Jeffron feels, for the first time since his incident with the Good Doktor Jusuf, a stretch of relief. He feels light, and easy. His Splinter is eased... He feels sane. His vision is clear, his breath easy. For now, his tremors are completely gone. He looks at Du Bourg, with the closest thing to affection he's capable of. Du Bourg, with his story, eased the mortal agony that permeates him now, moments after his relief. For now, however, he doesn't think about it. When the visceral, red pain will dig back into his soul. (RED PURPLE RED PURPLE) He thinks now, of what Bernard has told him. Such is his relief, that he cannot even conceive of rage at those who destroyed him. The Red Vardo. He writes of it:
The Red Vardo... they are the newest lead. Back in the Before, they destroyed Eawin. They killed him by sacrificing him to Chernovog, the Green God, Lord of the Verdant Chasm. There are other leads... ones Bernard will lead me to, no doubt.
Unimagined of, the Red Splinter draws near. Jeffron writes of Grimshackle, as it nears, and his new promise:
Grimshackle has very peculiar knives... ones designed to drain mortals of their very life. In any case, I will help him design a situation in which he can transfer the energy of the draining knives to a larger sword, as well as mixing that energy with that of a flaming sword. An interesting premise. This will replace the painful price of giving up valuable lore for the helm of sorcery.
The Splinter is almost touching him again, so soon after his relief, but he still has time to write easily of Tylae
The Mongrel, Tylae, will serve as my auxiliiary book keeper, in case the Darkness comes. That reminds me, that Bernard proposed that Darkness doesn't exist! Prepostrous
Before Jeffron the Recorder could finish, or even punctuate, his curse reclaimed him, destroying his reprieve. He begins shaking, more violently than ever before. For a minute, he cannot even reach for his book. Bernard stares in shock... and the Recorder does not finish his entry.