THE EMANATION OF THE END AND THE COMING OF PARADISE: CHAPTER 5

CHAPTER 5

¹And lo, the Lord did nod, and the Lamb of Light, even Ajora Most High, stretched forth His hand and brake the fifth Seal.
²And there was heard a shattering cry from the vault of the firmament, as though time itself were wounded and bleeding.
³Then did the stars halt in their courses, and the sun did not rise, nor the moon descend, for the turning of days was undone.
⁴And the Glass of Time, vast as the sea and set upon the foundation of the sky, did crack and fall into ruin, and its sands were scattered across eternity.
⁵And the Lord spake unto all creatures that breathe, saying: “Time is no more; it is finished. The harvest is ripe.”
⁶And the angels of the seventh choir wept, for the age of becoming had ended, and all things were as they are, and shall not change again.
⁷And in that hour, Hell did stir, and the chains of frost were loosed; and its gates, wrought of stone and brass, did smoke and steam.
⁸And Behold, the Lord’s finger did point, and the Pit did open as a furnace long sealed.
⁹And Bezaliel, the False Flame, who is called Amphisbaena, stirred in his agony, and raised up his twin heads.
¹⁰And the Lord rebuked him, saying: “Thou that didst kindle the pride of kings, thou that didst whisper ruin into the heart of the just — thou art fallen, and shalt rise no more.”
¹¹And fire went out from the midst of the Throne, and consumed him from within; and the serpent was made to crawl as dust beneath the feet of the saints.
¹²And those who had worshipped him in secret places, and built temples of cunning without stones, did cry aloud and gnash their teeth.
¹³But none heard them, for the ears of mercy were closed, and the season of pleading had fled.
¹⁴And the Heavens rolled back, and lo, the souls of the ancient dead did appear, gathered upon the heights, waiting judgment in silence.
¹⁵Then did Ajora brake the sixth Seal, and a trembling passed through the worlds.
¹⁶And the Lord, who seeth from beginning to end, opened the Book of Weighing, wherein were written the measure of every soul.
¹⁷And the winds were stilled, and the birds did not sing, and no infant cried, for the world stood in awe.
¹⁸And a great chasm yawned between the light and the dark, and none could pass from the one unto the other.
¹⁹And the Lord cried with a great voice, “Come forth, O souls, and receive thy recompense!”
²⁰And they came, the multitudes of every tongue, clad not in flesh but in remembrance, and each stood as they were in the day of their last breath.
²¹Then did the Nine Judges Magister take their place in a circle round about the Throne, and each did bear a scepter of crystal and flame.
²²And the first Judge cried, “Mercy be shown to the meek and the penitent.”
²³And the second, “Justice be done upon the arrogant and cruel.”
²⁴And the third, “Let the scales be set aright, that none be found wanting unfairly.”
²⁵And Ajora stood between Heaven and Ivalice, the scroll of the End in His hands, and the saints behind Him in array.
²⁶And the fourth Judge spake, saying: “Let the tears of the oppressed rise as incense before the Lord, and let their tormentors be weighed against them.”
²⁷And the fifth: “Let the secret deeds of the night be revealed in the brightness of noon.”
²⁸And the sixth: “Let no lie stand before the face of God, for all is known unto Him.”
²⁹And the seventh: “Let the just be lifted, even as the chaff is blown away.”
³⁰And the eighth: “Let the humble be crowned with glory, and the proud be cast down into dust.”
³¹And the ninth Judge, whose name was hidden from mortal speech, lifted not his voice, but wrote with fire upon the firmament: “So it is done.”
³²And every soul was drawn unto the presence of the Throne, as leaves are drawn unto flame in the forest wind.
³³And each soul beheld the light of the Lord as in a mirror, and saw therein all that they had done, and all that they had failed to do.
³⁴And the Lord said unto them: “By thine own witness art thou judged.”
³⁵Then the righteous did fall to their knees, weeping with joy and trembling, for they beheld the mercy of the Most High.
³⁶And lo, their tears became pearls, and a crown was wrought of them, and placed upon their heads by the hand of the Spirit.
³⁷And they sang a new song, which none had heard nor learned, save those who loved the Lord in secret and in sorrow.
³⁸And they were lifted up, not as smoke from the altar, but as doves from the valley, into the highest Heaven.
³⁹But the wicked did cry out, saying, “Hide us! Bury us beneath the mountains! Let the deep swallow us whole!”
⁴⁰For the face of the Lord was unto them as a sword of flame, and His gaze as the heat of seven suns.
⁴¹And they fled, but there was no place to flee; they sank into the depths, but the depths spat them out.
⁴²And the Lord said: “Thou didst choose thy god, and lo, he hath no hand to save thee.”
⁴³And the wicked were cast down, not by wrath, but by truth, for they could not stand upright before it.
⁴⁴Then did the repentant of the Pit raise their eyes in hope, and their chains fell away at the word of the Lord.
⁴⁵And the voice of Ajora went out over the chasm, saying: “Who hath turned from evil in his affliction? Who hath wept not for punishment, but for love of the Good?”
⁴⁶And from out of Hell rose a trembling multitude, pale as the mist, yet shining with a light not their own.
⁴⁷These had sinned greatly, but repented greatly; these had despaired, but clung to hope with broken hands.
⁴⁸And unto them the Lord said, “Come, ye that are washed in bitter tears, and enter into My rest.”
⁴⁹And the gates of Heaven were opened anew, and the music of the blessed poured forth, and the stars did dance in their places.
⁵⁰And the Nine Judges rose as one, and bowed before the Throne, for the Last Judgment was fulfilled.
⁵¹Then did the stars return to their courses, and the moon stood still in her place, and the sun no longer scorched the face of Ivalice.
⁵²And the nations were as vessels overturned, emptied of vanity and pride, and made ready for the wine of the Lord’s mercy.
⁵³The kings of Ivalice who had made war against the Light did fall upon their own swords, for there was no victory save in submission.
⁵⁴The merchants cast their silver into the sea, and their gold into the fire, for they knew not the worth of righteousness.
⁵⁵And the Lord spake, saying: “Behold, the reckonings are ended. The balance is set right. Let all things now be made new.”
⁵⁶And Ajora lifted His hands toward the Throne, and said: “O Lord Most High, Thy will is fulfilled; Thy justice hath swept clean the threshing floor.”
⁵⁷Then did the angel of the Book come forth, even he who kept record of every thought and deed; and his book was closed, and sealed, and laid at the feet of the Lord.
⁵⁸And it was said among the host of Heaven: “The time is no longer. The hour hath passed. Eternity cometh.”
⁵⁹Then did the land tremble with joy, and the seas did sing as a choir, and the trees did stretch forth their branches in praise.
⁶⁰For the judgment of the Lord is terrible and glorious, and His justice bringeth peace.
⁶¹And the souls in Heaven did sing with one voice: “Holy, holy, holy is He who judgeth the world in truth!”
⁶²And a great stillness fell upon all creation, as though the breath of the Almighty hovered o’er it.
⁶³And the Lord spake to Ajora: “Thou hast fulfilled the Word. It remaineth now only that the Gate be opened.”
⁶⁴Then did Ajora descend once more, not as a man, but as flame in human form, brighter than ten thousand torches, gentler than the breath of dawn.
⁶⁵And He walked among the redeemed, and they cried: “Master! Teacher! Shepherd of our souls!”
⁶⁶And Ajora said unto them: “It is finished, beloved. The world thou knewest is no more. Come now and see the Kingdom.”
⁶⁷And He led them, and they followed with hearts alight, their burdens fallen behind them as shadows at noon.
⁶⁸And behold, the firmament did open like a scroll rolled back, and there was a light beyond light, a sky beyond the sky.
⁶⁹And the Gate of Paradise stood open, wrought of living crystal and flaming sapphire, with the names of the Saints inscribed thereon.
⁷⁰And the Lord said: “Enter, ye blessed of My Spirit, for the time of sorrow is ended, and the age of rejoicing is come.”
⁷¹And the redeemed entered in, singing songs older than time, clothed in garments woven from joy.
⁷²And Ajora sealed it at the last, His robe trailing glory, and the Gate was shut with a sound like the first breath of the world.
⁷³Then there was silence again, not of dread, but of fulfillment, as when a great work is done and all marvel at its beauty.
⁷⁴And Leviathan, the disciple beloved, did fall upon his face, for his eyes had seen the Emanation of the End.
⁷⁵And the voice of Ajora came unto him, saying: “Write, and let them that hath ears to hear, hear. For the end is the beginning, and the night is as day before Me.”

▷THE SEVEN SCRIPTURES OF THE CHURCH OF GLABADOS
    ▷THE LAST TESTAMENT
        ▷THE EMANATION OF THE END AND THE COMING OF PARADISE
            ▶1—2—3—4—5—6

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