Track 14: The Dark of You - Breaking Benjamin
Immaculara, 3.4;
The demons chattered despite recriminations as they crept into the Golden City in the dead of night, even the Radiance of Heaven dim in sleep. "The Gate was undefended, and not even a token sentry to keep watch," one muttered to another, "I told you this was the perfect time for an incursion, the angels have grown fat and lazy."
"Spread out and ransack the homes!" The Fiend at the head of small army commanded, "Remain quiet, and we shall reave to our heart's content la-"
"You will not," A calm, quiet voice spoke from above. On top of a tall building, a Seraph bearing six wings, a spiked halo and golden hair like fire stepped into view, "I am Michael, the Archangel of War. You who have invaded Heaven, hear me now: Turn from this place, and return from whence you came…or never return at all."
"Never!" The Fiend retorted, "One Angel alone cannot hold all of us back! This Reward will be ours!"
"Is that your final answer?" Michael asked softly.
"Pillage!" The Fiend shouted in response.
"Adam," the Seraph ordered, and the First Man stepped up beside Michael. He hefted his golden spear and threw; the weapon bolting through the sky like lightning over the heads of the demon army…striking the other Fiends holding open the gate.
"No!" The Fiend shouted, smoking as their combined power wavered, turning back to the Angel.
The rooftops bristled with Angels and Innocent alike, all bearing Holy Armaments. At a flick of Michael's hand, they loosed arrows that rained upon the demons, striking down many including the leader.
The portal shut, damning the remaining to burn to death in the Light of Heaven.
Lute and Vagatha stepped up next to Adam, leaning against his side. "Should we not finish them, Lord Michael?" Lute asked, disquieted by the screams of the dying.
"Let them suffer for their transgressions, sister," Vagatha said instead, smiling.
"In their death throes, they may strike down one of ours with but luck," Michael cautioned, eyes sweeping the area before he smiled, "Better not to chance it. Adam, this idea of yours, this False City…it is inspired. Not a single death, and no survivors to flee. I feel this strategy may yet bear more fruit."
"I am…unsure that I like it," Lute spoke, holding Adam's hand, "This feels deceitful. Are we not to be more honorable than they?"
Adam pulled her to his side and kissed her forehead. "It is wise to remain wary of our tactics, for deceit may yet poison even the purest of ideals," he said, "Yet our enemies trust us to be honest. They will not see trickery from us as a possibility."
"It is as Adam says, young one," Michael nodded, "We fight in defense of our Holy Home and the Light of Heaven. We must not fail, for all of Creation shall be damned. Honor has no place in war, only in peace."
Lute nodded and held Adam as they left the False City and returned to their home. As they landed, Vagatha stripped her arms and armor away, flinging her clothes to the floor to strut ahead of them, nude. "Have but a bit of restraint, sister," her sister sighed, resting her spear against the wall.
"No, sister," Vagatha replied with a skip, "What restraint should I show, after a victory such as that? In our home, that we share with the one we love? I shall draw us a bath!" She ran off with a fading echo of her mirth left behind.
"Lute, my love," Adam spoke, cupping her face, "I understand your reluctance, and I share it. I wish only for peace, peace that I may share with you." He kissed her softly, and she mewled into his lips as he held her aloft, "What is necessary may not be nice, but it is a necessity all the same. Never feel you must restrain yourself, my love, your thoughts, your voice, or your whims. Not with I."
Lute rested her forehead to his, her veins pulsing with warmth. "Then, while Vagatha draws our bath, will you take me here and now?" She asked, removing her robe and bringing his hand to her breast as she smiled, "I wish to see the envy on her face."
Adam smiled and held her to the wall. "Then see it you shall."
…
Ministar has sent Dickmaster a chat request.
Ministar: Adam? Are you in the bath?
Adam's eyes shot open as the sound of a message being received rang in his head. Reading it, he exhaled a stream of bubbles and settled back down on the bottom of his tub.
Dickmaster: I am, but I can talk. What's up?
MS: …Can I join you?
DM: …If you want to. I'm naked, though.
MS: You were naked last time, too.
Though his eyes were closed, Adam could feel the displacement of Charlie's body as she slipped into the water, the ripples of her entrance impacting against the tub itself and echoing back through. The comforting warmth that emanated from her touched his side, followed by her hand seeking his.
DM: What's wrong, Charlie?
MS: Vaggie. We're…fighting.
DM: …About me?
MS: Yeah.
DM: Still? It's been a week since all that shit Angel went through.
Adam heard Charlie sigh, the bubbles bursting on the surface of the water, her hand squeezing his.
MS: I don't know what to do, Adam. There's this distance between us that I don't know how to reach across. Everything I've tried so far just seems to make her mad.
DM: Even giving her space?
MS: Yeah. It's…it sucks. Before you, Vaggie was the only one who always had my back. She didn't believe in my dream, but she supported me. And now…
DM: …I'm sorry, Charlie. That fucking sucks.
There was a strange hissing noise that made Adam open his eyes and look over at Charlie, only to find her eyes squeezed shut, a tear boiling away in the water as it drifted upwards.
MS: It isn't your fault, Adam.
DM: I feel like it is.
MS: It's the same fucking thing with her nowadays! She tells me I can't trust you, but she won't say why. Still. I just…damnit. Maybe…
Her hand withdrew from his, and he felt the water shift as she turned onto her side, away from him.
MS: …Maybe she shouldn't be trusting me.
DM: Why?
MS: Maybe because instead of talking this out with her, I'm in the bath with you?
DM: I thought you tried talking to her and she shut you out?
MS: She did, I just…fuck.
Adam reached over slowly, letting her feel his hand move the water before he touched her back. The fabric of a swimsuit met his fingers and he trailed them up to rest between her shoulders. In a flurry of bubbles and splashing, Charlie turned over and scooted against him, throwing an arm over his chest and a leg around his waist, resting her head on his shoulder. In the dark of the water, her eyes glowed a soft, cherry red.
MS: …I love Vaggie. I…really like you. I want her. I want you. Both of you. At the same time, and also covered in chocolate.
He blinked and looked at her. Despite the blush coloring her pale skin and the water boiling around her, she met his gaze with a steady, if embarrassed expression.
DM: …Both of us? As in, me and Vaggie? With you?
MS: Yeah. All three of us, together.
He couldn't help his reaction to that thought.
Charlie glanced down and gulped, the water positively frothing.
MS: I can see you like that idea.
DM: Hey! You can't put an image like that in my head and not expect a reaction!
She smirked deviously. It was lucky Adam was already aroused, otherwise that expression on her usually innocent face would've done it.
MS: I mean, I definitely hoped you'd have a reaction to that.
Adam took a deep breath and choked as water flooded his lungs, quickly coughing it back out as he clapped a hand over his mouth. He gave her an arch look and she smiled at him.
DM: These are dangerous waters you're diving in, Charlie. If you go any deeper, you might drown…
She shrugged and laid her head on his shoulder.
MS: I can't drown, I don't need to breathe.
DM: Don't you fuckin' quote me. I…Charlie, I…
MS: I know. I'm going to keep trying with Vaggie. I want both of you and I'm not taking anything less. But, if it comes down to it…I-
Adam cupped her cheek, making her look up at him.
DM: Don't make a decision now, not when you're…heated. Give it time. Whatever the answer is, I'll accept it. Just…there's a lot you don't know about me. I've been around for a long time.
MS: I know, and I will. Thanks, Adam.
She hugged him tighter and relaxed against him. He let his hand float up, tangling in her drifting hair, and brushed his fingers through it. She tapped his chest gently and his other hand came up to meet hers.
Their fingers interlaced under the water, and nothing more was said.
…
It had been decided after the incident at the club that the next week would be relatively quiet, especially after Angel Dust and Husk had, without prompting, shared their stories around the dinner table. A fair share of ire had been thrown Alastor's way, though the Radio demon seemed unaffected (though they couldn't see his hands gripping his knees under the table) but Angel's tale had Charlie crying profusely and hugging the stuffing out the spider.
"But why did you lie about your history?" she'd asked, sniffling.
"'Cause the truth is pathetic," he had answered shamefacedly. Which got him another rib-cracking hug.
Afterwards, she'd picked Angel up, dragged Adam to the couch and halfway snuggled the former pornstar to death in the First Man's lap.
That had not improved Vaggie's mood.
A day later The Happy Few were scattered about the library. Husk was playing cribbage with Pentious; Alastor sat next to the radio, lightly tapping his foot as he read a book; Angel Dust was poring over a book on drumming; Charlie and Vaggie sat next to each other on the couch as the former brainstormed new ideas for the coming week (though if they sat a bit more stiff than normal, no one commented on it) and Nifty was perched on Adam's shoulder as he painted. KeeKee, his subject, was posed regally on a chair, feather duster held loosely in one hand, a copy of the hotel key tugging the front of uniform dangerously low in the other, feet kicked up on the arm to display her pale legs.
He had just started on the details when Charlie nodded to herself, pecked her girlfriend on the cheek and then hopped up, notebook in hand. "Hey Adam!" she chirped, skipping up beside him, "Ooh, that's really good! It looks like one of those paintings I have at my old place!" She whipped out her phone to find an example.
"Yeah, I get bored really easily," he shrugged, shading in a gleam of sunlight shining on KeeKee's tits, "Every half-century or so, I gotta find a new hobby. Like, some four-hundred odd years ago, I got obsessed with pirates and built a pirate ship by hand."
"…Really?" Vaggie asked from the couch, interested despite herself.
"Yeah," Adam nodded, "Spent a decade or two taking The Mary Celeste out on the water with Gabe and the girls. Still use it for vacations, sometimes."
Charlie hummed to herself as she flipped through her phone. "A-ha, like this one!" She said, showing him the screen. The picture that had been captured was an oil painting depicting a cloaked figure, carrying a pair of curved sickles as they stood on a mound of bones. The face, if it could be called that, showed only what looked like a wolf's skull, painted in gray ash. The eyes were yellow. "This one was a gift for my One Hundredth Birthday. It's supposed to be a mythical figure, 'The Eighth Prince, The Prince of Bones.' Dad said it was supposed to be a threat, but I think it just looks cool."
Husk shuddered, as did Alastor of all people. "Don't mention that, please," the bartender muttered, rubbing the back of his neck, "Every Overlord, even former ones like me, we all get told stories about…him. He's like the Boogeyman for High-Ranking Sinners."
"Not the actual Boogeyman, he's nice!" The Princess added, "He's the one who sent me the painting."
"No need to fear, Husker, he's a myth," Alastor chimed in, "There's rumors it was secretly Lucifer acting under a disguise, but it's not like anyone's been able to ask and I doubt he'd ever confirm it or not."
Adam hummed thoughtfully, eyeing the picture of a painting. "Would make a pretty cool album cover," he said, turning back to his easel.
"Midnight Madonna, come! Get alive and-!"
Once more, power metal sounded from Adam's halo, though it was far quieter than last time. Idly flicking it, he answered, "What's up, Emi-phim?" A frown crossed his face at her response, "The fuck you mean, 'where am I?' The only place I've been for that last…almost two months, holy shit. And it's Thursday." He scowled. "I didn't forget shit! There's nothing on my calendar until the concert."
"…"
"…What do you mean, 'Sera's mad?'" He asked incredulously, "I didn't do anything!"
"…"
"Wait, what?" Adam pulled a notebook from his sleeve and flipped through it, his face paling as he found a page that said DON'T FORGET, DUMBASS and nothing else. "Oh, fuck! Tell her I'll be right there! Shit, shit, shit…" He rooted around in his sleeve, withdrawing an official-looking piece of paper and a quill, pausing. "You want to what? Fine, fine, whatever, just tell Sera I'm on the way!" He scribbled out his signature and handed the paper to Charlie, setting Nifty on the table before, "Here's the exemption form I'll see you tomorrow gotta go bye!"
Adam threw open a portal to Heaven and dove through before it snapped shut.
There was a moment of silence. "…The fuck just happened?" Angel Dust asked, jumping as another portal opened up and out stepped…
Not Adam. It was an angel, six pure white wings on her back, long grayish-blue hair, a glowing pure white halo, dark blue eyes, a fluffy, almost princess-like gown, and a wide, friendly smile that made white freckles on her dark cheeks crinkle. "Helloooo, Happy Hotel!" She greeted, throwing her arms up as sparkles emitted from her palms, "I'm Emily!"
"Hello, Emily!" Charlie skipped forward with a beaming smile, offering a hand, "I'm-!"
"Charlie!" The Seraph squealed, darting forward to hug the Princess and spin her around. "Adam's told me all about you! Everyone here! It's almost like I know you already! I'm so glad to meet you!"
Charlie giggled and hugged the angel back, practically hopping in happiness.
"…This is getting out of hand," Alastor sighed, sucking his teeth, "Now there are two of them. Joy."
"Oh!" Emily stepped away from the Princess, clapping her hands as she looked around the library, "Let me guess…" She pointed at Pentious, "Snakey Boi!" Then Angel, "Spider-Man!" Followed by Husk, "Grumpy Cat!" Nifty, "Sister of Battle!" Vaggie, "Grumpy!" And finally, Alastor, "…Which makes you, Period Piece!"
Charlie giggled.
Alastor did not seem amused by the name.
"I am indeed a snake," Pentious doffed his hat, "The name is Sir Pentious, Inventor of-"
"-I know your names, silly," the Archangel giggled, "Those were just nicknames Adam gives you in his reports! Pentious, the Inventor, Husk, the Bartender, Angel Dust, the Movie Star, Nifty, the Maid, Alastor, the Radio Guy, and…Wait, where did Vaggie go?"
Charlie blinked and looked around. At some point, the fallen had slipped out of the library. "She left after you called her 'Grumpy,'" Angel pointed out.
"Oh no, did I hurt her feelings?!" Emily gasped, looking so legitimately horrified that even Alastor felt just a smidge badly for her.
"No-no-no, she's just…sensitive," Charlie offered awkwardly, patting the angel on the head.
"…Okay, if you're sure," Emily nodded, seemingly not convinced.
"What's Adam's nickname for me, by the way?" The Princess asked.
"The Eye Candy."
Charlie sputtered, face flushing at the smirks the Sinners sent her. "N-nevermind that!" She giggled to herself then cleared her throat, "So, Emily…why are you here? Not that I'm not glad to meet you, but you know, Adam rushing out of here and you coming down…what's with that?"
"Well," Emily began, clasping her hands under her chin, "Adam was supposed to relieve Saint Peter at the Pearly Gates with Sera, but he forgot. I say 'relieve' but Adam says it's more like 'making that effin' workaholic take a damn day off for once in his effin' unlife even if I have to tie to him a goddamn beach chair and superglue an ever-full Mai Tai to his hand, the shithead.'" She said with an innocent smile, "As for why I'm here…well, Adam's told me, and the Council, so much about you! So, I thought I should return the favor!"
"Told you about us?" Husk asked cautiously, "What kind of things?" He shared a look with Angel Dust.
"Progress reports, attitudes, participation," the Archangel shrugged, her six wings flapping, "Things like that. He said sharing your life stories with a bunch of strangers would be a 'bitch move' so it's only general stuff. I'm sooo glad you guys are getting into this redemption idea! It's a whole new frontier in bringing joy!"
"Thanks, Emily!" Charlie said brightly, "What did you mean, return the favor?"
Emily cupped her hands, a blinding flash of light shining forth before a pure prism of crystal formed in her palms, every color imaginable blending together to become an iridescent gold. "This is Immaculara!" She announced, holding the crystal out, "It's a Prismatic Archive from Metatron's Archivum Prismatica! They record every memory a person has, from birth to death, then death to life in Heaven! This one is Adam's!"
Angel Dust raised a hand. "Um, are we allowed to see this?" He asked tentatively, "I mean, I'm all for learnin' more about Adam, but…his memories? Wouldn't that make him mad? Like, turn me inside out kinda mad?"
The Seraph shrugged. "I asked him if it was alright, and he said it was fine," she said innocently, moving over to the table and setting the crystal down, "You don't have to watch it if you don't want to-"
"-Oh hell no, I'm not missing this," the spider sinner said, stumbling as he hurried to the table.
Charlie straightened as a thought occurred. Wait, this is the perfect chance for Vaggie to get to know Adam better! "Can you hold on a minute?" She asked quickly, "I need to go find Vags real quick!"
"Sure!" Emily replied perkily, blinking as KeeKee crawled onto the table and lightly batted at the crystal like the cat she used to be, "Oh, who's this?"
"That's KeeKee, she used to be a cat," Husk explained.
"Wha-really?!"
Charlie teleported close to Vaggie's position, finding the fallen sitting on a couch in her room, flipping through channels and staring at the TV as if it had personally offended her. "Vags, babe!" The Princess said breathlessly, "You gotta come back to the library, Emily's gonna show us some of Adam's memories!"
Vaggie glanced at her. "Nah, I'm good," she said bluntly.
Charlie blinked. "…What? I-Vags, this is the perfect opportunity for you to get to know him better! Completely unbiased, too! …I think. I mean, come on, don't you wanna know what makes him tick?" She put her hand on her girlfriend's shoulder and squeezed gently, "Adam's not here, you know? And Emily's really nice-"
"-I'm good, Charlie," the fallen replied tonelessly, not moving from her spot, "You can have fun probing around that asshole's head, I already know everything I need to know when it comes to Adam."
Charlie opened her mouth to protest, and paused. "How can you say that, Vaggie? You've only known Adam as long as I have…right?" She questioned leadingly.
Vaggie stiffened, her grip on the remote becoming white-knuckled. "…Right," she muttered unconvincingly.
Charlie sighed. "…Alright, Vags, I won't…push," though she really wanted to, "Just think about it, okay? Who knows if this chance will come around again?" She gave Vaggie a small smile before teleporting away.
Vaggie shuddered and slumped on the couch, curling into a ball as a voice screamed in her head, "You…you would turn against us? Against me?! For these…filthy creatures? You shame your name! You…you wretched traitor!" And the memory of white-hot pain as fingers dug in her eye socket, screams for mercy as her wings were ripped from her back…and the masked man standing above, watching it all without a single word.
"Damn you…damn you, Adam…" She sobbed, hugging a pillow, "You think 'sorry' can fix what happened?"
Charlie popped back into the library to find KeeKee awkwardly curled up in Emily's lap, the Seraph marveling at the softness of the former cat's ears. "Vaggie won't be joining us, sorry," she said, taking a seat.
"Oh, that's okay!" Emily said brightly, "So, I want to show you the first day Adam arrived in Heaven! …That's as far back as I can go, I know the prism has earlier memories, but I don't have clearance to access those," she shrugged.
The Princess leaned on the table, peering at the crystal and the metal band wrapped around the base, "'Immaculara,'" She read, "'The Record of Adam, First Man: When Adam ascended to Heaven, the Seraphim granted him wings of…purest white? Through his deeds…did they become golden…'"
"White wings?" Husk asked, looking at his own black and red pair, "I thought…"
Alastor leaned back in his chair with a thoughtful smile. "Say, Little Miss Seraph," he began, "Surely there are others who possess golden wings, yes?"
"Nope!" Emily replied with a smile, "I mean, any angel can change the color of their wings, but Adam's are the only ones that are naturally golden…" She sighed dreamily, "He's special."
Charlie frowned, eyeing the Seraph differently at that longing exhale. "So, how does this work?" She asked instead.
"Like this!" The Archangel answered, pointing a finger at the crystal. A flash of light shone in their eyes, and then-
Immaculara, 9, 32;
They were in one of the suites, the windows dark and the curtains drawn. "What the-"
"Stay with me, don't let me go…"
They spun around and found Adam lying on his bed, staring blankly up at the ceiling as he clutched at the crystal he wore around his neck, his voice a pained, mournful rasp. Charlie gasped. She'd seen this very moment, not even a month ago.
"Because there's nothing left, at all…"
"Ah!" Emily squeaked, waving her hands at something only she could see, "This is too recent, sorry! There!"
The room blurred and-
Immaculara, 8, 664;
"-We're gaining on 'em, Cap'n!" Lute, dressed as a pirate, if a pirate wore a belted overcoat, a skirt with a flintlock and a sword and nothing else, shouted as she spun the wheel of a pirate ship, "They can't escape us now, yarr!"
"Aye, First Mate Lutey!" Adam declared, stubble dark around his jaw, a feathered tricorn on his head, wearing a ruffled shirt and a dark blue coat, a cutlass at his belt, "They thought they could lose us in the storm, but little did they know…we are the storm! We're in range, prepare the Man Cannon!"
"Aye, Cap'n!" The crew, consisting entirely of angels in sexy pirate costumes saluted, using a winch to pull a large bronze tube to the deck while others prepped the cannons and passed out weapons. "Man Cannon, ready!"
Adam agilely hopped down from the top deck and smoothly slid himself into the tube. "Aim! Fire!" He called.
There was a boom and suddenly, the whole group was almost yanked off their feet as they followed Adam, arching through the air towards the ship ahead of them, laughing like a maniac the entire time.
"SONIC SHIELD!" A voice cried, a shimmering barrier of energy formed around the ship, which Adam bounced off of with a loud boing!
He snapped his wings out to float, shaking a fist at the ship. "Gabe, what the shit?!" He shouted, "Pirate ships don't have sonic shields! That's not immersive at all!"
"They also don't have Man Cannons, dude!"
"Ye scurvy dog-!"
Giggling, Emily manipulated the controls again. "Sorry, I just really like watching this part," she said with a shrug. The world blurred and-
Immaculara, 7. 38;
"-and they mock the very thought of Righteous Retribution!" A powerful voice thundered, making the Happy Few jump. Before them stood a towering figure, clad in thick armor of gold from head to toe, a halo of curved swords floating above their helmeted head as they held a spear aloft before an army of angels, each clad in silver armor and bristling with weapons. "We will remind them why they signed the Treaty! We will remind them of the cost of Invading Heaven! And finally…They will remember WHY THEY FEAR ME!"
The army roared, stamping their feet and slamming the butts of their spears against the clouds they stood on.
Charlie looked at the towering, intimidating figure standing before the army. She recognized that spear. "…Adam?" She asked softly.
"Holy shit," Husk breathed, clutching his flask like a lifeline, "I remember hearing about this…" Pentious and Angel Dust huddled behind the bartender, eyeing the army fearfully even though it was only a memory.
"Quite the orator, our Adam is," Alastor noted, his smile fixed and knuckles white around his cane.
Adam, face hidden in the darkness of his helmet, turned away from the army. "My brothers, my sisters! We march forth, for the Light of Heaven! We strike now, for the Salvation of Souls! Now…" He swept the tip of his spear in front of him, the horizon splitting to reveal a massive portal opening like a great eye…and on the other side, there was a city in Hell, but not Pentagram. Adam held his spear up, a ball of blinding light gathering at the tip. "WE CULL!"
He thrust his spear, a beam of light ripping forth through the portal, impacting the city on the other side to unleash a massive explosion. As one, he and the army roared and ascended into the air then dove, screaming their retribution as they invaded Hell.
"No, not far enough, sorry!" Emily said, and the world blurred-
Immaculara, 7. 36;
"-We begin our strike here," the armored Adam commanded, tapping a holographic map to highlight the tallest buildings of the city before, "At the heart of this infestation. Our spy has assured us the Prince and their family will be absent, and the most powerful Archfiends and Overlords will be gathered here. They will be my first target."
Another Angel clad in armor of white stepped up to the table, idly leaning a sword of frozen golden flame on his shoulder, his six wings tucked against his back. "Once Adam strikes, portals to sectors 3, 7 and 11 will be opened. Australia, you will lead the second battalion," a Angel woman with a fierce, beautiful countenance nodded eagerly, "Ficus, Pansy, the third and fourth." Two more angels, both women, pounded their fists to their hearts.
"…Adam?" A kind, almost motherly voice spoke up, making the gathered angels and the Happy Few look around. "May I speak with you?"
"Seraphiel," Adam greeted, his voice flat and professional, "Do you have any tactical advice?"
The dark skinned, shapely Archangel just about wrung her hands, white wings fluttering anxiously. "No, I-"
"We do not have time for idle chatter," the First Man waved her away, "If we must speak, it shall be afterwards."
"Indeed, Sera," the other Archangel spoke, "Away with you, unless your concerns are of the upcoming engagement."
Sera nodded slowly and left, giving Adam a sorrowful look over her shoulder.
"Now, we must cut off retreat from any direction, lest we wish to lose the element of surprise. Remember these locations, as they are where the children should be brought away from the fighting-"
The world blurred.
Immaculara, 7. 34;
Adam sat on a hill made of clouds, but not Adam as they knew him. Unarmored, in unadorned robes of gray. His hair reached his shoulders, unkempt and greasy. There were bags so deep and dark around his eyes that they looked like bruises, his skin gaunt and sallow.
It looked as if he hadn't eaten or slept in a week.
He blinked tiredly, the sound of thousands of marching boots twitching his ears.
Adam looked down at his hand, which was trembling terribly, and saw something dark and skeletal instead that made him squeeze his eyes shut then rock back and forth.
"…Adam?" A motherly, feminine voice asked, thick with concern as Sera crested the other side of the hill, a helmet of golden metal held loosely in her hand, "First Harmony?"
"What is it, Sera?" He asked bluntly, voice hoarse and thick like he hadn't spoken in a week either.
Sera, the tall, beautiful Archangel, clasped the helmet to her chest like a shield and carefully sat next to him. "They're ready for you," she said softly, tentatively reaching out to lay a hand on his shoulder.
"Perhaps I'm not ready for them," he snapped back harshly, "Can you conceive of that, Sera?"
The Seraph winced, carefully sitting next to the First Man, holding the helmet out to him. "They have need of you, though," she said softly, "You are the only one-"
"Of course I'm the only one!" Adam snarled at Sera, the Angel's eyes going wide as she recoiled from him, "I've been the only one for six. Thousand. Years! Perhaps you should find another fool to do your dirty work!"
Sera goggled at him, her eyes wet and lips trembling. "I-Adam…"
He blinked and looked horrified, reaching out to take her hands. "I'm sorry, Sera," he said softly, "I…it is far easier to be angry. Far easier than being afraid."
"Afraid?" She echoed, setting the helmet down, "Of what?"
Adam glanced away, facing The Happy Few and Emily, and they could see tears tracking down his cheeks. Charlie had a sudden feeling of wrongness about her, her gut clenching. "I don't think we should be watching this," she said faintly.
He picked up the helmet, his miserable face reflected in shimmering gold. "One day, I will don my mask," Adam began hoarsely, "I will try to remove it, only to find that I cannot, for it has become my face. I will wonder why I did not notice." His tears pattered against the unyielding metal, "And then I will wonder how many times this has happened before, and why I had forgotten. I will dread the answer."
"Oh, Adam…" Emily murmured, on the verge of tears. She hugged Charlie's arm, the Princess feeling her eyes burning with sympathetic moisture.
"Oh, Adam," Sera murmured, on the verge of tears, "How long has this troubled you so?"
"How many faces have I worn?" He asked himself, not hearing her, "First Man, Creator, Husband, Hunter, Father, Builder, Farmer…Judge, Leader, Warrior, Assassin…" He turned to Sera, his eyes shimmering, "Underneath them all…what remains of Adam? Does anything?"
Angel choked, hands covering his face. Pentious put an arm around his fellow sinner.
The Archangel began to speak, but couldn't find the words. She tried once again, and bowed her head in sorrow.
"…If I am needed, though," Adam closed his eyes as he pressed the cold metal of the helm to his forehead, "Then what is one more?"
He made to don the helmet, but was stopped by a hand intercepting the cold metal. He looked at the hand in confusion, following it down the wrist, arm and finally to Sera's face. "Not perhaps yet, Adam," she said with a small, sad smile.
Adam's expression was incredulous. "…You said they have need of me," he pointed out.
"They can wait for a time," Sera answered, prying the helmet from his hands, "Right now, Adam, I have need of you."
The First Man glanced around at the open hill and the angels marching in formation not that far away. "…Here?" He asked in surprise.
Emily gasped in realization, clapping her hands to her cheeks. Charlie gave the memory of the angel a once-over and frowned, tugging on the hem of her jacket.
Seraphiel, Archangel, blushed adorably. "N-not in that sense, First Harmony," she stammered, scooting around behind him, shaping the clouds into a rest she could lean against before tugging on Adam so that the back of his head was cradled by her bosom, "I have need of you, whole and hale. Not for war or work, but because I love you so. When the time has come and you must don your mask as General of the Heavenly Host, I shall be there afterwards to remove it for you."
She ran her fingers through his hair, every pass of her digits seeming to clean and straighten his dark locks. Adam's eyes fluttered as he shook his head slightly to stay awake. "But, I…I thought…"
"Shh," Sera soothed, cupping his cheeks, "Rest now, Adam."
The memory dimmed as he did so.
Emily sniffled, making the Sinners look at her. Despite the moisture in her eyes, her smile was almost blinding. "I knew there was something between them!" She cheered, before clearing her throat and gaining an adorably serious expression, "I have a lot to live up to…"
Charlie blinked as Angel traded looks with Husk and Alastor chuckled, idly spinning his cane. "…What does that mean?" She asked suspiciously, trying to ignore the knot in her chest.
"Oh, Sera's my mentor! She's been my example since I was first formed!" Emily replied joyfully, "She really knows how to handle Adam!"
"…Oh," the Princess coughed into her hand, instantly feeling bad for being slightly snappy at the young Archangel. "So, um, was this what you wanted us to see?"
The Seraph blinked and blushed. "Oh, uh, no, I just kinda got caught up in the…you know," she cleared her throat, "Anyways, back we go!"
The world blurred…somehow, despite being pitch black.
Immaculara, 3. 86;
They were in a torture chamber, liberally splattered in old, crusted golden blood and freshly decorated with red. There were corpses of demons littered around the room, messily torn apart and wearing expressions of pure terror…when their faces were whole enough to have expressions.
In the center, wearing a dark robe and kneeling on the ground was Adam. His wings were different, the feathers mostly gold except for the quills, which were silver.
In his arms was an angel, or had been at one point. The golden blood had obviously come from her, as she bore old and fresh scars of torture so numerous and disquieting that the Sinners had to resist the urge to retch; Alastor seemed unbothered, but his smile had dimmed significantly.
The worst of all was her face. Once a literally Heavenly beauty, there were thick scars and dips where the flesh had been peeled away. Worse of all was her left eye, or the lack of it; instead, there was a darkened pit.
Despite the torture, and her wings being stripped down to the bone, the angel was smiling softly up at Adam, cupping his face with what remained of a hand. "-to be held in your arms once last time," she garbled through ruined lips, her remaining eye bright with love.
And then the light faded, and her hand fell away.
Adam was crying freely as he bent to press a kiss to her forehead. "I'm so sorry, my love," he whimpered, clutching her to himself, "I couldn't save you, either…but I can at least lay you to rest…" His wing extended over his shoulder, and he reached up to grasp it firmly, "You deserve the finest pyre…" He began to-
-The world blurred.
Immaculara 2. 109;
"-so slow!" An angel, her long white hair flowing behind her like a flag shouted, running ahead.
"Sister, slow yourself!" Lute called from her place at Adam's side, obviously unwilling to do more than demand. "You'll be tired before you even reach the water!"
"No!" The other angel shouted back.
"Always running ahead, she is," A shirtless Adam commented with a smile, running a hand through Lute's short hair.
"Energetic in battle, energetic in bed," Lute sighed, shaking her head, "I don't know where it comes from."
Adam laughed freely as he bent and scooped the angel up onto his shoulder, making her squeak in surprise. "Let her race ahead, then! I am more than satisfied with your company, my love."
"And I you, Song of My Heart," she replied, hugging his head lovingly.
"…Hot damn," someone muttered. They turned to look at Husk, who blushed horribly. "W-what?" He asked defensively as they smirked at him, "You can't tell me this isn't a-a good picture!"
They looked back, seeing Adam shirtless, easily carrying a woman near as tall as Charlie on his shoulder, a bright smile on his face. "It fuckin' is, that's for sure," Angel Dust sighed, commiting the image to memory.
"Mhm," Charlie hummed as Emily did the same.
"Are you doing this shit on purpose?" The spider sinner asked, "I mean, I already like Adam, all this has done is made me scared, sad and kinda aroused."
"N-no, I swear!" Emily flapped her arms in distress, "Someone messed with the settings, I swear! I'm just gonna skip to the beginning!"
"You could do that the whole time?" Husk said with an arched eyebrow, sipping from his flask.
"Well…I did wanna show you some other parts," the Archangel admitted sheepishly, "But after the first part, not before! Anyways, here we go-"
The world blurred again.
Immaculara 1.1:
The world brightened. As far as the eye could see there were clouds of a color that appeared to be white, but contained every color conceivable that slid over the surface like oil at other angles. Far above were more clouds, each fluffy and soft, with the sun shining brightly but gently down.
Adam groaned as he sat up, rubbing his eyes. "Kathur, did you find that medicine…" He dropped his hands and looked around, eyes wide as he took in the cloudscape around him. "What the…" He glanced down at his hands and blinked, twisting his wrists to examine his fingers, then his arms and the rest of him, making noises of disbelief the entire time.
"I am…young again," he breathed, patting his chest and feeling his face, "I haven't looked like this since I was six-hundred and forty!"
Adam jumped to his feet with a laugh, bending and twisting and stretching his whole body. "I feel amazing!" He shouted, punching his fists into the air and doing a little dance, giggling the entire time, before he paused. "…Wait, this means…" He looked around again, his eyes passing over where The Happy Few and Emily stood, "I must have…died. After so long, Heaven…I almost began to think it was a dream…"
He looked down at the clouds as if they would part and show him the world below. "I suppose that means you shall be the head of the family, my son," Adam clasped his hands and closed his eyes, "And you will lead them well. I have faith in you, my boy. Take care of them for me."
Adam breathed out a deep sigh and his eyes snapped open, a joyous laugh leaving his lips.
He raced around the field of clouds like a child, poking and shaping them in his hands like dough, gasping in delight as he saw a hill of clouds. He ran up it then threw himself down, the surface rippling to become a slide, Adam whooping and laughing the whole way. Even when the bottom of the slide flung him through another cloudbank, he still laughed as some clung to his face like a wispy beard and hair.
Then the clouds parted in the distance and revealed…a golden city. The Golden City. Spires of crystal that reached towards the sun, buildings coated in gold…it was indescribable beyond the very basics. Words simply failed to capture the sheer majesty of such a sight.
Adam gaped, eyes bulging as he sucked in a sharp breath, accidentally inhaling the wisps clinging to his face and making him cough. Pounding his chest, he stood up, gaze fixed on the city, and the observers took in his features.
"That's a man," Angel Dust breathed.
Adam's look, nearly ten thousand years ago, was similar and yet different. He seemed softer, more innocent, yet with a face that was somehow a perfect mix of noble, rugged and youthful, his black hair messy yet stylish as it fell between his shoulder blades. Even his skin seemed different, less pale and more a golden color like perfectly baked bread.
"Great Clean One at his Cleanest," Nifty almost sang, looking up at the past Adam with a wide eye.
Charlie tilted her head and squinted. She could admit he was handsome, likely the most handsome man she'd ever seen; even sweeping her eyes over his features had heat rushing to her cheeks, and yet…she preferred the Adam of today. There was a harshness to his face, sharp lines sketched from stress, a sourness to his person and personality that made the sweetness all the sweeter. And that stubble…
Charlie blinked hard, sending those thoughts away. "Hey, is it just me, or does it look like he's about to-"
"I saw this place once in a dream," Adam burst into song, making Emily clap her hands, "A world more beautiful than I've ever seen! Yet here I stand before the Reward, what wonders yet will lie in store?"
"Holy shit, he's actually singing about his feelings, like a Disney…" Husk shook his head, peering between the past Adam and Charlie incredulously.
"My first love, my dearest friend," Adam continued, the clouds forming into a pair of figures, one short and one tall, "Now that my life has come to the end, away from the toil, dirt and the drudge, perhaps Eternity is too long to hold a grudge!"
Charlie's jaw fell open. "Did he just…?"
"I do believe he just did," Alastor nodded, eyes wide.
"Holy shit," Angel Dust echoed.
"What?" Pentious asked, looking around at the other Sinners, "What did he say?"
"I'll tell you later," Husk said faintly, taking a deep pull from his flask. Angel silently held out his hand, and the bartender equally silently handed it over.
"Together once more, as I've dreamed," Adam sang, slipping between the two cirrus silhouettes and hugging them, "Could even the lowest, be redeemed?"
Charlie wheezed, Angel dropped Husk's flask, Pentious dropped his jaw, and Alastor dropped his cane.
"Yup, he did say that," she muttered thickly, a storm raging inside of her head.
"A Heaven whole once more, is what I see! At least that is what I truly believe…E-Eve," Adam stuttered, reeling back as if the thought had physical impact. "Eve!"
Then he took off towards Heaven in a sprint.
"It's a good thing this is like a movie, otherwise we'd never actually catch up," Husk pointed out as they stood completely still and yet followed Adam like they were keeping up, "This is wild. I know ten thousand years is a long time, but knowing Adam now…"
"Like a fuckin' funhouse, this is," Angel nodded in agreement.
"We haven't left the hotel," Emily helpfully informed them.
The Princess gave them a curious look. "What do you mean, funhouse?" She tapped her chin in thought, watching Adam run, still shouting for his wife, "There is something oddly familiar about this…"
"Charlie…" The bartender gave her an incredulous look, "Adam spent nearly twenty minutes playing in the clouds like a kid, then burst into song and sang about his feelings and redemption! Of course it should feel familiar. Charlie…he's you."
"You're a lot like how he used to be," the Archangel added, giving a gaping Charlie a side-hug. "I think it's a good thing!"
"I…yeah, I mean," Charlie couldn't help but compare the Adam of the past to the one she knew today, and looked back at the Happy Few. Their faces showed that they'd come to the same realization as her. Is that what I could become after that long?
Adam had closed in on the city and skidded to a stop as light shone from the highest spire, covering his eyes. Looking through his fingers, he could see winged figures descending from the sky as if they were walking on rays of light until they landed before him. "Who are…?" He began, then paused as his eyes went wide.
"First Harmony," Sera greeted him with a bittersweet smile, "Has it truly been so long that you've forgotten me? Us?" She was flanked by other Archangels, all wearing robes and the same smile.
Adam peered at her face, taking in her features as realization struck. "S-Sera?" He asked in disbelief, "Seraphiel?"
The Archangel smiled beautifully, a tear of joy tracing down her cheek. "Yes, Adam, it is I."
The Seraph to her left scoffed lightly, but not rudely. "Of course he would remember you first."
Adam blinked and swallowed, turning to look at him. He was plain, as odd as that sounded for an angel, with gray hair neatly slicked back and an imperious look on his face, but smiling all the same. "Uriel," the First Man said, and the Angel beamed and nodded.
The angel to his side was beautiful, if such a meager word could apply to the vision of sheer attractiveness that was the Archangel. Her hair resembled spun gold, her skin like fresh cream, with multi-faceted jewel-like eyes dotting her skin. "Jophiel," Adam named, and the angel smiled.
"Hello again, Dearest Adam," she bowed her head slightly in greeting.
The angel to her side didn't look remotely human, instead being a single enormous eye, circled by golden rings dotted with more eyes and six wings that, yet again, bore even more eyes. "Metatron."
"Greetings, First Man," the Archangel nodded(?), "You've led a storied life, haven't you?"
To Sera's right was another Angel, hair dancing on his head like golden fire. Despite his obvious musculature, the Archangel almost seemed shy. "Michael," Adam named, and the angel nodded happily.
"Hello again, my friend," Michael smiled.
They recognized the next Seraph from Adam's drawings, and somehow even nearly ten millennia ago he still looked like a 'dude.' "Gabriel!"
"Welcome to Heaven, Brother!" The Archangel of Music threw his hands up in greeting.
The last seemed smaller than the others despite his height matching theirs, with curled brown hair and white eyes down the length of his arms and set in his palms. "Raphael?"
"You remembered me…" The Seraph beamed, bowing low to Adam, "I hoped you would."
"Of course I do," the First Man smiled at them, tears in his eyes, "It's been so long, though…I thought perhaps, everything before Earth was just…a dream. A faded memory of comfort in a life of toil. I…"
"We are very real, Adam," Sera held her arms out and beckoned him, "Feel for yourself."
And Adam stepped forward, wrapping his arms around the angel as the others closed on them in perhaps the most Heavenly group hug ever conceived of, especially when they wrapped their wings around each other. "I missed you all so much," Adam whispered, burying his face in Sera's robe as she stroked his hair with a fond smile. He chuckled as the hug ended, wiping his face with his hand, "I am sorry, I'm in Heaven and all I've done is cry," he said with a shrug.
"Tears of joy are welcomed, though not the only allowed," Jophiel replied, her jewel-like eyes winking at him, "You should have seen Sera when your sickness became worse. Her chambers were practically flooded!"
"Only because you were there as well!" Sera retorted, her cheeks golden.
"It was very sad," the Seraph of Beauty nodded without shame.
"No more talk of tears," Seraphiel waved her hand, turning back to Adam as he watched them with an amused smile, "We have a gift for you, Adam."
The First Man cocked his head. "A gift?" He echoed, "I have not done anything, though. I have only just arrived, if anyone should have brought a gift, it is I!"
"Your presence is gift enough," Michael said, clasping his hands together as did the other Archangels.
Music seemed to swell from everywhere and nowhere, the very clouds themselves shining with Radiance.
Adam's eyes went wide as he slowly looked over his shoulder. There, emerging seamlessly from his back as if they'd always been, were a pair of pure white, fluffy wings. Slowly, as if it would try to run if he moved too fast, Adam reached back to grab his wing…and kept reaching, spinning in circles before finally laying his hands on the feathery appendage with awe on his face. "Wings…" he breathed, running his fingers through his feathers, shivering at the sensation.
"Just like ours!" Gabriel cheered, "I mean, only two, but…you know. Wings! Wooo!"
Adam stood straight, his wings extending out to either side of him, his wingspan (heh) measuring in excess of twenty feet. He gave his wings a mighty flap…and went tumbling backwards with a yelp, rolling across the clouds.
The Archangels laughed, some openly like Gabriel, who clutched his stomach, and some subtly, like Sera, with a hand over her mouth even as her eyes glittered with mirth.
The First Man jumped back to his feet, an embarrassed (and red) blush on his cheeks. "Okay, I think I've figured it out!" He called, crouching slightly, his wings spread once more.
And then he leapt into the air, wings flapping mightily as he climbed into the sky. The Golden City shrunk below, a collection of jeweled stalagmites glimmering in the sun. As Adam flew around the city, wind pulling at his hair and robes, he passed near twin spires of twisting gold that at their peak curled around each other, a great light pulsing at the center and with each pulse, the purest note of song was released. All around these spires were round caves, and at each entrance a head of white hair poked out, watching the First Man fly with awe on their faces. He waved and they waved back, tilting their heads back and singing joyfully.
The song had no words that they could understand, but the sheer joy and happiness radiating from it passed through them like a physical thing, leaving a sensation of tingles. Charlie gasped at the sensation, feeling a tear trailing down her cheek though she did not know why. Glancing over, she found Husk staring at the scene before them, hands clenched around his flask, eyes wet with tears. Angel Dust had collapsed to his knees, mouth agape though he made no sound. Pentious had removed his hat, eyes wide and staring. Nifty was leaning against Emily, her expression completely blank. And Alastor had a hand over his heart, looking down at his chest in uncertainty.
Adam smiled, casting his eyes about the City and almost fell out of the sky as he spotted something completely different from the others. It resembled a sprawling Mediterranean farm and villa, with a large central building and smaller ones clustered around it, with fields of grass ending at a circular wall. "Home," he breathed, tucking his wings and diving, the air snapping around him. He threw his wings out as came up on the ground, but that did little to stop his momentum and the instant his foot touched the clouds he was thrown into a tumble.
The tumble ended with him slamming face-first into the gates and bouncing off.
"...Owww…" Adam groaned, sitting up and rubbing his head, before shaking it and throwing the gates open with an excited shout, "Eve! Children!"
There was no response. In fact, it almost seemed as if the whole building was empty…but that couldn't be, could it?
He rushed into the main building, bulling through the doors. Charlie looked back, sharing apprehensive glances with Angel Dust and Husk. Adam threw open a door, crying, "Myla!" The room was barren to his confusion. "Adama!" Another room empty. "Yevona!" This room too, was empty. "Abel!" A somewhat larger room, yet empty as the rest.
Panting more from a panic than lack of breath, Adam raced across the house and almost slammed into the largest, most decorated door. He paused, letting his hand rest on the warm wood. "…It's just like when we built it," he murmured, stooping to look at the small lines carved into the doorway, with two at differing heights with numbers scored next to them. Biting his lip, Adam pushed the door open with a quiet, hopeful, "Eve?"
The bedroom was furnished with a low bed, a wood stove, a sunken pit lined with blue stones that served as a bath, a toilet of all things; several shelves lined a wall with round, earthen pots, each painted with different patterns and colors. There was a window looking out onto a golden field of grain lightly swaying in the breeze, cords of thread tied through gleaming polished stones and dried flowers that gave the room a sweet, earthy scent.
There was no one inside.
"…Eve?" Adam's voice carried a raw, painful sort of hope, his face falling as he looked around. "My love? Eve, are you here?"
There was no reply.
Breathing heavily, Adam stumbled out of the Heavenly copy of his home, confusion written on his face as he emerged into the main yard, where the Archangels had landed. "Of course you took to the skies like a bird," Michael chuckled, "How many of them did you Create, after all?"
"Flying, yes, landing not so much," Gabriel added with a grin.
"Yes, it is funny and all," Adam muttered, running a hand through his hair, "Where are they?"
The Seraphim fell silent, trading looks. "The first flight is always a trial," Sera spoke with a smile, "Perhaps I should show you how to create food? There's a method-"
"Later, thank you," the First Man said shortly, staring at them, "Where is my family?"
The Seraphim looked at each other again. "Have you met the Holy Choir yet, brother?" Gabriel asked instead, "They'll love you and you'll them, the music they can make-!"
Adam straightened to his full height, his face hardening. "Why aren't you answering my question?" He'd gone from First Man to First Father. "My family, Eve, Able, Adama, Yevona…those who died before me…where are they?" His chest heaved, "If this is…s-some sort of jest, it isn't very funny!"
"I told you we should've kept him away from here," Raphael muttered anxiously, rubbing his hands together.
Sera sighed and stepped forward, biting her lip. "Adam…" She began, taking his hands, "Before you arrived, there were no human souls in Heaven. You…are The First."
Adam blinked up at her, uncomprehending. "I know I am the First Man, where is the First Woman?" He asked, voice thick with emotion. "Where are my children?"
"Adam…you are The First Human soul in Heaven," Sera explained slowly, "Before you, there were the Seraphim, Angels and Cherubim…there are no others."
Adam's jaw worked soundlessly, a choked rasp escaping his lips. "H-how? I made it, and they were worthy- worthier than I! How c-could they not be here?!" He shouted, making Sera flinch, "W-where are they?"
Uriel stepped forward. "There were meant to be three places in Reality: Heaven, the Garden and Earth. With your banishment and the Destruction of the Garden, a new place was formed. A place of Shadow and Sin. A place of Evil. So far, every human who has died…their soul has fallen to this Evil Place, and they disappeared from our sight. That is all we know."
"Uriel!" Sera hissed, multiple eyes snapping open on her wings and face, all glaring at the Archangel, "We agreed to be gentle! That is-"
"-You were taking too long, Sera," Uriel interrupted unrepentantly, "Your fondness for Adam would've had you circling the issue for a millenia."
"That does not mean you could be less blunt," Jophiel added with her own sour look, "Adam, I…"
The First Man had fallen to his knees, clutching his head, his breath coming in short, sharp gasps. "It-but-no-she-they-who-where-that is impossible," he mumbled, eyes darting, "That is impossible, they should be here-"
"We are making things worse," Raphael said softly, eyeing Adam with sympathy, "He died only hours ago. His mind cannot take this much, not all at once. We should give him space to breathe and settle." With that said, he flapped his wings and flew away.
One by one, the Archangels took to the sky until only Sera remained, kneeling next to Adam. "S-Sera," he asked shakily, looking up at her with tears in his eyes, "This place, this…Evil Place…how can it exist?"
Sera closed her eyes in grief. "…When Lucifer and Lilith were banished a second time, they had just deceived Eve. This act of Evil, and the coming Ruin of the Garden…it created this other place where it had not existed before. It is because of them."
Adam let his head fall against his chest, horrified.
"I am so sorry, Adam," the Archangel let her hand rest on his hair, "If you wish to know more, I will tell you. For now…rest. You've come home, First Harmony. This is your Reward for a life well lived."
He did not answer, staring at the ground before him.
Sera patted his head, gave him one last sad smile, and departed.
Adam slowly got to his feet and padded inside his empty home, passing empty beds and empty corridors until he arrived at his empty room. He sat on the bed he had shared with Eve, and reached for the pillow her head would've rested on, pulling it into his arms and burying his face in the fabric. His eyes drifted over his home, once alight with life and love, now terribly, painfully barren.
And Adam wept, for he was alone.
It all froze as Emily waved a hand, her adorable face bearing a sorrowful frown. She turned to look at the Sinners with a small smile. "I don't mean this as a way to make you sympathetic," she said, laughing quietly at the teary, disbelieving look Charlie gave her, "Heaven is supposed to be the Final Rest, the Reward after a life of long, worthy toil. For one who needed it most, it never really has been. And now you know how Adam's first day in Heaven ended."
They looked at the tableau of sheer misery before them, a young Adam sobbing into a pillow in an empty house.
"Nine thousand years…that's quite a long time to become a traumatized wreck of a person, isn't it?" Alastor asked, grin present yet not as bright or toothy.
"Wait, hold on," Angel Dust interjected, a look of dawning concern on his furry face, "Adam was the first human in Heaven…how long did that last?"
Emily sighed, playing with one of her sleeves. "About one…thousand years, give or take. Don't get it wrong, there were a lot of times where it really sucked," the young Archangel said, "But there are bright, happy moments, too! Let me-"
Everything fuzzed like they'd all gotten water in their eyes. "What's this, the hangover setting?" Husk grumbled, rubbing his face.
"No, this is…" Emily peered around, eyes narrowed, "Someone else is accessing Immaculara!"
Charlie looked up as if the person would drop from the sky in front of them. "At the hotel? Vaggie?" She wondered aloud.
"No, accessing the original in Archivum Prismatica," Emily answered, arching an eyebrow at their looks, "What? Like I'm gonna bring a literally priceless relic into Hell, seriously? I'm not stupid, guys."
"Then who is-"
ACCESS DENIED
PASSWORD:
"I shouldn't need a password!" A heavily modified voice growled. The words seemed to fill their vision. "Fine, what about…"
PASSWORD: * * * * * * *
ACCEPTED. LIFTING RESTRICTIONS.
The world blurred, images flashing in front of their eyes-
-a hooded figure grabbing a demon from behind and slashing their throat-
-a different hooded figure smiling gently as a demon was ripped in two-
-a stunningly beautiful woman screaming as she gave birth-
-Adam screaming as he pressed a handful of ashes to his face-
-an armored figure tearing the horn from a massive demon's head and shattering its skull with it-
-a scorched black skeleton screaming as it was crucified on pillars of pure light-
The world flashed white, and they were in a forest. Emily swiped her hand in front of her as a hooded figure almost appeared before them, luckily looking in another direction. "I hid us from sight and sound," she said aloud, making the sinners jump, "Angels are creatures of light and harmony, it's easy to be invisible and soundless," she shrugged, gasping as she looked around.
The forest was…different. There were trees, bushes, grass but it was all…lighter, somehow. Almost…fuzzy around the edges, like a dream sequence. Each individual leaf, branch and blade of grass moved as if in a constant breeze, but independently. It was as if everything was alive.
"Emily…" Charlie began, blinking as the sheer movement of everything was already starting to give her a headache, "Where is this?"
There was a soft, melodic hum and the hooded figure, obviously disguised to hide any distinguishing features, knelt next to another in the grass. It was a man wearing nothing but a loin cloth, reaching into a bowl of crushed berries and painting a pattern on what looked like a snake made of woven leaves and branches. He ran a hand through his hair, pulling a long, shimmering black strand from within and carefully threading it through the craft, tying it off.
"I've never seen this before, I'm too young," Emily said, gazing around at the forest in awe, her eyes shimmering, "So this is what it looked like…"
"Now, what to call you," he said, his voice beautifully sonorous and young, tapping his chin in thought. "Hmm, you slither on the ground to get around…a sssslither? No. Ssslifer? No, no. Sssnape… oh!" He snapped his fingers in realization and cupped a hand around his mouth. "Snake."
He breathed through his hand and the craft in his palm rippled, leaves becoming scales, pebbles becoming eyes and then- he was holding a snake, colored in green, yellow and blue. The snake looked around, tongue flicking out to scent the air.
"Hello, Mister Snake!" He said joyfully, nuzzling said creature against his cheek, "Welcome to Existence! I'm Adam!"
Emily glanced back at Charlie, wonder written plainly on her face. "This…this is Eden."
…
…
…
…
…
…
A/N: (message from the future: FF keeps erasing all italics and shit when i upload and i just don't care to go through the whole chapter to fix it. speaking of chapters, AO3 version is up to chapter 19 and chapter 21 on my pat-reon.)
And so we come to chapter 14, the first of Adam's chapters. We're getting into some of the deep lore here, and oh boy is there a lot of it.
Adam and Charlie are getting closer while the distance between her and Vaggie increases, turns out Adam hasn't lazed around his whole time in Heaven and then…the two cinnamon rolls meet.
So, remember when I said Immaculara was an actual thing? I meant it. It's a literal plot device! And well so far we've got to hear Husk and Angel's tragic backstory, now it's Adam's turn…I mean, only part of it, because ten thousand years is a long time.
Speaking of, one thing I've noticed is that some people tend to write Adam as being the exact same, swearing and all even in Eden, which just doesn't gel with me. Again, ten thousand years is a long time and I mean hell, just look at yourself. Are you the same person you were ten years ago, five? Are you the exact same as you were last year?
No. People and their persona are based on their collective experiences and their environments and again, ten thousand years.
And a fun part, basically all those scenes, even the quick little flashes, are relevant to the story and will show up again for greater context. Look forward to that.
Big thanks as always to NSG for being the Man, go check out his stuff before I lay a curse on you and yours!
Another big thanks to all the peeps in the discord, both my own and the FMC.
And of course, thank you for taking the time to read my story. I hope you enjoyed it, hope you'll comment and review and all that good stuff, but if not I hope you have a good day.
Stay Awesome.
~Soleneus
P.S.: Also got to meet the Archangels and whatnot when they were younger, too. You may have noticed there's a bit of a through line with Sera and Adam. That'll be relevant, too.
Man, I'm glad summer is almost over. I am tired of the heat and I'm ready for some cold days.
I can't think of much to say.
Stay Awesome Some More.
~still Soleneus
