Secrets
Chapter 3 - The Palace

    Shoji was sitting on the stone floor staring at the glowing Seed Crystal when he felt a familiar presence approach the cave. "Hi Akechi."
    He heard the man's footsteps approach from behind. Akechi came and stood next to where Shoji sat cross-legged in the middle of the cave floor. Shoji looked up at him. Akechi was a year younger than him, but with his receding hairline and long, severe face he somehow looked older. Akechi wore his permanent frown like a wound. He looked even more nervous than usual. He wore the same casual but neatly pressed open collar shirt and slacks that Shoji always saw him in. Shoji noted he was putting on a bit of weight. Maybe he was getting lazy about how he went about his hunting.
    "Isn't that cold?" Akechi asked, his attempt at small talk.
    "I've gotten used to it. One hot bath and my ass warms up just fine."
    "Even after two hours?"
    Shoji sighed. "I suppose Yui-chan sent you."
    Akechi didn't say anything. He didn't need to.
    Shoji went back to contemplating the Seed Crystal. The cave was empty for the first time in the two weeks since the change in the telepathic image. Naturally, it had caused quite a stir among the Ancients. So much so that his and Yui's little slip-up had been virtually forgotten. Shoji had finally been able to come here to get some peace and quiet while he studied the crystal.
    "It can't look any different than it did last week," Akechi said.
    "It doesn't," Shoji agreed.
    "Then what's so interesting about it?" Akechi hadn't been one of the Ancients mesmerized by the changes in the Crystal. He rarely got excited about anything other than his hunting.
    "I've just been thinking of how it got this way." He looked up at Akechi again. "Bringing just one Soul Icon in here made the Crystal's vision this much clearer."
    Akechi gave him a look that said "so what?" He knew what Shoji meant of course, by now everyone knew they were calling Yui's prize a Soul Icon. It was still blazing brightly in the little crystal resting up on the wall behind them.
    Shoji continued. "What if we brought in another? Or two more? Or three? Wouldn't the vision get even clearer?"
    Akechi shrugged. "Yeah, I guess. But it's pretty clear right now. What more would you expect to see?"
    "I want to know the meaning behind it. What is this palace, where is it? Is it going to exist in the future? When? What's special about it?"
    Akechi thought about that for a second. "The Matriarch is still mad about what you did. I don't think she'd let you go out and get any more of those things. It's too dangerous."
    Shoji reached into a pocket of his open denim jacket and took out a little dark crystal. "Who said anything about telling the Matriarch?"
    Akechi's frown deepened. He obviously knew what it was. "You're serious. You really want to do this."
    "Of course. How else are we going to find out more, by sitting in here and staring at the same damned thing day in and day out? Tried that, it just gets you a sore ass."
    "But the Matriarch is right, it's too dangerous. What if you get caught by outsiders?"
    "We won't. Last time we were caught by surprise, we didn't know what would happen. We just tried something and that poppled out." He gestured back towards the crystal holding the Soul Icon. "With just a little planning, it will be a cinch. Lots easier than any hunting you ever did."
    Akechi's eyes darted furtively over towards the cave entrance and back again. He looked annoyed with Shoji. He was nervous about any mention of his hunting, especially in a place where they might be overheard. If other Ancients found out what Shoji and Yui knew, he would be in severe trouble. Very severe trouble.
    "The Matriarch will find out eventually," Akechi said. The wild look flashed in his eyes, the look he usually did such a good job of hiding. Shoji knew that look from childhood, had learned to expect it whenever Akechi anticipated danger ... or anticipated the thrill of the hunt. He had guessed where Shoji was going to take this.
    Shoji grinned. "By the time the Matriarch finds out, the results will already speak for themselves. They've been trying to figure out the Crystal for centuries, longer if you believe all the stories. We may be able to crack this, find out what it's all about once and for all. If we can do that, nobody will give a damn about a few shrines, we'll be the biggest heroes since the First Ancestor."
    "So who wants to be a hero?"
    "You're missing the point." Shoji stood up and stretched, getting the kink out of his back. "If we can pull this off, who do you think is going to be the next Matriarch?"
    That took Akechi off guard. The wild look flashed in his eyes again, as he contemplated the possibility of a Matriarch who knew his secrets. Then he looked calmer, more thoughtful. Shoji could guess what he was thinking: Yui, a Matriarch who would never raise a hand against him. It couldn't happen immediately, by tradition she had to have at least one child first. But that was easily taken care of, and she already had powers greater than most Ancients twice her age. No, it was not inconceivable.
    "So what do you say, are you in?"
    Akechi nodded slowly. "I'm in."
    Shoji clapped him on the shoulder. "Great. Time to call in the star of the show." He closed his eyes, cast his mind out, looked for one aura among the many. It was the one more familiar to him now than his own mother's, he found it easily. **Yui, can you hear me?**
    Without even an acknowledgement, Yui 'ported in right next to them. They were both used to her doing that. That is, normally. Right now, they both stared at her in wide-eyed shock.
    Yui grinned, looking very pleased with herself. **Hi Senpai.**
    **Yui ... since when could you do this?**
    **I tried for the first time last week. I was still feeling pumped from getting that Soul Icon, I really felt like I could do it. It was hard the first time, but now it's pretty easy. Surprised?**
    **Yeah, you could say that.** As far as Shoji knew, no Ancient had ever been able to teleport directly into the Seed Crystal cave. Everybody just assumed that it was impossible.
    Yui gave their friend a little wave. **Hi Akechi, how's it going?**
    **Not bad.** He actually smiled a bit. Yui was one of the few people who could make him do that. Probably because most Ancients just tried to avoid him. He was even more isolated than Shoji and Yui, just short of being outcast like the black sheep. And of course, he and she were fellow hunters, though of quite a different nature. It still surprised Shoji, how little it bothered Yui knowing about it. Of course, she thought of his victims as animals, something Shoji hadn't exactly been discouraging.
    **Akechi and I have just been talking,** Shoji said. **How would you like to go get another Soul Icon?**
    Yui frowned. **You mean ... from another shrine?**
    **Yeah. We want to bring another one in here, we figure two are better than one.** He took the dark crystal out of his pocket again, tossed it up and caught it.
    The meaning of this sunk in. **Yeah, that would be pretty cool. Won't we get in trouble, though?**
    **Not if we do it right. Just like you figured, the first one made this place even better, the precognitives are in throes of ecstasy. The only reason they're not here with the crystal right now is they're all bloody morning people. If we get another one, we might make it better still. We may even be able to figure out what this vision really means. We do that, and even the Matriarch will have to be nice to us.**
    That struck a chord with Yui. Shoji knew she still felt bitter about how Himiko had treated her. She would jump at any chance to count coup on the old witch ... what better way than to crack the mystery of the Crystal that had puzzled the Ancients since the First Ancestor had given it to them.
    Yui nodded. **Okay, I'd like to try it.**
    Shoji gave her a hug. **That's my girl.** He glanced over at Akechi and smiled. Akechi looked a little disappointed, perhaps he had been expecting Yui to say she didn't want to do this.
    Yui stepped back, looked up at him. **What should we do first?**
    **We've got to be careful,** Akechi interrupted. **There are all sorts of things that could go wrong, we have to plan it all out.**
    **Of course,** Shoji replied. **Yui being able to teleport right in here is going to make bringing Soul Icons here a lot easier, that solves the worst problem right there. As for the shrines, there are things we can do to minimize the risk. Around sunset is probably the best time to hit, it's after closing time but it's still light enough that the pyrotechnics are less likely to attract attention.**
    **We've got to pick the right one, too.** Yui said. **There are only certain ones that really have a lifeforce.**
    **We really shouldn't be talking about this here,** Akechi reminded him.
    Actually, this was probably one of the best places. As long as nobody else was actually in the cave, it was very unlikely anybody would be eavesdropping on them. But Akechi was nervous enough as it was, might as well keep him happy. **Yui, did you 'port from our room in the house?**
    **Yes.**
    **Then 'port go back there and walk over to the back garden, we'll meet you there. I don't want anybody else knowing you can teleport into here, we need to be careful about that.** He bent down and kissed her.
**Sounds good?**
    **Sounds good!** She waved and vanished. She was suddenly looking more lively again, no doubt anticipating what was to come. She had been pouting about how much time he had been spending in here by himself. But that stage of the game was over now, time for action.
    "Not to worry," he said to Akechi as they made their way out of the cave. "This'll be a piece of cake, really."

    *****

    Their morning meditation done, Thetan and his fellow monks filed into the temple's communal dining hall for their first meal of the day. It was the same modest breakfast they had every single day, and as usual it was eaten in silence. This gave Thetan time to think.
    Yesterday he had met with Jeneth and K'Theelm for the first time in two months. It had been a very pleasant day, they had taken lunch together then walked through a nearby park, talking and catching up on what they had been doing.
    Jeneth was still consumed with her healing. She had recently found a young intern whom she was positive had latent psychic healing abilities. She was seriously contemplating revealing her own powers to him, offering to be his tutor, to help awaken his powers. It was a hard decision to make. She felt the young man could be trusted. But if he reacted badly to the revelation that there was a whole world he was unaware of, he could expose her, put them all in danger. Thetan had told her the decision was hers to make. Secretly, he hoped that she decided to confide in the young man, it was clear how much she wanted to.
    K'Theelm had become more fascinated with the Earthmen's information technology. Their software was a realm of pure logic that he could lose himself in, apply his Engineer's mind to without regard for the primitive hardware that supported it. He had found that his own very unique perspective had allowed him to devise ways of using the technology that the Earthmen had not yet contemplated. Already, programs that he had anonymously posted on their communications network had become very popular, had inspired software engineers across the globe to explore new directions, new possibilities. It looked like he had found an area where he could make a contribution without trying to introduce radical new technology.
    Yes, it appeared as if they had all well and truly gone native.
    Jeneth and K'Theelm were still occupying the same apartment they had acquired soon after they had infiltrated the local population. But they probably saw each other not much more than Thetan saw them, what with Jeneth spending all her time at one or another hospital. It was astonishing how quickly this world had seduced them all into their own separate lives.
    Thetan's reverie was broken by the call to prayer. He offered thanks to the Buddha for the good fortune of himself and his friends, offered it with no less sincerity than he had offered it to the divine spirit worshipped by the order on his own doomed planet so far away. His newly adopted brothers connected with the divine spirit in ways that were still new and strange to him, but no less comforting or fulfilling.
    Thetan soon went to continue the work he had been doing for several days now. It was a major temple renovation that required a great deal of heavy lifting. His size, strength and stamina had made him well suited to the work. And though raised and trained as a warrior, in truth he loved nothing more than the act of building and fixing. Particularly building places where people would live, and most particularly houses of worship.
    "Brother Russell."
    Thetan looked up from where he was kneeling, fitting a stone into the new walkway he was constructing. He recognized the monk who had addressed him, a young man who had just entered the temple this year. "Good day, brother."
    The young monk bowed. "Forgive the intrusion, I have a message from his grace. He would like you to present yourself in his room at ten o'clock."
    "I understand. Thank you." The man bowed and went on his way. It was nearly an hour before the appointed time, so Thetan got some more work done before going to wash up in preparation for meeting the head priest. Thetan had few direct dealings with the head of the temple, he wondered what this might be about.
    When he walked up to the entrance to the priest's room, he found another of his brothers also approaching. The sliding door was open, so they both kneeled on the bamboo mat before it and announced themselves. >From within, they heard the priest give them permission to enter. They walked in to find that three other monks were already seated within. They took their place beside them and waited. About a minute later, one more arrived. The priest asked him to close the door. Apparently, all who were bidden here had now arrived.
    "Thank you all for coming," the old priest said. He was sitting on a cushion behind his low, lacquered table. His normally cheerful face was grim. "Earlier this morning I was brought rather grave news. One of our neighbouring temples has become the scene of an accident." He named the temple. It was one Thetan knew well, had visited several times. "The report I was given was rather incredible. For no reason that anybody can explain, the main temple building collapsed to the ground some time last night. Fortunately, nobody was inside, so nobody was hurt. I have spoken with my counterpart at the temple, he is at a loss to explain what has happened. There is no reason to believe it was anything other than a simple accident, however strange, but for reasons unknown to me the police have become involved. Apparently they wish to examine the ruins of the building without delay. I have offered our brothers at the temple whatever assistance we can give, which they have graciously accepted. I have made arrangements for transportation to take you to the temple grounds. Once there, you will present yourselves to my counterpart there. Most likely, he will put you to work assisting in clearing out the ruins of the building. It is an old temple with many artifacts of great value, we wish to ensure that these artifacts are treated with proper care and respect. Hence, our desire to have as much of the work as possible performed by our own brothers. You will be staying at the temple there as long as you are needed, apparently the living quarters were undamaged and there is extra space for you."
    His expression became stern. "I expect you all to conduct yourselves properly. It is not your place to speculate on what might have happened, only to render assistance. Especially in the presence of those outside the temple, idle speculation will not be tolerated. If in performing your work you find anything you feel might shed some light on this event, bring it to your appointed superior and to nobody else. We will decide what needs to be brought to the attention of the police."
    He dismissed them. They went to gather what few belongings they needed and went to wait in front of the temple grounds. The van which had been sent for soon arrived, and took them to the temple.
    The first thing Thetan noticed upon arriving was that there were more police here than one would expect to be supervising the scene of a simple accident. They had two cars parked in front of the barricade they had set across the front gate. There were officers standing at intervals to the left and right, and presumably around the perimeter of the grounds. The senior of the monks in their group presented themselves to the officers at the gate. It took several minutes to confirm that these were the people whom they had been told to expect. They were admitted onto the grounds, and were escorted up the stone stairway to the temple grounds proper.
    As they topped the stairs and approached the ruins, two things became apparent to Thetan.
    First, the building had not simply collapsed. It had been practically reduced to kindling. Thetan could see no piece of wood bigger than his arm. Even the large support beams had been shattered this way. He would have thought only a violent explosion could have done this. Except there was no indication of a blast. All the pieces had collapsed straight down. It was like a great pair of hands had scooped up the building, crushed it and sprinkled the debris back down. The earth and gravel around it looked like it had been churned by a great plough being drawn over it at random. It was no wonder they were all so perplexed, no physical phenomenon by itself could have done something like this.
    Second, the power he had felt emanating from this place on his previous visits was now utterly gone. To Thetan, this loss was far more devastating, far more disturbing than the impossibly shattered building lying in ruins in front of him. Somehow, the soul of this holy place had been ripped out of it.
    Thetan suppressed a shudder. Only a being of immense power and malevolence could have done such a thing.
    They presented themselves to the head priest, and were soon put to work. Thetan applied himself single-mindedly to the task of clearing the rubble as delicately as he could, leaving the task of retrieving precious artifacts to others. There was little to retrieve. About all they came across was pieces of statues or ornaments. Small pieces. Some he recognized as being from artifacts he had seen, artifacts that had glowed with power to his aura vision. Whatever had shattered them had drained them of all life, left them cold and inert as stones.
    By the time the first day's work was done, Thetan had resolved to bring Jeneth and K'Theelm to this place. They could each bring unique sorts of vision that might shed light on what had happened here. Jeneth's pacifist stance notwithstanding, an abomination of this magnitude could not be ignored, could not go unpunished.