 |
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
anguish did he crack the earth asunder. In agony did he let in the
seas. And thus did the Orb of Aldur requite Torak for putting
its virtue to evil purpose - Behold, the left hand of Torak was
consumed utterly by the fire of the Orb, and like dry twigs did the
fingers thereof flare and bum down to ashes. And the flesh on the
left side of Torak's face did melt like wax in the holy fire of the Orb,
and the eye of that side did boil in its socket*
* The maiming of a god has no obvious counterpoint in the mythologies of this
world.
Milton, however, did lock Lucifer permanently into the form of the serpent after
he used
that form in the temptation of Eve. The branding of Cain may also be an
equivalent.
And Torak cried out a great cry and cast himself into the sea to
still the burning which the Orb had caused, but it availed hhnhim not.
Truly it is written that the pain of Torak which the Orb had caused in
punishment will endure until the end of days.
And the Angaraks were dismayed by the anguish of their God,
and they went unto him and asked what they might do to end his
pam.
And Torak spake, calling the name of the Orb.
And they sought to bring the Orb unto him, but the fire which
had awakened in the Orb consumed all who touched it, and they
devised a great iron cask to bear it in.
And behold, when Torak opened the cask, the Orb burned with
renewed fire, and Torak cried a great cry and cast it away from him.
And the Angaraks spake unto him, saying, 'Lord, wouldst thou
have us destroy this thing or cast it even into the sea?'
And Torak cried a great cry again and spake, saying, 'No! Truly
will I destroy utterly him who would raise his hand against the
jewel. Though I may not touch it nor even behold it, I have dearly
purchased it, and never will I relinquish it.'
And behold, Torak, who had once been the most beautiful of the
Gods, arose from the waters. Fair still was his right side, but his left
was burned and scarred by the fire of the Orb which had requited
him thus for raising it against the earth and the other Gods with evil
intent.
And Torak led his people away to the east and caused them to
build a great city' and they called its name Cthol Mishrak, which is
the City of Night, for Torak was ashamed that men saw him marred
by the fire of the Orb, and the light of the sun caused him pain. And
the Angaraks built for him a great iron tower that he might dwell
therein and that their prayers and the smells of incense and the
smoke of burning sacrifice might rise up unto him and ease his pain.
And he caused the Iron Cask which contained the Orb to be placed
in the top-most chamber thereof, and often went he and stood before
the Iron Cask and stretched forth his remaining hand as he would
touch the Orb. And his remaining eye yearned to behold its beauty,
and then would he turn and flee weeping from the chamber lest his
yearning become too great and he open the Iron Cask and perish.
And so it prevailed in the lands of the Angaraks which men called
Mallorea for a thousand years and yet another thousand years. And
the Angarak' began to call the maimed God KAL-TORAK - a name
signifying at once King and God.