Mnemon Rulinsei Akira

"Welcome stranger, put away your burdens, welcome to the palace sublime. She who is master of this place bids you await her here."

"Might I know her name?" Towering Cirro-stratus, chosen of Secrets asked, discreetly hiding the intensity of his interest.

"She discarded such a thing upon her elevation, now she is only the Mouth of Peace."

"I welcome you, traveller, welcome to Incas Prefecture, Sidon, and welcome, most especially, to the Palace Sublime. Are you a monk of the immaculate faith?"

"I am a follower of the Immaculate Philosophy. I am called Taringei."

"Welcome, Taringei, you have been chosen today, to dine with me. We get so few visitors from afar, is it true you've traveled from far away Port Calin?"

"I come from even further than that, but I cannot speak of all the places I've seen, oaths have precedence upon my tongue. I will tell you what I am able." 'Taringei' said, and that was a good line, it would prevent him from using all of Jupiter's power on this poor girl. She would never remember him, never pierce the Resplendant Destiny that Towering Cirro-Stratus had to bear. Its sublime secret chosen by Jupiter herself, its ultimate message written in the stars, and copied in triplicate on the loom of fate. Few could detect a lie ordained this way...

"I hate being lied to, Towering Cirro-Stratus. Your predecessor made a habit of it, and I hate it."

"Predecessor?"

"Let us dispense with the pretense, Sidereal Chosen of Secrets, I mourned when Chejop Kejak died, but not so much for the man himself, he was repugnant. I mourned for the known quantity of a man so thouroughly bound by machinations beyond his control he would only dissemble as a last resort. You are much more malleable, more flexible... The Convention of the Centre finally decided to act?"

"The convention of the centre is having a collective hissy-fit! Only the Manse of Ivy ordered me here, and against everyone's objections! But my 'predecessor' left so many secrets, only one of us could come here and reclaim them. Only a chosen of secrets could speak to you, in words you'd understand and trust..."

"Then you understand my problem."

"No."

"You say only Secrets could make you come here, only Jupiter could command... But I am bound to Pasiap, to the earth, if not to Gaia herself, to nature... I have chosen my successor, and named her to all my subordinates. She will be mouth of peace when I die. Mark well her name: Berit."

"Berit?!" A thundercloud couldn't have injected so much shock into a phrase... "Your Aunt?"

"Yes, my aunt, and not a sweet young thing for you to manipulate, skirt-chaser. Berit is of an age to you, Sidereal, and I know you would rather ride a lightning bolt than exchange pleasantries with a woman with visible grey hair!"

"..."

"What, cat got your tongue?"

"Berit, daughter of the empress, has left her exile, you're certain??" The normally confident man, who'd have smiled upon finding Ligier had challenged him to a sword duel, and expected a draw on its conclusion, had turned pale...

"She is within this building, you can speak with her, if you wish."

"No, if she is no longer in Iora, it no longer matters, if she is in this prefecture, it no longer matters, there is not much time! Where are your attendants?"

"I sent them away, so we could speak alone..."

"Do you know the spell 'travel without distance'?"

"Yes. Wait, how do you know I know sorcery?"

"..."

"Oh, chosen of Secrets, of course."

"Nara-O told me the prophecy, there is not much time. Travel to the place known as Kamthahar."

"Kamthahar? But that's in Prasad, they follow the pure way, not the Immaculate..."

"If you don't, we will be dead, and Jupiter will send someone to find my replacement to a little village in Iora, in sixteen years time, finding a pretty silver-haired girl who knows entirely too much of everyone's secrets, and remembers all about Berit... But your bones, picked clean in the sun, burned to a crisp, will not CARE! Do what I say!"

"I am Mnemon Rulinsei Akira, I am a chosen of the way of sorcery, I know the way to Kamthahar, guide my way!" The pontifex known as the Mouth of Peace to most spoke the words of the spell, and was elsewhere...