by John F. Carr
All four walls of the chamber, except for the window slits, were covered with shelves of scrolls in golden cases. The Great King rose out of his chair unevenly, using a cane to gain his feet. Although the Great King's back was bowed by age, his hands were still steady. Out of his cloth-of-gold robes, Great King Cleitharses, with his wild hair and untrimmed beard, could have passed for one of Balph's beggars or vagabonds. Both Cleitharses' eyes were the color of milk, and he was all but blind.
"Your Majesty." Anaxthenes said, "I'm not familiar with your advisor."
"This is Highpriest Danthor who hails from Iylos Town in Hos-Bletha. He was driven from the Temple when the nomads sacked the town. When I asked Archivist Vyros for a new reader, he recommended Highpriest Danthor. He's done a wonderful job; his voice is magnificent."
Highpriest Danthor made a slight bow, but otherwise appeared attentive. Anaxthenes made a mental note to interview him later. Since the Investigator's purge of the Temple's upper ranks, there was a growing need for highpriests who were not Roxthar's minions. His agents had informed him that Roxthar's tentacles had not stretched as far as Hos-Bletha-for now.
"What can I do for you Speaker? I don't have a lot of time. Danthor has been reading me Plymestros' Chronicles regarding the Second Nomad Invasion."
Everyone looked at Anaxthenes, so he began. "Styphon's House has come to ask for your support for the final war against the Usurper Kalvan."
"Yes, of course, you have my support." He looked back at Highpriest Danthor as if he expected them to suddenly disappear.
"We need more than your moral support, Your Majesty. We need the Sacred Squares and the princely armies of Hos-Ktemnos for the coming battles."
"No, Speaker. You and your generals," Cleitharses paused to look straight at Grand Master Soton. "You used the armies of Hos-Ktemnos badly last time. Now, We have two new barbarian provinces, which dare to call themselves kingdoms, to protect Ourselves against. Use the Armies of Hos-Harphax and Hos-Agrys."
"They are not large enough to win this war, Your Majesty. We must have the Sacred Squares to defeat the Usurper Kalvan in his own lair."
"Kalvan, what has he ever done against Us? Kalvan, in his letters to Us, asks for peace and tells Us he has no animus against Our subjects. He does not attack unless provoked. No, I will not make the same mistake a second time against Our neighbor. Let this ruthless King Lysandros, who steals his nephews' inheritance, spend his men to regain his lost princedoms. It is not Our fight and We will not countenance it!"
Anaxthenes was taken aback. "It's not a request from me, but from Styphon, your God."
"Styphon is no longer my god, or that of my people. We have many gods and goddesses, and none are as ruthless and heartless as Styphon and his so-called Investigators. Your priests have badly used Our subjects. We will not aid you or Styphon's House any farther in your endless wars."
Anaxthenes cursed Roxthar and his bloody ways under his breath; this was a side of Cleitharses he had never seen before. Since Cleitharses was not moved by this wind, he would have to take another tack. He leaned forward and began to whisper to the Great King, who had slumped back down in his chair. He noted that Highpriest Danthor had moved back out of listening range. "How would your people act if they learned that their Great King dallied with Royal Pages?"
Cleitharses leaned back in his chair and laughed, his toothless mouth and sightless eyes wide open. "Priest, you dare threaten me? Our subjects would be amused at such a trifle in these days of discord. Almtros, bring me the letters."
The Chancellor, who had been lurking in the corner, left the chamber to return a few moments later with a servant carrying a large basket overflowing with parchments. "These are all complaints about your Archpriest Roxthar and his Investigation. This is only one often baskets, containing more letters than I have received in the past two winters. Rein your beast in, or there will be blood in the streets!"
Anaxthenes leaned in closer. "We are in agreement, Your Majesty. It is Roxthar's plan to join the Grand Host in Hos-Harphax and to take his Investigators with him to rid the false kingdom of Hos-Hostigos of unbelievers."
The Great King slumped down as if his unexpected burst of anger had drained him of all his strength. He was a frail man and naive about the ways of the world since he had spent most of his reign in the Royal Library. "But why should I spend my soldiers do the Temple's work and thereby aid this madman's desire to ravage Hostigos?"
Anaxthenes leaned in again to make his point. "Because, Your Majesty, it will remove Archpriest Roxthar and his Investigators from Hos-Ktemnos. With the Ktemnoi troops, the Grand Host will be able to defeat the Usurper Kalvan and Roxthar will spend the next few winters Investigating the Hostigi. When he returns, I will be Styphon's Own Voice and there will be no more Investigation in this kingdom-ever. You have my oath."
Cleitharses looked as if he were about to laugh then thought better of it. "Despite all your ruthlessness and scheming, Speaker, I have never heard you called oath-breaker. Still, I hesitate to send my armies to the north against Hos-Hostigos when I now have two new enemies to the west, the Warlord Sargos, who now calls himself the Var-Wannax, and King Nestros, who falsely claims the title of Great King."
"My castellans will guard the borders of Hos-Ktemnos," Soton said, speaking up for the first time.
"With what, Grand Master, after you strip the border tarrs of their Lances to fight Kalvan in Hostigos?"
A brilliant scheme blossomed in Anaxthenes' mind. "What if I could promise you the neutrality of King Nestros, Your Majesty? Would you commit your Army and the princely levy against the Usurper?"
The old king was so quiet that for a few moments Anaxthenes thought he'd fallen asleep.
"That would ease my fears of invasion. Yes, but only if Roxthar and his Investigators also depart."
"There is nothing on this earth, nor in Hadron's realm, that could keep Investigator Roxthar from joining the Grand Host of Styphon. The Investigator is so anxious to Investigate Kalvan and his Queen that he is already sharpening his favorite knives and chisels."
"Then I will agree to join the war against Hos-Hostigos, but only after you bring me proof that King Nestros will not attack or commit any aggression upon Hos-Ktemnos."
"It will be done, Your Majesty. I will conduct the negotiations myself." The situation in Balph was tenuous, with Sesklos at death's gate, but without Cleitharses' support the war against Kalvan would be doomed. It would be up to him to convince Nestros to make an alliance with Hos-Ktemnos-for now!
"Very good, Speaker. But, I'm not finished. I also want Highpriest Danthor to represent Us both on the mission to Rathon and in the Inner Circle."
Anaxthenes looked over at Highpriest Danthor who appeared as surprised at the Great King's request as he was. Cleitharses' expression was grim and fixed; Anaxthenes could tell this was not a negotiable point. He knew when to retreat as well as when to advance. "It shall be done. There are two openings in the Inner Circle."
Great King Cleitharses' eyes closed as if the last of his energy had departed with their agreement.
Anaxthenes turned to Danthor and said, "Highpriest, we will meet tonight to discuss the details of both your mission and your new responsibilities as a member-elect of the Inner Circle of Styphon's House."
Danthor nodded, his eyes carefully guarded.
Almost petulantly, the Great King stirred, adding, "I also want Danthor to continue to read my scrolls. He's my favorite reader."
"Of course, as duty permits, Your Majesty," Anaxthenes responded, almost without thought. To be allowed his own ear in Great King Cleitharses' private chambers was too good an offer to refuse. This Highpriest could be a valuable tool, or even possibly an ally. In these troubled times there were only two factions: you were either for Roxthar or against him. And in Balph, if you were against him, you were for Anaxthenes.
III
Verkan was waiting at his desk in the Foundry basement for a call from Danthor Dras, of all people. Ranthar had ra
dioed him at his townhouse with a message that the Dean of Aryan-Transpacific Studies wanted to talk with him. A blue light lit up and when Verkan tapped in the proper code, Danthor Dras, calling from the Balph Study Team's office and still wearing the yellow robes of a Styphon's House highpriest, was on the screen.
Danthor looked like a ten year old who'd just gotten away with pulling his sister's hair. "You won't believe the kind of day I've had today!"
"Yes?" Verkan wondered, by the smile lighting up his face, if the Scholar had been appointed overseer of the Paratime Police.
"For the last moon half I've been reading chronicles aloud to Great King Cleitharses who suffers from an advanced case of cataracts."
Verkan nodded. It wasn't unusual to see cataract sufferers begging on the streets of Hostigos Town, since there was no known cure at this primitive level of technology. He was hoping that Danthor didn't want to effect a cure-that would be very close to Outtime Contamination.
"You'll never guess who visited the Great King in his private chambers today."
Verkan said, "Archpriest Roxthar?"
"Good guess! No, it was a delegation from the Inner Circle of Styphon's House headed by none other than Speaker Anaxthenes and Grand Master Soton. They were visiting to formally ask for King Cleitharses' military support for the spring invasion of Hos-Hostigos"-Danthor paused to laugh-"or as we're required to call it, the 'false-kingdom of Hostigos.' They were shocked into the last moon when the Great King turned them down! It appears the Holy Investigation has been building a bad name for Styphon's House right in the heart of Styphoni country. Cleitharses, in an unexpected show of strength, told the Archpriests to fight their own war."
Verkan whistled. "Kalvan would love to know about this!"
"Well, he might not be too happy about the conclusion of their chat, Chief. Archpriest Anaxthenes is quite the Machiavellian; when coercion, intimidation or naked threats won't work, he switches tactics and becomes as reasonable as can be. On the Kalvan Control Time-Lines I visited, he is not so self-assured or in charge; there he's more a puppeteer, content to pull strings off-stage. Here Anaxthenes has grabbed the reins of power with both hands: the word on the streets of Balph is that he's to be the next Styphon's Voice after Sesklos dies. Even Grand Master Soton was willing to stay beneath his shadow during the meeting with Cleitharses. Anaxthenes' power struggle with Roxthar over the fate of Styphon's House has made him both a hungrier and more dangerous man. Unfortunately for Kalvan, both Anaxthenes and Roxthar want to see Hos-Hostigos destroyed."
"Kalvan has his work cut out for him, that's for sure."
"By the end of the meeting, Cleitharses agreed to support the Great Host, but only if Anaxthenes could neutralize either Hos-Rathon or the Sastragath before this spring."
Verkan smiled. "According to our agents in Xiphlon, Wannax Sargos is secretly in the employ of King Rolthoff of Xiphlon and is planning a major drive into the Sea of Grass to force the southern Ruthani back into the lower portion of the continent, the land they call Mexico on Europo-American. On the way back, his army is going to attack the besieging Mexicotal and drive them away from Xiphlon and back to their Pyramid of Skulls."
"That means Anaxthenes doesn't need to bother with winning over Great King Nestros. That little tidbit would earn me a seat in Inner Council if Anaxthenes hadn't all but promised me one anyway-thanks to Great King Cleitharses."
"Come again?"
"I'm a guaranteed Archpriest of the Inner Circle, if I can help Anaxthenes pull off a deal with Nestros."
"Sounds awfully close to Paratemporal Contamination to me, Dras!"
"So you know the story."
"Sure, how old Police Chief Zarvan accused you of Contamination on Fourth Level Alexandrian-Macedonia because you were caught by Alexander's guards with a pocket recorder taping The God Alexander CXIV."
Danthor's visage clouded over, as he appeared to mentally replay the sensation and attendant publicity on Home Time-Line.
"If it makes you feel any better, I've always thought Zarvan made a mistake. Every good researcher slips up now and then. Isn't that what hypno-mech is for?"
"I'm glad to learn you have a vastly more flexible view of these things, Chief Verkan. I'm afraid I may have judged you too harshly in the past based on insufficient data and my own prejudices."
"That goes both ways, Scholar Danthor. I've taken your animosity towards the Force at face value. Zarvan Tharg's problem is that he was a paper pusher who was promoted over his head, not an outtimer. It takes a big man to apologize, Dras, and I not only accept your apology, but also offer one of my own. The entire Balph Study Team and my Police advisors are at your disposal. And, if there is anything I can do to make your job easier, let me know-and it will be done."
Dras smiled. "Thanks, Vall. I'll take you up on that. Archpriest Anaxthenes is going to travel to Hos-Rathon to try to convince King Nestros to forge an alliance with Hos-Ktemnos, which will keep him in Styphon's pocket and his army part of what the Styphoni are calling the Grand Host. I'll keep you informed on the outcome."
"What about you becoming a member of the Inner Circle? What deity do we thank for this miracle?"
"No deity. It came about because King Cleitharses doesn't trust Styphon's House to have his Kingdom's best interest in mind. Because he knows I'm new to Balph, he thinks he can buy my loyalty! What he doesn't know is that he already owns it. After Anaxthenes and Soton left, he promised me my weight in silver if I'd act as his eyes and ears in the Inner Council. Of course, like any proper highpriest of Styphon's House, I agreed.
"On my way back from Cleitharses' palace, to my temporary quarters at the Great Temple of Hos-Ktemnos, I was met by two of Anaxthenes' handpicked highpriests and taken to meet the next Styphon's Voice. The Balph Study Team just learned from an analysis of the sample of Sesklos' hair that someone has been feeding the old man arsenic. I suspect it's his new Healer, who is friends with Anaxthenes' concubine, Thessamona. For a Fourth Level middle-aged female, she's very attractive, and quite deadly in her knowledge of indigenous poisons.
"Archpriest Anaxthenes was friendly and forthright. He likes to take you by surprise. He sketched out the competing factions in the Inner Circle, his faction and the Dracar/Roxthar alliance, and told me why I should support him. As any proper out-of-town highpriest with the usual ambitions and lust for lucre, I was horrified at the Investigator's effrontery- True Believers in Styphon, how ghastly!-and immediately enlisted myself in the anti-Roxthar cabal.
"Due to Sesklos' faltering health, the Inner Circle has been unable to convene a conclave to replace any absent members; however, as soon as Sesklos' health has 'improved' a Council of Archpriests will be called and the vacant seats will be filled by myself and another of Anaxthenes' supporters, member-elect Highpriest Grythos, a former Zarthani Knight Commander."
"Wasn't there a background check? For all they know, you could be one of Roxthar's sympathizers."
"The Styphon's House's Temple bureaucracy is quite thorough. Anaxthenes had the parchments confirming my appointment as Iylos Temple Archivist and Highpriest, as well as some other biographical information. While I was working with Archpriest Vyros, I planted some documents in the Temple files."
"Will they stand up to Anaxthenes' scrutiny?"
"Yes, I've spent considerable time this past year planting false documents at the Iylos' Temple and have hypno-meched several priests to confirm them."
"Congratulations, Dras. You've cracked the Inner Circle, something I didn't think we'd be able to do for a decade or two! For some reason, not a lot of my people want to join Roxthar's Investigation!"
They both laughed.
FIFTEEN
Anaxthenes counted twenty-seven Archpriests seated in the Innermost Circle, in Styphon's House Upon Earth, the formal meeting place of the Inner Circle. Styphon's House Upon Earth was over three hundred years old, the first, and still largest, of the domed temples. Facing them was Styphon's Golden Image, the huge statue of Styphon that was on
ly visible to the public during special occasions or times of great crisis-the only time they were allowed into the Innermost Circle of Styphon's House Upon Earth. Part of Anaxthenes'job, as Speaker of the Inner Circle, was to provide the voice for the mechanical bellows that allowed the giant idol to mimic human speech and Talk to the people. Usually this chore was the province of Styphon's Voice, but when Sesklos had reached eighty winters many of his duties had fallen upon his own more than ample shoulders. Sesklos was not well enough to attend the Council of Archpriests. Soon, even without another of Thessamona's potions, Sesklos would die. Anaxthenes would be Styphon's Voice, this charade would come to an end, and a new chapter of Styphon's House would begin.
He opened the meeting with the formal Blessing of Styphon and led the ritual chants. When the formalities were complete, all the assembled Archpriests took their seats at the Triangle Table; Anaxthenes sat at the point-Styphon's Voice's seat-since he was speaking in Sesklos' place. He told the assembled Archpriests about the meeting with Great King Cleitharses and how the Great King of Hos-Ktemnos refused to support the War Against the Usurper unless certain conditions were met. He played down the role of the Investigation to save them all from one of Roxthar's interminable harangues. His words were met with stunned disbelief.
Archpriest Bynoss, who filled his robes like a sausage, stood up. "Speaker, Great King Cleitharses has been the pillar of Styphon's House. What could have turned him away from the Temple?"
"I'll tell you," Archpriest Heraclestros said, as they had arranged prior to the meeting. "I was there and heard the words from Cleitharses' own mouth." He turned to point his finger at the whip-thin figure of Archpriest Roxthar. "It was his doing. The Investigation has turned the Great King and his subjects away from their god!"
Roxthar jumped to his feet, spittle spraying from his mouth. "This Cleitharses has turned his back upon the Temple! Next he will be proposing an alliance with the Usurper! When this War is over, he will feel the fangs of the Holy Investigation-"
