Chapter 16: The Hall of the Fifth

Har-Hi was led to a Wisdom keeper, who was without question an old Dai.

The revelation that there was a Dai was quite a surprise for Har-Hi. He had not expected that, but since he had become a Union officer and traveled with Erica, he had met and seen the unthinkable. Living dust clouds, planet surface covering creatures and a planet-bound, desert scavenging Dai. He had met Dai that were born in captivity and knew a Dai tribe leader was engaged in selling Dai Than as slaves.

Meeting a Dai that served as a priest on a planet would have been unimaginable for him only a few years back.

The other Dai was advanced in age and his raised hood shaded a wrinkled face and only partially hid hair that was no longer solid black but had much grey in it as well.

The other Dai greeted him with a solemn nod.”Welcome to the Wisdom Hall of the Fifth, Dai Than prince.”

“It surprises me to find a Dai in the employ of a religious service, but I accept the fact. You do not wear a Glyph.”

“And you wear yours hidden, Dai Prince. I am here on my own free choice and I too will repeat what must have been told to you before. We are not a religion and we do not serve a god.”

“Yes this has been mentioned, but it all has the trappings of an organized religion. With temple-like buildings, codified behavior and countless symbolic trappings like your robes and the rituals required to access this place.”

“Your observations and conclusions are not without truth. They ring with the learned sarcasm of an intelligent person dismissing religion and gods. This philosophy, the Wisdom of the Fifth is around much longer than many religions and has been embraced by many civilizations. Anything that is around for such a long time will take on traditions and forms.”

Har-Hi had to agree that this was true, most religions developed over long periods of time and since their core usually was the worship of something insubstantial and metaphysical, it developed ritualized practices.

The Dai Wisdom Keeper had a fine smile on his haughty Dai face.”Every move you make speaks of the finest Dai Training, privileged to the most important sons. You carry the twin blades of a Juth-Ni. There is no doubt you are indeed accomplished. There are few, very few who gain such honors.”

The old man spoke in a matter of fact tone and did not ask questions.

He made a half turn and gestured to a doorway. “This hallway is not a place to speak of such things. Let us go to my chambers.”

“I must also see the map, Dai Keeper. Can you show it to me?”

“You are on the quest to find the inheritance?”

“Yes, and I am certain you know that already.”

“Indeed and I know you follow a female Captain. Your captain is welcomed by the Principal himself and she was accepted by the mask. She will emerge and know the location of the sealed library and the means of opening it.”

“I follow her to the gates of the netherworlds and beyond. My loyalty to my captain goes beyond any Dai Than tradition or convention. I challenge you if necessary and warn you at the same time never to challenge her.”

Har-Hi followed the robe wearing Dai anyway and descended a long flight of stairs after passing through the door arch.

They reached a comfortable room that in decor might have been on a Dai Mother. Except for the color scheme. It was not red but purple. And here prominently displayed on a suit worn by a mannequin, the Glyph of the Do tribe.

The old Dai dropped his robe and revealed a purple and black Dai assassin leather suit. “I am Kai-Do, of the Do Tribe.”

Har-Hi uncovered his.”I am Har-Hi son of Tar Ka-Hi.”

“I knew who you were, prince. There are few Juth-Ni indeed and only one who bested no less than eight Juth-Ni at the last Thana Shoo meeting of all tribes.”

“I am Okthi just as your tribe Kai-Do.”

“I am Okthi indeed. The Pale Ones declared Assassination not to be the way of Dai Than, but you are not. It must be declared by the Pale Ones after the accusations were heard before all of Dai. The declaration of a jealous power hungry leader that you are Okthi is not valid.”

Har-Hi nodded.”These are the old traditions, I know them and so does my father. I am sure many Dai Than know it as well, yet the Pale Ones have not spoken otherwise and it became so without their voice.”

“Has a single Heart of any of your ancient mothers stopped? Have the elders that monitor your shrines reported a call of the Pale Ones?”

Har-Hi could not find words and simply shook his head.

“Cam Elf-Na has no power over the Pale Ones and whatever common convention may be believed by all the modern Dai Than, you are only Okthi if the Pale Ones declare it so and the hearts of your mothers fall silent and die.”

“Why are the Pale Ones silent then? Cam Elf-Na commits the most vile crimes against all Dai, he even sells Dai Than into bondage and slavery. He tricks others into fighting an insurmountable foe.”

“A foe, your father decided to join, is that not so?”

“Yes my father made the decision to join the United Stars of the Galaxies and many followed. Our tribe is thriving. We have access to endless resources, no Union Dai ever faces hunger or must face a deadly disease without help. Yet we are still allowed to be warriors.”

“Sit down and share some Thill. Tell me about your Union and about your female captain. There is more to her, is that not true?

Har-Hi did not sit down.”My loyalty is first and foremost with her. I told you that at the beginning. Insist and we find out if Juth-Ni skills surpass those of a Do Assassin.”

“Sit down young warrior. I am not questioning your loyalty or reasons. I honestly wanted to know why? While we are far from your space, Dai travel far and there are those who come here. The Wisdom of the Fifth is not forbidden among the Dai. There are many tribes that roam these regions, as you may know, one of the secret passages to Thana Shoo is not all that far from here.”

Har-Hi nodded.”Yes, I know of its existence, but my tribe has never come to these regions or used this secret passage.”

The old man opened an ancient cooling cabinet and retrieved two black bottles of Thill beer and sat down in the traditional way crossing his feet and making the equally traditional gesture to invite a highly honored guest. Har-Hi could not ignore it and sat down the same way and took the offered bottle.”I follow her because she is my best friend. She will never be my mate, I have eyes for a Princess, but my devotion to my captain goes far beyond any traditional bonds.”

“The Mar-Do tribe has always respected women in a different way than most Dai. In the business of shadow killing, they are equal to men and in some cases even better. I know the Hi tribe is still insisting on the male warrior doctrine, but females are treated with great respect and are not the property of warriors as they are in so many other tribes.”

Har-Hi sipped on the weak beer. His taste for it had been ruined forever since he tasted Holstein Pilsner. He was also one of the very few who was privileged to taste Stahl’s Private Reserve from the Devi brewery, but he tried not to show it.”Many believe the Do tribe has taken the long way and left this galaxy.”

“This is partially true. After we were declared Okthi, the hearts of our mothers died and we were forced to move to smaller ships or to start planetary colonies. But the heart of one mother revived. It did not glow red as they all do, but it glowed blue and compelled this mother to travel beyond this star isle. Since none of the other hearts revived and no one knew what caused the change of colors or what destination it compelled the Do tribe to reach, the already small Do tribe split in two. A part of us followed Mar-Do, to what end no one who remained knows.”

He gestured towards the armor. “I once was the master of masters, a true Laro-Gy and the last one.”

Har-Hi could not help, but bow to a Dai declared Okthi, for a Laro-Gy was indeed the highest skill level of the no longer thaught martial art skills Dai once were so famous for. He stopped himself, taking another sip.”The Mar-Do tribe was declared Okthi, over a thousand years ago. The story is told more like a legend than anything else.”

“I survived over 1500 of Thana Shoo orbits, young Prince. I know this is longer than Dai Than live, but that has a personal reason that is associated with me being here. They have told you that this is more than just a Wisdom Hall, but also the place of Corfic’s tomb.”

Har-Hi nodded.”Yes, it was mentioned.”

“Corfic is not a god, but he was an entity in powers and might comparable to the Narth.”

“What wisdom has he then for me? Cam Elf-Na is destroying what is Dai in the Universe. He must be stopped before too much has been lost.”

“You must abandon your female captain then, travel to Thana Shoo and become the Juth-Gy. No Dai since the mighty Tar Ta-Ta over two thousand years ago has ever climbed the seat of the Juth-Gy. All Dai, all Okthi, every Pale One will heed thy word.”

Shea too was met by a Wisdom keeper just behind the door she just had used. Her thoughts were still with Erica and she hoped she made the right decision. The Keeper said to her after bowing deeply.”Your coming here has been anticipated.”

This statement caught her completely of guard.”You must be mistaken. I am a traveler coming to this place from halfway across the galaxy. I have never been here before.”

“Oh, but your father has.”

“Rex Schwartz was here?”

“I do not know who that is, your father Luc has been here to visit the tomb of his slain brother.”

“My father? Rex Schwartz...” She stopped speaking and whispered.”I do not know my real father. He was a Skaath and I was born to a Skaath woman in the misery and filth of the hell that once was Sin 4.”

“Come with me, daughter of Luc. These are the Halls of Wisdom. They are for travelers and seekers. Come and see the shrine of Corfic.”

He walked next to her and while doing so guiding her through a maze of corridors and doors.

“I am Shea Schwartz, I am an orphan. My mother died being ripped apart by scavenger beasts.”

“Yet you carry the sword of Azural.”

“You know the being this sword belonged to?”

“No, Shea daughter of Luc I do not. I am but a servant. The Knight of Light that sword belonged to was slain by your father, but not without your help.”

They had reached an ancient open faced elevator, that gnarled and squealed as it descended with both of them inside. There were no controls or buttons, the thing simply started moving downwards after they had stepped in. She was in an emotional daze and unlike normal self did not use her science scanner to record everything she saw. Her mouth was dry, she didn’t even recognize her own voice. “You know about that?”

“Luc told us about you.”

To the emotion of shock came one of anger that quickly grew. “If he is such a powerful entity why did he leave mother in such a terrible place and why did he leave me?”

“This I do not know, Shea. I can not speculate on his motivations, but there must be a reason for it.”

The elevator cabin descended in increasing speed, the elevator shaft was dark and carved directly out of the rock of the mountain.

The cool rushing air brushed her cheeks and she noticed her own tears.”I don’t care who he is. My father is Rex Schwartz. He has adopted me and been the father I never had. I am in love and I am engaged. I am a Union officer and a scientist. There can’t be any reason for a father leaving his wife and daughter on a place like Sin 4.”

The guide had to look up to her, as she was taller. “I can not answer this.”

The elevator slowed down and reached its destination.

“Is he dead too? Are you taking me to his grave?”

The guide motioned her to follow him into a bluish lit partially natural cave that had been enlarged.

Columns of heavy stone supported arches of masonry blending into the natural rock ceiling.

Stalagmites of considerable thickness and height, many merging with stalactites gave evidence of the great age of this cave. The bluish light came from within stalagmites that apparently were formed out of ice. It was cool down here, her breath condensed in curling clouds before her mouth and that of the Keeper.

“No, Shea. This is the tomb of Corflic, but Luc had been down here and instructed us to take you here if you ever came.”

“How did you identify me?”

“By the sword you carry. It resonated with an artifact given to us and told us the sword has come to this world.”

Both of them walked over a slick path of smooth but somewhat uneven rock, that meandered between columns of rock and huge stalagmites. She could hear the gushing of water and as they followed the last curve of the winding path, they reached an even larger cavern. A massive structure of carved rock and what she assumed was selenite crystal. While she could not place the culture that designed it, there was little doubt of the purpose. This was a mausoleum, the resting place of something or someone dead.

Narth as always utterly curious about the physical universe felt no distress or deep concerns from Erica. She was a formidable individual, wore a live Seenian suit that was utterly dedicated to her safety. So after she urged him to go ahead, Narth did.

He too was greeted by a keeper and the individual said.”It is the greatest privilege to guide a Narth through these Halls. The last time a Narth has come to these halls was the time they were built.”

“I am the first Narth conceived by all that is Narth 1433 standard years or 1392 solar orbits of this world. The Narth Supreme has not shared this with me.”

“You are Narth, there is no doubt yet you use terms like ‘I’ and ‘me’.”

“It is indeed so, as I am Narth but also gifted with the Huhgavh of a human and thus I am the sum of more than that is Narth but also than that is Eric.”

“I am as limited as all that exists on this plane to understand Narth. Yet you came here.”

“I like to see the map. I understand that it is a representation of the galaxy as it were during seenian supremacy and the place we seek is not singled out. However, Narth is gifted with perfect recollection and has access to tools that might aid us in the identification.”