Anals of Life -- The Vision of Sayer, 617 A.R.
While all this was going on, there was a young Acolyte in the deserts of Rae Urgana performing his Rites. As he lay in the shade of a rock, he had a vision that shook him so that he left his Rite and returned to the temple.
When he approached the gates of the temple, the warden recognized him and scolded him saying, "You have yet to finish your Rites, and you return? This is a grave matter, for you will surely fail the tests." He had said this for he knew that only if a Vision had come to the Acolyte could they return, and then only with their Personage. But the Acolyte was urgent, pressing the warden to see his Personage.
Seeing how distressed he was, the warden called for the Acolyte's Personage and had them meet outside the gates, for he had not asked to be returned.
When the Personage had been brought to his Acolyte, he was full of grief and spoke saying, "Why have you returned? You have not been in Rite for a seven-day. Are you so quickly consumed?"
But the Acolyte would not be swayed and replied "My Personage, it came on me yesterday that as I lay in the shade of a rock contemplating the nature of creation, that He sent me a vision. I have returned to tell you what I saw."
The Personage was overcome and invited him into the temple to have audience with the High Priest, for he had only been in Rite for three days. As was the custom, an audience was granted to hear the vision.
The Acolyte fell prostrate before the High Priest and gave account of the vision he saw.
"It came upon me in my second day of fast. While I was meditating in the shade of day, I saw a great castle in a forested mountain fall to ruins before my eyes. Its warriors were brave and virtuous, but they fell and were killed. Their murderers wore black armor and rode black horses. They did not wear helms, for it interfered with their magic. With their swords and with their strange magic, they rode through the land and conquered it.
"A great black dragon appeared and made his perch on the pinnacle of the ruined castle. Around him gathered a great army of warriors who could not be killed. These are the warriors who had led the scourge. With the battle being won, all the people of the Kingdoms were gathered together and made subject to the dragon.
"Then I heard a voice that came like water to me in my thirst. I drank it in and listed to what was being spoken. From above, I heard one voice in three parts say to me ‘Remember what you have seen. Take it to the temple and tell them everything I have shown you. What you have seen must soon come to pass.’
"Then, from behind me, while still asleep, I saw one like a being of light. He pointed to the ruins and said to me ‘Behold! Here comes the warrior of peace, who will lead the nations out of their oppression.’
"I looked and from out of the ruins came an armored man. He wore no helm so that people would hold him in awe. A sword hung at his waist and he went out from the ruins and gathered people together from all the Kingdoms saying ‘I shall lead you against the dragon, for together he cannot stand.’ He said this because all the rulers had been scattered or killed during the scourge.
"Having united the people, he lured the dragon and his armies into Rae Urgana where the dragon could not behave properly for it was too dry for him to bear. A great battle began and magic the likes of which has not existed since the Raging flew through the air and attacked the dragon and his minions. So powerful and furious was the battle that the blood of the dragon stained the rocks and sand. The armies of the dragon that remained fled into the mountains and I did not see them again, for they were terrified of the warrior of peace.
"After all this had been shown to me, I heard the watery voice speak to me saying ‘Go now to the temple. Leave your fast and give them this vision, for the time is nearing for all this to pass.’
"It was then that I was wakened by a clap of thunder. Heeding the messengers of my dreams, I left my shelter and came back to the Temple of Life, fulfilling what was commanded of me by the Bringer of Life."
When they had heard this, they fell to the ground and worshiped the Acolyte. But he rebuked them and said "Do not worship me for I am nothing more than a man, and less of a man than you. Give praise to the Bringer of Life, for he has spoken to us."
Then those in attendance rose and called him Sayer, for he had spoken the words of the Bringer of Life.