The Book of Battles

Anson

There were times when lovemaking did little enough, when, after it had taken its course, the lovers felt no more reconciled to the way things were, no more at peace than they had been moments before.

“You do not want me to do it,” Anson said as they lay together in the rooms Ohean had spent a large part of his life in.

Ohean turned on his side, looking out of the window.

“How could I forget that I became a mage the same time I became a man and a lover?

He was silent while looking out on the stars that hung low over the Hidden Isle and over the sea.

“The mage part of me, the wise one,” Ohean said, turning over, “deeply wishes you to do this. But the rest of me. No.”

Ohean shook his head.

“You went through it,” Anson said. “And much more besides in your own Ordeal.”

“Even in the Royan lands, a mage-knight learns no more than what you have learned, and only undergoes the entry to the death ritual, but you would go through the entirety of it.”

“Yes,” Anson said, “And become a mage proper. Certainly not the mage you are—”

“But more a mage than most.”

“I am the son of Essily. I am the great-grandson of a Crystal Lady. You would not really wish me to turn from this.”

“No,” Ohean said with a sigh. “And what is more, in the end I would be cheating you if I tried to stop this. No,” he shook his head. “You will go through the fullness of the Death Ritual.”

Before they had left, Anson remember seeing Ralph Curakin, that stout, lantern jawed warrior, crying.

“You still have not forgiven me. I thought you had. I knew you had.”

And Ohean, who never looked miserable, looked truly tortured and said, “Ralph, Ralph.”

He embraced Ralph, the taller man almost kneeling to be held by his old friend.

“Forgiveness has nothing to do with it. I am sure. As I get closer to whatever must be it is simply that I know more. I promise you.”

They were quiet for a while and Anson thought that maybe he shouldn’t be watching, but he did not turn away.

“You really need me to do this, then?” Ralph said.

“I do, Ralph. And Wolf knows you. He needs you. Promise you will ride to him swiftly and take what was left at the old house.”

Ralph nodded, and Ohean said, “I promise. We will be together once again. The past will not matter. But for now we all have tasks to perform.”

Ralph remained with them that last night, and then the next day he had began his journey east and then north, and they had continued on to the town of Burrara, Anson, Ohean, Pol and Austin, to take the ship to the isle of Soladake.

Soladake was one of the Star Isles, several days out from the coast of Chyr and they remained for many days until one night when, midway into a heavy round of drinking, Pol had been standing half drunk with Anson and pointed out across the black water.

“What the fuck is that?”

“A light house.”

“That is no lighthouse,” Pol said, “And that was not the fuck there before.”

“Go get Ohean.”

Ohean came out with Austin and his cloak was tight against him in the winter night.

“Get that little sailboat and everything you have,” Ohean said.

“The Hidden Isle has appeared again.”

“The Hidden Tower is on a Hidden Isle?” Pol clarified as they sailed in the dark.

“Often as not,” Ohean said.

“May I ask,” Pol began, “why you are the only one of us not rowing?”

“Because I am holding the vision, you ass,” Ohean said, simply. “Should I look away it will disappear, and we will have nothing to sail toward.”

As they came closer and closer, Pol saw that it was the size of a great castle, and it must have been built into a hill. It appeared to be a hill. The first white wall circling a second rising from inside of it and then a third, very high, round wall or house inside and above that and, lastly, rising out of that, a high and spiraling tower. More and more lights winked out at them, the Hidden Tower gaining increasing definition.

“I had to wait for a night when we could all see it,” Ohean said, “And now that we have all seen it, we must all hold the vision.”

“Could we have—?” Austin began, but Ohean gently put a hand over his mouth.

When they had arrived on the shore, Anson was surprised to see Thano had arrived there, and there was a handsome man, who looked something like Thano, only with bronze hair. When he said he was Jasper, the father of Ohean, Pol looked from one to the other in disbelief and Ohean only frowned.

“There will be time for learning,” the oldest of them, cloaked in silver grey said, “But for now it is time to rest.”

“Manwy,” Ohean introduced them to the old man, “my Grandfather.”

After the long summer, where they heard of fires in Westrial, they wintered at the Hidden Tower, and if much happened in the outer world, little of that made it to Anson’s ears.

“You need schooling,” Manwy said. “You have been with Ohean, and so you know more than you think. There is no time for you to know as much as a great mage would, but there will be time for you to undergo your Ordeal.”

When Anson had blinked at him, the old mage, who wore a grey mantle as Ohean wore the deep red said, “The Ordeal is for you only if you desire it.”

“Do many?”

“Only those who become mages. And the mage knights. Though there are fewer and fewer these days.”

“I want to know everything!” Anson said.

Manwy sighed and he laughed, sitting down.

“It is not like that,” he said.

The Hidden Tower had been built into a great hill, and the concentric rings were not only walls, but halls and houses as well, little parks and coves went throughout them and the walls wove their way through them so that it was hard to see what was castle and what was island.

“These things happen with time,” Manwy said. “And your time is limited.”

But Anson spent all of winter at the feet of Manwy and learning from Jasper. Thano taught him the paths of the wind and of the stars, and soon Anson realized that Ohean was missing from this because Ohean was his lover. Anson had spent the last month hearing the tale and undergoing the steps of the ritual, and when Jasper had commented that a warrior usually never went further than this, Anson wondered, “Then how can he get through the mystery if he does not finish the mystery?”

“No,” he decided, “I will finish the mystery.”

And so that morning, while it was still cold, Pol and Austin came to the rooms Anson shared with Ohean. Laughing and talking of little matters, never mentioning what was going on in the world beyond, they went to the House of Washing, and there bathed with Anson, and then they placed him in a white robe. While the sky was silver grey with the beginning of sun, they all went into the Dark House, the House of Initiation, and there the priests were gathered in their white robes and masks of silver.

As Ohean began dressing, him, Anson heard the voice of Thano from one of the men whose masks glittered weakly in the early morning darkness.

“From the great heaven he set his mind on the great below. From the great heaven the God set his mind on the great below. From the great heaven Varayan set his mind on the great below. My Master abandoned heaven, abandoned earth, and descended to the underworld. Varayan abandoned heaven, abandoned earth, and descended to the underworld.

“He abandoned all offices, and descended to the underworld. He descended to the underworld. He abandoned the the heavens and descended to the underworld. He abandoned the earth, and descended to the underworld. He abandoned all, and descended to the underworld.

“He took the seven divine powers. He collected the divine powers and grasped them in his hand. With the good divine powers, he went on his way. He put a turban, headgear for the open country, on his head. He took a crown for his forehead. He hung small stone beads around his neck.

“He placed twin egg-shaped beads on his breast. He covered his body with the white tunic, the garment of manhood. He pulled the pectoral which is called "Come, man, come" over his breast. He placed a golden ring on his hand. He held the great sword in his hand...”

It had begun with Thano singing, but now the other priests chanted while Ohean, in his white robe and red mantle, murmured the words, dressing Anson, placing the prince’s own sword, Gram, called Callasyl, at his side, placing a cloak richer than Anson had ever worn,  over his shoulders.

Now, as Ohean walked Anson to the end of the hall, and through a dark doorway, the priests called: “Holy Varayan said to Nayvan: "Come my faithful minister, my minister who speaks fair words, my escort who speaks trustworthy words "On this day I will descend to the underworld. When I have arrived in the underworld, make a lament for me on the ruin mounds. Beat the drum for me in the sanctuary. Make the rounds of the houses of the gods for me.

When you have entered the house of Oromos, lament before Oromos: "Father Oromos, don't let anyone kill your son in the underworld. Don't let your precious metal be alloyed there with the dirt of the underworld. Don't let your boxwood be chopped up there with the carpenter's wood. Don't let young Lord Varayan be killed in the underworld. Father Oromos, the lord of great wisdom, knows about the life-giving plant and the life-giving water. He is the one who will restore me to life."

“When Varayan traveled on towards the underworld, his minister Nayvan traveled on behind her. He said to his minister Nayvan: "Go now, my Nayvan, and pay attention. Don't neglect the instructions I gave you."

Now they stood before a door and it was Ohean who spoke, but did not sing:

“When Varayan arrived at the palace Endos, he pushed aggressively on the door of the underworld. He shouted aggressively at the gate of the underworld: "Open up, doorman, open up. Open up, Charo, open up. I am all alone and I want to come in."

Anson pushed at the door, and at least he even called out. No noise was made and then, finally, the door opened, and one in black came out as the priests continued:

 

“Charo, the chief doorman of the underworld, answered holy Varayan: "Who are you?" "I am Varayan going to the east." "If you are Varayan going to the east, why have you traveled to the land of no return? How did you set your heart on the road whose traveler never returns?"

Holy Varayan answered him: "Because Lady Tieltiu, foster mother of Bel and elder sister to holy Ostos, has died; in order to have his funeral rites observed, he offers generous libations at his wake -- that is the reason."

Charo, the chief doorman of the underworld, answered holy Varayan: "Stay here, Varayan. I will speak to my mistress. I will speak to my master Ostos and tell his what you have said."

Charo, the chief doorman of the underworld, entered the house of his mistress Ostos and said: "My mistress, there is a lone boy outside. It is Varayan, your sister, and he has arrived at the palace Endos. He pushed aggressively on the door of the underworld. He shouted aggressively at the gate of the underworld. He has abandoned Ea and has descended to the underworld.

"He has taken the seven divine powers. He has collected the divine powers and grasped them in his hand. He has come on his way with all the good divine powers. He has put a turban, headgear for the open country, on his head. He has taken a wig for his forehead. He has hung small lapis-lazuli beads around his neck.

"He has placed twin egg-shaped beads on his breast. He has covered his body with the pala gown of lordship. He has placed mascara which is called "Let a man come" on his eyes. He has pulled the pectoral which is called "Come, man, come" over his breast. He has placed a golden ring on his hand. He is holding the lapis-lazuli measuring rod and measuring line in his hand."

When he heard this, Ostos slapped the side of his thigh. He bit his lip and took the words to heart. He said to Charo, his chief doorman: "Come Charo, my chief doorman of the underworld, don't neglect the instructions I will give you. Let the seven gates of the underworld be bolted. Then let each door of the palace Endos be opened separately. As for him, after he has entered, and crouched down and had his clothes removed, they will be carried away."

Charo, the chief doorman of the underworld, paid attention to the instructions of his lord. He bolted the seven gates of the underworld. Then he opened each of the doors of the palace Endos separately. He said to holy Varayan: "Come on, Varayan, and enter."

And when Varayan entered, the crown, headgear for the open country, was removed from his head. "What is this?" "Be satisfied, Varayan, a divine power of the underworld has been fulfilled. Varayan, you must not open your mouth against the rites of the underworld."

 

Anson was surprised. After all, he had acted this out before. He knew how the tale went, but suddenly he did not want to lift the crown from his head. He told himself he was a fool. He remembered the advice of Jasper, to associate each thing given up with a thing he actually must give up, and he was surprised to realize, as he removed the crown from his head, what he felt himself losing was an actual crown, the power of a prince.

“I would never have come here, and undergone this if I still believed I would be a prince.”

When he entered the second gate, the small lapis-lazuli beads were removed from his neck. "What is this?" "Be satisfied, Varayan, a divine power of the underworld has been fulfilled. Varayan, you must not open your mouth against the rites of the underworld."

When he entered the third gate, the twin egg-shaped beads were removed from his breast. "What is this?" "Be satisfied, Varayan, a divine power of the underworld has been fulfilled. Varayan, you must not open your mouth against the rites of the underworld."

When he entered the fourth gate, the "Come, man, come" pectoral was removed from his breast. "What is this?" "Be satisfied, Varayan, a divine power of the underworld has been fulfilled. Varayan, you must not open your mouth against the rites of the underworld."

Ohean was gone from him now, had been gone since the first door, and Anson wondered how deep this passage went. More and more of his fine clothing came off as he went down seemingly long halls, descending deeper and deeper.

 

“When he entered the fifth gate, the golden ring was removed from his hand. "What is this?" "Be satisfied, Varayan, a divine power of the underworld has been fulfilled. Varayan, you must not open your mouth against the rites of the underworld."

When he entered the sixth gate, the lapis-lazuli measuring rod and measuring line were removed from his hand. "What is this?" "Be satisfied, Varayan, a divine power of the underworld has been fulfilled. Varayan, you must not open your mouth against the rites of the underworld."

When he entered the seventh gate, the tunic, the garment of lordship, was removed from his body. "What is this?" "Be satisfied, Varayan, a divine power of the underworld has been fulfilled. Varayan, you must not open your mouth against the rites of the underworld."

Anson had been naked before. He was a soldier, but suddenly, taking his robe off in this dark and secret place, he felt strangely vulnerable. He followed the words of the hymn.

After he had crouched down and had his clothes removed, they were carried away.

When the door was opened, he was surprised by the brightness of the room, which made him wish to shrink away, made him aware of his exposed sex, of thie body which, given to study and away from military practice, was not as hard and muscled as usual. He was disoriented as he stood before the God of Death, and pushed away all thoughts of the room as Ostos came forward, for he knew the Rite was never to be spoken of outside of this hall, should barely be pictured or reminisced upon.

Then he made his brother Ostos rise from his throne, and instead he sat on his throne. The Anuna, the seven judges, rendered their decision against him. They looked at him –It was the look of death. They spoke to his –It was the speech of anger. They shouted at him –It was the shout of heavy guilt. The afflicted Lord was turned into a corpse. And the corpse was hung on a hook.

Two slaps on the shoulders more painful than they should have been. No wounding, but a bitter drink, and then a swooning. descent, descent into darkness, sickness. All going to black.