Chapter 146 - The Reaper's Backstory 4/4

A week had passed by after the incident, Adam lived on the same bits and scraps left inside the house which they had used back when he was still here with his mother.

He no longer knew what he had to do. Adam even took note that his week-long vacation had already passed and that if he stayed even a day longer here, he would be in deep trouble. But at this point, nothing matters anymore, his one reason for giving it his all back at the castle was buried a few meters away from him already.

The broken glass pane from the window was just large enough for a messenger pigeon to squeeze itself in and him a message. Adam opened it and noticed that it was from the High Council themselves. It wrote as: "Today is the seventh day of your break, we have given it to you as promised. We expect you to report back for duty as soon as possible or before the eight day ends. Do not waste our time, Adam Rosa" then the letter ends.

Adam threw the note on the floor and stepped on it. Although the High Council or any one else for that matter even, had not yet known of his loss, the grief-stricken boy stared into the nothingness of the starry skies above.

All hope had been lost in his heart. He felt alone, like he was the only person left on Earth, and this was the last scenery of it before everything ends in a massive explosion, bringing the world back into nothing.

Adam slept on an empty stomach as there was no more food anymore. He cursed himself and kept blaming her demise on him. "It is all because of me…" He repeated.

He laid down on the floor and finally got some shut eye after a few nights of restlessness. Morning came, Adam was aware of it because of the hole on their roof, there was this circular hole which emitted a strong ray of light into the dark shack.

Because of his superior instincts, Adam could sense that there was someone approaching the area. Someone strong, with footsteps heavy and his or her Anima cells being absolutely monstrous, he got up and peeked a glance through the broken window. Since he still had not returned to the Grand Castle on the eight day, it was only logical for the ruthless High Council to send in someone who would beat him into submission depending on if he had fully deserted. Someone who was able to track him down and either dispose of a traitor or bring him back.

The apathy that Adam Rosa felt was replaced with rage. He had never felt like this before, he thought that it would be over anyway, so he might as well vent out some anger and die fighting. "I no longer care for this world, my life is not and has never been my own. I refuse to live without you, mother. I shall kill anyone who dares disturb our untimely reunion." Adam Rosa said with a face which exuded bloodlust.

But when he finally saw who it was, all his emotions were stopped for a bit. The person they sent to get him back was none other than his best friend, Artorias Khalil. Adam went outside and greeted him with a wave. "Hey." He said to Artorias. "Why have you not returned yet? The High Council's pigeon also did not." The Khalil family's golden boy noticed some bloodstains on Adam's hands and was immediately on guard.

"Why did you kill the pigeon?" He calmly asked his friend, trying to assess the situation itself. "Why does anyone do anything at all, Artorias? My mother died waiting for me to come back and bring her somewhere safer, that was what I promised her. She even called me a hero or something. Someone who could save Niflheim from this godawful existence that we live in, caged like mere animals. But what came of that? Nothing but death, all my hardships, all these cuts on my skin – all amount to nothing if I do not have her!" Adam exclaimed.

"H-His mother…she passed away?" Artorias asked himself, as he was confused at this turn of events as well. "T-That cannot be, he was brimming with excitement the night before he departed. Do not tell me she died shortly after he came here? What the actual hell is happening, Adam…" Artorias raised his arms up, indicating that he was not here to fight.

"Calm down, you should tell me everything, I am sure those guys at the Council would understand, you would get to go back to the Castle with no repercussions at all! I would even put a good word in for you, let us just talk it out Adam-" Artorias was greeted instead with a rapier strike straight at his face. "You really do talk too much. You do not get it, Artorias, I did everything for her sake, now it is all meaningless!" Adam said as he continued to slice away at his friend, who did not even retaliate back.

Art just kept dodging his strikes which were sloppy and misguided. It really was not like Adam to lose his cool, it was the first time that Artorias saw him in this state of mind, he really has given up on everything. 

The High Council told Artorias to drag the boy back to the Grand Castle by any means necessary, he can even injure his legs so he would be easier to carry back, of course, Artorias did not agree to any of these, he believed that his friend has a good reason for doing what he did. He promised them that he would bring his friend back unscathed, and that was what he was going to do.

Finally, Artorias drew his sword, but not for striking down his grief struck best friend, but it was done to block his attacks. As sloppy as they were, they still came from Adam Rosa. Every blow was an inch closer to death if he was not careful with how he chose to approach it. "Cut it out you fucking fool!" he screamed at his friend, who did not respond as he was blinded with rage already.

"What happened to his mother?" That was the question on Artorias' mind right now, but he knew it would be useless to ask Adam more in the state that he was in. "I do not know what happened to her, but are you really going to throw everything away and be this way?! You will not survive long enough in Niflheim as a fugitive, you know that, Adam! Did she want you to do this at all?!" 

"Do not dare to speak of her and what she wanted for me to do. You have never even met her! You do not know anything about our dreams so don't you dare act like you do!" Finally, Adam replied back. But coupled with his words was a straight stab at Artorias' stomach. This time, however, Art did not block nor evade his attack, he instead took it all in and held the blade itself with his bare hands. With blood gushing out of his friend's mouth ultimately dripping on his hands, it looked like Adam had finally realized the gravity of what he had done. He stopped and stared at Artorias for a moment. "W-Why didn't you block!?" He shouted. "Be quiet for a second, you know, for the smartest kid I have ever met, you sure are stubborn. I may not have met your mother, Adam, but even I could tell she had a beautiful soul. She sent you to become mankind's strongest soldier, to uplift everyone's spirits and be the beacon of light for hope. This is what I got based on what you've told me about her, she loved you, man. She still does. Do not throw away everything in a blind fit of rage, because I am adamant that she would not have wished for this." After saying that, Adam Rosa knew that what his best friend had said was right, to think that he had injured him this fatally without him even fighting back. "What would mother have said at the sight of this?" He asked himself before having streams of tears drip down.

"Do not take your rapier out of my stomach, by the way." Artorias said while coughing up more and more blood. "You will only make the bleeding worse, for now, just take me to the healers, man." His lips had turned pale and he was already battling consciousness. Adam realized that not everything should end just because his mother was no longer here, even though she was the reason for all of this. The least he could do was to truly become the beacon of hope for all of humanity in Niflheim. 

Adam Rosa helped his friend walk by letting him lean on him, he told her what had happened except his mother's transformation into that angel-humanoid hybrid. To their luck, they came across an organization of healers and Adam requested for them to heal his dying friend up.

Before leaving the place, he turned around and had a long look at their house by the hill.. "Goodbye, mother."