When the mysterious books of sorcerers fall into the hands of scientists, they usually lose all their aura, magic and become ridiculous, in the hands of omniscient geniuses. Smart people ridicule the primitive tales that are taken seriously by the majority, which have little in common with science. Beautiful trinkets, in the form of medallions and hand bracelets, did not attract Haste’s attention. Only one hourglass caught his eye. In an ordinary glass vessel with a thin neck, all the sand adhered to the top of the container, and the bottom was empty. At first, without attaching importance to this, he decided that the sand was simply soldered to the glass, but turning them over, he saw the sand thread rush back up, which amazed him. After all, not sand, not glass do not possess such a force of magnetism. This was the first thing that he could not explain for so long, racking his brains for months in his laboratory. But, the team of the senior prince, the most devoted to science of the Osiris, was more interested in one nameless rectangular book, with the most beautiful cover, of volumetric geometric shapes. Too much it resembled the same «Origin», partially described by Selim Svurt in his «Book of Life», found here in the original. The «Book of Life» has a round shape, just like «Svurt’s Law». Because it was written in Nahmaut. Another interesting fact: all Nahmau books, every single one, are either round or oval. Most likely, this is directly related to their writing, which consisted of only one circle. But, all these books have long been rewritten by the Osiris into the usual square books for us. Every self-respecting scientist, including Haste, and the council of the wisest, the council of Fimirel and the governors of Shelber, obeyed the «Law of Svurt». She was obeyed even in the farthest corners of the earth, those who did not even know about her existence. Therefore, like everyone who did not obey the «Book of Life», he obeyed the book «Law of Svurt», it is «The Teaching of Selim» (rewritten by the high priests in a more restrained and improved form). How it works? And why, the tribes of all races and peoples, from kings to beggars, from generation to generation, lived according to the rules of Svurt, without even realizing it? The secret is that it was not people who adjusted to the books, but, on the contrary, the books adjusted to people’s lives. «The Book of Life» is a book with scientific, sensory knowledge of the world, where the reader is the creator himself. Its methods are so diverse that they can be used to predict the future development of civilization, in terms of technological progress. The Teachings of Selim is a unique religious book, in a similar way, uniting all believers in some supernatural beings, into a common group. It is painted in such a way that any religion can be entered into it. From the one god and pagan idols, to the worship of flowers and bulls. In the «Teachings of Selim» the Almighty has no name, no history, no specific morality of the separation of good and evil, and does not even have his own numerical number. He always has a complete material appearance, and, at the same time, does not have it, also in full. This makes it not only omnipresent, but also unites it with our world in such a way that God is not a separate entity of the universe, and not its inner part. And, infinity itself, emptiness and matter – are part of its essence. Therefore, all the deeds that mortals do in our humble world are not divided into bad or good, because, as, they are done not just by his will, but by himself. But, if the Almighty were always so diverse, he would not be able to bring morality to the world of the living. Therefore, his omnipresence is capable of being divided into endless stages of personality formation. A well-known excerpt from the book «Svurt’s Law»: «Qur’an 6, Magat 1 (orig. From nahmau: enlightenment 6, chapter 1): Do well not for yourself, but for God. But, since you are a part of God, do well for yourself. Do good to your friend, he is also a part of God. Do well to your enemy, because even he is a part of God. «But, it is possible to build a reverse logic that does not contradict the «Svurt’s Law»: do not help either your friend or your enemy, if you want it, then God wants it too. Therefore, the book was supplemented to exclude such thinking. In the new, rewritten book, «The Teachings of Selim», the Almighty concentrates his energy in certain places, which only he perceives as a single whole. These lumps of energy are the mind, which has a simplified, limited receptivity. This limitation allows the mind to hold its essence (to live the time allotted to it) in the projection that it is aware of. By the way, the mind here replaces the soul, spirit and similar disembodied foundations of the personality, in contrast to more primitive religions. «The Teachings of Selim» affects a person like a powerful psychological book, forcing the personality to develop culturally and morally, gradually removing the limitations of temptations. The higher the spiritual level of a person, the more she is allowed actions and thoughts that are forbidden for less conscious people who can be dangerous both for themselves and for others by their lack of understanding of something and not restraint before anyone. It is wrong to harm someone. This weakens the one-man management striving for perfection, the collective mind. And, even if for the Almighty it doesn’t matter whether you do good or selfish deeds, you doom yourself to disbandment, moral decay, which leads to intellectual and bodily decay. Your desires will never be fulfilled, and you will always experience the same length of time. From a bunch of energy, of their own free will becoming emptiness. Only kings and various thinkers, whose spiritual level is the highest, can be frightened by such an outcome. For simple people, there are simpler outcomes. You can, for example, blaze for eternity in the good old hellish flame, surrounded by hairy men with tails and horns, and for good deeds, life will continue in luxurious castles overgrown with vineyards. Life after death has thousands of variations here. You can be reborn into any animal, go to heaven, parallel worlds or stellar oceans. The peculiarity is that the stages of formation are not indicated explicitly, only their constituent abilities and ways of thinking are listed. In the same way as punishments for crimes in the next world are not spelled out, in the form of an explicit sentence. The book clearly describes all kinds of models of people’s behavior, for each of which there is its own instruction, encouragement and sentence, which must be compared with its own worldview. The reader finds himself in this hodgepodge, and instinctively draws conclusions about himself that are pleasing to the book.

Shrines of different religions, but one ideology are being built throughout Mesopotamia, and far beyond its borders. There are two general religious, main temples, and the third is almost completed in Vayelone. The first temple is Birhatten, in the Rohvem valley, and the second is the royal tower in the Shelber valley, where the main object of worship is the throne of Selim Svurt. Therefore, no one has the right to sit on it, even the supreme governor. In the «Teachings of Selim» there are many interesting things that manipulate the minds of people of all religions, but they will be fully revealed a little later, using a real example. With the help of this book, you can manage a variety of completely different religions. Agnostics, atheists, and just people who never think about their mission, had to live according to the «Book of Life», which is the basis of any statehood. The Book of Life, like the Teaching of Selim, dictated the conditions for a «correct» life. It is being introduced into human life, at all levels. How to defecate correctly, how to walk, run, swim. How to fight, laugh, fall in love, dress properly. How to fight, dance, invent. Which cultures to create and which not to allow. All this is scheduled for hundreds of generations and several eras to come. That the book, that this, does not force, but recommends doing certain things in order to move on to others, more important. So, along a long chain, achieving the specified goals, moving everything to new and new goals, up to incarnation into an infinite, unified mind, like God from the «Teachings of Selim». These goals, as well as the ways of their achievement, are spelled out in the smallest detail, as if, the author, personally lived all these stages of the formation of civilization. Many peoples are eager to destroy these books, to forget them as a nightmare. But, with each passing year, the Nahmau spread their obsessive teachings further and further. Vayelon naturally did not pass by. He has long been a victim of this multifaceted ideology. And, the royal family, turned as prisoners of the «Book of Life». From this point on, we will begin the story of the struggle between common sense and a dubious ending, to which the legendary «Origins» leads.

Today is a typical city weekday. Horses, as if in a race, rush around the area in a circular motion. Before us is Grompi, the most beautiful of the city’s squares, which has greatly changed in recent years. Winding platforms, floors are superimposed on each other, with flowering, vegetative partitions, and between them is clear water flowing from the fountain of a fabulous bird, which, perhaps, remained the only untouched structure in this interior. She’s too delightful. During the Narus Rift, a lot has changed for the better. But, this is not only his merit. More precisely, not him at all. It just so happened that the current tsar was born in the era of renaissance, and rules in the era of the technical revolution. All he needs to do so that, without that, happy people admire him even more, is to push beautiful speeches in public and smile beautifully. And he did it best of all. Queen Kmagam is his only consort and the love of his life. Purebred Osirian. Beautiful and smart, at forty-five, she can still compete with young maidens. The wise woman is actively involved in the urban economy, makes the most important strategic decisions and has great influence in the council of the wisest, of which she is a member. Narus trusts her as he trusts himself. For twenty-five years of marriage, they have learned about their halves, perhaps more than about themselves. Having gone through everything that you can imagine: quarrels, partings, jealousy, goodbye, tears and joy. Their three sons and two daughters are typical youth. Parents raised the children they dreamed of. They are humble, honest, strong and determined. True, the parents are slightly worried about the youngest daughter Mikhad, with her weirdness and excessive pathos. They are also worried about the eldest son of Haste, who he is mentally ill, and overly keen on science. Society does not like people like Haste and Mikhad, therefore, parents, worried about family authority, decided to protect them as much as possible from public events, allowing them to always do what they love, separately from everyone, in their small companies.

The elite of society always gathers on Grompi Square, but this is only in the daytime. At night, decent people go home, and the marginal’s come out from around the corners in search of profit. Vayelon was not a highly criminal city. By the standards of modern cities, crime is quite high here, however, in a world where there are no restrictions, except for the «Book of Life» and «The Teachings of Selim», this figure is quite normal. Osiris are used to solving their own problems. It is so accepted in their culture. If you turn to the state to help solve your problem, this is an «act of helplessness». Although the authorities fundamentally disagree with this, and criticize those who promote lynching. The residents of the city have Belfi (a document that is a birth certificate and a passport at the same time). This document is issued at birth, or when moving to the city, for permanent residence, immediately giving the owner all rights and responsibilities. Therefore, the concept of «minor» is not here. Martak (a document for temporary stay, like a visa) is issued for a period of three to sixty days, to merchants, tourists, ambassadors and other important representatives of third-party states, as well as ordinary refugees, as a shelter. In the city, the freedoms of citizens are so high that the government does not require any obligations, except for the implementation of quite adequate basic laws related to murder, theft, robbery, libel, fraud, and so on. And, civil laws that regulate family relationships, relations between workers and employers, as well as prohibit representing the positions, mores and culture associated with the oppression of certain groups of persons. There is not even here, and there has never been conscript military service. Moreover, in the case of full mobilization, citizens can voluntarily replenish the ranks of the army, or they can simply watch out the window, at a real battle, drinking tea. Only in the event of a seizure of power, the rights of citizens can be sharply curtailed, and they understand this. Therefore, it is unlikely that an adequate person will be indifferent to the war, because, together with his city, they will capture, and his way of life, and maybe even be killed without trial or investigation. The entire system of relationships, citizens and government, is arranged to the maximum on a voluntary basis. For example, taxes are paid by everyone, not because you will be punished, but because it is part of the culture of how to tip. If you cannot pay taxes, then you are of low social status, helpless, miserable and everything like that. And those who pay taxes, the state donates them to education, medicine, sick, frail old people, and such flawed as those who do not pay. There are also enough shortcomings in their system, and the most cunning use them for their own good. If the state asks from citizens a minimum of obligations, it is the same, it observes a minimum of obligations to citizens. Ideally, only the judicial and law enforcement system works. The so-called salaries, pensions, and even more so, some kind of benefits, simply do not exist. Very limited budget jobs, there are only in the field of science, medicine and religion. All other institutions are supported by the altruism of high-ranking entrepreneurs, which is probably the main flaw of the entire social structure. All spheres of employment here are built and exist on donations from the rich, who, instead of robbing the people, invest in it in order to later make a profit in the long term. If you want to be eligible for a social support program, please sign a contract with a private organization, which in turn undertakes to provide different packages, depending on the needs and social status. But, in this way, you will officially subscribe to slavery. Everyone must find a way to make money on their own. And this is a big minus for an ordinary person. This does not allow you to constantly be self-confident, protected enough to make long-term life plans. Being a bum, homeless and unemployed is not profitable here, although it is not illegal. Due to the lack of support from the population, the problem with the homeless, even in such a relatively small society, is already very acute, forcing the state only a little worried and lazy to take measures to create the first shelters, and free nutritious food. Private organizations all the more do not want to deal with social problems, because it no longer has any relation to business. Often, homeless marginalized people and idlers who eat from the trash heap and pooping anywhere are driven to suburban work, on a voluntary-compulsory basis. Those who resist are simply handed over to hospitals as mentally ill, or driven to the outskirts of the city so as not to inconvenience the bulk of citizens with their stench and extremely defiant behavior. Recently, these groups of people are growing exponentially, despite the fact that they are still in the overwhelming minority, they already represent enough force to raise a rebellion. Social disunity since the time of King Ormon has been reduced to a minimum, but it has spawned national movements that raise the status of the majority and belittle the status of minorities. Previously, the Osiris of Vayelon spoke at least seventeen dialects. The speech was so different that most of the Osiris did not understand themselves, just not a single word. Therefore, in case of forced communication, an interpreter was seriously required. A simple Osirian family, it did not matter who lived in the house opposite them: Nahmau, Sabars, Sumerians, black Libyans, narrow-eyed Asians, or other Osiris. Many of the Osiris families had nothing in common. They spoke different dialects, believed in different gods, and were of different cultures. Nothing united them, except for state laws. This was both a plus and a minus. Having created general education schools and a single language standard, the government rallied the majority into one big family, but the minority, who were alien to innovative ideas, became strangers.

All farms and industrial enterprises are private organizations of bankers, large traders and other nobles, which are closely monitored by the council of the wisest. The city is governed by the only Filzas order – something like a party, the ideology of the Osiris, which includes all the attributes of power, culture, knowledge and even a way of thinking. There are three councils in Filzas: the royal council, the council of the eldest and wisest, as well as the organization of mekrs and all private organizations. Filzas, was founded three hundred years ago, at about the same time as the city itself. The Osiris state system is rather atypical than wrong. The constructed hierarchy resembles imperfect capitalism mixed with anarchist democracy. All existing institutions, it turned out to be implemented in practice, only at the expense of a relatively small society, and then, most of them, rely solely on the belief in further prosperity.

Tunor walked slowly through the wide streets of the city. There were difficult negotiations yesterday. Making concessions to the authorities is getting harder and harder. They don’t want to hear about the creation of a new order. Today, he decided to take a day off and leave this damn room of the NDC to get some fresh air. Otherwise, you can forget what the sun looks like. The girls give him, apparently forty years old, but in fact, forty-one. Large, curly hair, swarthy, of medium height and strong build, he resembled a typical Osiris. On it hangs an old, worn-out sand-colored dress. People passing by cannot even recognize the great innovative engineer of the present time. People of all professions and nationalities have gathered in this place. What eccentrics you will not find here. Three-eyed Jack, riding a three-wheeled cart, five hundred kilogram fat Wadah, to a circus performance. Oh, and take a look here, in the Bironfer seafood shop. Some type, dressed up in a costume of a nasty octopus and its tentacles dragging along the ground, are trying to bite off the dogs. Poor fellow, I had to throw a big fish for them to get left behind. A strange woman, in a black, tight dress, without a lower jaw, with a hanging tongue, leads two tall giraffes, behind long chains, tied to their collars. The little girl, seeing her missing part of her face, hid behind an elderly woman, enthusiastically bargaining for watermelons, near the counter. A boy, about seven years old, in a white shirt tucked into black pants pulled up to the knee, slowly rolls on a scooter, wearing a bright hat with a visor in front, strongly reminiscent of a modern baseball cap. Here, they sold dyed camels with blue heads, and black and red stripes on the body, like a zebra, fooling people, for fabulous sums. A little further, you can see even more interesting donkeys and horses, which were sewn in long horns, built up feather, artificial tails, similar to peacocks, and drove to various dudes with a mark-up twice as expensive. Two-trunk elephants, a rare breed, were made an artificial, brightly thick mane, and they looked more like cartoon toys than living creatures. It seems that everyone is busy with their own business, but the world of bustle here is closely intertwined with vacationers, just sitting and not thinking about anything. These are not homeless people, but just elderly people. They sit carelessly on the sidelines and watch those around them. One of these was a strange, blind old man, in a burgundy robe with a burnt, disfigured face, and white eyes. He looked towards Tunor, as if he was watching him. Or maybe he just has a phobia. After all, Tunor, there was someone to hide from, and there was something to hide. A terrible grandfather was burned, probably during the great siege, fifty years ago. But, to the meeting, there was a young man, a little above average in height, dressed already more presentable. In a blue raincoat and a light protective corset. This is prince Haste, his own person. It is impossible not to notice him, even if he was dressed, as simply as his friend. Eccentric habits, gait and manner of communication immediately betray him. He is strange to the point of insanity. Distorted, deceptive facial expressions always convey not the feelings that he actually feels, but during an argument, his hands, constantly shaking in front of his head, try to drive away the thoughts or words of the interlocutor that are unwanted by him. Trying to ignore those around him, the young prince is clearly in a hurry. It’s very appearance in broad daylight in the city center is a phenomenon.

– Where are you going? – not having time to reach his comrade, asks the prince.

«To the mall,» Tunor replied with a smile.

– What is there to do? The young man raised his eyebrows in bewilderment.

– Just take a walk. Chat with merchants from distant lands, maybe what news they tell, treat you with sweets. I found that symbol on page eight. You’re looking for me for this, don’t you?

– Exactly, behind this, – Haste pressed his lips tightly. He took a small roll of parchment from his chest pocket. «Is this symbol here?» – Excitedly asking, he pokes him in the face.

«I don’t remember… Although,» he moved back and took the scrap in his hands. Complex hieroglyphs are carved there. It is not an Osirian language, nor is it a Jerichan. It had nothing to do with our spelling at all. Taking out a small silver pencil-like stick, he carved out another incomprehensible symbol. – In my opinion, it was so, – he returned the envelope to the prince, and was about to move on, but the prince stopped him, taking his hand and turning him back to face him. – What happened? Have you already figured out the sequence? Frowning, he snatched his hand away.

– Not. If you helped us, maybe they would. Neilie can’t do it alone.