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Begun on page 8
Continued from Page 11:

Of the deeds of that day much is told in the Book of Holies. Yet no song or tale could contain all the grief and terror that then befell. The light failed; but the Darkness that followed was more than loss of light. In that hour was made a Darkness that seemed not lack but a thing with being of its own: For it was indeed made by malice out of Light, and it had power to pierce the eye, and to enter heart and mind, and strangle the very will.

Gabriel looked down from mount Zion, and beheld the Shadow soaring up in sudden towers of gloom; the Celestial City of Jerusalem Above had foundered in a deep sea of night. Soon the Holy Mount stood alone, a last island in a world that was drowned. All song ceased. There was silence in heaven, and no sound could be heard save the cold cry of the gulls. For it blew chill in that hour, and the vast shadows of the sea beneath were rolled against the walls of the shore.

But Metatron from on high looked out, and his eyes alone pierced through the night, until they saw a Darkness beyond dark which they could not penetrate, huge but far away, moving now northward with great speed; and he knew that samael had come and gone.

Then the pursuit was begun; and the earth and heavens shook under the horses of the host of Michael, and the sparks that were stricken by the unsheathing of his sword was the first light that returned to heaven. But so soon as any came up with the Cloud of Ungoliant the knights of the host were blinded and dismayed, and they were scattered, and went they knew not whither; and the sound of the Trump of Doom faltered and failed. And Uriel was as one caught in a black net at night, and he stood powerless and beat the air in vain. But when the Darkness had passed, it was too late: samael had gone whither he would, and his vengeance was achieved.

After a time a great concord gathered about the heavenly Temple, and the angels sat in shadow, for it was night. But the stars now glimmered overhead, and the air was clear; for the winds of God had driven away the vapours of death and back the shadows into the sea. Then Raphael arose and went unto Eden, the first Green Place, but it was bare now and black; and she laid her hands upon the Trees of Life and Knowledge, but they were dead and dark, and each branch that she touched broke off and fell

Continues on page 14
Concludes on page 15


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