Sermon 22
Muat anon Necrom knew much rejoicing after Ayem's victory. The Mother made of herself a statue, and the people did garland her, anointing her head with milk and scented oil. During all this Nerevar remained kneeling at his Mother's feet, blade laid across his lap.
This communion lasted 33 days. Ayem blessed the people then, returning to Veloth anon Almalexia, Hortator in tow.
Ayem journeyed to the Temple of Mind-Hunger, which is Seht's seat. She and the Hortator stood 'neath a shaft of light, filtering from unknown heights. Ayem told Seht of her travails, Nerevar kept silent.
The walls grew eyes then, breathed, pulsed like living flesh. Metal sculptures twisted in wonderful union, merging, melting. From the protean meeting of limbs emerged an image of Seht. He was fecund and full-figured, Seht-who-is-Azura, womb of the cosmos.
"Why do you speak of this to God? Do you think Him finite?"
"I do this for civility's sake, which allows animals to form societies."
And Nerevar, the student, said, "Mistress, what use is prayer if You can read our hearts?"
Seht's thought-rumblings made the temple tremble, but Ayem laughed.
"Love is girded with small lies. We hide our true faces to please our doubles. Thus do you speak to God, though She already knows the ending."
And these words rang with such truth Seht carved them upon his temple's gate, but in the space between light, so only the wise could read them.
Then did Vivec come, bearing aloft an earth-boned spear.
"Where did you come by this?" asked Seht.
"I found it within me." He paid no heed to Kalabhaksa, for it is a hidden thing.
And Ayem could see Molag Bal's shadow squirming 'neath Vivec's.
"Be wary of the secrets plucked from love's rotting corpse."
"Shall I beware this secret too, sister?" And Vivec revealed his heart.
Nerevar, a mere man, was struck dumb. For symbols glowed upon Vivec's centre, shaping a syllable his mouth could not form. And this formlessness was free, and could be filled with possibility.
"This is a fragment," said Ayem.
And Vivec, who stood in the middle said, "Man is made of such."
Seht sighed out iron vapour. "Only trouble proceeds from disillusionment."
But Vivec laughed, played a note upon his spear. And with this he vanished.
The secret's afterimage blazed before Nerevar.
"Mistress, I too wish to see as he does."
And Ayem, who is the Mother of Mercy said, "You will regret this."
"But man is marked by regrets of the flesh. This is what patterns us."
And Ayem could not dispute this, for it was her wisdom.
"Molag Bal holds material promises," said Seht. "Seek him, and learn Hortator."
Thus we find revelation in revulsion.
This sermon is forbidden.
Do not follow this path; it is a poet-wrought lie.
This sermon is untrue, yet more true than the rest.
The ending of the words is ALMSIVI.