?'
       'You will not be going alone. Shenwolf should accompany you. Issul too.'
       'Issul?'
       Issul shook her head. 'I can’t leave the children here. I will not.'
       'You will not have to,' said Orbelon. 'Your children will also go with you.'
       She exchanged an uneasy glance with Leth. 'But why?'
       'In part it is to redress the balance, to compensate for Urch-Malmain's irresponsibility and help offset the growing instability of the Portal. More energy and matter has come out of my world into this than has passed the other way. Leth and the children came through, then came six warriors seeking them. A short time ago we witnessed only three warriors return. You can help fulfil the Reciprocation that is lacking. Believe me, it is the safest thing, at least until I can return.'
       'Can you not come with us, Orbelon?' Issul asked.
       The ragged head of the bundled god swayed from side to side. 'Too many uncertainties. My return must be through the blue casket. Even then I may still be held in the Orb, my blue domain, with no direct contact with the fullness of my world. I do not know if it is time for the Creator to be fully manifest within its creation.'
       'Will there ever be a time?'
       'Perhaps when the Creator is one with its Soul again. Perhaps that is the one time. Meanwhile, I ask myself if that can have been the real reason why you went there, Leth: as my agent, to realize the work I desired but was unable to perform.'
       Leth stared at him in puzzlement.
       'I have told you, Leth,' said Orbelon, 'I have told you all. We have entered Mystery. Do not look for small answers, nor surface truths. Be prepared only to travel and learn. Discount nothing, but equally anticipate neither endings nor beginnings nor anything else that you might ordinarily expect. We are doing things that we may not know we are doing.'
       Triune stepped forward with six hands raised. 'We should talk no