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The concept of The Tree of Evil— Qliphoth was completely opposite to that of the Sephiroth, covering the reverse side of the world.
Just as the Tree of Life, the Qliphoth too was structure formed by ten spheres and twenty-two paths. But contrary to the Sephiroth which was a conceptual tree with Sefirot represented by angels, it was an inverted tree with the name of a demon engraved upon each Qliphah.
Though the Qliphoth was widely misinterpreted as the Tree of Wicked, being the inverse of the Sephiroth with demons representing its spheres, its core was not what one may term as an absolute evil.
Through apt caution and appropriate measures, one could use the Tree of Qliphoth to touch treacherous knowledge found enshrouded inside the deeper world and ascend to a higher existence.
However, these malevolent paths would inevitably ensnare anyone who dared embark upon them without ardent resolve. Such people might be distorted by a fog of confusion, others might reach something other than the truth they sought, and some may resort to unspeakable perverted rites in confusion, amongst other things.
To walk the path of darkness in order to grasp the eternal radiance at the end— that was what it meant to descend the Tree of Wicked.
"To destroy evil, one must commit greater evil," Lelouch spoke, the thoughts of Qliphoth driving his thoughts the long abandoned rhetoric he once advocated.
His own hands drenched in rivers of bloodshed for the sake of the greater good. His soul cursed by the resentment and misery of mothers and wives who mourned the desolation of his reign.
A mass genocide that would disgrace human history itself for generations to come and perhaps even more. Eighty million human lives in just three months…
He had destroyed his world, and with his death created it anew.
The original grimoire before him might hold truly wicked depths yet the sins inside of it were not capable of causing a monster such as him to tremble capable.
"The Book of the Law was once deciphered by Aleister Crowley and has since then stood as the pinnacle of supernatural comprehension." Lelouch stated, leaning backward as he closed his eyes, "But what would happen if I were to create another Book of the Law?"
The metronome of the chess piece rolling between the fingers of his right hand was comprehensible only to him, even as Lelouch used his left hand to hold open a pristine white book. His mind was occupied by other concerns; namely the implications of the knowledge that lay before him.
The Book of 777…
It had taken him an entire decade, and even so, he had only been able to decode about three-quarters of the original grimoire left behind by his father. The rate was too slow to be considered practical…
"These so-called 'original grimoires' are just mediums to record the knowledge whose weight could not be borne by the world alone." A distorted voice spoke, buzzing occasionally with static distortions.
A foreign entity gracefully hovered beside him. The Holy Guardian Angel— Aiwass…
"If someone else were to organize that very same knowledge in another grimoire then that newly copied book would just be an ordinary object if created via simple copying. Even if one were to use magic to try and do the same then all it would amount to would be the creation of a separate original grimoire would be created because that sinful knowledge would always belong to the one who originally comprehended it." The angel stated.
Aiwass' voice was obscure, but Lelouch perfectly understood what she meant, that is— if the contents of an 'original grimoire' were somehow transcribed by someone else through the means of simple copying, then the new book created would be nothing more than mere sheets of paper with insignificant trash drawn on them. It would not have any conceptual weight.
The purpose of these books of magical ways was to store and share the knowledge of their creators, thus, the contents stored inside them could not be recreated unless one understood its knowledge just as the author himself did so. Otherwise, the result would just be akin to the creation of another separate original grimoire on the same subject.
But conversely, this also meant that it was indeed possible to create numerous copies of the same 'original grimoire' so long as the author himself were to do it.
"I understand." Lelouch simply nodded, "But considering what I plan to do, would it not be easier to just create another 'Book of Law' rather than trying to comprehend separate systems from the scratch?"
"Ho?"
Many people assume that the knowledge inside the infamous 'Book of the Law' belonged exclusively to Aleister Crowley, but it was a rather unknown fact the contents of this original grimoire were copied down by Aleister when they were dictated to him by an extra-dimensional being.
Therefore, the knowledge recorded inside the contents of the Book of the Law instead belonged to the 'Secret Chief' who now stood before him in all her splendour. The Holy Guardian Angel— Aiwass.
"So you plan to use the unnatural contents of the Book of the Law to circumvent the bounds placed upon you by your situation," Aiwass spoke, and it was not a question.
"The rather unique nature of my soul only hinders my progress." Lelouch glanced at her with his amethyst eyes, "You know this far better than I do. My own deposition now stands against my dreams and restricts my growth."
The old cushioned chair seemed oddly comforting as he casually spoke of the anomaly that was his own soul.
Normal sorcerers might not be able to see it, but those who could look peer into the depths of this world would know at a glance— just how abominable he truly was.
The sciences of the supernatural, each straining in its own direction had harmed him little till now but some day the piecing together of dissociated knowledge would open up such terrifying vistas of reality, and of his frightful position therein, that Lelouch might flee from the light into the peace and safety of ignorance.
He was the actualization of dreams of every being who held the rank of 8=3 or above, those monsters who could destroy the universe on a simple whim. That was the significance of his appearance in this world, though he was not aware of it.
But the very fact that he did not belong to this world now stood in his way. The most fundamental aspect of who he was now was what held him back.
"If the world itself denies my dreams, then I shall embark upon a path that denies the world in turn." Lelouch spoke, knowing the paths he could take, "If I cannot use the conventional systems of this universe to seize what I must, then I must look for those that do not belong to this universe."
It was only natural, for he was not amongst those who could not understand that sometimes it was necessary to go around a mountain rather than trying to bore through it in vain.
He glanced at Aiwass from the corner of his eyes, "There is only one such being that I know of and she stands right before me in this very room. How coincidental…"
He glanced at Aiwass— the only being which did not comply with any known laws of the world. An angel that did not belong to Heaven, a being who could not be understood either by science or mystery.
"In 1904, Aleister Crowley contacted a being through his wife Rose Edith Kelly during their honeymoon in Cairo who granted him with its celestial knowledge which was recorded inside the pages of the original grimoire known as the Book of the Law." Lelouch spoke, tapping the black king against his fingers "A being that appeared in no known legend who used powers belonging to neither magic nor science."
Was Aiwass really such an alluring being?
An angel that no theology could explain— the symbol of an aspect beyond that created by the hands of God and the greatest desecration against fate itself. In the end, Aleister Crowley did not merely yearn for the Book of the Law. He wanted the aberrant angel itself that came along with it.
"The structures of this world now stand before my dreams, so I need something not of this world to seize my ambitions," Lelouch stated, knowing the harsh truth behind his words. He smirked…
"But why would I need to look any further when I already have what I seek? When the only known otherworldly being in all of history now stands before me in all her majesty?"
Aiwass simply moved her head to the side at his words as she instead gazed at him with her ethereal eyes that searched his very soul.
And it took all his resolve to stop himself from balking something that Lelouch could neither name nor understand, something that inside of her moved…
Something that—
"An interesting proposal…" She finally spoke, snapping him away from dangerous thoughts.
"Then—"
"But I must refuse." She declared, "The 'poisonous' knowledge inside of that book is not something your soul can bear, not as you are now. It would desecrate your very existence should I allow you to reach for it and I would never stand for it."
Lelouch lowered his gaze and sighed, and for an instant that vulnerable side of his which he concealed beneath his many masks emerged despite expecting such a response.
There was only so much hurt, disappointment, and oppression a man could take. Blessed were those who expected nothing, they were the only ones who shall never be disappointed…
It seemed as if with each passing moment the line between reason and madness continues to grow thinner as the heart of a boy who wanted to save his sister died a slow death, shedding each hope like leaves until one day there are none.
Nothing remained for him, nothing except for the salvation he would bring to Lola— such was his resolve. But even so…
"I never thought this day would come, when I would acknowledge the harsh truth my father was awfully fond of repeating." He slowly spoke after a moment.
"Hmm?"
"All men are not born equal." Lelouch ruefully shook his head, before looking above as if cursing the very heavens. "It was not I who lost in the end, but providence that rejected my dreams. This is the greatest curse of the world— that which is known as fate."
Aiwass stared at him for a moment, as if contemplating a mystery that she could neither comprehend nor identify.
"Every human is a hypocrite, but this very hypocrisy is what separates them from other animals. It is what makes them whole." Lelouch shook his head, "I must move forward knowing all this. You leave me with no choice."
Aiwass simply nodded her head in acknowledgment; she could not understand human nature, nor did she pretend so.
"The Book of the Law is beyond your reach but the path before you have not been closed. You must comprehend the knowledge your father has placed inside the Book of 777— the Liber: 777."
Lelouch looked down at the pristine white book on the table before him, one that contained knowledge that defied the laws of the universe.
"I know what I must do." Lelouch spoke, "I remember what we had agreed upon."
"Though this original grimoire does not touch the practice of mystery itself. It holds the truth regarding the Sephiroth and the Qliphoth as understood by your father." Aiwass' ethereal form distorted even as she spoke. "It would not be wrong to say that you currently hold the most insightful interpretations regarding the ascension of existences. You would need it for what you plan."
Lelouch just nodded his head, confused even as he accepted her words but before he could respond the Holy Guardian Angel then turned towards him and made a declaration that shook his very core.
"Lelouch Crowley, you who wish to change your fate. Regardless of what kind of human you are, you must never stop working toward a brighter future."
She made a proclamation that seemed to be viewing the end of a great current that flowed from the very beginning of his life– that began with the recreation of his own world – to today.
"You did well to bear those arduous burdens and continue walking down that thorny path. You shall be given a reward equal to the blood, sweat, and tears you shed in that lonely darkness. The laws of the world are of no consequence and the rules set by the existing gods shall be rendered impotent. Now, raise your head, face forward, stand tall, and accept it."
Lelouch's amethyst eyes widened.
"Accept the blessing you have drawn to yourself with your own unceasing resolve. As we had agreed upon, the Holy Guardian Angel shall guide you!"
Then Aiwass reached for him with her ethereal hands, drawing closer and closer as her fingers almost touched his head. Her aura enveloped his body, and with just a single touch she vanished into him.
Lelouch spoke nothing in return, ignoring the faint tug of gratitude on his heart. He simply bowed his head, and focused on the book in his hand.
Contrary to what most people thought— the 'Book of the Law' devised by Aleister Crowley could not be considered the star of his achievements.
The 'original grimoire' was dictated to Aleister by an otherworldly being. Thus, the knowledge recorded in the Book of the Law belonged to the 'Holy Guardian Angel' and could not be called a creation of Crowley himself.
His real achievements, those borne of his own genius which stood at the peak of mankind were the contents recorded in the Book of Thoth, the Moonchild, the Lesser Key of Solomon, the Magick, the Goetia, his Libers, the Book 4 alongside the Thoth Tarot which later became one of the unshakable foundations of modern sorcery.
As for the Book of 777— it was known to very few people, a niche audience even in the world of the supernatural that could barely be counted on a single hand.
Not because the knowledge of this 'original grimoire' was inferior but because it recorded no practices which could be used in this aspect.
But despite the awkwardness of its knowledge, it served a far greater purpose to Lelouch and his ambitions than any other 'original grimoire in the world could have.
There always was a tide in the affairs of men which when taken at the flood, might lead to fortune. But mislaid, all the voyage of their life were bound in shallows and in miseries.
Lelouch now stood at such a crossroad.
"Heaven and Earth, both have seen fit to stand against me, but they shall know that I do not bend so quickly." Lelouch whispered, "I now understand what I must do, Aiwass."
His goal could never be clearer—
There was no power in the universe that could stop Coronzon, no being whose strength could eclipse that of the demon from the Abyss.
There were countless stars in the universe who called themselves strong. They gleamed in its darkness, hundreds upon hundreds of shining jewels on a backdrop of black as they outshone the light of the long distant suns and took their rightful place as the true stars of the world. So bright that they illuminated the world beneath them with their light.
Gods, angels, demons, and monsters with powers that could tear apart the planet were made mundane when they stood next to beings so powerful that one could look upon them for days and nights.
Each one was an unparalleled masterpiece, a peerless being amongst its generation. Wars have been fought at the whims of such beings, entire nations were brought to their knees by their strength, and legends were born on the might of their steel.
Yet none of them could match that Demon…
But if there was no power that could surpass Coronzon, then Lelouch would simply become one. Was he a king worthy of great glory, or a pretender clamouring for attention at the edge of the world?
That was what he had placed his hopes upon.
There were countless paths through which beings could ascend into a higher existence. Touching the realm of God was not a concept bound to the Trees of Sephiroth and Qliphoth.
There were infinite paths through which mortals could achieve divinity, countless roads using which numerous Magic Gods had been born into the world and humans were not the only race that could embark on them.
Unmatched plants, ferocious animals, monsters, peerless humans, graceful angels, hideous demons, and even unmatched gods. All yearned for one dream…
And there were just as many ways to reach that dream, countless systems through which one could ascend.
Christians ascended through the Tree of Sephiroth even as the Taoists did the same by comprehending the Dao through cultivation, Buddhists transcend Samsara by attaining enlightenment, and Hindus reached Moksha through Tapas and Sadhana to say nothing of the means devised by the supernatural to do the same.
Yet even amongst them, how many had forsaken humanity to achieve omnipotence?
Only true monsters had ever done so, those known as Gods of Magic…
And Lelouch vi Britannia, known as Lelouch Crowley in this life was resolved to become one of them for the sake of his sister. That was what he had planned…
"I must finish this 'original grimoire' by today before all else." Lelouch spoke.
As soon as Lelouch's voice fell, the Book of 777 that was before him turned into a ray of heavenly radiance whose holy aura shined upon the room.
And then the eyes of Lelouch became heavy as he gracefully lost consciousness, slowly lulled into the realm of Morpheus by an unseen force that embraced him with the warmth of a mother's touch and it seemed as if his body was being controlled by someone.
Sinful knowledge flowed through his very being as the poison that could destroy the world entered his body, igniting every single one of his cells on agonizing hellfire as excruciating agony tore through the very depths of his very soul.
Agonizing torment tore through the depths of his existence as every part of his soul screamed and broke even as unseen waves of agony coursed through his very origin in a manner no mortal was meant to bear.
It was more than just pain, more than simple anguish. This was the knowledge of the Grimoire whose existence that the world could never tolerate almost overwhelmed that of his very own.
It was something no man should have ever experienced. It was a punishment that even the gods would have turned their faces from, a sentence even Satans would not speak of. Yet, Lelouch persevered.
His hand moved even as his pink lips started reciting.
…
"Liber 777" Caput III, SECTIO LXXIV, Occultatum et honorificum nomen splendorem habet, sicut sol semper noctis filium habet!"
"Liber 777 Caput III, Sectio 75, verba ad finem omnia sunt: ABRAHADABRA!"
"Liber 777 scriptus est et absconditus, AUMHA, AUMHA!"
…
When Lelouch finished reading the last word in the 'Book of the 777', the surroundings turned calm, as an oppressive quietness permeated the room that had removed every known phenomenon from the room. It was as if time itself had ceased to exist at that moment leaving behind an absolute void.
And then there was light—
Lelouch's eyes were closed, his heartbeat strong and his breath steady but his body had lost movement. The nerves inside his brain had ceased to respond and the impulses inside of him had long stagnated.
If any medical consultant were to observe him at the moment, it would have appeared as if he were a comatose subject whose consciousness had been removed, severed alongside his awareness but to those who could peer into the deeper depths world the changes occurring inside of him were glaringly apparent
His soul had left his physical body, no longer restricted by the bounds of the physical world, and had entered another Phase—a plane isolated from the forces of the material world.
When Lelouch came about, everything around him was enshrouded in a myriad of glaring radiance and encompassing darkness— created from imaginary numbers under laws that did not exist in the material universe.
This world stretched far beyond what Lelouch or any other human could see or sense— a space-time continuum whose ends stretched to an infinite length, or perhaps even more.
A plane of this size would have contained countless planets that in turn would have revolved around countless stars had it adhered to the norms of normality. But this infinite and boundless 'Phase' was empty and desolate…
It lacked any known element that could be found in the original universe for neither the normal physical laws nor the standard magical laws existed here. Instead, it was completely comprised of imaginary numbers and complex elements.
It was a 'Phase' formed by imaginary numbers, an unobservable territory that was not governed by the current laws of physics. Thus, it existed in every possible configuration due to being unobserved, though for that same reason nothing could exist inside it.
It was the first time Lelouch had set foot into this seemingly miraculous 'Phase' and he could not comprehend what exactly had happened to him.
He could not move his body, but that might have been a consequence of the fact that his body did not even exist in this 'Phase' though Lelouch was not aware of it. The vessel he was occupying was merely the astral projection of his soul— an image that resembled the projection through which Aiwass appeared before him.
But just as Lelouch was slowly comprehending the strange situation he had been struck in— in this 'Phase' where no other existences should appear, a cold voice abruptly came forth.
"Interesting, truly interesting…" It drawled in detached interest, "Just how did you enter this 'Phase' with such a poor mystic foundation?"
The voice was neither male nor female, neither old nor young. It sounded melodious but discordant at the same time as if it were struck in a constant state of uncertainty.
"Wait! Let me guess it myself..." The owner of the voice spoke as if he had discovered some novel animal, a subject to be experimented upon.
The voice was seemingly talking to himself, but the tone was frivolous and playful. The laws of this universe were different from his own, ye the monster who casually spoke to Lelouch remained in his physical body as if he were taking a stroll in the gardens of earth.
This physical form was not achieved by mortal magic, this man was one whose existence surpassed the laws of the universe entirely and reached a transcendent state.
"I can conclude that you must have reached this 'Phase' through the Book of the 777." The voice continued unhindered, "But as far as I can remember, that Grimoire should have fallen into the hands of the Necessarius. So does this imply that you are a member of the English Puritan Church? "
The man who stepped forward, looking like an adult, yet also a child; like a man, yet also a woman; like a saint, yet also a criminal. Just as with everything else about him, even the appearance of this man seemed to be contradictory.
"Your talent is commendable, sorcerer of Necessarius. It seems that I had underestimated the English Puritan Church, especially if it has found sorcerers who could accurately find the most correct path amongst the endless interpretation under which that Grimoire was enshrouded."
He had haunting silver hair that reached up to his back and wore a magnificent black uniform under a long martial cloak that was draped over his shoulders.
This man had a graceful effeminate face whose aristocratic features were only enhanced by a detached temperament that appeared just as unique as it was alluring.
Aleister Crowley…
Lelouch instantly recognized him as soon as he appeared before him.
His esteemed father, the parent whom he had never met before— the silver star, the beast of the apocalypse, the wickedest man in the World, and so on…
His magical name – BEAST: 666.
Lelouch was momentarily surprised by his appearance for a single moment but soon became regained his bearings. The thought of searching for this man had never been outright rejected.
The 'Great Demon' Coronzon was not an existence that mere humans could comprehend, and even the entirety of mankind combined could not compare to this demon.
Yet there were some beings who could match its might so as long as it remained bound by the body of its avatar. Lelouch had always been aware that this father was one of the only ones who could help his sister.
In this world there were existences who transcended all forms of mortal comprehension, so further removed from mankind that the term 'human' could not be used to accurately describe them anymore.
His father was one of them…
Happiness surged through his heart, washing away all the burdens that had troubled him so. His soul felt bright as emotions he could neither name nor understand welled inside of him. This was the man who could save Lola…
Lelouch opened his mount but soon found out that he could not speak a single word. There was someone who could grant salvation to his sister right before, yet no voice left his throat regardless of how hard he tried.
It was then that Lelouch understood— he did not even have a body.
He was just an astral image projected into the configuration of this space by means beyond his comprehension, an existence that was only capable of thinking.
The same could not be said of Aleister Crowley who could ignore the laws of this place and manifest his own material body in this continuum of imaginary numbers.
"It was your misfortune to meet me here." Aleister spoke, "Imagine Breaker was fragmented in my war with Mathers, and thus, for the sake of my success, I cannot allow information about my location to be known by those who stand in my way."
Aleister Crowley said so, and then under Lelouch's stunned gaze, the greatest magician of the 20th century slowly raised his right hand, making a fist with his right hand, while extending his thumb and index finger to make was a well-known shooting gesture.
And that gunpoint was aimed right at Lelouch!
This Phase is not the Imaginary Numbers Space from Nasuverse, it is a copy of it created by Crowley himself for personal use. The fact that he can actually have a physical body here just shows how strong he is. More on this would be explained in the next chapter.
Qliphoth is also a Tree representing a hierarchy of existences, but opposite to its counterpart which shows the ranks of angels, this tree shows displays the ranks of demons. They both end at the same place which is the Domain of God. Correct me if I am wrong, I always appreciate such inputs that would help me improve.
Thanks for reading