Published at 12th of September 2026 7:13 am

Chapter 174: Interview by a Solatic

This chapter is updated by JustRead.pl

My good mood from my walk with Terry is quickly dashed as its time for my weekly session with the Favoured of the Sun and Supreme Hierarch of the Imperial Sect, Johnathan Rakenhal. I go to his temple for the meeting, but rather than going to his office, Im ushered through a maze of tight and vacant corridors. Im passed off between multiple attendants in a clearly preestablished routine, none seeming to know my final destination. They consult notes for where to take me, and the last two are wearing thick veils that are clearly meant to make it difficult to see my face clearly. Finally, we make it to the top floor where Im deposited in an even more ornate but smaller room than his office.

I say more ornate, but its much more sparsely decorated. In fact, theres only two plush chairs and a writing table in the very centre. No windows the light is coming from all around via presumed enchantment. The chairs stand out, being of a plump leather upholstery of a sort of burgundy colour. Everything else in the room is gold.

The walls are gold, the ceiling is gold, the writing desk is gold, and even the floor is gold. Far from being uniform, though, everything is richly engraved to depict some sort of pastoral scene. Trees and rich fields where smiling peasants toil the land and nobles repose in gay gatherings, but all are enjoying their time in the Sun.

Really, all this gold makes one suspect the rumours about their god granting gold transmutation to be true. Though its more likely that they just have their own form of agricultural magic which theyve more successfully monetized than other similar efforts. Nothing as direct as mine, of course. Probably just their lands having the optimal growing weather all year round.

The second set of doors in the room open as Im bent down to look for listening tokens under the chairs, revealing Rakenhal and two veiled assistants who carry a gold box. The nameless and veiled neophytes set the box next to the writing desk before leaving in silence, and Rakenhal stoops to open it, from which a snapping sound followed by a whoosh of air emits.

He smiles, oddly self-satisfied. I do love opening these things for the first time. It feels like putting the world to right.

Boxes? I ask, bewildered.

He gives me a chiding grin. Very special boxes. Secure boxes. Ive just bonded to the enchantment. No one else may open it now, and if they try to force it, the contents will be incinerated, and even I can only open it once a week. Once were done with the session, I will seal my notes in it, and it will be taken through that second set of doors to a secure archive until I retrieve it for our next session. The enchantment is temporary, only lasting for fifty years, but I renew all of my boxes every midsummer. Meaning that for both magical and customary reasons, no one will see what I write down today until I am long dead, and even then only other high-ranking priests of the sun who are sworn not to act upon the information unless there is dire need. Oh, and of course the room itself is highly warded, with multiple layers. You may speak freely.

A lot of secrecy measures for the Sun. I didnt think privacy enchantments were allowed in the Sun temple, and you clearly didnt set it up just for me.

Oh, no, he laughs. This tradition has been established for the past two hundred years or so. We serve a god of knowledge, but we recognize that most people are not so excited about sharing things as we are. Therefore, we have customs put into place to reassure people that their secrets wont leak when they give them to us. The boxes being one measure and these mirage rooms being another.

I see how many people do you do this for?

Hm Oh, maybe a half dozen a year. Hence the roundabout method to bring you in.

Couldnt you just install the privacy enchantments in your office and do this there? I thought the story was supposed to be that youre mentoring me?

High priests have been known to bring their mentees here. Besides, privacy enchantments arent allowed elsewhere, and my notes wouldnt fall under the sealing ritual. At the very least, the boxes arent allowed outside of this section of the temple.

Right I say, taking the chair without the writing desk. Well, all the same, I think Ill add my own privacy spell to the mix.

By all means. It shouldnt interfere.

I do so, then glance about. The room is cool, but the glinting golden light feels like an oppressive heat. Its difficult to breathe, though Im managing. I um I copied a small portion of the Biblio to provide context for what I would like to start with.

He smirks. I have a copy of the Biblio Anar. Ive brought you here to talk about your experience in the cult, not to give me a book report. The corner of his mouth twists with irony.

I raise an eyebrow. You have the full unabridged version? Or at least a more complete version than Count Vithal has? Because I would very much like to see that if you do.

Er, no, I have the same one that she does Do you have a full or nearly full copy?

Ha. No. I have an abridgement of an abridgement that is itself likely an abridgement of the Biblio Anar. In fact, I have no idea how many iterations of reductions were made coming to us through time unknown. Actually, Im surprised you dont have more copies. Surely the Biblios recovered in Caethlon arent the only ones in the many imperial libraries.

Ah, well, they tend to go missing rather quickly. Often stolen by ambitious librarians, or destroyed by cautious sovereigns. I would despise the second, if not for the third, being that after a decade or so of unuse they start to self-destruct.

What I say, leaning forward in my chair from the revelation.

He makes some offhand motion as he reclines into his. You didnt know? No, I suppose you wouldnt. The books arent just mundane things. They carry the essence of the god who wrote it the essence of ambition. They dont like sitting around gathering dust. It is against his nature. Ambition, left unrealized, becomes contentment, and that is incompatible with the content, and so the physical form rapidly decays. It matters not if you make copies of the copy, as they all undo themselves at the same time unless a sacrifice is made using their knowledge.

Thats not a very good way of propagating your cult. I lean back, having recovered from the shock.

He shrugs. But it is a good way to make sure no one knows your secrets. Besides, its not like Anar has a choice. The decay is a consequence of his essence, and he cannot change that.

I see, I say Well, anyways, I didnt bring you the excerpt so you can have more of the Biblio youd have to pay extra for that.

Heh, Im sure youll give me a reasonable price.

Sure. But the reason I gave you it was to provide context for what I think you want to know. Its a short read. Pay special attention to the marked sections on page two.

Ah, yes Managing your cult. Definitely not a section we recovered. Though you could have gotten this to me before now.

I smirk with a confidence I dont feel. But then you wouldnt be paying me gold to watch you read.

Ha, indeed I wouldnt be

I do indeed watch him as he reads, though I feel my mind drifting, distracted by the oppressive weight of this place. Oddly, I dont feel any protest from Anar. In fact, he seems strangely pleased by this. A sort of gloating sensation. Perhaps he expects to brag to his peer in some way using me as a proxy? Or maybe he just likes the fact that Im bilking the Sun for gold.

Very interesting, he sets the paper down on the table. I had no idea that the Anar cult was mirroring the sort of family values we Arkothans pride ourselves in.

Its hardly unique to Arkothia.

Perhaps not Mmm. I assume youre shoing me this because this concept of family is at the core of your cult experience?

Yes, its the primary method of manipulating us. Getting us to act in an us vs them manner, with the them being all outsiders. Restricting the concept of personhood to only those inside the cult. Thus, making it impossible for the cult to be betrayed, as there becomes nobody to whom you could betray it. At least, thats the theory.

Indeed, it outlined it quite clearly. An interesting method for subordinate control, though I dont think it would work for our temple. Were supposed to shine our light on all, after all.

I stare at him, feeling a sense of opportunity. We are, though he doesnt know it, peers. Were both favoured of a god, and leaders in their organizations. Perhaps he will have some insight into some of the baffling interactions Ive been having with my members. How do other divine cults work then? Specifically, how do you lead your temple? You are, after all, the head of one of the largest temples in the empire, and are successful enough that you were elected head of the Imperial sect. I guess Im asking, how does one lead those under them if not with the lie of family?

You dont like the method of your own book? He asks with raised eyebrow, hand going to paper.

I shake my head. It was used to manipulate me once; I find it distasteful to use on others. Though others seem to love it, even knowing it for a lie.

Hm Perhaps youre a truer follower of your god than them?

I freeze, unable to deny the statement that is far truer than he knows, though perhaps only technically. What do you mean? The method is from my god.

Yes, but its a compromise. A way of controlling ambition to achieve greater ambition, albeit usually of the leader. You obviously felt that your ambition was curtailed by it, and so react less favourably to it than those whose ambitions are lesser. To those who maybe want Anar to be the god of family. His mouth twists with the irony.

An interesting insight, but back to the question. How would I lead a cult if I dont want to use that method? Surely you would know, if anyone would.

Are you in such a position to need this knowledge? He leans forward, an eager glint in his eye.

I um maybe have inherited one such cult recently Such as it were. I gulp, not seeing a way of hiding this from him when asked directly.

Indeed? Related to the business a while back? I assumed you might be, but didnt think youd be the sort to be found out so easily. I assumed it was another cultist who happened to be in the area. I looked for them for a bit, but then they died before I could get to them. I was unfortunately busy with other matters in my role as leader of the Imperial sect.

Yes, that person. I had to deal with that since I was worried the attention they were drawing would lead to me. I took over their cults survivors, but theyre so baffling. Their devotion to something they know is a lie. I always assumed that people went to Anar from a benefit/ risk analysis, but they almost seem wholly uninterested in that.

Hm I might have offered to pay more if I knew that. You dont suppose you could bring one in for some supplementary interviews?

Uh I dont think that would be a good idea. As I said, my position as leader is already tenuous. Theyd likely revolt.

Pity. Well, maybe later. Anyways, I cant comment on their motivations. I never felt the need for family much myself. Knowledge has always been my consuming drive. But I can talk about leadership in general. It can be roughly divided between secular and religious at least for our purposes. Secular leadership is all about benefit analysis, as you say. A need for order, administration, and so such. There is also a personal aspect to it. Making your lieutenants like you enough to work willingly for your policies. And other things.

Religious organisations are different Well, they can be run by secular type leadership, and indeed often are. But theres also another method open to them. Gods, you see, are a sort of insanity. A focus on a limited aspect of the world to the exclusion of all else. One way to lead religious groups is to simply be the most insane person in them. Though of course your insanity must match the insanity of the group. If you manage that, the rest will naturally follow you with a sense of reverence, awe or aspiration. Its a permission, you see, to indulge more fully in their own madness.

I stare at him for several seconds. It makes sense, I suppose. It also explains why he was so delighted by my answers during the entrance exam. But there are gaps.

What about you? I ask.

What about me? He says, oddly baffled.

Well, the imperial sect is almost a secular organization in its role of arbitrator between the various recognized temples. So surely it requires what you call a secular leadership style. Yet under your theory, your insanity is what allowed you to gain power in your temple. So how can you also run the imperial sect which requires sane leadership while also running the Suns temple?

He looks at me with increased confusion. Pity, almost, that I could arrive at such a conclusion. Though no animosity. Malichi, what are you talking about? Im not insane. I run the sun temple using secular methods. After all, the light of the Sun shows it to be the only rational way.

I see, I say. Pity. It seemed for a moment that he was self-aware. How troubling. It brings into doubt his whole analysis. Er Anyways. I suppose that was a helpful perspective. It gives me something to think about, at the very least. I guess Ive been trying the benefit analysis method with them, but I dont think they want that, despite our god. Ironic. Your words might reveal a new path, though Im hesitant to take it.

Well Happy to help. I suppose I am your official mentor after all, so helping you makes that less of a pretence and so should please my god. But we should move on to your experiences. I am paying you, after all, not the other way.

We talk about my first days after being brought in. Its strange. I never felt lonely in the cult, but looking back, telling him the details of the members, I cant help but realize I was isolated even inside of an already isolated group. They all knew my time was short. How much longer did I have when the empire came and killed them all?

Have I ever not been lonely, working for Anar? There was a distance between me and the other cell members in the resistance too. The old fighters loved me for what I did to the enemy, but even they were afraid. My memory isnt that good of the older days in the cult. But sometimes I think I remember the other cultists giving me the same look, though I have no idea as to why.

And how did this Patriarch treat you, compared to others in the cult?

Fine, I suppose. He gave me good sleeping arrangements, and not particularly worse portions of the food than some of the others. I was often hungry, but getting supplies was always difficult in those days.

Hm Interesting. Perhaps he had a different plan for you than just sacrifice then?

Heh, no. If he treated me in any way well, it was either to lure me into a sense of security, or drive a wedge of jealousy between me and the rest of the group. Thered be no other reason to induct me than grooming a better sacrifice.

And is that your goal with your current cult? Grooming them for sacrifice?

No. I already spared them once. No reason to reverse that decision. I feel uneasy, being asked a question that I suddenly realize that I cant lie about, even to myself. I think I try, though.

Then why keep them at all? You arent going to try to corrupt the empire with them, or something silly like that, are you? His tone is light, but theres a hidden weight in his eyes. Were both thinking of the criteria for him to break his oath to me. Perhaps growing such a cult culd be an existential threat to the empire worthy of his self-destruction.

I dont intend to tell him that Anar told me to grow them, that would reveal way too much; but what to tell him? Searching inward for my emotions on them, however faint, so long as theyre true. I guess I guess I want to understand them. I wasnt given a choice to join the cult. They were. Yet their reasoning is so strange. So contrary to my assumptions. If I can understand that, maybe I can understand I dont know. People in general, maybe.

He laughs. An Anar cultist contemplating the human condition. That might be worth all this on its own. Well, sadly were out of time. This has been most illuminating, and I look forward to our session next week.

He seals the notes in my presence, then hands me the five large gold as payment for today. Strangely, I feel like I wanted to say more, and the coins dont feel nearly as slimy as I expected. All the same, I take them directly to a long-term investment opportunity I had previously researched and deposit them. Better to keep the coins out of my mind until I need them. Ill have to think about things less that way.

Share