Sermon 24
As Ayem and the humbled Nerevar returned to Veloth, anon Almalexia, she offered this wisdom as balm.
The Scripture of the Self:
I was born of the absolute darkness,
To bring the light of clarity.
You, who have longed for me,
Take me to yourselves.
And you, who are deaf,
I grant you ears to hear.
And you who are blind,
I grant you eyes to see.
I hold destruction in my right hand,
And nothing in my left.
I am barren,
And mother to millions.
I am a slave in silver shackles,
And king of black brambles.
I am a veiled whore,
And a perfumed virgin.
I weep at war,
And proscribe peace.
I shape man in my image,
And I am formless.
I am honoured by snake-tongued deceivers,
And cast into the wastes by the merciful.
I make of myself a mirror for the lost,
Glimpse your reflection, unfolding like a labyrinth.
I am clawless, toothless, terrible in my fury,
Ready your sword, foolish one!
You who seize at me,
Find mist in your palm.
And you who hate me,
Shall know my love alone.
I despise only wisdom,
And array myself in ignorance.
I am an empty book,
And I contain all words.
I am beloved of the barbarians,
And stoned by my family.
I offer life everlasting,
And I am your annihilation.
Let my name remain unspoken,
And shout it from the mountains.
I anoint you as my prophet,
To carry the burden of my yoke,
Which is nothing.
And to me shall I gather all people,
And raise you above their clamour.
Why do you curse my pride?
I, I am godless,
And I am the gate of God.
This is the shape of Ayem, Mother of Mercy. The foolish will repeat this mantra till enlightenment comes. The wise know Ayem cannot be defined in any language, not even the one whispered by the earth-bones, which mad poets speak. The Hortator wrote down this scripture on gold-flecked parchment, covered it in kisses. Then he cast it into a heap of guar dung. And Ayem did smile at this, for this was an act of worship. Many years later, or perhaps not, she revealed two more lines:
I am the undreamt dreamer, awake in bed,
And everything looks perfect inside my head.
The ending of the words is ALMSIVI.