Well, my duty is, for the moment, done. I have informed Bleys of the threat to himself.
I have also informed my brother of the threat to his shadow and his mother in the coming time.
Neither of them is very happy at this news, but that is hardly to be expected. At least now there is some hope of overcoming these problems in a satisfactory manner.
A good few subjective days work, I think. Upgrading my Conjured items based on the new insight into magic that I have recently had. I think my insight into how my Conjurations might be enhanced has come none too soon, given current circumstances. I am glad that I have maintained the discipline I learnt in Verantium during my travels and experiments since then, as otherwise it would have been significantly more difficult and time-consuming to slot home my various enhancements.
And more significant than my spells and items, I was also able to add significant upgrades to Cerebaton's various abilities, offensive, defensive, sensory, mental and intellectual. A 'birthday gift', perhaps? Perhaps. I hope he finds them to be of benefit. With him, particularly, it was important that the enhancements slot home without trauma, and I am very glad that they do, indeed, seem to have done so.
I was glad to see Master Tarn fully restored from the damage he sustained against the DarkWalkers when I returned to Amber. However, I was concerned about the air of being infused with Werewindle's essence that he had acquired in the night, and of which, upon questioning, he seemed completely unaware.
At first I thought Werewindle might have been enhancing Master Tarn 'for his own good', without his knowledge or consent. So I mentally asked Werewindle about this change to Master Tarn. Imagine my surprise when Master Tarn was the one to answer. At least, Werewindle speaking through Master Tarn, which it was - is - 'possessing'.
Apparently that is why Master Tarn was made. As a tool to allow Werewindle to act independently in the world. Why, then, does he have a personality of his own? That seems rather ... unnecessary ... for something built only to be hands for another. What was father thinking when he made Master Tarn so?! At least, so Werewindle says. Master Tarn still exists in that body, so one hopes that he may be revived when circumstances allow.
I cannot say that I at all approve of Werewindle's doing this, even if it becomes more effective by doing so. But there is, as far as I can tell, nothing I can currently do about it, so it seems more ... politic ... to remain silent. For now.
But I cannot say I like or approve of this development at all. I much prefer the tools I use to be less ... wilful.
But with that settled, it was time to attend Random's meeting.
However, in investigating the effectiveness of the tessaract mage against the DarkWalkers, my people had discovered that the source of her power was more than just a quirk of her shadow, but instead something, apparently, Real. And also something Cerebaton could not, easily, scan.
That being so, and despite the time there flowing nine times slower than in Amber, I felt I could profitably spare a few minutes in a personal inspection before the meeting, in case any insights into it could be immediately useful.
And so, there 'Master Tarn' and I went. Even upon arrival, in a location other than that which I has specified, it was clear that something was strange about the place. Other than the displacement in our arrival point, as 'Master Tarn' attempted to approach the shimmering, growing and shrinking indescribable thing that is the Tessaract, it became clear that something quite strange had happened to space there. So that straight lines were no longer so, and the most direct route a path that might seem highly convoluted to an external observer.
I wonder if there could be some connection between those convolutions and those on the Pattern? Perhaps.
But, by an involved route, we reached it. I was surprised when Werewindle seemed to know it, personally. Apparently it is a part of the 'Tree of Life' it described previously, a part that is out of balance. And it is also, apparently, a part of the power of Trump, too, being, so it seems, everywhere at once. This definitely implies a link to the Pattern and what I have been told of its teleportational abilities.
It seems, though, that there is still a great deal to be learned about Trump, in areas which I was not previously aware even existed!
Apparently, so Werewindle tells me, the Tessaract was brought to its current location by the Serpent of Chaos itself. And that is the cause of its being unbalanced and, allegedly, in need to restoration. Of re-balancing. The question is, I suppose, why did the Serpent unbalance it, and if the Serpent chose to do so, would it therefore be unwise to make an attempt to re-balance it by moving it elsewhere? Let alone any considerations one may have regarding the need for re-balancing in the first place, and what effect that may have on the current universal status quo.
And the Tessaract appears to be sentient. At least, given the manner in which Master Tarn was conversing with it, and the way it seemed pleased at the idea of being moved to a more balanced position, that would seem to be the only conclusion which can be drawn. How is that so, though, I wonder? Although it did not respond when I greeted it, I cannot help but think that being polite to it is probably the best course of action to take, for now at least.
All of these questions definitely require more research before I can decide on the best course of action.
Then all of my thoughts and concerns about the DarkWalkers, the Tessaract, Werewindle and everything else were scattered to the four winds by a flash of light from the Tessaract. Out of which appeared Brand. My father. Apparently alive. And sane.
If I were not of the blood of Amber, I imagine I would have been in grave danger of heart failure at that point!
He said he had come here to see me, in adulthood, by way of the Tessaract, which apparently links time, as well as mere space. Before, as he said, he succumbed to madness. So curious about events now. About mother. So that I had to mix white lies with simply refusing to answer. Not something I wanted to do, but from what he said, I did not want to risk anything which might mean that I caused his madness.
He came with a book of ... something ... for me, and promises of more to come. I could not help myself. I had to suggest a means of delivery. The means by which the 'Young Lady's Illustrated Primer' was delivered to me. So I have created a time loop. I hope that this does not cause problems in the future, but I simply could not resist...
I worry, too, about the 'cost' father said the Tessaract was exacting from him. Could that be what drives - drove - him to madness? Whatever the cost, he says it was such that he could not do it again. Pay it again.
And for all that I appreciate seeing him, were I to be able to travel through time only once, would I do so for sentimental reasons alone? Perhaps. But also, perhaps not. It would have to depend on the circumstances, I suppose...
But I cannot say that I do not appreciate seeing him. For the first time ever. Seeing, it would appear, that he approves of me. It means a great deal to me, even in my current ... elevated ... position, to see that my father approves of me, even after so long knowing that I would never see him.
However, it seems that father does not - did not - know as much of the Tessaract as he thought. He seems to have come to roughly two hundred years later than the time for which he was aiming.
I could not tell him, even though he asked, of what he would do. Of Patternfall. Of Rinaldo. Of mother's death. Both because of what it might do to him, and because I do not know what any changes I might cause might do to my past, and his future.
I never realised that time travel was even possible, even in shadow. Let alone for a real object. For real people. But it would appear that it is. From what father says, though, it is much easier for shadow-folk than for we Real people. I suppose I should have been less surprised, given how much the concept appears across shadow, and how much shadows themselves vary, but even so, to find that it is real...
I wonder, in that case, if it might be possible to enhance Cerebaton, as a being more of shadow than I, to be able to, at the very least, sense through time?
Even if time travel is not possible for myself, these are whole new areas in which profitable research may be carried out opening up before me!