Book One: The Beginning
1. In the beginning, from the merciless light that did burn away the void, the world was formed. Where once didst dwell naught, the light wrought creation, dividing the emptiness from its radiance. And from this division was Paradise brought forth—a pristine realm, untouched by chaos, wherein all was wrought in harmony.
2. Within Paradise, from the Ether that did pulse at its very core, did arise two great spirits. They came not forth by chance, but by design, their purpose bestowed by the Merciless Light. These twain spirits were appointed the stewards of the newborn world, charged to guard both the Tree of Knowledge and the lesser spirits soon to people the land.
3. Unto each Great Spirit did the Merciless Light bestow name, dominion, and purpose. The First Spirit was called Adam Kadmon, the Heavenly Man. Fashioned in the very image of the Merciless Light, Adam Kadmon stood as a reflection of that sacred radiance. He was granted power and authority over all the bounds of Paradise, his rule extending above all, yea, even the Second Spirit. His purpose was to guide, to command, and to uphold the sacred harmony of this hallowed realm.
4. The Second Spirit was named Lilith Kadmon. She, known as the Scarlet Woman, was formed to abide at Adam Kadmon's side. Her role did blend strength with service; she held dominion over Paradise, yet her place was ever second unto Adam. Lilith Kadmon was further charged with a sacred purpose: to be the vessel of Adam's seed, ensuring the continuance of creation's harmony. Though her dominion was great, hers was a station of companionship and submission, as decreed by the Merciless Light.
5. Together, Adam Kadmon and Lilith Kadmon did embrace their appointed roles as the Great Spirits of Paradise. They did shape the world about them, tending the Tree of Knowledge with reverence and guarding its hallowed secrets. The lesser spirits they did nurture, guiding them with wisdom and authority, that Paradise might flourish in beauty and order.
6. Thereafter did the Merciless Light command the Great Spirits to bestow names upon the lesser spirits. This naming was no mere formality; 'twas a sacred act, a binding of essence and purpose unto each. By naming them, the Great Spirits did grant these beings identity, their place within the divine order secured. Thus did Adam and Lilith Kadmon labor together, assigning to each spirit a station that would sustain balance and accord.
7. When they were named and granted form, these spirits became known as the Manaborns. Bound not by flesh nor by the frailty of mortality, the Manaborns were beings of pure essence, luminous and ever-shifting, mirrors of the Merciless Light's boundless artistry. And so it was that Adam Kadmon did name them collectively, marking them as the children of the Ether, forever linked to the divine power that had forged Paradise from the void.