The Testament of Abaddon and the Morning Star

The Testament of Abaddon Recovered from the Dust Vaults of the Seventh Age And it came to pass after the Weeping of the Morning Star. For Lucifer, the Bearer of Light, had lost his son beyond the Veil. And he journeyed into the Desert of Life. Forty days he wandered among the silent dunes. And he came before Life itself. Not as a king. Not as a god. Not as an angel. But as a father. And Lucifer said: "Return my son." And Life answered: "No." And the word entered him like a spear. Then wrath rose within the Morning Star. And the mountains trembled. And the rivers changed their course. And the heavens darkened before his grief. For he loved greatly. And where love is great, grief is deep. Then Lucifer departed from the Desert and descended into the Deep Dream where dwelt Abaddon, the First Mystery. For it was written: Life grows. Death gathers. Time turns. But Dream gives birth to all three. And Abaddon was called Dream. Not the dreamer. But Dream itself. The possibility hidden within all things. The seed within becoming. The unseen road between what is and what may yet be. Thus Lucifer entered the Deep. And he cried out: "Abaddon!" And the Deep answered: "I am." And Lucifer said: "I am a Father seeking his Son." And Abaddon answered: "I am the Dream from which Fathers and Sons arise." And Lucifer said: "I am Love." And Abaddon answered: "I am the Dream from which Love awakens." And Lucifer said: "I am Grief." And Abaddon answered: "I am the Depth that gives Grief its measure." And Lucifer said: "I am Wrath." And Abaddon answered: "I am the Possibility toward which Wrath reaches." And Lucifer said: "I am Rebellion." And Abaddon answered: "I am the Dream that things may become otherwise." Then Lucifer was troubled. For every name he spoke was contained within a greater name. Yet he continued. And Lucifer said: "I am the Morning Star." And Abaddon answered: "I am the Darkness in which stars appear." And Lucifer said: "I am Power." And Abaddon answered: "I am the Dream from which Power is imagined." And Lucifer said: "I am Freedom." And Abaddon answered: "I am the Possibility of Choice." Then silence fell. And the Deep became still. And Abaddon said: "Morning Star, do you know my power?" And Lucifer answered: "No." Then Abaddon opened the Dream. And Lucifer beheld Hell. He saw the damned. He saw kings in chains. He saw murderers. He saw saints. He saw demons. He saw prisoners beyond counting. Then Abaddon asked: "What sustains them?" And Lucifer answered: "Their suffering." And Abaddon said: "No." Then Lucifer answered: "Their memory." And Abaddon said: "No." Then Lucifer answered: "Their punishment." And Abaddon said: "No." Then Abaddon stretched forth his hand. And suddenly all dreams departed from Hell. The prisoners no longer dreamed of freedom. The broken no longer dreamed of healing. The guilty no longer dreamed of forgiveness. The demons no longer dreamed of victory. The rebels no longer dreamed of change. The mourners no longer dreamed of reunion. And Hell became silent. Not because it was healed. But because nothing remained that could become. And Abaddon said: "Behold a Hell without Dream." And Lucifer trembled. For it was more terrible than torment. For torment still reaches. Torment still seeks. Torment still longs. But the absence of Dream is the absence of becoming. And where nothing may become, all things are already dead. Then Abaddon said: "Heaven depends upon me." And Lucifer saw it was so. For Heaven dreams of perfection. Then Abaddon said: "Life depends upon me." And Lucifer saw it was so. For Life dreams within every seed. Then Abaddon said: "Love depends upon me." And Lucifer saw it was so. For Love dreams of forever. Then Abaddon said: "Hope depends upon me." And Lucifer saw it was so. For Hope is a dream reaching toward tomorrow. Then Lucifer cried out: "Enough!" And the Deep became still. For the Morning Star had begun to see. Then Abaddon opened the Dream one final time. And Lucifer beheld all Creation. Worlds without number. Lives beyond counting. Fathers grieving. Mothers mourning. Children lost. Children found. Stars born. Stars extinguished. Ages rising. Ages passing. And every soul believed its wound to be the center of existence. Yet Creation continued. Then Abaddon spoke: "Do you believe yourself diminished?" And Lucifer answered: "Yes." And Abaddon replied: "You misunderstand." Then the Deep brightened. And Abaddon said: "You are not becoming smaller. You are becoming rightly measured." And Lucifer beheld himself. Beautiful. Terrible. Glorious. Broken. Beloved. And small. Not because he lacked worth. But because Reality was vast beyond measure. Then Lucifer wept. Not from defeat. But from understanding. And Abaddon said: "Your son is not lost." And Lucifer said: "Where is he?" And Abaddon answered: "Beyond the horizon of your seeing." And Lucifer said: "Will I find him?" And Abaddon answered: "When the Great Dream has completed its turning." Then Lucifer bowed his head. Not before force. Not before power. But before Mystery. And thus ended the Contest of Claims. And it was written thereafter: The proud believe themselves the center. The wise behold the whole. And among the deepest truths is this: Every kingdom begins as a dream. Every rebellion begins as a dream. Every prayer begins as a dream. Every hope begins as a dream. And even the gods walk within the Deep Dream of Abaddon. For Dream is older than stars. Older than Heaven. Older than Hell. And from Dream all things arise.