In my novel, there is a scene where the 'soon to be' antagonist gets his first glimpse at the evil entities that will eventually lead him down a path of destruction. In that glimpse the dark force can only get one word out. This one encounter is the impetus for the antagonist searching out the other worldly forces. I'm having trouble finding that 'one word'. The trouble is that it has to be a word that can be misconstrued two or possibly three ways. It has to mean that 1) the entity is trying to make contact but will try again later when its not being prevented 2) it also has to summerize the agenda of the antagonistic forces that are trying to warp and change the destiny of the universe, and 3) it has to sound suspicious to the reader, but not directly obvious to the character hearing it. The closest thing I've come up with so far is 'Amend' But I don't feel like that quite does it. It's kind of an obtuse question, I know, but any thoughts would be helpful and I can explain more fully if need be. ~JG
Harmonize - implying to align everyone and everything toward a common goal. But who's calling the tune?
Those are great suggestions. I was going for something with a little more sinister sound, but it may not be achievable. @Cogito, what do you mean by who's calling the tune?
I mean getting everyone marching to the same tune sounds great, until you realize the tune is the same one that leads lemmings to jump en masse into the sea, to their doom. And you are one of the lemmings. If evil is calling the tune, suddenly you find yourself wishing for the discordant note. That's the ominous element.
Oooh, I really like harmonize now. That works pretty well with what you said in mind. Still open to other thoughts also!
I have had a think, and I just don't know! If you drop number one, no problem. amend kind of works, alter, alteration, transformation. But one word for all 3 things? Maybe if you detail the strained tone in your narrative which insinuates to the listener the entity is trying to get through but something is working against it. Then you get that bit accross no-matter what the word is.
My first thought was 'purify', but that's a bit too obvious. 'Collimate' is perhaps even more to the point, but would probably lose too many readers who don't instinctively go to the dictionary. 'Attuned' is another word in the same vein, but I don't think it is as active or strong.
