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"Do not be afraid, Michael. I am Bat-El, coeval with Elyon and Chemah. I have much to tell you, but only with your freely-given consent. If you withdraw now, your life shall resume as before. If you tarry, I shall bear you to a far land. The journey will be quick and safe, but the passage would terrorize even the most valiant of len, and there can be no succor."

Michael declared hy would stay, which greatly pleased Bat-El.

She said, "You are bold in a way that belies your years, Michael. Allow me to make you steadfast."

Several straps embraced Michael as though they were alive. The avatar of Bat-El ignited in flame again, and there was much shaking. Michael was whisked into the sky far away from the city of Salem where he dwelt. But as the avatar rose a great Michael felt himself grow heavy and he began to cry. The young lan was brave but Bat-El spoke truly of the terror of the passage.

To calm the dirk, Bat-El said, "Michael, rehearse the scriptures you been taught to memorize, from the beginning."

Obeying, Michael said, "Before time was, in a place that was no place, the principle of life had being, male and female, that life would ever seek the other and continue life. The maleness called himself Elyon, and the femaleness called herself Chemah. They drew together. A third was begotten, a female, whom Elyon named Bat-El. When Bat-El was full grown she asked, 'Father, what givest thou to be my inheritance?' Then Elyon, in reply, filled reality with ice. North, south, east, west, up, and down the ice was, without end. Elyon transformed half of reality from ice into air. He created the warm white sun to rule the day, and the cold orange sun to rule the night. Also Elyon patterned the sky with many lesser lights, and each day he causes them to tunnel beneath the ice to rise again the next night. And Elyon created a furrow in the ice. There he laid down soil and carved lakes and seas.

"Chemah also toiled for Bat-El's inheritance. She caused green growing things to fill the waters. But Bat-El was not content even with all these gifts. Then Elyon and Chemah vowed to create a paradise, but they would delay the giving of it to teach Bat-El patience. Elyon crafted rivers and rushing streams. Elchemah covered the hills woth trees. And Bat-El the beauty of the land, but she could not yet claim Kemen as her own.

"Bat-El grew exceedingly vexed, and wished her father dead that she might come into her inheritance."