GLN:3:10 The Spiritbeing said, "I have no desire to unduly punish men. Go out to the people, and tell them that if they will but mend their ways and walk no more in the path of wickedness, I shall depart." But when the Chief of Interpreters returned to the people, he found them fearful and distraught, clay in the hands of false priests, devotees of the baleful gods. The false priests were crying out for a sacrifice to their gods and had seized Anis, a young man more handsome than any other, a messenger and runner between cities. Then, though they whispered fearfully among themselves concerning the deed, the people had seized Nanua, handmaiden of Eloma, the Enlightened One, whose life was dedicated to Illana, for she had cried out curses upon their heads when the young man was taken.
GLN:3:11 Nanua and Anis were held by the false priests, and about them surged the great mass of the people, and, though the Chief of Interpreters raised his voice it went unheeded. Then the mass of the people moved down to the water's edge and there they stopped while the priests shouted prayers to the gods raging above. All the Heavens were darkened with great rolling clouds and there were high winds and lightning about the mountain top. The people rent their garments, the women wailed and men struck their forearms. Anis was beaten with a club and delivered to the waters.
GLN:3:12 Then, as he who wielded the club turned towards Nanua, she said to those about her, "Let be, I will deliver myself to the waters, for if I must be sacrificed, I would be a better sacrifice so given." Then she went down to the waters, but as her feet entered she drew back from the cold, dark, watery depths before her. But as the one who wielded the club moved forward, a young man, Sheluat the Scribe, a man of quiet ways, neither handsome nor strong in body, pushed forward and, taking her by the hand, went down into the waters with her.
GLN:3:13 The waters had risen high, and men shared the place where they stood with wild beasts and with sheep and cattle, but now the tumult quietened and the waters drew back. Seeing this, the people shouted praises to the baleful gods and cried out, "Great are the mighty gods and great their holy priests!"
GLN:3:14 The Chief of Interpreters went sorrowfully apart, hiding himself; for now, he was fearful for his life. When the waters had subsided, he cast his spirit and entered into communion with the hastening Spirit, and he said, "Shall I also enter the falling waters as a sacrifice? For life is now futile, as I am without God or honour." The Great One answered, "Men see in events the things they wish to see, they can interpret only according to their understanding. The waters rose to their limitation and did not fall because of the needless sacrifices. The Powers above may ordain events to chasten men, but more often, such events are challenges and tests. However, divine intervention is rare, indeed."
GLN:3:15 "These priests follow another, a longer path, but they too condemn wickedness and they too point the way to Truth. though that way may be indirect and beset with hazards. So, whether they or you reached the ears of the people, the odour of wickedness will be diminished. Divine ends are achieved by diverse means, and the eyes of few men are opened to see either the means or the end."
GLN:3:16 "Life is never futile, but your sacrifice would be. No man can lose his God, for He is always there; but the prestige of a man because of that God such prestige is a worldly thing of little real value. How do you know whether you have lost or gained? Events of the moment cannot be weighed in the moment, but can be assessed only by the judgement of the years. Only eternity knows whether this or that was good or bad, a gain or loss."
GLN:3:17 Then, the Great One opened the eyes of the Chief of Interpreters, so he saw beyond the earthly border into the realm beyond. Behold, he saw Anis who had been strong and handsome on Earth, and now he was something not pleasant to gaze upon. He saw also the true beauty of Nanua, who was now a being of dazzling loveliness, and beside her was Sheluat, who had always loved her secretly, and he was now glowing with youth and handsome as Helith. The Chief of the Interpreters then understood that evil could be transmuted into good, and that men had little knowledge of
the true nature of things.
GLN:3:18 Upon the mountain, there is now a grove of trees and a temple built in the form of a circle of white stones, where the people remember the day of their deliverance. But what they recall and what happened are not the same; nor is the cause in their minds the true cause. They say, "We are the children of Atuma who saved us." Many who have gone often to the Temple of Deliverance say they have seen two shades, one radiantly beautiful and one gloriously handsome, wandering hand in hand through the trees or sitting in the sunlit glades. All about is now a place of peace.
GLN:3:19 Men walk under the shadow of dread, and fear of unknown powers fills their hearts. They have fashioned images in the likeness of the things which frighten them in the gloom of their ignorance, and they spurn the real for the unreal. Did they see more clearly, they would know that the things they fear are but gentle and sturdy hands, which can lead them to fields of contentment.
Chapter Four - The Deluge
GLN:4:1 It is written, in The Great Book of The Fire hawks, that Earth was destroyed twice, once altogether by fire and once partially by water. The destruction by water was the lesser destruction and came about in this manner.
GLN:4:2 The people of those times spurned all spiritual things, and men lived only for pleasure, caring little for the good of mankind or the future of the people. Lewdness and lies were upon the tongues of all men, and brother could not deal justly with brother. The princes and governors were corrupt, and proper tribute was not paid; the statutes were held up to scorn. The lives of men were ruled by their desires, and they spent their days in gluttony, drunkedness, fornication, dancing and singing to instruments of music.
GLN:4:3 The land was unattended, for men dissipated their strength in unproductive lusts and pleasures. Women lacked shame, for many would cast their glances after one man. Men fought among themselves and even slew one another because of their lusts for worthless women, while the chaste women were not sought. They were even rejected, for men declined the effort of being worthy of them in the eyes of their fathers. Wives were unhonoured, and only the women of pleasure commanded the attentions of men. Women were unclean and immodest, and men lay with them shamelessly in the presence of one another. Old women were more lustful than the young ones, while virgins were seduced and corrupted in their childhood. Fathers fornicated before their sons and were admired for their prowess. They made no distinction between their sons and other men, or between their wives and other women. Deceit and violence were seen on every hand.
GLN:4:4 To the East and North were high mountains, upon which dwelt a tribe called The Sons of Nezirah, The Men of the Mountains, who were hardy men and mighty hunters, skilful in the chase and valiant in battle. The men were upright; their wives were faithful and their sons noble. In their hearts were no unworthy thoughts, no envy or hate, no malice or deceitfulness. They did not smile before a man's face, uttering smooth words, then when he turned his back, reach out to stab him. In their wives and daughters there was no impure longing, and neither cursing nor lying was heard among them. The womenfolk respected their men and maintained decency and decorum.
GLN:4:5 Yet they were men with men's ways, abhorring all forms of unmanliness and degeneracy. Therefore, the treasures in the cities of the plains and the weakness of the people to whom these belonged did not go unnoticed by The Sons of Nezirah. So they said among themselves, "Let us go down and do a good deed among these people; let us show them the ways of men who are strong, making them slaves and possessing ourselves of their goods." This talk continued among the men in the marketplaces and gatherings, until they were stirred up to deeds, and they gathered together a warband of fighting men. The Mountain Men chose leaders from among themselves, after their custom, and prepared to fall upon the softliving people of the plains and become their masters.