Chapter 15: Adam

Chapter 15: Adam

Adam turned to face Amon after opening his golden eyes and rising from his praying stance.

"What brings you here, Amon?" Adam asked, his limpid eyes locked on Amon, ignoring Amon's previous words and actions.

"Why must you be so boring all of the time, brother?" Amon replied with a smile as he adjusted his monocle. "I recall you smiling and being so pleased in Medici's hands." He spoke about the past with a nostalgic face. "Take a look at you now, Adam; you've changed a lot."

Amon's smile disappeared, his monocle glistened, and his keen stare was fixed on Adam's figure, as if trying to see through his brother's mysteries.

"Isn't change a fascinating concept?" Adam remarked, his countenance unaffected by his brother's piercing gaze. "In this world, expect change; nothing is permanent."

"Shouldn't you, Amon, know more about this than I do?" Adam asked quietly. "Since you vanished when our father died and reappeared near the end of the warring era. You didn't appear to have changed, but I could tell you were wearing a mask and..."

"That's enough." Amon interrupted while his expression become indifferent and he didn't show any anger at being exposed.

"As expected of you, zealous brother. The subtle manipulation is constantly present even while conversing with others, entirely guiding it in the direction you want."

Amon began walking around the church while speaking, eventually coming to a stand in front of the grey slate on the table near the cathedral's edge.

"Keep your secrets to yourself, then. Brother, I'm not going to pry any further." Amon spoke dismissively without waiting for Adam's response. "For, it would mostly be nothing but mundane."

Adam was silent, his limpid gaze still fixed on Amon.

"What happened with the floating continent?" When Amon realised this, he didn't pursue it any further and instead asked the inquiry for which he had come here in the first place. "Why did Auceses invade it?"

Much to surprise of Amon, Adam responded without any concealment.

"There was a problem with the hermit's uniqueness."

"What's the problem?" Amon pressed, feeling that the story behind the matter would be interesting to hear.

Adam approached Amon and pointed to the words carved into a stone slab nearby.

It was a grey stone slab. There were numerous mottled marks on its surface, giving it an ancient appearance.

"Are you certain?" Amon was actually taken aback. "I didn't expect you to have such belief in Auceses."

"The sefirot power that has been extended into reality is most likely very feeble in comparison to its genuine power, as the sefirot could do a lot more if it were otherwise." Adam stated this calmly. "Auceses can handle it if he has assistance, that is"

"Is that why didn't save Artisan from Auceses?" Amon inquired, smiling, as he reasoned after hearing Adam's words. "More importantly, how did Auceses notice this?"

"Artisan is not in any real danger." As he said, Adam shook his head. "And an actual beyonder ascending to become the hermit is preferable than a puppet created by Serfoit. As, things will become more difficult in the future." Then he explained what had occurred to Diana.

"I had no idea the gods now cared for their angels." Amon chuckled. "It's interesting that, unlike Leodero and Herabergan, he didn't develop paranoia against his own."

"Amon, everyone is different." Adam adviced in a gentle voice, for which Amon just smiled.

"So, you're just going to let uniqueness fall into the hands of Auceses." Amon then asked, as if he hadn't considered the power disparity between them. "Given what's happened, I wouldn't be surprised if Auceses gives his angel the uniqueness."

"Hermit must be born, one way or another." Adam said this without expressing his opinion.

"Hermit, huh?" While stating this, Amon's expression became more intriguing. "It appears that the future will not be so dull anymore." When he spotted Adam evading his questions once more, he didn't bother, and he also got the information he needed.

"Well, my zealous brother, I shall take my leave" Amon said with smile, as starlight door appeared behind him. "For, I can't stand your pretence anymore."

He didn't wait for Adam's reaction before opening and entering the door, which vanished with his departure.

Adam didn't show much change, as he took the blasphemy slate in his hand.

But, all of a sudden, Adam came to a halt and turned to look in the direction of Solomon empire, his clear golden eyes shining brightly.

"The empire shall fall...."

In the bone cathedral, his deep voice echoed.

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A/N : It took me a while to write this because Amon and Adam are both quite complex characters. I did my best to portray them. Was it good?