Manifest Destiny

While issuing her unanswered taunt towards her absent uncle, Sefira felt vindicated that the beginning of the prayer had been proclaimed most reverently. Now, the Lesser Darkness returned her attention towards her adorers and their prayer.

"But we bow, kneel, prostrate in veneration," they declared their next actions, then fulfilled them once more.

"Acclaim, adore, bless, dignify, ennoble, esteem, exalt, extol, glorify, hail, honour, laud, magnify, praise, and revere," the adorers repeated the fifteen descriptive words of their supplication.

"Her Divine Majesty," they referred once more to the beginning of their ruler's formal monarchical style, then uttered it in full.

"Whose power permeates all Creation," they gave their reverent description,
"Whose providence is in the Darkest Domain,
And upon whom our very existence depends.
The Lesser Darkness, she is the active Divine!
There is no active Divine but the Lesser Darkness!"

Having given tribute to their dark superior's perceived achievement regarding mandatory existence, they proceeded further.

"In you do we hope these," they declared,
"May you establish your sovereignty speedily,
Remove vain and empty worship from Creation,
Cut off all remaining false deities,
And perfect Creation with your might,
So that you who are our superior and their superior shall prevail."

Sefira felt touched by that small declaration of what she considered her own manifest destiny, that she would prevail; this had its inspirational origin in contemporary fiction. She also felt relieved, since her uncle made a lesser mockery of her by using those words.

"Then, all created beings shall call upon you," her subjects continued,
And all who have gone astray will turn towards you,
Accepting that, at your name and to your majesty,
Every knee shall bend, every tongue swear loyalty.
Then, before you shall all created beings bow, kneel, prostrate in veneration,
Honour your name and majesty,
And subordinate themselves to the absolutism of your order.
May all of your will be done throughout Creation soon,
For yours alone are the sovereignty, greatness, might, glory, victory, and majesty,
For time everlasting.
Then, your name and your majesty shall be omniversal."

After hearing all these prayers, the Lesser Darkness focused her attention on the temple congregational leaders.

"I bless you by the Divine Darkness, the Divine God, and the Active Divine Feminine," they gave a concluding blessing upon all the other attendants,
"May the triune Divine bless you and keep you, and be with you."


Author's Note: Thus concludes the concluding prayer, a purposely perverse derivative of a traditionally controversial prayer. The fifteen words "Acclaim […] revere," which have appeared in earlier chapters, are inspired by one authoritative opinion on how many honorific descriptions are required in another prayer, a mourners' prayer. Also, the words "superior shall prevail" are inspired by the fatal deception of the Númenóreans in the fictional work of J.R.R. Tolkien.

Chuck and Amara took part in both lengthy prayers, the Amidah ("Standing") and the Aleinu ("It is our duty"), including a theological modified version of the former, during the sibling-oriented prayer service they had attended.

Meanwhile, the final blessing, not an expression of strict, unitarian monotheism, is inspired by this archaeological inscription:

I bless you by YHWH of [Samaria/Teman/other location] and his Asherah.
May he bless you and keep you, and be with my lord.