The Strength of the Few

Deaglan’s father, Cristoval, explains that although he is dead, the Catenan Military have used Vitaeria to reanimate him. If he removes the scarab medallion hanging around his neck, he will become a corpse again. The Military use other objects to interrogate him.

Cristoval explains that before the Hierarchy invaded Suus, a Suus trading ship became lost at sea and crashed on an island where they found ruins filled with items and documents. From these, Cristoval learned about the ancient war and the Cataclysms. According to the documents, winning the ancient war required the Aurora Columnae, the Cataclysms, and splitting the world into three. His spies discovered that at least some of the Republic, including the three Princeps, knew about the splitting of the world before it happened.

Three months later, the Hierarchy attacked and killed him to keep the secret and because they feared he had found a weapon. This is the weapon Estevan used at the naumachia. He admits that he might have been tempted to use it when the Hierarchy invaded if he’d had the means.

Cristoval continues. A Military senator woke him not long after the Suus invasion to interrogate him. Much later, Ostius woke him again, demanding information about Vis. It was only then that he realized his son was alive. Ostius later told him that Vis had gone through the Labyrinth and offered him his freedom if he agreed to go to Luceum to help Vis survive. He knows that Ostius has his own motives, but he did not care if he could help his son.

He has been watching Deaglan almost since he arrived here. He saw him living on the farm and decided not to contact him, hoping that he had found a chance for a happy life. Now, however, he must intervene to stop Deaglan from joining the battle in Caer Aras. If he goes, he will be captured and sacrificed to their gods. His Synchronism is too important to be lost. Deaglan refuses, saying that he must help his friends.

His father promises to be nearby but cannot be seen by the druids. Deaglan returns to Lir, still asleep.

All exits out of Duat are heavily guarded. Siamun’s only option is to go through the tunnels that take water from the Infernis beyond the walls. Though his Vitaeria will keep him alive, the pain will be immeasurable. He tests his resistance to the corrosive water for days before finally going down to the tunnels. There, Netiqret finds him.

Netiqret asks him not to go. She confirms that Kiya is her daughter. She has been trying to restore her mind for 20 years. She first thought that fate brought Siamun to her as a gift, to help her fix Kiya. Now, she realizes that Netiqret is the gift to help in his task. Siamun tells her to be waiting for him here when he returns. He jumps into the water.

Eventually, he crawls out of the water into a large room with canals running through it. The room is filled with iunctii on slabs with stone pipes that rise out of the canals and go through their stomachs. The bodies filter the water and make it drinkable. When he finds that the room is sealed, he jumps back into the canal and down another tunnel.

Deaglan and Lir reach a lake in a valley, with a stone archway in the water. An image of three whorls that converge at the center is carved at the top of the arch. Lir triggers a reaction in the water, and stones rise out of the lake, forming the buildings and streets of a city. Lir says that he must travel to the center of Fornax, where he will enter a large building, do as he is asked, and then reach the far side. He must exit before dawn. He cannot take weapons. Deaglan walks through the archway.

Deaglan walks through Fornax. Thousands of black statues line the way. Their faces are blank except for the triangular symbol of the Hierarchy. He can feel Will within them. He reaches a large building in the center, and a voice tells him to enter.

The building is filled with more black statues There is a shallow pool in the center, and in the center of the pool is a glowing Aurora Columnae. Two silver statues stand on either side. Deaglan approaches the Aurora Columnae, and the voice tells him to touch it. When he does, a voice screams, “SYNCHRONOUS!” (547). The black statues and the two silver ones move. The entrance closes. Deaglan picks up weapons, but each one he touches shouts “UNWORTHY” (548) at him. He fights to hold on to a weapon as the statues attack. One silver statue disarms him.

The silver statue lifts him. Flailing, he touches the statue’s arm. On instinct, he connects to the Will in the statue and orders it to stop. He orders the statue to protect him from the others, and it defeats them all. He orders the statue to lift the sealed entrance. Deaglan steps outside but is instantly swarmed by black statues. He ducks back into the building, and they stop. He asks the silver statue for proof that he passed the test. The statue tears off the arm of the second silver statue and gives it to him. Then Deaglan orders the statue to get him safely out of Fornax.

The statue carries him through the black statues, which follow but do not attack. The silver statue stops at the edge of the city. Sunlight rises over the trees in the valley. Holding the silver arm, he runs.

On the bank, Lir waits. Lir sounds shaken and asks: “What favour have the gods shown you in Fornax?” (558). Deaglan shows him the silver arm. A voice behind him says it is a great gift. Deaglan turns to see Gallchobhar, his spear broken at his feet.

Catenicus runs into the Telimus estate and hides the metal mask and arm just as Kadmos arrives. Kadmos does not ask questions as he bandages the wound and pours water on him so he can claim he was in the baths. Kadmos says that a guest is waiting for him in Ulciscor’s locked office.

A sextus comes to the door looking for Carnifex, the name they have given the man who assassinated the Military senators. It has been two weeks since the Festival of Pletuna. Caten has fallen into chaos. Catenicus has hidden his identity behind his metal disguise while he fights to protect the innocent citizens. Tonight, he was nearly caught in a Governance trap.

The sextus believes Catenicus’s claim that he was in the baths and has not heard anything. After the sextus’s men search the estate and leave, Catenicus goes to see his visitor.

Catenicus’s visitor is Quartus Baine Breac, Eidhin’s father. Baine is under the command of Redivius, one of four Military senators who are trying to claim the rank of Princeps after Exesius’ death. Governance and Religion are backing a different man, Laurentius, because he was willing to negotiate.

Redivius is preparing to attack Caten at dawn. The Cymrians under Hierarchy rule are part of Redivius’s pyramid and will be forced to fight, including Eidhin. Redivius is a cruel man and should not be their new leader. Eidhin refuses to run or defect because the Cymrians beneath him will be executed. He will not listen to Baine, who has betrayed their moral code. Baine defends his actions by saying that a father will do anything to protect his children.

Baine wants Catenicus to convince Eidhin to run. In exchange, Baine tells him everything he knows about the coming attack, which will start at the docks. Baine remarks that he should switch to Military and make a claim for Princeps. Many respect him, and he could reunite the factions. He adds that Eidhin’s trust is fragile and begs Catenicus to save him without betraying that trust.

Gallchobhar kills Lir and tells Deaglan that Fiachra has lain siege to Caer Aras. Gallchobhar is Fiachra’s new Champion. He intends to sacrifice Deaglan to the gods at Lake Aras in two days. Until then, Ruarc gave him an object to keep Vis under control: a stone broach carved with three joined whorls like the one on the Fornax archway. He stabs the needle into the back of Deaglan’s neck. Deaglan’s ability to sense Will disappears, and he feels weak.

They ride to Caer Aras. There, Fiachra’s men have surrounded the city’s walls. Gallchobhar drags Deaglan to the front gate and calls for Ronan. When a crowd stands on the wall to watch, he ties the silver statue arm to Deaglan’s neck, parades him among the warriors, and then throws him in a hut.

Catenicus joins a meeting between Governance and Religion. Since the massacre, he has been promoted to Quintus. The meeting includes many high-ranking officials. Catenicus shares what he has learned from Baine about an attack. He has previously given them information obtained from his secret source, Ostius. Most trust him, though some are suspicious of him because Ulciscor is Military. However, Vis has not heard from him since the Military fled Caten.

The meeting ends. Catenicus meets his friends. Indol says that Religion has caught Blasius, one of the escaped Military senators. Catenicus asks him to monitor the situation. Secretly, he wants to find out what the Military knows about Relucia. Revealing her identity might lead to his identity as well. Indol has also found which prison Lanistia is being kept in, and that she might be in a Sapper. Most Sappers give the Will they “sap” from prisoners to Military. Religion and Governance are planning to kill every prisoner in a Sapper just before the attack at dawn. When Catenicus leaves, Aequa follows, knowing he intends to break Lanistia out. He tells her about Eidhin. They agree to meet at dusk near the prison, break Lanistia out with forged release papers, and then head to the docks to find Eidhin.