Kellhus simply ... watched.
"You"re a Mandate Schoolman," Nautzera grated with admirable menace. "A Mandate Schoolman Mandate Schoolman!"
"Esmi," Achamian said, his eyes and outstretched hand directed only at her. "Please ..."
This was the only thing that could mean mean anymore. anymore.
"Akka," she sobbed. She glanced about, seemed to wilt beneath the rapt gazes that encircled them. "I"m the mother of ... of ..."
So the hollow could not be shut. Achamian nodded, wiped the last tear he knew he would ever shed. He would be heartless now. A perfect man.
She approached him-with longing, yes, but with wariness and horror as well. She clutched the hand he had held out, the one that did not lean against his staff. "The world, world, Akka. Don"t you see? The very world hangs in the balance!" Akka. Don"t you see? The very world hangs in the balance!"
What will it be the next time I die?
With a savagery that both thrilled and frightened him, he s.n.a.t.c.hed her left wrist, twisted and bent it back, so that she could see the blurred tattoo that blackened the back of her hand. He thrust her away from him.
The crowd erupted in outrage. But strangely, no one moved to seize him.
"No!" Esmenet shrieked from the floor. "Leave him alone! Leave him! You don"t know him! You don"t kn-"
"I renounce!" Achamian roared, sweeping his scathing gaze across all a.s.sembled. "I renounce my station as Holy Tutor, as Vizier to the court of the Anasurimbor Kellhus!" He glanced at Nautzera, not caring whether the old man sneered or no. Achamian roared, sweeping his scathing gaze across all a.s.sembled. "I renounce my station as Holy Tutor, as Vizier to the court of the Anasurimbor Kellhus!" He glanced at Nautzera, not caring whether the old man sneered or no.
"I renounce my School!" he continued. "As an a.s.sembly of hypocrites and murderers." he continued. "As an a.s.sembly of hypocrites and murderers."
"Then you sentence yourself to death!" Nautzera cried. "There"s no sorcery outside the Schools! There are no-"
"I renounce my Prophet!"
Gasps and sputters filled the galleries of the First Temple. He waited for the uproar to subside, staring for what seemed an unblinking eternity at the otherworldly aspect of Anasurimbor Kellhus. His last student.
Nothing pa.s.sed between them.
Somehow his gaze found Proyas, who looked so ... aged aged with his beard squared. There was prayer in his handsome brown eyes, the promise of return. But it was far too late. with his beard squared. There was prayer in his handsome brown eyes, the promise of return. But it was far too late.
"And I renounce ..." He trailed, warred with errant pa.s.sions. "I renounce my wife wife."
His eyes fell upon Esmenet, stricken upon the floor. My wife! My wife!
"Noooo," she wept and whispered. she wept and whispered. "Pleeaaase, Akka ..." "Pleeaaase, Akka ..."
"As an adulteress," he continued, his voice cracking, "anda...a..."
His face a mask of nimil, he turned without leave, began walking back the way he came. The Men of the Tusk stared at him dumbstruck, their outrage as bright as sparks in their eyes. But they fell away before his approach. They fell away.
Then, through the sound of Esmenet weeping ...
"Achamian!"
Kellhus. Achamian did not condescend to turn, but he did pause. It seemed the future itself leaned inscrutable against him, a yoke about his neck, a spear point against his spine ...
"The next time you come before me," the Aspect-Emperor said, his voice cavernous, ringing with inhuman resonance, "you will kneel, Drusas Achamian."
Retracing his b.l.o.o.d.y footprints, the Wizard limped on.
Encyclopedic Glossary
AUTHOR"S NOTE
Steeped in the cla.s.sics, Inrithi scholars commonly rendered names in their Sheyic form, opting for native forms only in the absence of antique Sheyic a.n.a.logues. So, for instance, the surname Coithus (which is mentioned twice by Casidas in The Annals of Cenei The Annals of Cenei) is in fact a Sheyic version of the Gallish "Koutha," and so is rendered as such here. The surname Hoga, on the other hand, has no extant Sheyic form, and so is rendered in the original Tydonni. Kyranean place names (such as Asgilioch, Girgilioth, or Kyudea) are a notable exception.
The vast majority of the following proper names, then, are simply transliterated from their Sheyic (and in some instances Kuniuric) form. They have been translated only where their Sheyic (or Kuniuric) version does likewise. So, for instance, the Ainoni "Ratharutar," which has the Sheyic form "Retorum Ratas," is given as "the Scarlet Spires," the literal meaning of ratas ratas ("red") and ("red") and retorum retorum ("towers"). The etymological provenance and translated meaning of place names can be found bracketed at the beginning of certain entries. ("towers"). The etymological provenance and translated meaning of place names can be found bracketed at the beginning of certain entries.
These would be the names as Drusas Achamian knew them.
A.
Abenjukala-The cla.s.sic treatise on benjuka, written anonymously in Near Antiquity. Because of its emphasis on the relation between benjuka and wisdom, many consider it a cla.s.sic philosophical text as well.
Absolute, the-Among the Dunyain, the state of becoming "unconditioned," a perfect self-moving soul independent of "what comes before." See Dunyain Dunyain and and Conditioning, the Conditioning, the.
Abstractions-An epithet for Gnostic sorceries.
Adunyani-"Little Dunyain" (Kuniuric from umeritic ar"tunya, ar"tunya, or "little truth"). The name taken by the followers a.s.sembled by Kellhus in Atrithau. or "little truth"). The name taken by the followers a.s.sembled by Kellhus in Atrithau.
Aengelas (4087-4112)-A Werigdan warrior. (4087-4112)-A Werigdan warrior.
Aethelarius VI (4062- )-(Sheyic form of Athullara) The King of Atrithau, last of the line of Morghund. (4062- )-(Sheyic form of Athullara) The King of Atrithau, last of the line of Morghund.
Agansanor-A province of south central Ce Tydonn, noted for the martial zeal of its sons.
Age of Bronze-Another name for Far Antiquity, during which bronze was the dominant technology of Men.
Age of Cenei-The era of Ceneian dominance of the Three Seas, from the conquest of Nilnamesh in 2478 until the Sack of Cenei in 3351.
Age of Kyraneas-The era of Kyranean dominance of the northwestern Three Seas.
Age of Warring Cities-The era following the dissolution of Kyraneas (c. 2158) until the rise of Cenei, characterized by perpetual warfare between the cities of the Kyranae Plain. 2158) until the rise of Cenei, characterized by perpetual warfare between the cities of the Kyranae Plain.
Aghurzoi-"Cut Tongue" (Ihrimsu) The language of the Sranc.
Agmundr-A province of northeastern Galeoth, located beneath the Osthwai Mountains.
Agnotum Market-The main bazaar of Iothiah, dating back to the days of Cenei.
agoglian bulls-Ancient Kyranean symbols of virility and fortune. The most famous examples are found in the Hagerna opposite the Vault-of-the-Tusk.
Agongorea-"Fields of Woe" (Kuniuric) The blasted lands to the west of the River Sursa and north of the Neleost Sea.
Agonic Collar-A sorcerous artifact of the Ancient North, reputedly crafted by the Mihtrulic Gnostic School. According to Mandate scholars, the purpose of the Agonic Collar was a.n.a.logous to that of the Uroborian Circle utilized by the Anagogic Schools of the Three Seas, namely, to inflict excruciating pain on the wearer should he attempt to utter any sorcerous incantation.
Agonies-The name for the Gnostic Cants of Torment, a reputed specialty of the Mangaecca.
Ainoni-The language of High Ainon, derived from Ham-Kheremic.
Ajencis ( (c. 1896-2000)-The father of syllogistic logic and algebra, held by many to be the greatest of all philosophers. Born in the Kyranean capital of Mehtsonc, he is reputed to have never once left his city, even during the horrific plagues of 1991, when his advanced age made his death a near certainty. (According to various sources, Ajencis bathed on a daily basis and refused to drink water drawn from city wells, claiming that these practices, combined with a distaste for drunkenness and a moderate diet, were the keys to his health.) Many commentators, both antique and contemporary, complain that there are as many Ajencises as there are readers of Ajencis. Though this is certainly true of his more speculative works (such as 1896-2000)-The father of syllogistic logic and algebra, held by many to be the greatest of all philosophers. Born in the Kyranean capital of Mehtsonc, he is reputed to have never once left his city, even during the horrific plagues of 1991, when his advanced age made his death a near certainty. (According to various sources, Ajencis bathed on a daily basis and refused to drink water drawn from city wells, claiming that these practices, combined with a distaste for drunkenness and a moderate diet, were the keys to his health.) Many commentators, both antique and contemporary, complain that there are as many Ajencises as there are readers of Ajencis. Though this is certainly true of his more speculative works (such as Theophysics Theophysics or or The First a.n.a.lytic of Men The First a.n.a.lytic of Men), his work does possess a discernible and consistent sceptical core, primarily exemplified in The Third a.n.a.lytic of Men, The Third a.n.a.lytic of Men, which also happens to be his most cynical work. For Ajencis, Men by and large "make their weaknesses, not reason or the world, the primary measure of what they hold true." In fact, he observed that most individuals possess no criteria whatsoever for their beliefs. As a so-called critical philosopher, one might have supposed he would eventually share the fate of other critical philosophers, such as Porsa (the famed "Philosopher-Wh.o.r.e" of Tryse) or k.u.mhurat. Only his reputation and the structure of Kyranean society saved him from the vicissitudes of the mob. As a child, he was allegedly such a prodigy that the High King himself took notice of him, granting him what was called Protection at the unprecedented age of eight. Protection was an ancient and hallowed Kyranean inst.i.tution; the "Protected" were those who could say anything without fear of reprisal, even to the High King. Ajencis continued speaking until he suffered a stroke and died at the venerable age of 103. which also happens to be his most cynical work. For Ajencis, Men by and large "make their weaknesses, not reason or the world, the primary measure of what they hold true." In fact, he observed that most individuals possess no criteria whatsoever for their beliefs. As a so-called critical philosopher, one might have supposed he would eventually share the fate of other critical philosophers, such as Porsa (the famed "Philosopher-Wh.o.r.e" of Tryse) or k.u.mhurat. Only his reputation and the structure of Kyranean society saved him from the vicissitudes of the mob. As a child, he was allegedly such a prodigy that the High King himself took notice of him, granting him what was called Protection at the unprecedented age of eight. Protection was an ancient and hallowed Kyranean inst.i.tution; the "Protected" were those who could say anything without fear of reprisal, even to the High King. Ajencis continued speaking until he suffered a stroke and died at the venerable age of 103.