As far as he was capable, Setos was devout, and was always comforted by the rumble of long words.
Imos had a voice which fitted him for such an occasion, and he was much pleased to have the opportunity to use it. With the proper degree of solemnity, he crossed to the east side of the room, where the books lay, and then making three profound genuflections, he began reading promptly:
In the beginning the Great Spirit, surnamed Cohesion, breathed into chaotic disorder the fire of life. Verily, it grew to mighty proportions. It had two arms dividing the Supernal from the light of this world, which is darkness to the ones reposing in the sunshine of eternal peace. So vast was the chasm yawning between Spirit and Matter, that no mortal crossed the void for a million years. Then the twilight changed into morning, and there arose from the Celestial Shore an Archangel strong and mighty.
Hirach was his name. May it ever more be blessed! And a great voice was heard in the expanse like unto the sound of a trumpet, saying:
“Who is able to cross the chasm, to give to souls unborn the Key? To open the book to them that therein they may read the Way of life?”
And the bodiless and formless ones sounded the Æolian harps, and sang:
“Hirach is his name! Thrice blessed is he—Hirach of two threefold wings, encircling heaven, earth and the vast ocean! He alone is great; he is able to cross the vast abyss.”
Then Hirach called unto himself a great Red Dragon, whose name was Marah—for he shall deceive the nations, and they shall war with one another. He who sat on the dragon was calm and silent. His lofty, godlike brow was wrapped in the golden splendor of the morning sun. Over the deep chasm which divides mortals from the highest thrones swirled the Red Dragon, and the worlds trembled and feared. And the mountains from before whose eyes the clouds had vanished said to the stars shining in the majesty of their being: “Who is the terrible Red Dragon, and whose splendor anointeth the brow of him sitting thereon?”
The stars answered: “From infinity to infinity we roll in our courses; ages on ages have spent themselves in our existence, yet we remember not when the Red Dragon rose into life; neither can we comprehend the splendor on the brow of him who sitteth thereon.”
Now as the Dragon gyrated in his course, his fiery breath caused new suns to spring into existence, and new planets rolled in their orbits around them, peopled with living beings. Then the Dragon exalted himself in pride, and puffed out his cheeks, saying: