what his father says about the harmonic disruption.”
“You should care, sir,” U’Sumi said. “My father is Gryndel Slayer and Hearer of El-N’Lil, the Divine Wind of E’Yahavah. He is also keeper of all the old scrolls and tablets. He has full knowledge of these things.”
Uggu seemed to regard the ‘tween-ager with new respect. “Did you say he is also the Gryndel Slayer —t he one known to live in these parts—who discovered the dragon’s weak spot?”
“The same,” U’Sumi answered, as he guided them onto the foothill trail that led up through the forest to the monastery-fortress of his fathers, which overlooked the valley.
“Why, every holy seed born titan in Lumekkor and the far colonies still uses his wrestling hold to slay the dragon in sacred arena combats. Does your father know what a celebrity he still is among us?”
“I’m sure he doesn’t.”
“Then lead us to him, young seer. I would speak to this one on much more than harmonic disruption.”
“W
hat are they talking about?” Iyapeti whispered, a wheaty tuft of hair blasting from the top of his head in an unruly clump. His princely braid hung like a crumpled yellow stalk to one side.
U’Sumi pressed his ear against the oaken door to the monastery’s hearth hall, his own dark curls held back by his cupped hand. “Something about dragons, disruptions, and the Watcher Uzaaz’El.”
“He’s the one that visited Q’Enukki!” Iyapeti almost shouted, as if it were not in all the sacred history scrolls. His lanky adolescent body loomed over U’Sumi’s like an arching shade tree swaying in a comfortable breeze.
“You think , sage-master? This titan is Uggu, Uzaaz’El’s very spawn —pretty creepy having him right here, huh?”
Iyapeti had their mother’s pale skin , unlike U’Sumi, whose dark complexion resembled their father . Alt hough Iyapeti was hi s elder by almost two years, U’Sumi doubted ‘Peti’s greater size and strength could match his own speed and wit. U’Sumi fancied himself unofficial leader in their rela tionship—but never to ‘P eti’s face. No sense rubbing it in—or getting my head squished like a pimple if he gets lucky and actually catches me with my guard down. U’Sumi knew his older brother would never have dared to spy on their father on his own.
“Is Pahp saying anything?”
U’Sumi shifted to press his ear further into the door like a suction cup. “Not yet—Uggu’s telling him about some rogue titans revolt ing in Aztlan—what u sed to be the Far West Colonies … ”
“The titans are pretty revolting here too—ever smell one up close?”
U’sumi smiled. “Chuckle me a fart— storm, Goldy-braid , I had to walk this one all the way up from the village to keep him from crushing my head. You wanta know about the Aztlan Re bels or not?”
“ Okay ! ”
“ Several Watchers are behind them. Also there’s something about a new weird form of soldier titan called an ‘Elyo’—I didn’t catch it all.”
“You’ll catch it all from me, if you two don’t get aw ay from that door!” said a gravelly voice from behind them.
U’Sumi and Iyapeti swung around to face their grandfather, who glared at them with eyes trained as weapons to discipline young soldiers , though he actually had to look up at Iyapeti, who involuntarily slumped down before the o ld Tacticon’s scar-pitted face.
U’Sumi squeaked, “W-We’re sorry, Pahpo! We just wanted to know what’s going on.”
The Tacticon softened. “If you want to know what’s going on, you need only ask me . I keep up with things pretty well. I can tell you more about what’s happening in Aztlan with these Elyo than you can learn by spying.”
U’Sumi said, “Will you? Nobody ever tells us anything!”
Old Lumekki smiled. “Come with me up to the tower. We’ll talk. ”
The ‘tween-agers glanced at each other and grinned. An invitation to Lumekki’s tower meant tales of valor from the old days, and
“You should care, sir,” U’Sumi said. “My father is Gryndel Slayer and Hearer of El-N’Lil, the Divine Wind of E’Yahavah. He is also keeper of all the old scrolls and tablets. He has full knowledge of these things.”
Uggu seemed to regard the ‘tween-ager with new respect. “Did you say he is also the Gryndel Slayer —t he one known to live in these parts—who discovered the dragon’s weak spot?”
“The same,” U’Sumi answered, as he guided them onto the foothill trail that led up through the forest to the monastery-fortress of his fathers, which overlooked the valley.
“Why, every holy seed born titan in Lumekkor and the far colonies still uses his wrestling hold to slay the dragon in sacred arena combats. Does your father know what a celebrity he still is among us?”
“I’m sure he doesn’t.”
“Then lead us to him, young seer. I would speak to this one on much more than harmonic disruption.”
“W
hat are they talking about?” Iyapeti whispered, a wheaty tuft of hair blasting from the top of his head in an unruly clump. His princely braid hung like a crumpled yellow stalk to one side.
U’Sumi pressed his ear against the oaken door to the monastery’s hearth hall, his own dark curls held back by his cupped hand. “Something about dragons, disruptions, and the Watcher Uzaaz’El.”
“He’s the one that visited Q’Enukki!” Iyapeti almost shouted, as if it were not in all the sacred history scrolls. His lanky adolescent body loomed over U’Sumi’s like an arching shade tree swaying in a comfortable breeze.
“You think , sage-master? This titan is Uggu, Uzaaz’El’s very spawn —pretty creepy having him right here, huh?”
Iyapeti had their mother’s pale skin , unlike U’Sumi, whose dark complexion resembled their father . Alt hough Iyapeti was hi s elder by almost two years, U’Sumi doubted ‘Peti’s greater size and strength could match his own speed and wit. U’Sumi fancied himself unofficial leader in their rela tionship—but never to ‘P eti’s face. No sense rubbing it in—or getting my head squished like a pimple if he gets lucky and actually catches me with my guard down. U’Sumi knew his older brother would never have dared to spy on their father on his own.
“Is Pahp saying anything?”
U’Sumi shifted to press his ear further into the door like a suction cup. “Not yet—Uggu’s telling him about some rogue titans revolt ing in Aztlan—what u sed to be the Far West Colonies … ”
“The titans are pretty revolting here too—ever smell one up close?”
U’sumi smiled. “Chuckle me a fart— storm, Goldy-braid , I had to walk this one all the way up from the village to keep him from crushing my head. You wanta know about the Aztlan Re bels or not?”
“ Okay ! ”
“ Several Watchers are behind them. Also there’s something about a new weird form of soldier titan called an ‘Elyo’—I didn’t catch it all.”
“You’ll catch it all from me, if you two don’t get aw ay from that door!” said a gravelly voice from behind them.
U’Sumi and Iyapeti swung around to face their grandfather, who glared at them with eyes trained as weapons to discipline young soldiers , though he actually had to look up at Iyapeti, who involuntarily slumped down before the o ld Tacticon’s scar-pitted face.
U’Sumi squeaked, “W-We’re sorry, Pahpo! We just wanted to know what’s going on.”
The Tacticon softened. “If you want to know what’s going on, you need only ask me . I keep up with things pretty well. I can tell you more about what’s happening in Aztlan with these Elyo than you can learn by spying.”
U’Sumi said, “Will you? Nobody ever tells us anything!”
Old Lumekki smiled. “Come with me up to the tower. We’ll talk. ”
The ‘tween-agers glanced at each other and grinned. An invitation to Lumekki’s tower meant tales of valor from the old days, and
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