The Mistake of a Life
A dinner was given by the Rai to the successful contestants, and this feast inaugurated an extended season of high social dinners, balls, parties, concerts, and theatrical performances, all in the same honor.
Knowing that Rai Gwauxln would lead his niece to the table and be her escort, I took Lolix, as I had a right to do, for I was a graduate and the possessor of a diploma, and all such might choose a companion, who might or might not be a graduate.
That my soul craved such an ability on her part, and found it not, but did find it in Anzimee, was evidence of the growth of the frail seedling of interest in the occult life of the Sons of the Solitude, which had been somewhat matured by the words of Rai Emon of Suem, years before.
The information that she was absent at Roxoi Palace, one of the three set apart for the Rai but seldom used by him, was rather perturbing.
By our side were Rai Gwauxln and Menax, the five of us being the cynosure of the eyes of a great audience.
A nation of 85 million people
Rai Emon - A figure mentioned in relation to the Saldee general.
Suerna - A former counselor of Rai Emon who plays a role in the Salda's death.
"Dost thou feel equal to the task?" he queried."Zo Rai," I replied bravely, "thy son is hard pressed.
As Rai Emon had said, the Saldee general never returned to his native land.
One of the party was a Suerna who had been one of Rai Emon's counsellors.
Le Grand Voyage
After the funeral of Emon, Zailm is unexpectedly appointed Suzerain (governor) of Suern by Rai Gwauxln, a high-ranking official.
In the triangle were gathered a few witnesses asked by Rai Gwauxln to be present, and over all shone the mysterious light which required no fuel, nor for its tall taper any human keeper.
Beside the restful form stood Mainin, the Incaliz, his hand on the shoulder of the dead Rai.
Rai Gwauxln directed me to attend at Agacoe before resuming my vacation trip, although it was all arranged previously to the funeral of Emon that my action in Suern was to his satisfaction.
When I obeyed the Rai, which was almost immediately, for we were all ready to resume our journey, Gwauxln, in the presence of his ministers of state affairs, tendered me the position of Suzerain over the land of Suern.
"Zo Rai, I am sensible thou hast done thy servant a great honor.
The Waters of Light
Rai Gwauxln – Zailm’s uncle (through adoption).
Rai Emon – A ruler of Suern.
Here was I, son by adoption of one of the Imperial Princes, and by virtue of being recognized as the brother of his daughter, Anzimee, I was a nephew of my sister's uncle, Rai Gwauxln.
Yet my mother was not related to any of these royalties and had seen none of them, except the Rai, often enough to ensure recognition should she meet them again.
Menax pointed to the tall vase, and I read upon it this inscription, formed with rubies:"To Emon, Rai of Suern, I, Gwauxln, Rai of Poseid, return this in token of thy appreciation of the Poseidi."
To this, I replied that I would not take a retinue, such as a staff of officers, since from the story of Astiku Lolix, I judged Rai Emon to be one who would look with scorn upon such a useless appanage.
Airship used for fast personal transport
The chapter "The Adoption of Zailm" narrates the protagonist Zailm's visit to Prince Menax's office, where he finds Rai Gwauxln, the ruler of Poseid, with the prince.
Automated Vehicles: A palace car is summoned by Rai Gwauxln and operates without a driver.
Rai Gwauxln - The ruler of Poseid, a highly revered figure with occult powers.
Agacoe Palace - The palace where Zailm meets Prince Menax and Rai Gwauxln.
But in this I was disappointed, as Rai Gwauxln was there with him.
At last I heard the Rai ask:
A palace car was summoned by the Rai, and came rolling into our presence without any person to operate it; it came in at the door of the office, which opened to allow its passage precisely as if some court page had opened it.
The car conveyed us to the vailx-landing outside, where we found a vailx of small size, into which Rai Gwauxln courteously assisted first Menax, then myself, and finally himself entered.
They, too, were simple in habits, courteous in manner, and, though in many cases wealthy and luxurious in their habits in life, were entirely unostentatious, as their Rai set them example.
The laws which this Rai had given were written by him with his finger upon the Maxin-Stone, and no work of a sculptor's chisel was better done.
Once, in the history of Poseid, a Rai had come to doubt whether a man would surely die if he tried to withdraw the Book of the Unfed Light.
That was a day of growing darkness and wickedness when men had somewhat forgotten the Great Rai, Son of Incal.
Grown bolder, and urged by the Rai, he tried harder.
Wherefore, as thy Sovereign and his, I, Gwauxln, Rai of Poseid, do declare it to be as prayed for by Astika Menax."
The Rai did not go with Menax and myself, when the conclusion of our business was reached, but remained with the Incaliz Mainin.
And the reason was that both he and Mainin were Sons of the Solitude and had been youths together in the days ere public favor had marked the one for Rai, the other for Incaliz, these both being elective positions, the office of High Priest being the only ecclesiastical office which could be filled by popular vote.
Yet when Gwauxln came back, the silvery threads of age already gleamed in the hair of the Prince Menax, while as for the Rai that was to be, he looked a little more mature, but otherwise unchanged from the youthful semblance of the days of yore.
Not to anticipate, is it strange that Rai Gwauxln felt more pleasurable intimacy possible in his intercourse with Mainin than with any other person connected with his daily life?
Poseid highly honors women
Rai Gwauxln: The ruler mentioned as Menax's brother-in-law, who would need to officially approve Zailm's adoption into the family.
"Zailm, when I saw thee, at thy first speech with our beloved Rai—four years ago, was it not?—I was astonished at thy likeness to my dead boy, and I loved thee then, Zailm!
Thou needest not be told what it must have been to my ambition thus to be placed in so high a niche as I would thenceforth occupy in Atlan estimation as the legal son of a high councilor, who by marriage was the brother of the Rai.
All this time, while considering the situation, I was reserving as a choice sensation the pleasure of examining what was the kind of love I felt for her who was my sister, by adoption only, it is true, but who, herself the pet of inner circles, and the adored of the people of Caiphul, would appear before the world as my sister the moment Rai Gwauxln should officially approve his brother's course.
The pearls, emblem of her rank as a Xioqenu; the emeralds, mark of her not yet having attained political voice; the rubies, gems of royalty, worn only by the Rai, or one of his near relatives.
We loved our Rai, and the Astiki; we respected them as much as ever rulers in this world have been respected; but we honored our women more, and Rai and prince, sovereign and subject, were proud to acknowledge the holy influence which made all our glorious land of freedom one great home.
Technology vs Spirituality
Prince Menax - A high-ranking official in Poseid, the Rai's chief adviser, and the one who appoints Zailm as Secretary of Records.
Rai Gwauxln - The ruler of Poseid.
Rai Ernon - The ruler of Suem.
It will bring thee into close contact with the Rai and all the princes; also it will clothe thee with some degree of authority.
Menax held the highest ministerial office of all the Astiki, being premier and, in short, the Rai's chief adviser.
"It is desired to send unto the Rai of Suem a present in acknowledgment of certain gifts sent by him to Rai Gwauxln.
While there can be but small doubt that these gifts were sent to induce our acceptance of seven score women, prisoners of war, who seem to be much in the way of Rai Ernon of Suern, nevertheless, we cannot regard it as necessary to throw us a sop, and while the women will be allowed to remain, or go whither they will so that they go not where forbidden by Suern, we choose to regard the gift of gems and of gold as a gift, and make due return for it.
Now, Ernon hath a fertile country, and these ignorant savages longed to possess it, wherefore they sent unto the Rai of Suern a challenge of war.
Poseid, 4340 years of peace
Led by Rai Gwauxln during the narrator's lifetime as Zailm in Atlantis.
Rai Gwauxln: The leader of Poseid during the narrator's lifetime in Atlantis.
As antedating the reign of Rai Gwauxln, attention is called to a period of time embracing four thousand three hundred and forty years, inclusive of the main events of Poseid history.
Inconsequential civil wars had several times made a change of political complexion, so that Poseid had seen itself governed by absolute autocrats, by oligarchic and by theocratic rule, by masculine and by feminine rulers, and at last by a republican monarchial system, of which Rai Gwauxln was the head, when I lived as Zailm, in Atlantis.
Caiphul
Rai - A title used for a leader or ruler in Poseid.
Therefore the call went forth amongst all the people to vote on the adoption of a code of industrial regulations and to vote its respectful submission to the Rai.
Atlantis, Queen of the Wave
With the means now at hand, the next step was to move from the country to the city of the Rai.
The vailx, powered by currents derived from the Night-Side of Nature
The ruler of Suern, Rai Emon, is a powerful leader, but his people seem angry and resentful, likely due to the oppressive nature of his rule.
Despite their advanced magical abilities, the Suerni are deeply troubled, and Rai Emon explains that he has tried to lead his people toward a higher spiritual path but has faced resistance.
Rai Emon explains his frustration with his people, who engage in black magic and refuse to live by the higher moral and spiritual laws he tries to enforce.
Rai Emon dies shortly after this speech.
It is ruled by Rai Emon and is known for its occult practices.
Rai Emon was far less interested in the vase and in the other gifts of gold and gems, than in the captive Saldani whom the tokens commemorated, particularly in the Saldu, Lolix the Rainu.
"Even so, Rai," I responded.
For several days we remained in the capital, and during this time were escorted over it by no less a person than Rai Emon himself.
Rai Gwauxln, Incaliz Mainin, but no more, at least none known to the public even by repute.
That the Rai was aware of my knowledge of this dislike was obvious from his conversation.
As I now listened to Rai Emon, my interest was reawakened, and I thought I might one day become a candidate for admission to the order, if—but that "if" was of a large size.
It grew still more when the Rai remarked later on that "the girl Anzimee would one day be an Incalenu." But the growth was not great in that olden time; it was reserved for a life to come, when decades upon decades of centuries had flown, till now!
The Rai continued: "Ye of Poseid dip a little into the Night-Side, and behold!
Rai Emon was sitting in the salon of the vailx, and now addressed Gwauxln of Poseid, whom I saw in the naim as I looked around.
Thou art an infidel, ingrate race, believing not in Yeovah, content to live by the little thou knowest, too slothful to learn, more ungrateful to Yeovah than to thy Rai!
"Rai ni Incal."
I turned to the naim as these words were uttered and noted that a great shade of sadness rested upon the face of our own Rai, Gwauxln, as he looked upon Emon—like himself, an Adept Son.
"Rai ni Incal, mon avazzam in disu," which being translated, is, "To Incal the Rai; to the country of departed spirits he is gone!"
Startled, I looked around at the Suem Rai, who still sat silent as before, in the same position.
"Even so, Zo Rai."
"Take then thy guards and seek the palace of Rai Emon.
Call upon his ministers to come before thee and tell them that their Rai is deceased.
When, according to these orders, I had the court before me, I spoke as directed by the Rai.
Our Rai is dead?
I, special envoy of Gwauxln VII, Rai of Poseid, do depose all ye that are here from rulership, except those two who offered not scorn but courtesy.
I was in an agony of doubt lest Rai Gwauxln should rebuke me.
Instead, I took a roll of parchment and wrote from the form of commission of memory following that of Gwauxln as Rai, using red ink, for which I sent a messenger to Anzimee at the vailx.
I called for Rai Gwauxln, and when he responded I told him what I had done.
Our Rai was known to be one who could be severe in his punishments, although these took the form of disgrace meted out, as public dismissal from office for being unworthy of trust.
He was troubled at the effect of his words upon me, an effect not intended, as he told her, and one which would never have occurred if he had not at that time been engaged in solving the very abstruse political problem presented by the new aspect of affairs through the decease of Rai Emon.