THE DAIGHACAER BOOK ONE CHAPTER 5 - THE WAIT

Good Monday morning

Daighacaer time again.

While I was rereading through the chapter before posting it here, I thought back to a few weeks ago when our family believed that two family members were missing. The anxiety, confusion about what to do or who to contact and the panic of not knowing what had become of them is echoed by the characters in this chapter. I can honestly relate to all the emotions they are experiencing.  

I enjoy rereading the individual chapters before I post them. It gives me an opportunity to do a further edit. I know that the whole story will probably need a final, thorough edit, but this gets the story to as good as I can get it initially.

 

THE DAIGHACAER BOOK ONE
THE POWER OF ONE
Chapter 5 - The Wait

 When Eryen did not return after more than seven hours from when he entered the Archaise, Jivdreg put aside his normal sloth and emphatically declared, “I’m going after him, Leb. This is ridiculous. He’s been closeted in there for hours and you know as well as I do that there’s neither food nor drink in there. Nothing. Not even water.”

Jivdreg’s pronouncement caught Malyran and Lebrowen off guard.

Jivdreg loved being with people, the more the merrier, and his optimism and delightful bubbly personality were irresistible. He was a weird and wonderful blend of carefree, light-hearted comic and wise, judicious philosopher. Always the optimist and always the first to look on the bright side of everything, Jivdreg was nevertheless solution-driven. It was simply that he seldom needed to switch his mind into resolution mode.

“I don’t think that you should Jiv, he said that he needed to be alone. We should respect that wish,” said Lebrowen.

Malyran and Lebrowen did not really spend enough time with Jivdreg to be prepared for his lightning forcefulness and direct initiative.

 “Oh, but I do! I most certainly do respect his every wish, Leb. However, think it through a little. He may not have been able to DO anything. He hasn’t been inside the Archaise for months if not years. I spend time there every week and each time I go through the detoxification, I feel like death itself. What if he’s been lying somewhere this whole time unable to move or even come back out again? Do you suggest that we just leave him in there to die and rot? No, my friend. I’m going after him.”

“Then we’ll both go. If he can’t walk, you’re not strong enough to carry him yourself” decided Lebrowen.

“Well thanks for that compliment, ‘My Friend’,” grinned Jivdreg, once again the comic. “Let’s go.”

“Excuse me! Where do you two think you’re going on your own?” asked Malyran.

The only time that Malyran had left the men was for half an hour after Eryen entered the Archaise. She was not sure whether Eryen thought to inform Jeala that he was going to be gone for most of the day. She needed to check on that.

When she rejoined Jivdreg and Lebrowen, she brought a welcome jug of juice with her. That was finished within the first hour. In their apprehension for Eryen, no one had left their self-imposed posts since that first hour and thirst was once again beginning to get them down.

“Malyran,” Lebrowen started guiltily. “I’m so very sorry, My Love.” He stretched to take her hand in his.

“My mind is sick with worry for Eryen but that was unfeeling of me. Even if I wanted to do this without you, I know how much Eryen means to you and to exclude you would be ridiculous in the extreme.”

“That’s alright, my dearest. I understand. However, and it’s very probable that I may think this through later and come to a different conclusion, but I accept your apology for now.”

Lebrowen gave her a smiling mock grimace as Jivdreg hooted with laughter. Lebrowen gave Malyran an exaggerated bow before telling Jivdreg to hurry up.

The banter between Malyran and Lebrowen was a relief.

The tension that held them all as tight as a drum for almost the whole morning was lessened a little and, smiling even in their concern, they made their way to the Archaise door.

The door would not open.

No matter what they tried.

The door just would not open.

Lebrowen stood on one side, with first Jivdreg and then Malyran on the other side. They changed places and moved positions to no avail.

The seal to the door was not going to open.

Concern transformed itself rapidly into real fear.

While Malyran went in search of Lorval, the Chief librarian, Jivdreg hurried to find someone to fetch his father, Jivdral, who might be able to assist them in their dilemma.

Lebrowen sped off to find Malmor, Principal Cleric and a close friend of them all.

No one wanted to leave their place at the door, but all knew that they would need some serious help to resolve the predicament in which they found themselves.

The King and Queene would certainly have to be told at some stage but, the friends decided, it was best not to worry their monarchs immediately. It would be better to rather first get the advice and expertise of those who would know what do to open the Archaise door.

An hour later and the now large group of people were no closer to opening the door.

All that Lorval, the librarian, could said was, “This is not supposed to happen. This cannot be happening. Why is this happening?”

Eventually Jivdreg’s limited patience ran out.

“If you have no solution, Lorval,” he said. “May I suggest that you retire to your rooms so that those of us who are actually trying to find a solution, may attempt to sort out our very real problem in peace?”

“There’s no need to be rude, young man,” said the senior man haughtily. “However, I will leave you now and try to discover by other means what the problem with the door is. Good Day!”

Lorval squared his shoulders and flounced away.

“Lorval was getting on my nerves too, but that was very rude, Jiv,” Malyran groaned aloud. “Rude, but effective.”

Malyran could not quite keep the laughter out of her voice and eyes although she did pull her mouth into a pout to prevent herself from smiling.

“Yes, indeed, Malyran, I agree with you – on all counts. That was not how you were brought up, Jivdreg. I do hope that you’re not in the habit of insulting our senior citizens?” said Rinaedra.

Jivdreg turned to greet his parents who were walking towards them. For all that his mother’s words sounded like a scolding, the smile which Rinaedra gave her son was of patient understanding.

“I’m really sorry, everyone. I know that I was rude, but Lorval was really only concentrating on the problem that we have and not on the solution. He was getting in the way and I couldn’t contain my irritation any longer.” Jivdreg raised his palms to his shoulders in a gesture of resignation.

Malmor, the Principal Cleric, who had arrived and was quietly standing on one side, appeared to be a little paler than Malyran remembered him to be. He did not seem to have noticed the interlude with Lorval. He seemed to be concentrating on something else entirely.

He was muttering something almost inaudible under his breath.

When he spoke into the disheartened silence which followed Jivdreg’s outburst, his words were quiet but distinct.

“The door has been sealed by The Lord Dayl and will not open to anyone at the moment. The Lord of Dayl is in consultation with Heir Prince Eryen.”

His face paled further and his features remained preoccupied.

He shook his head in disbelief.

“The Lord Dayl has said that The Lighte itself stands by as The Lord Dayl is in personal consultation with Eryen. That is unprecedented.”

Malmor was not sure whether he should carry on talking and for a long time he just stood looking at the door in bemusement.

No one said a word but they did not take their eyes off Malmor either.

Eventually he said, “The Lord Dayl has told me that the information which is being imparted to Eryen is of great consequence. It is, in effect, of a life or death nature and the Lord Dayl has decreed that all doors, including this outer door, shall remain sealed until he himself releases them.”

The stunned expression on his face was echoed on the faces of everyone as they heard and digested the news.

Jivdreg unceremoniously sat down on the floor.

Lebrowen frowned in deep concentration and drew Malyran, who had gone very pale, closer to him, as if to protect her from he knew not what.

Jivdral and Rinaedra looked intently into each other’s faces, moved to clasp hands and then, as one, turned to look at Malmor once more.

Malmor continued, “The Lord Dayl has instructed me to inform you that we are all to leave the Archaise immediately.”

Frantic discussion erupted but everyone fell silent when Malmor held up his hand.

“We are to leave! All of us, and immediately! Lebrowen, Malyran and Jivdreg, you are to meet back here at the seventh hour of this evening. At that time, Eryen will return and you all need to be here to meet him. Lebrowen, you will need to assist in the opening of the sealed door. I know it is very unusual for someone coming out of the Archaise to need a counterpart to open the door, but then, this is no usual occurrence.”

 “True. We can’t argue that one, Malmor,” quipped Jivdreg. “But, that’s seven more hours. I hope that somehow the Lord Dayl manages to keep Eryen from dying of thirst, especially after what I know he must have gone through in the cleansing portals.”

Jivdreg smiled wryly at his weak attempt at levity.

He only stopped smiling when his mother kicked him soundly on the shin.

Lebrowen once again took the lead.

“Thank you so much, Malmor,” he said. “We were all getting a bit frantic. Lack of knowledge is more tortuous than just about anything, isn’t it?”

Lebrowen turned to Malyran and Jivdreg.

“Alright,” he said “We three will meet back here at a quarter to seven to assist Eryen in whatever he needs. Right now I, for one, would like to have something to eat and drink, and then I would like to try to rest for a while if I can. I am exhausted from doing nothing all day and very thirsty. We too have not had anything to eat or drink since early this morning if you care to remember?” He put his arm around Malyran and they started to move towards the door.

“Your jug and glasses, Malyran…” called Jivdreg. “Don’t worry, I’ll sort them out. Off you go and I’ll see you later.

“Thank you, Jiv,” said Malyran simply as she and Lebrowen continued walking. She was worried; deeply worried about what was happening today.

The group’s slow retreat from the Archaise, which included many backward glances, spoke volumes about the concern they all still felt about leaving their Heir Prince and friend sealed away in the Archaise.

Jivdral and Rinaedra made their way to apprise Eroyalen and Anoral of the situation.

The royals would need to be updated about the day’s events. Prior to joining the group at the Archaise earlier, they had briefed the royal couple on the little that they knew. They would now let their King and Queene know of the latest instructions from Malmor about what The Lord Dayl decreed.

Jivdreg went on his way to fulfil his offer to check in with Jeala and update her about what they now knew.

♦

At precisely seven o’clock, the Archaise’s vibrating chime sounded stridently through the passage.

Eryen’s three friends, who had all met up with one another long before they needed to, were on immediate alert. They jumped to their feet and almost fell over one another as they half-walked, half-ran the few intervening steps to the sealed door.

As they moved, Malyran bent and picked up the jugs of chilled fruit juice and water which she had brought with her because she instinctively felt that Eryen’s main need after fourteen hours in the Archaise would be for liquids.

Lebrowen moved to take his place on the side of the door ready to assist Eryen as he had been instructed by The Lord Dayl,. His heart was beating so loudly that he felt certain that it could be heard in the next room.

Jivdreg was shuffling from side to side and Malyran stood quite still holding the jugs in front of her like a shield.

The concern of the Heir Prince’s three friends was palpable.

As Lebrowen put his hand on the side panel of the door, the seal on the door released as smoothly as if it had never been sealed and Eryen strode out. The expression on his face was rapturous.

“My most treasured friends. How unbelievably happy I am to see you all. I seem to have had a bit of an adventure today,” he said, his features slipping into a self-deprecating grin.

Eryen did not look as if he had spent a full fourteen hours without food or drink. He was alert, his back was ramrod straight and there was a deep smouldering radiance about him.

Everyone started to speak at the same time, and to ask how he was.

At their voiced concerns for him, he nodded and led them to the divans and lowered himself into one. He gratefully accepted a glass of pomegranate juice. “I’m so glad that you’re all here,” he said. “There is much that I need to tell you.”

“Are you alright, Eryen?” Lebrowen felt, rather than saw, that what Eryen had experienced, although filling him with rapture, had also impacted deeply on his body, but more particularly on his mind.

“Thank you for your concern, Leb. I am a little weary, but nothing that a few hours of real sleep won’t sort out. Tomorrow I’ll tell you all about what has happened but for tonight we should all get some rest. I felt Jiv and Maly arrive early this morning to join you while I was still struggling with the first detoxification chamber. Have you been here the whole day?”

At Jivdreg’s automatic shake of his head, Eryen laughed. “Jiv, I know you well. In fact I know you better than you think I do. For a man who prefers to ‘lie down rather than to sit’, you get very bossy when urgent things need to be done. I’m willing to bet that you spent the day worrying, bossing and organising everyone in sight.”

Lebrowen’s smile and vigorous nodding punctuated Eryen’s observation. “Eryen’s got your full measure, my friend. That’s exactly what he was like, Eryen. He even emphatically told poor Lorval to go away and do something useful because he was becoming annoying.”

 “Jiv! You didn’t?”

“Yes, Eryen. He did,” said Malyran. “But in his defence it was necessary. It really was. Lorval was in such an agitated panic that his mind wasn’t functioning.”

“That doesn’t sound normal, Lorval is one of the most undemonstrative people I know,” said Eryen.

“I agree. I also thought so until this morning,” said Lebrowen. “However, as Maly defended Jiv, I must defend Lorval. He has never before been confronted by an Archaise door which absolutely would not open, no matter what any of us did. Moreover, you were inside. Still, he was driving us all to distraction with his pacing, sighing and loud proclamations about how what did happen should never have happened. He was making what we already knew was a difficult situation a whole lot worse.”

Malyran’s lips twitched ever so slightly. “Rinaedra did scold Jiv though, Eryen, so there’s no necessity for you to do so.”

“Me? Why in the world would I even think of ‘scolding’ Jiv as you put it, Maly? His manner with Lorval is unfortunate and he will definitely have to apologise to him tomorrow or sooner, I should imagine. However, I think that I understand his frustration and I’ve never found it necessary to interfere when Jiv moves to get things sorted out. That’s what I was saying earlier. He’s an organising genius when he puts his mind to it. Of course, he’s only a genius when he puts his mind to it.”

Jivdreg looked for all the realm as if he were pouting and he gave Eryen a look of utter dejection.

They all laughed at that and, with some of the pent up tension easing out of their bodies and minds, the friends began to relax a little.

“As I said,” continued Eryen, “I’ll tell you about what happened today when we meet again tomorrow. What I can tell you about my escapade is that I have been tasked with a huge responsibility. The Lord Dayl didn’t tell me what this responsibility is. All I know is that it is something vitally important to everyone. Important, not just for our Kingdom of Raeldysce but, apparently, life-threatening for the whole realm!”

“The whole realm? That’s a bit extreme, isn’t it?” Jivdreg shook his head at the thought. “I know The Lord Dayl sent word through Malmor that what you were busy with was a life and death situation. I just assumed that the situation was being played out in there,” said Jivdreg, pointing to the interior of the Archaise. “I thought it would be over when you came out.”

“That’s what I thought too, but apparently something is wrong and I have to sort it out. Don’t think you’re getting out of it though. There was a good reason why you all had to be here to meet me now. I don’t know where this is all going to lead us, but we have to be together now so that I can officially inform you that you are all fundamentally essential to the success of my task, or quest, or duty – whatever you want to call it. From what I understand from The Lord Dayl, it’s us against them.”

“Who’s ‘Them’, Eryen?” asked Malyran.

“I don’t know entirely, although I do know that The Darke is somehow involved. It’s all part of what we have to find out, and what I have to deal with, I suppose,” said Eryen.

“The Darke? As in Caliginor, The Darkenighte?” asked Lebrowen.

“Possibly. Perhaps even higher up than him, to The Darke itself, Leb, although I really have no clear idea,” agreed Eryen.

“There is a whole barrel of trouble around at the moment,” he continued. “That unimaginable storm of this morning during my greeting of The Lady Dawne, is confirmation of that. From what I can gather, our particular involvement all comes down to principles and values and what we personally, as members together with everyone in the realm, have done with our lives up to now.”

“Oh great!” exclaimed Jivdreg. “Just what I need! What if our principles are so spineless and our values so indecisive that we haven’t done anything with our lives?”

Eryen looked at his friend for a long time before he answered. “The effort we have put into working has little to do with principles and values, Jiv. If it were merely our work or career that counted, I’m fairly certain that none of us would qualify to be here right now. Does that make sense?”

Lebrowen answered immediately. “That’s so true, Eryen. I’ve spent hours thinking about just that.”

“Really, Leb? The philosophy of which I’m speaking was instilled in my consciousness only recently,” said Eryen. “Very recently actually. As in when the Lord Dayl talked to me in the Archaise, for hours! It probably took him that long to get his directions through to my thick skull. If it all sounds overly philosophical, take comfort from the fact that it’s new to me too.”

Eryen chuckled and Jivdreg raised his eyes and eyebrows in mock horror. “Some comfort, Eryen. Thanks for that.”

Lebrowen too was deep in thought and Malyran’s face was puckered into a frown of concentration.

“Anyway,” said Eryen. “If the Lord Dayl believes something is that important that he himself has to commune directly with me, then I suspect that it would be safe to bet that, whatever it is, it must genuinely be the most important thing in the realm at the moment,”

The faces turned towards him still looked unconvinced.

Eryen could not blame them. It had taken him a good while before he had even begun to vaguely understand and accept the experience that he had gone through.

“If it’s something you have to do, Eryen, why do the three of us also have to be involved, and why us?” As usual Jivdreg cut to the heart of the matter.

“I didn’t ask, Jiv. It didn’t seem appropriate at the time,” said Eryen with a wry smile. “I was actually quite intimidated in there alone with the Lord Dayl.”

“I didn’t think anything was capable of intimidating you, Eryen,” said Malyran.

“This did. You have no idea, Maly, what it was like.” Eryen shivered as goose bumps appeared on his arms. “You really have no idea.”

He shook himself once more and continued. “Here are the Lord Dayl’s words exactly as he told them to me. After he had finished giving his instructions, he told me that I would be able to memorise his words. It was quite a process but it appears that I managed it.” He chuckled at the look on Jivdreg’s face. “Yes, Jiv, before you make some rude comment. I did memorise it word for word.”

Jivdreg threw up his hands in mock horror but said nothing.

“Anyway, as I was saying,” continued Eryen. “Here’s the part where The Lord Dayl started out saying that I am The Power of One. Yes, that Power of One from prophesy which we all know about. There’s more. You all need to be with me for that power to be in effect.”

Eryen did not miss the incredulous looks that passed among his friends at his mention of being The Power of One. He understood. He would have had the same reaction if he were presented with that information. He chose to ignore the looks and continued.

“I hope it helps to hear his words directly from him so to speak. The Lord Dayl’s speech is strange. It’s sort of archaic but not really. Any­way, it’s easily understandable. Here’s what he said:

‘Know too that there are others who will be the muscle and the vigour to thee as thou journeyest through the labyrinths which thou must needs traverse. Of these companions are three who knowest thee from before. These companions will begin at thy journey’s start with thee. Their lives art linked unto thy life for all time’.”

“Does that make understanding the whole thing any easier?” asked Eryen.

At the shake of Jivdreg’s head, everyone smiled. “Not much, Eryen, in all honesty. But, if I understand correctly, it seems more as if wherever you’re going on this ‘journey’, we are going too. Not that we are simply going to be with you as you start your quest or whatever it is but that we will be going with you,” said Jivdreg.

“I didn’t honestly think that explaining it would help, but I was hoping one of you would understand better than I do,” said Eryen.

“I agree with Jiv,” said Malyran. “Where you go, we will be going too, Eryen.”

“It certainly seems that way to me too,” nodded Lebrowen distractedly. His mind was definitely elsewhere.

“Thanks, Eryen,” said Jivdreg. “You’ve succeeded in doing something which hasn’t been done in years; you’ve confused me. Despite what you said about the language not being hard to understand, I do find The Lord Dayl’s language difficult. Oh well! Who am I to argue? You want me to be with you, you’ve got me with you wherever you go, for whatever that’s worth.”

Jivdreg was still looking quizzically at Eryen.

“What I can’t understand though is that our names aren’t men­tioned, Eryen,” he continued. “If we are to go where you go and it certainly looks that way, how do we know that these companions are actually us?”

“I’m not sure,” said Eryen. “But now that you mention it, for me, somehow your being here seems to be the proof we need that you are to be my companions.”

Lebrowen’s concentration returned to the present and he looked thoughtful for a moment before he said, “Malmor told us, Jiv. He specifically told us that only we three were permitted to be here when Eryen returned. That’s what I was thinking about just now. For me that’s the link. That’s the confirmation that it is indeed we who are Eryen’s companions in this. In fact, when you think about it, we’ve now had three sepa­rate incidences which, when put together, provide quite an indis­putable substantiation of the fact.”

“Where do you get ‘three’ from Leb?” asked Jivdreg. “I count only two.”

“Yldryf called to us, Jiv and we responded. I don’t know about you but I have never experienced such an urgent yldryf calling before,” said Lebrowen.

“And I felt your need, Leb and knew that I had to be with you,” said Malyran.

“I suppose I have to admit that you’re right. I’ve never before experienced any ‘yldryf calling’ at all, Leb,” shrugged Jivdreg. “In fact I quite vigorously fought against it until it almost pulled me off my feet. I actually ran. Can you imagine that?”

“You did? Really, Jiv? No! You probably only thought you were running while you were merely sauntering at a slightly increased pace.”

“Thank you for that, Lebrowen. I ran. I don’t normally break into a bath of perspiration from walking. I ran. Isn’t it strange that at one stage in my life I considered you to be a friend?”

Eryen broke in to the banter. “I’m sure Leb would say, ‘you’re most welcome’, Jiv, but we have a serious situation here.”

Malyran looked from Eryen to Lebrowen and nodded to Jivdreg. “I always like to have three different forms of proof for any­thing important which I do. You’re right, My Love. It looks as if we have the three.”

“Alright then,” said Jivdreg. “For better or for worse and all those things, I’m your man, Eryen. All that I can add is, ‘May The Lighte and our Deities help us’ in whatever it is we’re going into. I think we’re going to need their help. This is more than strange. It really is,”

Lebrowen and Malyran nodded in unison.

Lebrowen rose to his feet. “As usual, true words indeed, even within your wit, Jiv and, I agree. Shall we get some body rest even if we won’t be able to actually sleep? I know for certain that I won’t be able to sleep any­way.”

“Yes, let’s get some rest. I haven’t seen Ryall all day and that’s something that I’ve never done before. It feels really strange and it’s not something that I intend to get used to. He was asleep when I arose for this morning’s disastrous Greeting, so I hope I’ll be able to see him for a while before he goes to sleep.”

“What are you going to do about Ryallor, Eryen?” asked Malyran quietly.

“I’ve already decided on that, Maly. Wherever I go, Ryall will go with me. I don’t know how long we’ll be gone or even whether any of us will survive, although I’m hoping it doesn’t come down to that. However, my son comes first in my life always and, even though we will more than likely be travelling into certain danger, my son will travel with me.”

Malyran gave Eryen a satisfied and approving nod.

She and Lebrowen had been married for eight years and they still did not have any children. A sad longing overcame her every now and again when she thought about how much they both wanted children to complete their family circle.

Eryen looked a bit self-conscious as he said, “I know that we’re tired but, before we go, and since we’ve heard a lot about the Lord Dayl’s philosophy, may I give you a bit of my own personal philosophy? It doesn’t and yet at the same time it does, have quite a lot to do with everything that’s happened today. Good grief, I can’t believe it’s only been a little over fourteen hours since my whole world was turned upside down.”

“Not just your world, ours as well,” said Lebrowen. “And, of course, Eryen, I certainly would like to hear your values. We haven’t really discussed philosophics since we finished our studies have we? And that’s been way too long.”

“Yes, it has, Leb. Perhaps as we travel, we’ll have time to speak about our beliefs and ideals a bit more. It really has been a long time. My original theory was something which I either thought up on my own or some­how remembered from within The Knowledge of Ages, I’ll never know for sure but it sums up quite accurately where my life, and now all your lives too, will be taking us,” began Eryen.

He continued into the companionable silence, “As you have, Leb and Jiv, I’ve spent my whole life with the knowledge of yldryf within me but, even though I’m pure yldryf and one would think that it would occur naturally, the passion of yldryf is something which I have had to learn to embrace as my own.”

His friends nodded and smiled when Jivdreg said, “As with all of us who have been blessed, or cursed if you prefer, with yldryf blood.”

“True, Jiv. At first I didn’t understand what it meant to ‘embrace the passion of my heritage’. It’s taken me too long to begin to understand, but I can now say with complete honesty that I believe I do understand at last. It’s quite simple really.”

It was Jivdreg once again who broke the long silence which followed Eryen’s statement. “I wish I could get to the stage where I embraced the passion of yldryf, Eryen. Strangely, I was thinking about exactly that this morning and felt sure that if it were up to me, our yldryf heritage would simply die out. I just don’t have the passion.”

Jivdreg looked slightly shamefaced as he admitted his thoughts but then he shrugged. “There’s never any use in hiding from the truth.”

“That’s exactly it, Jiv, and don’t feel too badly about not having found the passion yet. I may have looked as if yldryf passion breathed within me. It didn’t, not for a very long time. As you say, ‘there never is any use in hiding from the truth’. I suppose if I had ever thought about it seriously, I’ve always unconsciously and sometimes even consciously followed the way of yldryf and of The Lighte. Not only because I’ve been taught to do so but also because I honestly believe The Lighte must lead to truth. That does not necessarily mean that I had absorbed yldryf into my heart. In fact, I didn’t for ages.”

Everyone was silent for a while, each of their unvoiced thoughts swirling within them.

Eventually Eryen went on, “It is only with one’s heart that one can ever accurately see what life’s essentials are. Because those essential truths lie deep within one’s character and they are an intrinsic, inevitable and an invisible aspect of our true selves.”

Eryen put out his hands, palms up as he declared:

“So the essence of what I believe is this. Because The Lighte is Truth, Truth must then, if it really is truth, lead to happiness. Yet, whether truth does or does not lead to happiness, I will always follow The Lighte and The Lighte’s truth, for that truth’s sake alone.”

“Whew! That’s very deep, Eryen, even for you. When did you figure all this out?” asked Jivdreg.

“I’m not exactly sure. It sort of crept up on me. I didn’t have an epiphany if that’s what you’re thinking, Jiv, I’ve been thinking about this and my life’s direction for ages. I suppose Lighte and Truth have me spellbound and I must, with a certainty born of the passion of my yldryf birthright, move to become one with it or, or I will die. Not a physical death I hope, but a spiritual death and, for me, that is far, far worse than any physical death could possibly be. This is the principle which is driving me and one which will drive this mission that we’ve had thrust upon us.”

The thoughtful nods of consensus told Eryen that his friends did indeed understand, not only the words of his own personal philosophy, but the import of the task which had been laid upon all of them.

They may not yet know the task, the adversary, the danger, or what the out­come eventually would be, but they did know the principles behind it.

'And that is simply going to have to be enough for all of us as we start out on this quest for the Lord Dayl and The Lighte. A quest for which none of us can possibly feel in the least way prepared,' thought Eryen.

“Goodnight, everyone. May The Lighte guide you in your sleep! Our future is a map drawn in the sand and just as transient. Per­haps one day, in some indeterminate way, we will understand what it’s all about.”

Wearily the little company walked away from the Archaise, all absorbed by and within their own deeply disquieting thoughts.