The Beginning
From your waistcoast pocket you extract the curious invitation letter, and read over it again one last time before making your entrance:
... .. . . .. ... .. . . .. ...
From the collected remnants of The Book of the Unwritten Things:
... .. . . .. ... .. . . .. ...
Earth: A Book of Breadcrumbs
I cast this spell upon thee now.
Thine eyes ensnared, for thou wouldst know
and receiveth mark upon thy brow, that
gaineth thee right of passage... so,
thou halt not reading - unto ends -
for words are here that thee shall send
to darkling place of danger fell,
of lurking chance and reeking hell,
o'er mountain crag and umbral dell,
through cavern black unlit by spill of
radiance from thy written will.
'Neath darkest recess of the soul, is
where thou goeth - a bitter pill.
.
Yet hearken thou!
Fear not!...
I now this power upon thee bestow:-
Thou shalt secret lore of ages know!
That beyond these trials of mind and flesh
lie alchemies of time that stretch
t'ward horizons of the utter end; to
beginnings where the laws doth bend,
where thine every wish, and all desire,
lieth in wait beyond the gyre:
.
The secret words, the speech of birds,
The ways of wyrd, and dragon shards.
From crystal dim that shines within, floweth
lofty knowledge of before; of Gods
and Beasts of Earth and Void -
Of forgotten kingdoms now destroyed.
The writ of sage that wisdom shared:
histories deep, and songs of heights,
and records kept of slow delights.
Every magic tongue of man: thy power
and mastery of realms divine.
.
All these I give to thee this day.
The Holy Sooth before thee now lays:
Philosopher's Stone and ancient Grail -
afore these heirlooms all shall quail,
For might and power is thine to wield,
once read be writ that I now yield.
.
Behold!
The First and Greatest Secret is
...
[ the original manuscript ends here ]