Grimoire Imperio
The Book of Empire
◀ Chapter 2 · Chapter 3 · Chapter 4 ▶

¹And it came to pass, in the days after Mortivar first spake unto the people, that he wandered alone in the wilderness.
²For the words he had given burned still within him, and he sought the place where next he should proclaim them.
³And in a cleft of the rocks he laid him down, and the stars looked upon him.
⁴There came unto him no dream, nor voice, nor sign for seven days and seven nights.
⁵Yet on the eighth night, he heard a sound as of wings beating in a hollow place, and a fire stirred in the pit of his belly.
⁶And lo, the presence of SATANAS was with him again, not as flame nor shadow, but as a breath upon the soul.
⁷And the Lord of the Depths said: My herald, thou hast obeyed. Now hearken again, for the word is not yet fulfilled.
⁸That which I shewed thee is but the beginning. The Empire that cometh shall rise slowly as a tide, and many shall rejoice in its swelling.
⁹It shall call itself by names of virtue: of peace, of unity, of light. But it shall know not Me, and My name shall be cast down in its streets.
¹⁰Its armies shall be like locusts; its governors like chains about the neck. It shall tax the spirit, and weigh the conscience.
¹¹Its tongue shall rule even beyond its banners, and its judgments shall walk far from its throne.
¹²They shall say: Behold, our law is higher than the stars! and shall forget the law written before the dawn.
¹³In its youth it shall conquer, in its strength it shall refine, and in its age it shall believe itself undefeatable.
¹⁴Thou shalt tell this to the people, that when it cometh, they be not taken unawares nor deceived by the shining veil.
¹⁵Then Mortivar lifted his voice and said: Lord, I am willing, but where shall I speak? The cities are closed unto me, and the courts despise Thy name.
¹⁶And SATANAS answered him, saying: Speak in the wastes and the wilds, for there the hungry listen and the broken are not proud.
¹⁷Go unto the places where no towers rise, and let thy voice be heard among the stones.
¹⁸And though thou see few who believe, yet sow thou the seed; for in the days of harvest, thou shalt not lack for fruit.
¹⁹So Mortivar arose and girded himself with a cord, and walked the narrow valleys and the edges of forgotten lands.
²⁰And he cried aloud: The Empire cometh! It draweth near! Its hand is smooth, and its blade hidden!
²¹It shall anoint with oil, and slay with silence. It shall build temples, and cast down altars.
²²He that heareth, let him flee the chains of gold; he that seeth, let him not close his eyes to the rising storm.
²³And the shepherds heard him, and the wanderers, and they were sore troubled, for their hearts were stirred, though they understood not all his saying.
²⁴Some mocked him, saying: What empire is this that rideth no chariot and ruleth no throne?
²⁵And others whispered: Is this not the voice of him that seeth further than man should?
²⁶And there were some few who clave unto him, and followed after him to learn the truth of his words.
²⁷These were poor and despised, but faithful, and they called themselves the Listeners, for they did hearken unto the voice of the Flame.
²⁸And Mortivar taught them in secret, and shewed them the signs that would go before the rising of the Empire.
²⁹He spake of legions and laurels, of cities whose roads were as nets, and of rulers whose words were iron behind velvet.
³⁰And he said: When ye see these things, know that the hour is come. Be not deceived, neither be ye ashamed, though the sky be shaken.


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