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〃Why？〃
In reply came the parent's eternal answer to a child who asks too many questions。 〃Because I tell you to；〃 the God said。
But Gentle wouldn't be hushed so readily。 He pressed on。 〃What does it know； Father？〃
〃Nothing。〃
〃Does it know where Nisi Nirvana es from？ Is that what it knows？〃
The fire in the Unbeheld's skull seethed at this。 〃Who told you that？〃 He raged。
There was no purpose served by lying； Gentle thought。 〃My mother；〃 he said。
Every motion in the God's bloated body ceased； even to its cage…battering heart。 Only the lightning went on； and the next word came not from the mingled throats but from the fire itself。 Three syllables； spoken in a lethal voice。
〃Cel。 Est。 Ine。〃
〃Yes； Father。〃
〃She's dead；〃 the lightning said。
〃No； Father。 I was in her arms a few minutes ago。〃 He lifted his hand； translucent though it was。 〃She held these fingers。 She kissed them。 And she told me…〃
〃I don't want to hear！〃
〃…to remind You…〃
〃Where is she？〃
〃…of Nisi Nirvana。〃
〃Where is she？ Where？ Where？〃
He had been motionless； but now rose up in His fury； lifting His wretched limbs above His head as if to bathe them in His own lightning。
〃Where is she？〃 he yelled； throats and fire making the demand together。 〃I want to see her！ I want to see her！〃
On the stairs below the Meditation Room； Jude stood up。 The gek…a…gek had begun a guttural plaint that was； in its way； more distressing than any sound she'd ever heard from them。 They were afraid。 She saw them sloping away from their places beside the door like dogs in fear of a beating； their spines depressed； their heads flattened。
She glanced at the pany below： the angels still kneeling beside their wounded Maestro； Monday and Hoi…Polloi leaving off their vigil at the step and ing back into the candlelight； as though its little ring could preserve them from whatever power was agitating the air。
〃Oh； Mama；〃 she heard Sartori whisper。
〃Yes； child？〃
〃He's looking for us； Mama。〃
〃I know。〃
〃You can feel it？〃
〃Yes； child； I can。〃
〃Will you hold me； Mama？ Will you hold me？〃
〃Where？ Where？〃 the God was howling； and in the arcs above His skull shreds of His mind's sight appeared。
Here was a river； serpentine； and a city； drabber than His metropolis but all the finer for that； and a certain street； and a certain house。 Gentle saw the eye Monday had scrawled on the front door； its pupil beaten out by the Oviate's attack。 He saw his own body； with Clem beside it； and the stairs； and Jude on the stairs； climbing。
And then the room at the top； and the circle in the room； with his brother sitting inside it； and his mother； kneeling at the perimeter。
〃Cel Est。 Ine；〃 the God said。 〃Cel Est。 Ine！〃
It wasn't Sartori's voice that uttered these syllables； but it was his Hps that moved to shape them。 Jude was at the top of the stairs now； and she could see his face clearly。 It was still wet with tears； but there was no expression upon it whatsoever。 She'd never seen features so devoid of feeling。 He was a vessel； filling up with another soul。
〃Child？〃 Celestine said。
〃Get away from him；〃 Jude murmured。
Celestine started to rise。 〃You sound sick； child；〃 she said。
The voice came again； this time a furious denial。 〃I Am Not。 A。 Child。〃
〃You wanted me to fort you；〃 Celestine said。 〃Let me do that。〃
Sartori's eyes looked up； but it wasn't his sight alone that fixed on her。
〃Keep。 Away；〃 he said。
〃I want to hold you；〃 Celestine said； and instead of retreating she stepped over the boundary of the circle。
On the landing the gek…a…gek were in terror now； their sly retreat bee a dance of panic。 They beat their heads against the wall as if to hammer out their brains rather than hear the voice issuing from Sartori； this desperate； monstrous voice that said over and over； 〃Keep。 Away。 Keep。 Away。〃
… But Celestine wouldn't be denied。 She knelt down again； in front of Sartori。 When she spoke； however； it wasn't to the child； it was to the Father； to the God who'd taken her into this city of iniquities。
〃Let me touch You； love；〃 she said。 〃Let me touch You； the way You touched me。〃
〃No！〃 Hapexamendios howled； but His child's limbs refused to rise and ward off the embrace。
The denial came again and again； but Celestine ignored it； her arms encircling them both； flesh and occupying spirit in one embrace。
This time； when the God unleashed His rejection； it was no longer a word but a sound； as pitiful as it was terrifying。
In the First； Gentle saw the lightning above his Father's head congeal into a single blinding flame and go from Him； like a meteor。
In the Second； Chicka Jackeen saw the blaze brighten the Erasure and fell to his knees on the flinty ground。 A signal fire was ing； he thought； to announce the moment of victory。
In Yzordderrex； the Goddesses knew better。 As the fire broke from the Erasure and entered the Second Dominion； the waters around the temple grew quiescent； so as not to draw death down upon them。 Every child was hushed； every pool and rivulet stilled。 But the fire's malice wasn't meant for them； and the meteor passed over the city； leaving it unharmed； outblazing the et as it went。
With the fire out of sight； Gentle turned back to his Father。
〃What have You done？〃 he demanded。
The God's attention lingered in the Fifth for a little time； but as Gentle's demand came again He withdrew His mind from His target； and His eyes regained their animation。
〃I've sent a fire for the whore；〃 He said。 It was no longer the lightning that spoke； but His many throats。
〃Why？〃
〃Because she tainted you。。。 she made you want love。〃
〃Is that so bad？〃
〃You can't build cities with love；〃 the God said。 〃You can't make great works。 It's weakness。〃
〃And what about Nisi Nirvana？〃 Gentle said。 〃Is that a weakness too？〃
He dropped to his knees and laid his phantom palms on the ground。 They had no power here； or else he'd have started digging。 Nor could his spirit pierce the ground。 The same barrier that sealed him from his Father's belly kept him from looking into His Dominion's underworld。 But he could ask the questions。
〃Who spoke the words； Father？〃 he asked。 〃Who said： Nisi Nirvana？〃
〃Forget you ever heard those words；〃 Hapexamendios replied。 〃The whore is dead。 It's over。〃
In his frustration Gentle made fists of his hands and beat on the solid ground。
〃There's nothing there but Me；〃 the。many throats went on。 〃My flesh is everywhere。 My flesh is the world； and the world is My flesh。〃
On the Mount of Lipper Bayak； Tick Raw had given up his triumphal jig and was sitting at the edge of his circle； waiting for the curious to emerge from their houses and e up to question him； when the fire appeared in the Fourth… Like Chicka Jackeen； he assumed it was some star of annunciation； sent to mark the victory； and he rose again to hail it。 He wasn't alone。 There were several people below who'd spotted the blaze over the Jokalaylau and were applauding the spectacle as it approached。 When it passed overhead it brought a brief noon to Vanaeph； before going on its way。 It lit Patashoqua just as brightly； then flew out of the Dominion through a fog that h