The Lantern of God

  "Your body was at home. You left it behind."

  "But . . ." He shook his head as if to clear fog away, then spoke more slowly. "If I left my body behind, how do you know I was there?"

  "Hrum-In-Thee imaged a copy there. We all did. Why, I don't know; it wasn't necessary."

  Brokols had no response to that, or nothing he could put into words.

  "What were we doing there?" Juliassa asked curiously.

  "Ah! Hrum had been considering discontinuing humankind in this playground. We are only his foster children, after all, here on condition. For too long, too many of us had been violating his purpose for the world—the reason most others had come here."

  Brokols stared. "You mean he was going to kill us? With some epidemic or something?"

  "No, not kill. Discontinue. We would cease to exist here. We and all our works. We'd have had to go elsewhere. Or be nowhere."

  Brokols couldn't handle the concepts, and sidestepped. "I guess he decided in our favor then, eh? We're still here."

  Panni nodded, chuckling. "We have been granted a charter, so to speak. You two are part of the reason."

  Then, looking at Juliassa, Panni changed the subject. As if knowing he'd extended Brokols to his present limit. "There is something you wish to ask me."

  She nodded. "But first I want to thank you again for what you did for my fece. And my dreams! Tirros no longer—violates me and slashes my throat."

  Panni's head bobbed. "And I wish to thank you, for what you did there in the harbor at Haipoor, and in the weeks leading up to it. Now, what is your question?"

  "I—I wonder if I might study with you. Whether it's practical for a married woman. I'd like to become a master, but I can't live at a monastery."

  "Yes, I will train you."

  More tentatively then, she asked: "Do you think it will work?"

  "I believe you have already seen your Kirsan and your Nasrik, yes?"

  "More than once. Meditating when I was eleven and twelve. They didn't merge though."

  "For one who sees them so young, the chances of Awakening are very good." He paused significantly. "Especially if one does not wish it intensely."

  "Would she be expected to stay here?" Brokols asked worriedly. "At your cave?"

  Panni smiled and shook his head. "You have a large yard behind your house. If there was a small house there, of one room, where I could live, Juliassa could train at home."

  She turned to her husband in delight. "May I, Elver?" Then, more soberly, "It's your home too."

  Brokols remembered Master Jerrsio's wedding lines, remembered how right they'd seemed, and looked at Panni. "Will she change? Very much?"

  "Oh, yes. But has she not already? And yourself! And you will continue to change, both of you.

  "Why do you suppose disciples wish to live with Tassi? Or myself? Certainly it isn't the comforts that bring them, yet from time to time, we have to send some of them away. To cure them of dependence.

  "To be much in the sphere of someone who has Awakened," Panni went on, "or who is progressing in that direction, is to change. In the direction of greater mastery of life. Unless, of course, one resists. Or strives too strongly."

  "Well, then," Brokols said, suddenly businesslike, "how large shall I have it built?"

  "Fifteen feet on a side will be abundantly large. The men who live with me here will not follow me when I move."

  "Could you come to town and show us where you'd like it built? And what you'd like it to look like?"

  Panni put a long brown hand on Brokols' shoulder. "Whatever you make it will be fine. And anywhere in your yard. It will be yours; I'll be but a visitor. It will be there still when I have gone.

  "Now there is something else I must do." He knelt at Brokols' feet, and felt between the splints. "How long has it been since it was broken?"

  "Um. Seven weeks I suppose, or eight. I've about as many more with this." He indicated the crutch.

  "Have you tried to walk on it yet?"

  "Oh, no. A broken shinbone takes fifteen weeks to heel enough for that. A dozen at the very least. I'd just undo what healing's taken place."

  "Ah. Did I not touch it, not long after it was broken?"

  Brokols frowned uncomfortably. He could see where this was leading. "Yes. And it reduced the discomfort considerably."

  "Good. Do you suppose it had any healing effect?"

  "Why—I suppose so. Some." He looked at Juliassa for help. She was smiling at him. Her fingers went to her face, reminding him of Panni's power.

  "What," Panni said, "is a broken leg good for?"

  Chills flowed over Brokols as he remembered. When they stilled, Panni thanked them for visiting him. They went to their kaabors, mounted, and turned back toward Theedalit. Brokols had still used his crutch, but as they rode, he was thinking that he might, just possibly, test the leg in a week or two. Very carefully of course.

  "D'you suppose I could learn to meditate?" he asked.

  "I don't see why not."

  "Would I have to learn to sit with my legs folded together the way they do? I don't believe I ever could."

  Juliassa laughed. "Don't be too sure. Think of all the things you've learned since you arrived."

  He nodded thoughtfully. "I have, haven't I?"

  * * *

  and they lived quite happily for a rather long time

  Dramatis Personae

  The characters listed here don't include those who appear or are mentioned in only one place, unless they have special significance. Names are listed alphabetically in the form usually mentioned. If commonly referred to by surname—for example, Brokols—the surname is given first and capitalized, thus: BROKOLS, Elver. If only one name is given in the story, for example Lardunno, the name is not capitalized, regardless of whether it is a surname or not.

  Some readers feel more comfortable with names they can pronounce. In this story, most names are Hrummean, Djezian, barbarian, or sullsit. The convention is that the stressed syllable ends in a doubled letter, thus: ALLbarin VenjiANNi.

  Allbarin Venjianni—counselor of the amirr of Hrumma

  Always Fighting—youth name of the barbarian, Bloody Sword(see)

  Amaadio Akrosstos—Hrummean herbalist

  Argant—aide to Lord Kryger, Almaeic ambassador to Djez Gorrbul

  BILLBIS—see Karrlis Billbis

  Bloody Sword—Innjoka warrior, brother of chief Killed Many

  Borrsio—mythical Hrummean storm god; or, aspect of Hrum associated with storms

  BOSTELLI, Arnello—landlord to Elver Brokols in Theedalit

  BROKOLS, Elver—Almaeic ambassador to Hrumma

  BRONT, Heskil—biologist on the warpship Adanik Larvest

  CADRIIO, Eltrienn—see Eltrienn Cadriio

  CADRIIO, Vessto—see Vessto Cadriio

  Carrnos Frimattos—see Frimattos, Carrnos

  Danntis Deltibbio—a centurion who accompanies the Cadriio brothers to Agate Bay

  DISOTTO, Travvos—see Travvos Disotto

  DIXEN, Glembro—Almaeic ambassador to Djez Seechul

  Doziellos—Hrummean general at Kammenak

  Eltrienn Cadriio—centurion, Hrummean intelligence officer, friend of Brokols

  Ettsio Torillo—Hrummean ironmaker and timber merchant who opened trade with the barbarians; father of Sallvis Venettsio

  Formaalu—see Grimmuh Formaalu

  FRIMATTOS, Carrnos—handyman at Hidden Haven

  Gamaliiu—King of Djez Gorrbul

  Gerrla—widowed cook for the Bostellis; girlfriend of Stilfos

  Gorrvis Vendorrci—Brokols' aide on the visit to Kammenak

  Grimmuh Formaalu—commander of the Gorrbian invasion army

  HANORISSIA, Juliassa—see Juliassa Hanorissia

  HANORISSIA, Morrvia—the naamir (approximately queen) of Hrumma

  HANORISSIA, Zeenia—see Zeenia Hanorissia

  HANORISSIO, Leonessto—amirr (elective ruler) of Hrumma

  HANORISSIO, Tirros—see Tirros Hanoris
sio

  He Means It—youth name of Killed Many (see)

  Heskil Brant—life support technician and last captain of warpship Adanik Larvest

  Innjoka—the Agate River Tribe of barbarians

  Jerrsio—master at the Theedalit Monastery

  Jenkka Yelltis—Juliassa's (the namirrna's) bodyguard

  Juliassa Hanorissia—namirrna (approximately princess) of Hrumma

  Kaitmar III—("Great Kaitmar") the historical emperor of Almeon who completed the unification of the Almaeic Archipelago

  Kaitmar IV—the historical emperor of Almeon who suppressed the Almaeic island province of Kelthos

  Karrlis Billbis—a Hrummean adept, the criminal associate of Tirros Hanorissio

  Killed Many—great chief of the barbarians

  Kinnli Innjakot—the Agate Bay Clan of barbarians

  Korvassu—Gorrbian lieutenant commanding a flotilla of raider boats

  Krootar—a sellsu, packmate of Sleekit

  KRYGER, Lord Vendel—Almaeic ambassador to Djez Gorrbul, and commander of Almaeic diplomatic mission to the droid states

  S'Kthuump—an old female sea serpent

  Labdallu—king of Djez Seechul

  Lardunno—Hrummean government adept who goes with Eltrienn Cadriio on fact-finding mission to Gardozzi Bay

  Lerrlia Vencurria—female associate of Tirros Hanorissio

  LINFORRIO, Zivvas—a Hrummean adept employed by Mellvis Rantrelli

  Lori Maloi—a biotech on the warpship Adanik Larvest

  Lormallia—legendary "daughter of Hrum"; see Lori Maloi

  Maatio—a Hrummean soldier in Vendunno's patrol

  Marinnia Vencurria—female associate of Tirros Hanorissio

  Panni Vempravvo—a sage, known as "the Lamp of Hrum"

  Ramuulo—a Gorrbian soldier at Kammenak

  RANTRELLI, Mellvis—a pious, politically active merchant of Hrumma

  Reeno Venreeno—see Venreeno

  Ressteto Istroovio—Ettsio Torillo's nephew, deputy factor at Agate Bay

  Sallvis Venettsio—see Venettsio

  Sellsu—singular of sullsi (see)

  Sleekit—a sellsu, friend of Juliassa Hanorissia

  Stedmer—captain of the Almaeic ship Emperor Dard XII

  Stilfos—aide to Brokols

  Sullsi—(singular, sellsu) "children of the waves"; intelligent marine mammals

  Tarrni—young Hrummean fisherman who fights Tirros Hanorissio

  Tassi Vermaatio—a sage, known as "the Is-ness of Hrum"

  Terlenter—captain, warpship Adanik Larvest

  Tirros Hanorissio—mirj (approximately prince) of Hrumma

  TORILLO, Ettsio—see Ettsio Torillo

  Torissia Korillias—Juliassa Hanorissia's young aunt and sometime chaperone

  Travvos Disotto—Hrummean police inspector

  Triivarum—a sellsu, packmate of Sleekit

  Trinnia Akrosstas—wife of Amaadio Akrosstos

  Tssissfu—a two-year-old sea serpent

  VEMPRAVVO, Panni—see Panni Vempravvo

  VENCURRIA sisters—see Lerrlia and Marinnia Vencurria

  VENDORRCI—see Gorrvis Vendorrci

  Vendunno—Hrummean lieutenant and patrol leader

  VENETTSIO, Sallvis—factor at Agate Bay

  VENJIANNI, Allbarin—see Allbarin Venjianni

  VENREENO, Reeno—Hrummean adept and security agent

  VERMAATIO, Tassi—see Tassi Vermaatio

  Vessto Cadriio—a "country sage," known as "the Trumpet of Hrum"; brother of Eltrienn Cadriio

  Vrronnkiess—sea serpent name for the sea serpents

  WERLINGUS, Erlin—Almaeic midshipman, aide to Kryger

  Zeenia Hanorissia—the amirr's sister, mistress at Sea Cliff

  THE END

  The Lantern of God

  Table of Contents

  Foreword

  Prolog

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Eighteen

  Nineteen

  Twenty

  Twenty-One

  Twenty-Two

  Twenty-Three

  Twenty-Four

  Twenty-Five

  Twenty-Six

  Twenty-Seven

  Twenty-Eight

  Twenty-Nine

  Thirty

  Thirty-one

  Thirty-Two

  Thirty-Three

  Thirty-Four

  Thirty-Five

  Thirty-Six

  Thirty-Seven

  Thirty-Eight

  Thirty-Nine

  Forty

  Forty-One

  Forty-Two

  Forty-Three

  Forty-Four

  Forty-Five

  Forty-Six

  Forty-Seven

  Forty-Eight

  Forty-Nine

  Fifty

  Fifty-One

  Fifty-Two

  Fifty-Three

  Fifty-Four

  Fifty-Five

  Fifty-Six

  Fifty-Seven

  Fifty-Eight

  Fifty-Nine

  Sixty

  Sixty-One

  Sixty-Two

  Sixty-Three

  Sixty-Four

  Sixty-Five

  Sixty-Six

  Sixty-Seven

  Sixty-Eight

  Sixty-Nine

  Seventy

  Seventy-One

  Seventy-Two

  Seventy-Three

  Seventy-Four

  Seventy-Five

  Seventy-Six

  Seventy-Seven

  Dramatis Personae