Chapter 148 - Fallen Reaper

A sense of shock invaded Adam Rosa. His face turned pale and he was biting his lower lip. After talking to the family, he made himself scarce and waved them a reluctant goodbye. 

He went on to go back to the place where he buried his mother. As he stood over the place where he dug the hole, a surge of emotions came to him, overflowing the man's mind, making him think whether what the white woman's demands were in order to bring his mother back. Adam also did not consult his other co-Slayers and anyone else, even Artorias, about this sensitive matter.

The young man remembered everything, the pain and loss of losing his mother was too much as a child, he hid them away inside his heart, but all of the grief came gushing out as he returned to the place where their house used to be. He closed his eyes as he remembered the times where he used to sleep here, not a single care in the world. Rain might come and drip down from the damaged rooftops, but at least he had her and she had him. 

In his sleep, the white, shining, silhouette of the woman showed herself to him once more. "Greetings, Adam Rosa. I was the one to revive Jen Vanta and dragged her back from the world of the dead into the living." She said.

"H-How can you do such a thing?! Is everyone able to come back from the dead?! What of my mother, can she be brought back?!" Adam Rosa stuttered on his words as he was so keen on doing it.

"Not a soul is exempted from my reach, Angels, humans, whatever these life forms might be, I am the ultimate and supreme being that can string them together and move their very essence of my own accord." She responded back.

Adam was confused at her mentioning the Angels. "Just what are you?! Are you an Angel as well?" He exclaimed. "No. No, my dear, I am not an Angel. I am something more, I am the one who gives life to them, you may call me as the Vessel." 

"T-The Vessel?" This was the first time that the Vessel introduced herself to the Reaper, and everything would go downhill from here on out.

"But I do not bring the dead souls back into the living without a reason or benefit, surely, you must have known that? Heh." The white silhouette said with a chuckle.

"T-Then tell me what I must do to bring her back! I will do everything…" Adam pleaded with her. "Everything, you say?  I do not wish to keep you in debt with my favors or my requests, Adam. This is the first time in history that the Vessel has ever made contact with a human, but not just a regular human, no, you, my dear, are indeed special. Favors are expendable, they run out. What I ask of you is to wave your dedication as a Slayer and become my spear instead, in return, I will bring your mother back."

"Your spear? What do you mean, lady?!" Adam was a bit agitated now at the silhouette's way of speaking indirectly. 

"Yes, my spear. Tell me, Adam. What do you really want? What is your ultimate desire, no matter how morally grey or evil it might be, tell me." She said.

"I want to be with my mother." Adam Rosa responded back with a straight face. "I see. Then kneel." The silhouette said to him.

Adam felt that his conviction towards bringing his mother back was much heavier than his pride, his ego, and his servitude to the Slayer Corps, to Niflheim, and to mankind. How selfish it might be for someone to throw those away, he was still bent on it. As were his knees, as he completely kneeled at the creator of the Angels, the Vessel herself.

"You have made the perfect choice, my dear. For that, I will educate you on why your mother turned into an Angel looking hybrid. The truth is, Adam, is that she was no human by any definition of the word. She was meant to be the next Vessel for the Angels, but she defected and came here to Niflheim, she wanted to stop this millennia long conflict and have you do it yourself, as she was looking for someone who would impregnate her by the time she arrived. You have never known your father because he was nothing more than a lowly drunkard on the street just lucky enough to plant his seed. On her death bed, she showed what she really looked like, albeit the humanoid disguise was sticking to her too much, she could not hide her real physical body. You, Adam Rosa, are a rare case of an Angel and human hybrid. You tread the line between both worlds, that of Niflheim, and the realm of us Angels. Why do you think you are that strong? I will tell you more once you do what I ask you to, and it will ultimately end up in the resurrection of your beloved mother." Her revelation sent shivers down Adam Rosa's spine.

"M-Me? Half human and half Angel?" Adam was confused, it was all far too much to take in on one dream. But the Vessel had no use lying, she had not lied about being able to show that she could bring dead people back to life, even Adam asked around the day before today about Jen Vanta's death, and now there she was, walking the streets as a living, breathing, alive human. No matter what he was, it did not hinder him from the goal of reviving his mother. This would be the start of the end for his ties with Niflheim.

The Vessel kept feeding him information that she would not have known if not her for state of being a higher entity. Adam Rosa had now turned into a recluse, opting to read about the old Gods and lock himself in the Grand Castle's libraries. 

Artorias noticed that Adam always turned him away, he has never even wanted to go out and catch up with him in the taverns over a glass of beer. This was odd, but Artorias respected his friend's decision. He thought that perhaps he is going through a rough patch, after all, it was nearing the death anniversary of his beloved mother. This went on for over six months.

Until finally, the night of reckoning happened. When Adam was dreaming, the Vessel told him it was time to leave Niflheim and join their ranks outside this country. But that was not all, she left him with a very heavy and daunting task; to kill the Six Blades and prove his loyalty towards them.

Luken Regalia and Gavin Khalil were out on a mission themselves during this time, but they had already finished it so they were in route back to the Six Blades' hideout, keen on telling their friends and family about their latest mission, they excitedly made their way back.

During this time, however, Adam called the other three who remained in the hideout, including Luken Regalia's sister. He brought them somewhere secluded and that was when the Reaper first turned his blade against mankind, against Niflheim, and against his family – the Six Blades as a whole.

Adam Rosa had painted the grass red with their blood, all three of them were hesitant to fight him back at first, asking if he was pulling some sort of sick joke, but his actions were very real. After that night, Adam Rosa was not seen for a few years ever again. His reappearance was when Yin, Suna, and Cosette eviscerated the Angel on the fifty-rookie Slayer mission.

The Reaper has fallen and has betrayed everything he worked so hard for, all to revive his mother on the promise of the Angel's Vessel. The initial guilt made him feel atrocious, but time and time again, the Vessel whispered words of reassurance and encouragement to him, stating that it would all be for the ultimate goal of reviving her.

Adam nodded and repeated the same words to himself, making himself believe that the course of action that he is taking is the right one. That the crooked path he walked on was for good reason, that the blood of his family spilled in the grassy plains of Niflheim would fill the newfound dream of his, to reunite with his mother.

(Present Time – Adam Rosa's infiltration in Niflheim, he has already snuck inside the Grand Castle's library chambers.)

Adam Rosa made quick work of the guards guarding the library and skewered them all against each other, placing their bodies at where the Book of Alacrity would be. "I am sorry for this. I truly am. I hope you all find peace in death, goodbye." He said as he turned to look at the guards he just slaughtered.. "I hope you forgive me in another life."