Garden of Embers: Beneath Devouring Eyes #2

Chapter 2, Part A

"Forgeholders know that promenia particles are not alive. Neither is the Caeles, the immersive environment emerging as an accessible thought-space from the dynamic communion of countless interacting promenia particles.

"However, although promenia and the Caeles are not alive in the conventional biological or psychological sense, they mirror living beings in noteworthy ways.

"They possess no physical forms comprised of cells and tissues, but it is said that the Ancients held the power to build great promenia constructs to house human minds.

"Promenia and the Caeles possess no capacity to self-reproduce, but rogue magic spreads within the blightlands through a process of encounter, contamination, and conversion similar to the spread of a viral infection.

"Promenia and the Caeles possess no personalities, but our minds echo within the Caeles and return as our eidolon likenesses after death.

"They possess no consciousness, but promenia watches, remembers, and seeks to understand.

"Promenia and the Caeles possess no will of their own, but both follow an arcane purpose pre-dating our written history.

"Whether that ancient purpose was granted by the Eternal Radiance or given to promenia and the Caeles by the Ancients, none know, but many speculate.

"Who set into motion the arcane processes, so like and yet unlike life, that govern our magical world?

"Who crafted the calculations governing magical rank?

"Who determined which promenia powers each lineage and rank is permitted to unlock?

"Who anointed the five royal lineages which the Trellis empowers, and the single royal lineage holding the Trellis and, with it, the world?

"Again, none know the truth with any certainty, but countless speculate with foolish arrogance and declare their beliefs indisputable fact with dangerous fervor."

— from Particles and Purposes
out of A Garden of Fragrant Heresies

*~*~*~*

Daedalus had never been an older brother before. He found that he was already rather enjoying the new experience.

He smiled as he held his hand out to receive the next of several promenia communiques his secretary, Fons, had delivered to his tablinum office for his morning briefing.

The floating, iridescent ball of light had been sent by Bellus, the protocol handler Daedalus had assigned to his brother. His heart beat faster.

"Thank you, Erus," he told Fons, trying to keep unseemly excitement from his expression. He was not a child opening a name day gift. But the communique felt like a present. He was sure the orb of shimmering golden and rainbow light held news about how Domi was settling into his new life.

"My pleasure, Basilicus," the Pyrrhaei civil servant murmured and took a soft step backward to wait for his Princeps to request the next communique.

Daedalus opened the promenia message with an eager flick of his mind.

The thrill of anticipation was a novelty. He had not had anything he was particularly excited about for many years. Not when his life had been entirely devoted to preparing for this enormous duty of serving as Princeps.