The Fall of the First Witch

118Hear now the great tragedy of the former universe.

119In the Sundering, while Namaya fought against Daeus, the corruption of Daeus reached her.

120It did not come as a wound that she could see. It did not come as a blow that she could turn aside with the Gift.

121It came as a thought, and she believed the thought was her own.

122Scripture does not record every word that entered her. But know the manner of it, for it is the manner of Daeus in every age.

123He saith not, Serve thou me. He saith, Serve thyself.

124He saith not, Betray. He saith, It must needs be so.

125He saith not, Be thou corrupted. He saith, This is thy due.

126And the thought grew in Namaya, and she tended it as though it were a seed of her own planting.

127And Namaya betrayed Rollo.

128She, who had been given the Gift to hold Daeus back, went to the place where Daeus was held, and she freed him from the Chasm.

129And when Daeus had used her to gain his freedom, he killed her.

130For Daeus keeps no faith with those who serve him. Betrayal is his nature, and he betrays even the betrayer.

131He does not reward the corrupted. He consumes them.

132The body of Namaya was buried upon Veyr.

133So fell the First Witch.

134The Gift was given to her to resist corruption, and she herself was corrupted.

135Let every witch remember Namaya.

136Let every one who holds any gift remember Namaya.

137Let every one who says, This shall never befall me, remember Namaya, for she was of the Host of Rollo, and it happened to her. . ● .