The Decline 1

8/9/2019 The Decline 1

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He feels like a spectre, unobserved, unaffected. Not just insubstantial, incoherent. The world drifts

by, oblivious to all significance. The ground here was made fertile by human bone meal. Tonnes of it.

Theres something in the wind, something that makes him feel closer to reality than anywhere else.

It makes him remember,not the beginning-not even the end- justthe decline.

Quint...

What is it Kaito?

Isnt it possible were walking into a trap?

And?

They have swordsQuint. All I have is a set square.

The older, more haggard figure of the two cast his eyes across the throne room as he strode

forward. The sultan had three guards lining each side of the room, hands resting on the pommel of

their scimitars. Six men in here, another two dozen on the route out of the palace- if it was a trap...

The thought was cast aside as the travellers saw the sultan rise to his feet at the other end of the

room, struggling up from a gilded throne lying on a raised dais. He clapped his podgy hands

together, smiling toothily as he spoke.

Has the order really seen fit to send Rufus Quintus and his young protg to my sandy kingdom? Do

my eyes deceive me or do they really stand before me, as dirty as the desert makes all men?

Quint growled, cutting across the sultans syrupy words with a hoarse bark.

No games. You know why Im here Bashir. You control the only oasis in the province, and your

people are dying from the drought. Did you think the order wouldnt notice the sudden decadence

youve been able to afford yourself? Stop selling the water or there will be consequences.

The mans eyes stood out from beneath the brim of his hat like steely marbles, pinning the

sultan to the spot. There was no response, and Quint turned his heel in the heavy silence, motioning

for Kaito to follow suit. Five staggered steps echoed against the marble before Quint heard the

inevitable cry of rage.

Its true! I am the man with the water, and it has made me fabulously, extravagantly wealthy! I

havent just been buying thrones and monuments though Quintus! The money has bought me an

army greater than any your precious order can field! I will not kowtow to your pious rule of law, nor

bow to the will of those who desecrate the dead, anatomist!

The footsteps stopped. Quint turned back to look at the shaking figure, red with rage and

draped with stained finery. His words carried a quiet weight across the room as he spoke.

The order has not sent an army. They have sent me. Stop selling the water.

I will not stop selling the water, and if you ask again I will have you killed.

Quint grinned darkly, ignoring Kaito tugging at his sleeve, ignoring the silent plea for them to leave it,


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to just once leave the issue there.

Stop selling the water.

Guards.

Quint closed his eyes as he heard the clatter of steel being drawn, pushing Kaito away and shrugging

off his overcoat in a single movement. There were six men, so theyd have fewer degrees of

freedom- unless they attacked Kaito- but Kaito was just a boy, so they wouldnt waste their time on

him yet. If he listened closely, Quint could hear the scimitars cutting through the air towards him.

They were poorly balanced, the air molecules failing to separate cleanly around the blade and

instead dragging along its width. It was good, because it meant Quint could feel the clumsily swing

coming down on his skull, opening his eyes to grab the offending arm and break it over his knee.

The scream was pay dirt, sending shivers down Quints spine as he whirled around to poke

out the eye of an assailant whod hesitated. They were all backing away now, unable to draw their

eyes from their screaming colleagues. It suited Quint fine as he went on the attack, lunging towards

a foe and deftly knocking his sword from his hand. Seizing the initiative, Quint continued to rotate

the arm until his opponent was caught in a lock. Hearing another guard regain his confidence behind

him, Quint stepped around behind his victim and swiftly pushed him onto the blade of the charging

soldier, sending both clattering to the floor. It was the work of a moment to stride over and step on

the neck of the man who didnt have steel in his gut.

And then there was one. Quint cracked his knuckles as strode toward the soldier cowering in

the open space. He backed toward the corner, shaking as he swung out with his scimitar. The swings

were slow and his posture was bad, so it wasnt difficult for the anatomist to duck the blade and

drive a foot into the guards right knee, snapping the leg in two.

There was a moment where the sultan thought he could only be dreaming, watching six men

disabled in a matter of seconds with an effortless, thoughtless grace. His blood ran cold as Quint

turned towards him, and began to climb the dais.

Are you stupid Bashir? Did you think the stories were just stories? Did you not believe it when you

were told that one of us turned back a war host of ten thousand? Did you not believe it when we

made a violent volcano silent? You musthave believed it when we came to you in your drought and

found you water, the same water than now you see fit to sell. The anatomists dont need armies

because I am enough.

In this time Quint had ascended the steps and was now inches from the sultans face. The fat

monarch stumbled backwards as he tried to get away, tripping and hitting his head on the gilded


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throne. Tears ran down his face as he spluttered, trying to find words.

But, youre just a man!

Quint knelt, bringing his face close to that of the quivering sultan.

I am not just a man. I am everything a man can be. Youre right though- I do desecrate bodies, I do

consider the structure of living organisms- it helps me put a stop to them. Thats not the kind of

anatomist I am though Bashir. I am an anatomist of Reality, and I and my order have but one rule.

Obey the natural order. We do not tolerate tyrants.

Kaito!

Kaito looked up as his name was called, suspending his morbid examination of the bleeding guard.

Whats up boss?

Bring me a scimitar, I need it.

What for?

Quint leered nastily at the terrified sultan, watching his own reflection in the mans eyes.

I have to cut the sultans head off of course, what else were we here for?

***

How does it begin Cantor?

Hilbert, do you really want me to recite this like some novice-

how does it begin?

...It begins with the Truth.And from the Truth comes what?

The Truth spawns both Reality and Number, and the two are equal in standing, serving only the

Truth. Reality need only conform to the Truth, and Number may appeal to the Truth to adjust

Reality.

Why do we care about this?

We seek to understand the Truth, understand Reality, and where necessary, adjust it. Number is our

tool, so we should seek to understand that too. We are mathematicians, not numerologists. We do

not look for superficial patterns, but search for a deeper meaning and origin to Number.

...I am satisfied that you know our creed.

Then please Hilbert, tell me why you summoned me here- surely it wasnt to test me like a school

child.

Youre always impatient Cantor... But we forgive impatience when it is accompanied by brilliance.

And I am brilliant Hilbert, so tell me what you thought was worth my time.


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Do you know how long we have lived here Cantor? How long it has been since our once lowly tribe

disappeared from history?

A thousand years or more Hilbert, youve told me this many times.

And do you not think the world might have moved on in a thousand years?

What business is it of ours?

We seek to understand Truth, understand Reality. Are the other nations of men not part of Reality

Cantor?

What would you have me do about it?

Go forth. Leave the sands that conceal us and show all of OlibSordeo that the tribe of Philosopher

Kings is not dead. Show them the potential that lingers in their mundane sums and make it manifest.

Let the power of mathematics become known across the world.

Impossible. No one has left the sands since we made it our home. I will not be the first to leave this

place.

How curious...

What? Whats so curious Hilbert, you wise old fool?

That you should be so reluctant to set a precedent here, when you were more than happy to be the

first to meddle with the balance between life and Number.

...

How did I know it Cantor? How did I know you were breaking our oldest taboo? I am wiser than I am

foolish. You will go forth into the world, or you will be expelled from the sands. The choice is yours.

Then it is no choice at all. I have one question before I leave though.Speak quickly.

You want the power of mathematics to become known across the world. The power of mathematics

to do good or ill?

I leave that at your discretion Cantor. Go forth.

Chapter one: The prodigal son.

A heavy fist slammed against the rain slick wood. Behind Quint, Kaito looked up at the towering

gateway nestled in the ancient carved stones. He felt a shiver go up his spine and pulled his coat

closer. It wasnt just the rain making him cold. Towering spires, screaming stone angels, the suffering

of great men carved into the walls- the architecture of the orders headquarters were designed to

inspire fear.


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Theyre making us wait you know. Growled Quint, patting an ominous bulge in his satchel.

I dont know why theyd want to do that Boss, its not as if you keep killing off royalty and bringing

back their heads. Snapped Kaito, feeling wet and hungry and a little scared.

Quint chuckled, cuffing the boy over his head. Do even the novices doubt my methods now?

Kaito shrugged, looking his master up and down as he spoke. The other novices were in awe of him,

and Kaito had always failed to turn their jealousy into sympathy for the trials he had endured in the

service of Rufus Quintus.

Its not that I doubt you Quint, I just wonder if there were ways of going about our business without

so much violence.

Of course there are, whats your point? murmured Quint, barely paying attention as stared up at

the archway above.

Well why not try that? What about the value of human life?

What about it? The first thing you were taught is that a single life is worthless. When youre

qualified to go out and act on behalf of the order, you can try a peaceful solution, but youll find the

quickest and most efficient solution to any problem is to apply a precise force.

but-

Kaitos objection was cut short by the shuddering groan of one of the gateway doors

creaking open. A wrinkled leathery face appeared in the gap, smirking as it eyed Quint standing in

the rain.

Rufus! I wondered why the order had been so quiet these last few months. Returned from the

desert have you? Brought us another head?Quint grunted as he heaved the enormous door ajar, News travels faster than horses Bagley, move

aside.

The porter leered at the anatomist as he pushed through into the halls, leaving Kaito to dart through

the gap before the door was shut with an echoing slam. Youre wanted by the professors Rufus.

They gave instructions that you were to go to them as soon you arrived.

Fine. Make sure Kaito gets something to eat then send him back to the dorms.

Quint sighed inwardly as he strode along the darkened hallway, quickly leaving Kaito and Bagley

behind. This was the ancestral home of the order of the Anatomists, the home and school of the

chosen children, and the place to which all wanderers from the order eventually had to return. He

had delayed the journey as long as possible, but now he was once again enclosed by the gothic

architecture of the order. Wearily, he dragged himself up the winding spiral steps that led up to the

spires. Cold stone enclosed him, and the narrow passages felt claustrophobic and suffocating,


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clouding Quints thoughts and muddying his judgement. All too soon he found himself at the door to

the professors quarters. Quint took a final breath of the cool sharp air, and locked the feel of it in his

mind before pushing open the door.

Immediately, Quint was hit by a wave of heat. It was unpleasant here, the air unbearably

thick and the room overly furnished. Portraits of great, dead men hung on the walls, badly lit by

distant candles.

Have you finally come home to us Rufus?

Quint felt himself curdle inside as he looked for the source of the voice. A shadowy figure lay in a

particularly deep armchair. Reluctantly, Quint slouched over and allowed himself to collapse into the

armchair. It was too soft, and gave way too much; the material prickled, irritating the back of his

exposed neck.

Im home Professor.

The figure picked something up from a nearby table and took a swig from it before speaking. Quint

could smell brandy.

You and your charge have been gone for some time Rufus. A visit to Bashir should have taken

weeks, not months.

Quint patted the bulge in his satchel as he spoke. We were delayed along the way. We had

righteous work to do. Besides youd only need seconds to see Bashir now.

The professor snorted, making a dismissive gesture. Stop bringing me their heads Rufus. Youve

made your point.

Professor, we obey the natural law! How can tyrants be a part of that?How can any civilisation be a part of that? Almost all of humanitys effort is put into defying nature

Rufus. You interpret our remit too literally.

Quint suppressed a snarl, resisted the urge to stand. And which interpretation allows for those who

commit atrocities against their fellow man?

I will not discuss this with you Rufus, not least because it is the same interpretation that allows you

to walk free through these lands, killing whoever you see as deserving of it!

Quint fell silent, his eyes burning as he stared at the shadowy figure opposite. There was a moment

of tense stillness before the professor continued.

...I did not call for you to lambast you Rufus. I asked for your company because once again I am in

need of an Anatomist who does not see pacifism as the nobler task.

You need me to draw blood?

Obviously I hope it wouldnt come to that, but it seems likely. News has reached us of a disturbance

in the southlands.


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Oh? What kind of disturbance?

Too early to say. The locals at JanubNuqtha say that a man swathed in white came from the south,

bringing impossibilities with him.

From south of JanubNuqtha?Thats impossible, theres nothing there but the sands...

The professor seemed to shift uncomfortably in his seat as Quint said it, but only for a moment.

Well, quite. Regardless of where he came from, this traveller in white is sewing dissent wherever he

goes, and a disbelief in the natural order.

How long has this been happening?

A month or more Rufus. If people do not believe in the natural order, then they do not believe in

our authority to enforce it. Find this man that impossibility follows, and end the peoples disbelief in

our authority there.

surely it cant be that bad?

C

ities as far north as Medina have renounced our claim to righteous judgement, and Khaymah is on

the brink as we speak.

Quint could feel the air weighing on him; feel his mouth drying out as he responded. Peoples belief

in the Anatomists ability to pass judgement was the foundation of their power, their influence. To

have had so much of that base destabilised so quickly... No wonder the professor wanted Quint to

go. He wanted the rebellious to know the power and fury of the order, not the wisdom and

benevolence it normally extolled.

Am I to uphold the vengeful face of our power then?

I wouldnt send you if you wouldnt Rufus.Then Ill leave for Khaymah at daybreak. Have one of the porters make Kaito aware of the

development.

Youre going to take the boy with you on a mission such as this?

He has a sharper mind than all the other novices combined. It needs a situation like this to be truly

made keen. I sense brilliance in that boy, and it must be drawn out.

The professor smiled in the gloom, watching as Quint rose and left the room. He considered how he

had once made the mistake of trying to draw out the brilliance of a precocious young novice, and

wondered if he could call it a success.

***

Kaito jerked in his saddle, feeling sleep try to claw his eyelids shut. The sun was just beginning to

rise, and the rhythmic gait of his horse was less than excruciating, which was unusual enough to feel

like bliss. Ahead of him, he could see Quint sitting atop his horse as if hed had a full nights sleep,


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rather than two hours. Through lidded eyes, Kaito considered his masters appearance- the battered

fedora hat, the stained leather greatcoat, and that ever present satchel. It contained everything

from silver nitrate to human heads, and never left Quints side. The man was never armed, but that

satchel was deadlier than any sword.

Kaito considered the idea as he slumped forward, realising not for the first time what an odd thing

the Anatomists were. All those disparate disciplines that had to be combined, but Quint was every

bit the warrior scientist that the order sought to produce. Well, a warrior at least- the scientist in

him was sometimes doubtful. Kaito sighed glumly, inevitably comparing himself to the man riding

ahead. He was certainly an anatomist, but every time he saw the ruthless justice that Quint

dispensed, Kaito squirmed.

Quint... murmured the boy, half hoping he wouldnt be heard.

Quint jerked slightly in his saddle, snorting slightly as his head snapped up.

Wait, were you asleep? continued Kaito, in disbelief that the man had been able to sleep in such an

upright posture.

I was tired yawned Quint as he stretched out his arms. What did you want?

Its nothing; I didnt mean to bother you.

The elder man snortedmassaging one of his shoulders as he spoke. Is it only bothering you then?

Come on boy, spit it out.

Its just... Kaito fumbled for words, and Quint saw it, shaking his head derisively.

Its not this violence thing again is it?

Im just not sure how comfortable I feel killing people just because I can.Quintsighed, tapping his hat further up his forehead and looking up as he spoke. Do you know

where the order gets its recruits from Kaito?

Kaito shrugged, idly shaking the reigns of his horse as he did so. I dont think Ive ever thought about

it. I dont remember much before the order.

They have to come from somewhere though. It takes decades of training and dedication to equip

recruits with the skills the order requires, all to serve the natural order, to serve the truth. What kind

of person do you think would want to do that?

Im not sure. Presumably the kind of people who understand the importance of them.

Quint smiled, chuckling as he replied. And what kind of person is that? What is the first thing we

teach you about the natural order?

All things are equal. All things are equally worthless. The natural order imposes no sense of justice

so we must do it for her.

And who, out of all people, do you think understand that there is no justice? No rationality to the


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distribution of the worlds suffering but pure luck?

Kaito didnt reply, instead waiting for Quints lesson to come to its inevitable climax.

Kaito, every anatomist who has ever been was plucked from the world lost and abandoned,

orphaned and alone. They, we, understand the keen edge of suffering, and feel compelled to guard

the world against it. We are the justice that the natural order fails to demand. Eventually, youll

come to see the consequences of every action you take, and the suffering it will cause others.

Eventually youll see how the influence of the unjust spreads like wet ink on a page. Eventually you

wont hesitate to draw your blade and cut out their malign influence.

And thats it? whispered Kaito, feeling numb and confused by Quints rhetoric. Its our job to cut

down those we deem unjust?

It is our dutyto be the justice the natural order should have. Its unfortunate that youve only seen

the dirty side of our work, but you have to know this is just as necessary as saving the peasant town

from sleeping sickness.

And thats why were going to Khaymah? To deliver justice to the unbeliever?Snapped Kaito,

wishing he knew how to make his horse gallop off instead of simply continuing to trot along,

impotent.

The orders authority is based on peoples belief in us. If they dont believe in the natural order, they

dont believe in our right to pass judgement, and we lose the ability to fulfil our calling. You know

what our order does is righteous Kaito, and this ensures that we can continue that righteous work.

Just...

What? Asked Quint, the smile gone from his face.Just promise me that this once, youll try to reason with this man before you try to kill him.

The master sighed deeply, looking into the rising sun as he spoke. You cant reason someone out of

a position they didnt reason themselves into. Ill try to talk to him, but I wouldnt hold your breath.

***

Of all the men in the world, none were more open to reason than Cantor. When his frail limbs could

not carry him out of the sands, it was mathematics that sustained him across the vast deserts,

reason that supported his northward trek. Throughout it all, he had been buoyed by the anticipation

of seeing great and new ideas, the thrill of being reunited with civilisation after a thousand years of

isolation. When he had finally set foot in JanubNuqtha, his illusions were shattered. The people

were simple and weak, unable to conceive of all Cantor cherished. Their purpose was not to reason

and wonder, but to toil and sweat in service to some natural order that had arbitrarily indentured

them to other men. It did not take the mathematician long to show them the power of reason, and


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the purity of thought. Cantor took a single evening to apply himself, making water flow from the

sand and corn sprout from the soil. Simple acts, more symbolic than pragmatic, but it was enough to

make the people doubt themselves. It was enough to make them doubt their natural order, and in

turn the ones who enforced it.

The Anatomists. Enforcers of the inequality Cantor saw wherever he went. No matter where he

travelled to, there were always stories about these self appointed arbitrators, the justice of the

natural order. Slowly, Cantor realised that OlibSordeohad made progress of a different kind to the

tribes of the Sands, where the few that had the knowledge and the ability took on a superhuman

status among the masses. These Anatomists were the ones who held the real power, and the

knowledge stirred something like revulsion into Cantors heart. Travelling north the explorer became

a missionary, moving from town to town to show the masses the great leveller that mathematics

could be. Dissent was never far behind, and it wasnt long before Cantor had followers of his own.

They were farmers, merchants and soldiers, all men ignorant of the forces that drove universe. The

principles of the philosopher Kings were beyond their understanding, but they saw the power Cantor

commanded, and they believed in his rallying cry of equality.

The people of OlibSordeo had always believed whatever their grandfathers had, and for

almost eight hundred years had enjoyed stability, endured a stagnation, that was enforced by the

Anatomists of reality. Suddenly, in the space of a few scant weeks, some of its people were

beginning to question their place. The far south, home to nothing but dust and iron, was taking the

first steps to throwing off the subservience of their ancestors. This miraculous, spontaneous change

in the zeitgeist was down to nothing more than a single man, wrapped in white and walking out ofthe desert.

Chapter two: Gttingen

Kaito could feel the stares on his back, trying desperately to ignore them as he spoke to Quint.

I dont understand why were staying here though. I thought Khaymah was where we had to be.

Quint smiled, pulling the reigns back on his horse to allow Kaito to catch up.

So we can stay at the Geog-August UniversittGttingen.

Kaito blinked, wondering if Quint had just got something stuck in his throat. The what?

The University of Gttingen Kaito.

Kaito shivered, glancing around the long cobbled street they were trotting down. In the

distance he could see what could only be the university, a foreboding edifice of stone and timber


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that dominated the skyline. Its towers and spires pierced the horizon, evoking the same feeling of

terrifying awe that the buildings of the order did. The city that surrounded it was very much less

grand, but built in the same cold stone. It was almost as if this place had been carved from the rocks

themselves, each part formed by nothing but bitter effort. The ramshackle houses that lined the

street tumbled into each other, all roofed by the same chipped slate. Inside Kaito could see the

curtains twitch, feel whole families of eyes fixed on his neck. Right at the base of his skull, he knew

how the city felt. This is Gttingen, and Gttingen does not want you.

Are you sure its a good idea to stay here? It doesnt seem very friendly...

Quint shrugged, his gaze fixed on the university as he spoke. The locals do seem to be staring,

dont they? I must have something on my nose.

Kaito chuckled in spite of his nervousness, but he wasnt yet reassured. Dont you think its odd? Do

we really need to draw attention to ourselves like this?C

ouldnt we just find somewhere else to

stay?

Gttingen is a university city Kaito, and academia has always been the orders friend.

Do they especially like all the killing we do?

Now it was Quints turn to laugh. You seem to think thats all the order does these days-

Its all we seem to do. Interrupted Kaito, now thoroughly unnerved by the atmosphere of the city.

And we- ...I- am almost singular in that regard. Most Anatomists would consider themselves

academics first and justice second. To study reality and to understand it. Most of the universities

across OlibSordeo began as outposts for the order.What about you then Quint? Are you a fighter before a thinker?

I dont think thats a meaningful question.

Why not? You must fall on one side of the other.

I dont think its meaningful because I dont see the distinction.

Thats ridiculous! Ive never punched a solution out of an equation, never thought an enemy into

submission!

Quint turned, staring Kaito in the eye as they rode. And how do you know that you havent? Youre

still young Kaito, you dont know whats waiting for you yet.

So this is just another of those times where I dont know enough to understand whats really going

all?

Another laugh and a lasting smile as Quint tapped his forehead. Kaito, those are the only kind of

times that exist at all, you just have to trust me, and trust what youve already learnt.


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For some time Kaito was left alone with his thoughts, barely noticing the streets pass by until he

finally saw the main gates of the university rise up in front of him. The similarity to the gates of the

order struck Kaito immediately- the gates were framed by the same carved arch, the same twisted

expressions of pain captured in an altogether rougher piece of stone. At the top of the arch the seal

of the order was hacked out of the granite, nothing more than a crude image of a haloed skull.

Quint, why are the gates-

Identical to the orders? murmured Quint, anticipating the question.

Well, yeah. It seems odd that theyd copy it like that.

Quint smirked pulling the reins on his horse to bring it to a stop. They didnt- we copied them.

But I thought the order was over nine hundred years old- how can this place have come first?

Nine hundred and forty three actually, and no one likes to admit to it, but this is where our order

was born. ...This is where the first of us chose to call themselves anatomists of reality.

Kaito considered the gateway again, unable to reconcile it with his thoughts of it as a cheap

imitation just moments ago.

The gates at the order are made of steel though, these ones are just timber.

Thats because the gates at the order were made much later, and at the time they were just the

testing ground for all the smelting and forging methods blacksmiths use now. The knowledge

needed to make a sheet of metal that big and that strong was discovered by us, and we wanted

everyone to know it.

And the seal? This is where it comes from?

Quint chuckled as he rode up to the gates and slammed a fist against the oak. After three knocks, heturned back to Kaito.

Actually, we came up with that. The university vandalised its own gateway carving the seal in about

four hundred years ago. In fact, the stonemason contracted to carve it killed himself falling off the

scaffold before he was finished- thats why it looks so rough.

Why would they put our seal on their gates if they came first?

They wanted to be associated with us. Gttingen is obscure and poor now because the Anatomists

are powerful and respected. Wed experienced a meteoric rise to greatness, but Gttingen just

stagnated... It only took six hundred years for them to go from condemning us to being poor

imitators.

Kaito was about to respond when the heavy scream of ancient wood scraping against stone rent the

air. Kaito locked eyes with Quint, watching in awe as the two enormous gates were forced apart,

framing his master in front of a picturesque courtyard full of academics.

And what about now? asked Kaito, shouting above the furious groaning protests of the gates.


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Quint smiled and shrugged, pulling hard on his reins to send his horse cantering into the university.

Just good friends!

***

This was a new experience for him. He was used to, and expected, respect. He enjoyed admiration,

and believed he had done work that deserved it, but... Cantor felt uneasy at the reverence his

followers displayed for him.

Followers. How had it come to that? Why were they following him, and where was he going? Not for

the first time, Cantor considered slipping away in the night and going back to the sands to beg

forgiveness. The poor, the downtrodden, the weak, and the stupid- they had all gathered around

him, clinging to the hem of his robes, all looking for miracles. In the beginning Cantor had travelled

north because there was nowhere else to go, and then he had continued there because that was

where the great civilisations of OlibSordeo languished. Now he felt like he was being pushed there,driven by the inexorable wave of revolution. The further north Cantor went, the more people he

attracted. Already his entourage had swelled to hundreds, even thousands, and the numbers were

only getting bigger. The army of the mathematician had swept north across the desert cities,

entering full centres of trade and leaving them bereft of fit and healthy men. No swords were raised,

but some intangible promise of change seemed to galvanise the populations into exodus.

Cantor shook his head, pushing thoughts of his followers to the back of his head. He was a

mathematician, a philosopher king, not a revolutionary. The reason these people followed Cantor

was not because he gave them hope, or promised them a better life. It was simpler than that- it wasbecause they were ignorant.

That was it. They were ignorant. It was unclear to Cantor whether they were ignorant because they

were poor and downtrodden, or whether they were poor and downtrodden because they were

ignorant. It hardly made a difference, because it was this that mystified the powers ofCantor and

sanctified the anatomists. It felt like a deep irony to the mathematician that it was ignorance that

made them idolise his own knowledge. Knowledge was all that separated him from the farmers that

followed. Cantor had spent decades learning the language of numbers, exploring their limits and

charting the abstract and apparently unreal. His abilities rested on the achievements of his own

ancestors, and their own discoveries about numbers.

There are rules in place, and those that bind Reality are the same as those which tie

Number. They are strange, they are counter intuitive, and they can be exploited. The only absolute is

Truth, and a man who knows both Truth and Number can predict -can shape-Reality as he likes. Just

thinking about it, Cantor smiled at the rhetoric pounding through his head, hearing the reasoned


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arguments of his teachers, feeling his teeth grind at the arrogance of his students...

The sun was setting over Khaymah, throwing rays of deep red light that soaked into Cantors bone

white robes and hair. This was not where he belonged- his problems were those of mathematics, not

society and civilisation. He would not, could not do what the anatomists had done, and focus his

knowledge to an edge. Cantor felt the wind blow through his hair, and knew in his gut that they

would send someone to use that edge against him. That would be his opportunity- if the anatomists

used knowledge as power, they would never refuse more. Cantor could show the anatomists the

great equaliser mathematics could be, show them that information belongs to all people, and that

an educated world is a self-governed one. He felt sure that the anatomists would see reason, and

any revolution that followed would be peaceful. OlibSordeo would not need him, and he would be

free to return to the sands, having demonstrated the power of Number to the world.

Uh, my lord Cantor, are you busy?

Cantor turned from the sunset to look at young man standing nervously in the doorway, one of the

many self-appointed deputies in the army of the mathematician.

What is it Shareef?

There are four blacksmiths, thirty two merchants, eight farmers and two dozen mercenaries at the

gates lord, they wish to join the-

How many times do I have to tell you that anyone is free to join?

Shareef laughed, relaxing a little. More times than this my lord!

Certainly. Is there anything else?

No, nothing important, but...

Cantor turned to look at Shareef, his expression inscrutable.

Out with it.

The committee is worried about the anatomists, lord. There are rumours that they have sent Rufus

Quintus to stop you.

Is that bad?

He is their fury, their vengeance. Lord Cantor, we all believe in your power, but everyone would feel

safer knowing your numbers could stop him.

Knowledge. It really was power, but Cantor would not turn mathematics into his blade...

I can stop him.


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***

Kaito lay back in the darkened room, staring at the ceiling as he struggled to understand, struggled

to ignore the roar outside. As soon as they had arrived, Quint had been summoned by the chancellor

and not returned since. Before he had left, Kaito had been instructed to familiarise himself with

chapters twenty two to twenty six of the empiricists companion. Dutifully, Kaito had found it in the

library, and was mortified to find that the chapters concerned were all on fluid dynamics. It did not

bode well for what was coming that Quint felt it necessary to remind Kaito of these principles.

And that had been that. The porter had found Kaito a room, and he had spent the afternoon, and

now the evening, pouring over the subject, fixing it in his mind, making sure he was ready for what

came next.

He could hear it coming now, echoing through the streets- the roars, the steady march.

When he heard the door open, Kaito knew it was Quint. Lifting himself up off the bed, Kaito saw his

master framed in the doorway, his expression unreadable.

Follow me. He murmured, striding away without waiting. Kaito sighed, scrambling after Quint as

the man practically sprinted through narrow corridors and charged down narrow, twisting stairwells.

Kaito found it difficult to keep up with the long strides that Quint took, and was grateful when the

man slammed a door aside and stepped out into the main courtyard.

Whats going on? asked Kaito breathlessly as they strode towards the cluster of anxious men

gathered around the main gates.

Things are worse than we thought. Muttered Quint, tight lipped, eyes fixed on the gates.

How much worse?

Much.

As Quint said it, a particularly worried looking academic detached himself from the group and

greeted the two of them, shaking slightly as he shook their hands.

Were all grateful for you being here master Quintus, just tell us what we have to do.

Quint frowned slightly, continuing to keep an eye on the gateway as he spoke. What is it that they

want?

We can only imagine.

And is it the townspeople?

Mostly. No one recognises the people leading them.

All right... Open the gates.

The man did a double take when he heard the order, but hurried away to relay the order when

Quints expression failed to change. As he did so, Kaito felt his shoulder being gripped as the

anatomist turned them both towards the slowly opening gates. Kaito could feel himself being


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scrutinised by a sea of faces, angry and anonymous in the mob. Following Quints lead he began to

walk toward the seething mass.

Where do they even get those pitchforks from? whispered the boy as the two passed out through

the archway and the safety of the universitys walls.

Quint chuckled, squeezing Kaitos shoulder as he spoke. Where do you think? The pitchfork

salesman of course.

Every step brought Kaito closer to that dreadful crowd; every movement seemed to further invite

violent death. This wasnt going to end well, not when they were inches from an unbroken line of

aggrieved citizens. Quint was right up against them, staring each and every person in the crowd

down, daring them to make the first move. Kaito wasnt so brave, and couldnt help shrinking back a

little behind his master.

Does anyone want to claim responsibility here? Does anyone want to tell me why they felt the need

to break out the pitchforks? Quint wasnt shouting, but his voice carried out over the night air, and

for a moment the mob was silenced. Then one of the more reckless elected himself spokesman.

Stop controlling our lives!

Quint laughed. Im sorry, is the order oppressing you that badly? Is it telling you how to live, how to

work, who to worship and where? Is it taxing you to oblivion? Is it taxing you at all? No, we leave

that to you.

Another voice of dissent answered, drawing more derision from Quint.

You think youre above our laws!

We are.Youre stopping us making progress!

Shall we stop paying for the best of you to be educated then?

We dont want you!

Quint paused for a moment, stroking his chin as he considered the criticism. I cant really argue with

that. Youre entitled to your opinion, but Im afraid its going to make about as much difference as

telling gravity you dont want it. Were here, and were here for your own good, whether you like it

or not.

Were going to burn this fucking university down anatomist! Try and stop us!

The anatomist sighed. Shaking his head, he took several paces back and dragged Kaito out in front of

him. Giving the boy a gentle shove, Quint addressed the mob.

If I tried to stop you all, Id be forcing someone to pick your intestines off the street for a week. Im

not that vindictive, so Ill let my student disperse you- it should be educational for everyone I think.


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Quint didnt wait for Kaito to throw the first punch; he turned and ran back through the courtyard,

heading for the entrance to the north tower. He needed a better view, needed to see the whole

process, not just the epicentre. As he took the stairs four at a time, Quints thoughts turned to Kaito,

and their first encounter. Quint hoped that now he might finally see paydirt, the realisation of a

potential recognised almost four years ago...

Im telling you Quint, you have to see this boy, hes exceptional!

Thats what you tell every time I come back to the order Aemilius, but Im getting to thinking that

youre just putting an apprenticeship to me out there as bait to hook your students.

... This one really is exceptional. This time.

Whats his name then?

Cassius. His name is Cassius.

Quint smiled as he reached the top of the stairs, thinking ofCassius. Hed been bright, and could

beat the other boys into submission, but he knew it. Five minutes with the boy had given Quint the

impression that the little bastard thought Quint was the one being honoured by his presence. Kaito

on the other hand, hed wanted nothing to do with it. When Quint first saw him, it had been as

Cassius punching bag, and after that as the only novice that the library was loaning books on

statistical mechanics to.

Am I in trouble?

Well, you did steal books that were reserved- reserved for me actually- but thats not whats

important.

Then what is?

The fact that youre taking such a keen interest in mechanical physics. I spoke to your teacher, and

he tells me youve got a real head for analysing statistics. He says you can tell him as much about a

data set at a glance as any of the equations can. Youre the kind of novice Ive been waiting for Kaito,

youre the one I want.

Im pretty good with numbers, but I dont know why youd be interested in that. Weve all heard the

stories, and I dont want to become a footnote in them.

A footnote?

Youre a killer, and Im not! Im a thinker, not a fighter.


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There is a way to use one to supplement the other... a way to use the laws of large numbers that you

seem to have learnt so well.

...how?

Quint found an opening in tower and sprang towards it. Gripping the crumbling mortar as he went,

Quint hung out of the tower, observing the whirling melee below. From this height he could look

directly down at the seething mob, see the whorls and vertices that span in and out of existence,

observe the flows and currents induced by Kaitos actions. The boy couldnt be seen beneath the

crush, but his influence could be read in the fluid as a whole, making his presence felt far from

where his fist could reach.

What are the guiding principles of statistical mechanics?

That on a large enough scale, all the bodies in a system can be approximated to particles, and even

its impossible to predict what an individual particle can do, the laws of statistics can predict the

behaviour of the system as a whole.

Right. And what about fluid dynamics?

Thats just the same, one type of statistical mechanics. An individual fluid particle could have any

number of complex forces on it, but we only have to look at the behaviour of the fluid as a whole. It

means we can predict the way a fluid reacts because it obeys the same statistical and physical laws.

Break it down into the simplest possible terms for me then.

We can predict the way any particle system will behave on a sufficiently large scale.

And now we come to the crux of the idea. Can a person ever be approximated to a particle Kaito?

Well, no- a person has free will, they cant be described by the same models- can they?

Does a man in the middle of a baying crowd have much choice about where he goes? Wherever

people gather, whether to worship or to fight as an army, they submit themselves to the principles

that govern all fluids. If we know the rules that bind them...

Then we know the rules that break them.

Kaitos fist swung wide, missing its mark. His limbs felt leaden, his vision blurred as he felt the weight

of a stave crack his skull. Pinned by and against the press of hot meat, blood and sweat filled his

nostrils. He couldnt move, let alone direct the flow. He was mad to believe Quint, to think

something like this could actually work-

The pressure on one arm loosened a little, enough for him to disentangle it from the crush and

deliver an elbow to the face of the man behind him. Kaito felt the hot little droplets that radiated

out from the burst nose splatter on the back of his neck. Backing into the space the stumbled man


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Chapter Three: Marissa

Tell me, what does the sky look like to you?

I dont know what to tell you, I dont know how much of it you can see.

Theres nothing to see there, its just darkness. The lights are so few and far between.

She smiled dolefully, turning to face the man in white. Cantor, I see nothing but light. The more

important question is what the world looks like to you.

Cantor returned the smile, looking into the orbs of darkness that sat in the womans skull. Standing

out on the balcony, the city disappeared in the blackness below, replaced by the light of a thousand

tiny fires. There were men guarding him now, some of them trained soldiers... some of them

peasants. Nevertheless, she had moved past them as if they didnt exist, emerging out of the dark

with a promise of help for his revolution. What did the world look like to him now?

It looks very narrow. I cant imagine what its like to see so much, to see everything. Theres nothing

in the Sands like you.

That made her laugh. Her hair glittered red in the lamplight as she tossed it back. Im unique, its

true. ...But it makes me feel small, seeing everything thats out there. And now you tell me theres all

this that cant be seen at all-

-But we can know it-

But you seem to know it, and it lets you draw water from the desert, it lets you grow an army out of

the poorest, dirtiest corner of civilisation in all of OlibSordeo; it lets you do anything!

And thats why youre here? Because you want me to do something?

Not me personally, I could care less- but I work for a man who does. His title- well, his name really,

is the General. He commands the most powerful army in OlibSordeo, a hero to the common folk and

an enemy to tyrants everywhere.

And he wants me in his army?

Dont be ridiculous. He wants to give it to you.

Cantor took a step back, gripping the balcony railing. The cold stone grated against his palms, it felt

reassuringly real here. What? Give me an army? Why? What does your General think Im here to

do?

Why are you here now Cantor? What is it thats brought you here to this city of dirt, and gathered

up people like dust on your sandals?

The mathematician turned away, looking into the endless black of night to avoid the same thing in

her eyes. The anatomists. Arbitrary men with arbitrary knowledge.

Exactly! The anatomists are whatve brought you here! Theyve held OlibSordeo in their grip for too

long, paralysing resistance. Youre different Cantor! The power you have isnt one that they can


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fight! These people already know it, and you know it too. All the General wants to do is offer is

support. Ive watched the crowds following you swell up, but to what end? You meander north,

evangelising but never acting. We want to give you a real army, and a clear aim.

Cantor attempted to sneer, but the twitch upwards in his lips betrayed his true feeling. And what

would my aim be at the head of such an army?

To end the order of Anatomists.

Cantors eyes widened. So many had spoken of liberating themselves from the anatomists, but to

actually try to end the order? Even in ignorance he could tell this was blasphemy.

What do you mean end them?

Destroy them, eradicate them, wipe away any trace that these overeducated thugs ever walked the

earth. You will make them weep until their legacy is washed away.

I- I dont know. This place- you call it OlibSordeo- is so different, so strange to where I come from.

Theres so much strife, and its all blamed on supposed men of learning! I dont understand it, and

until I do I cant condemn it. I cant make a decision, not yet.

The woman shrugged, turning away from Cantor and walking back towards the shadows she had

emerged from. He thought you might say that. If you change your mind just call for me.

The man in white blinked, unable to speak as he watched her vanish into the lightless void of the

chambers inside. As her footsteps faded to nothing a thought occurred to him.

I dont know your name!

***

Her name is Marissa. Murmured Quint, before throwing a wad of tobacco into his mouth.

You know her? asked Kaito, still slumped over his saddle.

A lifetime ago. I havent seen her since she started working for the General.

Kaito groaned into the back of his horse, attempting to lift himself into an upright position with the

reigns as he spoke. The General? That mad old easterner is involved now!? This is bad, isnt it

Quint?

The anatomist shrugged, looking towards the horizon. There was nothing to see on this stretch of

dusty road, but he knew what lay in the distance.

Im sure well find out soon enough. Well reach Khaymah by nightfall. The latest word is that our

man in white hasnt moved from there since we left Gttingen- hes letting the people come to him.

What does the General even want with that man? Do you think he wants to stop him too?

Quint laughed, spitting the tobacco out and leaving it to ball up in the sandy gravel. Do you think we


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would have ridden without stopping for the past three days just to stop someone doing our job for

us?

Kaito considered it. In his experience, Quint really would do that if the mood took him. No, I guess

not.

...Why does the General hate us Quint?

There was no response, but the hoofbeats went on.

He wouldnt forget the first time he saw her, framed by the storm and furious at his intrusion. The

world had defeated him, left him broken and spent. Hed spent so many years just drifting, never

seen, never heard.The avatar was all but gone, taking his will to live with it. There was nothing left of

him that could care, that could feel at all... But he still didnt want to be wet. Hed crept into that

filthy barn to escape the storm, and shed seen him.Shed been implacably angry at his trespass, but

shed seen him. It was only later she admitted that there was nothing she couldnt see, but... He

already knew. Hed known it since her stare had pinned him there in the filthy dark, and made Quint

feel like more than a ghost.

Her eyes were nothing but black lustre, absorbing the spectrum, letting nothing escape. She

was funny, and kind, and as lonely as Quint had ever been. The eyes that skewered him every day

were the same that kept everyone else away. Quint had always wanted to know how she acquired

them, but he could never bring himself to ask. She never asked about his past, he couldnt refuse her

the same privacy. She made Quint a new man, and gave him a new hat too.

They lived alone, on the farm on the hill, untroubled by the strife of civilisation. The drifter turnedfarmer, content to be oblivious of the world beyond the pastures. He was happy to be there, and she

was happy to have him, though neither could forget their pasts entirely. For her it was the group of

unwelcome visitors who would appear at the bottom of the hill occasionally. Sometimes they were

turned away at the door, and sometimes the sword was taken down from above the fireplace and

put to use. Quint could only watch when she went to dispatch the mercenaries who would come for

her. It made him feel helpless and impotent to watch from the house, even as his fingers twitched

and his knuckles cracked. Whenever he resolved to help her, and save her from defending herself,

his shoulder reminded him why it was impossible.

It was symptomatic of his own unwelcome past, carried in the scars on his skin and the fractures in

his bones. The twinges stayed with him wherever he went, failure whispering through every ache

and pain. He shared his bed not just with her, but with every life he stole, every mistake he made.

But still... when the sun was high, and the wind caught the trees, Quint would look out to the

horizon and feel the old wanderlust. The avatar would start to stir inside, and the gears of the world


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would begin to grind-

And Quint would turn to see her, and forget it all.

On the horse, Quint clamped his eyes shut. The dust was stinging his eyes, making them water. It

really was a lifetime ago- decades since Marissa had turned her eyes towards him for the last time.

She had only been honest about her sight once. It was years before she relented, but finally Quint

was told what it was like to see light, from the radio waves that soaked the sky, to the gamma rays

that leaked out of the rocks. She could see the heat his muscles gave off, and the impulses that ran

up and down his nerves. Hed asked if that meant she could even see what he was thinking, but she

never answered that. It was the only time Quint ever saw Marissa lose her composure- talking about

the light, her voice cracked, and those big black eyes began to water.

It never stops Quint- My world will never go dark.

In those years of isolation with Marissa,Quint felt freer than he had in... a long time, but at

that moment he couldnt ignore what he knew he could do. It took months, working in secret to

grow crystals in the dark, then cutting and polishing them into perfect lenses. It took another month

to carve a mould for the frame, and to collect enough scrap metal to smelt it. A delicate pair of

glasses, unremarkable to anyone but Marissa, crafted with care and expertise. They made Quint

remember the satisfaction of creation, and he kept them close from the moment they were finished.

It wouldnt do to just hand them over, so he waited; waited for the brightest day, for one of the

times when the light began to overwhelm her.

That was the moment when she said she loved him. When her eyes were closed and he puton the glasses, and her world went dark. The crystal lenses filtered the light, leaving only what

everyone else could see. She laughed until she wept, keeping her eyes clamped shut as she held

herself against Quint. She said she loved him and he... said nothing. He wondered later if it wouldve

made a difference, if hed said it there and then, knowing there were only months until the end.

The General hated the order for the same reason that all the vanquished hate their vanquishers. The

war only made itself felt when the scouts came riding up the hill, recruiting for His army. It made

Quint smile as Marissa fetched the sword from the fireplace, wrenched open the door and...

Signed the recruiting papers. The sight of it made Quint numb with shock. He couldnt reconcile that

action with the woman who saw everything. Who was it that she was agreeing to fight, and what

was she fighting for?

I believe in the cause Quint, and they need people like me. The General is on a crusade to end

tyranny!

The General is a megalomaniac who only wants a tyranny of his own! You have to trust that I know


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how this works Marissa! Its not a crusade youre joining; its a march of conquest!

And how would you know that Quint? You always say I have to trust that you know, but youll never

say why. The order of Anatomists destroyed my life when they discovered me, and I wont forgive

them! They wanted my eyes, even if it meant plucking them out of skull. I want justice, and I can give

it to them. You know the General sent those scouts specifically to find me? I can match any anatomist

in single combat, and they all know it. I wont be gone long; in a years time well have the rest of our

lives together.

That was the moment when Quints past truly caught up with him. Caught between Marissa, the

General, and the Anatomists, he gave in. He told her why she had to trust him, and explained

everything. They didnt speak that night, and the next morning Quint found the glasses left on the

bed, without a note. Quint spent the day collecting the possessions from the lives he had lead

before, hidden and forgotten in the secret corners of the house. When night fell he put a torch to

the building, a pyre on which he could sacrifice his happiness to the avatar. He stayed there

watching his life with Marissa carried off by the smoke until daybreak, when he turned his back on

the ashes and began the long trek towards the order of Anatomists.

Chapter four: The fury of the order

They were expected. The outskirts of Khaymah seethed with life, a makeshift camp for those who

came to follow the philosopher king. The throngs of refugees packed the streets, but they knew who

rode among them, and parted for the anatomist and his student. It scared Kaito, the way the hot

press of blood and sinew hemmed them in on all sides, but the way ahead was held open by the

force of fear. Quint was only one man, but there wasnt a person in OlibSordeo who hadnt heard

the stories. The peasants lined the streets like a terrified honour guard, avoiding his gaze and

funnelling them towards Khaymahs mayoral palace. It squatted at the centre of the city, a tumour

with a single central tower sprouting up from it, dividing the skyline. It made Kaito dizzy to look its

full height up and down, but he knew in his gut that the man they had come to see had made the

very tip of this tower his home. Kaitos instincts were proven to be correct as they reached the steps

of the palace and unhorsed. Kaito tried to keep an eye on the horses, but Quint was already taking

the steps two at a time, and the boy only had time to see a group of filthy urchins take the animals

by the reigns before trying to catch up.

Hurrying up towards the raised dais the palace stood on, Kaito found himself chasing Quints

coattails, almost colliding into the back of him as the ground suddenly levelled out. The gates ahead

were held ajar, running directly into a marbled hall suited more to giants than men.

Quint, this is definitely, definitelya trap! whispered the boy, peering out from behind his back.


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I dont care. I have to know

know what? asked Kaito exasperatedly as Quint passed into the palace. The busts of past governors

looked scornfully down on them as their footsteps echoed across the floors. After what felt like

minutes of walking, the atrium opened out before them, a spiral staircase threaded through the

centre. Not bothering to find the first step, Quint grabbed the banister and vaulted over it, not

stopping as Kaito scrambled up after him. A panicked feeling began to rise up in the student,

chasing, running to keep up with his masters relentless pace. He couldnt shake the feeling that

they were being drawn towards some inevitable disaster, and Quint was doing his best to meet it

head on.

Arent you afraid Quint? Arent you worried youre going to die?

Quint stopped dead on the step, turning back to Kaito and staring him dead in the eye. His

expression was manic as he growled out a response. I am the fury of the order,I am the fear that

inhabits the minds of lesser men. Let others worry what will kill them, but I know that nothing in this

land can kill me. I will not let your cowardice weaken my resolve boy.

The moment hung suspended, Quints nostrils flared as he defied Kaito to question his will. The boy

said nothing, but his expression hardened as the anatomist turned on his heel and continued to

throw himself up the staircase.

Quint flew up the stairs, restrain thrown to the wind as we pounded up the final flight of

steps. He felt righteous, undirected anger pump through his blood. It didnt matter what the man in

white said or intended, he would not escape Quints justice. This feeling it always came before the

conflict, before the clash that he would inevitably triumph in. He would never admit it to Kaito, buthe felt the impending danger too, heightening the exquisite tension that plucked his sinews taut. A

set of oaken double doors marked the final barrier, just beyond a final corridor. Some more

restrained part of Quints brain worked his tongue, barking an order to Kaito.

Stay here.

The boy shouted something back, but the anatomist couldnt hearit. Throwing the doors wide,

Quint continued forward without breaking his stride. That part of his forebrain that could still make

observations was as surprised as the man in front of him looked. He really deserved the name- his

skin was almost translucently pale, with his head covered by a shock of short white straw. His robes

seemed effervescent, repelling shadow as they blew in an ethereal wind. The impression it gave was

one of life scoured of meaning, frailty supported by a rigid scaffold. It was not the young and virile

revolutionary Quint had expected, but it didnt stop him laying the man flat with an introductory

right hook.

Documents

The Decline 1