The mythical Fomalhiwa. A world of wonders and prosperity. But also the Forbidden Direction.
What has emerged from space will soon cut off the path for all Ships; and from that moment on, the homeland of argenite will remain unknown and unknowable. A handful of Earthlings have one last chance if they wish to visit. Lucas is beginning to realise that Fomalhiwa is the very place where the threads of the centuries-old plans of both the Gerdans and the Össeans converge.
But isn't that a good reason to avoid Fomalhiwa? He has always been sceptical of anything that promises Nirvana, prosperity, or any kind of utopia. Just as the sixth drug, sühëhl, is a rebellion against the Five, Lucas stands apart. He listens to what Ash~shad of Fomalhiwa says—and to what he keeps silent about. And his suspicion takes a distinct shape. If Fomalhiwa is a cosmic paradise, why did Ash~shad leave? Beyond the Layer of Silence, Lucas follows in Ash~shad's footsteps. He will look it in the eye.
