THE CHRONICLES OF DAGAD TRIKON
Instalment 5
“ It is the works of doom, stored under the vault at the end of this passage. These treatises belonged in ancient times to the Council of the Necromancers and were stolen from the fortress of Thanatophor in the great battle of the previous age, when the Avasthas of yore under Nizam Irene the second of Anrorhad defeated the army of the demons and sacked the donjon of Belzebseth the witch master. The lord Irene wanted to know how the enemy operates. This chief of the sorcerers sorely wants his books back.”
Agnorth noticed the puzzled look of the companions and felt he needed to provide some added explanation:
“The Bibliotheca Diabolica contains the treatises of the dark arts divided into two sections: witchcraft supremacy and battlefield sorcery. In the first section you find the compilation of the ways to sow abominations in unsuspecting mind or seeds of hate between nations; the handbook on the knack to turn goodness into serving evil; the manual on how to influence minds and enslave them unnoticed. There is an illustrated writing on witch supremacy through the craft of seduction. The section on battlefield sorcery includes the science of all poisons, from cyanide to jealousy, the ability to possess someone or kill at a distance and, of course, how to trigger all sort of sicknesses.
- Who would want to know such awful things?
- None of us of course. Even master Sanath, to my knowledge, never ventured to open the forbidden bibliotheca. But it is reported that some Aulyas sometimes consult the books to gain inside knowledge of the enemy. Only in the Gunatith state can you face the fiercest evil without absorbing it.
- I see what you mean” said Lidholon thoughtfully. “Such attempts indeed can be dangerous although I can see how some may be tempted; understanding the craft of the enemy is always an attractive proposition for a warrior.”
They cast a furtive glance at the black and violet tomes of the forbidden bibliotheca, lined up behind the glass of stern furniture encased in back iron. They started to feel dizzy and hurriedly returned to the main corridor.
“Your father Aslerach often came here to meditate” added Agnorth, pointing at another corner of the fifth floor and showing large lavender pillows scattered on the ground of an alcove.
Lidholon felt moisture in his eyes. He suddenly sorely missed his father. Despite the responsibilities of ruling the state of the Rock Avasthas, Aslerach had always pride and affection for his son. He now remembered the last words of the Nizam as he boarded the cylinder of fire: “you cannot come with me Lidholon for the task before you is one that I could not achieve.”
He remembered the diamond eyes of Aslerach glittering with the moisture of tears. What was it that his father, first amongst the Avasthas, could not do? Lidholon was distracted from wrenching emotions by a question from Etakir who was looking at the intricate rose of stone at the centre of the empty ceiling above their heads:
“What about the records of the House of Anorhad and where is the seventh House, the House of Ni?
- We have nothing on the seventh House, “replied the librarian. “ I think the knowledge is transmitted telepathically, or through some deeper vibrations, I am not quite sure. The lord wizard never speaks about it. As for the sixth house, the Anorhadans took their records with them when they left the earth. So much about Anorhad is different. Their books were containing affirmations and negations that were whirling too fast to be contained by human thoughts. Anorhad is the house of those who pacify contradictions because they reach beyond thoughts. It is said their books are living in their third eye and would have self destroyed in their absence. Anyway, there were only a few books, as they did not believe in words. See, we can still behold their sign, the tricolor lily of Anorhad carved on top of these empty shelves.”
As they came down from the top floor, a commotion baffled the friends; all the other attendants of the wizard were hastily disposing barrels of inflammable naphtha. The mournful attendants told the companions that the entire library would be set on fire the next day on the order of the wizard of Dagad Trikon.
coming soon : instalment 6