9 Parables of Almalexia, Vol. 9

The Nine Parables of Almalexia

The Ninth Parable

After three-by-three millennia had passed in peace, Ayem, Vehk, and Seht sat upon the gentled slopes of Red Mountain and listened to the people singing the seven syllables in one voice. But amidst the joined voices of the faithful, there arose a discord of shouting. The three went down to see the cause of the commotion, and to ask why the voices of the faithful sang with disunity, and the faithful said, "See here this tent of cloth and chitin, in this wasteland of ash. Inside is a tent-squatter who refuses to sing in praise of you." Again the voices shouted out in anger, the faithful raised their weapons, and a brand was lit to set the ugly tent afire. But Ayem raised her right hand, and all tongues were stilled. Vehk raised their right hand, and all weapons were sheathed. Seht raised his right hand, and the fire was quenched. The three-in-one entered the hut of the Last Recusant.

Inside they beheld an old man, his skin the color of the ground he squatted on. He quailed at the sight of the three-in-one, but still he did not raise his voice in praise of them. "Why do you not sing for us, old man?" Ayem asked, taking one step towards him. "Do you not love us?"

The recusant said, "I am hungry, and while there is hunger in my belly, there is no room in my heart for love of you."

So Vehk went out, and brought him boiled saltrice. And Seht went out, and brought him the flesh of the slaughterfish. And Ayem went out, and brought him stewed marshmerrow roots. The recusant ate until his belly swelled and he could no longer see his feet beneath him. Ayem took another step forward, and asked, "You are hungry no longer, old man. Can you love us now?"

The recusant said boldly, "I am desirous, and so long as desire stirs my loins, there is no room in my heart for love of you."

So the three-in-one went out, and called for their most comely followers to enter the tent. One by one they did as they were bade, and every desire the recusant dreamt of was satisfied by the faithful, for they were ever obedient to the commands of the three-in-one. At last the recusant was spent, and all could see that he possessed no more desire. Ayem stepped closer again, and asked, "Your desires are sated, old man. Can you love us now?"

The recusant spoke hesitantly, "I am afraid. There are cunning men in the west and north, and cruel beasts in the south and east. All around I am ringed with enemies who would harm me. So long as my heart is ruled by fear, I cannot love you."

"At last we come to the truth," Seht said, and the three-in-one went out. Ayem grasped the mountains of the west and north, and drew them ever over and higher until they covered the land like a great shell. Vehk flew to the south and east to the lands of the beast-men, and he took all their heads and cast them into a great pile before the recusant. Seht built a vessel of silver and ebony, and he bound every daedroth to remain forever in Oblivion, and he even crossed the void to the farthest realms, and sank them forever beneath the sea, and the heads of the false-men he added to the pile Vehk had built. Ayem stepped within an arm's reach of the recusant, and asked, "You are safe, old man. Can you love us now?"

He was silent for a very long time, and then he spoke, sadly, "I cannot love you, and I do not know why."

So Ayem drew her blade Hopesfire, and she cut off the recusant's head, and his body she chopped into pieces, which she brought from the tent and gave into the mouths of the faithful by her own hand. The faithful raised their voices in praise. They sang as one the seven-syllabled song. All the world rang with the truth of their singing, until at last they reached the ending of the words:

ALMSIVI

ALMSIVI

ALMSIVI