As the Royal Entourage approaches the Festival City of Onn, crowds line the decorated streets under the watchful eyes of armed Fish Speakers. A rhythmic and hypnotic chant echoes between the high buildings, captivating the gathered throngs and raising the hairs on the neck of Duncan Idaho, who marches near the Royal Cart alongside Moneo. The chant is known as Siaynoq, a sacred ritual that Leto reserves exclusively for his own person and for the adoration of the Fish Speakers, embodying deep layers of meaning ranging from sincerity and light to fermentation and prayer. Moneo reflects on his past discussions with the God Emperor regarding this mysterious word and its immense power within the empire, while Idaho privately questions the strange traditions and the absolute control wielded by the immortal ruler.
Earlier, while studying the unique architecture of Onn in the Citadel, Idaho had discussed the city plan with Leto. The entire urban layout is specifically engineered around a single primary purpose, which is the public viewing of the God Emperor during the Decennial festivities. Despite the open nature of the vast central plaza, the absence of protective energy barriers, and the sprawling multi-tiered apartments designed for the elite and visitors, Leto maintains that his performance as a god-conductor guides the empire. He compares his rule to managing a vast symphony from his base on Arrakis, openly acknowledging the inherent risks of his public exposure and comparing his ceremonial presence to an ancient myth of a ruler walking unprotected through his subjects.
The procession finally descends from the sunlit streets into the massive subterranean chambers beneath the plaza via a wide ramp-tunnel. The vibrant cheers and chanting fade away, replaced by an eerie quiet and the amplified sound of marching feet. As they move through the vast, pillar-lined underground complex meant solely for the God Emperor, his courtiers, and the Fish Speakers, Idaho notices that the guards lining the route continue to mouth the silent word Siaynoq. The heavy silence of the privileged spectators on the balconies above leaves Idaho with a deep sense of foreboding as he is drawn further into the enigmatic heart of the regime.