Shortly after the group has scrying on Hadonis for the first time in the new timeline, and they are traveling afterwards.
Alexis asks the question to the group, not expecting an answer.
“Something doesn’t add up about Hadonis.”
“The one we left behind didn’t have time to build all of that… machinery. And he was still being hunted. The Hadonis in this timeline is dead.” He shakes his head. “But we’re not even the first group to pull the Tear out of Nodden-Torr. So what, does every group that takes the Tear get this particular Hadonis on their heels? Is it the same man every time? Are there multiple mad inventor Hadonises out there?”
He shakes his head again.
“That can’t be right.”
He keeps walking.
“Well since we were in a time maze built by a powerful chronomancer, could it not be that our Hedonis was able to tap into that magic?
We saw he has more power than we expected, summoning powerful creatures, allying with the stone giants.
The Hedonis from where we came could have found the ‘time’ within the maze to build his magic, to gain the power to find us? We made it easier by using him as our anchor, maybe even made it possible in some way?”
“I like the idea, but how would he have had the time? He was an emaciated mess when we left him.”
Alexis thinks for a moment.
“Maybe he used the giants to kill those that were hunting him, and then somehow harnessed the Nodden-Torr chronomancy (as a priest) to hunt us down… rather than just get his own Tear, which would still be waiting for him in our previous timeline.”
Alexis turns the Collegium ring on his finger. “It doesn’t seem right. There’s something big we’re missing. Other thoughts?”
“I guess it could be possible that the Hadonis we saw with all the machinery is one of the ‘best’ Hadonis’ we could find.. or the best Hadonis’ that could find us? I guess.
Maybe of all the tears that could exist this one is somewhat more special than the rest. Maybe your tear is one of the best Tears there could be, for bringing back Shazerak?
Think about that a bit.
When we finally confront, or are confronted by, Bandesign what is better.. let Bandesign get this Tear.. this very special Tear… or destroy this Tear and truly prevent Shazerak from returning?”
“Could we even destroy the Tear if we wanted to?” Alexis looks very dubious.
“First of all the Tear you have, if we believe the story, are shards from a larger crystal. Meaning part of it has already been broken.
As far as I know none of use has studied this Tear to see what weaknesses is might have.
While we failed to destroy the purple crystal from the Abyssal Lords, things have change since then.
I believe that we would find a way to weak or destroy the Tear you have, give some time to study and a plan to execute.”
Alexis thinks for a moment.
“It’d break my heart to see something like it destroyed. But I’d like you to look it over. Flaws. Any sign of where the other Tears were joined to it.”
“Huh. Very interesting.”